CAIRO/WASHINGTON/RIYADH — Iran said Saturday that an agreement with Oman on a new shipping route through the Strait of Hormuz was close, but stressed that the deal alone would not reopen the strategic waterway. Tehran said other conditions, including compensation from the United States, would have to be addressed.
टैग: Middle East
US Sees Near-Term Hormuz Deal as Gulf States Sign Defense Pact
WASHINGTON, United States — The United States expects a possible agreement between Iran and Oman that could restore commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, while Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have signed a mutual defense pact amid escalating regional tensions. The developments came as Washington continued diplomatic efforts to contain the wider conflict involving Iran, Israel and Iranian-backed groups.
Houthi Attacks on Yemeni Government Forces Raise Fears of Wider Conflict
Missile and drone attacks launched by Yemen’s Houthi movement against government military positions have significantly escalated tensions in the country, raising concerns that the years-long conflict could enter a new and more violent phase. The strikes, which targeted military camps in Hadramout and Marib on Thursday, left at least 30 government soldiers dead and 15 others injured, according to reports cited by Al Jazeera.
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye Sign Mecca Joint Defence Agreement Amid Regional Security Challenges
Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye have signed a new trilateral defence pact, named the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, aimed at strengthening collective security cooperation as military tensions continue to rise across the Middle East. According to Al Jazeera, the agreement states that an armed attack on any one of the three countries will be treated as an attack on all of them.
Israel Charges Settler Over Killing of Palestinian Activist Owdeh Hathaleen in Rare West Bank Indictment
Israeli prosecutors have charged a Jewish settler in connection with the killing of Palestinian community leader and activist Owdeh Hathaleen, marking the first indictment of its kind in more than seven years. The charges, announced on Thursday, relate to a fatal confrontation that took place in the occupied West Bank in July 2025 and come amid continuing scrutiny of settler violence in the territory.
Israel Strikes Southern Lebanon After Two Soldiers Killed as Rome Security Talks Continue
Israel-Lebanon border tensions resurfaced on Wednesday after two Israeli soldiers were killed during an operation in southern Lebanon, prompting Israeli retaliatory strikes that Lebanese authorities said left at least one person dead. The violence unfolded while Israeli and Lebanese officials continued security discussions in Rome aimed at reducing hostilities along their shared border.