US interests in region after two nights without American attacks
Terhan
Iran said on Sunday that it would halt strikes on Gulf states and United States’ interests in the region after a pause on attacks by Washington on the Islamic Republic.
According to Al Jazeera, citing AFP, Tehran’s army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said, “Our strategy has essentially been retaliatory, we have also halted our retaliatory operations.”
This follows a near two-week resumption in fighting between Iran and the US, centred on control of the Strait of Hormuz.
There have been no attacks so far on Sunday by Tehran on Gulf states, while the US has also not targeted Iran for two nights in a row after daily strikes.
Houthis claim downing of Saudi-linked drone
Yemen’s Houthis reportedly shot down a Turkish-made reconnaissance drone in northwest al-Jawf governorate.
Yahya Saree, the Houthis’ military spokesperson, claimed that they downed a drone belonging to ““the Saudi enemy while it was carrying out hostile operations,” according to Al Jazeera.
Qatar, Saudi Arabia FM’s discuss regional developments
The foreign ministers of Qatar and Saudi Arabia held a telephonic conversation regarding regional developments.
According to Qatar’s Foreign Ministry, FM Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani received a phone call from his Saudi counterpart, Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud.
The ministers “reviewed bilateral cooperation and ways to support and strengthen it,” Qatar’s Foreign Ministry said in a post on X.
It added, “They also discussed the latest regional developments, particularly ongoing diplomatic efforts and joint coordination to de-escalate tensions and enhance security and stability in the region.”
‘We fear the expansion of war zone in region’: Syrian president
Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa told Al Jazeera that his country had no intention of interfering in Lebanon.
“We fear the expansion of the war zone in the region,” he said. “We do not intend any military intervention in Lebanon,” the president added, according to Al Jazeera.
Further, al-Sharaa stated, “We support the Lebanese state’s monopoly on weapons and the decision on war and peace. Any chaos in Lebanon will directly reflect on Syria.”
Earlier, the Iranian army warned that the Middle East war would widen if the US chose to press ahead with attacks on Tehran, AFP reported.
“I believe that if the Americans once again fall for the Zionists’ deception, or move in line with them, and insist on continuing the war, particularly through air strikes, geographically this will expand further,” army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia told Iranian state TV.
Akraminia added that the war had already expanded to the Bab el-Mandeb Strait at the entrance of the Red Sea, referencing the military flare-up between Yemen’s Houthis and Saudi Arabia. “The scope of our operations now encompasses the entire region, from US bases in Jordan to the countries along the Persian Gulf,” he said.
According to the army spokesman, the situation in the Middle East for the US was “difficult and unsettled.”
He predicted that Washington was now looking “for a new strategy,” saying, “We are prepared for each of the options and scenarios that appear likely.”
Meanwhile, the Islamic Revolution Guards Corps (IRGC) said that Israel wanted to keep the US in the region by “provoking” President Donald Trump and providing false information, Tasnim news agency reported.
