Hospital reports one death after Israeli attack in Gaza Strip
According to Palestinian reports, one person was killed in an Israeli attack on a civilian vehicle in the Gaza Strip. The attack on Sunday morning injured at least eleven other people, said the Al-Aqsa Martyrs Hospital, where the victims were taken. The Israeli military said it targeted a known fighter from the militant Islamist Palestinian organization Hamas in the attack.
Palestinians in the Gaza Strip report that Israel has been shelling targets throughout the area more frequently and carrying out more air strikes for the past month. Israel says it is attacking Hamas militants and other extremists who pose a threat. It also responds to ceasefire violations, including isolated attacks.
Tanker shelled in the Strait of Hormuz
According to the British shipping authority UKMTO, a tanker was hit by an unknown missile in the Strait of Hormuz. The authority announced on Sunday that the ship's engine room was damaged. The crew was safe and no environmental damage was reported. The UKMTO did not disclose the time of the incident.
Iran: Reopen Hormuz only when conditions are met
Iran does not want to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which is important for oil transport, until seven conditions from an interim agreement with the USA in June are met. This is what Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baker Kalibaf said on Sunday, according to the state-affiliated news agency Nournews: "The Americans, who claim otherwise in the media, have recently made proposals through an intermediary. But they must understand that the time when they dragged out the process and dictated one-sided demands is over," Kalibaf was quoted as saying.
The Strait of Hormuz will not open until our seven conditions based on the Islamabad Memorandum are met. Iran's Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baker Kalibaf
Aerial view of the strait dpa
Air traffic between Iraq and Iran is starting again
After a break of several days, air traffic between the Iraqi pilgrim city of Najaf and Iran has resumed. The Najaf airport administration said three evening flights were planned, according to the Iraqi news agency INA. The number of flights will continue to increase in the coming days.
Iraq suspended flights of Iranian airlines on September 25 in the wake of tightened US sanctions. However, the Iraqi government obtained an exception for Najaf because of its special economic and religious importance.
The southern Iraqi city is home to one of the most important pilgrimage sites for Shiite Muslims and therefore also for millions of Iranians. Najaf is home to the shrine complex of Ali ibn Abi Talib (died 661 AD), son-in-law and cousin of the Prophet Muhammad. After Mecca and Medina, the Imam Ali Mosque is considered the third holiest shrine for Shiite Muslims in the world.
Houthis: Attacked Aramco facility in Riyadh
The Yemeni Houthi rebels say they attacked an Aramco facility in the Saudi Arabian capital Riyadh. The Houthis explain that ballistic missiles and drones were used. There is currently no official confirmation from Saudi Arabia.
Iran's currency falls to historic low
Iran's national currency is plummeting amid war and economic sanctions. On the free market, the exchange rate for one euro rose to the historic mark of three million rials for the first time, as the Iranian financial portal bon-bast.com reports. Due to the rapid loss of value, the purchasing power of the population is falling drastically. According to financial experts, the average monthly wage has fallen from the equivalent of 120 euros to around 70 euros since the beginning of the year. The devaluation makes the import of consumer goods and raw materials more expensive, which further increases domestic price pressure.
Authorities: At least four dead in Israeli airstrike on Gaza City
According to Palestinian health authorities, at least four people were killed in a residential building in the city of Gaza in an Israeli airstrike. There was initially no statement from the Israeli military.
Oil tanker hit by projectile off the coast of Oman
A crude oil tanker has come under fire in the Strait of Hormuz, according to a report. The ship was hit on the port side by an unknown projectile, the British Maritime Safety Authority (UKMTO) reported, citing the captain. The crew of the ship should therefore be safe.
The incident reportedly occurred near the northern tip of Oman, where the Musandam enclave protrudes into the strait. The ship was less than eight kilometers from the coast at the time. Iran and Oman are countries directly bordering the Strait of Hormuz, which is only around 35 to 40 kilometers wide at its narrowest point.
Media: Flydubai co-pilot was previously considered a safety risk
The co-pilot who is said to have injured the pilot of the Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv was previously fired from his previous job at an airline in Oman due to safety concerns, according to US media. ABC News reports, based on senior intelligence and law enforcement officials, that the man was suspended from Oman Air after being deemed a security risk.
According to information from the US broadcaster, the suspected attacker from Oman was found to have extremist material when he was employed by the airline as a co-pilot trainee in 2024. However, he was therefore allowed to continue working there in an administrative role. The US broadcaster CNN has similar information.
The Wall Street Journal also reported, citing people familiar with the matter, that the man had previously been banned from flying by Oman. The reason for this was the fear that he had radical ideological views.
According to ABC News, investigators are currently trying to find out how he was allowed to fly for Flydubai. The arrested co-pilot, who has now been brought to the Emirates, should therefore cooperate with the investigating authorities. He indicated that he had intended to bring down the Flydubai plane in Israel, the broadcaster quoted sources familiar with the investigation as saying.
Saudi Arabia is probably planning a new offensive against the Houthis in Yemen
Saudi Arabia is planning a new military offensive against the Iran-backed Houthi militia in Yemen. The aim is to secure the strategically important shipping route in the Red Sea, regional and Western officials told the Reuters news agency. The operation would begin in the coming weeks and would be carried out by Yemeni ground forces, overseen by Riyadh and supported by Saudi airstrikes. Six people with knowledge of the preparations confirmed the plans. There were initially no statements from the Saudi Arabian and Yemeni governments or the Houthi militia.
Media: USA sends another aircraft carrier to the Middle East
According to media reports, the Pentagon is sending a third aircraft carrier strike group and additional warships to the Middle East. This is reported by the “Wall Street Journal” and the news portal “Axios”, citing US officials. Accordingly, newly deployed warships, fighter aircraft, marines and sailors are expected to arrive there by the end of November. According to the Wall Street Journal, the US is increasing its troop presence in the region by 9,000 to 10,000 soldiers.
The reports are fueling speculation that the US could launch new attacks on Iran after the crucial general elections in early November. When asked about this in an interview with “Time” magazine, US President Donald Trump recently simply said: “Possible”.
Tanker hit by bullets in the Strait of Hormuz
According to the British military, a tanker was hit by an “unknown projectile” in the Strait of Hormuz. The tanker then caught fire, as the British Navy's Maritime Trade Authority (UKMTO) announced on Thursday. The authority said it had been informed about the incident from elsewhere. The crew was safe, it said. The UKMTO initially did not release any information about the ship's name.
So far no one has claimed responsibility for the attack. However, Iranian forces regularly attack ships passing through the strait to maintain control of the crucial waterway.
Reports: Explosions in Yemen's capital Sanaa
Fighting has broken out again in Yemen. According to eyewitnesses, several heavy explosions were heard in the capital Sanaa. As a result, columns of smoke could be seen near the presidential palace, it said.
The Houthi-affiliated broadcaster Al-Masirah reported on attacks by Saudi Arabia on Sanaa and the provinces of Saada, Tais and Amran. The broadcaster did not provide details about the targets of the attacks or possible damage.
Previously, the Saudi-led military coalition fighting alongside the official government in Yemen against the Houthi militia said it had intercepted two Houthi ballistic missiles and four drones over the cities of Khamis Mushait and Jazan in southern Saudi Arabia. On Platform X, military coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki wrote that measures to deter the Houthi militia were continuing.
Flydubai: Saudi Arabia transfers suspect to Emirates
After the violent incident on a Flydubai plane on the way to Tel Aviv, the arrested co-pilot was transferred to the United Arab Emirates. The Saudi Arabian authorities announced this on Thursday. The Emirates had declared itself responsible for the investigation and justified this by saying that the aircraft was registered there and that the law of the United Arab Emirates applied to crimes committed on board.
Netanyahu: Flydubai co-pilot was indoctrinated into Islamism
After the violence on a Flydubai flight to Tel Aviv, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu described the co-pilot as Islamist. “We know that he was subjected to radical Islamist indoctrination,” Netanyahu told Fox News. “That seems to be the case from the information.” Netanyahu did not provide any further details.
It will also be clear within a few days whether the pilot has connections to Iran. Israel's government had previously described the incident as a jihadist terrorist attack.
Trump: Iran's Hormuz offer was inadequate
US President Donald Trump has described Iran's latest offer to open the Strait of Hormuz as inadequate. Trump said in an interview with Time magazine published on Thursday that he would not accept any Iranian proposals today that he would not have agreed to a year ago.
It is possible that the USA will resume its bombing of Iran after the US midterm elections on November 3rd, emphasized the US President. He did not provide details about possible new attacks or targets.
Trump: Evidence of Iranian involvement in Flydubai attack
US President Donald Trump has not ruled out a connection between the attack on the Flydubai plane and Iran. Asked by reporters whether there was a connection to Tehran, Trump said on Thursday: "I would say the answer - from what I'm hearing - is yes, but we're working on it right now."
Incident at military base: arrest in London
After the incident near an air force base in Great Britain, the British anti-terror police report another arrest. A 27-year-old man of British and Iranian nationality has been arrested in London on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act, the authorities announced. Officers also searched two properties in the Westminster district. A 26-year-old British man was also questioned in connection with the investigation.
Iran rejects allegations of plans to attack Britain
Iran denies allegations of being involved in suspected attack plans against a military base in Great Britain. The Foreign Ministry in Tehran summoned the British ambassador because of the allegations, state media reported. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham speaks of “clear indications” of Iranian involvement in plans against the base, which is used by US forces to attack Iran.
Taliban: Nine dead in Pakistani airstrikes
According to the Taliban ruling there, nine people are killed in Pakistani air strikes in Afghanistan. Eleven more people were injured, Taliban spokesman Sabiullah Mujahid said on the social media platform X. The Taliban government condemns the attack as aggression. There is currently no statement from the Pakistani military. The information cannot be independently verified.
Iran: “Release of alleged terrorists” speaks volumes
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi has rejected the British government's assessment that Tehran could be involved in the incident near a US air base in Britain. British Prime Minister Andy Burnham was “on the wrong track” with his assessment, wrote Araghtschi on Platform X.
Araghtschi further wrote that Burnham was convinced that Iran played a role in the incident. But: “I can confirm Iran’s belief that the release of alleged terrorists working for foreign countries really speaks volumes.”
The five men were picked up on Sunday night near the British military base RAF Fairford, which is used by the US Air Force, and have since been released under strict conditions.
