The United States said Sunday it shot down two Iranian drones it said were threatening the Strait of Hormuz, marking the latest escalation as the regional war entered its 100th day with no end in sight.
It came as mediator Pakistan delivered a message to Iran's supreme leader, following weeks of indirect talks marked by tit-for-tat threats and sporadic exchanges of fire.
Efforts to turn a cease-fire into a lasting settlement have repeatedly stalled, while the war has rattled global markets and increased pressure on U.S. President Donald Trump at home ahead of midterm elections.
But there were signs of fresh diplomatic efforts over the weekend with Pakistan's Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi visiting Tehran.
Naqvi said upon his arrival Saturday that he would deliver a "special letter" from Pakistan's army chief to Iran's Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei and a message from the prime minister "regarding the current situation," according to Iranian state television.
