US President Donald Trump says Washington is having “productive” discussions with Iran and will not attack the country before the US midterm elections on November 3.
In a social media post, Trump said the United States would hold off on military action until after the vote. He gave no details about the discussions. The announcement comes amid reports that US forces have been told to prepare for a possible return to large-scale operations against Iran.
At the same time, tensions spread across the region. Saudi Arabia’s military coalition said it intercepted and destroyed three ballistic missiles launched by Yemen’s Houthi movement: two aimed at Riyadh and one at the southern city of Khamis Mushait, according to Al Jazeera News.
The Houthis said they had targeted King Khalid International Airport, north of Riyadh, with a ballistic missile. The claims differ, and the reports available do not independently confirm the intended target or the outcome of the claimed airport attack.
In Yemen, the internationally recognised government said its forces had carried out 2,103 targeted operations against the Houthis since the start of its “Dawn of Yemen” campaign. It said 1,860 fighters had been “neutralised”, but did not clarify how many were killed or wounded.
The campaign aims to retake territory held by the Houthis, including the capital, Sanaa, which the group has controlled since 2014.
Trump’s pledge may offer a temporary pause in the prospect of direct US strikes on Iran. But missile interceptions and fighting in Yemen show that the wider region remains on edge, with diplomacy and conflict unfolding side by side.
