Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed they attacked Riyadh airport with a ballistic missile on Thursday. A parked Saudia Airlines plane caught fire and was badly damaged, according to Reuters, which cited sources.
Air India and Lufthansa suspended flights to the Saudi capital.
Saudi Arabia has not commented on the latest claim, but said three people were killed in airport strikes earlier this week.
According to aviation analytics company Cirium, almost half of departures from the Riyadh airport had been cancelled by 1500 GMT yesterday, with 31 more cancellations expected for Friday in all Saudi airports.
Earlier, Donald Trump said the US will not attack Iran for almost a month as claimed “productive” discussions were taking place over ending the conflict.
In a statement issued on Truth Social on Thursday evening, the US president wrote: “We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran. We will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd.”
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Key Points
- Trump says US will not attack Iran before 3 November
- Trump says Iran deal is not his preferred outcome as special envoy negotiates
- US military prepares new Iran war options ahead of midterm elections - report
- US and Iran hold indirect nuclear talks in New York
- Lebanon's Hezbollah 'gets $200 million from Iran' to help displaced
Houthis claim attack on Riyadh airport
03:59 , Maroosha MuzaffarYemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed they struck Riyadh airport with a ballistic missile on Thursday, damaging a parked Saudi Airlines plane that caught fire.
Air India and Lufthansa suspended flights to the Saudi capital.
Saudi Arabia has not commented on the latest claim, but said three people were killed in strikes on Riyadh and Abha airports earlier this week.
The Houthis say they are targeting Saudi Arabia because it supports Yemen’s internationally recognised government in the civil war.
They have also threatened to strike Saudi energy facilities.
USS Abraham Lincoln docks in San Diego after 10-month deployment in support of Iran war
Thursday 8 October 2026 20:45 , Brendan RasciusThe USS Abraham Lincoln, an aircraft carrier that had been deployed for a record 265 days at sea and supported US operations in Iran, has docked in San Diego, California.
The carrier drew national attention following reports of stress among the crew and poor mental health, as well as supply shortages. Pentagon officials downplayed those reports.
Trump defends his comments about Iran destroying US cities
Thursday 8 October 2026 20:27 , Brendan RasciusPresident Donald Trump defended his comments about Iran destroying U.S. cities in a lengthy Truth Social post on Thursday afternoon.
The president initially sparked backlash when, at a Monday rally in Nebraska, he said: “They could take out a city. Let them take out Los Angeles; let them take out San Diego.” The White House later denounced media coverage of those remarks, clarifying that he was addressing the threat a nuclear-armed Iran could pose.
“The Fake and Artificial News is out there trying to say that I’m inviting the enemy to bomb San Diego and Los Angeles,” Trump wrote on Thursday. “In actuality, what I was talking about was that a temporary increase in the price of Gasoline is a small price to pay for Iran not having a Nuclear Weapon and, if you want to see a big price, can you imagine what it would be like if they bombed San Diego and/or Los Angeles?”
Trump swats away female journalist after she asks him to explain ‘take out’ LA and San Diego comment
Thursday 8 October 2026 19:00 , Maira ButtPresident Donald Trump swatted away a question from a female reporter at the White House when she asked him to explain his comment about Iran “taking out” Los Angeles and San Diego.
Addressing a rally crowd in Grand Island, Nebraska, Monday, the president had been discussing the Iran war driving up gas prices due to the blockading of the Strait of Hormuz, which he said was “a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe.”
He then continued: “They can take out a city – let ’em take, let ’em take out Los Angeles, let ’em take out San Diego. That’s – this is a very small price to pay.”
Trump swats away question about his ‘take out’ LA and San Diego remark
Watch: Iran-backed groups target Riyadh airport with ballistic missiles
Thursday 8 October 2026 18:00 , Maira ButtTrump says US will not attack Iran before 3 November
Thursday 8 October 2026 17:37 , Alex RossDonald Trump said on Thursday the United States is having productive discussions with Iran and will not launch an attack on the country before US midterm congressional elections in November.
"We are having productive discussions with the Islamic Republic of Iran," Trump wrote in a post on Truth Social. He said the US blockade of Iranian ports remains in effect and that oil is flowing through the Strait of Hormuz.
"We will not be attacking Iran at any time prior to the Midterm Elections to be held in the United States on November 3rd," Trump said.
US military planes worth up to $3.3 billion now lost or damaged in Iran war, Congress report says
Thursday 8 October 2026 17:00 , Daniel KeaneThe U.S. military has seen 81 fixed-wing or rotary-wing aircraft worth as much as $3.3 billion damaged or destroyed in President Donald Trump’s war with Iran so far, according to a Congressional Research Service report.
Trump launched his Operation Epic Fury airstrikes against Tehran, in partnership with Israel, on February 28, since when it has seen airplanes, helicopters and drones hit in retaliatory strikes.
The total cited includes a costly F-35A fighter jet and a four-engine E-3 Sentry among the casualties, while MQ-9 Reaper drones, used for surveillance and search-and-rescue operations, account for more than half of the losses.
Read our full story below.
More than 80 planes worth up to $3 billion damaged or lost in Iran war, report finds
Iranian intelligence sets sights on US military bases in Germany, WiWo reports
Thursday 8 October 2026 16:00 , Maira ButtUS military installations in Germany, including Ramstein and Spangdahlem air bases, are being targeted by Iranian intelligence services amid concerns over potential covert attacks linked to the Iran conflict, news outlet WirtschaftsWoche reported on Thursday.
Three weeks ago, Israel warned US and German partners of a potential threat, with concern focused on bases supporting American military operations and logistics linked to the conflict with Iran. The report cited several unnamed Western intelligence officials.
The Iranian and Israeli embassies in Berlin did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
The German defence ministry declined comment.
"It is inappropriate to discuss matters of intelligence, and we will not comment on specific threat reporting or force protection measures," a US European Command Spokesperson said. "US European Command remains vigilant and continuously assesses the security environment across the European theatre."
A source told Reuters that Germany has been monitoring increased Iranian activity for weeks, without referencing what was mentioned in the WirtschaftsWoche article in particular.
Houthi spokesperson warns workers at Saudi oil sites, renews threats to airlines, airports
Thursday 8 October 2026 15:30 , Maira ButtA military spokesperson for Yemen's Houthis warned workers at Saudi Arabia’s oil facilities to avoid sites the group considers targets and renewed threats of attacks against airlines and airports in a statement on Wednesday amid escalating violence between the two sides.
FlyDubai attacker called women ‘rotten flesh’ in misogynistic social media posts: report
Thursday 8 October 2026 14:30 , Maira ButtThe flydubai co-pilot who allegedly stabbed a flight captain to hijack a plane en route to Israel referred to women as “rotten flesh” in a series of misogynistic social media posts in the years before his arrest, according to a report.
Hamam Al-Hammami, 29, is accused of attempting to crash the flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on 30 September after attacking the pilot with a crash axe.
But he was stopped when passengers broke into the cockpit and tied him up with headphone wires, before a reserve flydubai pilot travelling on the flight landed the aircraft at a regional airport in northwestern Saudi Arabia. The Omani national was subsequently arrested and transferred to Abu Dhabi, where he is being questioned.
FlyDubai attacker called women ‘rotten flesh’ in misogynistic online posts: report
The long-deployed USS Lincoln is returning home to San Diego
Thursday 8 October 2026 14:00 , Maira ButtThe USS Abraham Lincoln is returning home to San Diego Thursday after supporting the Iran war during a record long deployment of 265 uninterrupted days at sea that included reports of deteriorating conditions among its crew.
Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth flew out to the carrier on Wednesday to give the crew the Presidential Unit Citation, the highest honor a unit can receive that is typically reserved for significant achievement in combat.
Hegseth pushed back against what he said were efforts to turn the “Lincoln into some sort of a symbol, a symbol of dysfunction or a symbol of low morale or a symbol of a failed mission.”
The long-deployed USS Lincoln is returning home to San Diego
Smoke seen rising from aircraft at Riyadh airport
Thursday 8 October 2026 13:44 , Maira ButtSmoke has been seen rising from a stationary aircraft at Riyadh airport on Thursday, according to a witness and three people briefed on the matter.
There was no immediate official confirmation from Saudi authorities on the reported incident.
The aircraft was believed to be empty at the time, the sources said.
Late on Wednesday, Saudi Arabia said that one person had been killed in a strike on Riyadh airport and two others in an attack on Abha airport in the southwest.
Iran 'sets sights on US military bases in Germany'
Thursday 8 October 2026 13:00 , Daniel KeaneIranian intelligence services are targeting U.S. military bases in Germany, including Ramstein and Spangdahlem, amid concerns over potential covert attacks linked to the Iran conflict, German news outlet WirtschaftsWoche reported on Thursday.
Israel warned US and German partners three weeks ago of a potential threat, with concern focused on bases supporting US military operations and logistics linked to the conflict with Iran, the report said citing several unnamed Western intelligence officials.
Hormuz shipping falls to two-month low as Iran and US make differing claims
Thursday 8 October 2026 12:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarIRGC adviser Majid Mirahmadi said on Thursday that an average of just 10 ships a day were passing through the waterway, down sharply from about 125 before the war.
“The strait of Hormuz is closed, and the armed forces of the Islamic Republic of Iran have full control over it,” he told the Fars news agency.
However, US secretary of state Marco Rubio disputed Iran’s account, saying Tehran had “lost complete control” of the strait and that “there’s almost as much oil flowing out now as there was before this conflict began”.
Meanwhile, shipping traffic through the Strait of Hormuz has fallen to its lowest level in more than two months after tanker attacks intensified last week, according to Kpler.
The latest data shows that just seven commodity vessels passed through the strait on Tuesday, the lowest number since 23 July.
Tanker off Qatar’s northern coast struck by multiple projectiles
Thursday 8 October 2026 11:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarA tanker off Qatar’s northern coast was struck by “multiple projectiles”, causing an unknown number of casualties, according to the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency.
The attack came as tensions around the Strait of Hormuz intensified, with Iran saying it would close a southern route used by some vessels to bypass its blockade.
At least 12 attacks on oil and gas tankers were recorded around the strait in the week to 5 October, while India said 12 crew members were injured in a separate tanker attack.
Iran says it has full control of the strait, but US secretary of state Marco Rubio disputes this, saying Iran has “lost complete control” and that oil flows are close to pre-war levels.
Trump gives mixed messages on status of war
Thursday 8 October 2026 10:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarDonald Trump has given mixed messages this week on the status of the war.
“We’re doing extremely well in the Islamic Republic of Iran, very well,” he said on Tuesday.
“But we have to finish up, and it’s only a question of which way do we want to do it: Do we want to do it the nice way or the not-so-nice way? And pretty soon, you’ll find out.”
Then on Wednesday, Trump said the war had been won. “It’s a war that’s been won from the standpoint of what we have to do,” he said, adding: “It’ll be over very quickly. And when it does, and when it does, oil prices will come tumbling.”
Trump repeats claim that Iran could destroy LA or San Diego
Thursday 8 October 2026 09:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarDonald Trump once again claimed that the war against Iran was necessary to prevent Tehran from developing nuclear weapons and potentially attacking US cities such as Los Angeles or San Diego.
However, US intelligence assessed in 2025 that Iran was not building a nuclear weapon and that its weapons programme had been suspended in 2003.
Iran also does not have missiles capable of reaching the US mainland.
Despite this, Trump said: “We’re not going to let that happen” and repeated that Iran “would use it” if it obtained a nuclear weapon.
India condemns strikes on Riyadh airports
Thursday 8 October 2026 08:52 , Adam WithnallIndia says it condemns the attacks this week by Houthi rebels on two airports in Riyadh.
Saudi officials say two people were killed and 28 wounded in one attack at Abha International Airport, and one person was killed and eight wounded in a separate strike on King Khalid International Airport.
“The targeting of civilian infrastructure is completely unacceptable,” India’s foreign ministry said in a statement.
“We express our deepest condolences to the families of those who have lost their loved ones. We wish speedy recovery for those injured. We express solidarity and stand with the people and government of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”
Attacks on tankers in Hormuz hit highest of any week since start of Iran war – report
Thursday 8 October 2026 08:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarAttacks on oil and gas tankers in the Strait of Hormuz reached their highest weekly level since the Iran war began, according to maritime security sources cited by Reuters.
At least 12 tankers were attacked between 28 September and 5 October, while the International Maritime Organization recorded nine incidents.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards have also continued drone surveillance, radio harassment and attempted attacks on vessels.
The escalation comes as Gulf producers increase oil exports, while India said 12 crew members were injured after a projectile struck a Panama-flagged oil tanker travelling through the strait.
Oil prices climb past $101 a barrel
Thursday 8 October 2026 07:00 , Maroosha MuzaffarOil prices rose above $101 a barrel on Thursday as markets remained concerned about potential supply disruptions in the Middle East. Brent crude climbed $1.33, or 1.33 per cent, to $101.53 a barrel by 01:16 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) rose $1.11, or 1.26 per cent, to $89.39.
The gains came amid heightened tensions over attacks on shipping in the Gulf and around the Strait of Hormuz.
US military prepares new Iran war options ahead of midterm elections - report
Thursday 8 October 2026 06:01 , Maroosha MuzaffarDonald Trump and his national security team have reportedly discussed the possibility of restarting large-scale US military operations in Iran in the coming weeks, including potential strikes ahead of next month’s midterm elections, according to a US official and another person familiar with the discussions.
A defence department official told NBC News: “The department’s job is to develop and present military options to the president.”
A White House official said the US “is in a very strong position”.
“Iran has been decimated, and things will go one of two ways: the easy way or the hard way,” the official said.
“President Trump holds all the cards and will do whatever is best for the United States.”
