Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq reported drone attacks on Monday, two days after the U.S. paused air strikes against Iran, as tensions in the Middle East escalated over control of the Strait of Hormuz and oil prices tumbled to $90 a barrel.
Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq reported drone attacks on Monday, with Riyadh claiming it intercepted attacks targeting petroleum facilities and the capital. The strikes, attributed to Iran-backed militia, came amid a fragile lull in U.S.-Iran hostilities following President Donald Trump’s abrupt suspension of a two-week bombing campaign. Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry denied seeking peace talks, insisting its stance is not in our DNA,
as oil prices fell to $90 a barrel after the U.S. suspension.
Drone Attacks Test Regional Stability
Saudi Arabia’s military reported shooting down multiple drones near its eastern province and Riyadh, citing Iran-backed militia as the likely perpetrators. The kingdom said it reserved the right to respond. In northern Iraq, camps housing Iranian opposition Kurdish forces faced a series of drone attacks, with Iraqi authorities declining to identify the sources of those drones. Jordan also reported shooting down two drones, marking a resurgence of cross-border violence in the region.
The attacks coincided with the U.S. military’s decision to halt its bombing campaign against Iran, a move that reflected advice from his military that the bombing had reached the limits of what it could achieve. The campaign had reached the limits of what it could achieve,
a U.S. official told Reuters, adding that military commanders had advised the president they were running out of targets. The suspension sent Brent crude prices tumbling, having touched levels as low as $87.55 and falling around 6.5% on Monday to just over $90, having briefly ticked above $100 a barrel last week for the first time since May.
Iran’s Unwavering Stance on the Strait of Hormuz
Iran indicated it was still in control of the Strait of Hormuz, the world’s most important waterway for energy markets, as state media claimed six offending ships
were turned back from its waters. A source cited by Iranian outlets said the vessels had attempted to traverse the strait without its permission, with one of the vessels, the source said, having had an accident
. As previously announced, the traffic route in the Strait of Hormuz is the route specified by Iran, and other routes are contaminated and have no way out,
the Iranian state media reports quoted the source as saying.
The U.S. had previously told vessels to sail close to the coast of Oman, but Iran says ships may pass only through a channel that runs closer to its own coast, which it controls and where it intends to impose transit fees. The standoff has intensified since Trump launched his renewed bombing campaign to punish Iran, with Iran also striking civilian infrastructure in Gulf countries in what it said was retaliation for U.S. strikes on civilian targets. Despite the pause in hostilities, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei dismissed reports of interest in negotiations, calling such claims fabricated. This is not in our DNA,
he said, with Trump, Secretary of State Marco Rubio and other U.S. officials having described Iran as begging for a deal
.
Oil Markets React to Strategic Shifts
The price drop also highlighted the economic stakes of the conflict, with oil prices historically sensitive to Middle East volatility.
Mediators Push for Diplomatic Resolution
Regional officials said mediators have achieved progress in getting the United States and Iran back to negotiations, stating that both sides had paused attacks after a period of rapidly escalating tensions. However, the absence of a formal agreement left the future of the talks uncertain.
The U.S. ambassador to the United Nations, Mike Waltz, framed the pause as an opportunity for diplomacy, saying Trump had paused the campaign to allow room for negotiations. Yet Iran’s Foreign Ministry continued to reject overtures, with Baghaei insisting that reports about Iran requesting negotiations with the U.S. are fabricated
. The lack of mutual trust underscores the challenges of bridging the gap between the two nations, even as the immediate threat of violence appears to have eased.
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