Tensions across the Middle East intensified as the United States, Israel, Saudi Arabia and Yemen reported military operations, exchanged warnings and made fresh allegations amid the conflict involving Iran and Houthi forces.
US President Donald Trump urged Israelis to vote for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, praising their joint military actions against Iran and calling on them to “finish the job that we started”. Trump claimed that US military operations had severely weakened Iran’s military capabilities and prevented it from obtaining a nuclear weapon.
Netanyahu, meanwhile, said he had instructed Israel’s Mossad intelligence agency and military to overthrow Iran’s government. Warning that Tehran could still pose a threat despite previous strikes, he described Iran as a wounded adversary capable of delivering a final blow. Separately, Israel’s Channel 12 reported that military chief Eyal Zamir was resisting an unspecified military operation involving Iran ahead of Tuesday’s election. The report also raised concerns about the potential political use of regional tensions, although unnamed political sources denied the claims.
Former Iranian culture minister Ali Jannati suggested that Washington could launch a major military offensive against Iran alongside European and regional allies after November’s US midterm elections. He said reopening the strategically important Strait of Hormuz could become a central objective of a wider campaign, although his remarks did not establish that such an operation had been planned.
In Yemen, the armed forces claimed to have conducted 753 strikes against Houthi military positions in 24 hours, killing around 218 fighters and field commanders. These figures have not been independently verified. Yemen’s foreign ministry also condemned Houthi attacks on Saudi cities, including Mecca and Medina.
Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted a ballistic missile launched towards Riyadh and reported destroying additional missiles and drones targeting the kingdom. The Houthis claimed multiple attacks on Saudi military facilities and King Khalid International Airport, warning airlines and travellers against using the airport. The group also alleged that Saudi forces had carried out dozens of strikes across Yemen, claims that remain unverified.