Lebanon's army has condemned ongoing Israeli military activities in the country's south that it said were preventing its full deployment under a framework deal reached with Israel last month.

"Israeli occupation forces continue their attacks and violations of current understandings and of international laws through the systematic destruction and bulldozing of homes, bombardment and sweeps with automatic weapons in several southern areas," an army statement said.

"The continuation of these attacks obstructs the army's full deployment according to current agreements and prevents the return of residents to their villages and towns," it added.

Pope Leo XIV has voiced concern over escalating violence in the Middle East and renewed his call for negotiations and peace, according to Vatican News.

The pope said intensified military operations across the Middle East have brought "violence and destruction," putting civilians' lives in grave danger.

"I urge all parties involved to suspend their attacks and urgently reopen avenues of dialogue and diplomacy, so that the peace so greatly desired by the entire region may be achieved without delay," he said.

"I continue to follow with deep concern the ongoing and escalating violence in the Holy Land," Pope Leo said during his Angelus address in Castel Gandolfo near Rome.

The pontiff pointed to the situation in the occupied West Bank and Gaza and said many civilians had recently fallen victim to the violence.

Iran said it had made progress in talks with Oman on management of the Strait of Hormuz, the strategic waterway crucial for oil and gas trade that both countries border.

Foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said several rounds of negotiations were held in Iranian capital Tehran on Friday and Saturday between Iranian and Omani deputy foreign ministers.

The discussions focused on "common principles and operational mechanisms" for ensuring the safe passage of shipping through the strait while respecting the sovereign rights of the two states, Baqaei said.

He described the talks as "useful" and said progress had been made, adding that "technical and political consultations between the two sides were continuing".

Iran's army warned that the Middle East war would widen if the United States chose to press ahead with attacks on the Islamic republic, ahead of the visit of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to Washington.

"I believe that if the Americans once again fall for the Zionists' deception, or move in line with them, and insist on continuing the war, particularly through air strikes, geographically this will expand further," army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia told state television.

He said the war had already expanded to the Bab al-Mandab Strait at the entrance of the Red Sea, referencing the recent military flare-up between Yemen's Houthi rebels and Saudi Arabia.

Iran passed a second consecutive night without reported US air strikes after two weeks of sustained bombardment, as Pakistan and Qatar intensified mediation efforts to secure a broader de-escalation between Washington and Tehran.

No explosions or air raid reports were recorded across Iran overnight into Sunday, according to an Anadolu tracking of developments after the previous night also passed without announced strikes.

The pause follows two weeks of US attacks targeting military infrastructure, coastal surveillance systems, missile and drone facilities, naval assets and logistics sites, according to the US Central Command (CENTCOM).

The report says the decision follows concerns over shrinking US missile stockpiles, regional escalation and risks to Gulf allies.

A US naval blockade against Iran remains in full effect, the US military's Central Command (CENTCOM) said.

As of July 25, US forces had redirected 12 commercial vessels attempting to breach the blockade, disabled two that failed to comply and boarded two others to verify compliance, CENTCOM said in a statement on X.

US forces completed a verification boarding of the Comoros-flagged oil tanker M/T Charminar in the Arabian Sea earlier Saturday, after which the vessel continued its journey, according to the command.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas discussed regional and international developments, including what Tehran said was Ukraine's attack on an Iranian commercial vessel in the Caspian Sea and tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, during a call.

Araghchi strongly condemned the attack in the Caspian Sea, according to a statement by Iran's Foreign Ministry.

He urged a "decisive response" from the UN Security Council, the European Union and the broader international community, asking them to hold accountable those responsible for and supporting the "criminal" attack.

A spokesperson for Iran's Revolutionary Guards said that Britain would become a "definite and legitimate target" if it supported the US in any war with Tehran, according to Iranian state broadcaster IRIB.

The spokesperson said any country, including Britain and Gulf states, that backed the US in a conflict would be considered a legitimate target, adding that US bombers had recently used British airfields.