Middle East Crisis

Strait of Hormuz
Iran: Seven vessels damaged in the Strait of Hormuz

Seven vessels have been damaged in or near the Strait of Hormuz. This was stated by Iran's Revolutionary Guard, according to reports from several media outlets.

Four of the vessels were allegedly attacked directly by the Iranian military, while three others reportedly struck mines in the strait.

These claims have not been confirmed by independent sources. Iran's account of events in the strait often differs significantly from, for example, the American version.

Houthi Rebels
At least one dead in attack on airport in Saudi Arabia

At least one person has been killed and eight injured in an attack on the airport in Dammam, in eastern Saudi Arabia, according to the country's authorities.

It remains unclear what was used in the attack, and the extent of the damage to the airport is currently being investigated, according to a post on X.

Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen reports that four drones launched by the Iranian-backed Houthi movement have been shot down in eastern Saudi Arabia.

The Houthis have previously targeted Saudi airports. On Wednesday, the airport in the capital, Riyadh, reopened after having been closed following deadly attacks earlier in October. 

The Election in Israel
Expert: "Responsible and boring" Eisenkot might be the right choice

Many Israeli voters in the upcoming election simply want a bit more calm in their daily lives. This is according to researcher Tal Elovits at the think tank Molad, speaking to AFP. He believes that Gadi Eisenkot—Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's primary challenger—appeals to many voters.

"The middle class is looking for someone who comes across as responsible and boring. I think Eisenkot has that kind of appeal."

Among other things, Eisenkot is campaigning on a platform to restore Israel's international reputation, which has been damaged by the conduct of the war in Gaza and the violence in the West Bank.