President Donald Trump paused strikes against Iran over the weekend after almost two straight weeks of attacks, but the administration appears no closer to ending the war.
Trump had threatened a major escalation, but ultimately held off, in part because of concerns about dwindling interceptor stockpiles, as The New York Times reported.
The war has dragged on longer than Trump expected, and some inside his orbit have been wary about the prospect of a prolonged conflict.
There’s also internal divisions about whether the US can make a deal with Iran, as advisers eye rising gas prices, voters’ disapproval of the conflict, and the looming midterms.
“There is a mix of opinions,” one US official said of next steps. “The problem is, [there are] no good options.”
Iran, for its part, said it will stop launching strikes as long as the US does the same.