As Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu seeks reelection, his main concern these days isn’t his political rivals. It’s some of his biggest supporters.

A series of small, pro-Netanyahu parties are competing in the run-up to the Oct. 27 vote. But instead of strengthening the Israeli leader, these parties — including hard-line blocs led by polarizing Cabinet ministers Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich — risk weakening his chances for reelection by splitting the vote among Netanyahu’s base.

The election is largely a referendum on Netanyahu’s nearly uninterrupted 17-year rule and his handling of a turbulent period marked by mass protests, Hamas’ Oct. 7, 2023, attacks and nearly three years of war. A victory would mark a stirring comeback for the embattled leader, while a loss would likely end the reign of a man who has shaped Israeli politics for three decades.

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UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres said he was “deeply alarmed” by reports of civilian casualties, including the reported strike on a wedding ceremony in Iran.

His spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said he called for an immediate cessation of military action.

"The Secretary-General condemns all attacks against civilians. He recalls that all parties must respect their obligations under international humanitarian law, including the principles of distinction, proportionality, and precaution," Dujarric said.

Tehran accused Washington of hitting a wedding in Sirik, killing five people and wounding dozens.

Iran has warned the US that it would respond forcefully to an Israeli offensive on a mountainous ridge in southern Lebanon where Iranian military personnel are holed up alongside Hezbollah fighters, three officials briefed on the message told Reuters.

The message, delivered last month, highlights Iran's continued direct involvement in the ground fighting in southern Lebanon and its readiness to retaliate against Israeli attacks there as the regional war enters its seventh month.

Hezbollah is believed to have built an underground command center and weapons stores within the Ali al-Taher ridge, which has a commanding view of southeastern Lebanon, according to Lebanese security sources, and has become one of the most contested pieces of ground in the Israel-Hezbollah war.

Hezbollah has said in public statements that it controls the hill and will confront any Israeli advances. Its officials have referred to a "facility" there, but have declined to provide details.

The Israeli military has occupied swathes of territory to Ali al-Taher's south and has identified the ridge as one of its "primary operational focuses" in public statements.

With Reuters

Israeli defence minister Israel Katz has warned Israel will strike Iran's energy and civilian infrastructure if the country came under attack by Tehran.

Fears of renewed escalation gripped the Middle East this week after the US and Iran exchanged their biggest barrage ​since July, with Washington striking Iran's southern coast and Tehran firing at US bases across the region.

Israel, which with the US launched a joint air war against Iran in February, has not been involved in the latest rounds of fighting. Speaking to defence ministry employees on Thursday, Katz said that an "Iranian attack on Israel would free Israel from any existing limitations on attacking Iran."

Katz added: "We will cripple all of Iran's national military and civilian infrastructure - including energy infrastructure - and return Iran deep into the Stone Age and darkness."

As we reported earlier, oil prices slipped Thursday after recent gains, with Brent crude trading near $95 a barrel, while Asian shares advanced.

U.S. futures edged higher.

Renewed fighting between the U.S. and Iran pushed oil prices sharply higher earlier in the week. U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday he doesn’t expect the U.S. bombing campaign to last “much longer.”

Brent crude, the international standard, fell 0.4% to $95.26 per barrel. Benchmark U.S. crude shed 0.1% to $90.84 a barrel.

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King Charles and Queen Camilla will host Oman's Sultan Haitham bin Tariq at Windsor Castle for a state visit next month, Buckingham Palace announced on Thursday.

The visit, scheduled for 20 to 22 October, will come against the backdrop of escalating tensions in the Middle East as the Iran war rages on.

Donald Trump has also threatened to bomb Oman - which has been in talks with Iran aimed at restoring commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz - if it "gets in the way".

So far this year, the British royals have hosted state visits by Trump in April and Nigerian President Bola Tinubu in March.

Three Iranian Army pilots were killed in US strikes conducted on Tuesday night, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported on Thursday.

We’ll bring you more on the update as we get it.

Multiple US embassies in the Middle East issued a security alert to American citizens in the region on Wednesday.

The security environment "remains complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation", the embassy in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, said.

The US embassy in Riyadh advised Americans to prepare for possible flight cancellations, airspace closures and travel disruptions.

A similar alert was issued by the US mission in the UAE.

The warnings came after Donald Trump threatened to strike Iran “at a much harder and higher level” and leave “very little left” of the country if it retaliated. Iran launched retaliatory attacks overnight.

Oil prices edged lower on Thursday as investors weighed the uncertainty of renewed military strikes between the US and Iran that ​risk disrupting supplies from the Middle East.

Brent crude futures fell 43 cents, ‌or 0.45 per cent, to $95.2 a barrel at 0029 GMT, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were down 24 cents, or 0.26 per cent, at $90.77.

Brent and ​WTI swung between gains of as much as $2 a barrel and losses ⁠of $1 a barrel during the previous trading session. The session highs for both benchmarks ​were the highest since 24 July.