Key political developments across the Arab world and beyond.
Jordan's State Security Court prosecutor, Brig. Gen. Military Judge Ahmad Talat Shahatugh, said on Tuesday that the investigation into the attack on St. George's Church in the town of Hamud, Karak governorate, has concluded. The case has been referred to court for trial. CNN Arabic reported that the defendants face seven terrorism-related charges.
President Donald Trump said the United States has no immediate plans to launch a strike on Iran. The remark plays down speculation that Washington could escalate the conflict with Tehran right after the midterm elections.
US President Donald Trump has announced a halt to American aid to Israel, according to RT Arabic and CNN Arabic. Both outlets link the announcement to an issue raised in election campaigns that has begun to affect policy as election day gets under way. They mention candidate Abdulrahman El-Sayed in this context, but the available material does not detail the decision or how it would be implemented.
The first polling stations in the United States closed on Tuesday, marking the start of vote counting in the midterm elections. Voters are deciding whether Democrats or Republicans will control Congress for the remainder of President Donald Trump's second term. A poll cited by the BBC found that most voters are dissatisfied with the economy.
President Donald Trump said in a phone interview with Fox News on US election day that Washington will end its annual military aid to Israel, worth nearly $4bn, at the end of this year. He said Israel does not need the funds, and the New York Times reported he described the move as part of an agreement reached months ago. Fox News quoted him as saying Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu raised the idea, and that Israel will still be able to buy US weapons.
The United States carried out limited strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island late on Monday, hours after Vice President JD Vance said he was optimistic that diplomacy to end the war was heading the right way. US Central Command confirmed the strikes, which were first disclosed by Iranians on social media, and reports said they targeted surface-to-air missiles used against US assets. US officials told the New York Times the action was defensive and limited, with no immediate plans to escalate.
US Vice President JD Vance said Washington has made some progress in ongoing talks with Iran. He expressed his administration's optimism that a diplomatic agreement can be reached, as reported by RT Arabic. The report gave no details on the terms or timing of the talks.
Axios reports that the United States will take part in a second round of high-level three-way talks with Russia and Ukraine in Abu Dhabi. The meetings are scheduled for November 10 and 11, according to the outlet.
US President Donald Trump said a deal with Iran could be reached, while Tehran confirmed that contacts to end the war are continuing, with no progress announced, according to BBC Arabic. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said consultations through mediators are very intensive, that Iran has submitted its conditions and proposals, and that the outcome depends on Washington's political rationality.
US President Donald Trump said Monday that Tuesday's midterm elections are the most important of our lifetimes. The vote could shift the balance of power in Congress and affect his ability to carry out his agenda over the remaining two years of his term. CNN Arabic also reported that Trump said a settlement with Iran is possible.
Iran's IRNA news agency reported five explosions on Qeshm Island in the country's south, with the blasts heard in Hormuz and Bandar Abbas. Their nature and cause remain unclear. The reports came shortly after the Revolutionary Guard said it had shot down a US drone and taken control of two others near the Strait of Hormuz. The Guard said its electronic warfare systems disabled two MQM-170 reconnaissance drones south of the island, a claim the reports do not independently confirm.
Sudan's Foreign Ministry said on Sunday that the government had lodged a complaint against Ethiopia with the UN Security Council and the African Union Peace and Security Council. According to the ministry, drones launched from inside Ethiopian territory struck civilian sites in Sudan, an act it called a flagrant attack.
The Houthi group, known as Ansar Allah, said Saudi air raids struck the port of Hodeidah and several other areas of Yemen, marking a tit-for-tat escalation between the two sides. The group threatened to target Aramco and Saudi aviation, while the coalition said it intercepted aerial attacks.
Anwar Gargash, diplomatic adviser to the UAE president, said on Sunday that he hopes for a diplomatic breakthrough over the war in the Middle East, while the UAE remains prepared for the worst-case scenario. According to CNN Arabic, he said trust in Iran has been shaken after it launched attacks on its neighbors, and stressed that Gulf security is interconnected. RT Arabic reported that he described ties with Saudi Arabia as strategic and warned of a possible resumption of the war.
The Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen's internationally recognized government announced on Sunday that it had carried out what it called a "qualitative" military operation against the Houthi group. The coalition said the operation targeted vital resources the group uses to launch repeated attacks on Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Saudi Arabia said the aim was to weaken the sources supporting the group's war effort; initial reports gave no details on locations or outcomes.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said ongoing negotiations are making progress but have yet to produce a final outcome. According to RT Arabic, the progress concerns talks involving Qatar as mediator, and no agreement with the United States has been reached. U.S. President Donald Trump told Fox News that some issues related to Iran remain unresolved.
Axios reports that Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is pressing US President Donald Trump to resume strikes on Iran as soon as the November 3 congressional elections end, while Trump is said to lean toward negotiations. Trump said on Sunday that he had spoken with Netanyahu, amid reports of a disagreement over Iran.
US President Donald Trump phoned Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Saturday morning, according to people familiar with the call. The sources said the conversation was meant to check in on a close ally as Washington prepares for a possible resumption of military operations against Iran.
Israeli media reports say the Israeli military has completed its preparations for a possible resumption of military confrontation with Iran. According to the reports, any decision to return to fighting still depends on US President Donald Trump.
Mohsen Rezaei, secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, said on Saturday that Tehran has made no official or government decision to alter its nuclear doctrine. He added that discussion is under way over the country's direction on the issue, without elaborating on its substance.
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