The United States, Israel and Iran have agreed to a two-week ceasefire, a truce brokered with Pakistan’s mediation that aims to halt weeks of escalating strikes across the Middle East and open space for negotiations. Pakistan said talks on a permanent end to the war could begin in Islamabad as soon as Friday.
Despite the announcement, exchanges of fire continued. Iranian state television reported drone and missile strikes on Kuwait and the United Arab Emirates in response to an earlier attack on an oil facility on Lavan island north of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s report said the Lavan strike at 10 a.m. caused a fire but no injuries; the Iranian Oil Ministry described it as an “enemy attack.” Explosions were also reported on Sirri island. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said it had struck US- and Israel-linked energy complexes and pipelines overnight and hit oil facilities in Saudi Arabia’s Red Sea port of Yanbu.
Kuwait’s military said it intercepted 28 Iranian drones, some targeting power stations and oil facilities, and reported “significant material damage” to oil installations, power plants and desalination plants. The UAE said its air defenses were engaging missile and drone attacks. The attacks continued into Wednesday morning even after Tehran and Washington announced the ceasefire.
US Vice President JD Vance, speaking in Budapest, welcomed the truce but warned it was “fragile” and said President Donald Trump was “impatient” for progress. He stressed the need for Iran to negotiate in good faith. Pakistan, which mediated the ceasefire, has been urged to host and facilitate talks toward a lasting settlement.
The deal drew a largely positive international response. The European Union hailed the development as de-escalation and urged continued diplomacy; EU leaders said the ceasefire should create space to stop missiles, restart shipping and pursue a lasting agreement. China said it welcomed the ceasefire and indicated it sought a constructive role in restoring peace. Russia called the US-Iran ceasefire “very important” and welcomed a decision not to continue armed escalation, noting broader shifts in global energy markets. Turkey called for full implementation of the truce and pledged support for Islamabad’s mediation efforts.
Gulf Arab states reacted with cautious support. Saudi Arabia expressed hope the agreement could lead to a “comprehensive and sustainable de-escalation.” Qatar welcomed the truce and stressed maritime security and freedom of navigation, while Oman urged intensified efforts to end the crisis. UAE officials framed the outcome as a defensive success for the country and emphasized readiness to manage a complex regional landscape.
France and Spain voiced concerns about parallel fighting in Lebanon. President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the ceasefire but called for it to fully include Lebanon and for pro-Iranian militias in Iraq to be covered. Spain criticized Israel’s continued offensive in southern Lebanon as “unacceptable,” saying the truce offered a “ray of hope” that should not be undermined by operations in a sovereign state. Israel, however, declared that the ceasefire did not apply to its offensive in Lebanon; the Israeli military ordered evacuations in southern Lebanon and maintained its stated campaign against Hezbollah. Reuters sources said Hezbollah had suspended attacks on northern Israel following the ceasefire announcement, though Lebanon’s army warned displaced residents not to return amid ongoing strikes.
Analysts and officials warned of broader consequences. Fawaz Gerges, a Middle East specialist at the London School of Economics, called the war “one of the greatest miscalculations by an American president,” arguing that US policy undermined America’s negotiating credibility and emboldened Iran domestically. He described Iran’s 10-point peace proposal as a “wishlist” likely to include contentious items for Washington.
Economic and logistical fallout from the conflict remains acute. Willie Walsh, head of the International Air Transport Association, said jet fuel supplies could take months to recover even if the Strait of Hormuz reopens, because disruptions to regional refining capacity are not quickly reversible. He expected Gulf transport hubs to recover relatively quickly but warned airlines would likely raise prices.
Ukraine offered expertise in countering Iranian-made drones, with President Volodymyr Zelenskyy saying Ukrainian military advisers would continue to assist Middle Eastern partners. The ceasefire and upcoming talks were welcomed by many as a chance to reduce immediate threats to shipping, energy infrastructure and civilian populations, but officials emphasized the arrangement’s fragility and the need for good-faith negotiations to turn the temporary pause into a lasting settlement.