Return to war with Iran after US midterm elections may be increasingly likely

 
Iran’s efforts show it is preparing for war in the near future and may try to strike America and its allies’ weak underbellies: energy facilities, ships, and other economically damaging targets.

A return to war between the United States and Iran is far from a certainty, and an ongoing tense standoff is still the most likely scenario, but there is no question that the chances of renewed conflict between Washington and Tehran will jump after America’s midterm elections on November 3.

Many have misinterpreted Iran’s latest additional moves to better defend the Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility as a sign that the Islamic Republic is possibly trying to rush out to a nuclear weapon.

The Jerusalem Post has confirmed that Iran has no significant active nuclear operations currently at Pickaxe Mountain and that Israeli concerns there are more about the future (Read More).

Iranian leaders believe renewed US strikes are inevitable, warn Washington against attacking

 
According to several regional diplomats, concerns are growing within Iran’s leadership that the current period of relative calm could be short-lived and that hostilities may resume in the future.

Iranian leaders believe that a US strike against the country is inevitable, viewing the question not as "if" Washington will launch another attack, but "when" it will happen.

According to several regional diplomats who spoke to The Jerusalem Post on Wednesday following conversations with senior Iranian officials, concerns are growing within Iran’s leadership that the current period of relative calm could be short-lived and that hostilities may resume in the near future.

One diplomatic source described the mood in Tehran, saying that the atmosphere in the Iranian capital reflects a widespread expectation that further US strikes are imminent. “The atmosphere in Tehran is such that people feel the bombings are going to resume in the short term.'' (Read more)

Trump Vows to 'Do a Number' on Iran

President Trump told a campaign rally in Wasilla, Alaska, that Iran should wait to see what the United States does, days after saying new strikes would wait until after the November 3 midterms.

Israelis vote on October 27, one week before Americans go to the polls on November 3. On Tuesday night, President Donald Trump told a midterm campaign rally in Wasilla, Alaska, that Iran should brace for more American action: "Oh, wait till you see what we do to Iran. We're going to do a number. Wait till you see." Last week he announced that the United States would hold off on new attacks until after the midterms. (Read More)

Israel will seize more Lebanese territory if Hezbollah joins Iranian attacks, DM warns

The defense minister said the IDF was prepared to launch another ground maneuver and would incorporate any newly captured territory into Israel’s existing security zone.

He also warned that Israeli military operations would force large numbers of Lebanese civilians to evacuate northward, including residents of areas extending toward the Awali and Zahrani rivers.

According to Katz, the evacuations would allow the IDF to conduct extensive strikes against Hezbollah’s military infrastructure while pushing the threat posed by the terrorist organization’s drones farther away from Israeli border communities. (Read More)

Israel's answer to hypersonic missiles: Rafael unveils Sky Sonic model

 
Nearly 3.5 years after announcing the project, Rafael is showing a full-size model in Washington; the system aims to stop missiles flying at over five times the speed of sound and changing course in flight, but test results remain undisclosed.

Israeli defense company Rafael Advanced Defense Systems has unveiled a full-size model of Sky Sonic, its interceptor designed to counter hypersonic missiles, more than three years after first announcing the project. The model was presented at the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) defense exhibition, which opened Monday in Washington, marking a rare public glimpse of a program Rafael has kept largely under wraps since June 2023. (Read More)

GROWING MISSILE THREAT: Houthis Reportedly Developing Weapons to Reach Israel Using Chinese Components and Iranian Assistance

Yemen’s Houthi terrorists are reportedly working to develop medium-range ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel and Saudi Arabia, using components purchased from a Chinese supplier and assistance from Iran.

The findings, detailed in a new report by Conflict Armament Research, indicate that the Houthis are seeking to manufacture a locally produced version of Iran’s Kheibar Shekan guided missile.

The planned weapon is expected to have a range of approximately 2,000 kilometers, potentially allowing the terrorist group to strike targets throughout Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The assessment is based on information collected by Yemeni government authorities in July, after they intercepted two shipments containing equipment intended for missile production.

The seized materials reportedly included rocket structural components, rocket engines and dual-use items that can serve both civilian and military purposes.

However, the report does not confirm that the Houthis have successfully produced or deployed such a missile.

It also remains unclear whether the Chinese government has any direct involvement in the project or control over the final destination of the components supplied by the Chinese company. (Source)

LA Archdiocese joins worldwide celebration of Guadalupe Jubilee Year

 
The Archdiocese of Los Angeles joined Catholics worldwide on Monday in marking the start of a Jubilee Year honoring Our Lady of Guadalupe.  

Pope Leo XIV granted the Guadalupan Jubilee Year to mark the 50th anniversary of the dedication of the current Basilica of Our Lady of Guadalupe in Mexico City and the transfer of the image of the Virgin Mary to the shrine on Oct. 12, 1976, according to the archdiocese. 

The observance also coincides with the 495th anniversary of the apparition of Our Lady of Guadalupe to St. Juan Diego, according to Catholic tradition. (Read More)

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Senior Researcher Brad Myers Comments,

The Roman Catholic website guadalupeshrine.org states that an apparition of Mary appeared to Juan Diego as the "woman clothed with the sun" from the Book of Revelation, "pregnant with the child Jesus." While many pontiffs have honored the apparition, Popes Pius X, Pius XII, John Paul II, Benedict XVI, and Francis have explicitly connected Our Lady of Guadalupe to the woman in Revelation 12. Roman Catholic theology views Revelation 12:1–2 as a dual symbol for both the Virgin Mary and the Church.

 In his book The Final Prophecies, Dr. Bill Salus explains in great detail (pages 51–95, 221–223) a possible end-time scenario in which the city of Rome represents the harlot of Revelation 17:18. In this scenario, the Pope and clergy are forced to flee the Vatican around the middle of the seven-year Tribulation Period as a result of divine judgment upon Rome for her sins throughout church history, including during the Tribulation itself (Rev 17:6, 16–17; Rev 18:8, 20). God will bring total destruction upon the city of Rome in a single hour (Revelation 18). This same city will serve as the commercial and governmental headquarters from which the Antichrist rules his global kingdom at the time of Christ's Second Coming in Revelation 19. 

The quotes below were taken from pages 69–95 and 221–223:

" ...don’t you think the RCC will be deceived into thinking that they are fulfilling the prophecies of the woman clothed in the sun that gets persecuted by Satan and is forced to flee into the wilderness? I consider this a grave and highly probable possibility!

This harlot’s desolation occurs at the Midpoint of the Trib- period and causes the Roman Catholic Church to seek refuge as the Great Trib-period begins. Unsuspecting that this period of RCC exile is the result of divine judgment, they are deceived into thinking that they, and not the faithful remnant of Israel, are the persecuted woman of Rev. 12 who is forced to flee into the wilderness. Deluded into thinking that they have replaced Israel in Rev. 12, the RCC will not likely recognize that,God orchestrated the desolation of the Harlot at the hands of the Ten Kings..."

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BRACING FOR ESCALATION: Third U.S. Carrier Group Heads to Middle East as Iran Fortifies Bunkers and Threatens Gulf States

Iran is reinforcing nuclear sites and military bunkers while warning that renewed American strikes would trigger a broader regional response, as the United States reportedly moves a third aircraft carrier strike group and an additional Marine unit toward the Middle East.

The preparations come as both sides seek leverage in a conflict that has largely reached a stalemate more than seven months after it began. President Donald Trump ruled out launching an attack before the November 3 midterm elections, but American officials say the military is preparing options for potential strikes.

Trump has also publicly considered targeting Iran’s deeply buried Pickaxe Mountain nuclear site. The Pentagon is reportedly weighing additional deployments of air defense equipment and ammunition to American bases across the region.

Iranian officials have delivered warnings both publicly and through private discussions with regional governments, threatening attacks on American forces and Washington’s Gulf allies if fighting resumes.

Some officials have reportedly suggested that Iran could launch ground incursions into neighboring countries. Senior Iranian security figure Mohsen Rezaei said Sunday that potential targets could include the United Arab Emirates, regional data centers and internet cables.

Tehran has separately warned Arab officials that Saudi oil facilities could be targeted in another round of fighting. That threat comes as Saudi Arabia confronts attacks by the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, who struck Riyadh’s international airport over the weekend.

Iran has also told mediators that it would pursue American personnel more aggressively, including attempting to sink U.S. warships in the Middle East and kill their crews. Satellite imagery indicates that Tehran is strengthening defenses around sensitive facilities, including nuclear sites and border areas. (Read More)

The battle for Judea and Samaria, the Jewish people’s biblical heartland

 
Since returning to office following the Nov. 1, 2022, election, the Israeli government led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has spearheaded an unprecedented drive to expand Jerusalem’s control of Judea and Samaria.

No Israeli government since 1948 has done more to build up the Jewish heartland, numbers provided to JNS by Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich’s Religious Zionism Party show.

In the past three years alone, 60,000 housing units were approved and 30,250 dunams (about 7,500 acres) were declared state land, allowing for Jerusalem to advance construction there. Smotrich also led Cabinet decisions establishing 104 new communities, and 160 agricultural farms were set up. Those farms, the party said, safeguard some 1 million dunams (roughly 247,000 acres) of state land.

For decades, the picture in Judea and Samaria looked very different. When ground was broken for Amichai in Samaria in 2017, it was the first new state-sanctioned community in the region in some 20 years. “After decades, I have the privilege to be the prime minister who is building a new community in Judea and Samaria,” Netanyahu said on June 20, 2017, as he announced the construction of the new town, which was intended to accommodate Israelis evicted from the Amona outpost.

The current government broke that pattern within months. In June 2023, Israel Hayom reported that the government had approved 13,000 homes in its first half-year in office, almost double the previous record, set during the first Trump administration.

By July 2024—as the Jewish state reeled from the deadliest single-day massacre since the Holocaust, and following the Knesset’s firm rejection of unilateral steps toward recognizing Palestinian statehood—Smotrich’s office announced that some 24,000 housing units had been approved during his tenure, compared with 20,000 in the three years from 2020 to 2022. (Read More)

Netanyahu reportedly pressed Trump to renew Iran fighting before Israeli and US elections

 

US President Donald Trump listens as Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club, December 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Fla. (photo: Alex Brandon, AP)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu urged US President Donald Trump to renew the fighting against Iran before Israel’s October 27 election and the US midterm elections a week later, Israeli television reported Tuesday, as the American leader said he would make a decision on Iran “very soon.”

US officials told Channel 12 News they came away with the impression from last week’s talks that Netanyahu wanted to launch an attack before the elections, with the premier citing worrying steps by Iran in the nuclear arena.

While Trump has since said publicly that he will not resume attacks on Iran before the US midterms, the Israel Defense Forces and CENTCOM remain at a high state of readiness and are completing preparations in case Trump changes his mind, the TV report quoted unnamed sources as saying. (Read More)

Hezbollah rebuilds military capabilities, upgrades FPV drones ahead of possible Israel war

Hezbollah has reportedly used the ceasefire to rebuild its forces in s. Lebanon, upgrade explosive drones to carry heavier payloads, and prepare for a possible wider war involving Israel and Iran.

Hezbollah is preparing to rearm and rebuild its terror capabilities in the event of an escalation with the IDF amid rising regional tensions, sources told Beirut-based independent news outlet Al-Modon on Monday.

Al-Modon is managed by the Qatari-based Fadaat Media Group, and often takes a critical stance against the Iran-backed Shi'ite terror group, while calling for a pro-Arab consensus.

"If a large-scale war breaks out, it will reach Lebanon. Israeli is waiting for any opportunity for military escalation against Hezbollah, as it is working to convince Washington of the need to renew the war against Iran. Just as Tehran is anticipating the possibility of war against it, Hezbollah is preparing and equipping itself," the report said. (Read More)

IRAN THREAT: Tehran Warns It Could Invade Neighboring Countries As It Prepares For Renewed War

Iran is preparing for the possibility of renewed fighting with the United States and Israel, and has threatened to widen any conflict across the Middle East, including by sending forces into neighboring countries, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

Iranian officials have warned regional counterparts, both publicly and in private conversations, that new U.S. strikes would bring a broader and more forceful response. The threats reportedly include attacks on the United Arab Emirates, Saudi oil facilities, regional data centers and internet cables, as well as attempts to sink American warships and kill their crews.

Mohsen Rezaei, a senior Iranian security official, warned that the UAE could be targeted. The threats come as Iran rebuilds its missile and drone capabilities and strengthens defenses around strategic sites. Satellite images reviewed by the Institute for Science and International Security showed new earthworks and barriers around the Natanz and Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facilities, apparently intended to make ground incursions more difficult.

Iran is also preparing its population for a possible return to fighting. The report describes pro-government rallies, advertisements for training in the use of shoulder-fired anti-aircraft missiles and sniper rifles, and female commando units trained in guerrilla warfare and drone operations.

The United States is reinforcing its regional presence, with another aircraft carrier strike group and additional Marines heading to the Middle East. The Pentagon is also considering sending more air-defense systems and ammunition to U.S. bases in the region.

President Donald Trump said last week that the United States would not strike Iran before the November 3 midterm elections, while also raising the possibility of an attack on the Pickaxe Mountain nuclear facility. U.S. officials say the military continues to develop options for possible strikes. (Source)

Iran fortifying nuclear sites as officials warn of potential land incursions to neighboring countries

 
Iran is fortifying defenses in preparation for potential strikes after the US midterm elections in November, the Wall Street Journal reports, with some officials in Tehran suggesting forces could conduct land incursions to neighboring countries.

The report says satellite images show activities underway to strengthen nuclear and border sites.

Additionally, some Iranian officials have hinted forces could carry out invasions, the report says, citing individuals familiar with the matter.

According to the Journal, Iranian authorities are preparing the home front for a potential return to hostilities by sending paramilitary forces to read stories about war to children in kindergartens, and training people to use anti-aircraft weapons.

Meanwhile, Tehran has told mendiators it could target the US military more aggressively, including by trying to sink warships in the region.

The report also says that Iran warned Saudi Arabia that its oil facilities could be hit. (Read More)

Iran has 2,000 ballistic missiles, is working to rebuild terror proxies in Syria – report

Israel estimates that Iran has some 2,000 ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel, and that Tehran is working to reestablish its foothold in Syria.

Israeli intelligence officials estimate that Iran has retained as many as 2,000 ballistic missiles capable of reaching Israel and is rapidly rebuilding its weapons production capabilities, Channel 12 reported, raising concerns that Tehran could soon restore much of the military threat it posed before the war.

The assessment, disclosed Sunday, comes amid mounting evidence that Iran is also attempting to reestablish its network of terrorist proxies along Israel’s borders, particularly in southern Syria, where Iranian-backed operatives have reportedly received substantial funding, weapons and other assistance.

Israeli defense officials estimate that Iran currently possesses between 1,800 and 2,000 ballistic missiles capable of striking Israel, compared with approximately 2,500 before the war began in February. 

The Iranian military has also restored a significant portion of its missile launchers, although intelligence officials remain uncertain how many missiles and launch systems could be deployed immediately in the event of renewed fighting. 

The estimates suggest that the joint US-Israeli military campaign, despite inflicting extensive damage on Iranian military installations and weapons factories, failed to permanently eliminate Tehran’s ability to threaten Israel with large-scale missile barrages.

...Beyond Iran itself, Israeli security officials are increasingly concerned about Tehran’s efforts to rebuild its regional network of armed proxies, particularly following the collapse of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria in December 2024.  

Unlike Assad, whose government facilitated extensive Iranian military activity in Syria, President Ahmed al-Sharaa has sought to prevent Tehran and Hezbollah from reestablishing a significant presence in the country. 

As a result, Iranian operatives have reportedly shifted toward establishing smaller, decentralized terrorist networks that are harder to identify and disrupt.

These networks rely on local recruits, concealed weapons caches, explosive drones and rockets rather than the large, openly deployed military formations Iran previously maintained in Syria.

Israeli intelligence officials believe Iran has already transferred substantial amounts of money and weapons to local groups, allowing them to establish clandestine infrastructure near Israel’s borders. (Read More)

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Senior Researcher Brad Myers Comments,

Do you find it interesting to learn that Iran is currently working to rebuild its terror proxies in southern Syria, providing local terrorist groups with substantial funding and weapons, to establish clandestine infrastructure near Israel’s borders? 

We already know that Israel is deeply concerned about Turkey's growing military presence in Syria, especially after the president of Turkey called for "Israel's destruction," as reported by Ynet News on August 21, 2026.

Do you see the possibility of a massive attack against northern Israel by Turkish forces, alongside Iranian proxies and others operating within Syria in the future? Could this upcoming conflict be the war described in Isaiah 17?

Dr. Bill Salus, in his article "The Proxy War That Shakes Israel," writes: 

"The imagery provided in Isaiah 17:4–6 does not present a good outlook for Israel in its war with Syria. The conflict, which will likely also involve Iran and its proxies, seems to push Israel to the brink of extinction. This devastating war compels Israel to destroy Damascus and other major Syrian cities. According to the verse below, Damascus gets destroyed overnight."

Two-state solution a 'trap we set for Israel,' Lebanon-based Fatah official brags

 
“We know the trap we have set for Israel by demanding a two-state solution. But Israel understands why it does not want to give us a state: it knows what the future could hold,” said Abu Shahab.

“We know the trap we have set for Israel by demanding a two-state solution,” Basel Abu Shahab, secretary of the Fatah movement in the Burj al-Shemali refugee camp in Lebanon, told Palestine TV, adding that Israel “has reason to fear us.”

Abu Shahab, the son of Fatah Maj.-Gen. Jalal Abu Shehab, widely known as Abu Basel, said in the interview over the weekend that within 20 years of a Palestinian state being established, it could develop an aircraft industry and an industrial sector capable of rivaling Israel’s, giving it the “components of a state capable of confronting Israel.”

“We know the trap we have set for Israel by demanding a two-state solution. But Israel understands why it does not want to give us a state: it knows what the future could hold,” he continued. (Read More)

IDF destroys Hezbollah tunnels in Lebanon

 
Brigade 7 and Yahalom forces uncover and demolish underground routes stocked with Kalashnikovs, heavy machine guns and anti-tank missiles • Operation removes immediate threat to northern communities. 

IDF forces operating in the security zone in southern Lebanon have completed a complex operation to destroy underground infrastructure belonging to the Hezbollah terror organization. According to an IDF statement, the forces located and demolished underground routes stretching hundreds of meters, which served as staging points for planned terror attacks against northern Israeli communities. 

The operation was carried out by the combat team of Brigade 7, under the command of Division 36, in close coordination with fighters from the Yahalom engineering unit. The forces worked methodically across the area to remove every direct threat to the State of Israel. As part of this effort, the soldiers located the deep underground routes, thoroughly investigated them, and then detonated and completely destroyed them.  

During the tunnel searches, the forces uncovered living quarters intended for extended stays by Hezbollah terrorists, alongside numerous combat means of various types. They seized items including Kalashnikov rifles, heavy machine guns, launch positions, and advanced anti-tank missiles designed to strike IDF forces and the Israeli home front.

Brigade 7 forces continued extensive sweeps across the terrain. During the above-ground operations, dozens of additional terror infrastructures and weapons depots were located and destroyed, clearing the area of immediate threats to communities along the confrontation line.

The operational activity in southern Lebanon joins a series of operations the IDF has carried out in recent months aimed at removing threats to Israeli civilians. The IDF emphasized that forces continue to operate with determination to thwart any attempt by the Hezbollah terror organization to rebuild its military capabilities or to hold combat means intended to harm IDF forces and the Israeli home front.

In recent months, the IDF has reported extensive operational activity in southern Lebanon, including the destruction of underground routes totaling several kilometers in length across various sectors. IDF forces under Northern Command are deployed in the area and continue to operate to remove every immediate threat to the State of Israel. (Read More)

 _______________________________

Senior Researcher Brad Myers Comments,

We are continuing to see Israeli IDF forces conducting military operations against Hezbollah in southern Lebanon to remove any immediate threat to the state of Israel. 

Did you know that in the Sidon (Saida) area of southern Lebanon, Hezbollah strongholds and assets have been a frequent target of Israeli airstrikes?

Could these military events taking place in southern Lebanon have anything to do with end-time prophecies found in Ezekiel 28:20–26? 

If you are interested in these events taking place in southern Lebanon, then read the article by Dr. Bill Salus, Shocking Prophetic Revelation: Ezekiel 28 Precedes Ezekiel 38: Revealing the Sidon Prophecy in Ezekiel 28:20–26 and Its Hezbollah Connections."

TOUGH CALL’: Trump hints US could join Saudi fight against Houthis

Former Defense Secretary Mark Esper discusses U.S. response options following Houthi drone and missile strikes on Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on ‘America Reports.’

Israeli army arrests 30 Palestinians as occupiers assault family in occupied West Bank

The Israeli army rounded up 30 Palestinians in military raids across the occupied West Bank on Tuesday, while occupiers assaulted a Palestinian family near Nablus, leaving several people injured.

The Prisoners’ Media Office said Israeli forces carried out widespread raids involving searches of homes and the conversion of one house into an interrogation center.

The arrests were concentrated in the northern Nablus province, where 15 Palestinians were detained in the village of Tell, 12 in Asira al-Shamaliya and another in Talfit, the office said.

Israeli forces also raided several homes in Asira al-Shamaliya and turned one into an interrogation center.

Another Palestinian was arrested in Tubas in the northeastern West Bank and one more in Hebron in the south after Israeli forces raided and searched their homes, the same source said.

Separately, several Palestinians were injured early Tuesday when Israeli occupiers wearing military uniforms attacked a family in Talfit, south of Nablus, according to local sources.

The sources told Anadolu that the occupiers, disguised as Israeli soldiers, knocked on the door of the home of Yusuf Munawwar Abu Aisha before severely beating him and members of his family.

Several family members sustained injuries and bruises and were taken to a hospital.

The Israeli army simultaneously raided several Palestinian homes in the village, according to the same sources.

Israeli army raids and attacks by occupiers against Palestinians and their property have intensified across the occupied West Bank, including East Jerusalem, since the start of Israel’s war on Gaza in October 2023.

​​​​​​​Palestinians say illegal settlement expansion and attacks threaten the possibility of establishing an independent Palestinian state in line with relevant international resolutions. (Read More)

Occupied West Bank attacks: Israeli settlers carry out raids during olive harvest

Palestinians in the occupied West Bank face Israeli settler attacks while harvesting olives. Villagers and international activists offer protection, as violence and intimidation turn the annual harvest into a dangerous struggle for Palestinian families.

Federal agents raid Ilhan Omar’s DC home amid immigration fraud investigation

The home of Rep. Ilhan Omar, D-Minn, was raided early Monday morning by Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), a source familiar with the matter told Fox News Digital.

Multiple federal agents with HSI jackets were seen outside Omar's Washington, D.C. home in the early hours of Monday. 

Two sources close to the investigation say the search stems from a criminal fraud investigation into the Somali-born congresswoman's immigration paperwork, which was filled out by her late father when she was a child.

The raid started around 6 a.m. with HSI and Department of Homeland Security (DHS) leading the operation. The Department of Justice (DOJ) is also involved in the investigation.

"Today in the Washington, D.C., area, Homeland Security Investigations executed a judicially authorized search warrant secured by the Department of Justice. This enforcement action is part of an ongoing federal investigation," a DOJ spokesperson told Fox News Digital.

Border czar Tom Homan said in mid-September that the progressive congresswoman was subject to an ongoing "criminal" investigation. (Read More)

 

Saudi Arabia's terrified Crown Prince MBS 'is moving between heavily guarded palaces with bunkers as Houthi attacks intensify'

Saudi Arabia's terrified Crown Prince has been forced into hiding as Houthi rebels continue to hit Riyadh with deadly missile strikes, a report has claimed.

Mohammed bin Salman, 41, has for the past six days been moving between heavily guarded palaces with bunkers, according to officials. 

On Saturday, the Kingdom was struck by its deadliest attack in a decade when a projectile hit King Khalid International Airport, killing 13 and injuring hundreds. The Saudi capital's airport was struck again yesterday, leaving one dead and 11 injured.

After this serious escalation in the war between the Saudi-led coalition government and Iran-backed Houthi fighters, Donald Trump warned the US could intervene. Yesterday he waded in on the conflict, telling reporters he 'may' join a counter attack after the Saudis vowed to retaliate. 

As the Houthi strikes on Riyadh intensify the terrified crown prince has been closely guarded out of sight, the Wall Street Journal reports. The last time he was seen in public was on Tuesday, when he gave blood in a bid to support a national donation drive. (Read More)

Saudis say they are running low on interceptors to thwart Houthi attacks

The Wall Street Journal cites Saudi officials as saying that they are running low on interceptor missiles needed to fend off ongoing strikes from the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group in Yemen.

The newspaper reports — citing people familiar with the kingdom’s thinking — that Riyadh is “struggling to cover the vast country with air defense” and is moving missile defense batteries around the country in order to best protect both key energy infrastructure as well as its palaces.

WSJ says Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman is moving carefully between “heavily guarded palaces equipped with bunkers” accompanied by handpicked security guards. (TOI)

Some Israeli settlers use sheep as tool to push Palestinians from their West Bank homes

The arid hilltops of the West Bank have seen shepherds come and go for thousands of years, and now some of these shepherds are behind settler violence against Palestinians.

The struggle for the West Bank is a biblical story. There are two populations – Jewish and Arab, the descendants of Abraham's sons, Isaac and Ishmael – fighting over ancestral land. The West Bank, located on the west bank of the Jordan River, is home to more than 3 million Palestinians who hope to make it the heart of their future state. It is also home to over 500,000 Jews who call the area Judea and Samaria, their biblical homeland.

The area has been under Israeli military occupation for nearly six decades. Jewish settlers have built communities in the West Bank in hopes of making the land part of Israel.

With Israeli elections two weeks away, and midterms in the U.S. next month, how settler violence is handled could soon change.

Driving sheep herds into Palestinian communities 

Mordehai Minster, who cofounded a sheep farm in the West Bank, is a new type of Israeli settler. His herd is driven deeper and deeper into surrounding Palestinian communities.  

"When you have sheep, everyone understands. Arabs tend to fight over grazing lands among themselves. It's a language that we understand, and they understand," Minster said. "And it's a way to delineate the border. 'This is where I graze my sheep. You don't take your sheep here. You don't plant here. You don't build here.'" (Read More)