Iran announced it had suspended retaliatory operations against US allies in the Middle East after the US halted its attacks for the past two nights. Iranian military spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said, "Since our strategy is essentially retaliation-focused, we too have stopped our retaliatory operations."
Diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran were derailed by clashes in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, after which the conflict expanded to include attacks on US bases, regional shipping, and Gulf allies. This lull, coming after nearly two weeks of US bombing, revived hopes of a return to negotiations.
CNN, citing an unnamed Pentagon source, reported that US operations against Iran had been "suspended." This development came just after US President Donald Trump threatened a far higher level of attacks on Friday.
The New York Times wrote that plans to escalate the operation were shelved partly due to dwindling ammunition stocks. According to the newspaper, Trump faces the risk of a wider Middle East war, the alienation of vulnerable Gulf allies, and fresh shocks to the global economy.
According to CNN, Vice President JD Vance and senior US General Dan Caine expressed concerns about escalation during a Friday meeting at the White House. Caine told Trump that the military could successfully implement existing options but warned of potential consequences.
The Iranian military, in a statement on Sunday, warned that the war would expand further if the US resumes attacks ahead of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's visit to Washington on Tuesday.
Trump told reporters on Friday that he had not yet decided whether to escalate to an all-out operation. "We're talking to them now. I think they're becoming more and more serious," Trump said, adding that Iran must choose between a deal and a "much higher level" of attacks.
As the war, which Trump once predicted would last four or five weeks, nears its fifth month, it is putting pressure on the Republican president's approval ratings ahead of the crucial midterm elections in November.
According to Axios, the Pentagon presented Trump with a plan for a 14th night of strikes, but the president did not approve it, citing the need to prioritize negotiation efforts.
Meanwhile, life returned to normal in the Iranian capital of Tehran. According to an AFP correspondent, in the city gripped by a heat wave, Tehranis heading to work faced heavy traffic; shops and restaurants were open as usual.
New front in Yemen
The conflict meanwhile spilled over into a new front. Iran-backed Houthis announced on Sunday that they shot down a Saudi drone in northwestern Yemen. The statement came a day after the Yemeni group said it had attacked oil facilities in Saudi Arabia.
On Saturday, the Houthis claimed they struck Saudi Aramco facilities in Jizan and Yanbu in retaliation for Riyadh's bombing of Houthi targets on Friday. The Greek air force media office reported that a surface-to-air battery operated by Greek personnel in Saudi Arabia shot down two ballistic missiles and a drone over Yanbu.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran could not be held responsible for the escalation and offered to mediate between the Houthis and Riyadh, saying "there is no military solution."
According to Iranian state television, on Sunday the Iranian armed forces stopped six vessels attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz in the past 24 hours after issuing warnings. Tehran's effective blockade of the waterway remains at the center of tensions with Washington.
Iran announced progress with neighboring Oman on "common principles and operational mechanisms" concerning maritime shipping in the Strait of Hormuz. In June, Oman and Iran announced they would discuss introducing a service fee; Washington opposed this, but Muscat angered Tehran by saying ships could transit the strait through Omani territorial waters.
