Coverage of events across the Middle East region.
Iran has executed Hossein Pedran after convicting him of spying for Israel’s Mossad and providing information about sensitive military sites in Isfahan province. The execution followed confirmation of his death sentence by Iran’s Supreme Court.
An Italian Air Force Eurofighter F-2000 was severely damaged during Houthi-attributed air attacks on a military base in Saudi Arabia’s Taif, Italy’s Defence Ministry said. No casualties were reported, as the attack also targeted another military base and an oil facility amid escalating Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.
Human rights groups say Iranian authorities are intensifying the confiscation of assets belonging to members of the Baha’i community, amid a broader crackdown on religious minorities, dissidents and government critics. Rights organizations report arrests, home and business raids, and seizures of property, while Amnesty International says repression against Baha’is has intensified since the June 2025 Iran-Israel war.
More than 60 people have been killed in clashes between Yemen’s government forces and Houthi fighters over the past 24 hours as fighting intensifies in Taiz and Lahj. The escalation comes amid renewed Houthi attacks using missiles and drones, including strikes targeting Saudi military and energy infrastructure.
Saudi Arabia has executed Pakistani national Suleman Amjad, son of Amjad Hussain, in the Qassim region for terrorism-related crimes, including killing a foreign national, illegal firearm possession and planning further killings. The death sentence was carried out by beheading on September 15, 2026.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz has suggested that Turkey offer refuge to Hamas members from Gaza while reiterating his call for the relocation of the territory’s roughly two million residents, amid escalating tensions between Israel and Turkey.
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis have claimed to have shot down a Saudi F-15 fighter jet over Marib province and launched ballistic missile and drone attacks targeting Saudi Aramco facilities in Yanbu and Khamis Mushait Air Base. Saudi Arabia has not officially confirmed the reported downing of the aircraft.
Saudi Arabia says its air defenses intercepted and destroyed a Houthi drone before it entered Makkah’s restricted airspace. The incident comes as the U.S. State Department advises Americans to reconsider travel to Saudi Arabia, citing risks from Iranian drone and missile attacks, armed conflict and terrorism.
Five Hamas members, including Qassam Brigades commander Ahmed al-Batsh, also known as Abu Osama, were killed in an Israeli military operation in Gaza. Israeli forces and Shin Bet said they have intensified counterterrorism operations across the Gaza Strip in recent weeks.
Saudi Arabia has announced the discovery of an estimated 110 million tonnes of uranium-bearing ore in the Madinah region, with the deposits also containing rare-earth minerals. The discovery was announced by Energy Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman during the IAEA General Conference in Vienna.
Saudi Arabia has vowed a “decisive” response to Houthi attacks that wounded 13 people, as authorities issued new safety warnings in Makkah. The Saudi Cabinet condemned attacks on civilians and critical infrastructure, while an emergency UN Security Council meeting was requested to address the escalating situation around the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.
Two sailors are missing and 23 others were rescued after the Panama-flagged oil tanker Al Gaya was attacked in the Strait of Hormuz, according to Oman’s Maritime Security Centre. Iran blamed naval mines, while the U.S. military said the tanker had been struck by an Iranian missile and later by a drone.
