The United States has suspended its bombing campaign against Iran for a third night, as senior military officials reportedly advised President Donald Trump to consider diplomatic avenues. This pause comes as negotiations continue in an effort to prevent a full-scale war, with Tehran also announcing a halt to what it termed 'retaliatory' attacks against US allies in the region. The de-escalation saw oil prices fall on Monday, reflecting a market response to the reduction in hostilities.
The nearly five-month-old conflict has seen a significant human cost. The Pentagon updated its official casualty database over the weekend, revealing that 18 US troops have been killed and 624 wounded since the US initiated its campaign against Iran on 28 February. This represents a substantial increase in reported injuries, with over 140 additional wounded service members added to the figures.
President Trump is currently said to be evaluating both diplomatic and military strategies. Reports from Axios on Sunday indicated that Admiral Bradley Cooper, the highest-ranking US military commander in the region, informed the President that the effectiveness of the US military campaign had reached its operational limits, suggesting a shift towards alternative approaches.
The broader regional tensions continue to draw international attention. In a separate development, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu accused New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani of 'fomenting hate' after Mamdani called for Netanyahu's arrest as a war criminal over Israel’s war in Gaza, should he visit the city for the United Nations General Assembly. Netanyahu emphasised that the mayor should represent all New Yorkers, not divide them.
Meanwhile, the International Criminal Court in The Hague has issued a warrant for Netanyahu, accusing him of alleged war crimes, specifically 'starvation as a method of warfare and of intentionally directing an attack against the civilian population,' alongside 'crimes against humanity of murder, persecution, and other inhumane acts.'