Washington, July 27 -- US President Donald Trump is once again at a crossroads in the conflict with Iran, but with each passing day his options appear to be shrinking while the political and military costs of any decision continue to rise.
After 13 consecutive nights of US airstrikes around the Strait of Hormuz, Washington paused its bombing campaign for a third straight night on Sunday, saying the break was intended to create space for diplomacy. At the same time, the White House stressed that US forces remained "locked and loaded" should military operations need to resume.
The pause reflects growing concern within the administration over the diminishing military returns of the operation and the mounting political, economic, and strategi...