New Delhi, July 26 -- The United States on Saturday (local time) paused its strikes on Iran for the first time in nearly two weeks as clashes between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia escalated, with President Donald Trump reportedly putting on hold plans to significantly expand the US military campaign amid concerns that a prolonged conflict could further deplete the Pentagon's already reduced stockpile of Patriot missile interceptors and other air defence munitions in the Middle East.

Citing officials in the Trump administration, The New York Times on Saturday reported that the threat to stockpiles is one of the many reasons that have made a return to expanding military operations a risky endeavour.

Additionally, the US president and his t...