The defense secretary described the state of hostilities mostly in past tense. The Joint Chiefs chairman noted that the “ceasefire is a pause” in combat operations.

If President Trump approves the plans, such an effort would mark a new phase of the war that could be significantly more dangerous to U.S. troops than the first four weeks.

The missile attack by the Houthis in Yemen marks an escalation of the war in the Middle East and may pose further risks to shipping in the region.

The strike on Prince Sultan Air Base also damaged at least two Air Force refueling aircraft and underscored that despite weeks of strikes, Iran still poses a threat.

More than 850 Tomahawks have been fired in just four weeks, people familiar with the matter said, alarming some Pentagon officials because the weapon’s supply is limited.