By Daniel Flynn and Max Hunder KYIV, Oct 15 (Reuters) - Ukraine struck a Russian oil refinery on Thursday, after President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said Kyiv was "done" supporting a ceasefire on energy targets announced by US President Donald Trump and ignored by Russia. Since Trump's surprise announcement on Sunday that Russia and Ukraine had agreed to halt attacks on energy, Kyiv had suspended attacks on Russian refineries, which Trump blames for raising diesel prices on global markets. But in the days that followed, Russia rained down deadly missile and drone strikes, including on energy targets such as power stations, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of people. In an interview with the Financial Times published on Thursday, Zelenskiy said Ukraine's patience had run out. "The block (on attacking refineries) is out. We're done," he told the newspaper. Zelenskiy also made clear he believed that changes in the capability of the military version of SpaceX's Starlink receptors this week, which have curbed Ukraine's ability to use them to pilot its drones, were a policy decision. "It was not a technical problem, it was the will," he told the FT. In a social media post overnight, SpaceX boss Elon Musk said usage of the military version of Starlink, known as Starshield, was ultimately up to Trump, as president of the United States. "Starshield systems are owned and controlled by the US government. Any limits on speed or usage are decided by the US military and ultimately POTUS," Musk wrote. BIGGEST RIFT WITH WASHINGTON OF THE WAR By effectively walking away from Trump's demand that Ukraine halt attacks on refineries, Zelenskiy risks deepening the biggest rift between Kyiv and Washington since Russia's invasion of Ukraine in February 2022. Although Trump has described the ceasefire as a requirement for both Moscow and Kyiv, his public comments have focused mainly on Ukraine's attacks on Russian refineries, which he said over the weekend had "damn well better stop". Trump has long had a testy relationship with Zelenskiy and berated him in the White House in February 2025. But his sharp turn against Kyiv in recent days has little precedent. He first angered Ukraine last week by abruptly lifting sanctions on Russian diesel, and then called on Ukraine to replace Zelenskiy. Ukrainians worry that the rift could have severe consequences on the battlefield, where the Ukrainian military still depends on technology provided by Washington. Over the past several days, Ukrainian officials have reported that they have not received the usual warnings from Western allies about incoming Russian missiles, which rely on US satellite detectors. Trump has denied withholding intelligence. Zelenskiy said the failure to provide the warnings had been presented to Kyiv as a technical glitch. At the same time, military-grade Starlink receptors have stopped working in Ukraine when mounted on fast-moving objects, interfering with the performance of Ukrainian drones that rely on them for onboard guidance systems over Ukrainian territory. A source in Ukraine's defence ministry said on Thursday that the receptors were now working when in motion, but only at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour (160 kph). Ukrainian officials have said that is too slow for mid-range attack missions and interceptor drones that defend against Russian drones. REFINERY SUPPLYING MOSCOW HIT Ukraine has been using its long-range drones to target Russian refineries and logistics in recent months, which it says is its only answer to nearly five years of relentless Russian bombardment. The attacks have caused fuel shortages in Russia. Trump, under pressure to lower fuel prices, especially for diesel which has reached record highs since he launched a war against Iran in February, says the Ukrainian attacks are driving up global prices. Ukraine's latest target was a refinery in the Ryazan region southeast of Moscow, which is owned by state oil major Rosneft and accounts for nearly 5% of Russia's refinery throughput, helping supply the capital. Regional governor Pavel Malkov said in a post on Telegram that a major Ukrainian drone attack had caused a fire at the refinery. Damage was being assessed and emergency services were at the scene. A Ukrainian official confirmed that Ukraine had hit a Russian refinery overnight in response to Moscow's heavy ballistic missile and drone attacks this week that violated the energy truce. In the latest attacks on Ukraine, three people were killed and six wounded in the central region of Kirovohrad overnight, as Russia launched more than 500 drones. State-owned energy company Naftogaz said a gas extraction facility in Poltava was damaged and operations were suspended. The Kremlin said on Thursday that Ukraine's targeting of Russian energy infrastructure ran counter to US peace efforts. It said earlier this week that the scope of the energy ceasefire had never been determined and work was still ongoing to do so. BREAKDOWN IN RELATIONS In the FT interview, Zelenskiy criticised Washingtons eagerness to strike business deals with Moscow and Trumps apparent admiration for Russia's Vladimir Putin. The rift has raised concern in Kyiv and European capitals about the heavy reliance in Ukraine on US intelligence and technology. Under Trump, Washington has already halted weapons supplies to Ukraine while allowing its European allies to continue buying US arms on Kyiv's behalf. But Europe has no ready-made alternatives to Starlink, or to US satellite systems used to detect Russian missile launches. Zelenskiy has said that Ukrainian military officials had been warned by US counterparts that Washington would block intelligence unless they halted strikes on Russian energy infrastructure. Asked whether Ukraine would be open to halting energy strikes as a way of repairing relations with the White House, Zelenskiy told the newspaper he could agree only if in return he were given more US-made Patriot interceptors, calling it the minimum that would be acceptable. Ukraine's navy said on Thursday it had destroyed six Russian Su-34M military aircraft in an overnight strike on the Borisoglebsk airfield in Russia's Voronezh region. The navy said on Telegram it used its Neptune coastal missile system in the attack. (Reporting by Daniel Flynn, Max Hunder, Dan Peleschuk, and Lina GolovnyaEditing by Tom Hogue, Edwina Gibbs, Jason Neely, Peter Graff) This article originally appeared on Reuters at https://uk.news.yahoo.com/zelenskiy-says-ukraine-resume-strikes-060307306.html Thu, 15 Oct 2026 12:04:48 +0000

In the midterm elections, meat is on the menu. As Democrats and Republicans argue over high prices and the Iran war, they're also having a food fight over who's the most red-blooded carnivore. The latest example came this week in Mississippi, where Democratic Senate candidate Scott Colom released a video with a snippet of Republican Sen. Cindy Hyde-Smith saying that if consumers are upset over high beef prices, you know you have so many proteins to choose from. The video cuts to a man grilling burgers who says, Pick another protein? I'd rather pick another senator instead. The Mississippi race is somewhat unusual because it's the Democrat hammering the Republican over beef. Elsewhere, Republicans have branded Democrats as vegans or otherwise opposed to meat, trying to show that they're culturally out of step with voters, hostile to local cattle industries or just not manly enough. In Texas, Republicans seized on an old interview in which Democratic Senate nominee James Talarico boasted that his campaign, then for the Texas statehouse, was going vegan. Talarico has since been publicly scarfing down barbecue to rebut allegations that his dietary choices mean he's not a real Texan. In Colorado, Republicans have gone after Democratic congressional candidate Manny Rutinel for his activism against meat production and factory farming. In college, he was photographed shirtless with a banner for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals around his chest. In 2021, Rutinel founded Climate Refarm, which advocated for cutting down on the use of meat and has signed onto letters advocating for raising taxes on meat and dairy. He also supported a 2024 ballot measure to ban a lamb slaughterhouse in Denver, which failed. Rutinel, 31, is now running against Republican Rep. Gabe Evans in Colorado's 8th district, which includes a vast swath of the northeastern part of the state dotted with ranches, dairy farms and meat processing facilities, including the headquarters of beef production titan JBS Swift. Republicans have hammered Rutinel over advocating veganism, to the point that the conservative media group Daily Wire this week released an undercover video of a campaign official saying Rutinel eats meat as little as possible. Rutinel, who's made a point of publicly eating steak tacos on the campaign trail, scoffed at such arguments. I don't think Coloradans care about what's on my plate, I think they care more about what's on theirs, Rutinel said in an interview after a recent campaign stop. Evans said the issue goes beyond Rutinel's meal preferences. I don't care what he eats personally, Evans said in an interview. I care that he wants to use the power of the government to make everyone eat that way. Republicans have gone after two other Democratic House candidates on meat hammering Lindsay James in Iowa's 2nd district, an area filled with hog farms, for supporting meatless May in a 2020 Facebook post, and Amish Shah in Arizona's 1st district for his longstanding vegetarianism and animal rights activism. Also in Iowa, Republican Senate candidate and current Rep. Ashley Hinson slammed her opponent, state lawmaker Josh Turek, for opposing a bill banning lab-grown meat from being sold in the state. Hed rather have meat that comes from a lab than from our family farms, she said at a campaign appearance. Democrats have hammered on meat as well, but mainly just as one of the staples that cost more under Trump, squeezing voters' pocketbooks. Trump has tried to lower prices by opening U.S. markets to beef imports, especially from Argentina, which is governed by a close Trump ally. However, those moves have angered U.S. producers as prices have remained stubbornly high, creating a potential weakness in Republican-leaning states where Democrats hope to gain ground this year. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the average pound of ground beef cost $6.79 last month, up from $5.55 in January of 2025, when Trump returned to office. That was the dynamic that Hyde-Smith, a cattle rancher and former state agriculture commissioner, was addressing in her interview that was clipped in Colom's video. The prosecutor who also delivers the pick another senator line in the spot is running a longshot challenge in Mississippi. A spokesman for Hyde-Smith's campaign argued that the Democrats deserve blame for high prices. It is Scott Colom who supports Biden-era policies that drove up inflation, said Nathan Calvert. ___ Associated Press writer Hannah Fingerhut in Des Moines, Iowa, contributed to this report.This article originally appeared on Associated Press at https://www.yahoo.com/news/politics/articles/everyone-same-midterms-wheres-beef-040657006.html Thu, 15 Oct 2026 04:06:57 +0000

The US military has developed new strike plans that include potentially using the so-called mother of all bombs to target Iranian energy infrastructure and nuclear sites should President Donald Trump give the order to resume combat operations either before or after the midterm elections, according to multiple US officials familiar with the matter. Using the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb or MOAB, the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal, for the first time in the conflict with Iran would mark a notable escalation, even though there are doubts over how effective it would be in accomplishing any of Trumps stated strategic objectives or tipping the balance of the war, multiple sources familiar with internal military planning discussions about potentially deploying the weapon said. Trump is facing pressure to bring an end to the deeply unpopular war as Republicans brace for potential political backlash from voters in the upcoming midterm elections and there is little indication the two countries are close to a negotiated resolution after more than six months of US bombing. While the US military continues to provide Trump with options for potential strikes against outstanding Iranian targets, some officials continue to privately question whether the White House has a strategy that incorporates those plans in a way that could actually end the war something only the president has the power to do. For months, Trump and his advisers have discussed options that could act as a definitive end to the war, at least from a messaging point of view, aware of how unpopular the conflict has become among Americans. While some administration figures have characterized the war as essentially won, Trump has been more guarded in recent remarks, stopping short of declaring victory and saying the US still has unfinished business in the country. Behind the scenes, Trump has also cast doubt on some outside allies who have encouraged him to simply bring US troops home and move on. Doing so, Trump has argued, would look like defeat. Over the course of the last several weeks, White House advisers have held meetings to discuss various options for Iran. While Trump announced publicly that he would not take new actions before the midterms, several advisers said privately they didnt know whether that statement was definitive or could change before Election Day. Trump has ordered the military to develop additional strike packages against Iranian targets that include a lot of energy infrastructure and the potential use of a MOAB, one of the sources told CNN. The same source said the phrasing used was that this attack would come prior to US retrograde in CENTCOM AOR (area of responsibility), indicating the administration could launch the additional strikes, attempt to declare victory and quickly pull everyone out. A second source told CNN that military plans for striking Iranian nuclear sites, including Pickaxe Mountain, also explicitly call for using the MOAB. In recent months, Trump has repeatedly threatened to strike Pickaxe, where the US and Israel believe Tehran has stored components of its nuclear program, even after pausing full combat operations earlier this year, and Trump continues to emphasize that his goal is to ensure Iran never obtains a nuclear weapon.

Doubts MOAB would be effective

Another US official noted that when the military plans, it develops a menu of options for policymakers that range from the high-end to low-end. Higher-end targets, including those that are located deep underground, require bigger bombs, and the MOAB is the biggest, the official added. But there are questions around whether the MOAB would be an effective munition to use against Irans nuclear facilities and other sites that are located deep underground. While the GPS-guided bomb is capable of destroying an area equivalent to nine city blocks, it likely lacks the capability to penetrate deep enough under the surface to destroy the suspected nuclear facilities at Pickaxe, which is believed to be fortified by layers of granite, and other remaining Iranian nuclear sites, sources said.

The MOAB is a massive information operation type weapon that is great for huge area clearance but not much else, a third source familiar with military planning discussions around Iran told CNN. It is definitely not designed as a deep penetration warhead. If used, the MOAB would have devastating effects on the area that it impacts but likely only at the surface level, the sources noted. And the bombs massive blast radius would almost certainly raise concerns about the prospect of civilian casualties particularly if it is used to target Iranian infrastructure targets located near populated areas and in close proximity to non-military sites. Still, Trump could opt to use the MOAB as a psychological weapon at a time when the Iranian regime appears dug in and unwilling to bend to his diplomatic demands. While US officials warn that deploying it is unlikely to force Irans capitulation or achieve a strategic military victory it could provide Trump with an additional option, short of restarting full combat operations, to alter the conflicts current status quo. POTUS has unfortunately put himself in a situation where he is almost compelled to do something and, without the ammunition designed to penetrate that level you have to look at psychological effects for which the MOAB is well-equipped, the third source familiar with recent planning discussions added. Many within the administration as well as outside analysts agree that the only way to decisively defeat Iran would be through a major operation involving ground troops, a commitment that could potentially cost thousands of American lives. The Pentagon considers all scenarios, so those plans exist, but as of now no one in the administration is arguing for such drastic action. Trump has indicated he has little interest in putting US boots on the ground in Iran but his desire to end the conflict as soon as possible presents a political dilemma for a president who is keenly aware of how unpopular the war has become yet has been unable to secure a diplomatic agreement that would bring it to a close. Top Trump administration officials and military planners have been focused, for weeks, on finding an off-ramp that gives Trump a symbolic win at minimum he can try to sell to the American people without preventing a potential diplomatic breakthrough, starting with an agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, CNN has reported. A fourth source familiar with the Pentagons recent planning discussions on Iran told CNN that military officials had developed some options that would amount to a fireworks show, with the goal of providing Trump an off-ramp from the conflict even if those strikes fail to accomplish his stated goals for starting the war in the first place. And despite Trumps recent pledge to hold off on launching additional strikes before the midterms, the US military already appears to be preparing for potential Iranian retaliation should the president give the go-order. The next turnover of US troops deployed to CENTCOM is also expected to take place within the next few weeks, according to a fifth source, a US official who acknowledged it is possible some of the personnel who rotate out of the region, may not be replaced by fresh service members. Asked about the plans, a White House official told CNN that they do not comment on sensitive military plans that may or may not exist, adding President Trump keeps all options on the table to ensure that Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. In response to CNNs request for comment, a Pentagon official said: The Department of War plans for a wide range of operational scenarios to execute Presidential and Secretarylevel direction and to ensure mission success in any operational environment.

MOAB developed for psychological operations

Developed during the Iraq War, the MOAB is an air blast-type warhead that explodes before hitting the ground to project a massive explosion from all sides. During the final stages of testing in 2003, military officials told CNN the MOAB was mainly conceived as a weapon employed for psychological operations. Military officials said then they hoped such a huge blast would rattle Iraqi troops and pressure them into surrendering or not even fighting. As originally conceived, the MOAB was to be used against large formations of troops and equipment or hardened above-ground bunkers. The target set has been expanded to include targets buried under softer surfaces, such as caves or tunnels. Trump was the first US president to deploy the MOAB, during his first term when he authorized the military to use its most powerful non-nuclear bomb on ISIS positions in Afghanistan in 2017. unknown content item - That strike targeted a network of fortified underground tunnels that ISIS had been using to stage attacks on government forces killing 36 ISIS fighters, Afghan officials said. The blast destroyed three underground tunnels as well as weapons and ammunition, but no civilians were hurt, Afghan and US officials added at the time. At the time, the bombing marked a dramatic change in attitude for Trump, who advocated an isolationist, America first foreign policy during his first election campaign. Following the 2017 strike, US military officials were pressed on whether the 21,600-pound bomb was necessary for that particular target and would likely face similar questions if the munition is deployed against Iran. For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.comThis article originally appeared on CNN at https://www.cnn.com/2026/10/15/politics/us-considering-mother-of-all-bombs-iran Thu, 15 Oct 2026 04:01:44 +0000

What to know about the Iran war today:

Ships remain exposed to "indiscriminate attacks" in the Strait of Hormuz, even if they try to hide their movements by switching off tracking systems, a maritime monitor said Thursday, confirming three strikes on vessels in the waterway this week.The Saudi-led coalition battling the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen said Thursday it had intercepted a cruise missile over Saudi Arabia's western Medina region. The Houthis called the claim "a shameless and brazen lie."President Trump has said he's considering joining the Saudi-led attacks on the Houthis as the rebels threaten global energy supplies. The Houthis have threatened to target U.S. personnel and interests across the Middle East if Mr. Trump does order strikes, which could drag the U.S. deeper into the wider 7-and-a-half-month war.

2 men convicted in Germany of planning attacks on pro-Israel figures on behalf of Iran

A German court on Thursday jailed two men convicted of planning attacks on prominent pro-Israel public figures and spying on Jews on behalf of Iranian secret services.The court in Hamburg sentenced a Danish national named as Ali S. to eight-and-a-half years in prison for planning deadly attacks on targets including the head of the German-Israeli society, Volker Beck, and the head of the Central Council of Jews in Germany, Josef Schuster.An Afghan accomplice, Tawab M., was sentenced to four-and-a-half years in prison. Prosecutors said he had agreed to recruit a third man and provide him with a weapon for the attack on Beck.S. took orders from the Quds Force, the elite foreign operations branch of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, in early 2025, prosecutors said.The two men were remanded in custody in Germany following their arrests and extraditions last year in Denmark.Their convictions came days after Britain's domestic spy chief warned of Iran's evolving "hybrid tactics" aimed largely at Jewish communities and groups in the U.K. and across Europe.CBS/AFP

EU and Persian Gulf nations postpone summit in Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks

A summit between the European Union and Persian Gulf countries that was scheduled to take place at the end of this month in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh has been postponed, the EU said Thursday, as Saudi Arabia faces attacks from Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels."The second Summit between the European Union and the Gulf Cooperation Council, originally planned for 24 October 2026 in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, has been postponed. A new date will be announced in due course," the EU's governing body, the European Council, said in a statement.The Saudi-led coalition fighting in support of Yemen's government said Thursday it had intercepted a ballistic missile in the region of Medina.The Houthis swiftly denied launching an attack on the Islamic kingdom's second holiest city.CBS/AFP

Yemen urges U.N. to take urgent action to lift Houthi siege of Taiz

Yemen's government has urged the United Nations and the U.N. Security Council to take urgent action to end what it described as a tightening Houthi siege of the southwest city of Taiz, warning of a looming humanitarian catastrophe affecting more than four million people.In a letter sent on Wednesday to senior U.N. officials and the International Committee of the Red Cross, Foreign Minister Afrah Al-Zouba warned that the Houthis' escalating siege on the government-held city had worsened humanitarian conditions, including in areas around Taiz where displaced people have sought shelter.The government called in its statement for the immediate lifting of the Houthi siege, the reopening of all access routes for civilians and supply chains, and unimpeded access to food, fuel and water. It also urged stronger monitoring and accountability mechanisms to document alleged violations and hold those responsible to account.Al-Zouba called for concrete international measures to protect civilians and prevent access to humanitarian essentials being used for political pressure.She said the situation required urgent action beyond expressions of concern, including ending the siege, restoring essential supplies and protecting civilian facilities.

Saudi Arabia says cruise missile intercepted in the kingdom's Medina region

The Saudi-led coalition battling the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen said Thursday that it had intercepted a cruise missile over the Medina region in western Saudi Arabia."Interception and destruction of a cruise missile in the Medina region," coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said in a post on X.He did not say where the missile came from, but the Houthis, who have been peppering the kingdom with airstrikes over the past week, said "the Saudi enemy's claims of an attack on Medina are a shameless and brazen lie."Medina is the second holiest city in Islam, after Mecca. In September, the Saudis accused the Houthis of attacking Mecca, the holiest city for Muslims, which they denied.

"Strait of Hormuz is closed," says Iranian naval officer, citing U.S. gas prices

An Iranian naval officer renewed Iran's claim on Thursday that the Strait of Hormuz is closed, saying U.S. gas prices wouldn't be so high otherwise."The Strait of Hormuz is closed; if it were not closed, oil would be passing through it and gas prices in the United States would not have increased," Iranian Army Coordination Deputy Rear Admiral Habibollah Sayyari told reporters on the sidelines of a ceremony honouring army nurses in Tehran, according to Iran's official IRNA news agency.He said the naval forces of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps' had a strong presence west of the strait, while the Iranian army was deployed east of the waterway and as far north as the Gulf of Oman, exercising what he called "100% control and supervision" over the area."If any transit takes place, it must be coordinated; otherwise, you can see in the news what happens," Sayyari said.

Ships in Strait of Hormuz remain exposed to "indiscriminate attacks," says monitor, as 3 more strikes confirmed

Ships in the Strait of Hormuz remain exposed to "indiscriminate attacks," regardless of the nations to which they are registered, the cargo they are carrying, their direction of travel, or whether they turn off their tracking devices, Greek maritime monitor Marisks said Thursday.Marisks said it had confirmed that three merchant vessels were struck by unidentified projectiles on Tuesday - incidents it said "demonstrate the indiscriminate nature of the current threat environment in the Strait of Hormuz."Marisks said the vessels were all navigating with their tracking devices turned off, a common tactic for boats trying to get through the waterway unnoticed, which shows it "does not provide effective protection against attack," the monitor said.The continued strikes on vessels in the strait show that, "although successful passages continue," ships in the strait are exposing themselves to a "critical and highly unpredictable maritime security threat," Marisks wrote, "with merchant vessels exposed to potentially indiscriminate attacks regardless of flag, cargo or direction of transit."Three of the ships struck this week were operated by the same firm, they added in their bulletin, which also "raises concerns regarding possible operator-linked targeting."

Tehran must be prepared for war amid peace talks, Iran's parliament speaker says

Iran must be prepared for war even as it negotiates with the U.S., the country's parliament speaker said Wednesday.Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf said in a televised speech that his country's main concern is preventing the U.S. from attacking again. But, he added, a signed agreement with Washington is no guarantee."They break their promises," said Qalibaf. As a result, Iran must be prepared to fight "against a bullying enemy," and "we must truly fight courageously on the battlefield.""That is when we will have achieved sustainable deterrence," he said. "America must be punished. America must change its behavior. It must understand that it has to come to terms with the Iranian people."

Trump on reports U.S. considering Iran strikes before midterms: "Leakers should be shot"

Speaking about news reports that the U.S. is considering potential strikes against Iran before the midterms in November, President Trump said Wednesday it was his opinion that "leakers should be shot.""In the old days, we used to shoot leakers," Mr. Trump said during a campaign rally speech in Bullhead City, Arizona. "When they leak what time you're going to attack a country, and the reason you're attacking is really for defense, because you don't want them to have a weapon that can blow up millions of people in one shot.""Now, leakers should be dealt with very, very strongly," he added. "To me, they're the scum of the earth."The Atlantic first reported on Oct. 7 that the Pentagon was developing strike options against Iranian targets, but no final decisions had been made. The next day, the president said on Truth Social that the U.S. would not attack Iran before the midterm elections, which take place on Nov. 3.

U.S. military destroyed Iran-affiliated vessel in Gulf of Oman last week, CENTCOM says

U.S. forces destroyed an Iran-affiliated vessel in the Gulf of Oman last week, the U.S. Central Command said on Wednesday.CENTCOM said the dhow, a generic name for an Arab sailing vessel, was conducting surveillance and targeting U.S. Navy ships. The ship's crew members were "safely removed prior to destruction of the dhow," the military command said in a social media post.It's unclear if the crew members were taken into custody or released.

Yemen wants training, intelligence assistance from U.S., foreign minister says

Yemen has asked the U.S. for training and intelligence support for the Yemeni armed forces and coast guard, as well as continued political, economic and humanitarian support, but their foreign minister made no mention of military support in a briefing to reporters Wednesday.Afrah Alzouba, Yemen's first female foreign minister, spoke in a briefing on several topics related to the ongoing Yemen-Houthi war, but did not explicitly mention requests for military support. In addition to intelligence and training, Alzouba requested the U.S. expand sanctions against the Houthis. She also asked for the EU and Washington to coordinate more closely on sanctions.She struck an aggressive tone when asked about possible negotiations with the Houthi militia, saying, "We are not calling for starting any negotiations." The Yemeni government eventually wants a peaceful settlement but is prioritizing military operations to end Houthi control, she said.She also emphasized Yemeni ownership of ongoing operations with air support from coalition partners: "The decision is Yemeni. The command is Yemeni. The soldiers are Yemenis."The Saudis are the strongest backers of the official Yemeni government forces, which has earned the ire of the Houthis. They have repeatedly targeted civilian infrastructure in Saudi Arabia in recent weeks, including a strike that killed 13 people at Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport. A four-year ceasefire between the two sides fell apart this summer.Alzouba said the contacts cited last month by President Trump between the U.S. and Houthis, which surprised some in the U.S., involved "warnings" against further attacks. She did not elaborate on timing or channels.

A look at the Iran- and Russia-linked hybrid attacks the U.K. spy chief says are flourishing

The head of Britain's top domestic spy agency MI5, Sir Ken McCallum, painted a dark picture Tuesday of the changing national security threats facing the U.K. and the world."We have entered a new era of national security, requiring a new response," he said in his annual threat update at MI5 headquarters in London. "Those who mean the U.K. harm aren't attacking things government owns or controls. They're aiming at people, businesses, communities."Iran has used and continues "using criminal proxies to try to intimidate oppositionists, Iranian media organizations, and Israeli sites," McCallum said.But analysts have also seen "Iran, like Russia, attempting to expand their hybrid campaign," he said, leading to more than 50 arrests in the U.K. over the last year alone."Sadly, much of this aggression has been aimed at British Jewish communities," McCallum said, speaking of incidents this year that included "a wave of arson and sabotage incidents targeting Jewish communities in the U.K. and other European nations," but also acts targeting "harder targets, like military sites."Read more here.

Attacks in Strait of Hormuz reach highest level since start of war, data shows

At least 10 vessels have been attacked in or near the Strait of Hormuz since Sunday, a high since war broke out between the United States, Israel and Iran, security data showed Wednesday.Four vessels were struck on Tuesday and six on Sunday the highest number of attacks in a single day since the start of the conflict according to data from security firm Vanguard, the International Maritime Organization and the British maritime agency UKMTO.Two seafarers have been reported missing and a container ship reportedly sank as a result of recent attacks, according to the maritime sources.Merchant vessels transiting the vital passage were first targeted by Iran in March in retaliation for U.S.-Israeli strikes on its territory, and Tehran has continued to strike vessels passing through the strait via routes it has not approved.The attacks have disrupted shipping through the strait, which is normally one of the busiest routes for exporting oil and other commodities from Gulf countries.Twenty-three attacks have been recorded since the start of October, almost double the average monthly number of incidents since the start of the war."Gulf oil flows have been recovering, with traffic through Hormuz recently returning to around 80 percent of pre-war levels despite the conflict," Vanguard analyst Barun Gupta told AFP on Wednesday."Increasing the tempo of attacks therefore gives Tehran a way of demonstrating that it can still disrupt that recovery and impose costs on commercial shipping and global energy markets," Gupta continued.

Yemeni government speaks to Chinese officials about Houthis developing advanced missiles

The Yemeni government has spoken with Beijing about the Houthis' alleged attempts to utilize Chinese-made technology for weapons, a Yemeni minister said on Wednesday."The Chinese are partners and we have discussed with them about, you know, the use of dual products," Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba said in response to an AFP question about reports the Iran-backed group was trying to secure Chinese components to help manufacture weapons."They were very keen for any sort of information so they can investigate it. Their support to the Yemeni government is clear," Zouba added.The minister spoke to journalists via a virtual press conference to address the war in Yemen, which has also drawn in the government's main backer, Saudi Arabia.The comments came after a recent report by the Conflict Armament Research group alleged the Houthis were attempting to produce advanced medium-range ballistic missiles.Conflict Armament Research also suggested the group was "expanding its supply chains beyond Iran-linked supply networks, with several purpose-built missile components found alongside shipping documents that listed a Chinese supplier."

Saudi-Houthi war in Yemen cutting off food assistance to 800,000 people, U.N. says

The escalating war between the Iran-backed Houthis and Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces is cutting off lifesaving food supplies to about 800,000 people in the region, according to the U.N. World Food Programme.Many parts of Taiz, Yemen's third-largest city, which is located in Houthi-controlled territory, is completely inaccessible to the nonprofit, the WFP said. There are more than 600,000 people, including 200,000 women and children, in Taiz who depend on humanitarian aid, according to the agency."We are critically concerned about the escalating conflict, but even more so about the growing number of people we can no longer reach because of it," El-Khidir Daloum, WFP representative and country director in Yemen, said in a statement Wednesday. "Many of the families affected have been displaced multiple times and were already struggling to afford even basic food items. This is the kind of situation that can rapidly spiral into a humanitarian catastrophe if assistance cannot move safely and reach those who need it most."The hunger situation in Yemen is among the worst in the world. Ten out of 16 districts in Yemen are categorized as being at emergency levels of food insecurity, the WFP said. About 500,000 children in Yemen under the age of 5 suffer from severe acute malnutrition, according to the group.There are also 37 WFP employees currently being held by the Houthis, the group said, calling for their immediate release.

Saudi Arabia postpones Netflix tennis tournament featuring top stars

The chairman of Saudi Arabia's General Entertainment Authority on Wednesday said the exhibition Six Kings Slam tennis tournament has been postponed for logistical reasons, after Yemen's Houthis carried out several deadly attacks on the kingdom."The Six Kings Slam tournament has been postponed due to logistical reasons and will now take place on December 27," wrote Turki Alalshikh on X, sharing a statement from the Riyadh Season entertainment program.The tournament, while not officially sanctioned as an ATP event, features some of the top players in the world vying for millions of dollars and airs live on Netflix. It had initially been scheduled to air Oct. 21 to 24.The men's-only event features Carlos Alcaraz, Novak Djokovic, Alexander Zverev, Taylor Fritz, Alex De Minaur and Learner Tien, who replaced Jannik Sinner due to injury. The event premiered in 2024 with Sinner winning each of the first two competitions. Sinner, Alcaraz, Djokovic or Zverev haswon every major since Wimbledon in 2022.CBS/AFP

Israel signs deal with Pentagon to acquire 12 Apache attack helicopters

Israel has signed a deal with the Pentagon to acquire 12 Apache helicopters from Boeing, according to the Israeli Ministry of Defense."The procurement of Apache helicopters is a critical step in building the IDF's force capabilities; it will strengthen operational readiness against a wide range of threats and contribute to the security of the State of Israel for years to come," Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement.The helicopters, the newest Apache E model, can carry 16 HELLFIRE missiles, 76 2.75-inch rockets and 1,200 30 mm chain gun rounds, according to Boeing.While the deal was signed Wednesday, it will be a while before they are in combat. They are "scheduled for delivery early next decade," according to the Israeli defense ministry. Israel already has older models of the Apache helicopter.Israel agreed to buy a second squadron of F-15IA fighter jets from Boeing earlier this year. They initially purchased a squadron in 2024.

Hassett blames disappointing inflation numbers on Houthi attacks

Kevin Hassett, the White House's top economic adviser, blamed the disappointing inflation numbers for September on attacks against Saudi oil assets."What happened was that because the Houthis started attacking the Saudi pipeline and other Iranian proxies from Iraq were attacking refineries and so on, we had a negative shock to energy again in September," Hassett told Fox Business on Wednesday."A lot of Trump policies are helping to keep inflation down, but the energy shock is really the headline story today," he said.Hassett said much of the energy concerns had "abated," and while the East-West pipeline is back up and running, the Houthis have also stepped up attacks in Saudi Arabia. In addition to targeting civilian airports, they have targeted Aramco, the world's largest oil producer, facilities and even the executive headquarters overnight Wednesday.The price of Brent crude, the international standard for oil, was hovering around $105 on Wednesday, up from $98 on the last day of September.

Saudi offers alternative travel routes for investment conference: AFP sources

Saudi Arabia plans to move ahead with a major investment conference in Riyadh despite Houthi attacks on the kingdom, offering on-site and virtual attendance as well as alternative air and land travel routes, diplomatic sources told AFP.Riyadh usually hosts a packed calendar of events, but it has recently seen escalating military tensions with the Iran-backed Yemeni group, which has intensified attacks on the kingdom's airports and oil facilities.Saudi Arabia's Future Investment Initiative Institute hosts an annual forum dubbed "Davos in the desert," which usually draws foreign leaders and business titans, and this year it is scheduled to be held in Riyadh from Oct. 26 to 29.In order to prevent cancellation, organizers reached out to embassies and foreign companies to explore "hybrid" participation options, allowing officials and business executives to attend either in person or virtually, diplomatic sources said.They have even discussed arrangements for participants to fly by private jet to Dhahran airport in eastern Saudi Arabia before traveling by road to Riyadh.A diplomat from an Asian country said "they contacted us and offered that attendees travel to Manama or Doha," referring to the capitals of Bahrain and Qatar respectively, and then drive by land to the Saudi capital.Riyadh's international airport, a main target for Houthi attacks, suspended operations last week after 13 were killed in a strike there, with no clear timeline for when air traffic would reopen.

U.S. inflation accelerated to 3.7% as energy costs soared

Inflation accelerated across the U.S. in September, rising at an annual rate of 3.7% as energy prices soared, according to new government data.Inflation picked up after two months of holding steady at an annual pace of 3.4%. Core CPI, which excludes the more volatile energy and gas categories, rose 2.6% from a year ago, accelerating from a 2.4% rate in August and higher than economists' forecast of 2.5%.Inflation has risen sharply since the start of the year due to soaring energy prices, sparked by the war in Iran and Russia's war with Ukraine.The Labor Department said Wednesday that gasoline prices, which rose 9.1% in September from the prior month, accounted for more than half the monthly increase in the CPI report. Energy prices rose 20.4% from a year ago, while gasoline jumped 34.2%.Prices at the pump have cooled slightly in recent weeks but remain elevated. The national average for a gallon of gasoline was $4.33 a gallon on Wednesday, AAA reported, up from $2.98 before the war started. The national average for diesel, which hit a record high in late September, was $6.29 a gallon.Read more here.

Lebanese, Iranian foreign leaders discuss situation in the Middle East

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun received a call from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Wednesday to discuss the situation in the Middle East, according to the Lebanese president's office.Both sides "discussed the current situation in the region in light of recent developments and agreed on the necessity of supporting diplomatic solutions as the best means to put an end to the conflicts in the region," the Lebanese presidency said in a statement about the call.The Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group has been waging war with Israel in the southern part of Lebanon for months, with the official Lebanese government attempting to cool the conflict down with ceasefire agreements. Those have all been dismissed and ignored by Hezbollah.Meanwhile, Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Saeed Khatibzadeh arrived in Lebanon for talks with several groups. He was greeted by Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, who is pro-Hezbollah, and other Hezbollah representatives, according to the official Iranian news outlet IRNA.The meeting comes amid an increase in attacks by another Iran-backed proxy group, the Yemen-based Houthis."During his visit, Khatibzadeh is scheduled to hold a series of meetings with senior Lebanese officials and prominent figures to discuss bilateral relations and explore opportunities to broaden cooperation between the two countries," according to IRNA.

2 more ships attacked in Hormuz: U.K. navy reports

Two ships sustained minor damage after coming under attack in the Strait of Hormuz, a British maritime agency reported Wednesday.Both vessels were struck on Tuesday by an "unknown projectile," bringing to four the number of attacks on ships in Hormuz that day.Iran and the United States continue to vie for control of the waterway, a vital shipping route for Gulf energy exports.Tehran regularly targets ships it accuses of transiting without its permission, while Washington has imposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports.The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Centre said a 50,000-ton container ship and another 19,000-ton vessel were struck but continued on their way after sustaining only minor damage.No casualties were reported in the attacks.British security firm Vanguard also said attacks had targeted four ships. It identified the vessels as the GFS Pride and GFS Giselle, both sailing under Singaporean flags, and the Alfonso, which was flying a Barbados flag. The fourth ship was identified as the Al Saadiyat, sailing under the Marshall Islands flag.According to Vanguard, the GFS Pride, a container ship, sank, while the fate of the Alfonso, a tanker, remains unknown.

Iran says cargo ship sinks after hitting naval mine in Strait of Hormuz

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said Wednesday that a cargo ship had sunk after hitting a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz. It is the first time Iran has reported a ship sinking after hitting a mine during the war.There were few details, including about the fate of the crew. Iranian state TV quoted a statement from the IRGC saying the ship was traveling on what Iran considers an illegal and dangerous route - likely the shipping lanes the U.S. has urged vessels to use, close to Oman's coast - when it hit the mine Wednesday morning.It said the ship was carrying 2,500 containers when it first caught fire. Iran has repeatedly warned ships against trying to transit the strait without its approval.At the end of August, President Trump declared the strait free of sea mines, saying U.S. forces had "totally cleared the strait of mines Any boat goes through with a mine, we take it out."There was no immediate verification of the sinking and no report by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations monitor.CBS/AP

Houthis warn attacks on Saudi airports, oil infrastructure will continue

The Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen said Wednesday that they would continue targeting Saudi Arabia's international airport and oil infrastructure in the coming days.In a televised statement, Houthi military spokesman Brig. Gen. Yahya Saree said the attacks were "in response to the treacherous Saudi aggression against the capital Sanaa and the free governorates" and part of the group's "deterrence operations against the Saudi aggressor."Saree also warned international shipping companies, civilians, and employees working at the targeted airports and businesses to "stay away from them and evacuate them immediately," as they would be considered legitimate targets.

Saudis say another Houthi ballistic missile targeting Riyadh was intercepted

A spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition forces said Wednesday they had intercepted an attack from the Iran-backed Houthi militia.Coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said in a post on X a ballistic missile "launched by the terrorist Houthi militia towards Riyadh has been intercepted and destroyed."Earlier, residents in the Saudi capital had reported hearing explosions.

Residents in Saudi Arabia's capital say they have heard new explosions in Riyadh

Residents in Saudi Arabia's capital say they have heard new explosions in Riyadh.The residents spoke on condition of anonymity for their safety. One lives in northern Riyadh, where King Khalid International Airport is located.The source of the explosions wasn't immediately clear. The Saudi civil defense reported air raid alerts in Riyadh and Kharj province southeast of the capital. Kharj is home to the state-owned Military Industries Corporation and Prince Sultan Air Base.The airport in Riyadh has been targeted several times in the past week with deadly attacks. Iran-backed Houthi rebels in neighboring Yemen have claimed responsibility.

Intercepted missiles over Riyadh injure at least 4 people, officials say

Saudi Arabia's Civil Defense said debris from two intercepted Houthi missiles fell on residential areas in Riyadh on Tuesday, injuring four people and damaging 15 homes.State-run Saudi Press Agency reported the injured included two women, a man and a child. Images released by Saudi's Civil Defense showed broken windows caused by what it said was fallen shrapnel.CBS/AP

Building fire reported in Aramco compound targeted by Houthis, Saudi officials say

The Saudi Ministry of Energy said Tuesday a limited fire broke out in an administrative building in Aramco, one of the world's largest oil facilities, that was targeted in the country's Eastern Province. The ministry said no injuries were reported.The attack comes as the Iranian-backed Houthis and the Saudi coalition exchanged attacks Tuesday night. It marks a fresh escalation in the widening Middle East crisis and came shortly after the Saudi coalition reported a series of alerts for incoming missiles heading for the country's Eastern Province, a major oil-producing region and the capital Riyadh.

Saudi-led forces confirm strikes on Yemen oil sites

The Saudi-led coalition battling the Iran-backed Houthis confirmed it struck oil sites across western Yemen on Tuesday, including in the capital Sanaa, in response to the deadliest attack on the kingdom's soil in years.Blasts were heard shortly after in Saudi capital Riyadh and at an oil giant Aramco facility in eastern Saudi Arabia, witnesses and journalists told AFP.Tuesday's coalition strikes in Yemen's Sanaa and the western provinces of Dhamar and Saada targeted facilities used to "supply the war effort" by the Houthis to "threaten the kingdom, Yemen, the southern Red Sea and waterways," coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki wrote on X.An AFP correspondent in Sanaa reported an explosion, while a breaking news alert on the Houthi-affiliated Al-Masirah TV channel said earlier that "Saudi aggression" targeted the oil firm.This article originally appeared on CBS News at https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-us-houthi-saudi-arabia-trump/ Thu, 15 Oct 2026 11:30:35 +0000

If you or someone you know has experienced sexual violence, RAINNs National Sexual Assault Hotline offers free, confidential, 24/7 support to survivors and their loved ones in English and Spanish at: 800.656.HOPE (4673) andHotline.RAINN.organd en EspaolRAINN.org/es. Police are investigating a report that a woman was sexually assaulted during a fraternity party near the University of Chicago campus, an allegation that has drawn widespread attention as colleges and fraternities face renewed scrutiny over sexual violence and campus safety. The incident was reported shortly after 2 a.m. local time on Oct. 11 at the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity house, according to the University of Chicago Police Department's daily crime log. The log states that "a victim reported being sexually assaulted by an unknown suspect while at a party" at the off-campus residence. The University of Chicago, a private school with about 18,000 students enrolled, said in a statement that a woman who is not affiliated with the school reported that she was sexually assaulted at around 1:50 a.m. local time during a party at the fraternity house. Another person intervened, and the suspect fled before police arrived. In an update on Oct. 13, the university said a person of interest had been identified through witness statements and video evidence from university cameras and license-plate readers. The person of interest is not a student, has no affiliation with the school, and has been banned from campus. University officials said the school's Department of Safety and Security shared the evidence with the Chicago Police Department, which is leading the criminal investigation. As of Oct. 14, the Chicago Police Department said no arrest had been made and that the investigation remained ongoing. "Since the CPD investigation is still active and charges have not been filed, the University is not at liberty to disclose the name of the person of interest," the university said in the statement. "Separate from CPDs ongoing investigation, the University will continue to determine whether violations of University policy occurred, and will initiate disciplinary actions as warranted." USA TODAY reached out to the Alpha Epsilon Pi fraternity for comment.

'I was brutalized': Cornell rape allegations, investigation, lawsuit

Report: Group allegedly cheered as woman was sexually assaulted

The Chicago Police Department confirmed to USA TODAY on Oct. 14 that a 21-year-old woman reported the assault to police and "self-transported" to University of Chicago Hospital for treatment. According to The Chicago Sun-Times, which obtained a police report, the victim told police she had been dancing and drinking at the fraternity party before she "began feeling unwell." She reported being sexually assaulted inside the fraternity house. The newspaper reported that two friends of the woman told police they forced their way into a bathroom to intervene and a group of men attempted to block them from entering. The men were seen "cheering and appearing to encourage the activity inside," according to the report cited by the Sun-Times. The woman's friends found her and a man inside the bathroom, both partially undressed, the newspaper reported. The woman was described in the report as "not fully conscious," according to the Sun-Times. The Sun-Times reported that one friend told the man to get off the woman, and "he responded that everything was 'cool.'" The newspaper also reported that when the woman and her friends later confronted the man outside the fraternity house, another man claimed they had identified the wrong person and directed them elsewhere before fleeing. One of the victim's friends briefly pursued the man before encountering a university police officer and reporting the incident, according to the Sun-Times.

'Baffling': Early Cornell rape investigation troubles experts

Fraternities under renewed scrutiny nationwide

The University of Chicago described the report as "deeply concerning" and said supporting the alleged victim and assisting police remain priorities. University officials noted that fraternities are not recognized student organizations at the university and are not formally affiliated with the school, though students remain subject to university policies and disciplinary procedures. The reported assault comes at a time of heightened national attention on sexual violence allegations connected to college campuses. Much of that attention has centered on Cornell University, where a woman alleged in a lawsuit that she was drugged and repeatedly sexually assaulted by fraternity members during an incident in 2024. The allegations became public last month and sparked criticism of the school's handling of the case. Though Cornell conducted its own investigation and imposed disciplinary actions, no criminal charges were filed. The men accused in the lawsuit have denied wrongdoing. In response to the controversy, Cornell University announced this week that it is suspending fraternity events through the rest of this academic year, saying it plans to involve the New York State Police in future investigations of campus sexual assault allegations. The changes came amid mounting pressure from students and advocacy groups seeking a stronger response to reports of sexual misconduct. Fraternities have also come under increased scrutiny at the University of Arizona, which earlier this month temporarily suspended fraternity activities following reports of assault, hazing, and other misconduct. This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Police investigate reported sexual assault at frat party near UChicagoThis article originally appeared on USA TODAY at https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2026/10/15/university-chicago-sexual-assault-investigation/92256497007/ Thu, 15 Oct 2026 05:17:30 +0000