Netanyahu urges new strikes on Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged the Trump administration to launch a new series of strikes against Iran. He made the request during a phone call with President Donald Trump over the weekend. A person briefed on the conversation said Trump did not commit to military action during the discussion.

Two regional officials and one other source familiar with the matter told The Associated Press that Netanyahu is pushing for these strikes to occur after Tuesday’s midterm elections in the United States. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing classified briefings from American and Israeli authorities.

Despite the push for military action, diplomatic efforts have made progress, according to the two regional officials. Mediators are working on a framework for Iran to stop attacks in the Strait of Hormuz. In exchange, the United States would lift its blockade on Iranian ports. More talks are scheduled for this week.

Iran announced on Monday that it has a two-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume nuclear talks with the United States. The country previously stated it could implement a plan within a week if Washington met seven conditions. These conditions included lifting the port blockade, removing sanctions on Iranian oil sales, and agreeing to a ceasefire that includes Lebanon.

Esmail Baghaei, a spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, said the new timeline remains the basis for negotiations. He stated that the plan demonstrates Iran’s good-faith approach. Ships passing through the reopened strait would follow a route agreed upon by Iran and Oman.

A vessel transiting the strait was struck by an unknown projectile on Monday, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. The impact left a hole in the ship, but all crew members were reported safe. Iran has claimed it attacks vessels that take unauthorized routes. The U.S. military denies claims of naval mines, stating that U.S. forces have cleared all internationally recognized routes.

Meanwhile, Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels accused Saudi Arabia of striking a shipping port on Yemen’s Red Sea coast. The attack set ships on fire. Earlier in the day, the Houthi-run health ministry reported that explosives hit a market in southwestern Yemen. The blast killed seven people, including five children, and wounded eight others, including five children.

The Saudi-backed Yemeni military said a Houthi missile struck a medical center in the Madaribah district of Lahij province. The attack killed at least five people, including three medical personnel, and wounded 15 others. Another Houthi attack on a market in the Aqroudh village resulted in 26 casualties. China said it will send a special envoy to Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia in early to mid-November to ease tensions.

Israeli forces ended a sweeping operation in Hebron, West Bank, on Monday. The operation began last month after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers. The military demolished the gunmen’s residences and confiscated weapons. Hundreds of displaced Palestinians began returning home as Israeli forces withdrew from the area.