Middle East war: Trump accuses Iran of raising oil prices as Saudi Aramco evacuates headquarters amid Houthi attacks

Israeli PM Benjamin Netanyahu has directed Israel's military, Mossad, and security agencies to pursue regime change in Iran, framing it as the sole path to neutralise Tehran's existential nuclear danger. In a Persian-language Instagram post, he thanked Iranian civilians for their support and pledged to defend their freedom alongside US President Donald Trump for a peaceful future. "I will continue to defend the freedom and rights of the Iranian people... President Trump and I are doing everything we can to create a better future." The comments, made five days before Israel's October 27 Knesset election, come amid tight polls showing his Likud party and right-wing bloc hovering near a majority, while critics question if military action alone can achieve overthrow after past strikes damaged but did not topple Tehran.

Iran’s arrogance is now visible from space, according to US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, who assailed Iran’s alleged financing of terrorism, nuclear acquisition, and the “lavish lifestyles of the IRGC elite.”

Highlighting satellite photos of a key important oil terminal, Bessent shared before-and-after imagery of Kharg Island, Iran’s principal crude-export hub in the Gulf.

“Before,” he wrote, “tankers filled Iran’s main oil-loading terminal. After: no crude tankers in sight.”

He then asserted: “Kharg Island is now nothing more than a monument to the one thing the Iranian regime can still produce: failure.”

Bessent contrasted that with the Iranian people impoverished not by sanctions alone, but by a regime that spends scarce national wealth on confrontation and repression.

Bessent lambasted the regime in Tehran: “The regime’s arrogance and belligerence continue to punish ordinary Iranians.”

He stated that Iran’s leadership has chosen confrontation over compromise, ideology over prosperity, and regional adventurism over the economic survival of its own people.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent launched a scathing attack on Tehran, asserting that Washington's aggressive economic offensive, dubbed "Operation Economic Outcast", has successfully crippled Iran’s crude export apparatus and severed the regime's principal financial lifeline.

In a post on X, Bessent highlighted the visible depletion of oil shipping traffic around Kharg Island, Iran's primary maritime export hub in the Persian Gulf, claiming the facility has been brought to a virtual standstill, showcasing a graphic video. 

Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Jean-Noël Barrot, France's Minister for Europe and Foreign Affairs, have discussed ways to strengthen and develop strategic relations between the two countries across various fields during a telephone call.

The two top diplomats also discussed a range of regional and international issues of shared interest and exchanged views on the latest developments in the Middle East.

They also reviewed ways to support efforts aimed at consolidating regional and international peace and security.

UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres has condemned escalating hostilities in Yemen and continued Houthi attacks on civilian targets in Saudi Arabia, calling them “totally unacceptable”.

In a post on X, Guterres said the violence was causing immense civilian suffering and adding to regional tensions. He urged all sides to exercise restraint and called for a political path forward for Yemen.

The Saudi-led coalition said a ballistic missile launched by Yemen’s Houthi movement towards Najran in Saudi Arabia was intercepted and destroyed.

The coalition announced the development in a post on X.

US Central Command (CENTCOM) said its naval blockade against Iran has reached 100 days, claiming it has prevented Iran from exporting at least $25 billion worth of crude oil.

In a post on X, CENTCOM said the blockade had constrained the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ (IRGC) ability to fund proxy militias, criminal networks and terrorism. It added that there had been no maritime exports or imports to Iran, apart from humanitarian aid permitted by US forces.

Iran’s armed forces chief of staff has vowed a “crushing and decisive response” to the enemy, in a post on X, as the conflict in the region continues.

US President Donald Trump has accused Iran of trying to push up oil prices ahead of the US midterm elections, claiming more oil is now passing through the Strait of Hormuz than before the conflict began.

In a post on Truth Social, Trump also accused Iranian authorities of killing protesters and repeated his opposition to Iran acquiring nuclear weapons. He claimed 75,000 protesters had been killed in less than seven months, a figure that was not independently verified in the post.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has posted a video on X claiming there are no crude oil tankers at Iran’s main oil-loading terminal on Kharg Island.

Bessent said the US operation, called 'Operation Economic Outcast', was cutting off Iran’s oil revenue, accusing the Iranian government of using funds to support terrorism, nuclear procurement and the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

India’s imports of Middle Eastern crude oil surged in September to their highest level since February, returning to pre-war levels, while Russian oil purchases fell amid stiff competition from China, Reuters reported, citing ship-tracking data.

Middle Eastern crude imports rose to about 2.8 million barrels per day, accounting for 54 per cent of India’s total imports, up from 32 per cent in August. Meanwhile, Russian oil imports fell 14 per cent month on month to around 1.8 million barrels per day, reducing Russia’s share to 33.5 per cent from 46.6 per cent, the data showed.

The Pentagon and Lockheed Martin on Thursday announced a 10-year agreement for the production of 850 F-35 warplanes, underscoring Washington's long-term commitment to the high-tech stealth aircraft.

The two sides did not specify a value for the agreement, which comes as Pentagon seeks to strike multi-year deals to expand American weapons production and boost the US defense industrial base.

The announcement "cements (the plane's) role as the free world's key frontline fighter for years ahead," Lockheed Chairman, President and CEO Jim Taiclet said on a call with investors.

F-35s - which Washington's forces have used in combat during the US-Israeli war against Iran - come in three versions that can cost more than $100 million per plane.

The "framework agreement," which the Pentagon said would "modernize and expand" the F-35 program, still requires congressional approval and funding.

"We have fundamentally changed how we stabilize the American defense industrial base to produce at speed and scale," top acquisition official Michael Duffey said in the Pentagon's announcement.

"By aligning financial incentives with actual performance, we are ensuring our warfighters are equipped with the lethal capabilities they need to fight and win," Duffy said.

The F-35, a joint project between the United States and a number of allies, is one of the world's most advanced military aircraft. There are more than 1,375 F-35s based around the world, according to Lockheed.

The deal, if approved, would give Washington a "predictable, affordable, and resilient" fighter jet program, Lockheed said, pointing to billions of dollars in expected savings thanks to "long-term pricing and industry volume discounts."

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi said he received a phone call from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. In a post on X, Modi said the two leaders reviewed bilateral ties and reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening the partnership.

They also discussed recent developments in West Asia and stressed the urgent need to restore peace and stability in the region.

The European Parliament has urged the Council of the European Union to add the Houthi movement, including its military and political wings, leadership and military and security apparatus, to the EU list of terrorist organisations, following a proposal by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas.

In a resolution adopted on Thursday, Parliament also called for the freezing of all funds and economic resources belonging to the Houthis and their facilitators, as well as the dismantling of all channels financing the movement.

The resolution comes amid escalating threats from the Houthis, with MEPs condemning their attacks against Saudi Arabia and their military offensive in Yemen, as well as missile and drone attacks against the United Arab Emirates and Israel in recent years.

Parliament also condemned the Houthis' attacks on commercial shipping and energy infrastructure in the Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait, warning that disruptions to maritime traffic were driving up energy prices and undermining the competitiveness of the European economy.

Essential staff at the headquarters of Saudi oil giant Aramco in the country's east were told to evacuate Thursday, two sources briefed on the matter told AFP, after their non-essential colleagues were told to work from home since last week.

Most staff had already been working remotely since Yemen's Houthis hit the Dhahran facility last week, three sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity for security reasons, with only essential staff on site.

Those essential employees have now also been told to work from home until further notice, two of the sources said.

The United Arab Emirates has condemned in the strongest terms the attack launched by the Houthi group on King Fahd International Airport in the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, which resulted in two deaths and injuries to a number of civilians.

In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) affirmed that this attack constitutes a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and a threat to its security and stability.

The Ministry reaffirmed the UAE’s full solidarity with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and its support for all measures aimed at safeguarding the Kingdom’s security and stability.

The UAE expressed its solidarity, sincere condolences and sympathy to the families of the victims, as well as its wishes for a speedy recovery for all the injured.

Saudi Arabia on Thursday said it downed drones in the areas of Riyadh and the holy city of Medina, as Yemen's Houthis carry out daily attacks on the kingdom.

"Interception and destruction of four drones in the regions of Riyadh and Medina," said Turki Al-Malki in a post on X, the spokesman for the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Iran-backed group.

Egypt's Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Thursday said all options must be explored to find a political solution between Saudi Arabia and the Houthis.

At a press conference where he reiterated solidarity with Saudi Arabia, he stressed "the necessity of exploring all avenues for reaching political solutions".

Iran's Revolutionary Guards on Thursday threatened to strike American bases across the Middle East if the US military continues to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz.

"The US military must know that if this trend continues, the conflict will extend to its bases in the region," the Guards, the ideological arm of Iran's military, said in a statement on their Sepah News website.

"This is a serious warning," they added.

Iran claims control over Hormuz, a strategic shipping route through which one-fifth of the world's oil supplies passed before war broke out in February.

It regularly attacks ships that attempt to navigate the strait without its authorisation.

Top European diplomats will hold talks in Istanbul Friday with their counterparts from Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Egypt for a meeting initiated by Ankara, a Turkish foreign ministry source said.

Foreign ministers from the so-called E3 group -- Britain, France and Germany -- will meet counterparts from the newly created R4 group to discuss the Palestinian issue, developments in Yemen and the Strait of Hormuz, and ways to end the Russia-Ukraine war, the source said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will host the meeting, the first to bring together the two groups.

"The seven countries will come together for the first time in the R4+E3 format, at Turkey's initiative," the source said, indicating they would explore "opportunities for cooperation and coordination that could be put into practice ... in the coming period."

In chairing the meeting, Fidan was expected to focus on the international community "increasing pressure on Israel" in response to its settlement expansion and its "encouragement of settler terrorism", the source said.

Fidan would also underline support for Saudi Arabia's security in the face of attacks by Yemen's Houthis, and stress the need for permanent freedom of navigation in the Hormuz and Bab el-Mandeb Straits.

One Indian national was among the two people killed in Wednesday night’s attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, and two other Indians were injured, the Indian Embassy in Riyadh said in a post on X, citing information from Saudi authorities.

The embassy said it is gathering further details and reaching out to the affected families. It offered condolences to the family and loved ones of the deceased and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

King Fahd International Airport in Dammam has resumed operations following an attack that left two people dead and eight others injured, according to Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA). The authority announced the airport’s return to service after the incident.

The death toll from Wednesday evening’s attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam has risen to two after an additional fatality was confirmed, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said. The victims are a Saudi citizen and an Indian resident.

The number of injured remains at eight: one Saudi citizen, two Indian residents, two Yemeni residents, two Bangladeshi residents and one Nepalese resident. Their injuries range from minor to critical, and they are being treated at several hospitals.

GACA said work is continuing with the relevant security authorities to assess the damage and take all necessary measures to ensure the safety of passengers and airport staff. The authority confirmed that airport operations have resumed and air traffic has returned to normal.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X that Iran remains open to diplomacy if the U.S. demonstrates a willingness to build trust and reach a resolution.

But if the U.S. "chooses war over diplomacy, it'll certainly result in an even greater strategic failure," he added.

That echoed remarks he wrote in the Financial Times but gave no details of talks with Washington through mediators on Iran's recent seven-day proposal to end the war and fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Wednesday that mediation efforts are welcomed, though the final decision on terms rests with Trump.

Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said a ballistic missile struck a military camp adjacent to Yemen's Aden airport in Khor Maksar district.

The Houthis claim the military camp houses a command center for the Saudi-led forces fighting the rebels.

A transportation ministry official in Aden said airport operations were temporarily suspended and the tarmac wasn't damaged. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media.

This is the second time the Houthis claim to have targeted the military camp inside the airport complex in five days and the third this month.

A limited number of Saudi airlines took off and landed at the country's main airport, two days after authorities notified airlines that they could resume operations with prior permission.

Saudia and FlyNas were operating flights Wednesday, according to flight-tracking data published by FlightAware. Major carriers, including Lufthansa and Air France, have canceled flights through mid-November.

Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport has been hit multiple times this month by Yemen's Houthi rebels and shut down on Oct. 10.

King Fahd International Airport in Dammam was targeted in an attack on the evening of Wednesday, October 21, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) said in a statement. One resident was killed and eight others were injured, with injuries ranging from minor to critical. All the injured were taken to hospital immediately for treatment.

GACA said the attack also caused property damage, the extent of which is still being assessed, and added that further updates would follow.

Signs of a potential military confrontation between Iran and Israel have intensified, an Iranian official said late on Wednesday.

Mehdi Mohammadi, an adviser to Iran’s parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, warned that the two sides are moving closer to a “zero hour.”

“The signs of military confrontation, particularly between Iran and the Israeli regime, have noticeably intensified,” Mohammadi wrote on his Telegram channel Wednesday.

He pointed to what he described as increased enemy flights over Iraq, movements in occupied territories and military preparations designed to provide maximum flexibility for different scenarios.

“The enemy has moved closer to ‘zero hour,’” he wrote.

Axios, citing Israeli and US officials, reported on Wednesday that "dozens" of Israeli fighter jets flew as far as Iran’s border Monday in a large-scale operation intended to project military power and deter Tehran.

Yemen’s internationally-recognised government forces said they had carried out 835 strikes against Iran-backed Houthi targets in 24 hours, claiming about 285 fighters and commanders had been killed or wounded.

The operations were conducted under the military campaign known as “Dawn of Yemen”, according to army spokesperson Colonel Majed Abdullah al-Nazili.

Government forces report fresh gains in Taiz and Marib.

In a statement posted on X, al-Nazili said the military used combat aircraft, drones, field artillery, rocket launchers and sniper units to target Houthi positions, reinforcements, weapons, armoured vehicles, fortifications and supply routes.

Government forces also reported destroying or damaging around 190 military vehicles, pieces of equipment and drones.

The US-Israel war with Iran has prompted producers to rely on alternative pipelines, offshore transfers and tanker shuttles to keep oil moving. 

The bump in oil shipments highlights how Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates have adapted to disruptions in the Strait of Hormuz.

The result: More oil is leaving the Middle East now than before the war with Iran began, despite Tehran’s efforts to disrupt shipping through the strait, according to energy intelligence firm Kpler.

Exports have climbed to more than 24 million barrels a day, up from 23.3 million before the war, as Saudi Arabia and the UAE ramp up pipelines that bypass the strait. 

By diverting more crude through pipelines to export terminals outside the strait, the two countries have helped sustain regional oil flows despite heightened security risks.

The higher export volume, however, does not mean the disruption has been cost-free, as per the International Energy Agency (IEA).

The cost is steep: Iranian attacks on shipping and the threat of further escalation have increased freight rates, war-risk insurance premiums and other costs associated with moving oil through the region.

The US Treasury Department sanctioned Karnakis and Karnakis, a law firm based in Panama and Greece that it says has supported Iranian shipping for years. Treasury also sanctioned shipping agents based in other countries that it says directly aid Iranian shadow fleet operations.

Qatar and France have condemned Iran’s military attacks on countries in the region and demanded that shipping through the Strait of Hormuz be restored without restrictions or fees, according to a Qatari Foreign Ministry post on X on Wednesday.

The joint statement came after talks between Qatar’s Emir, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, and French President Emmanuel Macron, who was on a state visit to Doha from Oct. 20 to 21.

The two leaders described Iran’s attacks as “a serious breach of international law.” They also voiced support for diplomatic efforts to counter threats from Tehran, including guaranteeing that its nuclear program remains “exclusively peaceful.”

Both sides backed moves to reopen the Strait of Hormuz to unrestricted navigation and agreed to step up diplomatic coordination to ease tensions and strengthen regional security.

Macron commended Qatar’s mediation efforts, while Doha restated its commitment to global energy security and stable energy supplies.

The Saudi energy ministry said that falling debris from the succesful interception of a drone targeting an oil facility killed two people and injured a further two on Wednesday.

"The attempted attack resulted in the deaths of two individuals, a Filipino and a Nepali, and injuries to two others," the ministry said in a statement. It did not say who launched the drone aimed at Shaybah oil field near the UAE border.

Washington has ordered all US embassy staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia, a diplomatic source told AFP on Wednesday, as the kingdom comes under sustained attack by Yemen's Houthis.

"All American staff and their families have been ordered to depart from the US embassy in Saudi Arabia," the source said, adding that the families of embassy staff were also ordered to leave the United Arab Emirates, Jordan, Qatar and Bahrain.

Iran's state media reported on Wednesday the sound of explosions in the southern Hormozgan province overlooking the Strait of Hormuz.

"A few minutes ago, the sound of several explosions was heard in the Karpan area of Sirik, in Hormozgan Province," the official IRNA news agency said, adding that "local sources have not yet disclosed the nature of these explosions."

The US Treasury Department has sanctioned Panama- and Greece-based law firm Karnakis and Karnakis, shipping agents and vessels over their alleged support for illicit Iranian shipping activity, the department said in a post on X.

The Treasury said the activity indirectly helped Tehran generate revenue to fund its military, weapons and nuclear programmes.

The measures were announced under Operation Economic Outcast, which Washington said involves coordination with partners in Europe and around the world to cut off Iran’s remaining economic lifelines.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi discussed regional developments and continued Houthi attacks on Saudi territory during a meeting in Riyadh on Wednesday, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.

Safadi affirmed Jordan’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia in confronting the attacks and its support for all measures taken by the Kingdom to protect its security, stability and sovereignty, as well as the safety of its citizens and residents.

The two ministers also discussed efforts to de-escalate regional tensions, prevent conflicts from spreading and safeguard navigation through the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab Al Mandab Strait.

Following the meeting, the ministers signed an amended protocol establishing the Saudi-Jordanian Higher Coordination Council, which aims to strengthen cooperation between the two countries across various fields.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Seyyed Mojtaba Khamenei has met Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf to discuss the latest developments in the country, Iranian news agency Press TV reported.

According to Press TV, the discussions covered what it described as US and Israeli military, economic and cognitive warfare against Iran.

Khamenei called for strengthening the country’s capabilities and highlighted parliament’s role in maintaining social cohesion and national unity, the report said.

The supreme leader urged the government and parliament to work together to address economic issues affecting the public and advance matters concerning Iran’s strategic partners, Press TV reported.

Iran’s newly appointed Defence Minister Mehrdad Akhlaghi said he had prioritised the demands of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) Aerospace Force and the Army’s Air Defence during his first hours at work.

In a post on X, Akhlaghi said Iran would respond to repeated threats by strengthening its readiness and defensive capabilities, adding that the country was focused on developing new technologies.

“We may eat dirt, but we will not give up our soil,” he said.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El Sisi said on Wednesday that Cairo's proposed military support for Riyadh was to "defend Saudi territory, and does not include an attack on Yemen," according to a statement from his office.

At a government event titled Egypt Forum 2026, Sisi said the "objective is to defend the kingdom's lands and borders, as well as those of any other Arab state, should it be requested of Egypt," his spokesman said in a statement.

Sisi on Saturday had asked parliament to authorise support for Saudi Arabia in its war with the Houthis, "if requested".

The parliament, which is stacked with supporters of the president, has since held two rare secret sessions, before postponing deliberations until next week.

Following the morning event where Sisi made the speech, which was reported on a delay, a high-level Egyptian delegation visited Riyadh, the kingdom's state news agency reported.

Egypt's top diplomat Badr Abdelatty and spy chief Hassan Rashad delivered a letter from Sisi to Saudi Arabia's de facto ruler Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi press agency said.

The contents of the message were not reported.

The Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen's Houthis said on Wednesday it intercepted six drones launched towards the kingdom, including in the Medina region home to one of Islam's holiest cities.

"Four drones launched towards the kingdom have been intercepted and destroyed," coalition spokesman Turki al-Malki posted on X, adding in a second post that the interceptions took place in Saudi Arabia's Eastern province, as well as Medina.

Al-Malki, who did not specify who was behind the launches, later said another drone had been intercepted, also in the Eastern province.

On Wednesday evening, the coalition announced it had intercepted a sixth drone launched by the Houthis.

The Houthis earlier denied having targeted the kingdom, with military spokesman Yahya Saree saying their forces had not carried out any operations "deep" in Saudi territory.

French President Emmanuel Macron landed in Riyadh where he is due to meet Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday, in a surprise "solidarity" visit after weeks of Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia.

Macron is the first Western leader to visit the kingdom since Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis intensified their attacks this month.

The trip is part of a Gulf tour to secure diesel and petrol supplies as Macron seeks to bring down energy prices following violent protests in France sparked by rising living costs that have created a political crisis for the president.

"The president of the republic is travelling to Saudi Arabia this afternoon to meet with Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman," a statement from Macron's office said.

The visit aimed to "demonstrate France's solidarity with the kingdom in the face of the attacks carried out by the Houthis against its territory, and to continue efforts undertaken on securing and diversifying hydrocarbon supplies", it added.

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

Day 232: 7-day Hormuz reopening plan still on the table: Iran

Day 231: Saudi Arabia intercepts four drones in Riyadh and east