US conducts self-defense strikes against Iran missile sites to 'protect troops' amid peace talks

By JAMES GORDON, US NEWS REPORTER Published: 00:10, 26 May 2026 | Updated: 00:26, 26 May 2026 The United States launched what officials described as narrowly targeted 'self-defense strikes' inside Iran on Monday night, escalating tensions in the region even as diplomats continued to push for a fragile ceasefire and broader peace talks. According to US Central Command, American forces targeted missile launch sites in southern Iran as well as Iranian vessels allegedly attempting to lay naval mines in strategic waterways used by military and commercial ships. 'U.S. forces conducted self-defense strikes in southern Iran today to protect our troops from threats posed by Iranian forces,' CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins told Fox News in a statement.  'Targets included missile launch sites and Iranian boats attempting to emplace mines. U.S. Central Command continues to defend our forces while using restraint during the ongoing ceasefire.' Top Iranian negotiators were in Doha Monday for talks to end the war with the United States, even as both sides downplayed prospects of an imminent deal. The fragile hope of an accord in recent days was dealt a fresh blow when Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to 'crush' Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon. President Donald Trump made demands for a broad accord across the Middle East, involving normalization of ties with Israel, as part of any agreement with Iran. Amid fresh threats and hurdles from the US-Israeli side, Trump enumerated pathways for Iran's enriched uranium, a key sticking point in efforts to end the war, in a post to his Truth Social platform. The US launched what officials described as narrowly targeted 'self-defense strikes' inside Iran on Monday night. Pictured, file photo of a missile strike in Tehran from March  The US launched 'self-defense strikes' against missile sites and Iranian boats in southern Iran as tensions threatened to derail fragile ceasefire talks. Pictured, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth President Donald Trump made demands for a broad accord across the Middle East, involving normalization of ties with Israel, as part of any agreement with Iran Trump said Iran's enriched uranium - which he dramatically referred to as 'Nuclear Dust!' - would either be handed over to the US for destruction or eliminated  'The Enriched Uranium (Nuclear Dust!) will either be immediately turned over to the United States to be brought home and destroyed or, preferably, in conjunction and coordination with the Islamic Republic of Iran, destroyed in place or, at another acceptable location, with the Atomic Energy Commission, or its equivalent, being witness to this process and event,' Trump wrote. It was not clear if he meant this is part of an emerging accord with Iran. The Atomic Energy Commission that Trump cited was abolished in 1974 and its functions were divided between two successor bodies. Earlier on Monday, Trump said it should be mandatory for Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Pakistan, Egypt, Turkey, Bahrain and Jordan to sign up to the Abraham Accords, a set of agreements brokered in 2020 with nations historically hostile to Israel. The comments below have not been moderated. The views expressed in the contents above are those of our users and do not necessarily reflect the views of MailOnline. By posting your comment you agree to our house rules. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual. Do you want to automatically post your MailOnline comments to your Facebook Timeline? Your comment will be posted to MailOnline as usual We will automatically post your comment and a link to the news story to your Facebook timeline at the same time it is posted on MailOnline. To do this we will link your MailOnline account with your Facebook account. We’ll ask you to confirm this for your first post to Facebook. You can choose on each post whether you would like it to be posted to Facebook. Your details from Facebook will be used to provide you with tailored content, marketing and ads in line with our Privacy Policy.