Iran says it has halted attacks on Washington allies as the US suspends bombings

Meanwhile, a senior military official in Tehran threatened that Iran could expand the attacks across the region, suggesting that the Iran-backed Huthi rebels in Yemen can intensify attacks on ships sailing the Red Sea.

Silence during the night of July 26th came just two days before a key meeting planned in Washington between US President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

The July 28th visit coincides precisely with the five-month launch of a wide air strike campaign against Iranian targets by American and Israeli forces.

Iran has retaliated by attacking US allies in the Middle East and has practically closed the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic sea route through which a large quantity of oil and gas is spent towards world markets.

In recent weeks, Washington declared a partial ceasefire, although prior to July 24th it had carried out unprecedented bombings against Iranian targets for almost two weeks.

According to The New York Times, the temporary suspension of US attacks was partly prompted by the decline in US reserves of hostage missiles used for the collapse of Iranian missiles, which has caused concern to American military planners.

Vice President JD Vance, and General Dan Caine, chief of the General Staff, expressed concerns about the escalation of conflict during a meeting at the White House, CNN reported.

The Pentagon, however, has insisted that its forces remain well equipped. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell told CNN that the US “military has a large arsenal of” capacities.

An Iranian Army spokesman warned on July 26th that war would expand even more if the US decides to resume the attacks.

“Sulmet continued until two nights ago, but during the last two nights, Americans have halted their attacks”, Iranian Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia was quoted as saying, according to the semi-official Mehr agency.

Because our strategy has been revenge, we too have suspended our revenge operations”, he said.

Speaking at the White House on 26 July, Trump said he had not yet decided whether to return the full military campaign. He also said Iran faces choice amid reaching an agreement or confrontation with attacks “a much higher level”.

Besides concerns about US weapons reserves, even growing discontent among American voters could affect the White House's plans for war. Polls show that fighting Iran is widely unpopular, and this could become an important issue for the Republican Trump Party in the upcoming elections for the US Congress, held in November.

The Huth rebels in Yemen said they have toppled a fear issued by US ally Saudi Arabia. This is the latest incident in a series of clashes that have raised fears that the conflict with Iran could expand even further in the region.

In recent days, rebels areenas also claimed to have carried out attacks on Saudi oil objects.

The Iranian Army banned six ships that were trying to cross the Hormuz Strait over the past 24 hours, Iranian state television reported on July 26th.

Tehran said it has made progress in talks with Omani é, which is limited to the narrowest part of the strait, with regard to the common “progress and operational mechanisms” for shipping.

Oman and Iran said they would discuss setting tariffs for navigation services, a move Washington opposes. / REL