Washington: The US military on Wednesday carried out defensive strikes on an Iranian military site, targeting a ground control station in Bandar Abbas after shooting down four Iranian drones. The action comes as President Donald Trump has claimed that a deal with Iran is close and that he wants to end the conflict by reducing Iran's nuclear capabilities, even though this is causing disagreement within Republicans.
Although Trump has denied that the November mid-term elections will affect his strategy, several serious questions remain about the possible agreement with Iran, such as how Iran will release its uranium stockpile and whether the agreement will also apply to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict.
In addition, Trump's push for Kuwait, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Pakistan to join the 'Abraham Accords' is also fraught with diplomatic challenges, as many countries, including Saudi Arabia, are adamant on the condition of a Palestinian state. Experts believe that Iran could use the relief from sanctions to strengthen its military capabilities and proxy groups like Hezbollah, which poses a risk of regional instability.