Planned nuclear talks between US and Iran ease war fears, for now
A potential regional war is a bigger worry in the Gulf than tariffs, but that risk has been momentarily defused after Washington and Tehran agreed to hold nuclear talks in Oman.
While no timeline was announced to reach a deal, the meetings this weekend could offer a path to easing tensions, according to Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus. But the window won't stay open for long, she warned.
The diplomatic overture follows Israel's claim that it has weakened Iran's air defenses and a watchdog's warning over Tehran's accelerating uranium enrichment. Meanwhile, the US is ramping up its regional diplomatic and military presence — the latter with strikes against the Houthis in Yemen and a carrier battle group on its way to the Middle East.
Against this backdrop, some of the most senior leaders from the US and the Middle East — including Israel — joined talks in Abu Dhabi this week, where they discussed how the region can 'contribute more to mutual defence and stability,' former US diplomats Elliott Abrams and Thomas R Nides wrote.
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Newsweek
3 hours ago
- Newsweek
Exclusive: Houthis Warn US and Israel of 'War' If Iran Attacked
Based on facts, either observed and verified firsthand by the reporter, or reported and verified from knowledgeable sources. Newsweek AI is in beta. Translations may contain inaccuracies—please refer to the original content. A source within the Ansar Allah movement, also known as the Houthis, has shared with Newsweek a warning to Israel and the United States amid reports of a potential Israeli attack being planned against Iran. Reports Wednesday of U.S. nonessential personnel and family members being evacuated from regional countries, including Iraq, Bahrain and Kuwait, were followed by a Washington Post article citing unnamed officials indicating that the moves were being undertaken in anticipation of an imminent Israeli strike against Iran. Israel's Channel 14 news outlet also reported that the country was preparing to soon launch a major operation against Iran. The soaring tensions follow an Israeli naval strike conducted Tuesday against Ansar Allah, a member of the Iran-led Axis of Resistance coalition that has been engaged in missile and drone attacks against Israel since the outbreak of the war between Israel and the Palestinian Hamas movement in October 2023. Reacting to the reports, an Ansar Allah source told Newsweek that the group had adopted a heightened state of readiness as it was already "essentially in a state of war with the Zionist enemy entity due to its aggression and siege on Gaza, followed by its aggression against Yemen." "In this regard, we are in a state of constant readiness and are working to escalate our operations against the usurping entity, against the backdrop of the escalating massacres in Gaza and the worsening humanitarian situation there," the Ansar Allah source said. The Ansar Allah source also issued a warning to the U.S. should it pursue actions targeting the group or its Iranian ally. "We are also at the highest level of preparedness for any possible American escalation against us," the Ansar Allah source said. "Any escalation against the Islamic Republic of Iran is also dangerous and will drag the entire region into the abyss of war." "America has no right to attack the countries of our community and our region in service of the Zionist enemy entity, which is considered the primary security threat to the region," the source added. "It is certainly not in the interest of the American people to become involved in a new war in service of the Zionist entity." Newsweek has reached out to the Iranian Mission to the United Nations, the Israel Defense Forces and U.S. Central Command for comment. Ansar Allah fighters take part in a mass protest held against the Israeli continued bombardment and blockade of the Gaza Strip on May 23 in Sana'a, Yemen. Ansar Allah fighters take part in a mass protest held against the Israeli continued bombardment and blockade of the Gaza Strip on May 23 in Sana'a, developments come amid new uncertainties surrounding ongoing nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran, which were set to enter their sixth round in Oman on Sunday. Iranian officials were expected to counter an existing U.S. offer at the meeting, with Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Beghaei calling the current terms "unacceptable" on Monday. That same day, President Donald Trump also indicated that Iran's response thus far had been "unacceptable." He then told the "Pod Force One" podcast that he was becoming "less confident" in the likelihood of reaching a successful deal. Yet sources cited by Axios and CNN indicated that Trump had once again discouraged Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu from taking military action against Iran when they spoke on Monday. Trump has indicated on at least two previous occasions that he had called on the Israeli premier not to conduct attacks on Iran while negotiations were ongoing. The U.S. leader also reached a bilateral agreement with Ansar Allah last month, after which the Yemeni group halted an unprecedented maritime campaign targeting international civilian vessels and U.S. military warships on hundreds of occasions. Yet Ansar Allah has pressed on with direct attacks against Israel, most recently launching a ballistic missile Wednesday just hours after the Israeli Navy targeted Yemen's Al-Hodeidah port in response to earlier attacks from the group. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi struck a more positive note regarding nuclear talks on Tuesday, saying that Trump's repeated vow to prevent Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon "is actually in line with our own doctrine and could become the main foundation for a deal." "As we resume talks on Sunday, it is clear that an agreement that can ensure the continued peaceful nature of Iran's nuclear program is within reach—and could be achieved rapidly," Araghchi, who is leading the Iranian delegation at the talks, said in a statement published to X, formerly Twitter. "That mutually beneficial outcome relies on the continuation of Iran's enrichment program, under the full supervision of the IAEA [International Atomic Energy Agency], and the effective termination of sanctions," he added. The statement came as the Iranian Intelligence Ministry threatened to release a trove of documents purported to be tied to Israel's own nuclear weapons, an arsenal that Israeli officials have for decades neither confirmed nor denied possessing. Iran's Supreme National Security Council warned Israeli nuclear sites would be targeted in the event that Iran's nuclear infrastructure was subject to attack. On Wednesday, Iranian Defense Minister Aziz Nasirzadeh warned U.S. military positions would also be hit in the event of a preemptive strike. "Some officials on the other side threaten conflict if negotiations don't come to fruition," Nasirzadeh said, as cited by Reuters. "If a conflict is imposed on us ... all U.S. bases are within our reach and we will boldly target them in host countries."
Yahoo
11 hours ago
- Yahoo
Trump tells Netanyahu to end Gaza war and stop Iran threats, source says, as US ramps up pressure on Israel
US President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to end the war in Gaza and stop talk of an attack on Iran, according to a source familiar with the conversation. The two leaders spoke on the phone on Monday. Trump later said the call went 'very well, very smooth.' The call for Israel to change course comes as Washington pushes for a nuclear deal with Iran and engages in indirect talks with Hamas over a ceasefire in Gaza. CNN has reached out to the White House for comment. Netanyahu convened his top ministers Tuesday night after there was 'some progress' in negotiations toward a ceasefire deal, according to his office. The purpose of the meeting was to give updates on the negotiations and discuss next steps. Earlier in the day, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said there had been recent progress in ceasefire talks that also aim to bring back hostages held in Gaza. 'Israel is serious in its will to secure a hostage deal. There has recently been certain progress,' Sa'ar told a news conference in Jerusalem, adding that 'in light of past experience, I don't want to overstate it at this point.' On Thursday, Hamas said it remains open to the ceasefire deal proposed by US envoy Steve Witkoff, but said it requires stronger guarantees against Israeli attacks. In a televised speech on Thursday, Khalil Al-Hayya, a high-ranking official in the militant group, said Hamas has not rejected Witkoff's proposal but has submitted amendments with stronger security guarantees. Hamas wants any deal to include a permanent end to the war in Gaza and a withdrawal of Israeli forces. Trump and Netanyahu appear increasingly at odds over the war in Gaza as the conflict passes the 20-month mark. Netanyahu has made clear that his war goals include the complete disarmament and removal of Hamas, while Trump has pushed for an end to the war. It's one of several major issues in the region where a growing rift is emerging between the US and Israel. In recent weeks, the Trump administration bypassed Israel on a trip to the Middle East, reached a ceasefire deal with the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen that failed to halt their ballistic missile attacks at Israel, and lifted sanctions on Syria – even as Israel warns against legitimizing a regime run by former jihadists. Meanwhile, Trump said his administration is 'trying to make a deal so that there's no destruction and death' in Iran. The sixth round of talks between the US and Iran is slated to start in the coming days. During their call, Trump asked Netanyahu to stop talking about an attack on Iran, the source familiar with the conversation said, and halt the leaks and reports about plans and preparations for an Israeli attack on Iran's nuclear facilities. Netanyahu has repeatedly pushed for a military option to stop Iran's nuclear program. In the conversation with Trump, Netanyahu told Trump that Iran is just trying to buy time and isn't serious about negotiations, the source said. CNN reported last month that Israel was preparing for a possible strike on Iran's nuclear facilities. The Trump administration has also been trying to expand the Abraham Accords, the landmark series of agreements from Trump's first term that saw Israel normalize relations with the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain and Morocco. But Saudi Arabia – whose agreement to such a deal would be the ultimate prize – has repeatedly made clear that it will not normalize relations with Israel without concrete steps towards recognition of a Palestinian state and a plan to implement the two-state solution. US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said this week that a two-state solution is no longer a goal of US policy, as it had been for decades of both Republican and Democrat administrations. 'Unless there are some significant things that happen that change the culture, there's no room for it,' Huckabee told Bloomberg News in an interview in Jerusalem. He said it won't happen 'in our lifetime.' Huckabee has previously advocated for Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank and once said that 'there's really no such thing as a Palestinian.' Earlier in the war, Trump laid out vague plans for a 'Gaza Riviera' that envisioned US control of the coastal enclave and the displacement of large parts of the Palestinian population living there.
Miami Herald
13 hours ago
- Miami Herald
Argentina's President Javier Milei Captures Houthi Missile Attack on Israel
Argentine's President Javier Milei shared images of a suspected Houthi missile attack against Israel a day after Israeli forces struck a port used by the Yemeni group in an unprecedented naval attack. Milei landed at Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion Airport on Monday night for a three-day-visit to meet with Israeli leaders, staying at King David Hotel in Jerusalem, according to the Buenos Aires Times. The Houthis said they had targeted Ben Gurion Airport with two ballistic missiles on Tuesday, claiming one had hit its target, but the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said at least one was intercepted and reported no further damage. Newsweek has reached out to the IDF for further comment. The Iranian-backed group has been undeterred by a recent U.S. airstrike campaign and ongoing Israeli operations against their targets in Yemen and the attack demonstrates its continued ability to attack Israel from afar. The Houthis have launched attacks against Israeli and American interests in the Red Sea following the war on Gaza that erupted after Hamas' 2023 October attack, but their threats have expanded to international vessels and now airliners. "I just saw this from the hotel where I'm staying in Jerusalem," Milei posted to his X account on Tuesday night, along with video footage showing missiles apparently intercepted in the sky. Milei is a staunch supporter of Israel. Milei's post came as sirens sounded in Jerusalem after a missile was launched from Yemen during his stay, Yedioth Ahronoth's Ynet reported. Military spokesperson for the Houthi group Yahya Saree said two missile attacks targeting the Ben Gurion airport. "One of the missiles directly hit Lod Airport, and interceptor systems failed to intercept it," in a video statement Tuesday. The IDF said "one missile launched from Yemen was apparently intercepted. Additional interceptors were launched due to concerns about falling interceptor fragments," according to a statement on X. Although there has been no confirmation of halting air traffic at the airport, Houthi attacks have impacted operations with some global airlines suspending flights in May. The Houthi attack followed Israel's first Navy assault on the group-controlled Hodeida port in Yemen. "The strikes were carried out to stop the use of the port for military purposes," an Israeli military official told Newsweek. "The Israeli Navy has been preparing for the operation for an extended period of time, and it is safe to say that it was a successful one." The Houthis say they are acting in solidarity with Gaza, which has been devastated by the Israeli offensive launched after its Hamas rulers attacked Israel from there in October, 2023. Argentina's President Javier Milei wrote on X: "I strongly suggest that when you comment on what's happening in Israel, you keep in mind what it's like to live under this situation." Houthi Military Spokesperson Yahia Saree in statement via Telegram: "Let the criminal enemy expect from us more and more support and assistance for our people of truth and loyalty in Gaza, the pride, dignity, sacrifice, and redemption. We will continue to support and stand by their side until the aggression against them stops and the siege is lifted." An Israeli military official told Newsweek: "We will continue to operate against the Houthi threat - we have done so in the past, we have acted today, and we will act again in the future as long as this threat to Israel persists." Military action is expected to escalate between the two sides with the Houthis now threatening to attack Israel's Haifa port. Related Articles Houthis Defiant After Unprecedented Israeli Naval AttackTrump Changes Top Middle East General For Strong Iran HawkFive Signs Israel and Iran Could Be Headed Toward Open WarTrump Reshapes the Middle East with Israel's Foes 2025 NEWSWEEK DIGITAL LLC.
