Pause in US-Iran Strikes Pushes Talks as Gulf Tensions Escalate

Tensions in the US-Iran confrontation intensify as Iran threatens Ukraine after a Caspian Sea vessel attack, with casualties; UK and Gulf leaders push for de-escalation, while shipping through the Red Sea and Hormuz slows amid Houthi actions and a Jazan refinery smoke. Analysts warn Iran could sustain a prolonged conflict due to stockpiles, even as the U.S. signals a pause in strikes and diplomacy progresses, with a Saudi–Israel normalization-linked nuclear deal shaping regional dynamics.