Morning update

Live Blog Update| Israeli Elections 30 October 2026 07:49 GMT Good morning Middle East Eye readers, Here are the latest developments: An official told Reuters that Qatari mediators returned to Tehran on Friday as part of efforts to reach a deal between the US and Iran. The mediation talks have been coordinated with Washington, the official added. The Houthi spokesperson has denied a Saudi-led coalition claim that it intercepted a drone belonging to the movement over the Mecca region. Yahya Saree said the group "has not carried out any operation today targeting Saudi territory". Earlier, the Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed a drone launched by the Houthis in the Mecca region. A tanker in the Strait of Hormuz was hit by a small boat with two explosive devices attached to its hull in the Strait of Hormuz, 25 nautical miles north east of Oman's Khasab, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) said. This caused blasts and sparked a fire in the vessel's engine room that temporarily disabled it. According to UKMTO, the crew were safe, there was no environmental impact and the fire had been extinguished. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed that Iran is "running out of" economic lifelines amid Washington's sanctions on Tehran. He further claimed that the country is "struggling to move money, while the IRGC is reportedly failing to pay its own troops". US Vice President JD Vance said that Donald Trump will not allow the conflict with Iran to turn into a "forever war". "I understand the frustration about foreign misadventures in the Middle East," Vance said. "We’ve been involved in Iran in some form for seven months. The United States has been dealing with Iran for 47 years, and I promise you that Donald Trump is not going to let Iran become a forever war." According to the Israeli public broadcaster KAN, the US has transferred 10 military cargo planes to Israeli air bases as preparation for a possible military operation against Iran. Several other aircrafts were reportedly dispatched elsewhere in the region, including Jordan, Saudi Arabia and Qatar.