r/worldnews • u/WorldNewsMods Slava Ukraini • Sep 04 '26
Israel/Palestine /r/WorldNews Discussion Thread: US and Israel launch attack on Iran; Iran retaliates (Thread #22)
If you see any newsworthy information from a major news outlet or live broadcast, feel free to share a brief summary as a top-level comment in the discussion post.
Other redditors will appreciate if you include the source of where you read, saw, or heard the information.
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u/Ancient_Mud_2841 19h ago edited 19h ago
Yemen forces claim nearly 380 Houthi casualties in Taiz clashes Yemen’s government-aligned forces say 378 Houthi fighters have been killed or wounded in ground clashes and air attacks in Taiz governorate, according to a statement from the Taiz Axis military command. The statement, carried by the state-run Saba news agency, said warplanes carried out nine air strikes on Houthi positions and gatherings in al-Misrakh district, on the al-Shaqab front, and around Taiz city. It said the attacks and clashes left 168 Houthi fighters dead and 210 wounded. Fighting was also reported on the western front.
-AJ
Ansarallah still remain on the outskirts of Taizz, presumably their intention is to break GLOC and put city under siege. They are trying to take Jabal Han which overlooks the city, but have so far failed. They don’t want to attack Taizz directly and get bogged down like they did in 2015. Idk if they can outlast the city while getting picked off on the periphery.
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u/joshtaco 20h ago
AJE: Houthis target Aden International Airport with two missiles, says the Yemeni government
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u/joshtaco 20h ago
US embassy in Riyadh: Issued a new security alert on Friday, reminding US citizens to “follow the guidance of national alerts released by Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense via cellular broadcast”. “US government employees working in Saudi Arabia require special authorization from Chief of Mission to use any airport in Saudi Arabia”
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u/joshtaco 20h ago
AJE: Explosions rock the city of Aden, interim seat of the internationally recognised government, in southern Yemen
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u/colepercy120 20h ago
ISW report for October 16th
- The Iranian regime has reportedly found ways to ship a very limited and relatively inconsequential amount of petroleum product exports via maritime routes despite the US naval blockade. Iran’s ability to export energy products continues to be severely hampered by the US economic campaign, however.
- The Houthis are using imitative communications deception in an attempt to disrupt Yemeni government-aligned forces’ command and control and hinder government efforts to defend Taiz City.
- Yemeni government-aligned forces regained control of Dhubab Airport on the southern Red Sea coastal plain by October 15.
- Yemeni government-aligned forces are likely continuing to gradually advance further north and west in Marib Governorate along a major ground line of communication (GLOC) extending to Sanaa, Yemen’s capital.
https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-update-october-16-2026/
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u/joshtaco 20h ago
Answering a question by reporters at the White House, if the Saudis should accept Israel’s offer, Trump said: “Yeah, I do, sure. Israel has been very helpful to Saudi Arabia.”
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u/Koekoes_se_makranka 1d ago
Why is Brent almost at 110? What did I miss?
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u/Zealot_of_Law 23h ago
UKMTO has stated at least 30 tankers hit in the strait of hormuz in the last 20 days. But many ships aren't reporting so it may be much higher. Shipping oil now costs an additional $40 per barrel.
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u/voronaam 1d ago
Oddly, I do not see much about the Yanbu oil terminal being "blown up" in English-language news. I do not know if it has been confirmed yet, but I came here to read the discussion of it.
I am a bit surprised to find people just puzzled by the oil price spike, without the context of the Yanbu attack.
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u/FrostPDP 23h ago
I'm honestly not sure. I've read that it may have been targeted, but that a missile was intercepted. Whether or not that means the facility was damaged in the process is anyone's guess. I've also heard it might not be Yanbu-related at all, but could be a tip-off that bombing campaigns are about to start up again. Which of course could also be false/inaccurate. Kinda like missiles and interceptors, sometimes.
It's not exactly outlandish, but it is a pretty big move (over 3%) for one day. We'll see, I guess.
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u/CoyotesOnTheWing 1d ago
Stock market took a big dump too. The money often knows things before we do.
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u/OldDirtyBastardSword 1d ago
Lots of chatter on preparations for potential attacks on Iran and retaliation. Then there's the ships getting hit in the last week
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u/OnlyRise9816 1d ago
More ships being attacked by Iran, and the Houthi's are closing in on one of the few remaining major strongholds of the recognized Yemani government.
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u/Phoenix_Maximus_13 1d ago
Also potential extensive pipeline damage from what I’m seeing in the oil sub.
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u/thisismysffpcaccount 22h ago
i must have missed that, got a link?
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u/Phoenix_Maximus_13 22h ago
Not atm but I recall an official mentioning 4 pumping stations at the pipeline had to be shutdown after an attack so take that as you will. Give a bit to find the exact wording
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u/thisismysffpcaccount 22h ago
Wow, that’s substantial. Thanks for sharing
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u/Phoenix_Maximus_13 22h ago edited 21h ago
From Antithesist on the Oil sub:
“Mario Nawfal (fairly unreliable): Four pumping stations in the E/W pipeline have been shut down.
He said that 17 hours ago, and there has been no confirmation” so take with a grain of salt considering the phrase “fairly unreliable” but considering what happened earlier there might’ve been some truth
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u/jews4beer 1d ago
I really think Iran and the Houthis are overplaying their hand this past week - it's at least a sign of desperation. One of the biggest gains from October 7th was that it threw a wedge in Israel/SA normalization. If Saudi civilians continue to get caught in the cross fire of the latest escalations, military cooperation with Israel could become more palatable.
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u/Lordvalcon 1d ago
If the house of Saud teams up with Israel it's populous will literally overthrow the king and Crown Prince. Very very unlikely for that to happen given the internal politics of Saudi Arabia
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u/Halbaras 1d ago
The Saudis brought this upon themselves by deciding to 'symbolically' bomb the airport in Sanaa back in July, and agitating for a huge ground offensive they expected the US to lead.
Until that point the Houthis had frustrated Iran by avoiding joining the wider war besides a couple of strikes on Israel (who the Saudis frankly don't give a shit about).
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u/United-Ad9153 1d ago
If the Houthis are overplaying their hand while crippling the Saudi economy, what do you call what the Saudis are doing?
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u/magataga 1d ago
6 months into a 3 day war "they've really overplayed their hand! surrender is right around the corner".
Sure Jan, Sure
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u/cheddarben 1d ago
They have always been the underdog and always been backed into the corner. Nothing about this is going to scream "we are making super great decisions".
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u/jews4beer 1d ago
Iran? Underdog? They've been spreading their influence across the region for decades while holding on to the ability to demonstrably hold the world economy hostage. They've only been degraded to where they are now because of three years of proxy and direct fighting with Israel. And they still have a good chunk of the world by the balls.
It just is starting to seem like they won't be able to keep it up much longer.
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u/cheddarben 1d ago
Iran? Underdog?
lol... yes. Prior to the war, they were 44th globally in GDP and 38th in military spending. They were literally attacked.
Sure, they have some levers, but to make the claim that they came into this from a position of any sort of global dominance is wild.
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u/FearlessActuary2124 1d ago edited 1d ago
Today, Lebanese government law enforcement officers were sent to seize an illegal depot full of expired drugs in Semaan area.
They were surrounded by Hezbollah fighters and a siege ensued.
The Lebanese Army was then deployed to back the officers and upon their arrival Hezb fighters dispersed and the depot has been shuttered.
https://www.mtv.com.lb/News/محليات/1748831/عناصر-من--حزب-الله--ي-حاصرون-دوري-ة-أمني-ة
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u/joshtaco 1d ago
US Department of Energy: Has issued a request for an exchange of up to 17 million barrels of crude oil from the nation’s Strategic Petroleum Reserve.
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u/Lordvalcon 1d ago
What does this mean they're going to exchange oil that they got from the reserve for different oil or is this just a Crest to release more?
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u/CoyotesOnTheWing 23h ago
An exchange is loaning an oil company physical oil with the agreement that they return the oil and some interest paid in extra barrels of oil by some set date.
A lot of the release from reserves has been direct sales and considered permanent drawdown(as there is no current plan to replace it).
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u/joshtaco 1d ago
Netanyahu: Says another attack on Iran is "inconvenient and no good"
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u/Sea-Witness-2746 1d ago
It's too close to elections. Elections are next week. It would be election interference unless it was an imminent threat.
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u/Secure_Ad1753 1d ago
Israeli Channel 16 reports that, according to Israeli security officials, Iran currently has at least 400 operational missile launchers, nearly matching the 420 it had before Operation Roaring Lion.
Over the past few months, Iran has restored a significant portion of its missile-launching capabilities, including by recovering launchers that had been buried underground during the operation.
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u/PostAboveMeSucks 1d ago
Lebanon fears renewed war as Israel-Hezbollah tensions rise
Responding to Fadlalla, Rifi told Arab News: “A project that drags Lebanon into wars, places its national decision outside its legitimate institutions and exposes its people and resources to risks that do not serve its interests cannot acquire the label of patriotism simply by wrapping it in resistance slogans.
Lebanon has made placing the decision of war and peace solely in the hands of the state and its institutions a central goal in its effort to curb Hezbollah’s influence and bring the group’s weapons under state authority.
“The resistance must not become a pretext for bypassing the state or confiscating the will of the Lebanese,” said Rifi, adding that Lebanon was “not an arena for settling regional scores, nor a card in the hands of any external axis.”
A senior Lebanese official told Arab News: “The positions expressed by Hezbollah remain within the media sphere, and we do not respond to them.”
I cut a lot but a worth while read into current tensions in the Lebanese region.
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u/PostAboveMeSucks 1d ago edited 1d ago
Shafuq: Hezbollah demands return of explosives seized in Lebanon
Hundreds of kilograms of explosives seized by Lebanese authorities last week belonged to Hezbollah and were intended exclusively for use against Israel, the group’s lawmaker Hassan Fadlalla said on Thursday.
Speaking at the Lebanese parliament, Fadlalla said Hezbollah had immediately informed security and judicial authorities that the vehicle and its cargo belonged to the group. He rejected allegations that the explosives were intended for political assassinations in Lebanon and demanded the return of the seized materials and the release of two detainees.
It's crazy to me Hezbollah would have an expectation this would be returned to them when it defies every state law in Lebanon. The Iranian FM Araghchi call to President Aoun yesterday suddenly makes more sense.
Aoun, Araghchi agree diplomatic solutions needed in phone call
President Joseph Aoun has received a phone call from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, during which they discussed the current situation in the region in light of recent developments, the Presidency said on Wednesday.
To which today Rubio calls President Aoun:
Rubio tells Lebanon's president not to return seized explosives to Hezbollah
Secretary of State Marco Rubio urged Lebanon's president on Thursday not to return several hundred kilograms of explosives which Lebanese authorities seized last week from the Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah, a State Department official told CBS News.
In a call, Rubio asked Lebanese President Joseph Aoun "to hold accountable all those who ordered, financed, and directed the shipment, and underscored that returning explosives to Hezbollah should be out of the question," the official said.
https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-us-houthi-saudi-arabia-trump/#post-update-38eb1eba
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u/putin_my_ass 1d ago edited 1d ago
It's crazy to me Hezbollah would have an expectation this would be returned to them when it defies every state law in Lebanon.
Are you really taking their words at face value?
They're probably issuing this for PR purposes, to cast themselves as resistance against Israel in contrast to the Lebanese government.
EDIT: From PostAboveMeSucks's own post further up:
A senior Lebanese official told Arab News: “The positions expressed by Hezbollah remain within the media sphere, and we do not respond to them.”
So even they think it's just PR.
I wouldn't take it literally.
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u/HoustonHous 1d ago
A terrorist org is publicly undermining the legit government, but we should take it as a PR stunt?
Do you really believe the things you say?
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u/putin_my_ass 1d ago
How would you take it? You think they're being honest when they demand it be returned to them or do you think they know it won't be?
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u/HoustonHous 1d ago
Are you serious or are you not familiar with the dynamic in Lebanon the past 20+ years?
Hezbollah killed the last PM who tried to negotiate with Israel. They see themselves as the authority in large portion of the country and blantly ignore the current government.
To your question... no they are not joking, bluffing, PRing... they get their orders (and funding) from Iran, and they are trying to rearrange themselves after taking major losses the past few years...
Not everything is a big mystery nor a conspiracy theory waiting for the average redditor to solve
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u/putin_my_ass 1d ago
Yes, I'm familiar with all those things. And you've not rebutted what I said.
You need to ask yourself what the purpose of their statement was, and it was probably at the direction of Iran. Demanding its return is them actively undermining the government of Lebanon.
Again, how would you take it? You didn't provide your perspective.
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u/PostAboveMeSucks 1d ago
Yemeni Health Ministry: 5 Killed and 16 Injured in Houthi Attack on Government Headquarters in Aden
Minister Buhaibeh added, in a post on Facebook, that the victims were among workers at the site, including security guards and civilian employees.
He noted that the attack is reminiscent of a previous targeting of the government at Aden Airport in December 2020, adding that the government will continue to carry out its duties among the citizens, as affirmed by Prime Minister Shae’ Al-Zindani.
https://www.yemenmonitor.com/en/Details/ArtMID/908/ArticleID/184931
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u/Ok_Branch2469 1d ago
The urban fighting in Taiz has had footage coming out as the Houthis enter the outskirts and holy shit is it ugly.
Mosques are broadcasting messages telling people to never surrender because the Shia's will kill them (Taiz is largely a Sunni city), the local militas are hardened and refusing to give up, they utterly slaughtered the Houthi convoy on that road who tried to enter, but they're now isolated miles behind the front and fighting on their own.
They refused the final surrender ultimatum. Which means if the city does fall, the Houthis will almost certainly make an example of them to show Aden why fighting to the last man is a bad idea. (The Taliban used similar tactics, places that surrendered were left alone, places that fought to the last man got slaughtered when they lost and made examples of)
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u/TainoCrypto 1d ago
Centuries ago the Mongols were infamous for using those very same tactics: accept the Khan’s authority and surrender or face annihilation.
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u/MaximumFamiliar9080 20h ago
That has been the rule for sieges for centuries, be it europeans mongols persians chinese.
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u/socialistrob 1d ago
God that's awful. Does there seem to be any chance that the government forces could break the encirclement and relieve the city or evacuate people?
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u/Ok_Branch2469 1d ago
Nah the guys who were covering the roads were Mercs who turned tail and ran. It's the mercs who retreated north and got pinned down and the local militas who are fighting to the last.
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u/joshtaco 1d ago
Fars: Iran’s oil minister said the country has completed major repairs to the South Pars gas field, bringing production facilities back online that had been damaged by U.S. and Israeli strikes.
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u/joshtaco 1d ago
October 15th weekly US Carrier tracking updates - The USS Theodore Roosevelt (CVN-71) and USS Makin Island (LHD-8) are continuing west towards the Middle East theater + USS George H. W. Bush (CVN-77) returns from R&R in Thailand back to the Middle Eastern theater
I also have a full map of all current U.S. ship deployments on r /mapporn for a comprehensive overview of them all. Let me know if there are any questions.
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u/joshtaco 1d ago
C+N+N: Trump remarked during recent campaign events in Montana and Alaska that they were going to have the war "done very quickly" or end "soon as I want it to end"
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u/joshtaco 1d ago
Trump, on Newsmax: Says he “would not use” nuclear weapons against Iran, adding he did not see “putting US troops on the ground” there.
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u/joshtaco 1d ago
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.
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u/joshtaco 1d ago
IE: Has confirmed the release of about 330 million barrels of emergency reserves of oil
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u/joshtaco 1d ago
Spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, Turki al-Maliki: Says that coalition forces have intercepted and destroyed a hostile drone in the southwestern city of Khamis Mushait, home to a major airbase.
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u/joshtaco 1d ago
The spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen, Turki al-Maliki: King Khalid International Airport subjected to 20 attacks since October 1st
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u/joshtaco 1d ago
Trump, at an Arizona campaign rally: Says leakers of information about US military operations ‘should be shot dead’. “Those who leak information should be executed by firing squad,” Trump further expressed his anger at an unidentified source who allegedly leaked information to journalists about the timing of US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities.
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u/joshtaco 1d ago
Reuters: US officials consider letting sanctioned tankers carry legal oil to ease high shipping costs
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u/colepercy120 1d ago
ISW Report for October 15th
- he Houthis attacked Yemeni government-controlled cities with missiles and drones, likely to weaken the Yemeni government’s legitimacy and possibly to disrupt government counteroffensives. The Houthis’ strikes in Aden likely sought to generate an informational effect and undermine Yemen’s already weak, fractured government.
- The Houthis have demonstrated limited capabilities to target Saudi fighter aircraft in Yemeni airspace, but these capabilities are currently insufficient to significantly disrupt the ongoing Saudi air campaign. Houthi forces fired a surface-to-air missile (SAM) that struck a Saudi-operated fighter jet, but the SAM does not appear to have destroyed the aircraft.
- The Houthis have continued their attempts to capture Taiz City by securing positions on advantageous terrain and roadways on the city’s western outskirts.
- The Iraqi Parliament voted on October 15 to approve some Iranian-backed Iraqi militia actors to fill three vacant ministerial roles and a deputy prime minister position during its session to complete Iraq’s government formation.
https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-update-october-15-2026/
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u/CoyotesOnTheWing 1d ago
I saw some reports this morning of the presidential palace in Aden getting hit but I was waiting to see if a bigger source picked it up.
It's worth looking at the control map of the Taiz area in that link, it's a bit different than some of the descriptions I've read, looks like a chaotic battle right now.
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u/PostAboveMeSucks 1d ago
Map looks like the Yemen Government have almost connected the road to Taiz, big development if so. I am not seeing it from other sources but I believe it considering how fluid things are right now. I do remember reading the citizens of Taiz will never surrender to the Houthis. Fighting to the last man and woman.
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u/Hortena 2d ago
Sources: US Considers Using 'Mother of All Bombs' in Iran
The United States could soon deploy the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast (MOAB) bomb in its war against Iran. The US military has drawn up plans to use the bomb against Iranian energy and nuclear facilities, CNN reports, citing several sources familiar with the matter.
It is the largest non-nuclear bomb in the US arsenal and is known as the “Mother of All Bombs.” According to CNN, its use in the war against Iran would represent a significant escalation.
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u/Grouchy_Jicama_007 1d ago
To achieve what? War is politics by other means. What are they trying to accomplish that smaller bombs won't do?
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u/combatwombat- 2d ago
Using one big bomb instead of a bunch of smaller ones is not an anything let alone an escalation. People that constantly amplify stupid shit like this for Trump make me sick.
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u/itsatumbleweed 1d ago
That's absolutely not true. The smaller, more precise bombs let you target specific installations. Is that a school sometimes? Yes but that's on the Intel folks to figure out. A MOAB above a military installation will almost certainly have a ton of collateral damage.
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u/combatwombat- 1d ago
Again if they didn't care about collateral dropping a bunch of small bombs will be exactly the same, if they do care then they won't drop a big bomb somewhere that will cause it.
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u/itsatumbleweed 1d ago
Right but they currently aren't carpet coming anywhere. You're correct if they are taking out square miles the people don't much care if it's one or many, but the level of target discrimination affects things.
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u/sumlime 2d ago
I'm kinda suprised they haven't done it already considering they used one during his first term. Though I can't remember the country.
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u/socialistrob 2d ago
Though I can't remember the country.
Afghanistan. There can be some military utility in using them especially against bunkers that are deep underground. That said it's hardly wonder weapon. It's not like the Taliban laid down their arms and surrendered when one of their positions got hit by a moab.
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u/Lordvalcon 2d ago
Dropping a MOAB on a nuclear power plant is way more dangerous than using tactical nukes
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u/mylarky 2d ago
The real question is this... why would these types of plans and activities be broadcast in advance w/ the public?
The nature of any war is not to tell people where/how you're going to hit them.... unless, of course, your Trump - and you're OPSEC has more holes than a cheese grater.
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u/Legio-X 1d ago
The real question is this... why would these types of plans and activities be broadcast in advance w/ the public?
We know this administration is riven with factional infighting. Some of these leaks may be factions opposed to the plan making its core concept public in an effort to get it canned due to backlash.
Otherwise, possible these are intentional leaks meant to intimidate Iran. Given what Iran’s already faced, I doubt a bunch of hot air will accomplish anything, but when has that ever deterred Trump and his lackeys?
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u/Historical_Course587 2d ago
That's sort of the point of the MOAB though - the PR and intimidation that comes from talking about nuking someone using something that isn't a nuke but hits about as hard. The actual military stance is that the MOAB is almost always the wrong sized ordinance, because in most cases smaller bombs achieve similar results for lower costs.
And despite the general incompetence, it is technically possible that the Admin is 'leaking' this info in an attempt to scare Iran away from improperly securing their Uranium and nuclear development. It's not quick/cheap/easy to build an enrichment facility under a mountain, but Iran has to divert resources to it if they think MOABs are on the table.
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u/DarkReignRecruiter 2d ago
The point is the PR after a successful operation. You think anyone would have dreamed of warning the Japanese in advance of Hiroshima (the actual target locations)? Everybody knows the US has these capabilities already.
The only conceivable point of 'warning' in advance is leverage to force diplomacy.
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u/Nutmeg92 2d ago
They are not broadcast, these are leaks. Whether they are genuine leaks from the Pentagon, or purpose leaks to test the waters or convey messages, I don’t know
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u/ocean_swims 2d ago
More market manipulation, perhaps? It makes no sense broadcasting their plans otherwise.
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u/jews4beer 2d ago
I won't speak to whether it's effective or a good idea - but I imagine they are broadcasting it to give Iran an opportunity to say "please don't do that, we'll negotiate on X".
Them stopping it from happening isn't impossible, but still extremely unlikely.
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u/SneakyYogurtThief 2d ago edited 2d ago
Not even nukes will faze the IRGC apparently
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u/putin_my_ass 2d ago
Residents of Magastan would be willing to sacrifice a few US Cities also...they're not so different apparently.
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u/Ancient_Mud_2841 2d ago
Turki al-Maliki, the spokesperson for the Saudi-backed coalition in Yemen, says its forces have intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile in the Medina area.
-AJ
Ansarallah denies firing this missile.
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u/Casual-Speedrunner-7 2d ago
Reuters: The impact of the disruption to shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is already becoming visible in agricultural harvests, threatening to lower farm yields and push up food prices.
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u/HowdyDiarrhea 2d ago
We can all just increase our GLP1 doses. Big pharma rejoice!
No but seriously. This is fucked.
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u/Ancient_Mud_2841 2d ago
Honestly, when I walk through walmart and see morbidly obese people shuffling their carts stacked full of soda and snacks, I see survivors. If famine happens, the first to die will be anemics. Obese people could literally use their stored calories to survive on only water/broth for over a year like Angus Barbieri. By the time they consume their fat, there will be much less competition for food. So long term being obese raises health risks, but short term emergencies like the inevitable famine, they’re the last to die.
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u/HowdyDiarrhea 1d ago
Nah, they're just obvious food sources for the fit. What're they gonna do, run away?
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u/IsTom 2d ago
I wonder if lack of vitamins/electrolytes won't get them first. You need much more than just energy to survive. Angus was supplementing during the fast.
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u/Ancient_Mud_2841 2d ago
Presumably that scenario affects everyone so the question would be whether co-morbidities associated with obesity makes them more susceptible to mineral deficiency than healthy individuals. AI isn’t giving me a definitive answer, but I’m guessing if we’re at the point of boiling boots obese people still have the caloric advantage.
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u/Farscape12Monkeys 2d ago edited 2d ago
Middle East Spectator
Clashes in Ta'izz have intensified over the last few hours, with the Ansarullah attempting to storm the northern, western, and eastern sectors of the city with a massive assault.
Ansarallah is advancing with armored vehicles in western Taizz outskirts
Unconfirmed reports that Ansarallah have made a breakthrough and captured Jabal Han, the most important mountain west of Taizz city that overlooks the city
Saudi/PLC airstrikes are reported in the Houthi rear
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u/Nutmeg92 2d ago
I don’t understand how an army with no airforce can conduct offensive operations against another with air cover.
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u/Cactusfan86 2d ago
The thing is unless you are using heavy bombers to carpet bomb them, you can kill dozens and hundreds are still advancing. It’s an advantage to be sure, but if the people you are bombing have the will to keep pushing you can’t really stop them with just bombs and missiles
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u/GiftedGonzo 2d ago
I wish I knew what all these meant
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u/colepercy120 2d ago
in short: the Houthis are storming the 3rd largest city in yemen. Ta'izz is also the last real bastion between the Houthis and the Saudi-backed government's capital in Aden.
in really short: The houthis are about to deal a decisive blow that pretty much dooms the Saudi backed government.
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u/Ancient_Mud_2841 2d ago
Another take: Houthis are throwing everything at Taizz and are not reinforcing Marib. Marib is being attacked by Yemen government forces and if it falls under their control it will be only a matter of time before Sana’a is freed from the terrorist.
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u/colepercy120 2d ago
The marib front hasnt seen much movement. But even if the houthis lose saana if the plc loses Aden its over
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u/SneakyYogurtThief 2d ago
Dang at this rate, they might as well start annexing parts of Saudi
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u/CoyotesOnTheWing 2d ago
Honestly... when the Houthis don't have to focus the majority of their forces on the PLC anymore, then the Saudis really do have a lot to worry about.
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u/joshtaco 2d ago
In an interview with Israeli public broadcaster Kan’s Ayala Hasson: Asked whether Iran’s government could be overthrown before the elections, Netanyahu replied: “No, I don’t think that’s realistic.”
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u/Lordvalcon 2d ago
Israeli elections are less than 2 weeks away so at least we know he's somewhat reasonable
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u/PostAboveMeSucks 2d ago
Yemen wants training, intelligence assistance from U.S., foreign minister says
Yemen has asked the U.S. for training and intelligence support for the Yemeni armed forces and coast guard, as well as continued political, economic and humanitarian support, but their foreign minister made no mention of military support in a briefing to reporters Wednesday.
Afrah Alzouba, Yemen's first female foreign minister, spoke in a briefing on several topics related to the ongoing Yemen-Houthi war, but did not explicitly mention requests for military support. In addition to intelligence and training, Alzouba requested the U.S. expand sanctions against the Houthis. She also asked for the EU and Washington to coordinate more closely on sanctions.
She struck an aggressive tone when asked about possible negotiations with the Houthi militia, saying, "We are not calling for starting any negotiations." The Yemeni government eventually wants a peaceful settlement but is prioritizing military operations to end Houthi control, she said.
She also emphasized Yemeni ownership of ongoing operations with air support from coalition partners: "The decision is Yemeni. The command is Yemeni. The soldiers are Yemenis."
https://www.cbsnews.com/live-updates/iran-war-us-houthi-saudi-arabia-trump/#post-update-7216e658
Yemen Government want their country back, full stop.
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u/PostAboveMeSucks 2d ago
Iraq vows not to allow attacks on Saudi Arabia from its territory: Prime minister
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said Wednesday that Baghdad would not allow its territory to be used to launch attacks threatening Saudi Arabia or other countries in the region, as he met Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh.
Al-Zaidi reaffirmed Iraq's commitment to regional security and good-neighborly relations during the talks, according to statements from the Iraqi prime minister's office and the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA).
The Iraqi premier arrived in Riyadh for his first visit to Saudi Arabia since taking office in May, with discussions focusing on regional developments, bilateral relations and security coordination.
The crown prince received al-Zaidi at the Royal Court at Al-Yamamah Palace, SPA reported.
The two sides discussed regional developments and coordination of efforts aimed at strengthening security and stability in the region, it added.
Al-Zaidi strongly condemned recent attacks on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh and other civilian and critical infrastructure in Saudi Arabia, describing them as a "threat to regional security and stability."
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u/PostAboveMeSucks 2d ago
Taiz fighting intensifies as Yemeni government forces report 200+ Houthi militia casualties
Yemeni government forces have confirmed that more than 200 Houthi militia members were killed or wounded during fierce military confrontations across the southwestern province of Taiz, as government forces continue their operations to reclaim contested positions and supply lines.
The Taiz Military Axis said on X that intense clashes continued throughout Wednesday along the Dhubab front west of Taiz, as well as the Al-Aqrud and Al-Shaqab fronts to the south.
Fighting that erupted in the morning escalated significantly by the afternoon.
Supporting warplanes targeted a convoy of tanks and military vehicles belonging to the Houthi militia in the Ras al-Najd area of Al-Misrakh district, followed by air strikes near Sofitel Hill east of Taiz and two further strikes destroying armour along the Dhubab front.
The military command reported that more than 200 Houthi militia members were killed or wounded in a single day, with one military vehicle destroyed, two tanks damaged, an armed convoy neutralised, and a drone downed.
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u/PostAboveMeSucks 2d ago
Yemen Demands Urgent Security Council Action to Lift Houthi Siege on Taiz
The Yemeni government demanded that the United Nations and the UN Security Council take urgent measures to lift the siege on the city of Taiz and open its access points to civilians and basic supplies, warning that tightening restrictions on the city and its surroundings threatens more than four million people.
In a letter addressed to UN and international officials, Yemeni Minister of Foreign Affairs Afrah Al-Zouba stated that the recent Houthi escalation and the tightening of the blockade on Taiz and its villages portend a humanitarian disaster affecting trapped residents and internally displaced persons from affected districts, including Al-Shamayatayn, Al-Mawasit, and Jabal Habashi.
The letter called for direct international pressure to lift the siege immediately, open all access points to civilians and supply chains, and guarantee the sustainable and unhindered delivery of food, fuel, and drinking water.
https://www.yemenmonitor.com/en/Details/ArtMID/908/ArticleID/184833
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u/PostAboveMeSucks 2d ago
Crew rescued before Iranian-affiliated dhow's destruction
US forces destroyed an Iranian-affiliated dhow in the Gulf of Oman on October 6 after identifying it as conducting surveillance and targeting US Navy ships, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a post on X.
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u/PostAboveMeSucks 2d ago
Israel seeks Saudi nod to join Yemen campaign against Houthis, but MBS objects
Israel has approached Saudi Arabia through US mediation, seeking permission to join the campaign against Yemen's Houthis, according to a Haaretz report. While Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hopes military cooperation could strengthen ties and advance normalisation, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is reportedly wary of the domestic backlash such a move could trigger.
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The Israeli proposal to join the military campaign against the Houthis is part of a longstanding ambition of Jerusalem to establish formal diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia.
US President Donald Trump has repeatedly promoted the prospect of Saudi-Israeli normalisation under the framework of the Abraham Accords, which facilitated diplomatic agreements between Israel and several Arab countries during his first administration.
Israel joining the campaign and the GCC collectively signing the Abraham accords is a simple matter in declaring a joint statement holding Iran and Iran's proxies accountable as well responsible for disarming. The failure to disarm is a direct attribution to the root cause in all of this, placed squarely at the feet of the proxies who resist, who instigate, divide and terrorize.
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u/Casual-Speedrunner-7 2d ago
Javier Blas (energy and commodities columnist at Bloomberg): Overall, Middle East (ex-Iran) crude flows, including Strait of Hormuz plus all the bypass routes, are holding at ~75% of pre-war levels, down from a ~95% peak in the last days of September. Crucially, despite the drop in recent days, the Oct 1-Oct 10 period average remains above Sep full month average (and well above full month August). Kuwait is struggling the most right now. UAE, Iraq and KSA are doing relatively well.
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u/joshtaco 3d ago
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy: “Strait of Hormuz is the real reason why the prices increased. All the world understands it absolutely clear. One-hundred percent – not even 90."
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u/colepercy120 3d ago
ISW Report for Yesterday October 13 (sorry i was busy)
- Houthis are attempting to capture Taiz with heavy fighting taking place inside the city and on its approaches
- Iran seems worried about a renewed US offensive in the war. and is attempting to dissuade Washington through back channels
- The Saudis struck the Houthis ' oil and gas infrastructure and did significant damage, which is likely to disrupt Houthi forces in the near term.
- The Houthis have launched an offensive south from Taiz towards Aden and the PLC has been forced to pull its troops from the Coastal plain offensives to defend the capital.
https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-update-october-13-2026/
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u/Wise_Preference609 2d ago
The Houthis offensive push south is an effort to cut off, or at least gain fire control, over the Saudi Backed Yemeni Forces currently fighting on the East Coast plains from their supply lines out of Aden. It's tactically a good move.
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u/jazir55 3d ago
Iran seems worried about a renewed US offensive in the war. and is attempting to dissuade Washington through back channels
First time I've seen that in the entire war, guess it started working?
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u/colepercy120 3d ago
maybe? it can't be denied that iran has taken the vast majority of the damage in the war. with projections indicating that they have at least $300 billion dollars worth of property damage from us strikes (over 100% of Iran's pre-war GDP) and irans trade is down 75% according to their own government figures. With absolutely no oil exports. This level of damage can't be easily absorbed. At least not while continuing to fight.
As for whether the strategy is working, Iran has a much easier objective than the US. They just need to survive, while the US needs them to break. And without knowing how close the Iranian government is to collapse (authoritarians always look invincible right up until it all comes apart), we don't know if the strategy is making enough progress to be viable after trump leaves office
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u/jazir55 3d ago
Completely agreed, it's just an odd turn because I haven't seen anything to the effect of "please don't restart the war" from Iran before. It's usually taunts, threats, demands and a "we don't care if it restarts".
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u/CoyotesOnTheWing 3d ago
No, this was threats. It wasn't a polite request, colepercy editorialized. This is what ISW said,
Iran is attempting to deter renewed US military operations against Iran through back-channel threats against US forces and regional allies while simultaneously conducting drone, missile, and anti-aircraft system tests in preparation for future conflict.
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u/joshtaco 3d ago
AJE: Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis say they targeted Riyadh’s international airport with a ballistic missile
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u/joshtaco 3d ago
AJE: White House officials told AJE that reports of a U.S. strike on Iran ahead of the midterm elections in November were false.
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u/joshtaco 3d ago
Channel 12: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed resuming strikes on Iran with U.S. President Donald Trump last week. U.S. officials got the impression that Netanyahu wanted to launch more strikes before Israel’s Oct. 27 election, citing concerning signs in Iran’s nuclear program.
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u/joshtaco 3d ago
UKMTO: Says two vessels hit by ‘unknown projectiles’ in the Strait of Hormuz
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u/CoyotesOnTheWing 3d ago
You really should just copy paste the report. It's a paragraph and there is a big difference between a ship getting hit with minor damage and continuing or being disabled and catching fire, things like that
UKMTO has received a time-late report of an incident within the Strait of Hormuz. A 19,000 tonne Container ship was struck by an unknown projectile whilst conducting an outbound SoH transit. The vessel reports minor damage, no casualties and was able to continue on its passage.
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UKMTO has received a time-late report of an incident within the Strait of Hormuz. A 50,000 tonne Container ship was struck by an unknown projectile whilst conducting an inbound SoH transit. The vessel reports minor damage, no casualties and was able to continue on its passage.
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u/LesserShambler 3d ago
For these reports of “unknown projectiles” is there any follow up on what they were. Like are these mostly drone strikes, or are there missiles being fired as well? (Im assuming a missile wouldn’t do “minor damage”)
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u/CoyotesOnTheWing 3d ago
Not usually, but sometimes we find out it was a missile. I think assuming most are drones, especially the ones with minor damage, is probably correct.
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u/joshtaco 3d ago
AJE: Three fishermen have been injured after an unidentified drone struck their boat near Bandar Kolahi, in Iran’s Hormozgan province
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u/joshtaco 3d ago
Brent: Crude futures gaining 89 cents, or 0.8 percent, as of 00:30 GMT to reach $106.58 a barrel
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u/joshtaco 3d ago
Reuters: A group of 77 US Congress members is “demanding answers” from the Pentagon on the protection of civilians after two deadly US strikes in Iran this year
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u/ResortMain780 3d ago
Inside The Secret Russian-Iranian Military-Energy-Pipeline Laundering Machine
- Russian and Iranian crude is being blended into Kazakhstan’s CPC oil exports, allowing sanctioned barrels to reach Europe under Kazakh documentation.
- Discounted Iranian oil is financing Russian military supplies to Tehran, including missiles and surveillance technology, through an alleged oil-for-arms arrangement.
- Russia and Iran are reportedly preparing to exploit the Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline from 2027, potentially routing 600,000–750,000 bpd through the corridor to circumvent Western sanctions.
Hilarious. EU is buying iranian oil by pretending to believe its all kazhak. And from late 2027 on, when they will nominally stop buying russian crude, they will switch to more oil from "kazakhstan", more oil than anyone believes kazakhstan can actually produce, so really they will be buying the same russian (and iranian) oil just with kazahk and armenian taxes on top of it. Brilliant.
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u/usemyfaceasaurinal 3d ago
It’ll be a matter of time until it’s revealed the ‘Russian’ diesel the US is buying turns out to be Iranian.
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u/Special-Reaction2029 3d ago
EU is stuck in a hard place with energy (what's new?). Both the US and Russia are completely unreliable and Canada doesn't have the infrastructure to export to them. They can still get from Africa and South America but it's not enough with the disruptions in the ME.
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u/Sir-Knollte 3d ago
EU as well has a higher fraction of diesel consumption than everyone else, and not the refinery capacity to produce enough without imports.
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u/Ok_Branch2469 1h ago
The Houthis broke through into Western Taiz.