Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu speaks at the national memorial ceremony marking the third anniversary of the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks at Mount Herzl in Jerusalem, Monday, Oct. 5, 2026. (Credit: Debbie Hill/Reuters)
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The Houthis warned on Monday that Saudi airspace was "not safe" for civil aviation and threatened to carry out operations there as long as the Saudi "aggression" continued. This warning comes as the Riyadh-led coalition joined the offensive launched by the Yemeni government against the Houthis, mobilizing one hundred units of combat aircraft. The coalition also says it is providing air protection for the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. The armed forces of Yemen’s Saudi-backed government said on Monday they had retaken control of the Red Sea port of Mokha, captured last month by the Iran-linked Houthis.
Why it matters
The threat comes as fighting draws closer to the Bab al-Mandeb, a strategic maritime passage between the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. Yemeni government forces have recently taken up positions in the area and are seeking to regain control with the support of the Saudi-led coalition's air power. The Houthis have also claimed responsibility for an attack that disrupted Saudi oil transport via the East-West pipeline. In a context where shipping in the Strait of Hormuz is already heavily impacted, a new escalation at Bab al-Mandeb could, in turn, affect maritime routes and energy supplies.
What to watch
- 'An opportunity for peace' with Lebanon, says Netanyahu. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared, during a ceremony on Mount Herzl in Jerusalem marking the third anniversary of the Oct. 7 attacks, that Israel "will continue to strike Hezbollah" in Lebanon, describing this as something that "will create an opportunity for peace with a state whose majority wishes for peace with us." These comments come as Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem is scheduled to deliver a speech on Tuesday at 4:30 p.m. during a ceremony launching the Foundation for the Preservation and Dissemination of Hassan Nasrallah’s Heritage.
- Israel says it has captured two men in Syria. The Israeli army announced Monday it had captured two men traveling by motorcycle as they approached one of its positions in the so-called "security zone" it occupies in southern Syria. Overnight, the army also announced it had killed a man who was "attempting to infiltrate" one of its positions in the same area. Israel maintains troops in southern Syria and claims it wants to establish a broader demilitarized zone there.
In other news
- Strikes and phosphorus in the South. After a relatively calm morning, Israeli attacks resumed Monday from midday, with airstrikes on Kfar Tibnit and Wadi Hujeir and artillery fire on several areas. Phosphorus bombs were also fired on the Jabb al-Sweid area in Majdal Zoun, causing a fire.
- 'Akkar must not remain marginalized.' During a visit to Akkar, Lebanon's Grand Mufti Abdellatif Derian called for the establishment of a development council specific to the governorate, modeled on the Council for the South. “Akkar must not remain marginalized,” he stated. He also expressed support for a general amnesty law, which he said should include Ahmad al-Assir, who was convicted notably for involvement in the deadly clashes in Abra with the Lebanese army.
- Reforming the media law. MP Ibrahim Mneimneh and several colleagues submitted a proposal to amend three articles of the new information law, adopted in August: Article 104, "which criminalizes the deliberate publication of what is called false information or slander"; Article 105, to "clearly state all penalties that no longer apply to journalists in the course of their work"; and Article 114, "to reinforce guarantees in case journalists are questioned, which should be limited to specialized judges."
- Israeli violations against children in Lebanon. MP Inaya Ezzeddine, chairwoman of the parliamentary Committee for Women and Children, called on the government to document Israeli violations against children in Lebanon and prosecute them in international courts. She stated that nearly 800 children had been killed between 2024 and 2026. Citing the latest UNICEF report, she also noted more than 770,000 children suffering psychological aftereffects. 17% of families also said their children had to stop going to school, she added.
- Lebanese Army to conduct joint exercises with British army: According to a statement released by the Lebanese Army, the exercise will involve a British team from the Royal Regiment of Scotland, alongside the Lebanese Army’s airborne regiment, as well as personnel from the armies of the United States, Italy, and France, starting on Tuesday and extending for three weeks "as part of the PEGASUS CEDAR exercises" last held in 2023. "The exercise aims to strengthen the capabilities of military units and enhance coordination between the Lebanese Army and friendly armies. It will include training in reconnaissance, raids, urban combat, helicopter insertion operations and mortar firing," reads the statement.
