The U.S. military says it successfully intercepted an Iranian missile barrage and worked with Saudi Arabia’s forces to strike sites in Iraq that Tehran-backed militias have used to launch attacks in recent days. U.S. Central Command in a statement Tuesday says further attacks on American troops or Saudi Arabia’s energy infrastructure risked additional action and that U.S. forces “remain vigilant and at a high state of readiness.” The U.S. and Iran had experienced a brief period of calm, during which neither announced attacks for days following weeks of escalation over the Strait of Hormuz. There was no immediate comment from Tehran on the U.S. military statement or the strikes.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and President Donald Trump have met at the White House. The sitdown Tuesday was the first since they launched a joint war against Iran, and it offered a chance for Netanyahu to smooth out strains in their relationship. The closed-door meeting lasted nearly an hour and a half. The White House said it was “positive and productive." Both leaders face growing pressures at home. Netanyahu is up for reelection and is embattled in part because of his deteriorating relationship with the president. Trump is under pressure to end an unpopular war that has wreaked economic havoc ahead of U.S. elections in November.

Sen. Lindsey Graham is being eulogized in Washington. Graham’s flag-draped casket arrived Tuesday at the U.S. Capitol, where the Republican served for more than 30 years as an indefatigable dealmaker. Vice President JD Vance calls Graham a “swashbuckling” figure and a “true American original.” Senate Majority Leader John Thune calls Graham “a towering figure.” A funeral will be held later at Washington National Cathedral. President Donald Trump is expected to deliver remarks at the cathedral ceremony. Israel’s Benjamin Netanyahu and Ukraine’s Volodymyr Zelenskyy plan to attend. It’s the start of two days of services for Graham, with burial Wednesday in his home state of South Carolina. Graham died July 11 at age 71.

Mediators have made progress in efforts to bring the United States and Iran back to negotiations and prevent an all-out war in the Middle East. That's according to two regional officials who spoke to The Associated Press. But scattered attacks by armed groups across the region underscored the lingering tensions. Neither the U.S. nor Iran have claimed any strikes for three days. Mediators led by Qatar and Pakistan are working to bridge the gap between Washington and Tehran. The U.S. has paused attacks after targeting Iranian areas in response to Iran firing at ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy and new U.K. Prime Minister Andy Burnham have discussed joint drone projects and Ukraine’s urgent need for ballistic missile interceptors during a visit to a British naval base. Burnham says Monday's visit is intended to underline “unwavering” British support for Ukraine. Zelenskyy’s trip is the first by a foreign leader since Burnham took office a week ago. He will be the fifth British prime minister the Ukrainian president has dealt with since Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine in 2022. Zelenskyy and Burnham met more than 200 Ukrainian military personnel who been in Britain taking part in an exercise aimed at strengthening their fighting capabilities and measures to counter mines in the Black Sea.

The United States has not attacked Iran for a second day, and Tehran says it has also halted attacks. This pause comes amid efforts to resume negotiations on an interim ceasefire deal. The U.S. previously targeted Iranian coastal areas after Iran fired at ships in the vital Strait of Hormuz. The Pentagon has not commented on the pause. Mediation efforts by countries like Pakistan and Qatar remain unclear. Concerns about shipping in the region persist, especially with threats from Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. Talks with Oman about safe passage in the Strait of Hormuz are ongoing, with some progress reported. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu plans to travel to Washington and meet with U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday,