Seven people killed, four injured after bus attacked by gunfire in Syria's Homs At least seven people were killed and four were wounded, including two that sustained critical injuries, after unknown assailants targeted a vehicle with gunfire near the Masyaf Bridge in Homs, according to the Homs Media Directorate. Reporting by Reuters

Hegseth says American forces have ‘destroyed’ Iran’s military Secretary of War Pete Hegseth told a gathering of military leaders at Quantico Marine base on Wednesday that US forces have “destroyed” Iran’s navy, air force, defence systems, leadership and military-industrial capacity. Hegseth praised the American troops he addressed, crediting them with having destroyed Iran’s “entire defense space”. “Iran’s conventional shield has been crippled, and their nuclear ambitions have been crippled and laid bare for the world,” he added. Hegseth said the Pentagon has undergone a “clear break” from its past, with a “singular mission” of war-fighting. He said the department had fired “nearly 10 percent of the generals and admirals across the force”, a figure he framed as “accountability” rather than the “purge” as some media have called it. US Secretary of War Pete Hegseth gives a State of the Force address at Marine Corps Base Quantico on 30 September 2026 (Alex Wong/AFP)

Wisconsin Palestinian community leader can be deported, immigration judge rules A US immigration judge ruled on Wednesday that Salah Sarsour, a Muslim and Palestinian community leader in his hometown of Milwaukee, Wisconsin, can be deported per the wishes of the Trump administration. In a press briefing following the decision, his lawyer, Patrick Taurel, confirmed that he will appeal.  For the time being, Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) cannot re-detain Sarsour because a federal judge's order ensuring he walks free remains in place. As with a number of Palestinian Green Card holders before Sarsour, such as former Columbia University students Mahmoud Khalil and Mohsen Mahdawi, as well as the Georgetown University scholar Badar Khan Suri, who is married to a Palestinian American, the US government arrested Salah in March on the grounds that he is a threat to national security.  His legal team and advocates maintain the arrest was because of his speech in defence of Palestinian rights. Sarsour sits on the board of American Muslims for Palestine (AMP), which pro-Israeli groups have claimed is a front for Hamas.  Read more:  Wisconsin Palestinian community leader can be deported, immigration judge rules Patrick Taurel, left, lead immigration attorney with the firm Grossman, Young, & Hammond, shakes hands with his client, president of the Islamic Society of Milwaukee, Salah Sarsour, after an event publicising his case at Busboys and Poets in Washington, DC, on 21 September 2026 (Yasmine El-Sabawi/MEE)

Salah Sarsour was held for 81 days in an immigration detention centre earlier this year

The airline's announcement follows a recommendation from the Shin Bet earlier on Wednesday to suspend flights between the UAE and Israel until the investigation progresses.

Flydubai says flights to and from Israel will be suspended while the investigation continues Flydubai said in a statement on Wednesday it was suspending flights to and from Israel following an incident involving flight FZ 1073, while an investigation continues.  Reporting by Reuters

Resolution demanding accountability for Americans killed by Israel fails in US Senate A resolution demanding answers on Israel's killing of US citizens in the occupied West Bank failed to gain Senate approval late on Tuesday, after just 47 lawmakers voted in its favour.  Among them was the lone Republican, Kentucky Senator Rand Paul. One Democrat, Pennsylvania Senator John Fetterman, joined 50 other Republicans to vote against it.  Republicans Bill Cassidy of Louisiana and Dan Sullivan of Alaska did not vote in the 100-member upper chamber. Maryland Democratic Senator Chris Van Hollen, a vocal supporter of Palestinian rights and curbing US aid to Israel, introduced Senate Resolution 852 earlier this month, pursuant to Section 502(b) of the Foreign Assistance Act, which allows lawmakers to request human rights reports from the State Department on countries that receive US assistance.  Read more:  Resolution demanding accountability for Americans killed by Israel fails in US Senate Mehmet Suat Eygi, centre, father of late Turkish-American student Aysenur Ezgi Eygi who was shot dead by Israeli forces in the occupied West Bank, mourns in front of a portrait of his daughter during her funeral ceremony at the cemetery in Didim, Turkey, on 14 September 2024 (Ozan Kose/AFP)

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu spoke with UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed on Wednesday after a Flydubai incident raised questions over security arrangements for flights between the countries.

Hegseth says US cut number of generals, admirals by 20 percent Secretary of War Pete Hegseth announced on Wednesday that the US has slashed the number of generals and admirals in the military by 20 percent in a move he said is aimed at "accountability". "The number-crunchers say we fired 10 percent of the generals and admirals across the force," Hegseth told troops at the Quantico military base, adding, "we've also reduced the overall number of general officer slots by an additional 10 percent. So yes, 20 percent reduction across the board." Reporting by AFP

Nine US citizens have been killed by Israel in the occupied West Bank since 2022

Saudi Arabia, Yemen call for closer regional ties to counter Houthi attacks Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman warned on Wednesday that his government will not hesitate to respond decisively to any threat or attack, reaffirming support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen to confront the Houthis. During his annual royal speech at the opening of the Shura Council, he noted that the establishment of the “Mecca Defence Pact” between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan aimed to shield the region from escalating conflict, adding that the kingdom also initiated the establishment of a “multinational defensive maritime coalition” to protect international waterways. Mohammed bin Salman condemned continued Israeli attacks on the Palestinian territories, as well as the “repeated violations” of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in occupied East Jerusalem, and called for diplomacy to de-escalate conflicts in the region. Meanwhile, Yemen’s Foreign Minister Afrah Abdulaziz al-Zouba met with the Turkish embassy’s charge d’affaires in Yemen, Amirullah Isler, to discuss regional developments and ways to strengthen ties between “the two brotherly countries”, according to a post shared on X by Yemen’s Foreign Ministry. The Turkish envoy reaffirmed Ankara’s “steadfast supportive stance” toward the Yemeni government, and Zouba stressed the need for closer political and diplomatic coordination to counter Houthi threats to the Red Sea, the statement added.

Three Syrian power plants down after gas pipeline explosion Syria's electricity company said in a statement on Wednesday that three power plants were out of service after a gas pipeline explosion at the Tishreen plant halted gas supplies needed to operate them. The fire caused by the explosion was still ongoing, it added.

Nato chief calls US war on Iran ‘absolutely essential’ Nato secretary general Mark Rutte said that it was “absolutely essential for the United States to take on Iran” in an interview at the Euronews Defence and Space summit on Wednesday. Only the US was “capable of taking out the nuclear capability of Iran”, Rutte said, describing the country's nuclear programme as a potential near-term threat “not only for Israel and the Middle East” but for Europe as well. While conceding that the Iran war had its “downsides”, he added that extra defence investments will enable European countries to “take care of their backyard themselves”. “It should be us taking care of the Houthis and the Red Sea”, rather than the US, Rutte said.

Israeli army teargases inhabitants of town west of Hebron: Report Several Palestinians suffered from suffocation from Israeli army tear gas in town of Tarqumiyah, west of Hebron, Wafa news reported on Wednesday. Local sources told Wafa that the soldiers raided the town and unleashed barrages of tear gas canisters at inhabitants. Meanwhile, Israeli settlers attacked a Palestinian’s home in the Wadi al-Rakhim area of Yatta town, south of Hebron, smashing the solar panels supplying the home with electricity.

US Centcom welcomes Bahrain to multinational attack drone task force initiative Bahrain has joined the United States Task Force Falcon Strike, a multinational attack drone unit, US Central Command (Centcom) reports. “We’re excited to welcome Bahrain to Task Force Falcon Strike after the kingdom affirmed its commitment to join Centcom in building the world’s first multinational attack drone unit,” said Admiral Brad Cooper, commander of Centcom, in a statement posted on X. “Bahrain is a steadfast partner in strengthening regional security and stability”, the statement added. "We're excited to welcome Bahrain to Task Force Falcon Strike after the kingdom affirmed its commitment to join CENTCOM in building the world's first multinational attack drone unit. Bahrain is a steadfast partner in strengthening regional security and stability." - Adm. Brad… https://t.co/OpkrH1GF1R — U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) September 30, 2026

Trump: US departure from Iraq marks end of ‘excursion from hell’ US President Donald Trump has called the departure of American forces from Iraq “a victory for the United States” and said it “marks the end of an excursion from hell”. Speaking at a White House event on Wednesday, Trump said “it’s a victory for Iraq and a decisive victory over ISIS [ISIL], which has been completely decimated,” claiming responsibility for having taken "them out in my first administration”. “We’ve been in that war for 23 years, lost more than 4,500 great American soldiers and 31,000 injured, some very badly. Plus, hundreds of civilian contractors were killed,” Trump added. He said that he left instructions to troops to leave nothing behind, saying, "I want every screw taken". US President Donald Trump (L) and Secretary of State Marco Rubio make a statement during a Hispanic Heritage Month celebration event in the White House, on 30 September 2026 (Kevin Dietsch/AFP)

Israel foreign minister says he spoke with UAE counterpart following flydubai diverted flight Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said on Wednesday that he had a "warm conversation" with UAE top diplomat Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, following the diversion of a flydubai flight between Dubai and Tel Aviv. "During our warm conversation, we expressed our mutual determination to strengthen the relations between our countries at all levels and to work together against extremist elements seeking to harm security and undermine stability in the region," Saar wrote in a post on X. I spoke just an hour ago with my friend, the Foreign Minister of the United Arab Emirates, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, @ABZayed . During our warm conversation, we expressed our mutual determination to strengthen the relations between our countries at all levels and to work… — Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער (@gidonsaar) September 30, 2026

UN condemns Israel's treatment of Palestinian prisoners Deputy head of UN Human Rights in Palestine Neil Tobin said on Wednesday that, as of September 2026, more than 9,000 Palestinians are being held in Israeli prisons. Speaking at the 63rd session of the Human Rights Council, Tobin said a third of Palestinians in Israeli prisons are being held under administrative detention, while more than 1,000 from Gaza are detained as "unlawful combatants", also a form of administrative detention. "The routine use of administrative detention – on security grounds without criminal charge or trial - continues to expose Palestinian detainees to prolonged arbitrary deprivation of liberty, torture and other ill-treatment and enforced disappearance," Tobin was quoted as saying in a post on X. Tobin said the situation has deteriorated since October 2023, citing 92 Palestinian deaths in Israeli custody, including 17-year-old Walid al-Basha, who died in an Israeli prison in March 2025 with severe signs of starvation. “Unless and until each death is the subject of an investigation that meets international standards and disproves allegations of wrongdoing, Israel remains responsible for every single death in custody,” Tobin added. He called for “regular and unhindered access by independent monitoring bodies with confidential access” to all Palestinian detainees, and for the release of all Palestinians held arbitrarily in Israeli prisons. "The reality for Palestinian detainees is horrific. As of September 2026, Israel held 9,329 Palestinian prisoners, among them about one third are under administrative detention, and 1,393 Palestinians, most of them from Gaza, detained as “unlawful combatants”, also a form of… — UN Human Rights Palestine (@OHCHR_Palestine) September 30, 2026

Trump says US leaves Iraq with new prime minister to handle things US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the US leaves Iraq with "wonderful" Prime Minister Ali Faleh al-Zaidi, a leader he said he "fully endorsed" and will "hopefully be able to handle things very well". In a post on Truth Social, Trump announced that the last American forces were pulling out of Iraq, writing that It "has been a long time, with very bad decision-making that got us involved in this quagmire in the first place, but soon, that will be part of History".

Iraq celebrates as last US troops withdraw from country The US removed its last troops from Iraq on Wednesday, 23 years after Washington invaded the country to topple former Iraqi President Saddam Hussein from power, in an intervention that cost over $1 trillion and led to hundreds of thousands of deaths over the last two decades. "Today, the United States and our Coalition partners formally concluded Operation Inherent Resolve in Iraq, consistent with the September 2024 US-Iraq joint statement and US national interests," the Pentagon said in a statement. The US first occupied Iraq in 2003, following the overthrow of Hussein, before pulling out its forces in 2011. They returned at the request of the Iraqi government in 2014 to tackle the spread of the Islamic State (IS) militant group, which had seized around a third of the country. The US began withdrawing troops from Iraq in 2025, with soldiers relocating from Ain al-Asad base in Anbar Province and the Victory Base Complex, located within the Baghdad International Airport, to Iraq’s semi-autonomous Kurdish region. Iraqi Kurdistan was granted some semi-autonomy in 2005. For example, it has its own prime minister, president, and a separate security force, the Peshmerga. Read more:  Iraq celebrates as last US troops withdraw from country A member of the Iraqi security forces flashes the victory sign during a military parade marking the withdrawal of the US-led coalition from Iraq, in Baghdad, on 30 September 2026 (Ahmad al-Rubaye/AFP)

In an interview with the Post, Trump aide Sebastian Gorka said that the president will not dilute his demands in any version of a potential Iran deal.

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi takes a victory lap with the withdrawal of US troops from Kurdistan region, but with little success in reining in militias

After a 17-year-old was raped near their campus, Delhi women marched demanding safer streets, lighting, transport and policing—not curfews and restrictions on women. They point to broken cameras, depleted police booths and stalled safety projects.

US coordinating very closely with Israeli counterparts on flydubai incident, attorney general says US attorney general Todd Blanche said on Wednesday that the US was coordinating "very closely" with counterparts overseas, including Israel, regarding a flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv that was diverted. Meanwhile, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered authorities to "ramp up" security on both Israeli carriers and non-Israeli carriers on Wednesday, a spokesperson for the prime minister's office said after the flydubai flight incident. An Israel-bound flight made an emergency landing in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday after its co-pilot allegedly attempted to crash the plane. Reporting by Reuters A flydubai Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft is pictured on the tarmac after landing at Israel's Ben Gurion Airport in Lod on 30 September 2026 (Jack Guez/AFP)

Lebanese foreign minister calls for the end of 'Israeli occupation' of country Lebanese Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi said on Wednesday that stability in the country requires “ending the [Israeli] occupation” and the “handover of Hezbollah’s weapons”. “We want peace with all our neighbours, and we stress the need for Iran to stop interfering in our affairs,” he said. He added that Lebanon is committed to direct, US-sponsored negotiations as “the only way to reclaim our land and secure the return of the displaced”.

Yemeni foreign minister says Houthis expanding ‘Red Sea Axis’ Yemen’s Foreign Minister Afrah al-Zouba said on Wednesday that the Houthis have expanded cooperation with aligned groups across the Horn of Africa, describing the emerging coalition as a “dangerous ‘Red Sea Axis’”. In a post on X, the Saudi-backed Yemeni government's foreign ministry shared an article written by Zouba for The Telegraph, adding that “The evidence is clear: weapons transfers, training, smuggling and shared operations are connecting actors once treated as separate threats”. Foreign Minister Dr. @afrah_alzouba writes in @Telegraph on the evolving threat to Yemen, the Red Sea and global trade The Iran-backed Houthis have expanded their cooperation with terrorist groups across the Horn of Africa, building what is emerging as a dangerous "Red Sea… pic.twitter.com/DMM7B9nvVM — وزارة خارجية الجمهورية اليمنية (@yemen_mofa) September 30, 2026

UK PM says 'strong indications' Iran involved in airbase scare British Prime Minister Andy Burnham said on Wednesday there were "strong indications" that Iran was involved in suspicious activity at a UK airbase that triggered a major security incident. "There are strong indications that Iran played a part in what happened over the weekend at RAF Fairford," Burnham told the BBC in an interview, referring to suspected bomb threat near the airbase in southwest England, which is used by the US military in its campaign against Tehran. Iran has denied involvement in the incident, and the five men arrested on suspicion of terrorist offences were later released on bail, with counterterrorism police saying that no improvised explosive devices were found in their vehicle, but a quantity of petrol was discovered.

Israeli settlers raid West Bank village, Ottoman-era historic site Israeli settlers have been raiding the village of Awarta, south of Nablus, and the area surrounding al-Uzair shrine for more than 12 hours, Wafa news reported. Local sources told Wafa that dozens of settlers raided the village in the occupied West Bank under protection from Israeli forces, and performed Jewish rituals at Islamic shrines in the village, attacking Palestinians who attempt to approach the site. Meanwhile, Wafa also reported that Israeli settlers raided the Ottoman-era tunnel known as “Al-Kharq,” east of Bal'a town, east of Tulkarm, on Wednesday. According to witnesses, they performed Jewish prayers inside and raised Israeli flags. The tunnel dates back to the late 19th century and has been included on Palestine’s tourism map as one of the country’s notable archaeological sites in need of attention, rehabilitation, and restoration.

Bukhaiti highlighted that, unlike the Taliban, the Houthis lack a large support base and remain a minority movement able to continue operating by exploiting “chaos and divisions" of other actors.

Palestinian killed, others injured in Israeli drone strike in Khan Younis A Palestinian was killed and several others were injured on Wednesday in an Israeli drone strike targeting a group of Palestinians gathered outside the Endowments Mosque in the al-Mawasi area, west of Khan Younis in southern Gaza, Wafa news reported. Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis told Wafa that it received the body of a Palestinian killed and several injured in the strike, including some in critical condition. This comes after Gaza's health ministry reported that six Palestinians were killed and 15 others injured in an Israeli strike targeting a vehicle in the Tal al-Hawa neighborhood of Gaza City.

Muqtada al-Sadr says US should compensate Iraqis as last American forces leave Influential Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr has said the US should compensate Iraqis for the damage inflicted on the country, as the last American troops pull out of Iraq. In a statement on Wednesday, which is the deadline for American forces to end their 12-year presence in the country, Sadr hailed the "independence of Iraq" and praised those who fought against the US. "We demand compensation from the American army for all the damages that occurred as a result of its occupation of Iraqi lands," he said. "Everyone should file legal complaints regarding this." The US first occupied Iraq in 2003 following the overthrow of Saddam Hussein, before pulling out its forces in 2011. Read more:  Muqtada al-Sadr says US should compensate Iraqis as last American forces leave Iraqi Shia cleric Muqtada al-Sadr delivers a speech during a ceremony marking the death anniversary of his father Grand Ayatollah Mohammed Sadeq al-Sadr, in the southern Iraqi city of Najaf on 1 May (Qassem al-Kaabi/AFP)

Iran official criticises UAE welcoming ‘Butcher of Gaza’ Netanyahu into country The secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, Mohsen Rezaei, denounced Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s recent trip to the UAE last weekend. In a post on X on Wednesday, Rozaei warned that "Just as hosting US military bases has not brought you security, hosting the 'Butcher of Gaza' will also not have favourable consequences." The visit comes a month before Israeli elections amid controversy over reports alleging Netanyahu had ignored warnings from UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan ahead of the Hamas-led attacks on 7 October 2023.

While Israeli officials increasingly view the incident as an attempted hijacking and a disaster that was narrowly avoided by heroes on the plane, many in the Gulf appeared wary of reporting details.

Lebanese media reports Israeli strikes on southeast of the country Lebanon’s National News Agency (NNA) has reported that Israeli artillery struck the town of al-Khiam in the southeast of the country. An explosion was also heard in the southeastern town of Houla near the Israeli border, according to NNA.

EU aviation agency issues Saudi airspace advisory after Houthi attacks The European Union Aviation Safety Agency issued an advisory to airlines over Saudi airspace due to renewed fighting with the Houthis. According to a bulletin posted on its website on Wednesday, the EASA said it will continue to monitor the situation to assess whether there is an increase or decrease in risk for EU airlines in the country.

"We are interested in an Israeli plane to take us; we don't want to board the horrible company that put us through hell here today," one passenger told The Jerusalem Post.

“The call addressed a number of issues of mutual interest and ways to advance cooperation and coordination between Syria and Jordan in the defense field.”

Mohammed Dahlan's faction to run with Hamas and Islamic Jihad on list for legislative elections The former leader of Fatah's in Gaza has announced his faction will join with Hamas and Islamic Jihad in an electoral list for upcoming legislative elections for the Palestinian Authority. Palestinian officials told The Associated Press that Mohammed Dahlan, a businessman with close ties to the UAE, would be part of a “a unified national list” with the two other Gaza groups in an apparent attempt to form a joint opposition to PA President Mahmoud Abbas.

Baghdad asked the US to return. Now, in a kind of “no good deed goes unpunished” manner, Iraq is celebrating the US leaving after asking the US for help.

Palestinian journalist killed in Israeli drone strike A Palestinian journalist has been killed by an Israeli drone strike in Gaza. The Nasser Medical Complex said Mohammed al-Najja was killed in the al-Mawasi area north of Khan Younis in the southern Gaza Strip.

In the first hours of Arab media coverage, a clear divide emerged. As reports spread beyond Dubai, additional and increasingly serious claims emerged.

Death toll from Israeli strikes in Gaza rises to six Israeli strikes killed at least six Palestinians in two separate attacks in the Gaza Strip on Wednesday, the territory's health officials said. Medics said an Israeli airstrike on a vehicle killed at least four people and wounded 14 others in the Tel Al-Hawa neighbourhood in Gaza City, while an earlier airstrike on an apartment elsewhere in the city killed a woman. Later on Wednesday, an Israeli airstrike outside a mosque in Khan Younis killed one person and wounded others, medics said, taking the day's death toll to at least six. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on any of the reported strikes. Reporting by Reuters.

In an interview with the Post, Hiyam Taha explained why she is seeking to enter politics and how she hopes to improve the future of the Palestinian people.

Influential cleric urges Iraqis to file legal claims over two decades of 'occupation'

Nearly all Senate Democrats voted to require the State Department to report on Israeli settler violence in the West Bank.

Iran’s IRGC says it attacks ships daily in Strait of Hormuz Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says its forces regularly attack small vessels and block their passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Spokesperson Hossein Mohebbi described daily “military conflict” in an interview with the semi-official Fars news agency. “We have been hitting small ships and preventing them from passing for a long time, but America does not respond,” he said. Iranian leaders are examining Washington’s response to Tehran’s offer to reopen the strait if the US ends its economic warfare. Qatar relayed the American proposal. Separately, the UK Maritime Trade Operations agency reported attacks targeting at least three commercial ships in the waterway on Tuesday.

Exclusive: Zack Polanski says UK should defy Israel on fate of British Consulate in East Jerusalem Green Party leader Zack Polanski has called on the  British  government to defy  Israel  and keep the British Consulate in East Jerusalem open, in comments made exclusively to Middle East Eye. Polanski’s intervention will pile pressure on the Labour government not to comply with Israel’s order to close the consulate as the deadline for doing so, 8 October, approaches.  “East Jerusalem is illegally occupied Palestinian territory, and Israel has no sovereignty over it,” Polanski told MEE on Wednesday morning.  “The UK must ignore Israel’s order and keep the British Consulate open.” Israel ordered the closure of the consulate in retaliation for British Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband’s announcement of sweeping sanctions on Israeli settlements earlier this month. Read more:  Exclusive: Zack Polanski says UK should defy Israel on fate of British Consulate in East Jerusalem

A reception at the Labour conference showed the government has turned a new page on engagement with Muslim civil society

Israeli strike on vehicle kills at least five Palestinians in Gaza City An Israeli strike killed at least five Palestinians when it hit a vehicle in Gaza City’s Tel al-Hawa neighbourhood. The attack also injured others, though the source gave no number for the wounded.

A legal team says the justice minister's decision is irrational and discriminatory, with 26 more cases in the pipeline