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.

Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels say they fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia in response to Saudi airstrikes on Yemen's strategic Red Sea city of Hodeida. The claim on Saturday marks an escalation over vital Middle East shipping routes as the United States and Iran vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz. Saudi Arabia’s civil defense said alerts sounded in its cities of Yanbu and Jizan, but it provided no further details. Iran reported no U.S. strikes overnight for the first time in nearly two weeks. U.S. Central Command hasn't commented. Threats to shipping remain a focal point due to the importance to global energy supplies.

The U.S. military says it has fired on a merchant vessel attempting to breach its blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran targeted American strongholds around the Persian Gulf. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia struck the port city of Hodeida in Yemen. The conflict shows no signs of easing after 13 nights of strikes. U.S. embassies in the Middle East have warned Americans that options to leave could become limited. Iran’s Revolutionary Guard advised residents of neighboring countries to avoid bases with U.S. troops. The Strait of Hormuz remains a focal point, with its closure causing economic turmoil. Diplomatic efforts appear stalled, with no signs of progress in negotiations.

The U.S. military has announced it conducted a 13th night of strikes against Iran as clashes escalate over shipping routes. U.S. Central Command once again said Thursday the strikes were designed to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters” as the U.S. pushes to regain control over the Strait of Hormuz and restore the flow of international shipping. Earlier Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels said they attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, potentially widening the Iran war as international oil topped $100 a barrel.

The U.S. military has announced that it is conducting a 12th night of strikes against Iran as both sides increasingly target civilian infrastructure. U.S. Central Command said Wednesday the strikes are designed to “further degrade Iran’s ability to threaten civilian mariners and commercial vessels transiting regional waters” as the U.S. pushes to regain control over the Strait of Hormuz and restore the flow of international shipping. U.S. President Donald Trump warned earlier Wednesday that the U.S. will destroy one bridge or power plant each time Iran shoots at a ship in the strait.

Marcus L. Martin felt instant trepidation when he saw five adults wading thigh- and waist-deep in the Scioto River last weekend. The Baptist pastor is a frequent boater on that area of the central Ohio waterway north of Columbus. He knew the area where the group was standing Sunday to be treacherous due to a steep drop-off. He took a photo of the group when he returned past them. It may be the last portrait of a group of friends who drowned that day, two Honduran married couples and their friend. Authorities have not yet confirmed the individuals pictured in the pastor's photo.

POWELL, Ohio (AP) — The skies were mostly clear and weeks of sweltering heat had finally broken as 33-year-old Jose Mario Pineda Dias and his …