Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Iraq reported drone attacks on Monday, two days after the United States suspended a two-week campaign of air strikes against Iran. The incidents suggest Tehran may be testing President Donald Trump's strategic shift.
Saudi Arabia announced it had intercepted drones targeting oil facilities in its eastern province and the capital, Riyadh. The kingdom stated these drones were launched from Iraq by an Iran-backed militia and reserved the right to retaliate. Concurrently, Iran's Houthi allies in Yemen claimed responsibility for drone attacks on transit sites supplying Saudi Arabia's main Red Sea oil port of Yanbu, citing alleged Saudi drone incursions into Yemeni airspace.
Earlier, Jordan reported shooting down two drones, and Iraqi security sources confirmed a series of drone attacks on camps housing Iranian opposition Kurdish forces in northern Iraq. The origin of these drones in Jordan and Iraq was not identified by officials. These regions were also the sites where four U.S. service members were killed during the recent U.S. air campaign.
President Trump abruptly halted the intensive bombing campaign over the weekend, a move reportedly based on advice from his military leadership that the strategy had reached its limits. A U.S. official indicated that military commanders had informed the president that targets were becoming depleted and that the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff had expressed concerns about the depletion of air defense munitions.
The halt to the U.S. air campaign led to a significant drop in oil prices. Brent crude fell approximately 6.5% on Monday, trading just over $90 a barrel, after briefly surpassing $100 last week.
Iran has stated it will pause its own attacks as long as Trump's self-imposed ceasefire continues. However, an Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson asserted that Iran has not requested peace talks with the United States, calling such reports "fabricated" and stating that "this is not in our DNA." The spokesperson also affirmed Iran's control over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iranian state media, citing an informed source, reported that six ships were turned back on Monday morning for attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz without permission. The reports also indicated one vessel experienced an "accident."
The two weeks of renewed U.S. bombing resulted in scores of casualties in Iran and damaged infrastructure, including bridges and tunnels. Iranian retaliation against U.S. bases in neighboring Arab states killed four U.S. service members. Iran also struck civilian infrastructure in Gulf countries, which it stated was in response to U.S. strikes on civilian targets.
Last week, Iran's Houthi allies threatened to expand disruptions to global oil supplies by announcing a blockade of Saudi Arabia's oil industry in the Red Sea, which had previously contributed to rising oil prices. The suspension of U.S. bombing operations leaves uncertainty regarding Washington's leverage to achieve its stated aim of breaking Iran's grip on the strait.
Washington and Tehran had previously agreed in June on a framework for talks intended to address issues such as Iran's nuclear program. However, disputes remain over the interpretation of the memorandum's language concerning the Strait of Hormuz, with the U.S. insisting on free passage and Iran asserting its authority to supervise transit. Iran is reportedly seeking to formalize its control over the strait through an agreement with Oman, with discussions between an Omani delegation and Iranian officials taking place over the weekend.