Explore every episode of the podcast Middle East Minute by AL-MONITOR

Saudi authorities said three people were killed in attacks on the Riyadh airport, and US President Donald Trump said he will not attack Iran before the November midterm elections.

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The US is providing intelligence support to Saudi Arabia and oil flows in the Middle East are recovering.

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Israelis are calling for an independent probe of the Oct. 7 attack and the Yemeni government accused the Houthis of targeting the Aden airport.

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Turkey and Pakistan agreed to prepare forces to deploy to Saudi Arabia under the Mecca pact.

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The Saudi-backed Yemeni government began a major offensive against the Houthis, and Egypt hosted Eritrea, Sudan and Somalia for a summit.

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The US sent more naval forces to the Middle East, and Saudi Arabia accused the Houthis of targeting Medina, which the group denied.

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The UAE pledged to investigate the circumstances surrounding the FlyDubai flight to Israel, and Iran-backed militias in Iraq said they are not bound by a timetable on disarmament.

Editor's note: This podcast was updated on Oct. 1, 2026 to include a denial from the Syrian government regarding the Hezbollah meeting. 

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US troops completed their withdrawal from Iraq, and oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are up.

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UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed is visiting Saudi Arabia, and Iraq said flights to and from Iran would resume.

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Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan is in Washington for talks, and eight Marines were injured in an earlier Iranian attack on a ship in Hormuz. 

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Turkey agreed to withdraw from a key base in Iraq, and Yemen pleaded for US help in the fight against the Iran-backed Houthis.

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Jordan's King Abdullah told Al-Monitor discussions with US President Donald Trump and regional leaders were "very good," and Iran flight cancellations are mounting amid a new sanctions threat.

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Saudi Arabia is reportedly resuming operations at its East-West pipeline, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on the UN General Assembly sidelines.

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From Al-Monitor Live New York, host Adam Lucente interviews diplomatic correspondent Elizabeth Hagedorn on the Middle East developments surrounding the United Nations General Assembly.

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The Trump administration approved the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, and an adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the president will seek a third term.

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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is in France for talks on the UN’s peacekeeping force in Lebanon, and Algeria revoked the license of Sky News Arabia amid a growing rift with the UAE.

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Saudi Arabia formally accused Yemen's Houthis of targeting Mecca, and the Trump administration finalized plans for a $2.8 billion arms sale to Israel.

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The Houthis seized Yemen's Greater and Lesser Hanish islands, and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman visited Egypt amid the regional escalation.

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Oman announced a regional meeting was cancelled, and Iran said the Houthis are acting independently amid new cross-border strikes between Yemen and Saudi Arabia.

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Israel said it destroyed Hezbollah infrastructure in Lebanon's Ali al-Taher ridge, and India gears up to host the BRICS summit amid the intensifying regional conflicts.

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Algeria severed relations with the UAE, and a new poll showed Palestinians are losing trust in both Hamas and Fatah.

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The price of oil went above $100 after the US and Iran each said they struck numerous vessels in and around the Strait of Hormuz.

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Saudi Arabia said 73 were injured in heavy Houthi attacks, and Israeli strikes in Lebanon left dozens dead ahead of the next round of talks.

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More than 80 have reportedly been killed during intensifying clashes in Yemen and a Saudi AI firm unveiled a new model with Chinese help.

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Iran launched a new wave of strikes on Kuwait and Saudi crude oil exports hit a nine-year low.

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Germany tested an Israeli ballistic missile system and Egypt is eyeing stronger military ties with China during President Xi Jinping’s visit.

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Violence in southern Syria is escalating and Israel is facing growing pressure over settler attacks on Palestinians.

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Israel signed a historic defense deal with Greece while Iranian, Russian and Chinese leaders convened at the Shanghai Cooperation Organization summit.

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Iran is signaling it is open to diplomacy, and Israel is frustrated with the Hezbollah disarmament process in Lebanon.

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The US designated the British activist group Palestine Action as a terrorist organization, and the Qatari foreign minister is visiting Tehran as part of a diplomatic push.

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A major UAE delegation arrived in Lebanon, and Iran and Oman discussed plans to remove mines in the Strait of Hormuz.

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China warned it may respond as the US announces new economic pressure on Iran, while Pakistan reported progress in talks toward ending the war.

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The Iranian currency hit a new low against the dollar as Tehran threatens ships it said violated its rules for crossing the Strait of Hormuz.

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China criticized US President Donald Trump's economic war threat against Iran and Tunisians protested against poor services in the country.

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Saudi Arabia is pushing Iraq to take action against Iran-backed militias and Syria’s top diplomat made a rare visit to Pakistan.

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The UAE halted trade ties with Iran after a missile attack and NATO said it is ready to defend Europe against potential Iranian attacks.

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The Trump administration's Gaza plan is advancing despite Israeli doubts over whether Hamas will disarm.

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The UAE accused Iran of targeting two of its tankers in the Strait of Hormuz and Turkey is expected to sign the charter for the Saudi-led coalition in the Red Sea.

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Turkey outlined how it plans to strengthen ties with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan after their defense pact, and Iran pushed back against US claims over the Strait of Hormuz.

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Yemen’s Houthis and the US military both reported new attacks, and a key IRGC official visited Baghdad.

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is traveling to Libya for talks with the country's rival administrations amid a US-led unity push.

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The Houthis carried out a deadly strike in Yemen as Iran laid out demands to the US for the reopening of Hormuz.

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The kingdom is reportedly expecting attacks from Iraqi militias and the Houthis while the conflict in Yemen heats up.

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Israel and Lebanon are set to resume talks in Rome after the previous day’s discussions ended early amid tensions on the ground.

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Pro-Palestinian progressive Abdul el-Sayed claimed victory in Michigan’s Democratic Senate primary, and would become the first Muslim-American senator if he wins the general election in November.

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A ship was hit by a projectile near the Strait of Hormuz as the US makes a renewed push for talks with Iran.

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Iraq's Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani met with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus for talks focused on economic cooperation.

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Around 60,000 migrants have entered the Spanish enclave Ceuta from Morocco in the past two days, prompting Moroccan forces to deploy as EU leaders seek to manage the crisis.

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Kuwait said a worker at a Chinese company was killed and Jordan reported a new wave of Iranian missiles after the US conducted strikes across southern Iran.

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The US and Saudi Arabia carried out the strikes following militias firing drones at the kingdom and another IRGC attack on American forces in Jordan.

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