US and Iran hold off on attacks for second straight night

A pause in the hostilities between the United States and Iran has extended into the second night, giving some hope to those trying to resolve the conflict peacefully.

What we know:

For nearly two weeks, the United States conducted airstrikes on Iranian infrastructure in response to Tehran targeting commercial ships trying to pass through the Strait of Hormuz. An official involved in mediation efforts said diplomacy was happening and called the pause a "positive signal that helps their effort to de-escalate."

What we don't know:

The White House has not given a reason for the respite, and the Pentagon did not respond to questions from The Associated Press. A spokesperson for the Iranian army told the country’s state media that, because the U.S. halted its attacks, Tehran has held off as well.

What they're saying:

U.N. Ambassador Mike Waltz told Fox News that President Donald Trump is "giving talks some space. He’s giving it a little bit of room."

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"We’ve had both Oman and Iran, and a number of our other negotiators, engaged at every level, from the most senior levels all the way down to the technical level over the past few weeks, and particularly in the past few days," he added.

Timeline:

The 60-day window afforded by last month’s ceasefire, during which the U.S. and Iran intended to hammer out technical details of the peace agreement, is now more than half over. Still on the table are major issues, including the one repeatedly identified by Trump as the most important for him: the fate of Iran’s nuclear program.

Dig deeper:

Waltz has dismissed the idea that the U.S. stockpile of interceptors has been running low, but experts have wondered how long the two nations can sustain their attacks.

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