US and Iran Conflict Sees Rare Lull in Attacks Amid Escalating Middle East Tensions

The conflict between the US and Iran has seen a rare lull in attacks, with no reported strikes from either side for the first time in two weeks. The development comes as Yemen's Houthi militants fired on Saudi oil installations in two ports on the Red Sea coast, but the US held back from launching air strikes on Iran. A senior US official said President Donald Trump has always preferred diplomacy over military action, but has shown Iran what will happen if they fail to come to the table.

Despite the lull in attacks, fighting between Iran's Houthi allies and Saudi Arabia suggests the war could be spreading to a second major shipping route. The Houthi group has declared a naval blockade of Saudi Arabia over the past week, with leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi saying all Saudi oil facilities could be targets.

The conflict has already disrupted energy supplies through the Strait of Hormuz, and global oil prices soared this week, with Brent crude spiking above $100 a barrel for the first time since May. Trump vowed 'major military punishment' for Tehran and the Houthis after they struck two Saudi tankers in the Red Sea.