Vice President JD Vance and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine reportedly warned President Donald Trump against escalating the Iran conflict during a White House meeting on Friday, as the US paused its bombing campaign after nearly two weeks of strikes.
A source familiar with the matter and a U.S. official told CNN that Caine specifically pointed to concerns about depleted U.S. munitions stockpiles and other risks. A Defense Department source said the operations were “on hold” on Saturday.
Trump Signals Openness to Diplomacy, Keeps Military Options Open
According to the report, White House Communications Director Steven Cheung said Trump “has always been consistent” in preferring a diplomatic solution but “retains all options” if Iran continues hostile activity in the Strait of Hormuz or against U.S. allies. Cheung pointed to 13 consecutive days of strikes and sanctions that have “crippled Iran’s economy,” adding that it “would be wise” for Iran to pursue a negotiated deal.
Trump told reporters after Friday’s meeting that talks with Iran were ongoing and that Tehran appeared to be getting “more serious.” He said the military could still resume strikes or “make it a heavier dose” if needed.
Shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz fell to just six confirmed crossings on Friday, down 60% day-on-day, according to shipping analytics firm Kpler.
The conflict in the Middle East widened Saturday as Iran-aligned Houthi rebels claimed strikes on Saudi Aramco oil facilities in Jizan and Yanbu.
Trump told Axios on Thursday that he was “close to making a decision” on a strike that would be “bigger than ever before.” Separately, Pakistan, with encouragement from China, was working to restart U.S.-Iran talks.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
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