Shafaq News- Riyadh

Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan on Monday agreed to move immediately toward implementing their collective-defense commitments under the Mecca Defense Alliance, including measures to provide agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia.

The decision came at an emergency meeting of the alliance’s Strategic Political and Defense Committee in Riyadh amid escalating attacks on the Kingdom and fighting in Yemen.

In a joint statement published by Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, the committee said it had decided to “move immediately to the practical implementation” of its collective-defense commitments and take the necessary measures to provide the agreed military forces and capabilities and ensure their rapid deployment in Saudi Arabia.

The deployments will be carried out under approved arrangements and in accordance with the national laws of the three countries. The statement did not specify the number or type of forces and capabilities involved or when the deployments would begin.

The three countries said the security of each member was an integral part of their collective security and that implementing the Mecca agreement would strengthen deterrence and their ability to confront threats.

They also condemned attempts to target Mecca and Medina, as well as continued attacks on Saudi cities and civilian and economic facilities. Turkiye and Pakistan praised the readiness and performance of Saudi forces in responding to the threats.

Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the meeting also discussed diplomatic efforts related to the situation in Yemen. “We discussed in detail what kind of support could be provided for Saudi Arabia’s defense and, on the other hand, what could be done to resolve the issue peacefully and through dialogue,” Fidan told reporters after the meeting.

He said Saudi Arabia had taken a “very constructive approach” toward resolving the issue and that the participants had exchanged views on possible steps.

The committee also appointed retired Pakistani Lt. Gen. Nauman Mahmood as the alliance’s first secretary-general for a three-year term.

Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan signed the Mecca Joint Defense Agreement on Aug. 7, establishing a collective-defense framework under which an attack on one member is considered an attack on all three.

Shafaq News- Washington

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Monday that the USwould honor its bilateral security commitments to Saudi Arabia amid renewedfighting between Yemeni government forces and Iran-aligned Houthis.

“The United States has a defense and security agreement withSaudi Arabia, and we intend to live by it,” Rubio told a press conference inWashington, adding that Saudi Arabia had “a right to defend itself” againstcontinued Houthi attacks.

The fighting has intensified around the Bab Al-MandabStrait, a critical shipping corridor linking the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden.

“What is happening now in Yemen is a counterattack againstHouthi aggression,” Rubio said.

Yemeni government forces said they had taken control of thecity of Mokha in western Taiz Province and launched attacks on Houthi positionsin the Dhubab district overlooking the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.

A US official told Al Jazeera that Washington was providingSaudi Arabia with support to counter Houthi attacks, including planningassistance, intelligence sharing and aerial refueling.

The official said Saudi Arabia was using US aerial refuelingcapabilities to defend its airspace and support forces opposing the Houthis.

Presidential Leadership Council Chairman Rashad Al-Alimiannounced the launch of an operation called “Dawn of Yemen” to restore stateinstitutions, “liberate the capital Sanaa and end the coup of the terroristHouthi militias.”

Shafaq News- Washington/ London

The US has withdrawn all 12 B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford in Britain, but they remain capable of conducting global strikes from the continental US, a Pentagon spokesperson told Reuters on Sunday.

The Wall Street Journal reported that security concerns over suspected plots targeting the base drove the withdrawal after it served as a hub for US strikes on Iran.

Citing an official familiar with the intelligence, the newspaper reported that US officials were aware of an Iran-linked plot to attack a bomber and kill personnel at the base. A senior US official said a branch of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) had “recruited” British nationals for the alleged operation, which included plans for a diversion in a nearby neighborhood.

British counter-terrorism police separately said five British men were arrested near Fairford on Sept. 27, initially on suspicion of Explosives Act offenses and later on suspicion of preparing a terrorist act. A sixth suspect, a dual UK-Iranian national, was arrested in London on Oct. 1, and all six were later released on bail. Petrol was recovered from the vehicles, but no improvised explosive devices were found.

British Prime Minister Andy Burnham claimed that there were “strong indications” that Iran played a role. Tehran denied involvement and summoned British Ambassador Hugo Shorter over the allegations.

Shafaq News- Gaza

Israel killed Saqr Nabil Mousa Al-Qaisi in a strike in thesouthern Gaza city of Khan Younis, the Israeli military said on Sunday,identifying him as a member of Hamas' "elite unit" who participatedin the Oct. 7, 2023, attack.

The military also named Al-Qaisi as director of the Turkishhumanitarian organization Deniz Feneri, accusing him of using his positionthere to recruit members for Hamas and provide them with financial support.

It further alleged that Al-Qaisi had recently worked onplans targeting Israeli forces and efforts to rebuild Hamas' militarycapabilities, saying those activities violated the October 2025 ceasefireagreement.

#عاجل | مخرب من وحدة النخبة تحت غطاء ناشط في المجال الإنساني: جيش الدفاع يقضي على مخرب اقتحم أراضي دولة إسرائيل خلال مجزرة السابع من أكتوبر⭕️ هاجم جيش الدفاع في وقت سابق اليوم (الأحد) في منطقة خانيونس بقطاع غزة، وقضى على المخرب صقر نبيل موسى القيسي، وهو مخرب من وحدة النخبة التابعة لحركة حماس الإرهابية.⭕️ اقتحم المخرب أراضي دولة إسرائيل خلال مجزرة السابع من أكتوبر. وإلى جانب نشاطه في إطار حركة حماس الإرهابية، شغل المخرب منصب مدير جمعية “دينيز فنري” التركية (Deniz Feneri)، التي تُقدَّم على أنها جمعية للمساعدات الإنسانية، إلا أنها في الواقع تقيم علاقات مع جهات رفيعة في قيادة حركة حماس الإرهابية ومع جهات في القيادة التركية.⭕️ وفي إطار منصبه في الجمعية، عمل المخرب على توظيف عدد كبير من المخربين بشكل دائم، وكذلك على تقديم دعم مالي لمخربي حماس. وتعرض الجمعية وكبار مسؤوليها أنشطتهم على أنها أنشطة إنسانية، إلا أنهم في الواقع يعملون على جمع الأموال لدعم حركة حماس الإرهابية.⭕️ يدور الحديث عن استغلال ساخر للمجال الإنساني بهدف دعم النشاط الإرهابي، مع تعزيز نشاط حركة حماس الإرهابية تحت غطاء إنساني.⭕️ وخلال الفترة الأخيرة، عمل المخرب على دفع مخططات إرهابية ضد قوات جيش الدفاع ومواطني دولة إسرائيل، وعلى إعادة بناء قدرات حركة حماس الإرهابية، في خرق ممنهج لاتفاق وقف إطلاق النار. وتم القضاء على المخرب بهدف إزالة التهديد الذي شكّله.⭕️ وقبل تنفيذ الغارة، تم اتخاذ خطوات لتقليص المساس بالمدنيين قدر الإمكان، بما في ذلك استخدام ذخائر دقيقة ومراقبة جوية.⭕️ يواصل جيش الدفاع تركيز جهوده على استهداف قدرات تمويل النشاط العسكري لحركة حماس الإرهابية، بهدف منع إعادة تأهيل البنى التحتية والقدرات العسكرية للحركة.⭕️ قوات جيش الدفاع التابعة للقيادة الجنوبية منتشرة في المنطقة وفقًا للاتفاق، وستواصل العمل لإزالة أي تهديد فوري.

— Lieutenant Colonel Ella Waweya | إيلا واوية (@CaptainElla1) October 4, 2026

Deniz Feneri later denied that Al-Qaisi was its director,describing him as only a member and volunteer with the organization.

Israeli strikes continued across parts of the Gaza Strip,with several hits targeting a group of Palestinians near the EngineersSyndicate, while demolition operations were documented in eastern parts of theenclave.

Gaza's Health Ministry reported that hospitals across thecity received the bodies of nine people and 18 wounded over the previous 24hours. The cumulative toll since Oct. 7, 2023, has reached 74,237 deaths and175,206 injuries.

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iranian Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned, the presidential officesaid on Sunday, with no official reason given for his departure.

Mehdi Tabatabaei, deputy for communications and media affairs at the Iranianpresident's office, said President Masoud Pezeshkian had accepted theresignation and appointed Hamid Bovard, chief executive of the state-ownedNational Iranian Oil Company, as acting oil minister.

با پذیرش استعفای محسن پاک نژاد طی حکمی از سوی دکتر پزشکیان رئیس جمهور، حمید بورد به عنوان سرپرست وزارت نفت منصوب شد.

— سيد مهدي طباطبايي (@tabaei1356) October 4, 2026

Tehran faces one of the most severe economic crises in its history, with aUS naval blockade and tighter sanctions restricting oil exports and access toforeign currency. Earlier this week, Bloomberg reported that Iran loaded nocrude oil onto tankers in September for the first time since the US-Israeli warbegan on Feb. 28, compared with about 250,000 barrels per day in August.

Shafaq News- Damascus

Syria on Sunday condemned Israel's continued excavation andfortification work along the separation line in southern Quneitra, accusing itof violating the 1974 disengagement agreement as work advances on the"Sufa 53" military project near the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry described the latest work as a "blatantbreach" and a "flagrant violation" of international law, callingfor international action to halt Israel's ongoing incursions and militaryactivity in southern Syria.

The ministry also characterized Israel's "aggressive approach"and ground operations as a direct threat to regional security and stability,reaffirming Damascus's right to exercise full sovereignty over its territory.

Israeli forces resumed excavation work west of the village of Asha inQuneitra countryside, Syria's Al-Ikhbariya television reported on Sunday,noting that the work is part of "Sufa 53," a project involving theconstruction of a road along the separation line in the border area.

The work comes amid wider Israeli military activity in southern Syria.Al-Ikhbariya has documented incursions into the countryside of Quneitra andDaraa in recent days, along with earthmoving, fortification work and theestablishment of military positions.

Read more: Israeli incursions, shelling in Syria hit 2026 highs

Known also as the "Great Storm," Sufa 53 is an Israeliengineering and military project that began gradually in mid-2022 inside thebuffer zone in Quneitra countryside. Although construction began before the fallof President Bashar al-Assad, the pace of the work increased in late 2024.

At the center of the project is an approximately 8-meter-wide militaryroad, accompanied by earth berms reaching about 5 meters high, trenches andobservation posts along a route bordering the Golan Heights inside the area ofseparation.

According to Syria's Sijil Center, which monitors Israeli operations,the project extends beyond a single site in Quneitra. It starts near theoutskirts of Hader in the north, passes through Jabata al-Khashab and Hamidiya,then continues through Qahhtaniyah, Ruwayhina, Bir Ajam and Bariqa beforereaching Asha and the border triangle in the south.

Sijil described the project as part of Israel's stated securityarrangements along the border. Some observers cited by the Center, however,view the continuing engineering work as an effort to change conditions on theground inside the buffer zone.

Read more: Israel's expansion in Syria: A looming threat to Iraq

In some areas, Israeli forces have advanced between about 300 and 1,000meters into the buffer zone, according to reports. Local accounts have alsodescribed the appropriation of large areas of agricultural land for theproject, including about 7,000 dunams in Jabata al-Khashab.

Israel did not comment on the Syrian allegation. However, it previouslysaid its operations in southern Syria are based on "securityconsiderations and the need to prevent potential threats along itsborder."

The current situation dates back to the disengagement agreement signedby Syria and Israel on May 31, 1974. The accord established separate militarypositions and a buffer zone between the two sides, with the United NationsDisengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) responsible for monitoring the area.

UNDOF monitors the ceasefire, oversees implementation of thedisengagement agreement and maintains the buffer zone between Syrian andIsraeli forces.

Read more: Syria's shifting stance: Is normalization with Israel on the horizon?

Shafaq News- Tehran

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi warned onSunday that Tehran would respond more forcefully to any renewed militaryaction, while noting that diplomacy remained the only viable path to ending thewar.

Addressing ambassadors, chargés d’affaires, and headsof international missions in Tehran, Araghchi urged other countries to engagewith Iran and avoid involvement in further US or Israeli attacks. “We hope thatthe United States chooses the path of wisdom and rationality, but if it onceagain moves toward military solutions, we are more prepared than before andwill take whatever action is necessary to defend ourselves.”

He also rejected Washington’s expanding sanctionscampaign, arguing that neither military nor economic pressure would forceTehran to change course.

US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent recently claimedthat Washington was cutting off Iranian oil revenues, saying that Tehran loadedno crude onto tankers in September and predicting it would have “no oil on thewater” this week. The Trump administration has also broadened sanctions againstIranian financial and industrial networks, including the automotive, rail, manufacturing,and steel sectors, under “Operation Economic Outcast.”

Iran loaded ZERO crude oil onto tankers in September. The Trump Administration is cutting off the Iranian regime’s most critical source of revenue.Operation Economic Outcast is severing the economic lifelines that have allowed Tehran to finance its terrorist agenda. https://t.co/p9VwpZYzCr

— Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent (@SecScottBessent) October 1, 2026

Despite the pressure, Araghchi reaffirmed Tehran’swillingness to negotiate, saying, “Only a solution based on negotiations,justice, fairness and dignified diplomacy can work and find a final solution toend this war.”

During diplomatic contacts around the UN GeneralAssembly in New York, Iran presented conditions for reopening the Strait ofHormuz tied to commitments it expects from Washington, although Araghchi didnot detail them in Sunday’s remarks.

Meetings with Gulf countries in New York, he added,had opened a “new path” toward greater regional trust and cooperation on peaceand security.

On Europe, the foreign minister called on governmentsto reconsider their approach toward Tehran, accusing them of involvement in theUS war against Iran. Citing remarks by NATO Secretary-General Mark Rutte thatup to 5,000 US sorties had been flown from European bases during the war,Araghchi urged European countries to clarify their role.

Araghchi also disputed claims that Iran had becomeinternationally isolated, pointing to the delegation’s diplomatic engagementsduring the General Assembly. He dismissed US assertions that Iranian officialshad been expelled from the United States, maintaining that they returnedaccording to schedule.

ShafaqNews- Middle East

Israel isinvestigating whether pilots holding Iranian, Syrian or Iraqi citizenship havelanded at Ben Gurion Airport in recent years, Israeli Channel 12 reported onSaturday.

The probeis examining pilots with dual citizenship, including those from countriesIsrael considers “hostile.” According to the report, Israel received lists ofFlydubai pilots, but their names did not undergo the required securityscreening, noting that international authorities are assisting Tel Aviv inaddressing the security breach.

UAEAttorney General Hamad Saif Al Shamsi earlier said an investigation intoFlydubai flight FZ1073 found that its co-pilot attempted to carry out a“terrorist attack” by assaulting the captain with an emergency axe and tryingto seize control of the aircraft.

TheDubai-to-Tel Aviv flight diverted toward Saudi Arabia on Wednesday afterissuing emergency signals and losing communication. Israeli Prime MinisterBenjamin Netanyahu claimed that a pilot had stabbed his fellow pilot andattempted to crash the aircraft before passengers and crew intervened.

Shafaq News- Washington

The United States expelled two members of Iran’s delegation to the United Nations after they remained in New York despite orders to leave following the General Assembly, Axios reported on Saturday.

A US official told Axios that the two diplomats had failed to comply with a State Department demand for Iran’s delegation to leave the country. Washington renewed the order on Friday after learning they were still in New York, with one leaving Friday night and the second on Saturday morning.

Separately, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said President Donald Trump had given Iran repeated opportunities to reach a negotiated settlement, adding that the US operation against Tehran would not continue indefinitely.

Hegseth also said Iran does not control the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that Washington maintains control of the strategic waterway.

His remarks came amid fresh tensions around the Strait. Iranian state television reported an explosion involving an oil tanker in Hormuz on Saturday, while Iranian state-linked media said the country’s air defenses had hit a “hostile” aircraft over Qeshm Island.

ShafaqNews- Tehran/ Washington

An oiltanker exploded in the Strait of Hormuz after switching off its tracking systemwhile entering the strategic waterway, Iranian state television said onSaturday.

Iran'sMehr news agency earlier reported hearing explosions off Qeshm Island,suggesting the blasts may have been linked to gunfire targeting vesselscrossing the maritime gateway in violation of its rules.

Nofurther details were immediately available about the identity of the vessel orwhether the incident caused any casualties or material damage.

Earliertoday, US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said the United States controlsIranian airspace and is securing the flow of oil through Hormuz, adding thatoil shipments through the Strait were above pre-conflict levels.

Iranrestricted passage through the maritime corridor after US-Israeli strikes beganin February. The waterway briefly reopened under a June agreement beforetensions escalated again, leading the United States to resume its blockade inmid-July.

USCentral Command (CENTCOM) said on Thursday that its forces had redirected 125commercial vessels as of Sept. 30 to enforce the blockade. Ten vessels wereredirected in the previous week.

Shafaq News- Gaza

Israel killed two commanders in the Palestinian Islamic Jihad group'srocket unit in strikes on Gaza, the Israeli military said on Saturday.

One strike killed Ahmed Mahmoud Harb al-Ramlawi, a commander in thegroup's Al-Shujaiya Battalion. Another killed Munir Ibrahim al-Masri,identified as the head of an anti-tank missile cell within the group's armedwing.

The Israeli military accused both men of violating the ceasefireagreement signed in October 2025, citing their efforts to rebuild the group'smilitary capabilities.

جيش الدفاع يقضي على قياديين إرهابيين في المنظومة الصاروخية التابعة لمنظمة الجهاد الإسلامي الإرهابية🔻 هاجم جيش الدفاع أمس (الجمعة) في مدينة غزة وقضى على المخرب المدعو أحمد محمود حرب الرملاوي، وهو قائد في الوحدة الصاروخية التابعة لكتيبة الشجاعية في الجناح العسكري لمنظمة الجهاد… pic.twitter.com/D39MjLo32i

— Lieutenant Colonel Ella Waweya | إيلا واوية (@CaptainElla1) October 3, 2026

The Palestinian Islamic Jihad group did not comment on the Israeliallegations.

Israel's Army Radio also reported that an attempt to kill senior Hamascommander Ali al-Amoudi had failed in a strike on a residential apartment inwestern Gaza City.

The attack, carried out shortly after midnight on Friday, killed fivePalestinians, including four women, according to Gaza's civil defense serviceand a hospital. Several others were wounded.

Despite the ceasefire agreement between Israel and Hamas, the Israelimilitary has continued air, artillery and naval strikes across the Gaza Strip,with 1,445 Palestinians killed and 5,072 wounded since the ceasefire began. Thecumulative toll since Oct. 7, 2023, has reached 74,228 deaths and 175,188injuries, according to Gaza's Health Ministry.

Shafaq News- Washington

Top US national security aides discussed next steps in the Iran war and the Saudi-Houthi conflict in Yemen for hours at Camp David on Friday, Axios reported, citing three US officials.

One official told Axios that “things were decided or at least deeply discussed” in the meeting chaired by Vice President JD Vance and attended by Secretary of State Marco Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, White House envoy Steve Witkoff, CIA Director John Ratcliffe, and Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan Caine.

With negotiations stalled, US President Donald Trump is considering renewed major combat operations against Iran, the outlet reported. While his advisers were meeting on Friday, Trump declined to disclose his “next move” when asked by reporters.

Iran is preparing a more forceful response if the United States resumes large-scale military attacks, while continuing a diplomatic push, Reuters separately reported, citing sources.

Meanwhile, Axios reported that Saudi Arabia was asking Trump to join its planned offensive against the Houthis and urging him to conduct airstrikes against the group. Reuters said the offensive could mobilize more than 100,000 Yemeni troops, with a key objective of reversing Houthi gains after the group advanced down the coast and seized Bab el-Mandeb.

On October 2, a military spokesperson for Yemen’s internationally recognized government said warplanes had carried out 20 strikes targeting Houthi movements, personnel, vehicles, and military equipment in Taiz province.

Pakistan’s Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar earlier said Iran had suggested political engagement with the Houthis as an alternative to military action, an idea Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, and Pakistan would discuss at an emergency meeting in Riyadh next week.

Shafaq News- London

British police charged two Iranian men on Friday withpreparing a terrorist act targeting Manchester’s Jewish community, followingtheir arrest on September 20, on the eve of Yom Kippur.

In a statement, the Crown Prosecution Service (CPS) said thetwo men had been charged over the alleged plot. Police arrested them on NewtonStreet in Manchester’s Northern Quarter and later took them to a police stationin London. The CPS said the men had allegedly been in contact with a thirdparty overseas, possibly in Iran, in connection with the suspected plot.

The Crown Prosecution Service has announced that two men have been charged for preparing an act of terrorism in Greater Manchester on the eve of Yom Kippur. Read more here: https://t.co/TinP6yyVM7 pic.twitter.com/wRKAhFsopS

— Crown Prosecution Service (@CPSUK) October 2, 2026

Vicki Evans, Senior National Coordinator for CounterTerrorism Policing (CTP), pointed out investigators had found no link betweenthe Manchester case and the separate investigation into the incident near RAFFairford.

Shafaq News- London

An unidentified projectile hit a tanker while it wastransiting the Strait of Hormuz on Friday, the United Kingdom Maritime TradeOperations (UKMTO) said.

The agency said the strike caused a fire on board, which waslater extinguished, and the vessel resumed its journey.

No injuries or environmental damage were reported.

UKMTO WARNING 148-26Click here to view the full product⤵️https://t.co/jDz6uRXtAx#MaritimeSecurity #MerSec pic.twitter.com/xkXdm1u217

— UKMTO Operations Centre (@UK_MTO) October 2, 2026

UKMTO reported yesterday a similar incident involvinganother tanker struck by an unidentified projectile while passing through thestrait, causing a fire on board.

Shafaq News- Paris

French Education Minister Edouard Geffray announced onFriday that more than 400 schools had been closed because some had been damagedor authorities could not guarantee the safety of students and staff amid weeklongprotests.

Geffray reported that at least 170 students and 65 staffmembers had been injured since the protests began, including 40 high schoolprincipals, adding that more than 200 people had been injured during clashes.

Speaking to BFMTV, Geffray described the high school studentmovement as having been taken hostage by ultra-violent fringe groups, urgingparents to take responsibility and tell their children not to attend thedemonstrations. “What matters now is ensuring our children are no longer out onthe streets, because they are in danger.”

French authorities reported that 1,949 people were arrestedon Thursday, while 305 police officers and gendarmes were injured.

The protests began in Paris last week before rapidlyspreading across France. Some high school students blocked school entrances andclashed with police while protesting the deteriorating condition of schoolbuildings, overcrowded classrooms, and teacher shortages.

Later, protests spread to universities, with the studentunion reporting barricades around about 30 university campuses.

Shafaq News- Paris

G7 countries agreed on Friday to release 100 millionbarrels of diesel and other energy reserves over four months to ease pressureon global markets, with a substantial diesel drawdown planned within the first20 days.

The operation will begin immediately and becoordinated through the International Energy Agency (IEA), according to a jointstatement issued by French President Emmanuel Macron’s office.

If distributed evenly, the overall volume wouldaverage roughly 830,000 barrels per day, although the initial focus on dieselmeans supplies will not enter the market at a uniform rate.

Déclaration du Président @EmmanuelMacron qui vient de réunir en visioconférence les dirigeants du G7 sur la situation énergétique mondiale. pic.twitter.com/8lR4jo4eX2

— Élysée (@Elysee) October 2, 2026

Reuters had reported that EU members were consideringa French proposal for European countries to release 50 million barrels ofdiesel, alongside 50 million barrels of crude from IEA members. Washington,however, had sought a faster drawdown, pressing major European countries,including France and Germany, to make 100 million barrels of diesel availablewithin 20 days and warning that failure to tap their reserves could triggerrestrictions on US diesel exports.

European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonenpushed back against the pressure, arguing that an export ban would benefitneither side and undermine the EU’s trust in the United States as a reliablepartner.

G7 members also pledged to avoid restrictions onenergy trade within the group and increase refinery output where feasible.

Shafaq News- Washington

US President Donald Trump on Friday claimed that Europe had agreed to release a “massive amount” of diesel from its stockpiles, with the process to begin immediately.

He did not specify the volume or countries involved.

Earlier today, European Union countries had discussed a French proposal for European states to release 50 million barrels of diesel and International Energy Agency (IEA) members to release another 50 million barrels of crude oil, three sources familiar with the talks told Reuters.

Two sources also told Reuters that the United States had demanded that major European countries, including France and Germany, release 100 million barrels of diesel within 20 days. The agency reported on October 1 that the Trump administration had informed France and Germany that they needed to draw down emergency diesel stocks or face a potential US diesel export ban.

European Commission spokesperson Anna-Kaisa Itkonen rejected the threat on Friday, saying a ban would benefit no one and would undermine the EU’s trust in the United States as a reliable partner.

Brent crude on October 2 was down 3% at $99.25 a barrel and US West Texas Intermediate 4.25% at $88.92, while European gasoil futures were about 4.3% lower, Reuters reported.

The IEA said its 32 member countries agreed in March to make 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves available to the market, the largest collective stock release in the agency’s history.

Shafaq News- Rome

NAZA, a documentary about Israel's conduct of the warin Gaza made by Israeli filmmakers, opened at No. 1 at the Italian box officethis week, ahead of a re-release of "Avengers: Endgame," according toItalian box office tracker Cinetel.

The film took 451,872 euros (about $510K) from 60,467admissions on its opening day, Monday, more than double the 179,612 eurosearned that day by the "Avengers" re-release. By Tuesday, its totalhad reached 1.1 million euros from more than 146,000 admissions, Cinetel said.

NAZA was first booked as a three-day event in 515Italian cinemas, many of them sold out. Its Italian distributor has sinceextended the run, saying screenings will continue as long as cinemas want toshow the film.

NAZA is directed by Yuval Abraham and Rachel Szor, twoof the co-directors of "No Other Land," which won the 2025 AcademyAward for Best Documentary, and produced by Britain's Guardian newspaper. Thefilm draws on testimony from 24 anonymous Israeli soldiers and intelligenceofficers who describe AI-assisted surveillance and targeting systems usedduring the war in Gaza. They allege that strikes were approved despite expectedcivilian deaths.

The film won the Special Jury Prize at the 83rd VeniceInternational Film Festival on Sept. 12 and is set for release in more than 50territories over the coming weeks, before being made available free on TheGuardian’s website in late November.

Two days after the Venice award, Israeli militaryChief of Staff Eyal Zamir instructed the military advocate general to examinepossible legal action over the film. He called it "a deliberate attempt todirectly undermine the legitimacy of the Israeli military and the State ofIsrael," and accused the filmmakers of adopting narratives promoted bywhat he called "Israel haters."

Zamir also ordered an information security review toidentify who may have leaked what the military described as classified materialused in the film, according to Israeli media. He set up a team of Israeli andinternational experts to respond to what he called false allegations againstthe army. The decisions followed an urgent meeting with senior commanders atthe Kirya, the Defense Ministry headquarters in Tel Aviv, the reports said.

In a detailed rebuttal issued on Thursday, themilitary said the documentary relies on anonymous, unverifiable testimony frompersonnel who described only the early stages of a much longer targetingprocess. It also said the filmmakers did not share their allegations with themilitary before release.

Shafaq News- Moscow/ Kyiv

Russian air defenses shot down Ukrainian drones over several regions ofwestern and southern Russia from Thursday evening into Friday, regionalgovernors said. No casualties were reported.

The Rostov region in the south saw the heaviest activity. More than 110drones were destroyed over the past day above the city of Kamensk-Shakhtinskyand nine districts, Governor Yury Slyusar said on Friday. Falling debris setdry grass alight in Chertkovsky district and started a forest fire inSholokhovsky district, and both fires were put out.

In the Voronezh region, which borders Ukraine, air defenses destroyed 62drones over two urban districts and six districts, causing no casualties or damage,the regional news agency RIA Voronezh reported.

Farther north, 18 drones were downed over the Kaluga region on Thursdayevening and overnight, Governor Vladislav Shapsha said. In the Tula regionsouth of Moscow, five drones were shot down, according to Governor DmitryMilyaev, who said no one was hurt and initial reports showed no damage tobuildings or infrastructure.

Russia's Defense Ministry said on Thursday evening that air defenses haddowned 227 Ukrainian drones during the day over more than a dozen regions,including the Moscow region and Crimea, and over the Black Sea. It had notreleased overnight figures at the time of publication.

Shelling in Donetsk

In occupied eastern Ukraine, Ukrainian forces shelled theRussian-installed Donetsk People's Republic 14 times over the past 24 hours,wounding two civilians, TASS reported, citing a Moscow-backed body thatdocuments what it describes as Ukrainian war crimes. The attacks damaged tworesidential buildings, a bus, a minibus and two civilian infrastructure sites.

Ukraine's latest reports

Ukrainian officials had not issued updates for Friday at the time ofpublication. On Thursday, Ukraine's air force said Russia launched 97 attackdrones during the day, 78 of which were shot down or disabled, the state newsagency Ukrinform reported.

President Volodymyr Zelensky said on Thursday that Ukrainian forces hita target in the Black Sea, a drone launch and storage site in Russia's Oryolregion, an oil facility in Samara region and a military supply depot in Bryanskregion.

Russian drones struck the area around Kyiv's South Bridge on Thursday,disrupting traffic and metro service, according to Ukrinform, which alsoreported that a Ukrainian MiG-29 pilot was killed when a Russian missile hithis aircraft during a combat mission.

Shafaq News- Washington

US President Donald Trump threatened on Thursday to hit Iran “very hard” if investigators find Tehran was behind the co-pilot accused of trying to crash a Flydubai flight bound for Israel.

Asked whether he had been briefed on any Iranian connection to the incident, Trump said, “Based on what I’m hearing, yes,” but added that authorities were still investigating.

No Iranian involvement has been established. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday that it was too early to determine whether Tehran was linked to the co-pilot, while two Israeli security officials told Reuters that Israel had so far found no Iranian connection.

Flydubai flight FZ1073 was traveling from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday when the co-pilot attacked the captain, according to preliminary findings from Saudi authorities.

The Saudi Interior Ministry said the assault injured both pilots and forced the aircraft to make an emergency landing in Tabuk. Both received medical treatment before being cleared to travel to Abu Dhabi on Thursday.

Netanyahu said the co-pilot appeared to have been radicalized and intended to bring down the aircraft, though the investigation into his motive remains ongoing.

Flydubai said crew members secured the aircraft and landed it safely. All passengers survived the incident.

Shafaq News- Ottawa

Canada on Thursday urged citizens to avoid all travel toIraq as it updated travel guidance for the Middle East amid continued regionalsecurity concerns.

The government placed Iraq at its highest travel-risk level,alongside Iran, Lebanon, Palestine, Syria and Yemen.

Canada separately advised against non-essential travel toBahrain, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United ArabEmirates.

Ottawa said the regional security situation remainedvolatile following recent military activity and warned that conditions coulddeteriorate quickly, potentially limiting Canadians’ ability to leave and thegovernment’s capacity to provide assistance.

Latest risk levels in the #MiddleEast:🔴 Avoid all travel: IranIraqLebanonPalestineSyriaYemen 🟠Avoid non-essential travel:BahrainIsraelJordan KuwaitOmanQatarSaudi ArabiaUnited Arab Emirateshttps://t.co/1iUZ0hFrF1 pic.twitter.com/z9Yz6DTMfa

— Travel.gc.ca (@TravelGoC) October 1, 2026

Shafaq News- Washington

The US Treasury Department on Thursday targeted the Russia-linked A7 shadow banking network, accusing Iran of using it to evade sanctions and move funds through the international financial system.

As part of what Treasury described as an unprecedented action, the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN) proposed a rule that would restrict fund transfers involving A7’s network of sub-agents and issued an alert to help financial institutions detect and report suspicious activity linked to the network.

Separately, the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) sanctioned A7 as a “significant transnational criminal organization,” blocking property and interests in property under US jurisdiction and generally prohibiting transactions involving the designated network.

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said the measures were aimed at dismantling financial infrastructure used by Iran and other US adversaries to evade sanctions and move illicit funds, warning that facilitators risk losing access to the US financial system.

According to Treasury, A7 built a global network of companies known as sub-agents to disguise payments involving sanctioned sectors and individuals as legitimate commercial transactions.

FinCEN said its investigation found that A7 sub-agents processed more than $17 billion globally between January 2025 and June 2026.

A7 itself claimed that, as of January 2026, it was processing more than 2,000 transactions a day with a total volume exceeding 7.5 trillion rubles, or about $91.5 billion, equivalent to roughly 13% of Russia’s 2025 foreign trade transactions, according to Treasury.

The department said the same sub-agents used to facilitate Russia-linked illicit finance also provided financial channels for Iranian actors, including the Central Bank of Iran, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) and Iran-backed groups.

A7 sub-agents also facilitated Iranian oil sales and weapons procurement, according to Treasury.

One sub-agent directly transacted with entities involved in Iran’s so-called shadow fleet, while that company and a sister firm received nearly $140 million from entities linked to Iranian sanctions evasion. Another A7 sub-agent transferred about $1.6 million to a company linked to Iranian sanctions evasion and weapons procurement efforts.

Treasury said A7 used falsified trade documents, import and export records and misleading descriptions of goods to make sanctioned or illicit payments appear to be ordinary commercial activity.

The network has also been linked to Nobitex, Iran’s largest digital-asset exchange, which OFAC sanctioned in June 2026, and has facilitated transactions connected to North Korean hacks of cryptocurrency exchanges, Treasury said.

Thursday’s measures build on US sanctions imposed on Aug. 14, 2025, against A7-linked entities including A7 LLC and Old Vector LLC.

They also follow an Aug. 31, 2026, alert from Britain’s National Crime Agency detailing A7’s alleged role in sanctions evasion and illicit financial activity involving Russia and Iran.

Shafaq News- Washington

US President Donald Trump on Thursday left open thepossibility of intensified bombing of Iran after the November midtermelections, while confirming that he had rejected Tehran’s latest ceasefireproposal.

In an interview with TIME, Trump declined to disclosewhether further strikes were under active consideration, saying he could notdiscuss potential bombing plans. He also characterized Iran’s weekend offer asinadequate, noting that terms he might have accepted a year ago were no longersufficient.

“They made an offer to open up the Strait,” heremarked, referring to the Strait of Hormuz, but called the broader terms “notgood enough.”

Defending the war’s extension into a seventh month,Trump said Washington had achieved its initial objectives but that he chose to continueoperations to prevent Iran from rebuilding its capabilities elsewhere. Heclaimed US strikes had destroyed the country’s nuclear capability, air force,radar systems, and navy, including 159 vessels, while saying that a recordvolume of oil had passed through the Strait the previous night.

According to the Pentagon’s public Defense CasualtyAnalysis System (DCAS), 19 US service members have died and more than 861 havebeen wounded since the war with Iran began on Feb. 28.

Tehran wants an agreement, Trump said, but he insistedon a “real deal” and predicted oil prices would fall once one was reached. Askedabout his recent threat to “annihilate” Iran, he replied that such an outcomewas “possible” and argued that it would bring peace.

On US military supplies, the president acknowledgedthat stocks of some types of ammunition were lower than others but rejectedreports of broader shortages, noting that Washington had spent the past sixmonths replenishing its arsenal.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, meanwhile,affirmed on Thursday that Tehran would not avoid dialogue with Washington as itconsiders the US response to proposals under negotiation.

Speaking to entrepreneurs and business leaders,Pezeshkian said Iran had “never avoided talks and never will,” despite accusingthe United States of attacking his country three times even after an agreementhad been signed, according to Tasnim News Agency.

Shafaq News- Islamabad/ Kabul

Pakistani airstrikes hit three houses in Afghanistan on Thursday, killingnine people, including women and children, the Afghan Taliban government said,while Islamabad described the targets as militant hideouts and put the deathtoll among "terrorists" at 22.

The strikes in Afghanistan's Kunar and Helmand provinces came amid renewedtensions between the neighboring countries after about three months of relativecalm.

Taliban government spokesperson Zabihullah Mujahid reported that 11 otherpeople were wounded in the strikes, condemning the attacks as an act ofaggression.

CrimeLast night, Pakistani aircraft bombed civilian homes in Chugam, Shultan District of Kunar, and Safar, Garmser District of Helmand. Nine Afghan civilians, including women and children, were killed, 11 were injured, and three homes were destroyed. 1/2

— Zabihullah (..ذبـــــیح الله م ) (@Zabehulah_M33) October 1, 2026

Pakistan's Information and Broadcasting Ministry said the strikes were carried out on thebasis of "credible intelligence" and targeted militant hideouts attwo locations.

"Large quantities of weapons and ammunition stored at these hideoutswas also destroyed," the ministry said.

*1st October, 2026;*In continuation of operation Ghazab lil Haq and Pakistan’s resolve to eliminate terrorists, their networks and supporters, well planned and calibrated aerial strikes against the hideouts and safe havens of terrorists organisations of Fitna al Khwarij and…

— Ministry of Information & Broadcasting (@MoIB_Official) October 1, 2026

Tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan have risen since a militant attackon a police facility in northwestern Pakistan last month killed 24 people.

The United Nations Mission in Afghanistan said last week that it haddocumented more than 1,100 civilian deaths and injuries in Afghanistan fromcross-border violence so far this year. Islamabad denies striking civilians andmaintains that it targets militants who carry out attacks inside Pakistan.Afghanistan denies harboring militants.

Shafaq News- London/ Baghdad

The United Kingdom pledged continuedsupport for Iraq’s security and stability on Wednesday as the US-led Coalitionformally ended its military mission against ISIS in the country and Coalitionforces, including British personnel, departed.

In a statement, the UK governmentsaid Iraqi Security Forces (ISF) and the Kurdish Peshmerga are now positionedto assume primary responsibility for the country’s security after more than adecade of Coalition operations, training and capacity-building.

It described the transition as “anew chapter focused on enduring security cooperation under Iraqi leadership,” withthe two countries set to develop a long-term bilateral defense partnership coveringcounterterrorism, military education, capability development, defense industrycooperation and shared security interests.

The UK contributed to the Coalitionmission through Operation SHADER, training and assisting more than 111,000Iraqi security personnel, including over 21,000 Peshmerga, in infantry, weaponsmaintenance, counter-IED, medical and engineering skills, according to thestatement. The Royal Air Force also conducted thousands of sorties, strikingmore than 2,300 ISIS targets and providing surveillance and reconnaissance insupport of Iraqi ground operations.

“Our commitment to Iraq and thewider region remains steadfast,” the government affirmed.

Read more: Kurdistan Region faces air-defense gap as UStroops leave Iraq