WASHINGTON, July 26 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. military has paused strikes on Iran, local media reported, though explanations for the halt remain divergent.

CNN quoted a Pentagon source as saying operations were "on a hold," without specifying the duration. CBS News, citing two regional sources, said Washington had suspended attacks to avoid disrupting an Omani delegation's visit to Tehran for talks on reopening the Strait of Hormuz.

Separately, The New York Times reported that President Donald Trump had set aside plans for a sharp escalation after senior advisers warned of dwindling U.S. air-defense stocks. Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Dan Caine cautioned that renewed large-scale operations could exhaust the interceptors available to U.S. Central Command, it said.

The United States has fired more than 1,200 Patriot interceptors, each costing over 4 million U.S. dollars. ■