Day 242 | Regional tensions escalate as Saudi Arabia intercepts drones, Iran hosts security talks
Iran and Saudi Arabia faced renewed security and military tensions on Monday, Oct. 26, as Tehran hosted regional talks involving Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey aimed at easing the crisis and strengthening regional cooperation.
Saudi Arabia backed mediation efforts led by Pakistan and Qatar, while Egyptian parliament approved a request to provide military support to Riyadh. The diplomatic moves came as the Saudi-led coalition reported intercepting three drones over Riyadh and southern regions and announced strikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, claiming to have destroyed five ballistic missile storage tunnels, four launchers and a missile depot.
The coalition also said it destroyed two missile launch platforms in Sanaa, one of which it said had been used to launch a missile toward Riyadh. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree, meanwhile, claimed responsibility for missile and drone attacks targeting King Khalid International Airport and Saudi oil pumping stations, as well as military targets in Aden and Lahj. The developments followed a series of missile and drone alerts in Riyadh, with Saudi Civil Defense later announcing that the immediate danger had passed.
Meanwhile, tensions surrounding the war with Iran continued to shape regional diplomacy and military planning. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian called for greater unity among Muslim countries, condemning US-’Israeli’ attacks across the region and reiterating Iran’s right to peaceful nuclear activities. Pakistan’s army chief, General Asim Munir, arrived in Tehran for security talks, while Russian President Vladimir Putin was scheduled to meet Pezeshkian and Qatar’s Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani in Moscow on Tuesday.
However, reports cited by CNN suggested US forces could be prepared to launch large-scale operations against Iran within 96 hours of an order from President Donald Trump, potentially targeting energy infrastructure, military installations and nuclear facilities. The Economist separately reported that ‘Israeli’ intelligence had been instructed to prepare new target lists in Iran, while sources said Washington was considering a short campaign focused on economic targets after the US midterm elections. Trump also renewed his endorsement of Benjamin Netanyahu ahead of ‘Israel’s’ Oct. 27 parliamentary election, urging voters to re-elect the prime minister and linking his leadership to the military campaign against Iran.
Three Houthi ballistic missiles intercepted over Eastern Province, Saudi-led coalition says
The Saudi-led coalition said air defenses intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis toward the Eastern Province.
The announcement follows an earlier warning from Saudi Arabia’s National Early Warning Platform, which alerted residents in the Eastern Province and Al-Kharj Governorate to a potential danger and urged them to follow safety instructions.
The latest development comes amid heightened regional tensions and reported Houthi attacks targeting Saudi territory.
Trump claims Iran started war with US
US President Donald Trump claimed in an election rally on Monday that Iran initiated the war with the United States, saying: “We didn't start the war with Iran. Iran started the war with us.”
The documented timeline of the US-'Israeli'-Iranian war shows that the United States and 'Israel' launched the opening strikes of the on Feb. 28, 2026, while nuclear negotiations between Washington and Tehran were still underway. Iran subsequently retaliated with missile and air strikes against 'Israel' and targets across the region.
This comes as Trump and Netanyahu hinted at a resumption of fighting after the midterm elections, while Iran has escalated its attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.
Saudi Arabia issues early warning alert in two regions
Saudi Arabia’s National Early Warning Platform issued warnings for Al-Kharj Governorate and the Eastern Province, urging residents in both areas to follow official safety instructions.
This comes amid escalating Houthi attacks on the Kingdom, with the group claiming attacks on Riyadh airport and Saudi oil facilities on Monday.
Pezeshkian arrives in Russia, calls for multilateral world order
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian arrived in Moscow on Monday evening, ahead of the eighth Gas Exporting Countries Forum (GECF) summit, where he is scheduled to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and discuss bilateral cooperation, according to Iran's state news agency IRNA.
Speaking to reporters upon arrival at Vnukovo International Airport, Pezeshkian said Iran and Russia were seeking to promote a multilateral world order, criticizing what he described as US unilateralism.
“The problem is the unilateralism of the United States, which wants to advance matters through bullying, but we, together with Russia and other countries, are seeking to realize multilateralism in the world,” he said, according to IRNA.
Pezeshkian said relations between Tehran and Moscow had expanded significantly, adding that the two countries were working to implement their comprehensive strategic partnership treaty across economic, scientific, cultural, security and political fields.
