The United States has held off on strikes against Iran for a third consecutive night as senior military officials pressed President Donald Trump to halt the bombing campaign, while newly released Pentagon figures showed a sharply higher casualty count of 18 troops killed and 624 wounded since the conflict began.
The updated casualty database, revised over the weekend, added more than 140 wounded service members to previous tallies. The revision marks one of the largest single updates since the war opened on February 28, underscoring the human cost of a conflict now approaching its fifth month.
Diplomatic channels have remained active during the pause. Tehran stated on Sunday it would suspend what it described as “retaliatory” operations against US allies across the region, a move that eased fears of a broader regional escalation.
Trump is weighing both diplomatic and military paths forward. Reporting indicates that Admiral Bradley Cooper, the top US commander in the region, advised the president that the military campaign had reached the limits of its effectiveness, a factor that has featured in the administration’s recent decisions to hold fire amid continuing talks.
Financial markets responded quickly to the halt. Oil prices fell more than 5% on Monday, hitting a one-week low as traders factored in reduced risk to supply routes and the possibility of a durable ceasefire. Brent and West Texas Intermediate benchmarks both retreated as the immediate threat of disruption to Gulf shipping lanes appeared to subside.
The conflict began in late February and has drawn repeated shifts in strategy from Washington, including earlier pauses tied to depleted munitions stockpiles and internal debate over how to conclude the campaign.
The war has also generated cultural friction at home. Pop star Katy Perry condemned the White House after it used her song “Firework” in a video depicting US strikes on Iranian targets. “I did not approve this, I was not asked, and I absolutely do not condone it,” she said, adding that the song was written “to be an anthem of hope, healing, and inner strength” and that her music was “for bringing people together, not celebrating warfare.”
The rising casualty figures are likely to intensify scrutiny of the administration’s war aims as negotiations continue. With military commanders signaling diminishing returns and markets rewarding restraint, the coming days may determine whether the pause hardens into a lasting halt or gives way to renewed fighting.