By Editorial Team of TLF
09 Nov 2026 at 00:16 · Cyprus time
LIVE BLOG CLOSED · SUNDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2026 COVERAGE
Iran Talks Remain Open as Drone Attack Halts Iraqi Gas Production
We’re closing Sunday’s live blog here. Thank you for following The Levant Files. We’ll continue our live coverage on Monday, 9 November.
Iran and Hormuz. Donald Trump said fresh US strikes were highly unlikely if talks kept advancing towards a strong agreement. Iran’s foreign minister, Abbas Araghchi, said Tehran’s two-day proposal remained on the table and called for an end to the war on all fronts. No agreement was announced. Late in the day, Iran’s Tasnim news agency attributed reported projectile impacts on Qeshm to the US. That attribution remains unverified. Reuters · Al Jazeera Arabic
Iraq. A drone attack halted production at the Khor Mor gas field in Iraqi Kurdistan, cutting gas supplies to five power stations. Iraq’s prime minister said an initial assessment found no casualties. Separately, Baghdad said it was discussing a US request to close all but two crossings with Iran. Reuters on Khor Mor · Kurdistan 24 · Reuters on the crossings
Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The Houthis claimed the attack on Riyadh. Saudi officials said falling debris damaged the Aramco Tower and reported no casualties there. The Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed two Houthi missile launchers in Yemen’s Saada region. Reuters
Israel and Gaza. President Isaac Herzog gave Gadi Eisenkot 28 days to try to form a government. In Gaza, Nasser Hospital officials said an Israeli strike killed two Palestinians in al-Mawasi, while heavy rain flooded camps sheltering displaced families. Reuters · Associated Press · Al Jazeera
08 Nov 2026 at 22:09 · Cyprus time
· SUNDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2026
Iranian State Media Report Qeshm Blasts as US Presses Iraq to Close Border Crossings
Iran Strike Watch. In a dispatch posted at 21:34 Cyprus time, Al Jazeera Arabic cited Iran’s state news agency IRNA as reporting explosions on Qeshm Island and saying sites on the island may have been targeted. The dispatch did not establish what caused the blasts or whether they were separate from those reported on Saturday. US responsibility remains unconfirmed. Al Jazeera Arabic · Reuters on Saturday’s reports
Iraq and Iran. Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein said the US Treasury had asked Baghdad to close all but two crossings with Iran, with one of the exceptions in Iraq’s Kurdistan Region. Hussein said talks with Washington were continuing and warned that widespread closures would hurt Iraq’s economy. Separately, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said it could take time for mediators to resume their work after the US midterm elections. Reuters on Iraq · Al Jazeera Arabic on Araghchi
Saudi Arabia, Syria and Yemen. Three officials told the Associated Press that Syria was preparing to send fighters to Saudi Arabia for a possible deployment along the Saudi side of the border with Yemen. One Syrian official put the initial contingent at about 600. A Syrian diplomatic source had told state media on Saturday that Damascus had no plans to send troops into Yemen and described its current cooperation with Riyadh as training and military capacity-building. Separately, the Houthis claimed the Saudi-led coalition had carried out 91 attacks in Yemen over the previous 24 hours. That tally remains unverified. Associated Press · Reuters on the Syrian response · Al Jazeera on the Houthi claim
Gaza. Al Jazeera reported that five people were killed when a sandbank collapsed during heavy rain. The Palestinian Civil Defence said it had received more than 1,500 emergency calls as rain flooded camps sheltering displaced families. Al Jazeera live · Al Jazeera on the flooding
Israel. Gadi Eisenkot’s four-party bloc holds 48 of the 120 Knesset seats, 13 short of a majority. The two Arab-led lists hold 19 seats between them. Eisenkot has 28 days from Sunday’s handover to assemble a government, with a possible 14-day extension. Reuters
08 Nov 2026 at 20:40 · Cyprus time
· SUNDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2026
Trump Says New Strikes Are Unlikely if Talks Advance as Iran Stands by Its Offer
Washington and Tehran. US President Donald Trump told CNN that fresh US strikes on Iran were “highly unlikely” if negotiations continued to advance, and said the decision depended on whether Iran signed a strong agreement. He said the US had identified 38 bridges as potential targets if military action resumed. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi separately said Tehran’s two-day proposal remained on the table, called on Washington to accept Iran’s conditions, including an end to the war on all fronts, and warned of retaliation if the US chose to resume fighting. No agreement has been announced. Reuters on Trump’s interview · Al Jazeera Arabic on Araghchi’s statement
Saudi Arabia and Yemen. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree claimed the group had hit Riyadh’s financial district and targeted King Khalid International Airport in response to attacks in Yemen. Saudi authorities did not confirm the airport was hit. The Saudi-led coalition said it had destroyed two ballistic-missile launchers in Yemen’s Saada region that it said were used in Sunday’s attack on Riyadh. Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry attributed the damage to the Aramco Tower to falling debris and reported no casualties there. Reuters · Associated Press
Israel’s coalition talks. After receiving the mandate, Gadi Eisenkot said he would approach all Knesset factions and set four conditions for joining his government. They include accepting Israel as a Jewish and democratic state, upholding the values of its Declaration of Independence, supporting universal military, national or civilian service, and recognising Hamas as a terrorist organisation. Eisenkot challenged Likud and Religious Zionism to back a government under his leadership if they stood by their calls for unity. Ynet · N12
Gaza. Health officials at Nasser Hospital told the Associated Press that an Israeli strike killed a Palestinian man and woman on Sunday in al-Mawasi, a coastal area where displaced people shelter in tents. Israel’s military said it had struck a Hamas member in the area. Associated Press
Hormuz. Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy attributed two tanker fires to mines, and Iran’s Fars news agency reported a third tanker fire. Reuters could not independently verify the reported incidents. The UAE’s rescue of 22 crew members from a burning cargo ship remains unlinked to the Iranian reports. Reuters · Associated Press
08 Nov 2026 at 17:34 · Cyprus time
· SUNDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2026
Herzog Hands Eisenkot the Mandate to Form Israel’s Next Government
Israel. President Isaac Herzog handed Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot the mandate to form a government at a ceremony in Jerusalem, covered live by Ynet. Eisenkot has 28 days to assemble a coalition and can ask Herzog for up to 14 more. Factions representing 67 incoming lawmakers recommended Eisenkot to Herzog, compared with 46 for Benjamin Netanyahu. Eisenkot is expected to meet Naftali Bennett this evening and Avigdor Liberman on Monday. Ynet · N12
Gulf of Oman. Al Jazeera’s open-source team says ship-tracking data placed the M/V Huda off Khor Fakkan in the UAE at 10:46 Cyprus time on Sunday, the last signal the team recorded after Saturday’s US strike. The data show the vessel left Sohar, Oman, on 2 November. The team could not independently establish which Iranian port the ship visited on its latest voyage, or when, as alleged by US Central Command. The status of the crew remains unclear. Al Jazeera’s tracking investigation · Associated Press
Saudi Arabia–Yemen. Qatar condemned the Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia, citing the two ballistic missiles fired towards Riyadh, and called for an immediate halt. Doha reaffirmed its support for Saudi measures to protect its security and sovereignty. The Saudi-led coalition said it intercepted both missiles. Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry reported limited debris damage to an Aramco office building and no casualties. Al Jazeera Arabic · Reuters
Iran and Hormuz. Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebbi dismissed Washington’s new Iron Gate task force and said Iran had taken steps to strengthen ties with its neighbours. The Guards’ reported tally remains three tanker fires, with the third incident still unverified. The UAE rescue of 22 crew members has yet to be linked to that tally. As of this update, no fresh US strike on Iranian territory has been independently confirmed. Al Jazeera Arabic · Al Jazeera live
08 Nov 2026 at 15:43 · Cyprus time
· SUNDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2026
Eisenkot and Liberman Expected to Meet as Israel and Iran Trade Warnings
Israel’s coalition talks. Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot and Yisrael Beiteinu leader Avigdor Liberman are expected to meet on Monday to try to reach an agreement on forming a government, N12 reports. The Joint List told the broadcaster it was willing to help end Benjamin Netanyahu’s tenure without demanding a place in government or in the coalition. It said it had yet to be asked to commit to voting for an Eisenkot government. President Isaac Herzog’s formal handover of the mandate to Eisenkot is scheduled for 17:00 Cyprus and Israel time today. N12
Israel–Iran. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said Israel’s military objectives in Iran remained unfinished and warned Hezbollah against joining any renewed fighting. He repeated Israel’s accusation that Tehran is seeking a nuclear weapon, which Iran denies. An adviser to the commander of the Revolutionary Guards’ aerospace force separately said Iran’s armed forces were on high alert and warned of a severe response to a new attack. AFP via Arab News · Al Jazeera Arabic
Hormuz and the Gulf of Oman. The Revolutionary Guards Navy’s reported tally remains at three tanker fires. The third incident has yet to be independently verified, and the ships’ identities remain unknown. The UAE’s rescue of 22 crew members from a burning cargo ship and the tanker fire reported off Khasab, Oman, have yet to be linked to each other or to the Iranian tally. As of this update, there is no independent confirmation of a fourth tanker incident or a fresh US strike on Iran since our 14:39 update. Al Jazeera · Associated Press
Saudi Arabia–Yemen. The Saudi-led coalition’s Sunday morning tally stands at five missile interceptions. It reported two ballistic missiles headed towards Riyadh, one towards the Eastern Province and two cruise missiles intercepted in the Riyadh and southern regions. Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry says falling debris caused limited damage to an Aramco office building in Riyadh and reported no casualties. Al Jazeera Arabic · Reuters
08 Nov 2026 at 14:40 · Cyprus time
· BREAKING · STRAIT OF HORMUZ
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Say Third Oil Tanker Caught Fire in Strait of Hormuz
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards Navy says three oil tankers suffered explosions and severe fires in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday after using a route it had declared off-limits. The announcement raises its earlier tally from two tankers to three. Iran’s navy attributed the first two incidents to mines. The cause of the third fire, the ships’ identities and the status of their crews remain independently unverified. Al Jazeera · Iraqi National News Agency
Separately, the UAE said it rescued 22 crew members from a burning cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman. UK Maritime Trade Operations reported a tanker fire northwest of Khasab, Oman. Neither report has been linked to the Iranian tally. Associated Press
Key Developments
- Iran–US talks. Donald Trump said fresh US strikes were highly unlikely if negotiations kept advancing towards a strong agreement. Abbas Araghchi said Iran’s two-day proposal remained on the table and called for an end to the war on all fronts. No agreement was announced.
- Qeshm and Hormuz. Iran’s Tasnim news agency attributed reported projectile impacts on Qeshm to the US. That attribution remains unverified. Iranian state television said three projectiles were fired from Sirik towards vessels in Hormuz. It remains unclear whether any vessel was hit.
- Iraq. A drone attack halted production at the Khor Mor gas field and cut supplies to five power stations. Iraq’s prime minister said an initial assessment found no casualties. Separately, Baghdad said it was discussing a US request to close all but two border crossings with Iran.
- Saudi Arabia and Yemen. The Houthis claimed the attack on Riyadh. Saudi officials said falling debris damaged the Aramco Tower without causing casualties there. The Saudi-led coalition said it destroyed two Houthi missile launchers in Yemen’s Saada region.
- Israel. President Isaac Herzog gave Gadi Eisenkot 28 days to form a government. Eisenkot’s four-party bloc holds 48 seats, 13 short of a Knesset majority.
- Gaza. Nasser Hospital officials said an Israeli strike killed two Palestinians in al-Mawasi. Separately, five people were reported killed in a sandbank collapse as heavy rain flooded camps sheltering displaced families.
LIVE · SUNDAY, 8 NOVEMBER 2026
By the Editorial Team of TLF
· Opening briefing
Reporting window: 02:25–12:25 Cyprus time. Saturday’s developments are identified where they provide context.
Debris Damages Aramco Building in Riyadh
Saudi Arabia’s Energy Ministry says falling debris damaged an Aramco office building in Riyadh’s King Abdullah Financial District after an interception on Sunday. The ministry described the damage as limited and reported no casualties. A Reuters witness saw broken windows on several floors. The Saudi-led coalition attributed two ballistic missiles fired towards Riyadh to Yemen’s Houthis and separately reported cruise missile interceptions. Saudi Civil Defence lifted its warnings in Riyadh and parts of the Eastern Province. Reuters · Al Jazeera live
UAE Rescues 22 Crew Members off Oman
The UAE National Guard says all 22 crew members rescued from a burning cargo ship in the Gulf of Oman were in stable condition after receiving first aid. It did not identify the vessel or give a cause for the fire. UK Maritime Trade Operations separately reported that a tanker caught fire about eight nautical miles northwest of Khasab, Oman, on Saturday and that its crew evacuated. The two reports have not been linked. Emirates News Agency · Associated Press
US Targets Iranian Supply Routes as Qatar Keeps Mediating
US Central Command says Task Force Iron Gate will coordinate with other US agencies to curb shipments of advanced weapons, dual-use technology and sanctioned goods across Iran’s land borders and the Caspian Sea. The announcement outlines a plan that builds on the naval blockade. CENTCOM gave no details of any border crossing already shut under the initiative. Qatar’s prime minister says Doha is still mediating between Washington and Tehran. No agreement has been announced. Reuters on Iron Gate · Reuters on Qatar’s mediation · Al Jazeera
Iran Strike Watch | Cause of Southern Blasts Still Unclear
Iranian state media reported explosion-like sounds late Saturday in Qeshm, Jask, Sirik and Bandar Abbas. State television suggested Iranian military activity in the Strait of Hormuz as one possibility. Sunday morning reporting has yet to establish a cause or confirm a fresh US strike at those locations. The Revolutionary Guards’ navy separately said two oil tankers struck mines and caught fire. The identities of those ships and any connection to the UAE rescue remain unverified. Reuters · Al Jazeera live
Saturday’s confirmed US action. CENTCOM said a US aircraft fired precision munitions at the stern of the St Kitts-flagged cargo ship M/V Huda in the Gulf of Oman, disabling it after alleged attempts to breach the blockade. The crew’s condition remains unclear. Al Jazeera · Saturday’s TLF coverage
Eisenkot Due to Receive Coalition Mandate at 17:00
President Isaac Herzog is due to formally ask Yashar leader Gadi Eisenkot to form Israel’s next government at 17:00 Cyprus and Israel time. Eisenkot has 28 days from the handover, with a possible extension of up to 14 days. Factions representing 67 lawmakers recommended him. N12 reported on Sunday that Eisenkot’s camp was also seeking agreement on a candidate for Knesset speaker and that Likud was preparing a challenge to the election results. Israel’s presidency · N12
Reported Death Toll Rises to 33 Near Sanaa
Houthi-run authorities reported at least 33 killed and 39 wounded in Saturday’s strikes on homes in Bani Hushaysh district near Sanaa, up from the earlier reported toll of 27 killed and 36 wounded. They blamed Saudi Arabia and said most of those killed were women and children. Saudi Arabia’s Center for International Communication said it was investigating. Reuters could not independently verify the account. Reuters · Associated Press on the earlier toll
Flooding Leaves Displaced Families Exposed in Gaza
Heavy rain flooded tents sheltering displaced Palestinians on Saturday, with shortages of shelter materials hampering the response. The UN humanitarian office previously estimated that about 950,000 displaced people were living at sites with a medium or high risk of flooding, including more than 400,000 at high risk. The estimate measures exposure across Gaza. Reuters · UN OCHA