★YEMEN

1. US Drone Strike Kills Senior Al-Qaeda Leader in Yemen

A U.S. drone strike in Yemen’s Marib province killed senior al-Qaeda figure Abu Mohammed al-San‘ani, a key liaison between the group and the Houthis, according to local security sources. The strike followed weeks of surveillance and hit a meeting site in Wadi Obeida, killing and wounding several militants. Al-San‘ani later died from his injuries, underscoring Washington’s ongoing counterterrorism campaign in Yemen.

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★IRAN

2. Iran’s 67% Empty Dams Threaten Rationing And Urban Unrest

Iran’s empty dams and historic drought have left Tehran less than two weeks from full water rationing, threatening mass urban displacement and rural unrest across the country. Mismanagement, cross-province diversion, and corruption accelerate agricultural failure and economic destabilization. Experts warn these shortages compound governance breakdowns, risking migration surges and heightened unrest at borders.

3. Iran’s 50% Inflation Triggers Nationwide Protests and Unrest

Iran faces over 50% annual inflation, with leading economists warning that rates could surpass 60% by March 2026 as sanctions tighten and poverty deepens. Mass protests erupted this week across critical sectors—nurses in Mashhad and Ahvaz, oil workers in Behregan, army retirees in Tehran, municipal staff in Ilam, farmers, pharmacists, and poultry producers in multiple provinces—over unpaid wages, lost benefits, and basic shortages.

4. Iran Removes Missiles From Talks, Nuclear Risks Rise For U.S.

Iran’s foreign minister confirms the missile program is excluded from negotiations as cooperation with IAEA falls, prompting Director General Grossi to warn of imminent confrontation. The move creates substantial uncertainty over Iran’s ballistic capabilities and nuclear intentions, limiting diplomatic, monitoring, and deterrence options for the U.S. and allies. 

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★ISRAEL

5. Israel Targets Hezbollah Commanders, U.S. Signals Conditional Backing

Israel steps up targeted killings and strikes on Hezbollah operatives and infrastructure across Lebanon. Israeli operations in multiple Lebanese locales—including major air and drone strikes—continue despite prior ceasefire arrangements, triggering Lebanese Armed Forces orders to confront new Israeli incursions and raising regional escalation risk. 

6. Israel Declares Egypt Border Closed, Targets Drone Smuggling Threat

The border with Egypt is now being designated as a closed military zone to combat increased drone-based arms smuggling. Israeli Defense Minister Katz publicly stated, “We are declaring war. Anyone who enters the restricted area will be harmed,” and coordinated with the Shin Bet to define all weapon smuggling via drones as a terrorist threat, justifying enhanced countermeasures.

7. Israel-Greece Air Drills Signal Power Shift Near Turkiye’s Borders

Israeli and Greek air forces conducted joint aerial refueling drills across Greece, extending Israeli fighter reach and operational readiness, as confirmed by IDF spokesmen. Regional observers note the exercise deepens Israel-Greece military alignment, challenges Turkish influence in the Eastern Mediterranean, and may constrain Ankara’s future air defense and strategic positioning. U.S. national security interests benefit from expanded allied interoperability and message deterrence to adversarial air force movements across NATO’s southeastern flank.

8. Turkiye Mediates Hamas Rafah Standoff, Israel Demands Hostage Return

Turkiye brokers negotiations for 200 trapped Hamas militants in Rafah, seeking safe passage and ceasefire compliance. Israel conditions any agreement on disarmament and the return of hostage remains. U.S., Egypt, and Qatar monitor crisis resolution for regional security impact.

9. Hamas Delivers Foreign Worker Remains To Israel, Not Soldier

Israeli authorities confirm a body received from Hamas, via Red Cross, is a foreign worker, not an Israeli soldier. Israeli authorities formally identified the remains received last night as those of Tanzanian national Joshua Loitu Mollel, age 21, after forensic experts completed analysis. Six slain hostages remain in Gaza—five Israelis and one Thai national—as the Israeli government pledges relentless efforts to recover all bodies. 

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★IRAQ

10. Maliki’s Comeback: Former Iraqi PM Remains Key Power Broker

Despite a legacy of sectarian strife and the 2014 fall of Mosul, former Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri al-Maliki remains a major force ahead of the November 11 elections. As head of the Shi’ite-led State of Law coalition, Maliki wields influence through ties to militias, the judiciary, and security services, positioning himself to shape Iraq’s next government.

11. Sadrists’ boycott unsettles Iraq’s Shiite politics

Six days before Iraq’s November 11 parliamentary elections, Muqtada al-Sadr’s decision to boycott continues to shake the Shiite political landscape. Analysts warn that the withdrawal of his disciplined base will depress voter turnout—especially in Baghdad and southern provinces—undermining Shiite unity and shifting power toward Coordination Framework parties.

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★AFRICA

12. Egypt Moves to Block Turkish Role in Gaza Force

Egypt is holding intensive talks with Washington to prevent Türkiye from joining the proposed international force in Gaza, according to media reports. Cairo, wary of Ankara’s growing influence and citing security concerns along its border, seeks to exclude Turkiye in exchange for a larger role in Gaza’s reconstruction, leveraging Israel’s opposition to Turkish troops.

13. RSF Digging Mass Graves in El Fasher to Hide Massacres

Yale University’s Humanitarian Research Lab revealed satellite evidence that Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) conducted mass killings in El Fasher, North Darfur, and later dug mass graves to conceal the crimes. The images show heavy machinery near residential areas and hospitals, suggesting systematic efforts to erase evidence of atrocities committed after battles with the Sudanese army.

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★SYRIA 

14. US Deploys Forces At Damascus Base To Monitor Syria-Israel

The United States is preparing to establish a military presence at a Damascus airbase to monitor a demilitarized zone and support a potential Syria-Israel security agreement. Western and Syrian officials report logistics teams already conducting reconnaissance, airfield testing, and coordination with Syrian leaders. The new base will provide surveillance, refueling, and humanitarian aid, mirroring previous monitoring missions in Lebanon. Senior meetings signal imminent deployment, indicating Syria’s strategic realignment and stepped-up US intelligence posture in the region.

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★THE GULF

15. Saudi-US Drills to Boost Combat Readiness

Saudi Arabia’s Defense Ministry announced the launch of the “Quincy-1” joint exercises with U.S. ground forces at Fort Irwin in California’s Mojave Desert to enhance operational readiness, exchange expertise, and strengthen joint combat integration, without disclosing the exercise’s duration or number of participants.

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★ Disclaimer: This publication is a digest of various news sources compiled by the Early Phoenix team and edited by Rania Kisar. The items are curated, concise summaries of news items hyperlinked within each story. The items and summaries presented do not necessarily represent the views of the American Center for Levant Studies.