Pentagon Hits Iranian Missile Sites and Mine-Laying Boats in Fresh Strikes

American forces carried out new strikes in southern Iran on Monday, targeting missile launch sites and boats that were attempting to place mines, according to the US military. The operation was described as defensive in nature.

The US Central Command issued a statement saying the strikes were conducted to protect American troops from threats posed by Iranian forces. CENTCOM spokesman Timothy Hawkins wrote that targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines. He added that the command continues to defend its forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.

The timing is notable. President Donald Trump posted on social media that negotiations with Iran were "proceeding nicely" – even as US warplanes or naval assets were apparently hitting targets inside Iranian territory. Further details were not immediately available, including specifics about the nature of the threats from Iran and what the strikes mean for ongoing diplomatic efforts.

The military action comes amid a potential deal between both sides to end the war. That agreement would also allow for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passageway for approximately 20 percent of global shipping. The strait has been effectively blockaded by Iran since the start of the US-Israeli war on Tehran on February 28.

On Monday, Iranian officials said agreements on many issues had been concluded between their negotiators and Washington. However, they cautioned that a potential deal was not imminent. According to Tehran's foreign policy spokesperson, Esmail Baquei, there is no timeframe or deadline for finalizing the deal with the United States. His remarks contrasted sharply with those from Trump, who claimed on Saturday that a deal – including the opening of the Strait of Hormuz – had been "largely negotiated" following calls with Israel and other regional allies. Trump said final aspects and details were being discussed and would be announced shortly, though he provided no specifics. Hours later on Sunday, the president said he had told representatives to hold off and not rush the potential deal.

Trump also injected a new diplomatic condition into the emerging agreement. On Monday, he said any deal to end the Iran war should require several additional countries – including Saudi Arabia and Pakistan – to join the Abraham Accords. That series of US-brokered agreements from Trump's first term aimed to normalize relations with Israel. The proposal came as the emerging Iran deal faced criticism from fellow Republicans who favor a harder line on Tehran, and it could add new diplomatic complications to the negotiations.

Trump pointed to Saudi Arabia and Qatar as countries that should "immediately" sign on, alongside Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, and Jordan. Bahrain and the United Arab Emirates became the first countries to join in 2020. According to Trump, after all the work done by the United States to try to pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these countries, at a minimum, simultaneously sign onto the Abraham Accords. Trump has long hoped Saudi Arabia would join, but the kingdom has maintained that any normalization deal requires first establishing a clear path for Palestinian statehood. That condition is also key for Pakistan, which is among the countries that do not have diplomatic relations with Israel.

The Abraham Accords were originally signed between Israel and the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain, followed later by Sudan, Morocco, and more recently Kazakhstan. The accords are a series of diplomatic, economic, and security agreements created with US influence during Trump's first term. They were framed as an endeavor to promote cooperation among countries in the Middle East and North Africa, and the administration saw them as partly paving a path toward full ties with Israel.

For now, the Strait of Hormuz remains blockaded, Iranian boats are being struck from the air, and American negotiators are being told not to rush. Meanwhile, Trump wants Saudi Arabia and Pakistan to sign up for peace with Israel before any Iran deal is finalized. It is, to put it mildly, a lot of moving parts. And the bombs are still falling.

Written by Thomas Nussbaumer