★ JORDAN
Jordan Church Massacre: Gunmen Reload, Shoot Wounded Mourners Again
Three gunmen killed nine people and wounded 40 others during Friday’s Christian funeral at Saint George’s Greek Orthodox Church in Hamoud, Karak, where an estimated 150–200 mourners had gathered, according to eyewitness Khaled Burqan. According to Al Jazeera, the three attackers arrived in a blue pickup around 2 p.m., ten minutes after the deceased woman’s body, carrying a Kalashnikov and two pistols. Eyewitness William Halsa told Al Arabiya that the shooting lasted approximately four minutes and that one gunman repeatedly reloaded his weapon. Another survivor reported that masked attackers shouted religious slogans. King Abdullah II visited wounded survivors in Karak wearing a special operations uniform and carrying a sidearm, an appearance Jordanian military commentators interpreted as a message of resolve against terrorism. During the visit, he vowed, “We’ll show them.” Thousands of Jordanians buried eight victims Sunday, with Prime Minister Jafar Hassan representing King Abdullah II. The ninth victim is scheduled for burial Monday.
Jordanian Security Forces Arrest Three Suspects In Deadly Church Attack
Jordanian security forces arrested three suspects in Karak after a three-hour operation involving specialized investigative and raid teams. Authorities located them inside an abandoned building near the incident site, where they were wounded during a confrontation. Security forces also seized firearms and ammunition following extensive searches and intelligence efforts to identify and track the suspects.
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★ IRAQ
Iraqi Provincial Leader Threatens Separation Over Iran Border Closure
Maysan Provincial Council Chairman Mustafa Dair threatened to separate the province from Iraq Sunday unless Baghdad reopens the Al-Sheeb border crossing with Iran by October 29. Dair declared that Maysan would pursue civil disobedience, close all roads, and separate itself from the rest of Iraq if the government failed to comply. Protesters blocked roads serving oil companies, while Iran criticized the closure, saying Baghdad had provided no advance notification. Iraq ordered the crossing closed October 20, with restrictions taking effect the following morning. The dispute follows allegations that the U.S. pressured Baghdad to restrict cross-border trade with Iran.
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★ ISRAEL / PALESTINIAN TERRITORIES
Israeli Forces 2,600 Palestinians From Hebron Homes Overnight
Israeli forces displaced more than 2,600 Palestinians from Hebron, including families ordered from their homes at night with as little as five minutes’ warning. Women, children, and elderly residents were among those forced to leave as troops searched homes, demolished buildings, and sealed city entrances. The operation followed Friday’s shooting that killed two Israeli soldiers; both Palestinian gunmen were subsequently killed. Israel says the operation targets militants and weapons infrastructure. During a televised interview Sunday, Fatah official Bassem Tamimi said the evacuations affected legally established neighborhoods and accused Israel of collective punishment. Former Israeli Defense Ministry adviser Alon Evyatar defended the security operation, claiming residents would return within days. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, however, said their return depended on completing military operations. The displacement comes two days before Israel’s October 27 parliamentary election.
Mass Israeli Protest Demands October 7 Inquiry Before Elections
Tens of thousands of Israelis rallied in Tel Aviv Saturday, demanding an independent state commission to investigate government and military failures surrounding Hamas’s October 7, 2023, attack. Organizers reportedly estimated attendance at over 100,000. Former hostages, survivors, and bereaved families led the protest, joined by opposition leaders Gadi Eisenkot, Naftali Bennett, Yair Lapid, Avigdor Liberman, and Yair Golan. Netanyahu has resisted establishing the commission. His Likud party unsuccessfully sought to block television coverage, calling the rally election propaganda. The demonstration took place three days before Israel’s October 27 parliamentary election.
Israeli Army Chief Reportedly Resists Netanyahu’s Iran Military Directive
Israeli military chief Eyal Zamir reportedly resisted a directive from Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu concerning unspecified military action related to Iran, demanding further deliberations and signed legal authorization before proceeding, Channel 12 reported Sunday. Unnamed security officials warned the action could trigger rapid confrontation with Tehran two days before Israel’s October 27 election. Sources also said Iran could be used to gain an electoral advantage. Tensions reportedly surfaced during a meeting at Palmachim Airbase. Netanyahu denied the confrontation, calling the report nonsense and accusing Iran of attempting to disrupt the election.
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★ IRAN
CENTCOM Secures Hormuz Routes as Gulf Oil Exports Surge
CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper flew over the Strait of Hormuz Sunday, declaring its main shipping routes free of Iranian mines. CENTCOM reported supporting over 3,000 commercial vessel transits in six months and facilitating 1.5 billion barrels of Gulf oil exports since summer, with more than 95% of vessels transiting safely. Meanwhile, Gulf exports excluding Iran reached 24.6 million barrels daily, exceeding the prewar 23.3 million, according to Kpler. Alternative pipelines and ship-to-ship transfers enabled 40% of non-Iranian crude to bypass Hormuz in September, up from 17% prewar. Maritime incidents nevertheless rose from 18 in September to 28 in October, while Brent crude remained near $109.
IRGC Warns ‘Apocalyptic War’ Could Determine Region’s Fate
IRGC spokesman Brig. Gen. Hossein Mohebbi warned that an “apocalyptic war” with the U.S. and Israel could determine the region’s fate, predicting Iran’s “absolute victory” and emergence as a superpower. Iranian parliamentary security chief Ebrahim Azizi threatened to make Israel “uninhabitable in under an hour,” publishing a map of critical infrastructure, including the Dimona nuclear facility. Separately, U.S. intelligence chief Jay Clayton warned that Iranian plots to kill Americans had reached “advanced stages” regionally and abroad, without identifying targets. Citing Iranian threats and Houthi attacks, Washington ordered nonessential diplomatic staff and families out of Saudi Arabia and reduced embassy staffing in Jordan, Lebanon, Qatar, and the UAE.
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★ YEMEN
Yemeni Military Reports 753 Operations, 218 Houthis Neutralized
Yemeni government forces reported conducting 753 strikes against Houthi positions within 24 hours under Operation Dawn of Yemen. Military spokesman Col. Majed al-Nuzaili claimed 218 fighters and commanders were neutralized and 78 vehicles and weapons destroyed or disabled. Targets included command centers, fortifications, troop concentrations, and supply routes.
The Coalition Destroys Houthi Missile Tunnels And Launch Platforms
The Saudi-led coalition conducted a targeted military operation against Houthi-controlled areas, destroying five ballistic missile storage tunnels, four launch platforms, and a missile depot. Spokesman Turki Al-Maliki said the operation also targeted fortifications, personnel and military equipment along front lines, disrupted supply routes and responded to repeated Houthi missile and drone attacks.
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★ NORTH AFRICA/ EGYPT / SAHEL
Egyptian Pound Hits Record Low; Stock Market Trading Halted
Egypt’s pound fell to a record 55.77 per dollar Sunday as the stock exchange halted trading for 30 minutes after its broad EGX100 index plunged 10%. The EGX30 closed down 3.56%, wiping EGP 171 billion ($3.1 billion) from market capitalization. Prime Minister Mostafa Madbouly ordered increased food and fuel reserves and accelerated export incentives as regional tensions intensified.
Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia Seek UN-Backed Libya Settlement
The foreign ministers of Egypt, Algeria, and Tunisia met Sunday in Algiers, calling for a Libyan-led, UN-supported political settlement, presidential and parliamentary elections, unified institutions, and an end to foreign interference. The three governments reaffirmed Libya’s sovereignty and territorial unity while coordinating security and border protection efforts.
Algeria Approves First Overseas Troop Deployment Since 1973
Algeria’s parliament approved deploying troops to Niger Sunday, potentially its first foreign military deployment since the 1973 Arab-Israeli war. The mission aims to protect Algerian energy interests and implement a bilateral security agreement. Reuters reported forces would deploy near Madama in northern Niger, close to Libya’s border. Troop numbers and deployment dates remain undisclosed.
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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.