Latest Updates on West Asia Conflict

Israel seeks election probe after Netanyahu alleges Arab vote rigging

Israel's election watchdog has sought a probe into alleged foreign interference after Netanyahu questioned high Arab voter turnout, as his bloc fell short of a parliamentary majority.

Oil prices fall as hopes of US-Iran peace talks ease supply fears

Brent crude fell 1.1% to $114.10 a barrel and WTI dropped 1.3% to $101.45, paring Wednesday's gains as reports of renewed diplomatic efforts eased concerns over supply disruptions

Iran says plan to end war with US could be implemented in under a week

Foreign Minister Araghchi said Tehran remains in contact with intermediaries; he also warned of risks to global energy markets from another Israeli-led attack

US costs of Iran war top $47 billion, 25% above Pentagon's July estimate

The war's impact on global energy costs has weighed on support for Republican candidates and hurt President Donald Trump's approval ratings

Iran hasn't tried to repair nuclear sites hit in US strikes: IAEA chief

The head of the UN nuclear agency said Tuesday there has been no indication Iran has tried to repair or reconstruct its nuclear facilities damaged in US and Israeli military strikes this year or last year. President Donald Trump has said one of the major reasons the U.S. went to war with Iran on Feb. 28 was to deny Tehran the ability to develop nuclear weapons, even as he has insisted that strikes the US carried out on Iranian nuclear sites in June 2025 "obliterated" the country's atomic program. During a UN Security Council meeting, International Atomic Energy Agency chief Rafael Grossi urged Iran to give inspectors access to all nuclear sites, including those damaged in the military attacks. The IAEA has not been able to verify the status of Iran's stockpile of near weapons-grade uranium since the U.S. bombed its sites last year. However, Grossi said that "since June 2025, we have not identified any activity to repair or reconstruct any of the facilities damaged in the military ..

Sri Lanka repatriates 40 Iranian sailors after providing medical care

Sri Lanka repatriated 40 Iranian sailors after rescuing them from a distressed vessel off its southern coast and providing them with medical care. "They departed by air early on Saturday," a foreign ministry spokesman told reporters here on Sunday. The Embassy of Iran had funded the logistical arrangements for the departure, he said. All 40 sailors received medical attention before returning to Iran, the spokesman said. Sri Lankan authorities launched a humanitarian operation after receiving information about a merchant vessel in distress about 24 nautical miles off Galle, a port city on the island nation's southern coast. The repatriation comes amid heightened scrutiny of Iranian vessels operating in waters around Sri Lanka following a series of maritime incidents involving Iranian naval ships and concerns over US sanctions on vessels linked to Iran. In March, Iranian naval vessel IRIS Dena was sunk by a US submarine outside Sri Lankan waters, killing at least 84 Iranian sailors

Messages are still being passed to US amid war concerns, says Iran

As concerns rise about a return to an all-out Iran war ahead of crucial elections in the United States and Israel, Iran said messages are still being passed to the US and Tehran remains open to diplomacy. And US President Donald Trump said there would not be a strike against the Islamic Republic "today." Meanwhile, the International Committee of the Red Cross has begun receiving lists again of Palestinian detainees from the occupied West Bank and Gaza after the Israeli Supreme Court ordered the government to resume sharing them. Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Sunday. Read our full coverage here. Iran says messages are still passed to the US via intermediaries ---------------------------------------------------------------------- Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, Esmail Baghaei, said Tehran has not closed the window of diplomacy and messages are being passed to the US via intermediaries. Negotiations over the war have appeared to stall for weeks. State media s

Trump weighs fresh Iran strikes as he keeps prospect of a deal open

He recently said on social media he would not hit Iran again before the Nov 3 midterm elections

US reducing staffing at 4 West Asian embassies over threats from Iran

The State Department is reducing staffing at four US embassies in the Middle East after receiving intelligence that Iran has stepped up efforts to target American personnel in the region and elsewhere. In a memo sent Friday to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton said his teams "have received intelligence that Iran has substantially increased efforts to target US personnel." "The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against US citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries," Clayton wrote. The memo was obtained by The Associated Press and reported earlier by Axios. Three US officials, speaking on condition of anonymity due to the sensitivity of the matter, confirmed that the memo was sent to Rubio in his capacity as secretary of state and national security adviser. The memo emerged shortly after the State Department announced it is reducing staff at the US embassies in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar and

US intel warns of Iranian threats to American diplomats in West Asia

An intelligence memo cited by Axios says Iran has substantially increased efforts to target US diplomats and officials in West Asia, while US has ordered non-emergency personnel to leave Saudi Arabia

Oil prices rise over $2 as Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia fuel supply fears

Brent crude rose 1.2% to $110.11 a barrel and US WTI gained 1% to $98.12 after Houthi attacks in Saudi Arabia killed three people and prompted Washington to order some diplomats' families to leave

Iran's IRGC claims four oil ships hit, three others strike mines in Hormuz

Iran's IRGC Navy said the four ships had crossed an "illegal route" despite warnings, while three other vessels struck mines in the western Strait of Hormuz on Wednesday night

Iran warns of 'Father of All Bombs' as US, Israel weigh fresh strikes

The New York Times reported that US and Israeli militaries have prepared plans for a short, intensive operation targeting Iran's energy, nuclear and missile facilities, as Tehran warns of retaliation

Hormuz could be 'redundant' in 5 years, replaced by new routes: HSBC CEO

The conflict has highlighted the world's heavy reliance on the strategic waterway, through which ‌a fifth of global oil and liquefied ​natural gas trade previously passed

Iran warns of further escalation after Trump endorses Netanyahu for polls

Araghchi slammed Trump's post endorsing Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of the upcoming elections, stating that the last time the US gave such an ultimatum, Iran emerged 'even stronger'

Yemen officials blame Houthis for 2 missile strikes on Yemen's Aden airport

Two missiles struck the airport in Yemen's port city of Aden on Friday night, police said, blaming Iran-backed Houthi rebels for the second such attack in less than a week. Police said no casualties were reported as fighting escalates in the latest front in the Iran war, one in which the rebels have attacked both neighbouring Saudi Arabia and Yemen's internationally recognized government that's backed by the kingdom. A security official and a traffic controller said an area of the Aden airport that hosts a military unit aligned with the Saudi-backed government was hit. Both spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to speak to the media. There was no immediate claim of responsibility. The attack came a day after the Houthis carried out a deadly strike on a palace complex in Aden, which has been the seat of the internationally recognized government since 2015.

Saudi Arabia should accept Israel's 'helpful' offer to fight Houthis: Trump

Trump calls Israel's support for Saudi Arabia 'very helpful' and says Riyadh could join the Abraham Accords, as regional hostilities escalate

Air India extends cancellation of Saudi Arabia flights till October 20

Air India on Friday said it has extended the cancellation of flights to Saudi Arabia till October 20 amid escalating tensions in the region due to the attacks on the Gulf country by Houthis. Earlier, the airline as well as Air India Express had cancelled flights to Saudi Arabia till October 17. "In view of the evolving situation in Saudi Arabia, all Air India flights to and from Riyadh, Dammam and Jeddah stand cancelled until 20 October 2026," Air India said in a post on X. The airline also said it was closely monitoring developments and continuously assessing the situation to ensure the safe resumption of operations. "Passengers affected by these cancellations are being offered a full refund," it added. IndiGo, on Thursday, announced extending the cancellation of flights to Saudi Arabia till October 24. On Thursday, Akasa Air said that in view of the prevailing security situation in the Middle East, it has extended the suspension of all flights to and from Riyadh until October 2

Oil prices fall as US weighs easing sanctions on West Asian crude supply

Oil prices retreat after WTI hit a 3-week high, as attacks on shipping near Hormuz raise supply concerns while Washington weighs easing sanctions on vessels to curb petroleum transport costs

12 killed, over 300 injured in latest attack on Saudi's Riyadh airport

The latest attack on the international airport in Saudi Arabia's capital of Riyadh killed 12 people and injured over 300 others, civil aviation authorities said early Sunday, with some in critical condition. A Saudi-led coalition blamed Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen. It was the deadliest attack in any Gulf Arab country since the start of the Iran war, whose fronts have expanded to include the recent surge in fighting between the Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces. A missile struck a King Khalid International Airport complex housing terminals 3 and 4 for domestic flights, a regional official said, speaking on condition of anonymity because they weren't authorized to speak to the media. The Saudi statement said the dead included four Saudi citizens as well as two Bangladeshi nationals, a Palestinian, a US citizen, an Egyptian, a Jordanian, a Syrian and a Sudanese. It said the injured were being treated at several hospitals. Trump said he would consider