Coverage of events across the Middle East region.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says at least 74,016 Palestinians have been killed and 175,068 wounded since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023. Despite a ceasefire, Israeli military operations have continued, while disputes over Hamas’ disarmament, Israel’s withdrawal and Gaza’s reconstruction remain unresolved.
At least seven people were killed and 40 others injured in a Saudi airstrike on a market in Yemen’s southwestern Taiz province, according to Iran-backed Houthi authorities. Yemen’s internationally recognized government disputed the account, saying the strike targeted a Houthi military position near the area.
Israeli forces shelled several areas in southern Lebanon, including Mansouri, Majdal Zoun, Wadi Hassan, Baraachit and Hadatha, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency. Israeli warplanes were also reported flying at low altitude over Tyre and surrounding areas. No immediate casualties were reported.
Military chiefs from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye met in Riyadh under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement to discuss regional security threats and attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. The three sides reaffirmed their commitment to collective defence and discussed intelligence sharing, military coordination, operational cooperation and the integration of defence capabilities.
Saudi Arabia says its air defenses intercepted and destroyed six ballistic missiles launched by Iran-backed Houthis toward Taif and Yanbu. The reported interceptions come as attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure continue, while Aramco explores additional export routes and overseas storage options to reduce the impact of disruptions.
Brigadier General Hossein Zarifi, a senior IRGC commander, was killed in clashes with armed men in Iran’s southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iranian media reported. Tasnim said five members of the armed group were also killed in the fighting in Saravan, although the reported casualties have not been independently verified.
At least 674 people have been killed and 2,998 injured in Yemen since fighting intensified, according to the WHO, while the IOM says 129,438 people have been displaced across seven governorates. Between September 18 and 21 alone, the number of displaced people increased by 11,352.
Suspected Israeli airstrikes triggered powerful explosions at a weapons depot near Al-Eis in Syria’s Aleppo province early Monday, reportedly injuring at least four people. Separately, Israeli forces allegedly shelled areas in western Daraa province, with no casualties reported.
Iran has warned the United States and its allies that any new major attack would trigger sustained retaliation against U.S. military bases and American interests across the region. Tehran’s warning comes amid heightened tensions and a U.S. security alert over the risk of further escalation in the Middle East.
Saudi Arabia has confirmed that Iran-backed Houthis attempted to strike Riyadh with a ballistic missile, which was intercepted and destroyed by Saudi air defenses. The Houthis also claimed attacks on sensitive sites in Riyadh and an Aramco facility in Yanbu using missiles and drones.
Israeli President Isaac Herzog has pardoned former soldier Elor Azaria, who was convicted of shooting and killing a wounded Palestinian in Hebron in 2016. Herzog cited the passage of time, completion of Azaria’s sentence and his expression of regret, while the Israeli military opposed the decision.
At least 65 people have been killed in heavy clashes between Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces and Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in southern Yemen. The fighting has intensified amid rising tensions between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia, raising concerns over regional stability and international shipping through the Red Sea.
