US and Israel said to draft plans for resumed strikes on Iran after midterm elections
US officials claim to NYT that another round of major airstrikes could crater Iranian economy, forcing Tehran to make concessions * Saudis report 1 killed in attack on international airport
US and Israel said to draft plans for resumed strikes on Iran after midterm elections
The United States and Israel have drawn up plans for renewed military strikes on Iran following the American midterm elections on November 3, the New York Times reports.
Citing US officials and others briefed on the matter, the report says the US and Israel have ramped up military drills ahead of what it describes as “a short but intensive operation,” including flyovers of Iran’s western neighbor Iraq to simulate strike maneuvers.
Possible targets are Iranian energy sites, nuclear facilities as well as Iran’s arsenals of missiles and drones, with officials quoted by the newspaper claiming another major round of strikes could crater the Islamic Republic’s economy and in doing so force it to make diplomatic concessions.
The report also says there is a small chance that US President Donald Trump could go ahead with the strikes already this month, while also noting he could ultimately decide not to authorize any military action against Iran.
Saudi Arabia reports 1 killed in attack on Dammam international airport
An attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, Saudi Arabia, killed one resident and injured eight others, the General Authority of Civil Aviation says.
AIPAC ends direct contributions to US congressional candidates, while maintaining super PAC
The American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) informed members on Wednesday that it will cease officially endorsing US congressional candidates or directly fundraising on their behalf, just five years after it began the practice.
But while the pro-Israel lobby will halt such operations through its political action committee, it will continue operating its United Democracy Project super PAC, which can spend unlimited sums in congressional races but not coordinate directly with candidates.
In an email to members first reported by Jewish Insider, AIPAC’s leadership says the group will “prioritize increasing direct, organized contributions from individual Americans to candidates.”
That was how AIPAC operated before establishing both a political action committee and super PAC in 2021, in what some analysts say helped contribute to the deterioration of its image.
Since then, there has also been growing partisan polarization in the United States over Israel and a rapid deterioration in Democratic support for the country and its government.
UAE nominates diplomat Lana Nusseibeh as UN secretary-general, potentially breaking deadlock
The United Arab Emirates has formally nominated one of its top diplomats, Lana Nusseibeh, to serve as the next United Nations secretary-general, in what could break the ongoing deadlock in the election to replace Antonio Guterres.
Nusseibeh’s nomination — submitted in a letter by UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed to the heads of the UN General Assembly and Security Council — comes after six rounds of voting in the latter body failed to produce a candidate acceptable to all five permanent Security Council members.
US President Donald Trump’s administration reportedly opposed all seven contenders in the race to date.
But Washington’s close relationship with the UAE — a country with whom the other permanent members of Russia, China, Britain and France also have strong working ties — may be enough to finally produce a consensus candidate.
Nusseibeh currently serves as minister of state in the UAE foreign ministry, and she previously served as the UAE’s ambassador to the UN from 2013 to 2024.