US forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran overnight on May 25-26, marking the first major military action of this kind since the ceasefire as tensions escalate in the Gulf region. The strikes targeted Iranian forces threatening US troops, including boats attempting to lay mines and missile launch sites, US Central Command confirmed.
Tim Hawkins, a US Central Command spokesman, said in a statement overnight, "US forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces." The military action underscores the fragile security environment despite ongoing diplomatic efforts to reach a comprehensive agreement between Washington and Tehran.
Diplomatic Efforts Amid Military Action
The strikes occurred as Iran's top negotiator and its foreign minister were in Doha for talks with Qatar's prime minister on a potential deal with the US to end the three-month-old war, after Washington and Tehran played down hopes for an imminent breakthrough. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio, speaking from India, said the US would give diplomacy every chance to succeed. He said there was "a pretty solid thing on the table in terms of their ability to open up the Strait (of Hormuz), and enter into a very real, significant, time-limited negotiation on the nuclear matter. Hopefully, we can pull it off."
US President Donald Trump had been pressuring Saudi Arabia and other countries to join the Abraham Accords, but the countries appeared to be pushing back and saying they first wanted to see Israel work with the Palestinians. Saudi Arabia was urging both the Americans and the Iranians to pursue positive engagement while highlighting the need for clear wording on security and freedom of navigation without new restrictions.
Iranian Capabilities and Regional Concerns
Intelligence assessments indicated Iran now had access to 30 of 33 sites near the Strait of Hormuz, enabling missiles to be moved from bunkers onto mobile launchers. The latest confrontation highlighted what many military planners increasingly fear: That Iran still retains enough missile and naval capability to threaten US forces and commercial shipping despite nearly three months of US-Israeli attacks.
Iranian leaders were reported to be hiding underground and communicating by courier. Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei said on Tuesday in a written statement carried by state television that regional countries would no longer be shields for US bases. He said, "What is certain in this regard is that the hands of time will not turn backward, and the nations and lands of the region will no longer serve as shields for American bases," in a statement for the Eid Al-Adha holiday.
Gulf States Chart Independent Course
The diplomatic advisor to the President of the United Arab Emirates, Dr. Anwar bin Mohammed Gargash, said the UAE was capable of overcoming challenges with confidence and steadfastness. He wrote on X, "Wars may impose circumstantial challenges, but the UAE was built on solid foundations that make it more capable of cohesion and overcoming them. Conscious leadership, strong institutions, a developed and competitive economy, and authentic values based on solidarity, tolerance, and justice." He also wrote, "The UAE's success was not born of chance, but the fruit of a steadfast vision and sincere, continuous work over the years. The UAE is capable of overcoming challenges with confidence and steadfastness."
Faisal J. Abbas, the Editor-in-Chief of Arab News, said peace was possible with Israel but that the country "needs to embrace a two-state solution." He wrote that "the news about an imminent agreement between the US and Iran is certainly a welcome development. As mediators work to bridge the gaps between the American and Iranian positions, we need to remember that a negotiated outcome is by far the best possible solution for now, as it is the only one that gets us close to agreed-upon results." He noted that Qatar and Pakistan were working to bridge gaps towards a deal.
Why This Matters:
The overnight strikes demonstrate the persistent security threats to US forces and commercial interests in the Gulf despite three months of sustained military pressure on Iranian capabilities. Intelligence assessments showing Iran retains access to 30 of 33 missile sites near the Strait of Hormuz reveal the limits of military action alone in neutralizing threats to critical maritime chokepoints through which global energy supplies flow. The Gulf states' emphasis on institutional strength, economic competitiveness, and measured diplomacy reflects a pragmatic approach to regional stability that prioritizes national interests over alignment with either Washington or Tehran. Secretary Rubio's focus on reopening the Strait of Hormuz and time-limited nuclear negotiations suggests recognition that freedom of navigation and non-proliferation serve American economic and security interests better than prolonged conflict. The pushback from Saudi Arabia and other regional powers on joining the Abraham Accords without Israeli-Palestinian progress indicates these nations are asserting sovereignty in their foreign policy decisions rather than accepting external pressure, a dynamic that could reshape Middle East diplomacy.