Bahrain and Israel open diplomatic relations

WASHINGTON—President Donald Trump on Friday announced the second U.S.-brokered peace deal between an Arab nation and Israel in less than a month. Bahraini King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reached the agreement after their countries went almost five decades without normal diplomatic ties. Bahrain is only the fourth Arab nation to establish full relations with the Jewish state.

What does this mean for the region? The agreement adds to the coalition of Arab states willing to stand up to Iran, which is vehemently anti-Israel. A joint statement from Al Khalifa, Netanyahu, and Trump called the deal a “historic breakthrough to further peace in the Middle East.”

Dig deeper: Read Onize Ohikere’s analysis in World Tour of the deal Trump and his son-in-law Jared Kushner arranged between the United Arab Emirates and Israel.