Two nights passed without American strikes on Iran or retaliatory attacks against U.S. allies, easing pressure on Gulf shipping and oil markets as President Donald Trump allowed diplomacy more time.
By yourNEWS Media Newsroom
A two-day pause in military attacks between the United States and Iran brought temporary relief to Gulf shipping routes and energy markets Sunday, while officials in Washington and Tehran signaled that the break could create an opening for renewed negotiations.
Iran announced that it had suspended retaliatory operations against American allies in the Middle East after U.S. forces stopped striking Iranian targets. Before the lull began, the U.S. military had bombed Iran for 13 consecutive nights, marking the sharpest escalation since an April ceasefire interrupted the nearly five-month-old war.
“These attacks continued until two nights ago, but over the past two nights the Americans have stopped their attacks,” Iranian army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said. “Since… our strategy has essentially been retaliatory, we have also halted our retaliatory operations.”
U.S. Ambassador to the United Nations Mike Waltz said President Donald Trump was deliberately allowing diplomacy additional time, although American forces remained prepared to resume operations.
Appearing on “Fox News Sunday,” Waltz said U.S. forces were “locked and loaded” but that Trump was giving negotiations “a little bit of room.”
The pause followed months of expanding hostilities that began around the Strait of Hormuz and later spread to U.S. bases, commercial shipping and Gulf allies. Fighting over the strategic waterway had disrupted earlier diplomatic efforts between Washington and Tehran and heightened concerns about oil supplies and regional economic stability.
Unconfirmed reports in Iranian media said Sunday that an oil tanker had been damaged by a sea mine, underscoring the continued danger to commercial vessels despite the broader halt in strikes.
American media reports suggested that pressure on U.S. stocks of Patriot missile interceptors and other defensive weapons may have contributed to the decision to stop bombing. Waltz rejected that explanation during a separate interview on NBC News’ “Meet the Press.”
“I want to be crystal clear. The US military — and I’ve verified this every which way — has everything that it needs to conduct this campaign as effectively as it needs to be,” Waltz said.
The possibility of further military action remains tied closely to the dispute over Iran’s nuclear program. Tehran has repeatedly maintained that the program is intended for civilian purposes, while the United States, Israel and their allies have accused Iran of seeking the capability to produce a nuclear weapon.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet Trump at the White House on Tuesday and is expected to press for continued pressure on Tehran.
Netanyahu said during an appearance on Fox News that he supported Trump’s attempt to end Iran’s nuclear program through negotiations but insisted that the objective must be achieved regardless of whether diplomacy succeeds.
“If he can do so without returning to intense military fighting, that’s fine. Why not? But one way or the other, they have to end their nuclear programme, and with a deal or without a deal, that has to come to an end,” Netanyahu said.
The New York Times reported that plans for a larger American offensive had been postponed in part because of declining munitions inventories, citing two people briefed on the matter.
The administration is also confronting the possibility that a broader campaign could draw additional nations into the war, alienate Gulf governments vulnerable to Iranian retaliation and trigger further disruptions across the global economy.
Trump said Friday that he had not decided whether to return to an unrestricted military operation.
“We’re talking to them right now. I think they’re getting more and more serious,” Trump told reporters.
The conflict is now approaching its fifth month, despite Trump’s earlier prediction that it would last four or five weeks. The prolonged war has also become a political liability as Republicans prepare for the November midterm elections and the president faces pressure over his approval ratings.
In Tehran, the absence of overnight strikes allowed residents to begin Sunday with a largely normal routine. Heavy traffic returned as commuters traveled to work, while shops and restaurants remained open despite an ongoing heat wave.
The temporary calm between Washington and Tehran did not end fighting elsewhere in the region.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels said Sunday that they had shot down a Saudi drone over northwestern Yemen. The claim came one day after the group said it had attacked Saudi oil facilities.
The Houthis said they struck Saudi Aramco sites in Jizan and Yanbu following Saudi airstrikes against Houthi targets Friday.
The expanding confrontation has demonstrated how quickly fighting centered on Iran and the United States can spread through allied groups, shipping corridors and neighboring countries.
For now, both Washington and Tehran have stopped their direct attacks, providing a narrow period for diplomacy. The next phase could depend on whether negotiations advance before the Trump administration decides whether to resume the intensive bombing campaign.
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