Tehran, Iran - US Central Command said that it shot down a pair of one-way Iranian drones threatening ships in the Strait of Hormuz, as the Middle East war reached its 100th day on Sunday with no end in sight.

The milestone came as mediator Pakistan delivered a message to Iran's supreme leader following weeks of indirect negotiations punctuated by tit-for-tat threats and sporadic exchanges of fire.

Efforts to turn a ceasefire into a lasting settlement have repeatedly stalled, while the war has rattled global markets and increased domestic pressure on US President Donald Trump ahead of midterm elections.

The uncertainty is weighing on everyday Iranians too, with fitness trainer Elaheh from Ahvaz telling AFP, "I really have gone numb."

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"Daily life? It's a joke. Everything is horrible. We only try to survive," the 32-year-old added, pointing to rising prices.

Farhad, a 35-year-old chef, went on to explain that life was becoming "increasingly difficult," noting that economic hardship had set in even before the war.

"Things that just a few months ago you might have considered buying have now become dreams and fairy tales," he told AFP.