Catch up: US-Iran strikes appear to pause, but another front escalates

A student holds up a poster of Houthi leader Abdul-Malik al-Houthi during a parade at Sanaa University campus to show support amid an escalation with Saudi Arabia, in Sanaa, Yemen, on July 22. Khaled Abdullah/Reuters After 13 straight nights of attacks against Iran, the US did not announce any new strikes overnight. US President Donald Trump had signaled on Friday that talks with Iran were getting more serious, although an Iranian official later dismissed his comments and called the war “one that will not end.” Meanwhile, fighting between the Iran-backed Huthi rebels and Saudi Arabia risks escalating a new front in the war. The Saudi military targeted the militant group with strikes in Yemen on Friday, and the Huthis said they responded Saturday with attacks against Saudi installations on the Red Sea coast. If you’re just joining us, here are top headlines from Saturday’s coverage: Fallen soldier identified: The US Department of Defense confirmed that Staff Sgt. Angel S. Rampersad was among the service members killed by Iranian strikes in Jordan earlier this month. The apparent pause in hostilities: In the time since the American military held off on a new round of strikes, countries hosting US military bases in the region have yet to report fresh Iranian attacks. Mixed messages on talks: It’s unclear where the conflict will go from here, as the US and Iran remain at odds — at least publicly — over the state of peace talks. Trump recently said Tehran was “getting more serious” and would “love to make a deal,” but an Iranian military official contradicted those statements on Saturday and even invited a US ground invasion. More on the Red Sea attacks: Saudi Arabia is a longtime enemy of the Houthis. Their latest exchanges center on control of the region’s waterways. The Houthis attacked Saudi vessels this week as the militant group tries to enforce a blockade of the Bab al-Mandab strait, a critical passageway for the flow of oil that’s already been hampered by the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz. Diplomatic visit: An Omani delegation visited Tehran on Friday to discuss ship traffic through the Strait of Hormuz, Iran’s state-run Islamic Republic News Agency reported on Saturday. Pain at the pump: US gas prices have been back on the rise. The average price of a gallon of gas rose to $4.11 on Saturday, now up 11 cents in the past week. The volatility in the Red Sea is the latest factor impacting oil trade. CNN’s Xiaoqian Lin, Eyad Kourdi, Mitchell McCluskey, Tim Lister, Ibrahim Dahman, Farida Elsebai, Auzinea Bacon and Piper Hudspeth Blackburn contributed reporting. Back to top button