The United States abruptly paused its nightly strikes on Iran after 13 nights of attacks, even as Houthi militants launched missile and drone strikes against Saudi oil installations on Saturday, pushing Brent crude above $100 a barrel amid escalating regional conflict.
An Unexplained Lull in US Strikes on Iran
Washington held back from launching air strikes on Iran for the first night in two weeks without immediate explanation. The apparent pause followed 13 nights of escalating military actions designed to retaliate against Iranian attacks on shipping lanes in the Strait of Hormuz after an interim deal to end hostilities collapsed.
Iranian officials acknowledged the quiet night across state communications. Health Ministry spokesperson Hossein Kermanpour shared on X that It seems that our dear Iran had a peaceful night last night,
while state media reported no incoming attacks from Iran against its Gulf neighbors.
According to reports citing unidentified regional sources, President Donald Trump directed the military not to conduct new strikes on Friday as diplomatic channels stirred. Neither the Pentagon nor the White House returned messages seeking comment regarding the pause in air operations.
Red Sea Energy Infrastructure Targeted as Houthis Open a Second Front
Even as the Gulf experienced a brief nightly lull, conflict widened sharply along the Red Sea. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree announced that the group successfully struck installations belonging to Saudi state oil giant Aramco in Jizan and Yanbu. The militant group also declared a blockade on Saudi ports and attacked two Saudi-linked oil tankers in the Red Sea.
In Yanbu, Saudi Arabia’s primary Red Sea oil export port, Greek security sources confirmed that two ballistic missiles aimed at oil installations were intercepted by a U.S.-made Patriot battery operated in the kingdom by the Greek military. Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition bombed Houthi military positions in the port of Hodeidah, and the air force of the internationally recognized Yemeni government struck launch sites and arms depots in Marib and al-Jawf provinces.
Conflicting Signals Over Diplomatic Talks in Qatar
Diplomatic efforts to salvage the region’s fragile interim deal remain mired in confusion. Both the U.S. and Iran announced plans to send delegations to Qatar, a key mediator in the negotiations, but Tehran insisted it had not agreed to meet with American representatives. President Trump stated that Iran requested a meeting and that officials planned to convene in Doha, with White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt confirming that special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president’s son-in-law, traveled to Qatar.
Iranian officials offered a starkly different framework for the travel. Kazem Gharibabadi, a senior negotiator for Iran, stated that no talks had been confirmed, while Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmail Baghaei maintained that the delegation was visiting Qatar solely to discuss frozen Iranian assets and terms of the interim deal without U.S. participation.
“There are no negotiation meetings with the U.S. side at any level scheduled in the coming days,”
Esmail Baghaei, spokesman for Iran’s Foreign Ministry
Despite the official denials, regional analysts noted that the presence of both delegations in Doha leaves open the possibility of indirect messaging handled through Qatari intermediaries.
Energy Markets and the Broadening Regional Conflict
The convergence of U.S. airstrikes, paralyzed traffic through the Strait of Hormuz—which normally handles a fifth of global crude supplies—and the new Red Sea front has heavily strained global energy flows. Brent crude spiked above $100 a barrel for the first time since May, soaring approximately 27% over a two-week span as hostilities worsened.
President Trump, expressing frustration over Iran’s refusal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, warned that the U.S. remains “locked and loaded” for major strikes while noting he had not yet decided whether to launch a broader offensive. Speaking at the White House Correspondents’ Dinner, Trump remarked that Iran would “love to make a deal” but added that he did not believe it’s time yet.
