Day 220 | Senior Trump administration officials met to discuss Iran war

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Read more: Day 221 | Houthis claim strike on Saudi's King Khalid airport

Loud explosions rang out in the north of the Saudi capital Riyadh on Monday, according to AFP and the city’s residents, as Saudi forces and their Yemeni government allies ramp up their fight against the Iran-backed Houthis.

AFP correspondents reported hearing a "powerful explosion", as did residents living in the area, which is not far from the King Khalid International Airport.

One local said "the windows in my house shook" as a result of a blast.

Yahya Saree, the military spokesperson for the Houthis, later announced strikes targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and the Aramco refinery in Rabigh.The group also said it targeted Abha International Airport, the Khamis Mushait air base, and sites in Najran and Jazan.

The Saudi-led coalition in Yemen on Monday announced strikes on “military targets” belonging to the Houthis in Hodeidah on the Red Sea coast, as part of its involvement in an offensive launched by the Yemeni government on Sunday.

Turki Al-Maliki, spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition supporting the Yemeni government, said on X that “the coalition’s naval forces carried out a military operation in Hodeidah province that included the destruction of legitimate military targets belonging to the Houthi terrorist militia.”

He said the operation involved “the destruction of weapons storage facilities, depots for explosive-laden boats, and naval mines,” which he said “foiled a planned attack targeting waterways in the southern Red Sea.”

التحالف : دمرنا مخازن أسلحة ومستودعات زوارق مفخخة والغام بحرية.

— المتحدث الرسمي باسم قوات التحالف (@CJFCSpox) October 5, 2026

Turkey and Pakistan will undertake a "rapid deployment" of troops to Saudi Arabia as part of a new mutual defence alliance, the three countries said Monday, as the Gulf kingdom faces escalating attacks from Yemen's Houthis.

The three countries in August signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement committing them to come to each other's aid in the event one were attacked.

The pact unites NATO's second-largest army, that of Turkey, with the Islamic world's only nuclear-armed state, Pakistan, and the leading Gulf power, Saudi Arabia.

بيان مشترك صادر عن الاجتماع الطارئ للجنة الإستراتيجية السياسية والدفاعية لحلف مكة الدفاعي عقدت المملكة العربية السعودية وجمهورية باكستان الإسلامية والجمهورية التركية في الرياض، اليوم، اجتماعا طارئا للجنة الإستراتيجية السياسية والدفاعية لحلف مكة الدفاعي، لبحث التطورات الأمنية والتهديدات التي تواجه المملكة العربية السعودية.   وفي إطار البناء المؤسسي لحلف مكة الدفاعي، قررت اللجنة تعيين معالي الفريق المتقاعد نعمان محمود، من جمهورية باكستان الإسلامية، كأول أمين عام ولمدة ثلاث سنوات. ورحبت الدول الأطراف بمعاليه، متمنية له التوفيق والنجاح في أداء مهامه، ومعربة عن ثقتها في إسهامه في تطوير الحلف وتحقيق أهدافه.   وأدانت الدول الأطراف بأشد العبارات محاولة استهداف مكة المكرمة والمدينة المنورة، واستمرار الهجمات التي تستهدف المدن والمنشآت المدنية والاقتصادية في المملكة، مؤكدة رفضها القاطع لأي اعتداء أو تهديد لأمن المملكة وسلامة أراضيها.   وأشادت جمهورية باكستان الإسلامية والجمهورية التركية بيقظة وجاهزية القوات المسلحة السعودية، وبالأداء الاحترافي والكفاءة العالية التي أظهرتها في التصدي للتهديدات والاعتداءات التي تواجه المملكة، وحماية أمنها وسلامة أراضيها.   واستعرضت اللجنة نتائج المشاورات السياسية والعسكرية التي سبقت الاجتماع، ووافقت على التوصيات المرفوعة إليها، مؤكدة أن حلف مكة الدفاعي يجسد التزاما راسخا بالدفاع المشترك، وموقفا موحدا في مواجهة التهديدات.   وقررت اللجنة الانتقال الفوري إلى التنفيذ العملي لالتزامات الدفاع المشترك، واتخاذ الإجراءات اللازمة لتوفير القوات والقدرات العسكرية المتفق عليها وسرعة نشرها في المملكة، وفق الترتيبات المعتمدة والتشريعات الوطنية للدول الأطراف، بما يعزز الجاهزية والتكامل العسكري والقدرة الجماعية على مواجهة التهديدات والتصدي لها.   وأكدت الدول الأطراف أن أمن كل دولة طرف هو جزء لا يتجزأ من الأمن الجماعي للدول الثلاث، وأن ترجمة اتفاقية مكة للدفاع المشترك إلى إجراءات عملية يجسد مصداقية الالتزام بالدفاع المشترك، ويعزز فاعلية الردع، ويؤكد وحدة الدول الثلاث وعزمها على الدفاع عن أمنها وسيادتها وسلامة أراضيها، وفقا لأحكام الاتفاقية.

— وزارة الدفاع (@modgovksa) October 5, 2026

Their representatives held an emergency meeting in Riyadh on Monday where they noted recent attacks on Saudi Arabia, in particular ones targeting the holy cities of Mecca and Medina, without mentioning the Iran-backed Houthis by name.

The trio "reaffirmed their unequivocal rejection of any attack or threat against the Kingdom's security and territorial integrity", they said in a joint statement.

They also agreed "to move immediately to the practical implementation of the collective defence commitments and to take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in the Kingdom".

The statement did not specify what sort of role the troops would fill once in Saudi Arabia.

The kingdom has faced repeated Houthi attacks targeting its cities, oil infrastructure and ships ever since Yemen's civil war flared back to life in July.

In September, the group launched a new offensive that seized swathes of territory from Yemen's Saudi-backed government, which on Monday launched a counteroffensive with Riyadh's support seeking to retake all Houthi territory, some of it held for more than a decade.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said negotiations with the United States are “meaningless,” according to Iranian state media, as diplomatic efforts to end the months-long war remain deadlocked.

Pezeshkian made the comments during a meeting with Armenian Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in Tehran on Monday.

His remarks came a day after Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said there was no military or sanctions-based solution to the conflict, arguing that only negotiations based on “justice and fairness” could end the war.

The United States on Monday announced the approval of a US$1 billion sale to the United Arab Emirates of up to 10,000 Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System guidance sections for rockets.

“The proposed sale will improve the United Arab Emirates’ capability to meet current and future threats by developing and maintaining a strong and ready self-defence capability and improving interoperability with US forces,” the US State Department said in a statement.

It “will support the foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by improving the security of a major defence partner,” the statement added.

The Advanced Precision Kill Weapon System converts unguided rockets into precision munitions that can be employed for purposes including shooting down drones, thereby avoiding the use of costly missiles to shoot down comparatively cheap aircraft.

The UAE and other allied Gulf countries have been hit by the Iran war, during which Tehran’s forces have repeatedly attacked them with both drones and missiles.

The State Department also announced the approval of a US$400 million sale to Kuwait – another Gulf state – of “repair and return services” for Patriot missiles, which have played a key role in countering Iranian attacks in the region.

“Kuwait will use the enhanced capability to strengthen its homeland defence” and “will have no difficulty absorbing these articles and services into its armed forces,” the department said in a statement.

The Iran-backed Houthi forces warned civil aviation companies on Monday that Saudi Arabia’s airspace is “unsafe,” threatening attacks against the kingdom as clashes escalate between the forces and the internationally-recognized Yemeni government.

The Humanitarian Operations Coordination Center, an entity affiliated with the Houthi forces, said in a statement carried by the Saba news agency that, “as a result of Saudi aggression against our country through its aircraft, and out of concern for the security and safety of civil aviation and people’s lives, [the center] issues a warning to all airlines operating in Saudi airspace, as it is unsafe.”

It added that “Saudi airspace will be a theater for operations by our armed forces,” and that they would bear no responsibility following the announcement.

The Houthis targeted a fuel storage tank belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco near Riyadh airport two weeks ago, causing a massive fire at the time.

Yemen’s government forces have taken control of the city of Mokha in western Taiz Governorate, the official Yemen News Agency reported Monday, citing a military source.

The source said forces from the Nation’s Shield, Giants Brigades and Tihama Resistance, backed by local fighters and air support, captured the city following clashes with Houthi forces.

The military source said government forces were also conducting operations to clear and secure areas around Mokha.

The reported capture comes as Yemen’s internationally recognized government launched a major military offensive against the Houthis after weeks of renewed fighting.

The Houthis had seized Mokha in September, expanding their presence along Yemen’s Red Sea coast and toward the strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

On Monday, government forces also announced advances around Dhubab and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait.

Fighting was continuing in parts of the area, while the Houthis disputed claims of government gains.

Iranian Armed Forces Chief of Staff Major General Ali Abdollahi has warned that any new war against Iran would escalate and "engulf everyone," according to Iran’s Fars News Agency.

Abdollahi also rejected a statement attributed to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) that Iran’s nuclear program had entered a military phase, describing the claim as "delusional."

"Refrain from continuing to play the role of a wolf in sheep’s clothing and avoid making further baseless comments regarding Iran’s nuclear facilities," Fars quoted Abdollahi as saying.

"Be aware that if a new war is launched against Iran, its fire will engulf everyone," he added.

The United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said it received a report of an incident 11 nautical miles north of Khasab, Oman.

According to the UKMTO, an oil tanker transiting the Strait of Hormuz received a warning from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ordering it to turn back or face being targeted.

The tanker complied with the instructions and did not proceed through the Strait of Hormuz, the UKMTO said.

Iraqi Airways will resume direct flights to Iran starting Thursday, Iraq’s state news agency reported.

The resumption comes after flights between the two countries were suspended amid regional tensions and disruptions to air travel.

• The Houthis have controlled Sanaa since 2014.

Yemen’s internationally recognized government forces announced Monday that they have launched a military offensive targeting Sanaa, the capital controlled by the Houthis since 2014.

Military spokesman Majed al-Nuzaili said government forces had launched what he described as a “strategic” offensive in Sanaa, without providing further details.

The announcement came as Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council said it had begun a broader military campaign to retake territory held by the Houthis and restore government authority across the country. 

The Houthis have held Sanaa and large parts of northern and western Yemen since seizing the capital in 2014. The conflict largely quieted following a 2022 truce, but fighting has intensified again in recent months.

The latest escalation follows fighting on several fronts, including around Taiz and along Yemen’s Red Sea coast, as government forces seek to push back recent Houthi advances. 

Read more: Yemeni government forces confirm attacks on ‘military targets’ in Houthi-held Sanaa

The global oil supply shortfall could worsen, while rebuilding depleted inventories may take up to two years, Saudi Aramco CEO Amin Nasser said Monday.

Speaking at the Energy Intelligence conference in London, Nasser said pressure on both sides of the oil market would continue until the Strait of Hormuz is fully reopened and market confidence returns.

"Even if that happens, rebuilding inventories while meeting demand at the same time could take up to two years," Nasser said.

Nasser said nearly 3 billion barrels of oil supply had been lost since the conflict began, while around 1 billion barrels had been withdrawn from global inventories.

He said the situation was compounded by the fact that most withdrawals so far had come from commercial stockpiles. Of the roughly 6 billion barrels remaining in storage, much of the volume is "effectively unavailable," he said.

Two police officers were killed after a police patrol came under attack in the city of Bam-Pur in Iran’s southeastern Sistan-Baluchestan province, Iran’s Tasnim news agency reported.

Iran has warned that it would respond more forcefully to any new attacks, as Tehran reviews a US response to an Iranian proposal.

Kazem Gharibabadi, Iran’s deputy foreign minister, said Tehran was studying Washington’s response while maintaining readiness to face all possible scenarios.

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Iran was serious about finding diplomatic solutions while also defending itself.

Gharibabadi warned that any attacks against Iran would face a response "more devastating than before."

Yemen’s government-aligned forces have claimed 1,122 attacks against Houthi positions as part of a major offensive aimed at retaking territory held by the Houthis.

Brigadier General Majid Abdullah Al-Nuzaili, a spokesman for the forces, said in a post on X that the attacks targeted artillery positions, rocket launchers, and command and control centers in Saada, al-Jawf, Taiz, and coastal areas.

He said the attacks involved warplanes, drones, missiles, rockets, artillery, and snipers, claiming that about 1,747 Houthi fighters were killed.

The US has withdrawn all B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in the United Kingdom following security concerns over a suspected plot targeting the base.

The Pentagon confirmed that the bombers, including about a dozen B-1B aircraft, have been redeployed to their home stations in the United States.

The withdrawal comes after British authorities arrested several people in connection with an alleged plot against the base. British officials have suggested possible Iranian involvement, while Iran has denied the allegations.

Despite the relocation, the Pentagon said US bomber forces remain ready to conduct precision strikes globally, including from bases in the continental United States.

Regional Middle Eastern oil exports -excluding Iranian shipments- surpassed pre-war averages last week for the first time since the outbreak of the conflict in late February, according to maritime intelligence data released by tracking firm Kpler.

The weekly average of crude shipments climbed past the pre-conflict baseline of 18 million barrels per day (bpd) across multiple days, signaling a resilient recovery in outbound tanker volumes despite ongoing threats to commercial shipping navigating the Strait of Hormuz.

Data provided by Kpler indicates that daily crude exports reached between 19.5 million and 22.5 million bpd on peak days during the final week of September, pushing the seven-day moving average up to 18.5 million bpd.

The recorded export spike encompasses transits passing through critical maritime choke points, including the Strait of Hormuz and the Red Sea, alongside offshore terminal loadings and ship-to-ship transfers conducted in the Gulf of Oman.

Beyond crude shipments, the total volume of petroleum products, chemicals, and non-gas liquids exiting Middle Eastern ports averaged 22.4 million bpd in the seven days leading up to September 30.

Concurrently, liquefied natural gas (LNG) vessel departures through the Strait of Hormuz registered their highest monthly throughput since February.

The figures reflect resilient output and active routing from regional producers seeking to maintain global energy supply lines despite elevated security risks and military action across key waterways.

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Read more: Day 219 | Trump predicts victory against Iran around midterms