US Ambassador to Israel Says More Countries Will Join Abraham Accords

US Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said he is “very optimistic” that additional countries in the Middle East will soon join the Abraham Accords and establish formal relations with Israel. Huckabee made the remarks during a speech in Israel. He said many Gulf states will have to make a choice between Israel and Iran.

Huckabee added that Israel helped the United States while Iran attacked it, and that Israel is not trying to take over land or send missiles. He suggested that “Israel is the appetizer, America has always been the entrée” for Iran’s theocracy. The comments came amid ongoing regional tensions following Israeli military operations in Gaza, Lebanon, Syria and Iran.

The United Nations has reported that 70 Palestinian children have been killed in the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since the start of 2025. UN children’s agency spokesman James Elder said at least one Palestinian child has been killed on average every week during large-scale Israeli military operations that began that year.

Elder stated that another 850 children had been injured, with most cases involving live ammunition. He noted that March 2026 saw the highest number of Palestinians injured by Israeli settlers in at least 20 years. Elder described the situation as children paying an intolerable price, with homes demolished, education disrupted, water systems attacked, healthcare obstructed and movement restricted.

A near-total nationwide internet blackout in Iran has entered its 74th day, according to the monitoring group NetBlocks. The outage has lasted more than 1,752 hours since it began on 28 February 2026. NetBlocks said that while the world has seen advances in science and technology during this period, Iran’s regime has been arresting and executing technologists.

An Iranian government spokesperson has said internet access would return to normal once the US-Israel war on Iran ends.

The initial 10-day ceasefire was announced by President Trump and later extended for one month. Hezbollah has continued to carry out attacks on Israeli forces in southern Lebanon while Israel has maintained daily bombardment. Earlier on Tuesday, Hezbollah claimed an attack on an Israeli Merkava tank near the town of Houla in southern Lebanon’s Nabatieh region.

Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem vowed to make the battlefield “hell” for Israeli forces. He described the situation as “an Israeli-American aggression that wants to subjugate our country of Lebanon” and said his group would not surrender.

Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al Thani said issues with Iran should be resolved through diplomacy. He stated that Qatar will continue to consult with Gulf states to restore peace in the region and that backdoor negotiations must continue to end the US-Israel war on Iran.

Sheikh Mohammed recently held talks with senior US officials in Washington, including Vice President JD Vance. Turkiye’s foreign minister reiterated Ankara’s support for Pakistan’s mediation efforts to end the conflict. The Strait of Hormuz crisis has had a dire impact on the world, he said.

Kuwait’s Interior Ministry reported that four IRGC-affiliated members allegedly infiltrated its territory by sea to launch hostile activities. The suspects clashed with Kuwaiti forces, wounding one member, while two escaped, according to the ministry.

Chinese airlines will raise domestic flight fuel surcharges from May 16 due to surging petrol prices linked to the blockage of the Strait of Hormuz. The increase follows a sixfold hike last month.