Washington, July 26 -- US President Donald Trump has shelved plans for a major military escalation against Iran, opting to hold off on a wider offensive amid growing warnings from defence officials regarding critical shortages in the Pentagon's air defence stockpiles across the Middle East.

According to a report by The New York Times, military leaders cautioned that a broader campaign could dangerously deplete supplies of Patriot antimissile interceptors, exposing US troops, Gulf partners, and key installations to retaliatory strikes, while senior aides voiced concern over wider economic instability and escalating regional crises.

Private deliberations among top administration officials and military commanders focused heavily on the dwi...