Daily Briefing Aug. 2 - Saudis talk Trump down from Iran strike… for now

US President Donald Trump announced late Saturday that he had halted a significant strike against Iran, citing assurances from Tehran and other Middle East nations. He stated that a framework for a deal to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and address the Iran nuclear threat had been reached.

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US President Donald Trump said late Saturday that he had called off a major attack on Iran after being assured by Tehran and other Middle East countries that a framework for a deal to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz and “end the Iran nuclear threat” had been reached.

Prior to this announcement, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke with Trump by phone. The Crown Prince emphasized the importance of diplomatic talks and preventing the escalation of the conflict with Iran. The article suggests that despite Trump's assurances, the prospects for normalization between Israel and Saudi Arabia appear increasingly dim.

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Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman held a phone call with Trump in which he stressed the importance of talks and of preventing the conflict with Iran from widening.

The report also examines Egypt's potential involvement in confronting Iran, particularly after a drone strike on a US-owned gas storage tanker at Egypt's Mediterranean port of Damietta. This incident is seen as a potential message from Tehran to Cairo. Additionally, the article discusses a newly announced deal for Hamas to eventually lay down its arms, its reception in the Arab world, and the emerging role of senior Palestinian figure Mohammad Dahlan in brokering this disarmament.

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She proposes that, despite assurances from Trump, the chances of normalization between the Jewish state and the Saudi kingdom are increasingly slim.