Iranian officials said Wednesday that a damaging election setback for U.S. President Donald Trump had strengthened their position, as world leaders waited to see whether Washington would bring its war with Iran to an end.
At the same time, Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed they had launched attacks against an airport in Saudi Arabia’s capital, Riyadh. The Israeli military said it had targeted two suspects in Lebanon, killing one person.
Here is the latest Middle East news from Wednesday. Read our full coverage here.
Iranian leaders say U.S. election signals rejection of Trump’s war
Iranians celebrated after U.S. voters, worried about the war and angered by rising fuel prices, handed Democrats control of Congress in Tuesday’s election. The result represented a major setback for Trump and his Republican Party.
Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, Iran’s chief negotiator and speaker of parliament, wrote Wednesday on X that “Americans said NO TO WAR, and we endorse this message.” He warned that if the U.S. government ignored the call for change, “it will learn our NO comes with a Nightmare.”
Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei, however, rejected the idea that the election would lead the United States to change its policy toward the Islamic Republic.
Tensions across the region have remained high for weeks as questions persist over whether the U.S. will resume full-scale military operations against Iran. Talks are continuing in an effort to prevent renewed hostilities.
The enduring hostility between the two countries was underscored Wednesday when thousands of people marched through Tehran at a government-organized rally marking the anniversary of the 1979 takeover of the U.S. Embassy.
Pro-government protesters burned American and Israeli flags while chanting, “Death to America” and “Death to Israel.”
Houthis claim attacks on Saudi Arabian targets
In Yemen, the Iran-backed Houthis claimed Wednesday, without offering evidence, that they had targeted King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, along with several locations in the country’s south.
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Yahya Saree, the Houthi military spokesperson, said the rebels had launched a ballistic missile toward the airport, causing what he called “major damages.” He also said the group fired a drone at a radar facility and a ballistic missile at a command-and-control center in Jazan province.
The Associated Press was unable to independently verify the claims. Saudi Arabia’s Information Ministry did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Saudi civil defense officials issued an alert in Riyadh overnight, followed by warnings of possible “danger” in Jazan and Najran early Wednesday.
The Houthis have repeatedly targeted oil and logistics facilities, as well as airports in Saudi Arabia, as part of their campaign against what they describe as the kingdom’s “blockade” of Yemen.
Israeli drone strike hits southern Lebanon
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said an Israeli strike on a motorcycle in the village of Qabrikha killed one person and wounded another.
The Israeli military said in a statement that it had “struck two suspects who were observing IDF soldiers,” but provided no additional details.
It was the first such attack in nearly a month. Drone strikes have been uncommon since a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in late June ended the latest Israel-Hezbollah war.
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This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.
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