Overview
- No U.S. bombardments in Iran were reported for three consecutive nights after strikes peaked in mid‑July, a pause officials say is meant to leave space for negotiations.
- President Trump and his U.S. envoy to the UN said talks are being given room while all military options remain available.
- Press reporting and some U.S. officials say concerns over depleted Patriot interceptors and other air‑defence munitions helped prompt the slowdown, a claim the White House has publicly disputed.
- Oil prices dropped sharply on the lull, with Brent falling roughly 4–6% as traders priced in lower near‑term risk to Gulf shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.
- Iran’s Revolutionary Guard reported stopping six ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz without authorization and back‑channel contacts via Iraq and Oman continue, leaving regional tensions and shipping disruptions unresolved.