- President Trump has paused attacks on Iran for the second night in a row to give diplomacy more time, the US ambassador to the UN said.
- US ambassador Mike Waltz stated that Trump is 'giving talks some space, he's giving it a little bit of room'.
- Iran has halted 'retaliatory' attacks in the region in response to the pause in US strikes.
- The Pentagon paused bombing operations after 13 nights of escalating strikes, with no weekend reports of attacks by Iran.
- Iran and the US signed a memorandum of understanding in June to halt military operations and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
- After Iranian forces attacked tankers in the Strait of Hormuz on 13 July, the US resumed airstrikes and reinstated its naval blockade on Iranian ports.
- Iran retaliated with attacks on US military facilities, resulting in the deaths of four American soldiers.
- The pause follows nearly two weeks of daily US strikes and tit-for-tat attacks, effectively unravelling the ceasefire struck in June.
U.S. President Donald Trump has paused military operations against Iran to create space for diplomacy, as confirmed by U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz. This decision comes after nearly two weeks of escalating strikes, which had effectively unraveled a ceasefire established in June.13
The Pentagon's pause follows a series of daily U.S. strikes and retaliatory actions from Iran, with Waltz stating, "He's giving talks some space, he's giving it a little bit of room." An Iranian army spokesperson also confirmed that Tehran has halted its retaliatory attacks in the region.4
Despite the pause, Waltz emphasized that Trump is keeping all options on the table regarding future military actions. He dismissed concerns that expanding hostilities could deplete U.S. air defense munitions, asserting that "The US military... has everything that it needs to conduct this campaign as effectively as it needs to be."8
The situation remains tense, as disputes over the Strait of Hormuz have reignited U.S.-Iran tensions. Iran and Oman recently held technical talks to manage the strait, a critical route for global oil and gas supplies.
As the conflict nears its fifth month, public sentiment in the U.S. is largely negative, with a CBS/YouGov poll indicating that 57% of Americans are frustrated with the ongoing war.
President Trump is also scheduled to meet with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to discuss regional security issues.
“The Pentagon paused bombing operations after 13 nights of strikes, and Iran said Sunday it had halted retaliatory attacks in the region. A senior administration official said Saturday that Trump has always preferred diplomacy but has shown Iran what will happen if talks fail.”
BBC
