Military operations between the United States and Iran have entered a second day of silence, with both nations halting strikes against one another. While the Pentagon did not immediately provide reasons for the U.S. pause following nearly two weeks of escalation, an Iranian army spokesperson confirmed on Sunday that Tehran has also ceased its counterattacks. The recent violence, which included Iranian strikes on a base in Jordan that killed at least three people, followed initial U.S. targeting of Iranian coastal infrastructure after Tehran fired on vessels in the Strait of Hormuz.
A regional official involved in mediation efforts characterized the current lull as a positive signal for de-escalation. Meanwhile, diplomatic channels remain active, with Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei noting that discussions with Oman regarding the safe passage of ships through the Strait of Hormuz are ongoing and showing progress. Despite the pause in strikes, the U.S. military confirmed that its naval blockade against Iran remains in effect. As of Saturday, the U.S. had redirected a dozen commercial vessels, boarded two, and disabled two others, maintaining that its forces remain highly vigilant and lethal.
Economic anxieties persist as the conflict impacts global energy supplies and contributes to rising gasoline prices. Concerns have expanded beyond the Strait of Hormuz to the Bab al-Mandeb strait, where Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen threatened a blockade of Saudi shipping last week. In other regional developments, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is scheduled to meet with Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday. Their last meeting occurred in February, shortly before the outbreak of the war on Iran, which resulted in the deaths of several senior leaders, including Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Netanyahu expressed support for efforts to weaken Iran and curb its nuclear program, telling Fox News on Sunday that he would prefer to see this achieved without further intense military conflict. However, the Prime Minister issued a warning that any further direct or proxy attacks from Iran against Israel would be a terrible mistake. Since the start of the conflict, which saw Hezbollah fire on Israel and trigger a subsequent Israeli military response in southern Lebanon, the U.S. has actively supported direct talks between Israel and Lebanon to stabilize the northern front and pursue the disarmament of Hezbollah.
Two men wade in the waters of the Strait of Hormuz with vessels anchored in the background, off Bandar Abbas, Iran, Sunday, July 12, 2026. Razieh Poudat/ISNA hide caption
A Lebanese woman clears debris of her destroyed house in the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, southern Lebanon, Sunday, July 26, 2026. Ahmad Mantash/AP hide caption
