Iraq has become central to Iran's strategic chessboard in the region as Tehran seeks to expand its influence while navigating increasing US sanctions.
Yemen claims 20 strikes carried out on Houthis • Crude oil tanker struck by unknown projectile off Oman, UKMTO says • Clashes erupt between settlers, Palestinians across West Bank
Oman has emerged as a key player in recent months after long serving as a central mediator between Washington and Tehran.
The report follows comments by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu after the attempted hijacking, saying that the hijacker underwent radical Islamist indoctrination and was clearly suicidal.
Reuters also reported Friday that Saudi Arabia is preparing an offensive against the Houthis to break the chokehold and secure the shipping routes in the Red Sea.
US President Donald Trump's administration is deliberating on how to approach the Iran war, now in its eighth month, as US midterm elections approach in November.
The operation, expected to be launched in the coming weeks, will be led by Yemeni forces on the ground, which are overseen by Riyadh and supported by Saudi air strikes.
A UAE source criticized Israel's description of flights from the Emirates as 'rescue flights,' saying the UAE agreed to additional security measures, but Israel rejected revised flydubai procedures.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan are set to decide next steps for engaging Yemen's Houthis politically following increased attacks by the Iran-backed group.
Yemen is experiencing the most serious escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthi group since a UN-brokered truce largely halted cross-border attacks in 2022.
PM Netanyahu, in a video update on Friday, characterized the hijacking as a potential "disaster on the scale of 9/11" and vowed that those behind the attack "will pay a heavy price.
