The United States paused its attacks on Iran for a second straight day Sunday and Tehran said it had done so too, as efforts continued to bring the countries back to negotiations on an interim ceasefire deal largely undermined by recent exchanges of fire. This was reported by Qazaqyia.kz citing Associated Press.
The U.S. military says it has fired on a merchant vessel attempting to breach its blockade of Iranian ports. It's the second commercial ship to be disabled since the military reimposed its blockade in the Strait of Hormuz.
It was not clear why the U.S. has paused after targeting Iranian coastal areas and infrastructure in a nearly two-week escalation sparked by Iran's firing at ships trying to transit the Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon did not immediately respond.
A Lebanese soldier looks through the binoculars of an anti-tank launcher in front of a destroyed mosque after deploying in the village of Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, southern Lebanon. People walk through the village after the Lebanese army deployed to the village. A Lebanese woman clears debris of her destroyed house in the village.
The reason for the US pause remains unclear. Both sides are trying to return to negotiations on an interim ceasefire.