Middle East conflict: Trump threatens Iran with military action as Tehran warns new war could last longer

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 said Baghaei spoke in an interview with a German broadcaster. He said the U.S. appears to persist in unilateral demands and that Trump and U.S. officials repeatedly use the phrase "complete surrender," which Baghaei said no Iranian accepts.

Saudi Arabia’s Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen said its air defences intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the Houthi militia towards the Kingdom’s southern region.

The announcement was made by Colonel Turki Al Malki, the coalition’s official spokesman.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said that Iran and its allies might try to disrupt Tuesday's elections, warning the Islamic republic against any hostile acts.

The remarks came as Israel's Channel 12 reported, citing unnamed sources, that there had been a confrontation between Netanyahu and army chief Eyal Zamir over an unspecified new directive in the war with Iran, which the premier denied.

"We have intelligence signs that our enemies, Iran and its proxies, could challenge us with attacks in order to disrupt the elections," Netanyahu said in a video released by his office on Sunday.

"Don't test us. You will suffer disproportionate blows," he added, noting the military was ready for both defensive and offensive operations.

In its report on the purported confrontation between Netanyahu and Zamir, Channel 12 said the latter had "demanded an in-depth discussion before carrying out the directive he had received, as well as legal guarantees and the signatures of the political echelon".

It did not offer details of the directive, but cited sources saying there were concerns within the army that the war might be exploited for political gain.

In a television appearance later in the day, Netanyahu dismissed the report as "nothing but rubbish".

Opposition leader Yair Lapid referenced the report in a post on X, accusing Netanyahu of seeking to put off the vote.

"Tonight it was published that he wants to set off an escalation and a confrontation with Iran, just to postpone the elections," he said.

"This man has lost his grip. We absolutely must send him home."

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence has announced that the danger has passed in Najran Province, Khamis Mushait Governorate and Abha City.

Residents have been urged to continue following Civil Defence instructions and avoid gathering or filming at affected locations. Anyone facing an emergency should call 998.

Authorities also warned that filming, publishing or sharing information related to missile and drone interceptions, or their impact sites, could expose individuals to legal liability.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has rejected claims by Iran’s foreign minister that Tehran has not attacked civilians in neighbouring countries, saying Iran has targeted civilian infrastructure, residential areas and other facilities across the Gulf.

In a statement, CENTCOM also accused Iran of deliberately attacking civilian mariners at sea, claiming more than 20 people had been killed in recent months.

The US command described the attacks as indiscriminate aggression. The allegations were made in response to the Iranian foreign minister’s recent public remarks.

Yemen's Houthis said Monday that Saudi strikes targeted a key Red Sea port and oil facility in Hodeidah province, wounding seven people.

The Iran-backed group is fighting a Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognised government after a civil war reignited in one of the world's poorest countries.

Saudi-coalition strikes on Ras Issa port wounded four civilians, while three more were hurt in an attack on an oil facility in Bajil district, Houthi health ministry spokesman Anees Alasbahi said in a post on X.

"These repeated attacks on oil facilities and vital ports constitute a flagrant violation of international humanitarian law and add to the series of war crimes in Yemen that target civilians and critical infrastructure," he said.

The Houthis' Al-Masirah TV channel said earlier that Saudi Arabia had attacked a pier and commercial ship on Ras Issa port.

Hodeidah has the biggest seaport under Houthi control and is a key entry point for food and aid to areas they hold.

The Ras Issa port, north of the city, also serves to import and store oil.

UAE travel is heading into a busy November, with Dubai preparing for the winter tourism season and more international flights expected to return. New tourism initiatives, including a membership programme for repeat visitors and online visa applications, are also set to boost the emirate’s appeal.

However, regional tensions continue to affect air travel, with delays and cancellations reported across Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah airports. Services to Saudi Arabia remain particularly affected, with Etihad Airways extending cancellations on selected routes until November 5. Emirates, flydubai and Air Arabia have also reported schedule changes.

Here are the latest UAE flight, airline, tourism and regional travel updates for Monday, November 2.

Saudi Arabia’s Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz held a phone call with Japanese Defence Minister Shinjiro Koizumi to discuss strengthening military and defence cooperation between the two countries.

The ministers also stressed the importance of supporting efforts to promote regional security and stability, while condemning Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) reported an incident involving a tanker 72 nautical miles east of Ras Al Khafji, Saudi Arabia, on November 1.

The vessel, travelling south-east through the Arabian Gulf, was struck by two unidentified projectiles on its port side. All crew members were accounted for, with no environmental impact reported.

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

US President Donald Trump said Sunday that he had a “good talk” with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and that the two leaders discussed Iran.

Axios cited sources as saying Netanyahu is pressing Trump to strike Iran immediately after Tuesday’s midterm elections, but Trump, for now, wants to let negotiations play out — a strategy Netanyahu is concerned about.

On Sunday, Iran’s army spokesman warned that any new war could extend beyond the Middle East and last much longer than the previous conflict.

Iranian negotiators were in Doha on Nov. 1 for a third consecutive day of talks with Qatari mediators aimed at reaching a deal to end the war with the US and Israel, Reuters reported, citing an official briefed on the talks.

The discussions follow an initial Iranian proposal, conveyed o Qatari intermediaries, for a "seven-day plan" under which the US and Iran would take daily confidence-building steps before broader peace talks.

Following back-and-forth communications, the seven days had been whittled down to a "two-day plan", according to a new report citing Iran FM Abbas Araghchi.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Trump has not decided whether to launch new strikes but prefers a diplomatic resolution. The split highlights a key decision point: continued diplomacy or renewed military action.

President Donald Trump has been asking allies about the performances of War Secretary Pete Hegseth and Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Dan Caine, The Atlantic reported Sunday, citing two outside advisers close to him.

The questioning comes as Trump focuses on advisers who assured him the war would be "quick and decisive". He often seeks friends’ opinions before making personnel changes.

Some people close to Trump accused Hegseth of giving him an "overly optimistic" picture. The Pentagon rejected that claim, saying Hegseth provides the “full operational picture.”

Hegseth and Caine presented military options to Trump and Vice President JD Vance at the White House last week, the report added.

The White House said Trump had “full confidence” in both men. No order to resume strikes had been given, the report said.

The Atlantic noted that Trump has been contemplating a renewal of hostilities aimed at forcing Iran to negotiate. Advisers told the magazine that a new round of attacks could "come soon" after Tuesday’s midterms.

Hegseth and Caine have been two of Trump’s key counselors on the war. In its earliest stages, they were among the most publicly optimistic about its prospects, though they have not held a press conference since May.

US President Donald Trump has predicted that the war with Iran will end “very soon”, defending higher oil prices as a "small" sacrifice for American and global security.

Speaking at a midterm election rally in Iowa on Sunday, November 1, Trump claimed the US military campaign had prevented Tehran from acquiring nuclear weapons.

He forecast a sharp decline in fuel prices once hostilities end, saying oil would come “plunging” afterwards.

Trump said energy prices had risen less than he initially expected, describing the increase as “a very small price to pay” for security.

However, he provided no timetable or details of a possible settlement, leaving uncertainty over when the conflict might end.

The remarks come ahead of the November 3 US midterm elections, with the Iran war driving up energy costs and adding pressure on American households.

Oil prices have exceeded $100 per barrel amid disruptions to Gulf shipments through the Strait of Hormuz.

US crude benchmark WTI Crude dropped by $2.39 to $101.7, down 2.30%; Brent Crude was down 2% at $111.2 (down $2.27); Murban Crude rose 1.85% to $114.8 per barrel, as of 10.11 am Beijing time on Monday (Nov. 2, 2026).

Two oil tankers "exploded after striking mines” while transitting Hormuz through what the Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Navy declared as an "unauthorised route", Iranian state media reported late on Sunday.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Qatar-mediated talks have produced a "two-day plan" under which the US would implement a set of measures on the first day, allowing Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restore normal navigation on the second.

"I can say that we have now reached a two-day plan. This means that on the first day, the U.S. implements a set of measures, and on the second day, the Strait of Hormuz reopens and transit returns to its previous state," Clash Report quoted Araghchi as saying..

The proposal is a shortened version of an earlier seven-day plan, reduced to 48 hours after consultations with Qatari mediators. Araghchi said talks were continuing and “moving toward implementation.”

Araghchi's statement, corroborated by Al Jazeera and The Washington Times, is a proposal, not an agreed deal.

The report clarified that consultations continue and no definitive conclusion has been reached. The two-day sequence is conditional on U.S. action; the US has not publicly accepted it.

The United Arab Emirates has condemned in the strongest terms the attack targeting the liquefied natural gas (LNG) tanker Al Mayeda, owned by Qatar Gas Transport Company, in the Arabian Gulf.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) affirmed that this attack constitutes a grave threat to the safety of maritime navigation and global energy supplies, carries serious environmental repercussions, and represents a dangerous escalation aimed at undermining the security and stability of critical waterways.

The UAE expressed its solidarity with the State of Qatar, stressing the need to uphold international law, ensure the safety and security of commercial vessels, energy tankers, and their crews, and prevent any disruption to maritime navigation and energy supplies.

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

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