Washington, May 26 : The US military said on Monday it carried out “self-defence” strikes in southern Iran, targeting missile launch sites and boats laying mines, while President Donald Trump posted that negotiations were “proceeding nicely.”
Capt. Tim Hawkins, a spokesman for US Central Command, said the strikes were intended “to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces” and that the military was “using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.” He offered few additional details about the specific threats or how the strikes might affect negotiations.
Trump argued on social media that any agreement to end the conflict with Iran should require several other countries — including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan — to join the Abraham Accords, the diplomatic deals initiated during his first term to normalise relations with Israel. He suggested Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt and Jordan should “immediately” sign on, while acknowledging he would accept “one or two” countries declining.
The proposal drew pushback from Republicans who favour a tougher stance on Iran and could complicate ongoing diplomatic efforts. Saudi Arabia has repeatedly said it will not normalise ties with Israel without clear progress on Palestinian statehood, a position echoed by Pakistan, which does not have formal relations with Israel. Islamabad-based analyst Syed Mohammad Ali said Pakistan’s stance remains unchanged despite Trump’s call.
Masood Khan, Pakistan’s former ambassador to the US, said invoking the Abraham Accords now “gives an altogether new dimension to the diplomatic and mediatory processes,” and it remains unclear how receptive the countries on Trump’s list will be. He added that the diplomatic track “is still working,” with Pakistan “very much at the center of it, supported by regional countries.”
It also remains uncertain when any deal with Iran might be finalised. Trump even suggested Iran itself could eventually join the accords if an agreement is reached.
The Abraham Accords began under Trump’s administration and initially included the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, later expanding to Sudan, Morocco and Kazakhstan. Framed as a set of diplomatic, economic and security arrangements, the accords aimed to foster regional cooperation and open pathways toward formal ties with Israel.
