Middle East war: Trump rules out Iran strike; 2 injured in Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia

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US President Donald Trump has renewed his warning that allowing Iran to acquire a nuclear weapon would create catastrophic security and energy consequences, saying Tehran “would use it” if it obtained one.

The remarks posted by Rapid Response 47, the White House-aligned rapid-response account, quoted Trump as saying: “You want to see problems? You want to see not only energy problems, but death problems? Let them have a nuclear weapon — because they would use it.”

This came as Trump kept open the possibility of renewed US military action against Iran. Asked about a potential attack, he said: “There’s a possibility I will,” while also saying there was “a possibility we’ll have a nice, big, beautiful agreement” with Tehran. He questioned whether Iran would honour any deal, adding: “They want to make a deal, but the problem is, will they hold the deal?”

Iran's Foreign Minister Seyed Abbas Araghchi reiterated that the administration of the Strait of Hormuz and routes in the waterway will not be the same as they were in the past, according to the official news agency IRNA.

Araghchi made the remarks at a ceremony in the Iranian capital Tehran, while stressing that "fundamental and strategic" changes have taken place in West Asia following the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran, Xinhua News Agency reported.

"We must accept that new realities have taken hold. The routes in the Strait of Hormuz will not be the same as they once were, and the strait's management will also not be as it was in the past," he said. "There are matters on which we have held negotiations, and these negotiations will continue."

The minister stressed that the region's security must be ensured by regional countries and without reliance on foreign forces, "who have come to the region aiming to safeguard their own interests and protect Israel, and whose continued presence will lead to nothing but insecurity for the entire region."

He added that Iran was ready to cooperate with all regional countries.

Yemen’s Houthis said they launched attacks targeting Riyadh’s international airport hours after its reopening, as well as an airbase and a naval base elsewhere in Saudi Arabia. There was no immediate confirmation from Saudi authorities.

“The Yemeni armed forces conducted three military operations with dozens of ballistic missiles,” Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said on X, claiming the strike on the airport “achieved its target”.

He added that the group had also targeted King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait and a naval base in Jazan.

US CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper visited the Strait of Hormuz on October 25 as the command said US forces had helped Gulf partners export more than 1.5 billion barrels of crude oil since summer and supported the transit of more than 3,000 commercial vessels over six months.

CENTCOM said key shipping lanes had been cleared of Iranian sea mines and that more than 95 per cent of vessels had transited the waterway safely in recent months. Cooper reaffirmed the US commitment to freedom of navigation and keeping commercial shipping moving through the strategic waterway.

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 premier has campaigned heavily on his security credentials, touting the war he launched against Iran in February alongside the United States and suggesting that he alone can see it through.

"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.

Trump has ruled out a US strike on Iran today, saying there would be no attack.

Trump made the remarks as he left the White House for Michigan, where he was asked whether US strikes on Iran could resume as soon as today.

“Would I tell you that?” Trump said, before adding: “The answer is no, there will not be a strike today

The Dakar Rally will not take place in Saudi Arabia in January 2027, with organisers citing “recent developments in the region”.

The annual rally, broadcast worldwide to millions of viewers, will be held elsewhere in 2027, according to the organisers.

In a post on X, the organisation described the decision as “exceptional and one-off”, adding that the rally would return to Saudi Arabia in 2028 for its 50th edition, according to an official statement.

The cancellation comes amid wider security concerns across the Middle East following the US-Israel war on Iran. Several high-profile events in Sa

The Asian Football Confederation (AFC) has postponed the AFC Champions League Elite third-round match between Saudi Arabia's Al Nassr and the UAE's Al Wasl after flight disruptions prevented the Dubai club from travelling to Riyadh.

Al Wasl decided against making the trip to the Saudi capital because of travel difficulties, particularly the lack of available flights, making it impossible for the fixture to proceed as scheduled.

The match, which was scheduled to take place in Riyadh on Monday, as part of the competition's third round, has now been officially postponed.

The AFC said in a statement: “The new date and kick-off time for the match will be confirmed and announced in due course.”

The UAE has strongly condemned the Houthi group's attempt to target several areas in Saudi Arabia using ballistic missiles, reaffirming its solidarity with the kingdom.

In a statement issued on Sunday, October 25, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the attempted targeting was a violation of Saudi Arabia's sovereignty and a threat to its security and stability.

The ministry reaffirmed the UAE's full support for Saudi Arabia and for all measures taken to safeguard the kingdom's security and stability.

Two people were injured after debris from two intercepted ballistic missiles fell in Saudi Arabia’s Khamis Mushait and Ahad Rafidah governorates on Sunday, October 25, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

The General Directorate of Civil Defense said a Saudi citizen and an Asian resident were injured in the incident.

The falling debris damaged three residential buildings and seven vehicles, according to Civil Defense.

Emergency teams responded to the incident and followed established procedures, the directorate said.

The missiles were launched by Yemen’s Houthi militia and intercepted and destroyed, SPA report

An Israeli strike on a university in Gaza City killed three people on Sunday, staff and a local hospital said, while the civil defence agency reported four others killed elsewhere in the territory.

Reached for comment, the Israeli military said it was looking into the reports.

Al Shifa hospital said it received three bodies and treated eight people who were wounded in the Gaza City drone strike, with two sources at the Islamic University saying those killed were administrative staff and the injured were students.

Gaza's education ministry said in a statement that the students had been present for classes.

It went on to condemn the strike and said "the global silence regarding attacks on students and universities serves as encouragement for the continuation of these crimes".

"This strike occurs at a time when the higher education sector is facing total annihilation, with 95 percent of the buildings belonging to academic institutions having been damaged as a result of the war," it continued.

"This heinous assault is part of a continuous series of attacks on education; over the past six days, 10 students and educators have been killed by the occupation's fire."

Iran has denied closing its borders with Pakistan, saying exports of Iranian goods, including LPG, face no restrictions. Iran’s ambassador to Pakistan, Reza Amiri Moghadam, said changes to Pakistan’s import E-Form procedure had disrupted cargo movement.

He added that hundreds of LPG trucks had been waiting for weeks on the Pakistani side of the Rimdan-Gabd border crossing for unloading or clearance. Consultations are under way to resolve the issue, he said.

Former US president Barack Obama delivered scathing criticisms of current leader Donald Trump at rallies Saturday in Ohio and Michigan to support Democratic candidates ahead of the November 3 midterm elections.

Democrats are attempting to wrest back control of one or both chambers of the US Congress, which are currently controlled by Trump's Republican party.

Obama retains considerable popularity among the Democratic base, which he is keen to leverage to support his party's candidates.

In both states, the 65-year-old former president blamed the Trump administration for the rising cost of living, a top voter concern.

"The current president chose to make a series of bad decisions," Obama said in Cleveland, Ohio, where he rallied in support of former Democratic senator Sherrod Brown.

"Most importantly, he decided to start an unnecessary war that nobody asked for."

The war on Iran has sent oil prices soaring as Tehran effectively blocked the Strait of Hormuz after being attacked.

Saudi Civil Defence said the danger had passed in Jazan Province, urging residents to continue following its safety instructions and avoid gathering or filming.

In a post on X, the authority also warned that filming, publishing or sharing information about missile and drone interceptions and impact sites could expose individuals to legal liability. It advised people to call 998 in an emergency.

Saudi Civil Defence said a warning has been issued through the National Early Warning Platform for Jazan Province, alerting residents to a potential danger.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf called on Sunday for a national campaign to reduce gas consumption by at least 10% ahead of winter, warning that inefficient energy use had become a longstanding structural challenge.

He said nearly 100 private companies were involved in a gas-saving certificate scheme, under which consumers who save gas would receive the resulting proceeds in their bank accounts.

Ghalibaf urged the government, Oil Ministry and National Iranian Gas Company to accelerate the issuance of certificates to investors, and called on media, local councils and provincial governors to help mobilize households.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting in Yemen said on Sunday that it had intercepted 10 ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis towards the kingdom's southern region.

"Interception and destruction of 10 ballistic missiles launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards the southern region," Turki Al-Malki said in a post on X.

The Saudi-led coalition said a cruise missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi militia towards Khamis Mushait was intercepted and destroyed.

The statement was reported by the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) on X.

At least 40 Iranian sailors from US-sanctioned oil tankers anchored just outside Sri Lanka's territorial waters have sought urgent medical treatment on the island, officials said on Sunday.

The merchant sailors were brought ashore through the port of Galle, 115 kilometres (72 miles) south of the capital Colombo, over the weekend, officials said.

Sri Lanka's foreign ministry confirmed that it had coordinated the ship-to-shore transfer of Iranian sailors in need of urgent care.

"We have coordinated the transfer and carried out our humanitarian obligations," ministry spokesman Thushara Rodrigo told AFP. "The costs were borne by the Iranian embassy."

Nearly a dozen empty Iranian tankers are anchored close to Galle harbour.

A US submarine sunk an Iranian frigate, the IRIS Dena, in nearby international waters in March, killing 104 sailors.

Sri Lanka's navy rescued 32 Iranian sailors from the frigate, while a second Iranian naval craft has sought safe harbour at Trincomalee in the northeast of the island.

Iranian tankers and other merchant vessels have been in limbo, unable to return to their home port because of a US blockade.

Sri Lanka insists that the tankers are in international waters, where they enjoy freedom of navigation.

The Sri Lankan military has deployed reconnaissance aircraft and patrol boats to monitor the vessels outside the country's 12-nautical-mile territorial waters, according to defence officials.

Many Iranian merchant vessels have moved east towards the Strait of Malacca and Singapore because of US sanctions, while a few remain near Sri Lankan waters, authorities said.

Travelling from the UAE today? Several airlines have cancelled flights to Saudi Arabia, with disruptions affecting services from Dubai, Abu Dhabi and Sharjah. While Riyadh airport is preparing to resume operations on Sunday, October 25, individual airlines continue to suspend or change schedules, with some cancellations extending into November and December.

Etihad Airways, Emirates, flydubai and Air Arabia have listed multiple affected services. Meanwhile, some European and Asian routes to Dubai are being restored, offering more options for travellers. Check your flight status directly with your airline before heading to the airport.

Iran's armed forces attacked bases belonging to an Iranian Kurdish opposition group in Iraq's Kurdistan region using drones, a media outlet in Tehran reported on Sunday.

"As part of a drone operation carried out by the Revolutionary Guards' ground forces, the headquarters of the terrorist and separatist group Komala, located in the Balisan region, was targeted last night," the Mehr news agency said.

The semi-autonomous region hosts camps and bases belonging to several groups of Iranian Kurdish militants, which Iran has targeted repeatedly since the start of the Middle East war in February.

The Revolutionary Guards have not immediately claimed responsibility for the strikes on these fighters, whom Iran accuses of being supported by Israel, its sworn enemy.

Three explosions rang out in the Saudi capital Riyadh, an AFP journalist in the city said Sunday, as Houthi attacks regularly strike the kingdom.

The blasts came after residents received alert messages for a "hostile aerial threat" urging them to stay in a safe place.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis said Sunday it had downed a ballistic missile launched by the group towards the Saudi capital Riyadh.

"Air defences intercepted and destroyed a ballistic missile launched by the terrorist Houthi militia toward Riyadh," the coalition posted on X.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence has announced that the danger has passed in Riyadh. In a post on X, it urged residents to continue following Civil Defence instructions and avoid gathering or filming. Residents were advised to call 911 in an emergency.

Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence has reported that the National Early Warning Platform has issued a warning in Riyadh, alerting residents to potential danger. Authorities urged the public to follow the instructions provided in the alert.

King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh has issued a travel advisory for passengers, as it announces it will resume flight operations from its two terminals 1 and 2 on Sunday. 

The advisory comes in the wake of claims made by Yemen's Houthi rebels that they targeted King Khalid International Airport along with several other key installations and airports across the kingdom.

In a passenger update posted on X, the airport authorities detailed changes to flight operations across its terminals.

"Please be advised that Terminal (1) will be designated for domestic flights and Terminal (2) for international flights operated by national carriers at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, effective Sunday, October 25, 2026," the airport administration stated.

Urging travellers to confirm their flight details before arriving, the airport added, "We kindly advise passengers with confirmed bookings to contact their airlines to verify the status of their bookings and flights before heading to the airport. We appreciate your cooperation and compliance with the instructions."

Saudi-led coalition forces have intercepted and destroyed a drone in the Riyadh region, coalition spokesman Major-General Turki Al Maliki said in a brief post on X.

The United States is preparing for possible renewed military action against Iran as intelligence warnings of advanced Iranian attack plots, troop reductions and fresh naval preparations raise fears of another regional escalation.

American sailors are loading munitions and readying aircraft aboard warships, including those in the USS George Washington aircraft carrier strike group, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday.

The preparations come as US intelligence warns that Iranian plots targeting Americans have reached advanced stages, according to reports by Axios, CNN and NBC News. President Donald Trump has also openly raised the possibility of another military operation against Tehran.

Washington has also reduced its diplomatic and military presence across parts of the Middle East, while Israel has reportedly pressed for faster action against Iran.

Yet a diplomatic opening remains. Iran says it is willing to resume negotiations under a Pakistan-brokered agreement, provided Washington lifts its naval blockade.

Here are seven warning signs pointing to the risk of a wider confrontation.

Iran’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei has criticised Germany’s stance on attacks against Iran, contrasting German Chancellor Friedrich Merz’s remarks in June 2025 with warnings from German officials against renewed attacks in October 2026.

In a post on X, Baghaei recalled Merz describing Israel’s offensive against Iran in June 2025 as “the dirty work Israel is doing for all of us”.

He then cited German Foreign Minister’s warnings against renewed attacks on Iran and calls to prevent further escalation, before quoting German poet Friedrich Schiller’s The Maid of Orleans, using the passage to question the role of reason amid what he portrayed as a descent into madness.

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

Day 235: 1 killed, 8 hurt in attack on Saudi airport: Report

Day 234: Iran warns Nato, Europe over Ukrainian drone buildup

Day 233: Iran officials ramp up calls for nuclear weapons