Israel votes as Iran tensions, Gulf missile fire and Jordan's Syria strikes dominate
Israelis voted on Tuesday in an election seen as a referendum on Netanyahu, while Iran said the US is not serious about talks and a ship burned off Iraq. Elsewhere, Jordan struck armed groups in Syria, a local ceasefire took hold around Oleshky, and an Ebola case in Nigeria prompted a transfer to Switzerland.
Millions of Israelis cast ballots on Tuesday in the first national election since Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack, widely seen as a referendum on Prime Minister Netanyahu. Netanyahu campaigns on finishing the job in the war on Iran, while rival Gadi Eisenkot accuses him of playing up the Iran threat. Israel's defence minister denied reports of a rift between Netanyahu and the army over Iran.
Iran said on Tuesday the United States is not serious about negotiations, and UKMTO reported a ship on fire in the northern Persian Gulf off Iraq. Iran says it is preparing for a possible US and Israeli attack after the US midterms. UN Secretary-General Guterres, speaking in Cairo, called for dialogue to end the war, and officials say the conflict is pushing up fuel and fertiliser costs in Africa.
Top officials from the four countries agreed on Tuesday to continue talks on peace and security, while Saudi forces intercepted more Houthi missiles. On Monday the Saudi-led coalition said it struck Houthi missile facilities in Yemen, and debris caused damage in Khamis Mushait. Egypt's parliament authorised military aid for Saudi Arabia, though Cairo has ruled out strikes on Yemen.
Jordan's air force said on Monday it struck "terrorist groups" in southern Syria in retaliation for Friday's attack on a Greek Orthodox church in Karak that killed nine people. It reported many militants killed or wounded but did not name the groups or give exact locations. Authorities also said three suspects were arrested in Amman after they refused to surrender and attacked security forces.
A UN commission report published Monday says Israel continued to commit genocide in Gaza after last October's ceasefire, which Israel dismissed as part of a "misinformation campaign". UN rights chief Volker Turk said the operation displacing more than 3,000 Palestinians in Hebron must end, citing ethnic cleansing concerns. Israeli forces killed at least five people in Gaza, including a 7-year-old girl.
A woman diagnosed with Ebola in Abuja last week, with no known travel to DR Congo, was flown to Switzerland. Officials are trying to determine how she was infected. A health worker was killed in Congo, the epicentre of the outbreak, which involves four countries.
A church official said more than 60 Christians were killed in a massacre in Ethiopia. A resident described an ambush in which people were surrounded. No further details were supplied.
Russia halted strikes on Kherson early on Tuesday under a localised ceasefire secured by US First Lady Melania Trump, to allow evacuations and aid deliveries to Oleshky. On Monday, UN-mandated investigators said Russian authorities committed war crimes and crimes against humanity by attacking civilians and energy infrastructure.