Middle East Powers Form New Security Alliance Amid Ongoing Tensions

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman have signed a joint defense agreement with Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, but Israeli officials see little immediate threat from this new security alliance.

The pact was announced on Friday and is seen as a warning to Iran, but experts say it's unlikely to yield any meaningful military action in the foreseeable future. A similar agreement between Saudi Arabia and Pakistan before the US-Israeli war on Iran did not prevent Tehran from attacking Saudi Arabia.

'If the Iranians decide the time has come, they won't hesitate to take down a Saudi tanker in the Strait of Hormuz or Bab el-Mandeb,' a veteran diplomat told Haaretz. But amid extreme uncertainty, driven in part by unpredictable US behavior, he said 'It's better to hold hands in the dark than to be alone.'

The Iranian military spokesman, Mohammad Akrami-Nia, has stated that the security and maritime arrangement established in the Strait of Hormuz is irreversible and will be fully maintained.

Meanwhile, Vice President JD Vance confirmed that Washington is in direct talks with Tehran to 'maximize the amount of oil' getting out of the strait. He also said the US is examining whether Iran is willing to make long-term changes that would improve relations between the countries.