Middle East War: US-Iran ceasefire appears to hold

It’s a development that will come as a relief for many: a ceasefire between Iran and the United States seemed to be holding, in spite of missile and drone attacks against vessels and an Emirati port on Monday.

On Monday, the US said it fired on Iranian forces and sank several small boats targeting civilian ships as it launched a bid to reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

The strait is a strategic choke point for oil transport though which around 20% of the worlds oil normally passes.

The UAE meanwhile said it came under attack from Tehran for the first time since a fragile truce came into force in April.

Iran did not explicitly confirm or deny the attacks. However in a post on social media on Tuesday, the country’s foreign minister said both the US and UAE "should be wary of being dragged back into a quagmire."

Despite the mounting tensions, US Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday that the truce remains in effect despite the ongoing US blockade and some Iranian strikes.