August 26, 2026UpdatesTrump sends Saudi nuclear deal to Congress but says Riyadh must recognize IsraelPresident Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, November. Credit: Evan Vucci/APPresident Trump and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House, November. Credit: Evan Vucci/APPresident Donald Trump has sent Congress a proposed agreement with Saudi Arabia on civil nuclear energy while insisting the pact will only be approved if the kingdom normalizes relations with Israel, a U.S. administration official told Reuters on Tuesday.The agreement, which was reached in July and would allow U.S. companies to export civilian nuclear technology to the kingdom, was sent to Congress on Monday, according to the U.S. official, who declined to be identified.The Saudi embassy in Washington did not immediately respond to a request for comment.It was not clear how Trump expects sending the nuclear deal to Congress, which has 90 session days to consider it, will advance his objectives."The president's position has not changed that the agreement will only move forward if Saudi Arabia joins the Abraham Accords," the U.S. official said in an email, referring to U.S.-brokered agreements between Israel and Arab and Muslim-majority nations to normalize relations.Those accords, reached in 2020 and 2021, were between Israel and the UAE, Bahrain, Morocco and Sudan.Days after agreeing to the Saudi nuclear deal in July, Trump, who worked on a similar pact during his first term, set normalization as a condition for it to go into effect.Former President Joe Biden also pushed for a nuclear deal and wanted to tie it to the accords. Diplomats thought Riyadh was close to normalizing relations with Israel in 2023, but the start of Israel's war on Gaza in October 2023 changed the landscape.Saudi Arabia has demanded an irreversible path to a Palestinian state before recognizing Israel.The 30-year nuclear deal calls for the construction of AP1000 reactors, a project worth tens of billions of dollars that would benefit Westinghouse, jointly owned by Canada-based Cameco and Brookfield Asset Management.The deal was sent to leaders in Congress and is expected to be handed to committees on Wednesday, two congressional sources said. Unless Congress objects to the deal within 90 session days, it will go into force. If Congress were to reject the agreement, Trump could veto that decision, which would require a two-thirds majority in Congress to override.Some Democratic lawmakers and nonproliferation advocates have criticized the nuclear pact for not barring Saudi Arabia from enriching uranium or reprocessing nuclear waste, two potential pathways for making a nuclear weapon. The UAE agreed to such measures, known as the gold standard, in its 2009 civil nuclear deal with Washington.The Trump administration says the deal has nonproliferation measures required by law.By starting the process, Trump has opened the possibility that Congress could allow the deal to proceed without normalization and proliferation stipulations, said Henry Sokolski, the head of the Nonproliferation Policy Education Center. "This is hardly ideal if you're serious about no enrichment and recognition of Israel," Sokolski said.Rubio says U.S. not expected to launch new Iran strikes, Axios reportsSecretary of State Marco Rubio has told several foreign ministers from allied countries in recent days that "for time being" the United States is not expected to launch new strikes against Iran, and will instead focus on other means of pressure, Axios reported on Tuesday, citing a U.S. official and a second source with knowledge of the matter.See full story.Reports: IDF attacks several locations in southern LebanonSmoke rises from fires ignited by Israeli shelling that targeted the plain of Marjayoun in southern Lebanon on August 25, 2026. Credit: AFPSmoke rises from fires ignited by Israeli shelling that targeted the plain of Marjayoun in southern Lebanon on August 25, 2026. Credit: AFPMedia outlets in Lebanon reported that the Israeli Air Force struck in several locations in the south of the country. According to the reports, there were strikes in the Dabcha area and in the villages of Qantara, Sibrine and Kfar Roummane.Britain backs U.S. efforts for diplomatic solution on IranBritish ‌Finance ‌Minister John Healey ⁠said the country supports U.S. efforts to secure ‌a diplomatic solution ‌on Iran and welcomed steps to increase pressure, including the expanded sanctions ⁠on Iran announced Monday.Healey also ‌called ⁠on ‌Iran to cease its "destabilizing activity" across the ⁠region, including in the Strait ‌of Hormuz.RECAP: Rubio says no fresh attack on Iran for time being; Settlers attack activists, journalistsHere are Wednesday's latest updates:■ U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told foreign ministers from several countries in recent days that Washington won't strike Iran until the U.S. Midterms, Israel's Channel 12 reported, citing two sources familiar with the matter.■ Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he ordered the evacuation of the UNRWA compound in East Jerusalem's Kafr Aqab, accusing the UN agency of involvement in the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023.■ Israeli settlers attacked left-wing activists and journalists with clubs, stones and pepper spray in the West Bank village of Jannatah, wounding several people, footage of the incident shows, as Israeli soldiers present at the scene did not intervene.■ Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa'ar said he decided to "immediately expel" Dutch representatives from the U.S. base in the country's south, which oversees the Gaza cease-fire, over "a series of anti-Israel moves by the Dutch government."■ Retired IDF general Ofer Winter announced an election bid, launching a new far-right party and urging displacement of Palestinians from Gaza.■ U.S. Representative Rashida Tlaib and 40 U.S. Congress members signed a letter to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging Washington to pressure Israel into releasing a 20-year-old U.S. citizen it holds.