News

Israeli media reported that the Israeli army attempted to assassinate Ali al-Amoudi, deputy head of Hamas’s political bureau and the movement’s leader in the Gaza Strip, in a strike on a residential building west of Gaza City. Palestinian sources said the strike killed at least five people and injured more than five others, while al-Amoudi’s fate remained unclear.

Kyiv authorities closed the North Bridge over the Dnipro River after Russian strikes damaged the road and trolleybus cables, while Moscow said it had targeted a cargo ship in the Black Sea and a supply depot. The attacks coincided with an intense exchange of drone strikes and injuries in Donetsk and Zaporizhzhia.

Fighters and leaders of the Tigray People's Liberation Front left Mekelle as federal forces and their allies advanced towards the regional capital, while the government-aligned Tigray Peace Forces announced that they had taken control of the main airport. The absence of security personnel from police stations and government offices raised residents' fears of looting and chaos.

An informed source said the co-pilot suspected of involvement in the FZ1073 flight incident was Omani national Humam al-Hamami. The UAE authorities said preliminary investigations indicated that the co-pilot had begun carrying out what they described as a terrorist act by attacking the pilot and attempting to take control of the aircraft, before it was secured and landed in Tabuk.

Russia’s Defence Ministry said its forces had targeted a dry cargo vessel carrying dual-use materials to the port of Odesa, and announced that 218 Ukrainian drones had been downed over 12 hours. The developments come amid reports of a document outlining a Russian plan to strike Ukrainian energy facilities during the winter.

The UAE Attorney General said investigations into flight FZ1073 showed that the co-pilot had begun carrying out a terrorist operation by attacking the captain with the emergency axe and attempting to seize control of the aircraft. The flight, which was travelling from Dubai to Tel Aviv, landed at Tabuk airport before the suspect was transferred to the UAE.

Senior national security officials in US President Donald Trump's administration met for hours at Camp David under Vice-President JD Vance to discuss next steps regarding Iran and the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen, amid stalled negotiations and calls for Washington to join strikes against the Houthis.

Images have been published of the co-pilot linked to the FZ1073 incident after passengers and crew restrained him following the stabbing of the captain. A relief pilot landed the flight at Tabuk airport before the suspect was transferred to the UAE, where authorities are investigating the incident's motives and whether it was linked to terrorist activity or prior planning.

North Korea’s Foreign Ministry condemned a report submitted by UN Secretary-General António Guterres to the General Assembly on the country’s human rights situation, saying it presents a distorted picture of reality. The response came after the UN report addressed to the 81st session of the General Assembly was published.

Kyiv Mayor Vitali Klitschko said Russian strikes hit the Northern Bridge on Saturday, after the Southern Bridge was targeted several times over two days. The escalation coincided with warnings of a drone attack, while the closure of the bridges caused severe traffic congestion and disrupted travel between eastern and western Kyiv.

Senior members of US President Donald Trump’s administration held an undisclosed meeting at Camp David, chaired by Vice-President J.D. Vance, to discuss the war with Iran and the conflict between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis in Yemen, as talks between Washington and Tehran stall and the resumption of major combat operations is being considered.

AIPAC raised about $233 million to support candidates in the US midterm elections scheduled for 3 November, but its expanded financial intervention prompted objections from donors and distanced former allies. Its strategy faces further questions after spending about $33 million failed to prevent Abdul El-Sayed from winning a primary election in Michigan.

The master of a crude oil tanker reported that the vessel was struck by an unknown projectile four nautical miles east of Oman. The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations authority confirmed that all crew members were safe and that no environmental impact had been reported after sailors extinguished a limited fire and the tanker resumed its voyage.

South Korea’s military detected North Korea launching a ballistic missile from the Wonsan area towards the East Sea on Saturday morning, after an initial alert referred to an unidentified projectile. Seoul and Washington are analysing the missile’s characteristics, while South Korea has heightened surveillance and exchanged information with the United States and Japan in case of further launches.

At least 15 farmers and firewood collectors were killed and three others remain missing after an attack targeting residents in Marte, Borno State, north-eastern Nigeria. Authorities and rights sources suspect that armed members of Boko Haram were behind the attack.

Mustafa Al-Majdoub announced his arrival in Tripoli and the start of his duties as head of what he calls a “unified government”, calling on the governments of Abdul Hamid Dbeibah and Osama Hamad to hand over power peacefully. He also proposed a timetable for a constitutional referendum and elections, amid support from social groups and silence from the existing authorities over his move.

The government-aligned Tigray Peace Forces announced that they had taken control of Alula Aba Nega Airport near Mekelle after a counter-offensive against rebel forces. The announcement comes as government forces and their allies advance in the region, amid growing fears that the fighting could widen and heightened tensions and severed diplomatic ties between Ethiopia and Eritrea.

Syrian presidential media adviser Ahmed Muwaffaq Zaidan denied reports of direct contacts and talks between the Syrian government and Hezbollah in Türkiye, stressing that Damascus supports the Lebanese state and negotiates only with it. The denial followed a Syrian announcement that a cell allegedly affiliated with the group had been detained; Hezbollah in turn denied any activity inside Syria.

Arkia flight IZ604 took off from Dubai International Airport for Tel Aviv on Friday evening, becoming the first Israeli flight on the route after the incident involving Flydubai flight FZ1073. Flydubai continues to suspend its flights to Tel Aviv at the authorities’ request, as a comprehensive official investigation into the incident is conducted.

Riyadh is considering two options for a military operation led by Yemeni forces with Saudi air support, aimed at reversing Houthi gains along the Red Sea coast and retaking control of the area around Bab al-Mandab. The operation could involve more than 100,000 Yemeni soldiers, while Saudi allies would provide intelligence support and defensive equipment without an expected direct combat role.

The World Food Programme warned that Yemen’s hunger crisis is accelerating as fighting intensifies and more than 150,000 people are displaced. It said about three in four households in areas it can reach are unable to meet their basic food needs. The programme needs $109 million to expand emergency assistance.

An Israeli government official said Israeli investigators will join the Emirati authorities in questioning the co-pilot of flight FZ1073 after he was transferred from Saudi Arabia to the UAE. The investigation is focusing on the circumstances of the incident, the suspect’s motives and background, and whether he acted alone or under prior direction.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations agency said a tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile while leaving the Strait of Hormuz, causing a limited fire and a power outage. The crew extinguished the fire, with no injuries or environmental damage reported, before the vessel continued its voyage.