Дата публикации: 17-08-2026 11:45:58

Trump threatens to bomb Oman
Welcome back to the Daily Briefing.This is Ezgi Akin, filling in for Gabrielle. In today’s edition:Trump threatens to bomb Oman as Iran-US MoU expiresKushner meets Netanyahu on Gaza plan Pope calls for end to West Bank violence Russia’s foothold in Syria shrinks but ties endureThanks for reading,Ezgi (ezgi_akin)Trump threatens to bomb Oman as Iran-US MoU expiresA person in front of a large screen displaying vessel movements in the Strait of Hormuz on a ship-tracking website — Reuters.US President Donald Trump threatened to "bomb the shit out of" Oman if Muscat interferes with Washington’s efforts to reach a peace agreement with Iran. The warning came as Iran and Oman held talks over a possible arrangement to ease shipping through the Strait of Hormuz.Asked by Fox News reporter Trey Yingst about the parallel discussions, Trump said: “If Oman gets in the way, we’ll bomb the shit out of them.” Trump also reiterated Monday that preventing Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon remains his top priority.Meanwhile, Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, said Monday that the expiration of a 60-day memorandum with the United States had little practical significance. “Due to the gross and widespread violation of the June 18 memorandum by the United States just a few weeks after it was signed, no talks were initiated,” Baghaei told reporters in a press briefing. “As a result, the issue of a 60-day deadline became entirely moot.” Tehran has not committed to resuming negotiations. “We have not yet made a decision to restart negotiations with the United States,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi wrote on X on Saturday.The June 18 memorandum set a 60-day window for Washington and Tehran to negotiate a final agreement ending the war, including unresolved disputes over Iran’s nuclear program, sanctions and the future of the Strait of Hormuz.Separately, Baghaei said talks between Iran and Oman over reopening the Strait of Hormuz have been completed. Under the proposed arrangement, ships would enter the strait through a corridor closer to Iran and exit along a route near Oman, without paying fees or tolls during the interim period.Listen to a breakdown of the top headlines on today’s episode of the Middle East Minute podcast with Adam Lucente.Kushner meets Netanyahu on Gaza planIsraeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu holds a news conference, following a U.S.-Iran deal, in Jerusalem, June 15, 2026. REUTERS/Ronen Zvulun/Pool/File Photo US President Donald Trump's Middle East envoy, his son-in-law Jared Kushner, met Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in Jerusalem on Monday after meeting with Hamas leader Khalil al-Hayya in Cairo on Sunday, as the Trump administration seeks to revive its stalled Gaza plan. Netanyahu rejected a US-backed road map under which Hamas would disarm as Israeli forces gradually withdrew from Gaza, insisting withdrawal can come only after Palestinian armed groups are fully disarmed. Kushner was joined by Gaza envoy Nickolay Mladenov, who helped broker the proposal. Hamas says it accepted the road map but argues implementation depends on Israel first fulfilling commitments, including withdrawing and halting attacks.Pope calls for end to West Bank violence A view of an Israeli settlement, located on a hill, near Qusra village, in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, August 15, 2026. REUTERS/Mohammed Torokman Pope Leo called for an end to violence against Palestinian civilians in the occupied West Bank on Sunday amid rising settler attacks and a siege of the village of Qusra. Israeli settlers have surrounded homes there after cutting water and electricity, according to rights groups. The Catholic leader urged the international community to advance a two-state solution for a “fair and lasting peace.” The Vatican has long supported Palestinian statehood. Russia’s foothold in Syria shrinks but ties endureRussian President Vladimir Putin greets Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the Grand Kremlin Palace, Moscow, Oct. 15, 2025. — ALEXANDER ZEMLIANICHENKO/POOL/AFP via Getty ImagesSyria and Russia have entered a more limited phase of cooperation under an August agreement reorganizing Moscow’s military presence at the Tartus and Hmeimim military bases. Damascus is reclaiming civilian facilities at both sites, while military sections are set to become joint training centers, allowing Russia to retain a reduced foothold. The deal formalizes a decline in Russian influence that began with President Bashar al-Assad’s fall in 2024 but stopped short of a full break. Moscow remains important as a supplier of oil and wheat as well as support for Soviet-era infrastructure, but its ability to fund Syria’s reconstruction is constrained. President Ahmed al-Sharaa is instead seeking investment and closer ties with Gulf states, Western countries and Turkey while signaling willingness to reduce dependence on Russian energy. Analysts say Damascus is likely to preserve ties with Moscow while steadily replacing Russian support as alternative partners become available. Read Samuel Wendel's analysis. 
eakin@al-monitor.com
Mon, 08/17/2026 - 07:45



Ezgi Akin



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