Shafaq News | Latest breaking news in Iraq and the world https://shafaq.com/en/en?rss=1 Shafaaq News Agency Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:58:11 +0000 ar hourly 3 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Houthis-target-Saudi-airports-warn-airlines https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Houthis-target-Saudi-airports-warn-airlines Houthis target Saudi airports, warn airlines

Shafaq News- Sanaa/ Riyadh

Yemen’s Houthis (Ansarallah) said on Monday they carried out three military operations targeting sites and facilities in Saudi Arabia, as the Saudi-led coalition announced fresh strikes in western Yemen and government forces reported retaking the Red Sea port city of Mokha.

Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, an Aramco refinery in Rabigh, Abha International Airport, a military base in Khamis Mushait, Akifa camp and other sites in Najran and Jazan using ballistic and cruise missiles and drones.

Saree said the operations were carried out in response to Saudi attacks on Yemen, claiming that dozens of air and missile strikes had been launched over the previous 24 hours.

The Houthis also warned international airlines against using Saudi airspace, excluding the airspace over Mecca and Medina, and threatened consequences for ignoring the warning.

Separately, the Saudi-led coalition said its naval forces carried out an operation in Yemen’s western Hodeidah province against “legitimate military targets” belonging to the Houthis.

The coalition said the operation disrupted planned attacks on shipping lanes in the southern Red Sea and destroyed weapons depots, facilities storing explosive-laden boats and sea mines.

The developments came as Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan agreed earlier on Monday to begin implementing their collective-defense commitments under the Mecca Defense Alliance, including measures to provide agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia.

Meanwhile, forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government said they had retaken Mokha, a strategic Red Sea port in western Taiz province, after fighting with the Houthis.

The Houthis had seized Mokha in September during an offensive along Yemen’s western coast.

Government forces are also pressing a wider offensive, dubbed Operation Yemen Dawn, aimed at retaking Houthi-held territory. The Saudi-led coalition said earlier on Monday that 100 fighter jets were supporting the campaign and that 324 Houthi targets had been destroyed since the operation began.

]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2026 21:05:20 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Projectile-strikes-tanker-in-Hormuz-as-attacks-rise https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Projectile-strikes-tanker-in-Hormuz-as-attacks-rise Projectile strikes tanker in Hormuz as attacks rise

Shafaq News- Hormuz

A tanker was struck by an unidentified projectile in the Strait of Hormuz, damaging its engine room as maritime attacks in the strategic waterway continue to increase, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said.

The vessel was later identified by maritime security sources as the Liberia-flagged LIPSI, managed by Greece-based Dynacom Tankers Management.

UKMTO said the tanker’s master reported that the projectile caused damage and a fire in the engine room. The crew remained safe, and no environmental impact was reported.

Responsibility has not been established, and UKMTO did not identify the type or origin of the projectile.

In a separate incident on Monday, UKMTO said Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) hailed another tanker entering the Strait about 11 nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman, and ordered it to turn back or risk being targeted.

The tanker complied with the instruction. No attack or casualties were reported in that incident.

Maritime security risks around Hormuz have risen sharply, with at least seven tanker attacks reported during the first week of October, including strikes on the LIPSI and KAZIMAH III. No crew deaths were reported in those attacks.

Despite the security deterioration, oil shipments through the region have partially recovered. Data cited by Reuters showed Middle Eastern crude exports exceeded pre-war levels on several days in late September.

]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2026 20:53:25 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Pezeshkian-Negotiations-with-US-end-in-war https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Pezeshkian-Negotiations-with-US-end-in-war Pezeshkian: Negotiations with US end in war

Shafaq News- Tehran

Renewed conflict has repeatedly followed moves by Iran andthe United States toward negotiations, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian saidon Monday.

“We have repeatedly demonstrated our good faith regardingour nuclear activities and undergone the most extensive inspections by theInternational Atomic Energy Agency,” Pezeshkian told reporters, adding that everytime the agency’s inspectors came, Iranian nuclear sites and scientists wereidentified, then the sites were bombed and the scientists assassinated.

“There is no point in negotiating with an enemy that carriesout assassinations, imposes sanctions and exerts pressure every day, andviolates its commitments,” he added.

Chief of Staff of Iran’s Armed Forces Ali Abdollahi statedin a message carried by Iranian media that Tehran is prepared to confront anythreat and that another war against Iran would affect all sides.

The Jerusalem Postseparately reported that the USS Theodore Roosevelt was heading to the MiddleEast for an extended deployment, while the USS Makin Island amphibious readygroup was carrying the 13th Marine Expeditionary Unit, including about 2,200Marines and other personnel, along with roughly 2,000 sailors aboard its threeships.

]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2026 17:56:57 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Yemen-government-forces-report-gains https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Yemen-government-forces-report-gains Yemen government forces report gains

Shafaq News- Sanaa

Yemeni government forces said Monday they had taken controlof the city of Mokha in western Taiz Province and launched attacks on Houthipositions in the Dhubab district overlooking the strategic Bab al-MandabStrait.

The armed forces also announced that they had carried out1,122 precision strikes against Houthi targets, claiming that 1,747 members ofthe group had been “neutralized.”

Earlier in the day, Presidential Leadership Council ChairmanRashad Al-Alimi announced the launch of an operation called “Dawn of Yemen” torestore state institutions, “liberate the capital Sanaa and end the coup of theterrorist Houthi militias.” Government forces said they had also begun a“strategic attack” on Sanaa, the Yemeni capital.

The Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah television channel reporteddozens of Saudi airstrikes on Saada Province in northern Yemen.

A military source cited by Saba, the Houthi-controlled newsagency in Sanaa, rejected reports of government military advances, sayingclaims promoted by channels supporting the Saudi-led side were false and had nobasis.

The National Committee for Prisoners’ Affairs, affiliatedwith the Houthi authorities, accused Saudi-backed forces of “killing prisonersfrom the armed forces,” and described the alleged acts as a war crime.

Saba also reported Saudi airstrikes on telecommunicationsinfrastructure in the Katuf and Al-Buqaa districts.

The Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center, cited bySaba, urged civilian airlines to consider Saudi airspace unsafe, except for theairspace over the holy cities of Mecca and Medina.

A military source also reported that Saudi-backed forces hadbeen expelled from the Al-Maafir and Al-Mawaset districts in Taiz Province.

Houthi chief negotiator Mohammed Abdul Salam accused SaudiArabia of carrying out dozens of attacks, including strikes on civilian areasand residential neighborhoods in several provinces.

Meanwhile, a US official told Al Jazeera that Washington wasproviding Saudi Arabia with support to counter Houthi attacks, includingplanning assistance, intelligence sharing and aerial refueling.

The official said Saudi Arabia was using US aerial refuelingcapabilities to defend its airspace and support forces opposing the Houthis.

“About 200 US advisers were providing assistance at Saudiplanning centers,” the official said, adding that they were helping Saudiforces conduct targeting operations more efficiently and effectively.

The official said US forces were not directly involved inthe war in Yemen and had no separate objectives there.

]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2026 16:24:51 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Israeli-forces-kill-man-amid-southern-Syria-incursions https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Israeli-forces-kill-man-amid-southern-Syria-incursions Israeli forces kill man amid southern Syria incursions

Shafaq News- Damascus

Israeli forces shot dead a man after he allegedly tried toenter a military post inside Israel’s “security zone” in southern Quneitra, theIsraeli military said on Monday.

Israel’s public broadcaster said troops opened fire afterspotting the man approaching the position, killing him. No Israeli soldierswere injured and the military post sustained no damage.

The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) reported thata Syrian man was killed by Israeli fire after approaching a military positioninside the security zone. His identity and the full circumstances of theincident remained unclear.

In a separate incident, Israeli forces opened fire on twopeople riding a motorcycle as they approached a military post inside its“security zone” in southern Syria, then detained them, the Israeli militarysaid. No Israeli troops were injured.

A fire also broke out across agricultural and grazing landnear an Israeli military base in Al-Hamidiyah after Israeli forces fired flaresover the area on October 4, a Shafaq News correspondent in Quneitra reported.Israeli forces prevented firefighting teams from reaching the area toextinguish the blaze.

The fire followed an Israeli incursion into Al-Asbah villagein southern Quneitra countryside on Sunday evening, where troops searched homesand broke down the doors of several houses.

A Shafaq News correspondent in Quneitra also reported that Syrian Arab RedCrescent teams, accompanied by the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force(UNDOF), received on Monday the body of a young man killed by Israeli fire theprevious evening.

SOHR documented seven Israeli incursions over the past 24hours, along with shelling, searches and restrictions on civilians, rescueteams and journalists.

Israeli troops also resumed work on the Sufa 53* road insouthern Quneitra, set up a temporary checkpoint in Umm Al-Azam and fired anartillery shell at farmland between Bariqa and Kudna, according to SOHR. Nocasualties were reported from the shelling.

Egypt and Turkiye condemned Israel’s continued militaryactivity in southern Syria, particularly the resumption of work on the Sufa 53line in Quneitra. Cairo said the activity violated Syrian sovereignty and the1974 Separation of Forces Agreement, while Ankara said the work undermined theagreement.

On Sunday, Syria’s Foreign Ministry denounced the sameactivity as a breach of the 1974 agreement and international law, warning thatcontinued Israeli incursions threaten regional security and stability.

Sufa 53 is an Israeli military fortification project alongthe separation line in Quneitra, featuring a road, trenches, earth berms,observation posts and military positions near the occupied Syrian GolanHeights.

Read more: Israel's expansion in Syria: A looming threat toIraq

]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2026 15:07:53 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Iran-warns-US-Israel-against-new-war https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Iran-warns-US-Israel-against-new-war Iran warns US, Israel against new war

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran will immediately target US interests “without limitation” if Washington attacks the country, Armed Forces Chief of Staff Maj. Gen. Ali Abdollahi said on Monday.

Quoted by Iranian state media, Abdollahi said Iran would not wait for the outcome of the US congressional elections and will respond to any US action against the country whether it came before or after the vote, and regardless of the result.

US President Donald Trump claimed on Sept. 28 that further US strikes on Iran before the November midterm elections were “possible.” He had also told Axios that he was nearing a decision on whether to resume large-scale attacks against Iran.

Abdollahi further warned Israel that if it launched another war against Iran, “the anger of the Iranian people and Iranian fighters” would dash its hopes and ambitions.

Addressing countries hosting US forces in the region, he described the US military presence as the reason behind regional and economic instability, adding that insecurity would continue as long as that presence remained.

]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2026 13:06:41 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Aden-100-jets-support-government-push-on-Sanaa https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Aden-100-jets-support-government-push-on-Sanaa Aden: 100 jets support government push on Sanaa

Shafaq News- Sanaa

The Coalition to Support Legitimacy in Yemen said 100 fighter jets took part in Operation Yemen Dawn on Monday and that 324 “high-value” targets had been destroyed since the operation began.

Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said the coalition was providing round-the-clock air support to Yemeni government forces and air protection over the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

The operation aims to restore state institutions and retake Sanaa, Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi said.

Meanwhile, Houthi (Ansarallah) military spokesperson Yahya Saree said the group carried out two operations against Saudi Aramco facilities in Riyadh and Khurais using ballistic missiles and drones, claiming direct hits and fires at the targeted sites. The attacks were in response to 50 Saudi air and missile strikes over the previous 12 hours on Sanaa, Al-Jawf, Taiz, Amran, Hajjah, and Saada, he added.

The Health Ministry in Sanaa said two civilians were killed and seven wounded in Saudi airstrikes on Sanhan and Sawan in Sanaa province. Houthi-affiliated media also reported that two Saudi airstrikes on Bani Hashish district in the province killed one schoolgirl and wounded two others on Monday.

]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2026 12:07:01 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/500-displaced-families-return-to-Syria-s-Ras-Al-Ain https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/500-displaced-families-return-to-Syria-s-Ras-Al-Ain 500+ displaced families return to Syria’s Ras Al-Ain

Shafaq News- Damascus

A third convoy of more than 500 displaced families left Al-Hasakah on Monday for Ras Al-Ain (Serekaniye) and its countryside, according to the Ras Al-Ain Displaced Persons Committee.

The first organized convoy left Al-Hasakah on Aug. 10 with around 400 families, followed by a second on Sept. 8 carrying about 700 families. Further returns were temporarily suspended after attacks and clashes linked to property disputes involving some returning families.

Preparations are now underway for a fourth convoy of more than 500 families, totaling 2,250 people, Mustafa Abdi, a member of the presidential team overseeing implementation of the agreement with the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), told Shafaq News. The returns are “voluntary” and take place after villages and other areas are cleared of mines.

Speaking to Shafaq News, Mohammed Hajo, a member of the displaced persons committee, estimated that around 13,000 people from Ras Al-Ain and its countryside remain in camps and shelters.

]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2026 10:24:16 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Two-Iranian-officers-killed-in-southeast-Iran-attack https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Two-Iranian-officers-killed-in-southeast-Iran-attack Two Iranian officers killed in southeast Iran attack

Shafaq News- Tehran

Two Iranian police officers werekilled and another wounded on Monday when “armed terrorists” attacked a policepatrol in southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province, the provincial policereported, as cited by Iranian media.

The officers came under fire whilepatrolling the Bampur-Iranshahr road. Security forces launched an operation topursue the assailants and identify those responsible.

No party has claimed responsibility sofar.

Sistan and Baluchestan, whichborders Pakistan and Afghanistan, has witnessed recurring attacks targetingIranian security forces and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). Armedopposition groups, including Jaish al-Adl, have claimed responsibility forprevious attacks in the province.

In September, an IRGC commander waskilled during an operation against what the force described as an “enemy-backedterrorist” group in Sistan and Baluchestan.

]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2026 07:56:02 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Yemeni-Armed-Forces-hit-1-100-Houthi-targets https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Yemeni-Armed-Forces-hit-1-100-Houthi-targets Yemeni Armed Forces hit 1,100+ Houthi targets

ShafaqNews- Sanaa

The ArmedForces of Yemen's internationally recognized government carried out 1,122strikes against Houthi (Ansarallah) positions, killing or incapacitating 1,747members of the group, Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaili, the Forces' spokesman,said on Monday.

Al-Nuzailidescribed the operations as part of the "Battle for Liberation,"launched to restore state institutions and establish national sovereigntyacross the country.

Thestrikes took place across several fronts in Saada, al-Jawf and Taiz, as well asalong Yemen's western coast. They targeted artillery and rocket-launchingpositions, defensive fortifications, supply and approach routes, reinforcementlines, troop concentrations, and command and control centers.

Warplanes,drones, artillery, missiles, rocket launchers, and snipers were deployed duringthe operations, he added.

Themilitary also reported that 364 vehicles and pieces of equipment, includingmilitary transport and supply assets, were destroyed or damaged.

On Sunday,Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad al-Alimi announced thestart of military operations to retake remaining Houthi-held territory,stressing that the campaign was not directed against residents of Sanaa, Saada,or other provinces.

]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2026 07:01:21 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Iran-executed-30-January-2026-protesters https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Iran-executed-30-January-2026-protesters CHRI: Iran executed 30+ January 2026 protesters

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran has executed at least 33 people arrested during theJanuary 2026 protests, while another 100 protesters are facing possible deathsentences, the Center for Human Rights in Iran (CHRI) said Monday.

Founded in 2008 by Iranian human rights advocates, CHRI notedthat the executions began on March 20, with the names and case details of manyof those executed becoming public only after their sentences were carried out.

The group also raised concerns over pressure and threatsdirected at the families and relatives of people sentenced to death, as well asindependent human rights lawyers involved in their cases.

The executions have drawn international concern. In a jointstatement ahead of the recently held United Nations Human Rights Councilsession, 46 countries condemned Iran's continued use of the death penalty,expressing particular concern over capital punishment against protesters.

The protests erupted on December 28 amid worsening economicconditions and later spread into nationwide demonstrations challenging Iran'sclerical leadership. Iranian authorities have repeatedly accused the UnitedStates and Israel of seeking to destabilize the country, arguing that theprotests began peacefully and within constitutional bounds before turningviolent following the “infiltration of armed groups.”

]]> Mon, 05 Oct 2026 05:53:32 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Turkiye-arrests-50-ISIS-suspects-in-16-provinces https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Turkiye-arrests-50-ISIS-suspects-in-16-provinces Turkiye arrests 50+ ISIS suspects in 16 provinces

Shafaq News- Ankara

Turkish security forces arrested 51 suspected ISIS members in coordinated operations across 16 provinces, the Interior Ministry said on Saturday.

The raids were carried out by provincial gendarmerie commands in coordination with the Gendarmerie General Command’s Counter-Terrorism Department and public prosecutors.

The ministry said the suspects were accused of ISIS membership, financing the group through affiliated individuals and so-called aid organizations, and spreading its propaganda on social media.

The operations covered Adana, Adiyaman, Balikesir, Bursa, Diyarbakir, Duzce, Edirne, Gaziantep, Igdir, Kayseri, Mardin, Mersin, Nevsehir, Sinop, Sanliurfa and Zonguldak.

The ministry said operations targeting ISIS activities and financing networks would continue. It did not disclose the suspects’ nationalities or report any weapons, explosives or cash seizures in the latest raids.

On Sept. 25, Turkish authorities arrested 83 suspected ISIS members in operations across 28 provinces and seized organizational documents and digital material.

Four days later, Istanbul police detained six suspects over alleged financial transfers to ISIS-linked individuals, seizing $13,000, digital material and organizational documents.

]]> Sun, 04 Oct 2026 15:22:39 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Yemen-s-Houthis-Missiles-drones-struck-Saudi-Aramco-facilities https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Yemen-s-Houthis-Missiles-drones-struck-Saudi-Aramco-facilities Yemen’s Houthis: Missiles, drones struck Saudi Aramco facilities

Shafaq News- Sanaa

Yemen’s Houthis (Ansarallah) saidon Sunday that they had launched ballistic missiles and drones at Saudi Aramcofacilities in Riyadh and Khurais “in response” to 50 Saudi air and missilestrikes over the previous 12 hours across Sanaa, Al-Jawf, Taiz, Amran, Hajjah,and Saada.

Military spokesperson Yahya Sareesaid the attacks were “precise,” had “achieved their objectives,” and caused “largefires at the targeted sites.” Saudi authorities and Aramco have not confirmedthe strikes or reported any damage.

Saree put the number of Saudiair and missile operations since the latest escalation began at 1,460, vowingfurther action against military bases and oil facilities until the fightingends and restrictions on Yemen are lifted.

The Houthis also reportedrepelling an advance by Saudi forces in eastern Al-Jawf, destroying severalvehicles and killing or wounding dozens. According to the group, ballisticmissiles and drones targeted troop concentrations before its fighters pursuedretreating units through desert areas of the province.

A Houthi military sourcequoted by the group’s Saba news agency said Saudi commanders and leaders offorces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government had fledTaiz.

Houthi-affiliated media hadreported overnight Saudi attacks across Sanaa, Saada, Hajjah, and Taiz thatkilled two people and wounded two others, followed by further missile strikeson border areas of Saada’s Haydan district as fighting intensified with forcesaligned with Yemen’s internationally recognized government.

Yemen’s PresidentialLeadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimi announced on Sunday the start ofmilitary operations to retake remaining Houthi-held territory, stressing thatthe campaign was not directed against residents of Sanaa, Saada or otherprovinces.

In an address to the Yemenipeople, carried by the internationally recognized government-affiliated Sabanews agency, Al-Alimi maintained that authorities would assume their “nationalresponsibility” after all opportunities for de-escalation had been exhausted. Heurged residents in areas under the group’s control to cooperate with governmenttroops.

Pledging recovery andreconstruction in recaptured cities, along with safe return and amnesty forthose who lay down their arms, Al-Alimi appealed for international support,placing state institutions on full alert and vowing to protect maritime routes“on behalf of the world.”

]]> Sun, 04 Oct 2026 13:52:15 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Iran-prioritizes-Hormuz-security-in-response-to-US-proposal https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Iran-prioritizes-Hormuz-security-in-response-to-US-proposal Iran prioritizes Hormuz security in response to US proposal

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iran has responded to the latest USproposal, which largely repeats Washington’s previous positions on nuclearissues, while Tehran wants negotiations to focus on restoring security in theStrait of Hormuz, Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei announced onSunday.

Speaking at his weekly pressbriefing, Baqaei said Tehran had conveyed its position to Qatari mediatorsduring a brief stopover in Doha, demanding an end to US interference withIranian commercial shipping and the lifting of sanctions under the June 17Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding. The agreement established a temporaryframework for ending military operations across several fronts, includingLebanon, lifting the maritime blockade and reopening the strategic waterway.

Baqaei also called for the removalof additional sanctions imposed since the agreement and confirmed that Iran hadaddressed Washington’s concerns during the meeting with Qatari mediators, withfurther details to be communicated. He denied that the nuclear issue had beendiscussed during negotiations in New York, explaining that Tehran had insteadpresented its conditions through a seven-day proposal.

Iranian Foreign Minister AbbasAraghchi received Washington’s response to the seven-day proposal throughQatari mediators in Doha on Tuesday, after presenting the plan to US envoysSteve Witkoff and Jared Kushner during indirect talks on the sidelines of theUN General Assembly on September 22. Under the proposal, Iran would reopen theStrait of Hormuz and resume nuclear negotiations within a week in exchange forWashington lifting its naval blockade, removing restrictions on Iranian oilsales and restoring a regional ceasefire.

]]> Sun, 04 Oct 2026 11:11:51 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Two-Palestinian-journalists-arrested-in-West-Bank-raids https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Two-Palestinian-journalists-arrested-in-West-Bank-raids Two Palestinian journalists arrested in West Bank raids

Shafaq News- West Bank

Israeli forces arrested two Palestinian journalists inseparate overnight raids in the northern West Bank on Sunday, according toPalestinian media.

Journalist Sami Al-Shami was taken into custody inAsira Al-Qibliya, south of Nablus, after troops entered the town and searchedseveral homes, also detaining other Palestinians. In Arraba, south of Jenin, Israeliforces arrested journalist Rajaa Maarouf Jabr during a search of her home, thePalestinian Prisoners’ Society reported.

Read more: Israel targets journalists during West Bank raids

As of Sept. 28, the Palestinian Prisoners’ Societysaid 36 Palestinian journalists were being held in Israeli prisons, includingfour women.

The Palestinian Journalists Syndicate had documented84 incidents involving journalists and media workers in the West Bank inAugust, among them seven arrests and 30 cases of detention or obstruction. Italso registered one gunshot injury, six physical assaults, six death threats orincidents involving weapons, seven cases of confiscated or deleted journalisticmaterial, and 10 involving tear gas.

The report also recorded three settler attacks, fourraids on journalists’ homes or media institutions, and three cases involvingseized or damaged equipment.

In Gaza, the Government Media Office puts the tollsince the war began on Oct. 7, 2023, at 262 journalists and media workerskilled and more than 433 wounded. It also lists 50 as detained, including 23still in custody, while three remain missing.

Read more: Israel–Gaza war tops global journalist fatalities in 2025

]]> Sun, 04 Oct 2026 09:55:33 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Saudi-attacks-target-four-Houthi-held-areas-in-Yemen https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Saudi-attacks-target-four-Houthi-held-areas-in-Yemen Saudi attacks target four Houthi-held areas in Yemen

Shafaq News- Sanaa/ Aden

Saudi strikes hit Houthi-held areas across Sanaa,Saada, Hajjah, and Taiz overnight, killing two people and wounding two others, accordingto Houthi-affiliated media and authorities on Sunday, as fighting intensifiedbetween the group and forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognizedgovernment.

Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV cited Sanaa, Sahardistrict in Saada, border areas of Haydan, and Abs district in Hajjah among thetargets, while the Houthi-run Health Ministry attributed the casualties to adrone strike on Al-Ahyuq junction in Taiz’s Al-Wazi'iyah district.

Forces aligned with Yemen’s internationally recognizedgovernment, meanwhile, claimed 97 operations against Houthi reinforcements onthe Tur Al-Bahah and Taiz fronts. Armed Forces spokesperson Col. Majed AbdullahAl-Nuzaili listed warplanes, drones, artillery, missiles, and snipers among theweapons used, claiming that 260 Houthi fighters were “neutralized” and 44military vehicles and supply assets were destroyed or disabled.

Government troops also claimed advances in southernTaiz, with the official Saba news agency reporting the recapture ofAl-Maqarimah and Al-Zakirah in Al-Shamayatayn district. A military source toldthe outlet that forces backed by the Popular Resistance had also seized thestrategic Jabal Al-Jaashah after taking Jabal Hisn Samea, as fighting continuedaround Jabal Habashi, Al-Kadhah, and Al-Shamayatayn.

The government’s military spokesperson also announcedstrikes on Houthi targets in Sanaa and Saada, warning that the group’s militarycapabilities remained within reach.

The Houthis did not comment on the government forces’claims.

A day earlier, Houthi authorities accused Saudi Arabiaof carrying out attacks across Sanaa and other provinces, including one thatdamaged a maternity hospital and another that wounded two detainees. The grouplater claimed responsibility for launching a ballistic missile and drones at aSaudi Aramco facility in Riyadh.

]]> Sun, 04 Oct 2026 06:19:47 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Houthis-claim-attack-on-Aramco-facility-in-Riyadh https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Houthis-claim-attack-on-Aramco-facility-in-Riyadh Houthis claim attack on Aramco facility in Riyadh

Shafaq News- Sanaa

Yemen’s Houthis said on Saturday they targeted an Aramco facility in Riyadh with ballistic missiles and drones, according to military spokesperson Yahya Saree.

He said the operation was carried out in response to Saudi strikes on Sanaa and other Yemeni provinces, claiming Riyadh had launched 60 air and missile attacks over the past 24 hours, bringing the total since the latest escalation began to 1,410.

On Friday, Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Turki Al-Maliki said air defenses intercepted and destroyed three Houthi ballistic missiles targeting Khamis Mushait.

That followed Saudi reports a day earlier that two ballistic missiles targeting Khamis Mushait and Jizan, along with four drones over Khamis Mushait, had been intercepted and destroyed.

]]> Sat, 03 Oct 2026 20:47:15 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Israeli-forces-open-fire-during-southern-Syria-incursions https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Israeli-forces-open-fire-during-southern-Syria-incursions Israeli forces open fire during southern Syria incursions

Shafaq News- Damascus

Israeli forces on Saturday opened fire toward homes duringan incursion into Saida Al-Hanout village in Quneitra countryside, Southern Syria,the state-run SANA news agency reported.

An Israeli military patrol also directly targeted mediacrews in the area, in an attempt to prevent journalistsfrom documenting the incursion. No casualties were reported, although continuedgunfire caused tension among residents, SANA said.

Earlier today, Israeli forces fired several artillery shellstoward the outskirts of Abdeen town in Daraa countryside.

According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR),Israeli helicopters were flying over the Yarmouk Basin in western Daraa, withno strikes reported. Israeli forces also advanced along the Kodna road insouthern Quneitra with about seven vehicles, set up a checkpoint, and searchedpassersby.

Israeli forces entered Maariya village in western Daraa onFriday with about 15 military vehicles and searched several homes. A dayearlier, a convoy of about 12 vehicles entered several villages in westernDaraa before withdrawing, while Israeli forces shelled farmland near Al-MantaraDam in Quneitra countryside

SOHR recorded 88 Israeli incursions in September and morethan 1,000 since the fall of the former Syrian government on December 8, 2024.

]]> Sat, 03 Oct 2026 17:08:37 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Saudi-strikes-hit-Yemen-as-government-forces-advance-in-Taiz https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Saudi-strikes-hit-Yemen-as-government-forces-advance-in-Taiz Saudi strikes hit Yemen as government forces advance in Taiz

Shafaq News-Sanaa/ Aden

Saudistrikes targeted Yemen’s capital, Sanaa, and several other provinces onSaturday, damaging a maternity hospital and wounding two detainees, accordingto the Houthi-run Health Ministry and Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV.

Al-Masirahsaid Saudi aircraft carried out 26 strikes on Sanaa around midday, targetingthe Nuqum, Attan, Al-Sabeen and Al-Nahdayn areas. The Health and EnvironmentMinistry in Sanaa reported that airstrikes near Al-Sabeen Maternity and Child Hospitalcaused extensive damage to its buildings, wards and medical equipment, leavingan unspecified number of people injured and causing panic among patients andvisitors.

In thenorthern province of Saada, Al-Masirah reported Saudi missile strikes ontelecommunications networks in Haydan, Saqayn and Sahar districts, alongsideattacks on Maran district and Saada city, where the two detainees were woundedwhen a missile struck a police station. The channel also cited artilleryshelling in the border districts of Al-Dhaher, Ghamr and Razih, and anairstrike in Salh district, Taiz province.

TheHouthi-run Foreign Ministry warned that continued Saudi attacks on Yemen’sterritory would require a response in kind, calling on the internationalcommunity and regional powers to pressure Riyadh to halt the strikes.

Separately,Yemen’s internationally recognized government announced an attack on what itdescribed as legitimate military targets in Sanaa, with military spokespersonCol. Majed Al-Nuzaili asserting that its forces were capable of conductingfurther strategic operations against the Houthis.

In Taiz,government troops backed by local fighters captured Hisn Sameh, southeast ofthe city, following heavy clashes with Houthi forces, according to thegovernment-run Saba News Agency. Citing a military source, the agency reporteddozens of Houthi fighters killed or wounded.

The Yemenimilitary, meanwhile, said it conducted 71 operations against Houthi troopconcentrations, reinforcements and positions across several areas of Taiz,claiming to have destroyed transport and support equipment and inflictedcasualties. It also reported shooting down four Houthi drones over theAl-Shahla front in eastern Al-Jawf province before they reached their targets.

The Houthisdid not address the government forces’ battlefield claims.

]]> Sat, 03 Oct 2026 14:55:39 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Iran-arrests-31-over-alleged-links-to-US-and-Israel https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Iran-arrests-31-over-alleged-links-to-US-and-Israel Iran arrests 31 over alleged links to US and Israel

Shafaq News- Kerman

Iranian security forces dismantled four networks accused ofplanning acts of sabotage and unrest and arrested 31 people in Kerman provincein southeastern Iran, the Intelligence Ministry said Saturday, alleging thatthey were linked to the United States and Israel.

In a statement, the ministry said security forces identifiedand arrested members of the networks in the city of Sirjan based on informationprovided by citizens and intelligence reports.

The ministry noted that the networks operated through groupstargeting adolescents and young people and were preparing to encourage unrestacross the country. “Their preparations included producing large quantities ofMolotov cocktails and making equipment intended to disable surveillance camerasacross the city.”

The suspects took part in “armed riots” in December 2025,the ministry added, explaining that this unrest involved setting fire to thegovernor's office, damaging banks and government institutions, destroyingpublic and private property, vandalizing surveillance cameras and severalbuildings, and attacking a police station in an attempt to seize weapons.

]]> Sat, 03 Oct 2026 12:44:10 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Israeli-strike-kills-five-in-Gaza https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Israeli-strike-kills-five-in-Gaza Israeli strike kills five in Gaza

Shafaq News- Gaza

An Israeli airstrike on a residential apartment west of GazaCity killed five people, including a child, local media reported on Saturday.

Israel's public broadcaster, citing a security official,said that the Israeli military targeted Hamas commander Ali al-Amoudi in Gazain a strike on Friday evening.

Gaza’s Health Ministry said 74,228 Palestinians had beenkilled and 175,188 wounded between October 7, 2023, and October 3, 2026.

In the occupied West Bank, settlers entered areas nearPalestinian homes in al-Mughayyir village, near Ramallah, under the protectionof Israeli forces, according to local reports. Several Palestinians wereinjured when settlers attacked olive harvesters in Osarin, south of Nablus. InAbu Dis, in the Jerusalem district, settlers set fire to olive trees onPalestinian-owned land, while in Al-Khalil, settlers entered the OldCity under the protection of Israeli forces.

Israeli forces and settlers carried out 2,051 attacksagainst Palestinians, their land, and property across the West Bank inSeptember, according to the Palestinian Colonization and Wall ResistanceCommission. The commission attributed 1,404 incidents to Israeli forces and 647to settlers, saying settler attacks killed three Palestinians and directlyaffected 88 others during the month.

]]> Sat, 03 Oct 2026 10:42:34 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Iran-executes-man-convicted-of-shooting-at-police https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Iran-executes-man-convicted-of-shooting-at-police Iran executes man convicted of shooting at police

Shafaq News-Tehran

Iran put aman to death on Saturday following his conviction for shooting at policeofficers in the western city of Shahrekord, the judiciary-affiliated Mizan NewsAgency reported, describing him as one of the area's most notorious criminals.

The agencyidentified him as Siavash Jamshidi Kheirabadi, who allegedly opened fire onofficers on Naser Khosrow Street on January 8, 2026, before fleeing the scene.Security forces located his vehicle and arrested him two days later, seizing ahandgun that he subsequently admitted possessing and using in the attack.

According toMizan, his criminal record included kidnapping, theft, threats, and illegalpossession of military-grade weapons. His death sentence was carried out afterIran’s Supreme Court upheld the verdict and the required legal procedures werecompleted.

In September,Iran executed a man convicted of working with Israel’s Mossad intelligenceagency, Mizan reported.

]]> Sat, 03 Oct 2026 09:20:55 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/UAE-Flydubai-co-pilot-attempted-terrorist-attack https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/UAE-Flydubai-co-pilot-attempted-terrorist-attack UAE: Flydubai co-pilot attempted terrorist attack

Shafaq News-Abu Dhabi

Investigationsinto Flydubai flight FZ1073 revealed that its co-pilot attempted to carry out a“terrorist attack” by assaulting the captain with an emergency axe and tryingto seize control of the aircraft, UAE Attorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsiannounced on Saturday.

According tothe Emirates News Agency (WAM), Al Shamsi confirmed that investigators arecontinuing to examine the incident’s circumstances, motives and possibleconnections, alongside technical examinations and the analysis of physical anddigital evidence. The final findings will be released once the investigation iscomplete.

TheDubai-to-Tel Aviv flight diverted toward Saudi Arabia on Wednesday afterissuing emergency signals and losing communication. Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu claimed that a pilot had stabbed his fellow pilot andattempted to crash the aircraft before passengers and crew intervened.

US PresidentDonald Trump threatened on Thursday to strike Iran “very hard” if investigatorsestablished Tehran’s involvement in the incident. Iran’s semi-official FarsNews Agency, meanwhile, reported that Iranian security agencies had obtainedintelligence suggesting Israel was planning an attack on aircraft or airportsin the region that would be blamed on Tehran to generate internationalpressure.

]]> Sat, 03 Oct 2026 08:25:36 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Israeli-artillery-and-airstrikes-hit-southern-Lebanon https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Israeli-artillery-and-airstrikes-hit-southern-Lebanon Israeli artillery and airstrikes hit southern Lebanon

Shafaq News- Beirut

Israeli forces carried out airstrikes, artillery shelling,machine-gun fire and large explosions across several towns in southern Lebanonon Friday, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA).

Artillery shelled Beit Yahoun, Al-Mansouri, Wadi Zebqin andWadi Saluki, while troops opened machine-gun fire toward Hadatha and theoutskirts of Baraachit.

Warplanes launched two strikes on Al-Mansouri in Sourdistrict. Elsewhere, Israeli forces set off large explosions in Aitaroun andBeit Lif in Bint Jbeil district. Further blasts hit Al-Mansouri and Majdal Zoun.

On October 2, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam calledfor efforts to secure an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon and build thestate around the principle of “one decision and one army.”

Read more: Lebanon, Israel agree shortlist for Hezbollah disarmament monitors

]]> Fri, 02 Oct 2026 23:17:24 +0000 https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Oil-exports-anchor-fresh-Iraq-Turkiye-energy-negotiations https://shafaq.com/en/Middle-East/Oil-exports-anchor-fresh-Iraq-Turkiye-energy-negotiations Oil exports anchor fresh Iraq-Turkiye energy negotiations

Shafaq News- Baghdad/ Ankara

Iraq and Turkiye opened negotiations in Ankara on aframework agreement covering oil, gas, and energy, Iraq’s Oil Ministry said onFriday.

The talks aim to lay the groundwork for a broader bilateralpartnership in the energy sector, according to the ministry.

The meeting discussed a proposed roadmap to strengthencooperation in oil and gas infrastructure, the petrochemical industry, andenergy trade. The two sides also discussed ways to strengthen coordination andworking arrangements in areas of mutual interest.

Oil Minister Bassem Mohammed Khudair Al-Abadi headed theIraqi delegation, while Turkish Energy and Natural Resources Minister AlparslanBayraktar led the Turkish side.

On Aug. 1, Iraq and Turkiye reached a one-year agreement totransport at least 750,000 barrels of crude per day through the Iraq-Turkiyepipeline while talks on a broader framework continue.

The arrangement builds on a Baghdad-Erbil agreement coveringcrude shipments from Kirkuk and the Kurdistan Region, giving Iraq anotherexport option while disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz limit activity atsouthern terminals.

Before the US-Israeli war on Iran, about 95% of Iraq’s crudeexports moved through Hormuz.

Read more: Kirkuk targets 1M bpd oil exports through Turkiye

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