Iran war updates: Five killed, 16 hurt in Houthi attack on palace in Aden

Our 24-hour coverage of the US-Israel war on Iran, the fighting in Yemen and Israeli attacks on Gaza continues.

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As we wrap up our coverage for the day, here’s a recap of the key developments:

• At least five people were killed and 16 wounded in a Houthi attack on the presidential palace in Yemen’s southern city of Aden, according to the country’s health minister.
• Authorities in Yemen’s Marib governorate said the Houthis have fired nine ballistic missiles and seven other projectiles at residential neighbourhoods in the city.
• Saudi Arabia described Houthi attacks on its airports and oil facilities as “full-fledged war crimes”, while France said it has begun deploying military assets to help protect the kingdom’s energy infrastructure.
• US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington will continue imposing sanctions until Iran’s “coffers are empty”, after announcing measures targeting 16 individuals and 10 entities.
• Lebanese President Joseph Aoun urged US Secretary of State Marco Rubio to press Israel to halt its attacks and destruction in southern Lebanon.
• Israeli settlers wounded a Palestinian man in a shooting attack in Beit Ummar, north of Hebron in the occupied West Bank.

The Palestinian news agency Wafa reports that a Palestinian youth was wounded by live-fire shrapnel to the head during an Israeli raid on the city of Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank.

A large Israeli force stormed the central Tulkarem area on Thursday evening, detaining several young men and taking them away with their hands tied after questioning them, Wafa said.

Israeli forces also deployed heavily across the city’s eastern and western neighbourhoods, firing stun grenades and tear gas, while a surveillance drone flew overhead, the news agency added.

The Palestinian Red Crescent Society said its crews treated the wounded youth and that his condition was stable.

The UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) centre says the threat to commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz remains “severe”, warning that further attacks are highly likely amid continued Iranian military activity.

In its latest advisory, issued on behalf of the Joint Maritime Information Center (JMIC), UKMTO reported eight attacks involving projectiles of unknown origin against vessels in the strait on October 11 and 13.

The incidents involved four tankers and four container ships, including the GFS Pride, which caught fire and sank on October 14.

“IRGC attacks, attempted attacks and/or harassment activity persisted,” the advisory said, citing drone overflights, surveillance of merchant vessels and radio warnings.

The centre also said commercial traffic remained well below pre-war levels, although US-assisted vessel movements averaged approximately 30 transits a day over the previous 96 hours.

It warned that vessels travelling with their identification systems switched on faced an elevated risk of being targeted or ordered to divert towards Iranian-controlled routes.

The advisory also reported 149 maritime security incidents across the region since March 1.

The US embassy in Riyadh is warning of potential attacks on airports in Saudi Arabia and says US government employees now need special authorisation to use any airport in the kingdom.

In a security alert on Thursday, the embassy said Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation had extended the suspension of operations at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh through Saturday.

King Abdulaziz International Airport in Jeddah and King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, where Aramco is headquartered, were operating with some delays and cancellations, the embassy said. It urged US citizens to “take extreme caution” if they use Saudi airports, and suggested private car, train or bus travel as alternatives.

It said airports in Bahrain, Jordan, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates remained operational.

Canada has advised its citizens to avoid all travel to King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and non-essential travel to other Saudi airports following a series of missile and drone attacks.

In a security advisory posted on X, the Canadian embassy in Saudi Arabia noted that airports in Riyadh and Dammam had been targeted multiple times in recent days and that Riyadh’s main airport remained closed.

“Further attacks could occur affecting airspace restrictions, airport closures, and flight disruptions with little or no warning,” the embassy warned.

Canadians were also advised to avoid non-essential travel through airports in Dammam and Jeddah.

The embassy suggested that citizens wishing to leave Saudi Arabia consider flights from neighbouring countries, including Bahrain, Qatar, the United Arab Emirates and Jordan.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) says its forces are prepared to confront threats across the country, including on land, at sea and in the air.

“We are ready in all areas, including ground, naval, air, air defence and security, throughout the country, and have established a strong defensive front,” Major-General Mostafa Izadi, deputy commander-in-chief of the IRGC, said, according to the Fars News Agency.

“The enemy is in a shaky position and makes new claims each time to cover up this situation,” he added.

Izadi also referred to the US military presence in Iraq and Afghanistan, saying American forces had “fled in haste” in both countries.

Saudi Arabia says attacks by Yemen’s Houthis on civilian, economic and airport facilities in the kingdom “constitute full-fledged war crimes”.

Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji said the missile and drone attacks had “exceeded all moral and religious considerations” by deliberately targeting Mecca and Medina, Islam’s holiest cities, as well as pilgrims and visitors.

Elkhereiji added that the kingdom will take “all legitimate measures” to defend its territory and deter aggressors, according to remarks carried by the Foreign Ministry’s X account. The ministry also reiterated Saudi Arabia’s support for Yemen’s internationally recognised government.

A US Department of State official has said Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on the confiscation of hundreds of kilograms of explosives belonging to Hezbollah.

According to the official, Rubio urged Aoun to hold those responsible for the smuggled shipment of explosives accountable and initiate direct communication between the Lebanese and Israeli military “for deconfliction”.

Earlier, we reported that the Lebanese president’s office said the president asked Rubio to pressure Israel to halt attacks on southern Lebanon and the destruction of villages there.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu faces serious challenges in the upcoming general elections on October 27th.

His campaign has been overshadowed by many accusations of his failure to prevent the October 7 attacks three years ago.

On Wednesday, the former Shin Bet chief said he’d repeatedly warned him about the possibility of an escalation on the Gaza front. Several other warnings have reportedly been communicated to the prime minister.

Al Jazeera’s Inside Story speaks with experts about Netanyahu’s chances in the election.

Watch below:

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has said his department will continue its sanctions campaign until “the Iranian regime’s coffers are empty”.

Bessent said in a social media post the Treasury Department “will not relent until … every remaining financial lifeline sustaining [Iran’s] war machine has been severed”.

“The noose is tightening around Iran’s economy, and not even Iran’s so-called allies can save it,” he said.

Earlier today, the Treasury Department announced new Iran-related sanctions targeting 16 people and 10 entities.

Iranian army commander Amir Hatami says the Strait of Hormuz is under “full surveillance”, with armed forces prepared for battle, Iranian state broadcaster IRIB reports.

Hatami told Imam Ali Officers’ University that, with the surveillance of the army and the IRGC, “not a single enemy vessel has been able to enter the maritime space of Oman and the Strait of Hormuz.”

The US Central Command (CENTCOM) has dismissed three Iranian claims in a post on X.

CENTCOM said the US and regional partners continue to control the Strait of Hormuz, despite a claim of authority over the critical waterway by the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).

Yesterday, the IRGC said a Singapore-flagged container ship sank after hitting a naval mine in the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM responded to Iran’s statement, claiming that the civilian vessel was hit by an Iranian projectile and sank “while being towed to shore”.

CENTCOM also dismissed claims that the IRGC “killed hundreds of US service members in Jordan”.

“Three American service members were killed in action in July as partner forces defended against Iranian attacks”, CENTCOM said.

Yemen’s Marib Governorate says the Houthis launched an “intense bombardment” this evening using 16 ballistic missiles and other projectiles that targeted several neighbourhoods in Marib city.

According to the Media Office of Marib Governorate, the city’s residential neighbourhoods were targeted with nine ballistic missiles and seven other projectiles, in a “flagrant violation of international laws and norms that criminalise targeting civilians and civilian facilities.”

In a statement, the media office warned of the Houthis’ continued targeting of populated areas in a “dangerous escalation aimed at civilians and threatening their safety and security.”

“Calling on the international community, the United Nations, human rights and humanitarian organisations to condemn these aggressions, and to take serious positions and measures to stop targeting civilians and hold those responsible accountable,” the statement added.

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister for Public Diplomacy Rayed Krimly has accused Iran of “encouraging” recent Houthi escalation.

The senior Saudi diplomat said in a briefing to reporters that Iran continues to “arm, train and support the Houthi militia in violation of relevant UN Security Council resolutions and in violation of its commitments in the Beijing agreement,” referring to an agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran, brokered by China in March 2023.

Krimly added that Saudi Arabia believes China and Russia are involved in supporting both Iran and the Houthis.

“Of course, some of the capabilities of Iran, and of the Houthis, do come – or the intelligence – do come from at least elements in Russia or China, even commercial elements sometimes, but we do discuss these matters regularly with China and Russia, and we will continue to do so,” he said.

The spokesperson for the French Foreign Ministry, Pascal Confavreux, says France ⁠⁠has started deploying military assets in Saudi Arabia.

Confavreux said in a news conference that France is ⁠⁠starting to put operational elements ⁠⁠of an agreement to ⁠⁠help protect Saudi Arabian oil facilities into practice. He did not disclose the details of the military support sent to Saudi Arabia.

French President ⁠⁠Emmanuel Macron said ⁠⁠last month that France would send troops and defence ⁠⁠systems to Saudi ⁠⁠Arabia to ⁠⁠help protect the Red Sea port city of Yanbu, ‌‌a key hub for energy transport.