Middle East War: Putin hosts Qatar, Iran leaders; Israel votes in key election

We are closing this live coverage. For the latest updates, click here.

US President Donald Trump showcased the arrival of 1 million barrels of Venezuelan crude Tuesday, calling the shipment a “gift” to the US as his administration prepared to sell the oil to commercial refineries.

“They’ve sent me as a gift a boatload of a million barrels of oil, and I’m giving that to the United States of America,” Trump told reporters before his Texas visit.

“We’re going to accept a million barrels of oil, and I’m going to give it to you people to use it the way you want,” he said in remarks reported by The Associated Press.

Trump subsequently visited the Port of Corpus Christi, where a tanker carrying the heavy crude served as a backdrop for his speech. Producer North American Blue Energy Partners, or NABEP, said Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited one of two newly-arrived tankers carrying the combined million-barrel cargo.

The US Department of War shared an updated estimate with Congress showing $47.1 billion spent on operations as of October 16, up $3.5 billion since early September and over 25% above July projections. Most of the costs — about $29 billion — went to replacing munitions, with $6.1 billion for lost equipment and nearly $12 billion in added operational expenses, according to The Hill. The figure excludes base repairs from Iranian attacks, which officials say could raise the total much higher, amid ongoing scrutiny from lawmakers.

A diplomatic push in Tehran has divided Iranian commentators, with some portraying the visit by Saudi, Turkish and Pakistani officials as recognition of Iran’s influence and others warning it could bring pressure for concessions.

Monday’s four-way meeting ended with a commitment to continue dialogue on peace and security, but no announced agreement on the war, the Strait of Hormuz or Iran’s nuclear program.

Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistani army chief Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin attended the talks.

Reuters quoted a Pakistani official as saying Munir had presented a proposal intended to offer something to both Washington and Tehran, with President Donald Trump’s approval to pursue diplomacy.

Authorisation to explore diplomacy does not establish that Washington approved every term of a completed agreement. Details were not disclosed.

The official said Pakistan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar could serve as guarantors if Iran accepted the proposal.

Iran has warned that vessels belonging to South Korean shipping company Sinokor will face “legal action” beginning November 1. The statement issued by Iran's Gulf Strait Authority does not explicitly threaten missile strikes against every ship.

Reuters reported Tuesday that the authority accused Sinokor vessels of committing the "highest number of crossing violations" in the Strait of Hormuz over the preceding three months. Sinokor did not immediately comment.

“Appropriate actions” had already been taken against at least seven vessels, the authority said, as quoted by US News.

Preliminary exit polls from the Israeli elections indicate a highly competitive race with no clear winner reaching the 61-seat majority required for the Knesset. While Gadi Eisenkot claimed a "complete victory" based on his bloc's projected edge, Benjamin Netanyahu's Likud party is expected to remain the largest single party.

A confident Gadi Eisenkot, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's challenger, said the exit poll would mean a “complete victory” for his bloc. The former general and son of Moroccan immigrants added that he will “act immediately” to replace Netanyahu’s government.

Exit polls early on Wednesday (October 28) show no immediate clear winner in the pivotal vote. Based on partial unofficial results, neither Netanyahu nor Eisenkot is on track for the 61 seats needed for a majority in the 120-seat Knesset.

Israel's election ended Tuesday with no clear winner, exit polls indicate, likely setting off weeks of jockeying before a leader is declared.

An inconclusive result would leave Israel in political limbo after the country's first national election since Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023, attack. The vote served as a referendum on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's wartime leadership.

Exit polls released by major Israeli TV stations suggest that neither Netanyahu's political bloc nor that of his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot, secured the 61 seats needed for a parliamentary majority.

Like all surveys, exit polls are subject to potential error. Preliminary results are expected in the coming hours. Final results are expected in the coming days and may vary from the exit polls.

The mortal remains of an Indian national who died in the attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam reached India on the morning of October 27, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said.

The embassy added that it had provided the necessary assistance to facilitate the return.

 Limited flight operations have resumed at Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport, including India-bound services operated by Flynas, while Saudi carriers continue to operate flights to India from Dammam, Jeddah and Medina, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said on Tuesday.

In an advisory issued on October 27, the embassy urged Indian nationals to remain in regular contact with their airlines and verify flight status before travelling to the airport amid continuing disruptions. Read more

The UK has just issued security alerts for Israel, Iran, Pakistan, Turkey, Egypt, Iraq, UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Syria, Yemen and Palestine, warning all British nationals of sudden incoming escalation causing severe flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions.

"The context in the Middle East remains deeply unpredictable and the risk of sudden escalation is high," the new warning says.

It now covers British nationals planning to transit the region rather than only those already there, and drops all qualifiers on airspace closures and travel disruptions, which are no longer described as potential.

US embassies across the region ordered departures last week.

Qatar will continue to support global energy security and strengthen partnerships with other countries, Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani said following his participation in the Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit in Moscow.

In a post on his official X account, Sheikh Tamim said the summit provided an opportunity for gas-producing nations to improve coordination and exchange views on challenges facing global gas markets.

He also stressed the need for joint efforts to address these challenges.

The Emir reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to strengthening global energy security, citing the country’s leading position in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry.

He said Qatar would continue to foster international partnerships built on trust and mutual interests

Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani has highlighted the need for greater coordination among gas-producing nations to address challenges facing global energy markets.

In a post on X, the Emir said the Gas Exporting Countries Forum summit in Moscow offered an opportunity to exchange views on market challenges and strengthen cooperation.

He also reaffirmed Qatar’s commitment to supporting global energy security through its leading role in the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry.

Qatar will continue to build partnerships based on trust and shared interests, Sheikh Tamim said.

On the sidelines of the summit, Sheikh Tamim met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian. The two leaders reportedly discussed ways to expand cooperation in the energy sector.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian told his Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin on Tuesday that the Middle East can solve its problems without the involvement of the United States.

"I believe we are capable of resolving our problems in the region without relying on the United States," Pezeshkian said at a meeting with Putin on the sidelines of a summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Moscow.

Saudi Civil Defence said debris from two intercepted Houthi ballistic missiles fell over Riyadh, damaging a building, a construction site and a vehicle. No casualties or injuries were reported.

US consumer confidence improved in October, driven primarily by a lull in fuel price increases, according to a key indicator published Tuesday, a week before crucial midterm elections that will decide control of Congress.

The Conference Board's Consumer Confidence Index rose by 7.5 points to 91.7 in October, the organization said in a statement. The data defied analyst expectations of a drop in confidence.

"The recovery was in line with retail gasoline prices easing from September to October," said Fergus McCormick, senior economist at the Conference Board.

"Yet, despite the increase in October, consumer confidence remained on the long-term downward trend that's persisted over the past few years."

The rising cost of living is a core voter concern going into the November 3 elections, in which the Democratic Party is seeking to wrest control of Congress from US President Donald Trump's Republicans.

Trump's war on Iran has driven up global energy prices, exacerbating already high inflation in the United States as the price for regular gasoline has increased by more than 40 percent since the start of the conflict.

The party of Gadi Eisenkot, the main challenger to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, warned the premier was preparing to challenge the results of Tuesday's election by claiming it was being stolen.

"Netanyahu is in a panic - and he's laying the groundwork to challenge the results," Eisenkot's Yashar party said. "We have to be ahead of Likud by a huge margin; only then will there be no room to sow doubt about the results."

The Iranian army said an oil tanker hit mines and caught fire while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz via a route not authorised by Tehran.

"A few hours ago, an oil tanker in breach of regulations, having switched off its tracking systems and attempted to cross a prohibited and dangerous area east of the Strait of Hormuz, struck naval mines, causing damage and a fire," the army said in a statement carried by the official IRNA news agency.

Iran claims control over the Strait of Hormuz, a vital global energy conduit, and has targeted vessels that attempt to cross without its authorisation since the outbreak of the Middle East war on February 28.

The Iranian military has reported on multiple occasions that tankers struck naval mines while attempting to transit areas Tehran considers off-limits.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman chaired a meeting in Riyadh Tuesday where he and his council of ministers reviewed talks held in Tehran with the Mecca alliance a day earlier, state media reported.

"The council reviewed the substance of the talks held between the countries party to the Mecca Common Defence Agreement and senior officials of the Islamic Republic of Iran, reaffirming Saudi Arabia's commitment to establishing security and stability," read a statement released by state media.

Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan held talks with Iranian senior leaders in Tehran on Monday on the Middle East war, with Iran's security chief Mohsen Rezaei later calling the discussions "very good".

Israelis flocked to the polls in turnout unseen in decades, with a deeply divided electorate delivering a verdict on veteran right-wing Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in the first election since the October 7, 2023 attack.

After casting his vote in Jerusalem, Netanyahu expressed worry over high voting numbers among Israel's Arab minority and warned of attempts to "steal the election", a signal of a potential long fight ahead as he echoed his ally US President Donald Trump.

Nationwide turnout in the first five hours of the election was the highest at that stage in nearly 50 years, with the Central Elections Committee giving a figure of 31.5 percent.

Israelis are casting their ballots in the shadow of three years of multi-front regional wars triggered by October 7, with the trauma still fresh and questions over accountability and security central to the campaign.

The close-fought vote comes as Israel looks increasingly isolated on the world stage, driven by its devastating military campaign in Gaza, soaring settlement construction and violence in the occupied West Bank, and a move towards hard-right religious nationalism.

Qatar's ruler and the Iranian president discussed the Middle East war and the blockaded Strait of Hormuz during a meeting in Moscow, the emir's office said on Tuesday.

"They reviewed developments in the regional situation, foremost among them the latest on the negotiations, the Strait of Hormuz, and energy supplies," a statement said.

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei has met with security chief Mohsen Rezaei to discuss regional security and the Strait of Hormuz, his office said Tuesday.

During the meeting, the first publicly announced encounter between Rezaei and the leader, they discussed "strengthening bilateral relations with neighbouring countries" and "safeguarding national and regional security through the management of the Strait of Hormuz," Khamenei's office said in a statement.

Khamenei "emphasised the need to safeguard the rights and interests of the Iranian nation and the resistance front by adhering to the conditions set by the country's authorities, with the aim of ending the war and the state of neither war nor peace," it added.

Their meeting was announced a day after Rezaei held talks with senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan - countries which recently signed the mutual defence Mecca Pact.

Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched towards Riyadh by Yemen’s Houthi militia, the Saudi-led coalition said on Tuesday.

The coalition’s spokesperson announced the interception in a statement shared on social media. No further details were immediately provided about the incident or whether there were any casualties or damage.

Australia has reiterated its advice against travelling to Saudi Arabia, warning of continued Houthi threats, airport disruptions and risks from missile and drone attacks.

In a social media advisory, the Australian Embassy urged travellers to postpone all visits, including religious trips, and specifically advised against travelling to airports in Riyadh, Dammam and Abha.

Australians already in the kingdom who wish to leave were advised to consider road or rail transport, where safe, including routes to aviation hubs in the UAE and Qatar.

The embassy warned of frequent flight cancellations, delays and airspace closures, urging passengers to reconfirm flights before heading to airports.

Those remaining in Saudi Arabia were advised to prepare for possible shelter-in-place orders and avoid oil facilities and other critical infrastructure.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Israelis to vote "the right way" on Tuesday as he cast his ballot in Jerusalem, facing a close-fought race in a pivotal general election.

Israelis are flocking to the polls for the first time since Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, with a deeply divided electorate delivering their verdict on the veteran leader.

Jordan on Tuesday said its airstrikes over Syria killed some 20 militants of the extremist Daesh group, but also acknowledged that civilians had been killed in the attacks.

The numbers given in remarks by Jordanian government spokesperson Mohammad al-Momani differ from what Syrian first-responders reported. Syria's civil defense said it only recovered the bodies of seven civilians killed in Jordanian strikes in the southern Daraa and Sweida provinces. Five of those were a family, including three children and a woman; two of the men who were killed were elderly.

Al-Momani said the attacks were based on intelligence on "confirmed threats and planned terrorist acts against Jordan," and expressed regret over the civilian casualties.

Syria on Tuesday condemned strikes on the country's south by Jordan a day earlier that Amman said targeted the Islamic State jihadist group in retaliation for a deadly church attack last week.

A foreign ministry statement expressed "condemnation and rejection, in the strongest terms", calling the strike "an unacceptable violation and breach of Syrian airspace without any prior coordination". It also said the attack was "a blatant violation of the principles of good-neighbourliness and Syrian national sovereignty".

Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian met on Tuesday with Qatar's Emir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Moscow on the sidelines of an energy forum, Iranian state media reported.

"The two sides reviewed the current state of relations between Tehran and Doha and emphasised the importance of deepening political and economic ties and making use of existing potential to strengthen bilateral cooperation," state television said.

There was no mention of discussion of the Middle East war, triggered by US-Israeli strikes on February 28 on Iran, which responded with missile and drone strikes across the region including Qatar.

The meeting took place on the sidelines of a summit of the Gas Exporting Countries Forum in Moscow.

Qatar has taken part in recent months in mediation efforts to end the war which has spread across the region.

Pezeshkian is to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin later on Tuesday.

UK anti-terrorism police said Tuesday that two men have been charged with national security offences after an incident last month at a British airbase used by the United States.

The head of National Counter Terrorism Policing, Laurence Taylor, said two British nationals have been charged: one with assisting a foreign intelligence service, believed to be in Iran, and another with entering a prohibited place for a purpose "prejudicial" to the UK.

Human Rights Watch says the Iran-backed Houthi rebels used explosives to severely damage a road leading into the besieged city of Taiz, worsening an already dire humanitarian situation.

The rights group said in a report released Monday that the Hayjat al-Abd road is a crucial entry point for food, fuel and medicine.

It warned that destroying the road would violate international law if the Oct. 18 attack was intended to "disable infrastructure indispensable to civilian survival."

The attack may also have harmed civilians.

Yemen's Houthi-run Health Ministry on Tuesday blamed government forces for strikes on a gas station in Taiz province that killed at least two people and wounded several others.

The attack occurred as fighting around the besieged provincial capital intensified.

Health Ministry spokesperson Anees al-Asbahi accused government forces of targeting the gas station late Monday.

Houthi-controlled Al-Masirah TV aired footage showing two bodies in body bags and several wounded people receiving treatment at a hospital. The Associated Press couldn't independently verify the claim.

Voter turnout in the first three hours of Israel's pivotal general election stood at 16.68 percent, the Central Elections Committee said on Tuesday, the highest at this stage of the vote since 1981.

"By 10 am, more than 1,200,000 Israelis had voted. The nationwide voter turnout stands at 16.68 percent," Dean Livne, acting director general of the committee, said in a televised statement.

Jordan said on Tuesday it was keen to safeguard its ties with Syria, after it struck the south of the country in retaliation for last week's attack on a church.

"Jordan holds great respect for the Syrian state and its brotherly people, and coordination between Jordan and Syria in fighting terrorism and weapons and drug smuggling is ongoing and has been for years," government spokesman Mohammad Al Momani said.

Jordan said Tuesday it had killed more than 20 jihadists in strikes on Syria conducted the day before, in retaliation for a deadly attack on a church.

"The preliminary results of these operations indicate significant losses among Daesh's ranks - estimated at more than 20 fighters - and the destruction of a large weapons depot belonging to the organisation," said government spokesman Mohammed Al Momani.

A Houthi official said Tuesday that the Egyptian parliament's decision to authorise military support for Saudi Arabia to defend against the Iran-backed group's attacks was a declaration of war.

"Egypt and its parliament declared support for what is called the defence of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and in doing so, it declares war against the Republic of Yemen," said Mohammed Ali al-Houthi, a member of the Houthis' political bureau, in a Telegram post.

The US Mission in Saudi Arabia has renewed its warning over airport security and flight disruptions following Houthi attacks on the kingdom.

In an October 27 security alert, the mission said Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport had partially reopened on October 23 for domestic flights and some international services operated by national carriers.

Some flights normally based in Riyadh are operating from Prince Naif bin Abdulaziz International Airport in Qassim.

Jeddah and Dammam airports remain operational, although delays and cancellations continue.

The mission also reiterated that the US State Department ordered non-emergency government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia effective October 23. US government personnel require special authorisation to use Saudi airports.

Travellers have been urged to exercise extreme caution and check flight status directly with airlines and airports.

Israelis began voting on Tuesday in the first general election since Hamas's October 7, 2023 attack, with voters to deliver their verdict on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and the country's rightward drift.

Some 7.3 million people are eligible to vote, with the last polls to be published showing Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, running neck and neck with his main centrist rival Gadi Eisenkot. Most polling stations will close at 10:00 pm (2000 GMT).

The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted and destroyed four drones launched by Yemen's Houthi militia towards Saudi Arabia's southern region. Coalition spokesman Major General Turki Al-Malki confirmed the interceptions.

The Saudi-led coalition said its air defences intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles launched by Yemen's Houthi militia towards Saudi Arabia's Eastern Region. Coalition spokesman Major General Turki Al-Malki confirmed the interceptions.

Omani Foreign Minister Badr Albusaidi urged a Gulf security framework including Iran and a non-aggression pact among the region’s eight states, the Foreign Ministry said Monday.

Speaking at Cambridge University’s Girton College, he called for “a new regional security structure” designed and implemented locally, saying reliance on external powers had lasted too long.

Excluding Iran would make any framework inherently unstable, he said.

“It’s not a matter of whether you’re friendly or hostile to Iran,” Albusaidi said. “A Non-Aggression Pact between all eight states should be the goal,” he added, referring to the six Gulf Cooperation Council members, Iraq and Iran.

Washington must fulfill seven conditions before Tehran considers negotiations, an Iranian official said on Monday, warning against a temporary deal followed by renewed military action or pressure.

Ali Bagheri Kani, deputy for foreign policy and international security at the Supreme National Security Council secretariat, spoke to state television after Mecca Pact talks involving Iran, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan in Tehran.

“If the United States fulfills them, then entering a new path could be considered,” he said.

Bagheri Kani suggested Washington might pursue a short-term agreement to claim a political victory before the November 3 midterm elections, then resume military operations or increase pressure.

He said countries had proposed shortening Iran’s seven-day implementation period.

“Today, at the meeting, Mr. Rezaei said that if the issue is the number of days, we could accept five days or even four days,” he said, referring to council secretary Mohsen Rezaei.

“But the important point is that these seven conditions must be fulfilled,” he added.

“We have no doubt whatsoever that these seven conditions must be fulfilled. Once that happens, we will decide what to do next.”

Syria said it was closing its main border crossing in the country's south with Jordan on Tuesday after deadly strikes that Amman said came in retaliation for a jihadist attack on a church last week.

Syria's border and customs authority announced the closure of the Nassib border crossing, known as Jaber on the Jordanian side, "due to the current circumstances", and suspended all "passenger and commercial traffic in both directions".

Syria said the death toll in Monday's strikes in its south had risen to eight, as Jordan said it had targeted "terrorist organisations" after a deadly jihadist attack on a church.

Health officials said "hospitals in Daraa province have received eight victims, including an elderly man and three children", in addition to four wounded, raising an earlier toll of five dead.

Syria's government said Monday that Jordan did not coordinate with it before launching deadly strikes on the country's south in retaliation for a deadly jihadist attack on a church last week.

A Syrian government statement carried by state news agency SANA said "no prior coordination with the Syrian side was carried out concerning the military operation" by Jordan, adding authorities were investigating the strikes and discussing them with Amman while stressing the need for joint security coordination in border areas.

Syria said five civilians were killed on Monday by Jordanian strikes on the country's south that Amman's military said targeted "terrorist organisations" in retaliation for a deadly jihadist attack on a church last week.

Syrian state news agency SANA, quoting a health official in Daraa province, said "five civilian victims including women and children fell in Jordanian airstrikes on several locations in Daraa province".

Iran said it had agreed with three countries party to the Mecca defence pact, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, that regional security should be ensured by countries in the region itself and not by foreign actors.

"The outcomes we agreed on were that security in the region where we live should be endogenous, meaning it should be achieved by the countries themselves, and that we must prevent any kind of foreign intervention in this region," Iran's Supreme National Security Council secretary Mohsen Rezaei said after the meeting.

Iran's security chief said Monday he held "very good discussions" with the three member countries of the Mecca defence pact, Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, after their first meeting in capital Tehran.

"Very good discussions took place between us," Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, told state television after the meeting with top officials from the three countries. "I feel that a new atmosphere is emerging in the region... I sensed a very positive atmosphere in the discussions among the gentlemen."

Israel on Monday dismissed as "propaganda" a new report issued by UN-mandated investigators accusing it of committing the crime against humanity of extermination in the West Bank and genocide against Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

The Israeli foreign ministry said on X that the investigators' finding "is not a human rights report but a propaganda document detached from reality, aimed at undermining Israel's right to self-defense, delegitimising the Jewish state, and legitimising terrorism against its citizens".

Iran’s armed forces chief of staff, Major-General Ali Abdollahi, has claimed that Tehran has full control of the Strait of Hormuz during a visit to forces stationed along the Iranian side of the waterway, according to the Tasnim news agency.

Iran’s army and navy have “complete control and oversight” of the coasts of the Arabian Gulf, the islands and the Strait of Hormuz, Abdollahi said, dismissing statements by US leaders as “propaganda”.

“The strategic waterway is completely closed,” he said, adding that vessels could not transit the strait unless they complied with Iranian regulations.

A vessel has reportedly caught fire 63 nautical miles southeast of Al-Faw, Iraq, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO).

In a warning issued on October 26, UKMTO said it had received multiple third-party reports of the incident. The time of the incident has not yet been confirmed.

The status of the vessel’s crew, the extent of any damage and the potential environmental impact remain unknown.

UKMTO advised vessels operating in the area to transit with caution and report any suspicious activity as authorities investigate.

US forces in the Middle East are prepared to launch potentially major military operations against Iran within 96 hours of receiving an order from President Donald Trump, CNN reported, citing two US officials.

According to the report, US forces have been deployed in sufficient numbers to carry out the attacks, with potential targets including Iranian energy infrastructure, military sites and nuclear facilities. Officials said the operation could go beyond previous strikes aimed at limiting Iran’s military capabilities.

One US official told CNN: “It will be a big effort.”

Trump has not made a final decision, officials said, although some current and former US officials believe an order could come before the end of the year, potentially after the US midterm elections.

US intelligence assessments indicate Iran and Yemen’s Houthi rebels are preparing for the possibility of renewed US and Israeli attacks. Sources told CNN that Iran and the Houthis could retaliate by targeting US personnel and facilities in the region and potentially elsewhere if Iran is attacked.

Iran and the three countries party to the Mecca defence pact agreed to continue talks after a "first" meeting in Tehran, Iranian state television said on Monday.

The meeting brought Iran together with representatives from Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey - recent signatories to the Mecca pact - and they "agreed to continue discussions to strengthen cooperation... including on regional peace and security", the broadcaster said.

Jordan's military said it had launched air strikes in southern Syria on Monday against "the hideouts of terrorist organisations" in retaliation for a jihadist attack on a church last week that killed nine people.

It said air force jets "destroyed several terrorist positions" and killed and wounded "numerous members" of the groups, which it said were linked to the deadly church attack in Karak, southern Jordan, on Friday.

Saudi Arabia’s air defences intercepted and destroyed three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) in Riyadh and the Kingdom’s southern regions, according to the coalition.

Day 240: 'Entering new path could be considered': Iran tells US

Day 239: Trump warns Iran would trigger ‘death problems’

Day 238: Houthis deny targeting Saudi holy cities Mecca, Medina

Day 237: Iran threatens Gulf internet links if US, Israel attack

Day 236: Iran's Guards threaten to hit US bases