US, Iran Agree to Halt Strikes in Strait of Hormuz

The United States and Iran have agreed to "stand down" following several days of military exchanges that threatened a fragile ceasefire, according to media reports citing a US official.

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The reported agreement follows a series of attacks in and around the Strait of Hormuz, with both countries accusing each other of breaching the truce reached earlier this month.

Shipping Route to Reopen

The US official told CBS News, the BBC's US partner, that vessels would once again be able to move through the Strait of Hormuz "freely". The official also said negotiations aimed at bringing the conflict to an end would continue.

Iran has not publicly commented on reports that it has agreed to halt attacks in the strategic waterway.

On 17 June, the US and Iran signed a 14-point Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), which called for the "immediate and permanent termination of military operations on all fronts".

Under the agreement, Iran also pledged to make its "best efforts" to ensure the safe passage of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz without charge for 60 days.

Ceasefire Under Pressure

The ceasefire came under renewed strain after an Iranian projectile struck a cargo ship in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday.

The US responded over the weekend with strikes on multiple targets in Iran. US Central Command (Centcom) said the operation was a direct response to Iran's "continued aggression" against commercial shipping.

Iran then launched strikes on US bases in Kuwait and Bahrain on Saturday. The US said the attacks failed to reach their intended targets and caused no casualties or damage.

The Strait of Hormuz is one of the world's most important shipping routes for oil and gas exports. Tehran had effectively closed the waterway after the US and Israel launched attacks on Iran at the end of February.

Lebanon Ceasefire Also Tested

Separately, the US helped broker a framework agreement between Israel and Lebanon on Friday, with the aim of laying the foundations for a lasting peace.

However, the agreement quickly came under pressure as fighting continued between Israeli forces and the Iranian-backed Hezbollah movement in southern Lebanon.

Hezbollah's leader rejected the deal, accusing the Lebanese government of undermining the country's sovereignty.

Two days after the agreement was signed, the Israeli military said it had destroyed a 200-metre-long tunnel in southern Lebanon that it said was used by Hezbollah and contained hundreds of weapons.

A joint statement from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defence Minister Israel Katz said the US had been informed before the strike.

Tehran has said an end to hostilities in Lebanon is necessary for any broader regional ceasefire to hold.

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Adapted by ASEAN Now. Source 29 June 2026

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