Middle East Minute by AL-MONITOR

The US sent more naval forces to the Middle East, and Saudi Arabia accused the Houthis of targeting Medina, which the group denied.

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The UAE pledged to investigate the circumstances surrounding the FlyDubai flight to Israel, and Iran-backed militias in Iraq said they are not bound by a timetable on disarmament.

Editor's note: This podcast was updated on Oct. 1, 2026 to include a denial from the Syrian government regarding the Hezbollah meeting. 

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US troops completed their withdrawal from Iraq, and oil shipments through the Strait of Hormuz are up.

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UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed is visiting Saudi Arabia, and Iraq said flights to and from Iran would resume.

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Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan is in Washington for talks, and eight Marines were injured in an earlier Iranian attack on a ship in Hormuz. 

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Turkey agreed to withdraw from a key base in Iraq, and Yemen pleaded for US help in the fight against the Iran-backed Houthis.

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Jordan's King Abdullah told Al-Monitor discussions with US President Donald Trump and regional leaders were "very good," and Iran flight cancellations are mounting amid a new sanctions threat.

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Saudi Arabia is reportedly resuming operations at its East-West pipeline, and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi on the UN General Assembly sidelines.

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From Al-Monitor Live New York, host Adam Lucente interviews diplomatic correspondent Elizabeth Hagedorn on the Middle East developments surrounding the United Nations General Assembly.

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The Trump administration approved the sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, and an adviser to Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the president will seek a third term.

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