US/Israel-Iran war: Trump warns Iran of ‘heavy hit’ as Tehran steps up Gulf diplomacy

Syria has sent military personnel to Saudi Arabia to provide advice and training as the kingdom faces attacks by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis, Reuters reported, citing two Syrian military sources and a senior US official.

The Syrian sources said scores of personnel had travelled to the kingdom in recent weeks for advisory and training work, although their mandate could be broader. The US official said Syrian teams were helping train Saudi and Yemeni units inside Saudi Arabia to improve their combat effectiveness.

The move brings former Syrian rebels who fought Bashar al-Assad and Iran-backed forces into a support role for Riyadh in its conflict with another Tehran ally.

Qatar’s prime minister urged the United States and Iran to accept a good agreement rather than pursue a “perfect” one, saying the two countries had failed to reach a comprehensive deal.

Washington and Tehran should accept a good agreement instead of seeking an ideal outcome, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani said on Friday.

Russia and Iran are in direct talks over the transfer of advanced S-400 air-defense systems to Tehran, alongside ongoing Russian shipments of drone components and MANPADS, per The Telegraph.

SNSC Secretary Mohsen Rezaei reportedly delivered the S-400 request directly to Putin during Thursday’s Kremlin meeting, carrying a personal letter from Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

The broader package includes ongoing shipments of fiber-optic drone components and Verba MANPADS—part of a €495 million arms contract signed in December 2025 for 500 launchers and 2,500 missiles. The report directly contradicts Trump’s public claim that Russia is providing “no help” to Iran.‌

Iran has started distributing iodine pills to residents living near nuclear facilities as it prepares for a possible US strike on Pickaxe Mountain, an Iranian Health Ministry official told The Times of London.

The pills are being distributed in areas close to major nuclear sites, including the heavily fortified underground Pickaxe Mountain complex.

Iran is taking the possibility of a US bunker-busting attack on Pickaxe Mountain under President Trump more seriously.

Media reports about Iran's alleged plans to use chemical weapons are false, Ebrahim Azizi, chairman of the Iranian parliament's National Security and Foreign Policy Committee, told RIA Novosti on Friday.

"Accusations, lies, distortion, and the presentation of reality in a twisted way, that's what Israel is all about. There's no doubt about it," Azizi told the Russian news agency, commenting on reports that Israel had warned Washington about Iran's possible use of chemical weapons.

Yemen's Houthis said the toll from a strike on a market in Taiz province on Friday increased to 30 dead, as the warring sides traded blame for the attack.

"Saudi enemy aircraft targeted the Hadara market in Waziyah district, resulting in 30 deaths and eight injuries," the Houthis' health ministry said in a statement carried by the group's Saba news agency, updating an earlier toll.

Israel's opposition said Friday it was making headway in its bid to oust Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as one of its leaders lifted his veto on demands that ultra-Orthodox Jews serve in the military, opening the door to a once improbable alliance with the community.

Neither Netanyahu, Israel's longest-serving prime minister, nor opposition chief Gadi Eisenkot reached a majority in the October 27 election, with Israeli society highly polarised over Netanyahu and worn down by three years of war.

Eisenkot said he expected President Isaac Herzog, who met party leaders this week, to present him with the mandate to form a government when he makes his announcement Sunday.

"We have made significant progress and achieved breakthroughs, quietly and modestly, with much still happening behind the scenes," Eisenkot wrote in an X post moments before much of Israel shut down for the weekly Sabbath.

Yair Golan, Israel's main left-wing leader and part of the opposition bloc, also pointed to progress, saying: "I'm more optimistic than I was on the Wednesday morning after the election results."

Israeli opposition candidate Gadi Eisenkot said Friday he was making headway in forming a government to replace Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that he expected to receive a mandate from the president.

"We have made significant progress and achieved breakthroughs, quietly and modestly, with much still happening behind the scenes," Eisenkot wrote on X.

Cairo: Airstrikes hit a market in southwestern Yemen on Friday, killing at least 20 people, according to an official with Iran-backed Houthi rebels. It would be one of the deadliest attacks since fighting resumed between the Houthis and Saudi-backed government forces.

A Houthi health ministry spokesperson, Anees Alsabahi, told Houthi-run TV Al Masirah that 15 people were also wounded in the airstrikes on the market in al-Waziyah in the province of Taiz. He said that the death toll was expected to rise from the airstrikes, which he blamed on the Saudi-led coalition.

Local authorities in Taiz acknowledged that an attack on a busy market killed and wounded people, without providing details on the actual toll. But the authorities in Taiz blamed the Houthis for the incident. They said that no airstrikes were carried out in the area.

The Associated Press couldn't immediately independently verify the claims of responsibility.

A sailor was killed in an explosion believed to have been caused by a missile attack on an oil products tanker in the Arabian Gulf, the vessel’s Greek operator, Velos Tankers, confirmed on Friday.

The Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, MT Velos Sapphire, was sailing without cargo towards Bahrain when it was struck on Thursday.

In a statement, the company confirmed the death of a crew member who had initially been reported missing following the explosion. The sailor was later found fatally injured on board the vessel. No other crew members were injured, and the fire caused by the blast was extinguished.

Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty stressed the need to prioritize diplomatic solutions during a telephone call with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi.

During the call on Thursday, Abdelatty urged all sides to display flexibility and compromise to reach a political solution and avoid further escalation, Egyptian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nader Zaki said.

This week, Araghchi held phone calls with Turkey and Gulf leaders, discussing regional developments and securing freedom of maritime navigation.

Iraq has activated nuclear emergency plans and radiation monitoring systems along its border with Iran ahead of possible US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities, including Pickaxe Mountain, according to Shafaq.

Iraq has also activated early warning stations and deployed radiation detection equipment in border provinces, including Sulaymaniyah and Erbil. Officials expect the risk of radioactive fallout reaching Iraq to remain low due to the distance from major Iranian nuclear facilities.

A drone was intercepted and destroyed in Saudi Arabia’s Mecca region, the Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen said on Friday.

Colonel Turki Al Malki, the coalition's official spokesman, confirmed the interception.

US President Donald Trump has held a phone call with His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the State of Qatar, to discuss regional developments and diplomatic efforts to ease tensions, according to Qatar's Emiri Diwan.

The high-profile exchange was the latest in a flurry of diplomatic phone calls that saw Iran's top diplomat speaking to his counterparts in the Gulf, amid fears that Trump could resume strikes despite major losses in midterms elections.

Sheikh Tamim received a call from Trump, according to his office the Amiri Diwan, during which the pair discussed "diplomatic efforts aimed at de-escalating tensions in the region" undertaken by mediator Qatar.

The Emir "emphasised the importance of continuing dialogue and relying on diplomatic means to settle disputes and prevent further escalation," the statement read.

Iran's Revolutionary Guards said in a statement carried by state media that two oil tankers caught fire in the Strait of Hormuz, a day after Tehran claimed five other tankers had similar fates.

Since the outbreak of the Middle East war on February 28, Tehran has sought to limit traffic through the strategic waterway, which normally carries about one-fifth of global oil consumption.

The United States has in response imposed a blockade on Iranian ports and escorted tankers through the strait.

US Central Command said last month that it had helped Gulf countries export 1.5 billion barrels of oil via Hormuz since the summer and has recently said that all mines have been cleared from the waterway.

"Two violating oil tankers - one east of the Strait of Hormuz and the other within the Strait itself - that attempted to transit via an unauthorised route struck mines," the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the ideological arm of Iran's military, said in a statement carried by state TV.

"The two tankers had deactivated all of their navigation and identification systems and were attempting to exit the Strait of Hormuz... with the support of the aggressor and terrorist American military, but following the collision with mines, they caught fire and were brought to a stop," the statement added.

Iran says the Strait of Hormuz will not reopen unless the US meets Tehran’s seven conditions.

Army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia warned that any renewed attack on Iran would prompt strikes against US assets worldwide, while Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei has called for a swift response to any aggression.

“If Iran is attacked, it will target all assets of the American enemy without regard to any geographical restrictions,” Akraminia said.

He added that US military bases, equipment and forces stationed outside the southwest Asia region could also be targeted.

“Our enemy has bases outside the southwest Asia region, and its equipment and forces are stationed in those bases. [Iran’s] armed forces will attack all material and non-material targets of the American enemy without considering geographical limitations,” he said.

The statement also referred to a meeting between Iran's Supreme Leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, and military leaders.

Saudi Arabia's air defences have intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by Yemen's Houthi militia towards Najran, the Saudi-led coalition has said.

Coalition spokesman Colonel Turki Al Malki said debris fell following the interception, adding that authorities were assessing the damage.

The coalition did not provide further details on the extent of the damage or whether there were any casualties.

The US job market likely bounced back last month from a disappointing September. Layoffs are low, and most Americans enjoy unusual job security.

But hiring has probably remained too modest to deliver much relief to those looking for work. And wage gains haven't been keeping up with persistently high inflation.

When the Labor Department releases new data on October job creation and unemployment Friday, they're expected to show that employers added 65,000 jobs last month and that the unemployment rate remained low at 4.2%, according to a survey of forecasters by the data firm FactSet.

The jobs report comes three days after voters handed a stunning defeat to President Donald Trump and his Republican Party in midterm elections. Frustrated with the state of the economy - and especially the high cost of living – Americans handed full control of the U.S. Congress to the Democrats.

Yet the American economy and job market have proven resilient in the face of a series of shocks - Trump's double-digit taxes on imports and the war with Iran, which has driven U.S. gasoline prices above $4 a gallon and pinched family budgets.

Gross domestic product - the nation's output of goods and services - advanced at a sprightly 3.4% annual pace from July through September, lifted by strong consumer spending and booming investment in artificial intelligence. The job market has been solid but unspectacular.

Russian President Vladimir Putin has met Iran’s security chief, Mohsen Rezaei, in Moscow for talks on regional security, as diplomatic efforts intensify to end the US-Israeli war on Iran.

During Thursday’s meeting, Rezaei also handed Putin a letter from Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, Iranian state broadcaster Press TV reported.

Trump met with his national security team to deliberate on whether to resume military operations against Iran, with senior officials confirming the developments to Fox News.

According to the officials cited by Fox News, crucial meetings at the White House took place on Wednesday and Thursday.

Furthermore, Fox News reported that November 9 marks a new moon in the Middle East, resulting in minimal or no moonlight, an environmental condition considered highly advantageous for military operations.

Earlier on Thursday, Trump informed journalists in the Oval Office that Washington would soon “make a decision” regarding the resumption of the war.

US Congresswoman Yassamin Ansari has condemned US President Donald Trump’s latest threat of further attacks on Iran, accusing him of threatening to destroy a country of 90 million people.

“He’s once again threatening the annihilation of a country of 90 million people. A crime against humanity,” Ansari wrote on X.

She urged Democrats to take urgent action to end what she described as Trump’s “reckless war of choice”, saying they must act when they regain control of both chambers of Congress.

“Democrats must work urgently to end Trump’s reckless war of choice when we take back the House and the Senate,” she said, adding: “Enough is enough.”

Iran's Security Chief Mohsen Rezaei in Moscow states that Russia will build a gas pipeline to Iran. Rezaei described it as "an initiative intended to allow Iran to cease its own gas consumption and sell Russian gas to neighboring regions."

President Donald Trump said late on Thursday he will soon decide whether to widen the war on Iran, warning the US might have to “destroy the rest of the country.”

The remarks came as Democrats’ midterm wins raise questions about how much room he has before the new Congress arrives.

Speaking in the Oval Office after meeting his national security team, Trump said the administration would make a decision on whether to “go further” and ensure Iran’s nuclear program can never be revived.

He added that he would rather not destroy the rest of the country, but “maybe I’ll have to,” and that people would “know soon enough.”

He claimed Iran could take 25 to 30 years to rebuild, and acknowledged that 18 US service members have died in the conflict.

Two US officials told Axios the meeting was the first on Iran since the midterms. Trump is weighing further strikes, continued economic pressure or a deal.

Iran-linked attacks, attempted attacks and surveillance of commercial vessels intensified around the Strait of Hormuz over the latest reporting period, while maritime traffic through the strategic waterway remained significantly below pre-conflict levels, according to the latest maritime security assessment.

The Joint Maritime Information Centre (JMIC), in its Update 111 Advisory Note dated November 5, 2026, distributed by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO), reported four attacks in the Strait of Hormuz over 96 hours, compared with three in the preceding reporting period.

All four incidents occurred within approximately 52 hours, between November 1 and November 3, off Oman's Musandam coast.

Crude oil prices held modest gains Friday after rebounding from a two-month low, as unresolved tensions over Iran and tanker attacks kept buyers in the market.

Brent crude futures stood at $98.29 a barrel, up $3.67, or 3.88% at 8:41 am Beijing time on Nov. 6.

WTI futures rose 55 cents, or 0.61%, to $91.07, putting the Brent-WTI spread at $7.22.

Murban Crude stood at $95.89, down $5.00, or 4.96% lower than the previous close. Brent rose for the first time in four sessions on Thursday after plunging more than 8% a day earlier to a near two-month low.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence issued an emergency alert for the southern Najran region over an unspecified threat before announcing that the danger had passed.

In an initial post on X, the agency said the National Early Warning Platform had issued an alert for the region and urged residents to follow safety instructions.

Civil Defence later announced that the threat had passed, but advised residents to continue following its instructions and avoid gatherings or filming.

US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth rejected calls for his removal in a defiant video Thursday, branding Rep. Thomas Massie’s impeachment push a "sham" as the House prepares to vote when Congress returns next week.

In a nearly six-minute video filmed outside the Department of War, Hegseth said that, like the president, “we don’t back down,” adding that this applies especially now.

He called Massie “a disgruntled, defeated congressman” who, along with Democratic allies, had filed sham articles, “just like they tried against President Trump twice.”

He also urged Congress to support more military funding. Massie, a Kentucky Republican, plans to force the vote.

His articles accuse Hegseth of waging hostilities against Iran for more than 90 days without congressional authorisation, in violation of the War Powers Resolution, along with other abuses.

He says he will use a privileged resolution unless Hegseth resigns, and that several House Republicans believe it could pass. Trump said he has “every intention” of keeping Hegseth.

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, UAE's Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, received a phone call from Abbas Araghchi, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Islamic Republic of Iran.

During the call, the two sides discussed the overall situation in the region and the latest regional developments.

Sheikh Abdullah stressed the importance of de-escalation and advancing diplomatic efforts in a manner that contributes to strengthening security and stability in the region.

Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Thursday held a phone call with his Saudi counterpart Faisal bin Farhan to discuss regional issues, Iranian state media reported.

"They held discussions and exchanged views regarding the latest regional developments and the progress of diplomatic efforts to establish stability in the region," IRNA said, without giving further details on the talks.

Araghchi also spoke with the foreign ministers of Qatar and Oman, both of which have been involved in mediation efforts in the war with the United States, according to IRNA.

He also held conversations with his Turkish, Jordanian and Kuwaiti counterparts.

Oman and Iran on Thursday stressed the importance of consolidating sustainable understandings to ensure maritime security, end the state of war and prevent renewed confrontations in the region.

During a phone call, Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad Al Busaidi and his Iranian counterpart, Seyed Abbas Araghchi, reviewed the latest contacts and talks aimed at reaching understandings to resume navigation through the Strait of Hormuz without hindrance, according to a report by the Oman News Agency.

The two ministers said such understandings should be grounded in practical arrangements to ensure the safety of maritime corridors and joint technical mechanisms to secure the unimpeded flow of international trade and energy, thereby bringing an end to the state of war and preventing renewed confrontations in the region, Xinhua News Agency reported.

They added that these understandings should respect national sovereignty and the legitimate interests of all parties while creating conditions for renewed dialogue and negotiations to address outstanding issues behind the escalation.

Day 249: Oman and Iran call for end to war and fresh dialogue

Day 248: US VP Vance says Iran war is 'the reason we lost' midterms

Day 247: US strikes Iran's Qeshm island

Day 246: Trump threatens Iran with military action

Day 246: UAE hopes for peace, ‘braced for worst’

Day 245: Rubio says US yet to decide on new Iran strikes

Day 244: US denies Iran destroyed sea drone in Strait of Hormuz

Day 243: US fires senior army general in latest ouster: reports

Day 242: Iran discusses plan to end war and reopen Hormuz

Day 241: Iran says supreme leader met with security chief