Netanyahu urges Trump to launch new strikes on Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has urged the Trump administration to conduct another series of strikes against Iran. Two regional officials and a third person familiar with the matter said that Netanyahu made this request during a phone call with President Donald Trump over the weekend.

The push for new strikes comes after the United States midterm elections scheduled for Tuesday. According to a person briefed on the conversation, Netanyahu pressed for military action, but President Trump did not commit to launching the attacks. The White House did not immediately respond to questions regarding the specific details of their discussion on potential strikes.

Diplomatic efforts continue in parallel. The officials said mediators are working to advance a framework where Iran would stop its attacks in the Strait of Hormuz in exchange for the United States lifting its blockade on Iranian ports. Additional talks are planned for this week. The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were discussing classified briefings from American and Israeli counterparts.

Iran announced on Monday that it has a two-day plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and resume nuclear talks with the United States. This timeline is shorter than the one-week period Iran previously cited, which required the U.S. To meet seven conditions, including lifting the port blockade. Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmail Baghaei stated that the plan remains the basis for negotiations. He added that the move demonstrates Iran's good-faith approach.

Iranian officials also said that ships passing through the reopened strait would need to follow a route agreed upon by Iran and Oman. They further insisted that the U.S. Must lift sanctions on Iranian oil sales and agree to a ceasefire that includes Lebanon. The U.S. Military denies Iranian claims about naval mines in the strait, stating that all internationally recognized routes have been cleared of mines by American forces.

In Yemen, Iran-backed Houthi rebels accused Saudi Arabia of striking a port along the Red Sea coast on Monday. The Houthi-run health ministry reported that explosives hit a market in southwestern Yemen, killing seven people, including five children. Eight others were wounded. Saudi authorities did not immediately comment on the accusations.

The Houthis have recently claimed attacks on Saudi Arabia, targeting an airport and military transport aircraft. In a separate incident, a Houthi missile struck a medical center in the Madaribah district of Lahij province. The attack killed at least five people, including three medical personnel, and wounded 15 others. A vessel transiting the strait was also struck by an unknown projectile that left a hole in the hull, according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations center. All crew members were reported safe.

Meanwhile, the Israeli military said it ended an operation in Hebron, West Bank, that began last month after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers. The operation displaced hundreds of Palestinians, many of whom began returning home on Monday. Israel demolished the residences of the gunmen and confiscated weapons and vehicles. China announced it will send a special envoy to Iran, Oman, and Saudi Arabia in early to mid-November to help ease tensions.