Prospects fade for imminent end to Iran war as attacks restart

Key developments are emerging from the global stage. Prospects fade for imminent end to Iran war as attacks restart May 26, 20269:32 AM ET By Jane Arraf Lebanese civil defence workers search through the rubble of a building following an Israeli strike at dawn in the southern Lebanese area of al-Hosh, near the coastal city of Tyre on May 26, 2026. via Getty Images hide caption toggle caption via Getty Images The prospect of an imminent agreement to end the war in Iran faded Tuesday as Israel said it was intensifying attacks in Lebanon against Iran-backed Hezbollah and the U. military struck Iranian boats and missile launch sites.

Central Command Spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said in a statement on Monday that Iran's boats were attempting to place mines and the military acted in "self-defense. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire," Hawkins said.

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Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps said Tuesday its air defenses had shot down a U. drone and fired at a fighter jet entering Iranian airspace. Sponsor Message In a post in a Telegram account linked to the security forces, the IRGC said three Iranians had been killed in a U.

strike south of Lark Island. The strikes came as negotiators continued talks in Qatar to broker a deal that would end the hostilities. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that negotiating a deal to end the war in Iran could "take a few days.

" President Trump appeared to set the stage for rejection by Gulf Arab countries which had originally welcomed the initial draft agreement with Iran by raising a new demand that Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and others sign on to the Abraham Accords, a set of diplomatic agreements from 2020 establishing ties with Israel. Saudi Arabia has linked any normalization of relations with Israel with the recognition of a Palestinian state. In a social media post on Monday, Trump wrote: "After all the work done by the United States to try and pull this very complex puzzle together, it should be mandatory that all of these Countries, at a minimum, simultaneously, sign onto the Abraham Accords.

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" Saudi Arabia has linked normalization of ties with Israel with recognition of a Palestinian state. Sponsor Message Iran's foreign ministry Tuesday accused the U. of piracy against Iranian commercial vessels over the past two days and called the U.

attacks "a gross violation of the ceasefire. " "The commission of these aggressive acts simultaneously with the ongoing diplomatic process mediated by Pakistan once again exposed the malice and bad faith of the U. ruling establishment to the Iranian nation, the peoples of the region, and the international community," the statement read.

The current ceasefire was negotiated to allow Iran and the U. to negotiate an end to the U.

The development has drawn wide international attention, with diplomatic circles watching closely.