The Houthis targeted the government headquarters in Aden, Yemen. Security sources reported this to AFP. In Saudi Arabia, new explosions shook Riyadh but also a facility of the oil giant Aramco, a sign of an escalation in the conflict between pro-Iranian fighters and the Saudi-led military coalition, which supports the Yemeni government. The violent attacks on the international airport last Saturday that left 13 dead and hundreds injured were just the beginning. Now the bombings are aimed at the city center, with violent explosions resounding in the last few hours.
“The Yemeni armed forces conducted a high-level military operation against Aramco in Dhahran, Eastern Province, King Khalid International Airport and the Aramco refinery in Riyadh,” rebel military spokesman Yahya Saree said, adding that “operations will continue deep into Saudi territory in the coming days, targeting enemy Saudi airports and oil facilities.” At present there are at least five injured due to debris from two intercepted missiles, while in the waters south of the Strait of Hormuz a ship carrying over 2,500 containers sank after hitting a mine and catching fire.
The Trump administration is reportedly working on a plan to form an Israeli government of national unity, in which Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu would remain in office for up to two years before finally retiring from politics. The project would include an alliance between Netanyahu's Likud and Yashar, the new party led by former Chief of Staff Gadi Eisenkot, with the aim of putting an end to regional conflicts and reaching new peace agreements with Arab countries, starting with Saudi Arabia.
According to documents and testimonies obtained by Haaretz, in several cases inmates in Israeli Penitentiary Service (IPS) facilities were seriously injured by rubber bullets. In one case, an inmate had a testicle amputated due to a rubber bullet wound, while another needed surgery for a fractured tibia.
The Israeli government has revoked the entry visa of Radio Popolare journalist Martina Stefanoni, who was preparing to leave for Tel Aviv to cover the October 27 elections. Ghidini defined the decision as "an intolerable censorship on the part of the country that defines itself as the only democracy in the Middle East".
The first ballots for the Israeli elections were filed overnight, with the opening of polls in Israel's diplomatic representations around the world in view of the October 27 vote. There will be a total of 101 active seats in 99 diplomatic locations, where approximately 4,800 eligible voters will be able to vote.
"We strongly ask that the Aspides mission be strengthened to guarantee freedom of navigation through Suez, the Red Sea and Bab-el-Mandeb. It is essential that Europe speeds up the process", declared the vice-president of the Council and Foreign Minister, Antonio Tajani.
The US military has drawn up new attack plans that include the possible use of the so-called "mother of all bombs" against Iran's energy infrastructure and nuclear facilities. According to what several US officials told CNN, this option would be taken into consideration if President Donald Trump ordered the resumption of combat operations.
The International Monetary Fund expects a recovery for the energy-rich economies of the Middle East, but not in the medium term. The IMF estimates a widespread contraction in the Gulf economies, following months of conflict which continues to impact the maritime traffic of energy products.
