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Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels on Tuesday accused government forces of killing at least two people in a late Monday strike on a gas station near the besieged city of Taiz, where fighting has intensified. The Houthi-run Health Ministry said several others were wounded. Yemen’s military said it had launched airstrikes against Houthi positions in Taiz. Houthi-controlled Al-Masirah TV also reported government strikes on Mokha and Dhubab, near the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, but the AP could not independently verify the claims. Saudi-led coalition spokesperson Brig Gen Turki al-Malki said coalition forces intercepted four Houthi drones targeting southern Saudi Arabia and three ballistic missiles aimed at its eastern region. The AP could not verify the claim. Human Rights Watch said a Houthi attack on October 18 severely damaged the Hayjat al-Abd road, a vital route for food, fuel and medicine into Taiz, worsening the humanitarian crisis and potentially violating international law. Meanwhile, Houthi official Mohammed al-Bukhaiti warned that Egypt’s support for Saudi Arabia could be considered a “hostile action” against Yemen. Egyptian lawmakers approved a measure supporting Saudi Arabia on Monday. Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty on Tuesday called for collective efforts to ease regional tensions during a phone call with his Iranian counterpart. He said Cairo was in contact with Washington and Tehran to pursue peace, stressing that “a military solution is not a solution.”

Israelis went to the polls on Tuesday in a crucial election that could end Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s long tenure, as the country remains deeply divided after years of conflict, the October 2023 Hamas attack and ongoing debates over its political and national identity. Netanyahu, Israel’s longest-serving prime minister, is facing a challenge from several political parties seeking to remove him from office, with opinion polls indicating a close contest involving his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. More than seven million people are eligible to vote, with tens of thousands reportedly returning from abroad to participate. Security and national defence have dominated the campaign inside Israel, while international criticism over the war in Gaza and violence by Jewish settlers in the occupied West Bank has raised concerns about Israel’s global standing and the safety of Jewish communities worldwide. Israel’s fragmented parliamentary system makes it difficult for any single party to secure an outright majority. Neither Netanyahu’s religious and ultranationalist alliance nor the parties seeking to replace him may win enough seats to form a government independently, potentially leading to weeks of coalition negotiations. Arab-led parties in Israel could play a decisive role in determining the next government if other political groups agree to cooperate with them. Mansour Abbas, leader of the Islamist Ra’am party, expressed confidence while casting his ballot, saying the election would bring a change in government. He also hoped voter turnout in Arab communities would exceed 70 per cent. Arab citizens account for around one-fifth of Israel’s population. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir warned that Abbas could end up influencing the next government if Netanyahu and his allies failed to secure victory. Ben-Gvir has drawn criticism for his treatment of Palestinian detainees and remarks dehumanising Palestinians in Gaza. According to preliminary figures from the Central Elections Committee, nearly 17 per cent of eligible voters had cast their ballots within the first three hours of voting. Emotions run high as voters head to pollsThe election has stirred strong emotions among voters. In Kiryat Shmona, a town near the Lebanese border considered a Netanyahu stronghold, one voter was seen kicking and tearing down a campaign poster of Eisenkot. The vote is Israel’s first national election since the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war in Gaza and a wider regional conflict. In Tel Aviv, families of people killed in the attack and former hostages observed a moment of silence in remembrance of the victims. Yona Adam, whose daughter Mapal Adam was killed, urged people to remember those who had lost their lives. Eisenkot visited communities attacked on October 7 early Tuesday, criticising the government for failing to take responsibility for the security failures surrounding the assault. He said government officials should have begun election day by visiting the communities near Gaza that were targeted. Netanyahu had not appeared in public during the first three hours after polling stations opened. Around 330,000 young Israelis are eligible to vote for the first time, many of them facing compulsory military service amid continuing security challenges. Tensions with Iran have also featured prominently in the campaign. Netanyahu intensified his warnings to Tehran ahead of the election, threatening a devastating response if Iran attacked Israel. Security, military service and democracy at stakeBeyond choosing a government, the election is widely viewed as a referendum on Netanyahu’s leadership and Israel’s future direction — whether the country should move further towards religious and nationalist politics or strengthen its liberal and secular democratic traditions. Israel has faced growing international isolation over its military campaign in Gaza and its policies in the occupied West Bank. Public support for Israel in the United States has declined, while several European and other international partners have imposed sanctions. Netanyahu’s supporters regard him as an experienced statesman who has guided Israel through multiple conflicts. They credit him with protecting the country’s Jewish identity and restraining what they consider excessive intervention by the judiciary. His opponents, however, accuse him of deepening political divisions, prolonging the Gaza war and the hostage crisis for political survival, and undermining judicial independence and democratic institutions. They also criticise his government for maintaining arrangements that allow many ultra-Orthodox Jewish men to avoid compulsory military service. “The present government is driving the country into the ground,” said Angela Bengur, a voter in Jerusalem. Eisenkot’s supporters see him as a credible alternative with extensive military experience who could help counter what they regard as growing authoritarian tendencies. The conflict has also affected him personally, as his son and two nephews were killed in Gaza. Parties expected to support Eisenkot have pledged to restore Israel’s international standing, strengthen judicial independence and increase military enlistment among ultra-Orthodox men. For many voters, compulsory military service has become a central election issue. The election is about “who serves and who evades service — who takes an active part in building this country and who doesn’t,” said Nisso Shitrit, a voter in Jaffa.

Israelis will vote in a crucial election on Tuesday as the country remains embroiled in unresolved wars, grapples with the aftermath of Hamas' 2023 attack and faces deep divisions over its national identity and leadership. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is facing a challenge from a coalition of parties seeking to end his long rule, with opinion polls suggesting a close contest against his main rival, former military chief Gadi Eisenkot. Israel's fragmented parliamentary system has never produced a single party with an outright majority, forcing political leaders to form coalitions to govern. With nonaligned Arab parties pushing for higher voter turnout, neither Netanyahu's religious and ultranationalist bloc nor the parties seeking to remove him may secure enough seats to command a parliamentary majority. Such an outcome could lead to weeks of negotiations before a new government is formed. Arab-led parties could emerge as kingmakers if they agree to support one of the two main contenders. Tensions with Iran also loom over the election, with Netanyahu intensifying his warnings against Tehran ahead of the vote. In a video released this week, he stood beside a missile-defence battery and warned that Iran would face “a devastating blow” if it attacked Israel. The election is Israel's first national vote since the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023, which triggered the war in Gaza and related conflicts across the region. The contest is seen not only as a referendum on Netanyahu's lengthy leadership but also as a choice over the country's future direction — whether Israel will remain strongly influenced by religious and nationalist forces or move towards more liberal and secular values. The outcome could shape the future of a country whose leadership and policies have faced growing criticism from traditional allies. Since the 2023 Hamas attack, Israel has become increasingly isolated internationally over its military campaign in Gaza and its policies in the occupied West Bank, where violence by Jewish settlers has intensified. Public support for Israel in the United States has declined sharply, while several longstanding partners in Europe and elsewhere have imposed sanctions on the country in recent months. For Israeli voters, the election offers an opportunity to determine the country's course after Netanyahu's turbulent four-year term. His supporters regard him as an experienced statesman who has steered Israel through multiple wars. They believe he is safeguarding the country's Jewish identity while restraining what they consider an overly interventionist judiciary. His critics, however, portray him as a divisive leader who has prolonged the Gaza war and the crisis over hostages taken during the October 7 attack for political reasons while facing an ongoing corruption trial. They also accuse him of undermining judicial independence and weakening democratic institutions. In addition, they blame his government for allowing ultra-Orthodox religious Jews to avoid compulsory military service. Eisenkot's supporters view him as a capable leader with strong security credentials who, alongside his prospective coalition partners, could counter what they see as a growing threat to Israel's liberal values. His personal experience of the conflict has also shaped his public image. His son and two nephews were killed in Gaza, and supporters believe he understands the deep pain that has gripped Israeli society since the October 2023 attack. Parties expected to support Eisenkot have pledged to improve Israel's international standing, introduce compulsory military service for ultra-Orthodox men and strengthen the independence of the judiciary.

President Donald Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday plan to show off a newly arrived oil tanker filled with Venezuelan crude to be processed in Texas refineries, according to a congressional aide and two U.S. officials. The visit to Port Arthur, Texas, comes on the same day that Trump is campaigning in the state for Republican candidates in the midterms. The president has rallies scheduled in Corpus Christi and Lubbock. Trump is trying to shore up support for U.S. Senate candidate Ken Paxton, who is locked in a tight race with Democratic candidate James Talarico. It's not clear whether Rubio, who also serves as Trump's national security adviser, would take part in any campaign events. But it's the first time that he's hitting the road with Trump as the president barnstorms the country. The two U.S. officials and the congressional aide spoke on the condition of anonymity to discuss Rubio's plans before they were publicly announced. It's highly unusual for the nation's top diplomat to participate in political travel. Rubio's trip would be the latest example of how Trump's second presidency has blurred the lines between governing and campaigning. Attorney General Todd Blanche has already been appearing at rallies alongside Republican candidates. Rubio previously ran for president in 2016 and is considered a top prospect in 2028. He has not said whether he will run, and his political activities have been limited since becoming secretary of state.

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said Monday that trade discussions with US President Donald Trump’s administration had intensified slightly, but any progress reflected Washington’s movement closer to Canada’s position. The remarks came eight days before the US midterm elections, as White House economic adviser Kevin Hassett suggested that the two countries were nearing a trade deal. “To the extent any progress has been made, it's because the U.S. is coming closer to our position,” Carney said. The office of Canadian Trade Minister Dominic LeBlanc said Canada remained engaged in “constructive dialogue” with Washington. Carney described a “slight, slight intensification” in the discussions but stressed that Canada’s negotiating position had not changed. He also acknowledged that he could not be certain Trump would honour a new trade agreement. Asked whether the US president would “sign in pen,” following Carney’s earlier warning that Washington’s signature was sometimes “written in pencil,” he replied, “I don't know that.” Canada rejected Washington’s terms in August after the two countries appeared close to reaching an agreement. Carney said the proposed terms crossed Canada’s “red lines.” Trump subsequently imposed 50% tariffs on roughly $20 billion worth of Canadian goods, prompting retaliatory measures and further trade restrictions. On Friday, Trump said he would remove some 50% tariffs on Canadian goods while imposing new tariffs on dozens of other products. Two days later, addressing a campaign rally in Michigan, he said Canada was “willing to give us anything at this moment” and predicted that a deal would be reached “pretty soon.” Trump also told a Detroit television station that an agreement could be reached before the midterm elections, although negotiations might take months to conclude. The tariffs have emerged as an issue in closely watched Senate races ahead of the elections. In a campaign advertisement in Michigan, Republican candidate Mike Rogers said Canada was “not our enemy” and called for an end to the trade dispute, saying, “we need to end this tariff war now.” In Maine, Republican Senator Susan Collins urged the Trump administration to ease tariffs on Canadian goods used by farmers and other businesses. Washington announced exemptions on Friday. Trump has repeatedly criticised the US trade deficit with Canada, although energy trade more than accounts for the gap. The United States imports millions of barrels of Canadian oil every day, typically at a discount, while maintaining a trade surplus with Canada when energy is excluded. Trump has also sought to persuade automakers to shift production from Canada to the United States, threatening an industry that has been deeply integrated across the two countries for decades. Trump’s trade war and repeated threats to make Canada the 51st US state have prompted Carney to pursue alternative export markets. The Canadian prime minister has set a goal of doubling the country’s exports to markets outside the United States over the next decade. Carney is scheduled to host European Union leaders in Montreal on Thursday and Friday to pursue closer economic and security ties. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen has proposed making Canada the EU’s first associate member, although the status has yet to be defined.

A Swiss woman receiving treatment for Ebola in Nigeria was medically evacuated to Switzerland along with her husband on Monday, officials said, as Nigerian authorities continued monitoring 52 people who had been in contact with her. Nigerian Health Minister Muhammad Pate said the woman, the country’s first confirmed case in the current outbreak, left the capital, Abuja, early Monday with his approval. Her condition had improved significantly, and she was stable, conscious and able to communicate, he said. “This does not mean she is not still infectious, hence the strict protocols in place,” Pate wrote on X. Her husband, a Swiss diplomat stationed in Nigeria, has shown no symptoms. Mohamed Janabi, the World Health Organization’s regional director for Africa, said the evacuation was arranged because the couple are Swiss citizens. Nigerian medical teams had stabilised the woman after treating her through the acute phase of the illness, he said. Switzerland will take over her treatment and monitor her husband, while Nigeria will continue monitoring the other 52 contacts, Janabi said. “With the evacuation of the patient and her husband, Nigeria currently has no Ebola cases,” he said, stressing that continued vigilance remained essential. Pate said containment measures were still in place and urged Nigerians to remain alert. The woman tested positive for Ebola after returning to Abuja from Uganda. Nigerian authorities said on Friday that they had not yet determined how she contracted the virus. Switzerland’s foreign ministry told The Associated Press that the woman had not visited Congo and was believed to have contracted the infection while travelling to Uganda with her husband. The Africa Centres for Disease Control and Prevention said the first patients identified in Nigeria and Kenya had both travelled through Uganda’s Entebbe International Airport on October 3. Uganda had previously reported Ebola cases but later declared itself free of the virus. Kenya has recorded nine cases, including two deaths, since confirming its first case earlier this month. On Monday, Kenya released 20 people from quarantine after they had been identified as contacts of the country’s first Ebola patient. Another 98 people were expected to be released starting next Tuesday. “Each of the 20 contacts was assessed against the release criteria, including 21 days without any symptoms since their last exposure,” the Kenyan Ministry of Health said in a statement. The spread of Ebola beyond Congo has heightened longstanding concerns among health authorities about the rapid transmission of the rare Bundibugyo virus. According to the latest figures from Congo’s health ministry, the outbreak has resulted in more than 9,900 cases, including over 4,800 deaths, since it began in May. The WHO has described it as the fastest-spreading Ebola outbreak on record and said it was on track to surpass the death toll of the deadliest outbreak, which occurred in West Africa from 2014 to 2016 and killed 11,000 people. Nigeria was among the countries affected by that outbreak, recording 20 cases before the outbreak was declared over after three months.  

Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva’s comeback victory in Sunday’s presidential runoff is already facing its first hurdle, as his rival, Sen. Flávio Bolsonaro, challenges the results, setting the stage for a possible confrontation between the country’s two polarising political forces. Lula, who persuaded an additional 10.4 million voters to support him in the runoff, is expected to take office on Jan. 5, 2027, for his fourth non-consecutive term. He will serve as a counterweight in a region where leaders are moving to the right and aligning with US President Donald Trump. Bolsonaro, the son of former President Jair Bolsonaro, has promised to strengthen ties with the Trump administration. At a news conference on Sunday, Bolsonaro said he planned to seek the annulment of the election following a chaotic extension of voting at the request of both candidates. However, it remains unclear what legal grounds he could use to pursue such a move. His father also challenged his defeat to Lula four years ago and is now serving a 27-year prison sentence for attempting a coup. Early indications from Brazilian institutions and leaders across the region, including conservative presidents opposed to Lula, suggest the results will be respected both domestically and internationally. Trump has yet to comment. Despite the extension of voting, Lula secured a decisive victory. The soon-to-be 81-year-old incumbent received more than 64 million votes, compared with just under 60 million for Bolsonaro, a margin of nearly 4%. Kassio Nunes, head of Brazil’s electoral authority and a Supreme Court justice appointed by former president Jair Bolsonaro, was among those who acknowledged Lula’s victory on Sunday. “This is a really uphill battle for Flavio Bolsonaro. Important Brazilian power brokers are closing ranks behind Lula, sometimes begrudgingly,” said Brian Winter, a Brazil analyst and editor-in-chief of Americas Quarterly. “I sense that Brazilian power brokers that matter don't really want to go down the path of a truly contested election,” he said. The numbers behind Lula’s victory The key to Lula’s victory was the additional 14.1 million voters who turned out for the second-round election, including those who had supported other candidates in the first round. Analysts said three-quarters of those votes went to Lula, securing his win. Notably, the first round recorded a record number of Brazilians choosing not to vote, while the second round saw the lowest number of abstentions ever. Lula entrusted his digital campaign to lawmaker André Janones, who ran an aggressive and sustained social media operation that mobilised many previously undecided voters. Janones’ main tool was a channel on the messaging app WhatsApp called “Lula’s Army”, which attracted nearly 11 million people and encouraged them to campaign for the incumbent on social media. Janones “basically embraced the right's style of aggressive politics, very intense, constant messaging,” said Oliver Stuenkel, a professor of international relations at Fundação Getulio Vargas in Sao Paulo. “The defeat in the first round jolted the Lula campaign into action. The strategy during the first round was lackluster and saw a lot of infighting,” Stuenkel said. Juliano Cortinhas, a professor of international relations at the University of Brasília, said Lula’s social media campaign during the runoff also played a key role in pressuring Meta, the owner of Instagram, WhatsApp and Facebook, to address what Lula’s campaign had denounced as bias favouring Bolsonaro. Brazil’s top electoral court ruled on Oct. 15 that Meta must take measures to ensure equal treatment of the two presidential candidates. The company later said it had addressed the issue. “There was external interference we were suffering by major platforms,” Cortinhas said. “It wasn't only Meta, many others were using their algorithms to repost many images and many messages of the far-right, and they did not do the same to the left.” It was the first time since 1989 that a candidate who trailed in the first round went on to win the second round. The results showed that voter turnout increased overall, particularly in wealthier metropolitan areas. However, Lula made his biggest gains in lower-income municipalities where he already had a strong support base. He mobilised former non-voters, people who had cast blank ballots in the first round and supporters of third-party candidates. Jorge Henrique Oliveira Sena, a 26-year-old maintenance worker in Brasilia, was among those who skipped the first round. Although neither candidate particularly appealed to him, he voted for Lula. “It's not a question of supporting, but between the two, I had more of a connection with him,” he said. Brazil’s voting system and Sunday’s disruptions Brazil holds general elections every four years, and its electronic voting machines have made the counting process both quick and secure. The authorities introduced electronic voting machines in the 1990s to combat fraud, and the system has largely proved reliable since then. Election results are usually reported within hours of polling stations closing. Ahead of the 2022 election, Jair Bolsonaro repeatedly raised unfounded doubts about Brazil’s electronic voting system. No significant fraud has ever been detected. However, the usually swift voting process was disrupted on Sunday after a last-minute decision to extend voting nationwide at the request of both candidates. Lula sought the extension because of public transport problems in the metropolis of Sao Paulo and the northeastern city of Salvador, two of his strongholds. Bolsonaro requested it following heavy rains in the south, where he had won by a wide margin in the first round. A Supreme Court justice made the decision just minutes before polls were due to close at 5pm. Because Brazil’s vote-counting process is so fast, many polling stations did not receive the news until they were already preparing to close. Nevertheless, given the reliability of Brazil’s voting system and Lula’s substantial margin of victory, Bolsonaro could face difficulties finding a legal path to annul the results. Benjamin Gedan, a senior fellow and director of the Stimson Center’s Latin America programme, said Bolsonaro’s rejection of his defeat was unsurprising. “False claims of fraud are becoming commonplace, though that does not make them any less dangerous,” he said, pointing to “Lula's margin of victory, and the quick recognition of the result by conservative leaders in the region.” Despite his victory, Lula still faces significant challenges, including political polarisation, a possible fiscal crisis and a right-wing Congress in which Bolsonaro’s party will hold more seats than any other party. Bolsonaro remains a senator, although his term ends in January. “We shouldn't underestimate the power of the Bolsonaro family,” Winter said. “They can make life difficult for Lula for weeks and months to come.”

Israelis entered the final 24 hours of an intense election season on Monday, as reports circulated that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu may have clashed with the Israeli military over initiating a possible escalation with Iran immediately before elections. Tensions flared over reports that Netanyahu and his military chief of staff clashed over an instruction by the prime minister to carry out an "action" the army worried could reignite the conflict with Iran. Netanyahu's office denied the report, first published by Israel's Channel 12, as "fake news." Defense Minister Israel Katz also quickly denied the report. "I state unequivocally that there has been no intention by Israel of initiating an attack on Iran before the elections in Israel," Katz wrote on X on Monday, calling reports of rifts between political and military leaders "completely baseless and false." However, he stressed that Israel would respond forcefully if Iran attacks first. Israel's opposition candidates slammed the reports, accusing Netanyahu of endangering regional stability for his political preservation. Netanyahu's main rival, former military chief of staff Gadi Eisenkot, warned Netanyahu not to "dare to place your own political interests above the security of the state." He posted on X, "Netanyahu, my eyes are on you." Avigdor Lieberman, head of the hawkish Yisrael Beytenu party, part of the opposition bloc, sent a letter to Israel's attorney general demanding a criminal investigation into possible treason by Netanyahu's "attempts to drag Israel into a war on the eve of elections, including a willingness to sacrifice (Israeli) soldiers out of fear of losing the election." Although Israelis are breathlessly approaching the election as one of the most crucial in years, people across the Middle East not expecting dramatic changes regardless of the victor. Both Netanyahu and his main rivals have similar approaches to Israel's regional security in both Gaza and Iran. In southern Gaza, Jamal Abu Deeb, who was displaced from Khan Younis, said that no matter who is elected, it won't be good news for the Palestinians. "It is all war and destruction," he said, adding that there are still strikes every day that kill people and children across Gaza. "Do you think whoever gets elected will give us a better life? Quite the opposite." "They all have the same playbook, they have no mercy — death and destruction for everyone," said Ibrahim Qeshta, who was displaced from Rafah. "Eisenkot is like Netanyahu, he will be the same. Our people die everyday, for nothing." Iran also watched the last-minute electioneering warily. "It makes no difference to us who ultimately takes the helm of a regime whose track record shows that it has brought nothing to our region but violence and bloodshed," Esmail Baghaei, Iran's foreign ministry spokesperson, said in his weekly media briefing on Monday.

At least five people, including a child, were killed in fresh Israeli air strikes targeting camps and tents of displaced Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on Monday. Civil Defence agency spokesperson Mahmoud Bassal said Israeli fire and air strikes have killed at least 13 people and wounded about 60 others across Gaza over the past 24 hours. Emergency responders transported three bodies, including that of a child, following an Israeli air strike targeting a camp for displaced people in the al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis, Bassal told media. A fourth person was killed in a separate attack on a tent housing displaced Palestinians near Khan Younis city in southern Gaza, media said. Meanwhile, a third air strike in Gaza City’s al-Rimal neighbourhood killed one person and injured three others, according to officials at al-Shifa Hospital. With inputs from Al Jazeera

A Saudi-led coalition fighting Yemen’s Houthi rebels said Monday it had destroyed ballistic missile storage tunnels, launchers and other military facilities to reduce the rebels’ ability to strike targets inside Saudi Arabia. The operation destroyed five missile-storage tunnels, four ballistic missile launchers and another storage facility in Houthi-controlled territory. It also targeted supply routes, frontline fortifications and military equipment, Coalition spokesperson Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said. Explosions were reported in Sanaa and along Yemen’s Red Sea coast. Residents reported damage to homes, a residential building and Mokha General Hospital, while Houthi media reported strikes in several provinces. The Houthis claimed missile attacks on Saudi-backed government forces in Aden and Lahj, though the claims could not be independently verified. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s army chief Asim Munir, Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin met Iran’s top military official in Tehran, according to Pakistani Senator Sehar Kamran. The talks focused on regional stability, dialogue and security threats.