US commander questions Iran campaign, oil prices fall, and Gaza plan moves forward

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, America's top military commander in the Middle East reportedly advised the White House to halt its bombing campaign around the Strait of Hormuz after concluding it had reached the limit of its effectiveness. Axios reports the assessment helped shape US President Donald Trump's decision to pause attacks on Iran, as Tehran and Oman hold talks on reopening the strait and diplomacy gathers pace ahead of Mr Trump's meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. We also examine falling oil prices after the US and Iran paused hostilities, Iran's claims that six ships were prevented from transiting the Strait of Hormuz, and continued security risks after Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. Israel also approves the deployment of an international force under its Gaza peace plan, while violence escalates across the occupied West Bank with settler attacks, mass arrests and fresh land seizures. And Dubai opens a major new bridge as work continues on one of the emirate's biggest road-improvement projects, with authorities aiming to significantly reduce congestion and delays. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans