U.S.-Iran Fighting Pauses, and Life Gets Harder Inside Gaza

Fighting between the United States and Iran appears to have stopped, at least for now. Over two days, the U.S. struck about 170 targets inside Iran, and Iran fired on U.S. military bases in the Gulf region. The pause in fighting came during a week of funerals for Iran's former Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, and four of his family members who were killed on the first day of the conflict.

Even though the guns have gone quiet for now, tensions in the region remain high. Jordan intercepted, or blocked, incoming fire from Iran during the recent attacks. Iran also threatened the United Arab Emirates. Israel's top military commander said his country is ready to act if fighting starts again. NPR reporter Carrie Kahn, reporting from Tel Aviv, said the situation could change quickly.

Back in the United States, more than 300,000 immigrants are facing a major legal setback. The U.S. Supreme Court ruled that President Trump can end a program called Temporary Protected Status, or TPS. TPS lets people from dangerous countries live and work legally in the United States. Many of those affected are Haitian and Syrian immigrants. Without TPS, they could lose their work permits and driver's licenses, and they could be forced to leave the country.

In Springfield, Ohio, a city with a large Haitian community, some immigrants have stayed home out of fear. Others are reaching out to local nonprofits for help. Those groups are encouraging people to apply for asylum, which is a form of legal protection. However, the asylum process takes a long time and does not guarantee safety from deportation. Some Springfield workers say they have already lost manufacturing jobs because of the ruling.

President Trump also fired the remaining members of the U.S. Election Assistance Commission. This group was made up of members from both political parties and helped run fair elections. Democrats and voting rights groups strongly criticized the decision. The White House said Trump had the right to do this because of a recent Supreme Court ruling, known as the Slaughter decision, which gave presidents more power to remove members of independent federal agencies.

In Gaza, a ceasefire deal reached last year between Israel and Hamas is falling apart. The agreement called for Israel to pull its forces out of Gaza, for Hamas to give up its weapons, and for new leaders to take over in Gaza. But nine months later, none of those things have happened. Instead, Israel has expanded its military control from about half of Gaza at the start of the ceasefire to nearly 70% of the territory.

For the people living in Gaza, life has become very dangerous. Families hear shelling at night and gunfire during the day. They have less access to food and other supplies, and they have been forced to move again and again. More than 1,000 Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire began, according to Gaza's Health Ministry. NPR journalists Anas Baba and Aya Batrawy documented what daily life looks like for families who are trapped between expanding military zones with nowhere safe to go.