US vice president JD Vance said that Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity for the US to end its months-long war, as Washington was unsure how Tehran makes decisions in negotiations.
Vance, who has taken a leading role for the US side in peace talks, asked: "If you don't want a nuclear weapon, then why do you need 60 per cent enriched fuel? And if you want to show commitment to not building a nuclear weapon, don't build highly enriched fuel. That's a very basic threshold issue.”
Iran and the US have exchanged proposals in recent weeks to end the war and reopen the Strait of Hormuz.
But president Donald Trump has rejected Tehran's latest offer, and warned that military operations could intensify after the midterms.
Meanwhile, Yemen said the Iran-backed Houthis attacked the Aden International Airport with ballistic missiles and explosive-laden drones early on Wednesday. One missile landed near the airport runway minutes before a flight from Cairo was due to land, the ministry said.
The Saudi-led coalition said it had intercepted and destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile north of the Saudi capital Riyadh. Fighting between the Houthis and the recognised government in Yemen has intensified across several fronts this week.
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Key Points
- Houthis claim strikes on Saudi airports and airbase
- Vance says Iran must cut enrichment to end war
- Saudi-backed coalition claims victories in offensive near Bab el-Mandeb strait
- Trump was misunderstood over US attack comments, says White House
- Iran claims to hold large stockpile of new missiles and drones
- Yemen says Houthi missile landed near runway minutes before flight landing
Yemen says Houthi missile landed near runway minutes before flight landing
05:00 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Yemeni government condemned a Houthi attack on the Aden airport and said one missile landed near the runway just "minutes" before a flight was due to land.
Yemen's transport ministry said the Iran-backed group attacked the airport during the early hours of today with two ballistic missiles and drones.
It said that a missile landed near the runway “minutes” before Yemenia flight 603 en route from Cairo was due to land. The aircraft was diverted to Jeddah.
The attack “placed the lives of civilians and aviation crews in direct danger”, the ministry said.
“Aden airport should remain a safe space for passengers and workers, not an arena of fear and threat,” it added.
Vance says Iran must cut enrichment to end war
04:57 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarUS vice president JD Vance said that Iran must make a “meaningful” reduction in its nuclear enrichment capacity to satisfy US demands and end the country’s seven-month war, even as Washington was unsure how Tehran makes decisions in negotiations.
Vance, a longtime sceptic of US involvement in foreign wars, has taken a leading role in negotiating a settlement to the conflict and brokered a provisional peace agreement in June that quickly fell apart.
"If you don't want a nuclear weapon, then why do you need 60 per cent enriched fuel? And if you want to show commitment to not building a nuclear weapon, don't build highly enriched fuel. That's a very basic threshold issue," Vance told Reuters.
"I think if they want to show a commitment to not building a nuclear weapon, they would do something meaningful on their enrichment capacity."
Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted Houthi missile
04:20 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Saudi Arabia-led coalition fighting in Yemen claimed to have intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile north of the capital Riyadh this morning.
Coalition spokesperson Major General Turki al-Maliki said the missile launched by the Houthis was intercepted and destroyed.
He said that the coalition was tracking the launch platform using its intelligence systems over Sanaa.
Houthis claim strikes on Saudi airports and airbase
04:16 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarThe Houthis claim to have successfully struck Saudi Arabia's Abha airport with ballistic missiles and drones. There has been no immediate confirmation from the Saudi authorities.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Iran-backed rebels said they attacked the King Khalid airport in Riyadh with drones and targeted an airbase in Khamis Mushait with missiles.
Most families of US troops killed in the Iran war won't be at White House event
03:55 , Alisha Rahaman SarkarMost families of the six soldiers killed in the deadliest attack of the Iran war will not be attending a major White House event for Gold Star families hosted by President Donald Trump.
Only one family member of those killed in an Iranian drone strike on 1 March at Port Shuaiba in Kuwait confirmed that they planned to attend Tuesday's reception with Trump and the First Lady.
Troops who survived the attack have raised questions about why they were stationed at a site that didn’t have sufficient air protection and was viewed as a likely target.
More here.
Most families of US troops killed in the Iran war's deadliest attack won't be at White House event
Trump was misunderstood over US attack comments, says White House
03:00 , Jane DaltonThe White House clarified Donald Trump's comments in which he said attacks on two US cities would be a “small price to pay”.
White House communications director Steven Cheung said the president was not insinuating that he wanted Iran to attack US cities but instead wanted to prevent Tehran from having that capability.
He said Trump’s comments had been misunderstood.
Trump was discussing the Iran war and resulting high gas prices that have become a midterm liability for Republicans when he mentioned the possibility of an Iranian attack on US soil.
"It's a small price to pay for keeping the world safe, keeping our country safe," he said of the war and its economic fallout. "They can take out a city. Let 'em take out Los Angeles, let 'em take out San Diego. This is a very small price to pay."
Yemeni government fighters drove vehicles over Houthi opponents
01:30 , Reuters | Jane DaltonVideo posted by government forces in Yemen showed them driving armoured cars over opposing fighters as they recaptured areas around the vital Bab el-Mandeb Strait from Iran-backed Houthis in a deadly new phase of the fragmented country's war.
The videos gave a glimpse into the brutal closing stages of a pitched battle for control of territory near the strait that the Houthis had captured last month. The Houthi advance sent shockwaves through the oil market and pushed up petrol and diesel prices worldwide.
Fighting continued near Bab el-Mandeb on Tuesday as Saudi-backed government forces battled to consolidate Monday's counter-attack, besieging Houthi fighters at a military camp near the strait and pushing into hills to the east, Yemeni military sources said.
The videos, verified by Reuters and filmed from inside the armoured vehicles, showed them striking fighters with their vehicle. Some were armed and some were walking or running.
However, others were unarmed and some were sitting, lying or crouching on the sandy shore and made no move to evade the oncoming vehicle as they were run over.
Iran claims to hold large stockpile of new missiles and drones
Tuesday 6 October 2026 23:30 , Jane DaltonIran’s army has a large stockpile of new defensive and offensive equipment, including missiles and drones, the army says.
According to Iran International, army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said the army had gained valuable experience during the war and identified where and how its adversaries were vulnerable.
He said Iran had produced new missiles, drones and other defensive and offensive equipment daily during the war and was continuing to manufacture them.
Families of US troops killed in deadliest attack were not at White House event
Tuesday 6 October 2026 21:30 , Jane DaltonMost families of six soldiers killed in the deadliest attack of the Iran war were not attending a major White House event for Gold Star families hosted by President Donald Trump.
Most families of US troops killed in the Iran war's deadliest attack won't be at White House event
White House defends Trump over Iran speech
Tuesday 6 October 2026 19:40 , Sam RkainaThe White House has defended the president after his speech saying Iran could ‘take out’ Los Angeles and San Diego.
Donald Trump has faced widespread backlash for the remarks at a rally in Nebraska Monday night.
But White House Communications Director Steven Cheung says the comments have been misinterpreted.
“The media freakout over President Trump’s comments is not rooted in reality,” he posted on X.
“He was clearly stating US cities would have been threatened if a nuclear Iran hadn’t been stopped. America is safer because of the president.
“Iran has no nuclear, no navy, no air force and no money.”
Watch: Trump invites Iran to 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego
Tuesday 6 October 2026 18:40 , Sam RkainaThe bereaved families hoping for peace three years after October 7
Tuesday 6 October 2026 17:40 , Sam Rkaina“After three years, my worst fear is that my kids’ memory will fade away,” Sigal Manzuri says, on the eve of the anniversary of the October 7 Hamas attacks that claimed her two daughters’ lives.
“I just ask from others to really please remember that behind every picture they see, every story they hear, there is a soul, there are so many dreams cut short. And just remember them.”
Sigal, a US-Israeli mother and activist from Hod HaSharon in central Israel, today dedicates her time to preserving the memory of her daughters, Norelle, 25, and Roya, 22, who were both killed at the Supernova music festival in 2023.
Click here for the full story ahead of the third anniversary of the horrific attacks Wednesday.
Iran drone plot fears led US to remove bombers from UK base, US officials say
Tuesday 6 October 2026 16:40 , Sam RkainaA suspected plot involving Iran to launch a complex drone attack on a key British airbase led the United States to remove its B-1 bomber aircraft from the base, two US officials told Reuters on Tuesday.
Iran has denied any involvement in any alleged plot at RAF Fairford, the preferred European base for US bombers.
British police said on Tuesday they had arrested a 22-year-old British man in London on suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts as part of their investigation into the suspected plot.
A spokesperson for the US military's European Command declined to comment, saying: “It is inappropriate to discuss matters of intelligence, and we will not discuss specific force protection measures.
“As demonstrated across multiple operations, America's bombers, including B-1s, B-2s, and B-52s — can deliver precision global strike capabilities – including through operations that launch and recover from the continental United States – anywhere, anytime”
Officials blast Trump's comment to let Iran 'take out' US cities
Tuesday 6 October 2026 15:55 , Sam RkainaCalifornia Governor Gavin Newsom has denounced the President Trump as “deranged and dangerous” after he challenged Iran to “take out” two US cities.
Trump made the remarks in a speech to MAGA supporters in Nebraska Monday night.
“After sending the National Guard and Marines to occupy California, Donald Trump is now saying our foreign enemies should 'take out' Los Angeles and San Diego,” Newsom wrote on X.
The potential 2028 contender juxtaposed a video clip of Trump in Nebraska with his previous rhetoric to justify deploying US military troops to Los Angeles and other cities to fight crime and enforce immigration.
Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass, a Democrat and former member of Congress, also hit out at Trump for his comments.
“The president of the United States suggested that a foreign government attack Los Angeles. His statements against our city are dangerous and could potentially compromise our safety,” Bass said in a statement.
San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, a Democrat, added: “We are never a 'small price to pay.' Keep our city out of your reckless war talk.”
Trump blames Iran for attempted Flydubai hijacking
Tuesday 6 October 2026 13:30 , Adam Withnall
Trump blames Iran for attempted hijack of Israel plane after captain stabbed
Iran training women to use weapons amid fears of a renewed US offensive
Tuesday 6 October 2026 12:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarIran is training thousands of women to use weapons and prepare for urban warfare amid fears of a renewed US offensive.
The training, organised by the Basij, IRGC and regular army, includes assault rifles, sniper rifles, RPGs and shoulder-fired air-defence systems, as well as rescue, firefighting and navigation, The Telegraph reported.
The programme is part of the “Jan-fada” mass-mobilisation campaign launched after US and Israeli strikes on Iran.
Organiser Sasan Zare said more than 500,000 people registered within 100 minutes for “national resistance” battalions, while women are among the largest groups volunteering for planned neighbourhood relief and rescue units.
Iran’s chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said Tehran would reject “one-sided demands” from Washington, while the Strait of Hormuz would remain closed until Iran’s conditions were met.
Saudi-backed coalition claims victories in offensive near Bab el-Mandeb strait
Tuesday 6 October 2026 11:59 , Adam WithnallOn Monday, factions allied with the Saudi-backed coalition fighting the Houthis said they launched offensives against the rebels on the eastern flank of the coastal areas that the Houthis had seized in recent advances.
They attacked Houthi positions in the town of Dhubab, on the coast of the key Bab el-Mandeb strait, said Col Majed al-Nazili, spokesman of the Saudi-backed forces.
The Giants Brigades, a government-allied group, said it began a “decisive military operation against the Houthi militias,” also in the Bab el-Mandeb area.
Al-Alimi said in a post on X on Monday that the operation – dubbed “Yemen Dawn” – has started with the aim of “restoring state institutions, liberating" Sanaa, Yemen’s rebel-controlled capital, and ending "the Houthi terrorist militia coup.”
Iran’s army holds large stockpile of new missiles and drones, spokesman claims
Tuesday 6 October 2026 11:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarIran’s army has a large stockpile of new defensive and offensive equipment, including missiles and drones, army spokesman Mohammad Akraminia said on Tuesday.
According to Iran International, Akraminia said the army had gained valuable experience during the war and identified where and how its adversaries were vulnerable.
He said Iran had produced new missiles, drones and other defensive and offensive equipment daily during the war and was continuing to manufacture them.
Outrage in California as Trump accused of naming two cities for Iran to 'take out'
Tuesday 6 October 2026 11:00 , Adam Withnall
Trump names two US cities for Iran to take out: ‘That’s a very small price to pay’
Iran executes two more men arrested over January protests – report
Tuesday 6 October 2026 10:30 , Maroosha MuzaffarIran executed two men arrested over January protests in Isfahan in connection with the deaths of four police officers, the judiciary’s Mizan news agency reported on Monday.
Mizan said Alireza Sepahi and Alireza Raeisi were sentenced to death on charges including “membership in an armed rebel group, waging war against God through carrying weapons and creating fear and insecurity, corruption on earth and incitement to war and killing”.
The latest executions came two days after Siavash Jamshidi Kheirabadi, another person detained during the January protests, was executed on 3 October.
Two others, Ali Hemmati and Majid Nikandish, were executed last Wednesday 30 September on similar charges.
