Interceptor shortages main concern in deliberations before Trump held off on escalating Iran campaign — NYT

Concerns over depleted interceptor stockpiles were the focus of discussions between US President Donald Trump and his top advisers before the administration decided to hold off on escalating its campaign against Iran over the weekend, The New York Times reports.

While Trump indicated Friday he would escalate the air campaign, the president decided to hold off, for now, on an expanded operation after consulting with top advisers, the report says, citing two people briefed on the discussion.

Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman Gen. Dan Caine privately said that while the military was capable of launching major combat operations against Iran, interceptors available to CENTCOM would be exhausted, officials tell the Times.

Another senior US official tells the outlet that there were doubts in the administration that an intensified campaign would pressure Iran into talks; rather, recent strikes have kept Iran united and focused on a foreign threat.

Friday marked the first day of calm in some two weeks, during which the US launched nightly airstrikes on Iranian military strikes, which Tehran responded to with attacks on US military assets in the region.