Saudi Oil Pipeline Hit, Iran Faces Internal Unrest, Houthis Advance

A key Saudi oil pipeline, the East-West pipeline, which bypasses the Strait of Hormuz and can transport up to 7 million barrels per day, has been temporarily shut down following attacks in the Riyadh and Al-Madinah regions. This disruption has contributed to Brent crude oil prices exceeding $100 per barrel. The Houthi rebels in Yemen have also tightened their grip on the Red Sea, capturing the strategic port city of Mokha and Perim Island, giving them de facto control over the Bab al-Mandab strait. Saudi Arabia is reportedly considering a large-scale operation against the Houthis, even without direct U.S. military involvement, though Washington is prepared to offer intelligence and targeting assistance.

Internally, Iran is experiencing unrest, with reports of a "coup plot" aimed at ousting President Masoud Pezeshkian. However, Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf and his allies reportedly oppose such a move. Additionally, heavy clashes have been reported between the Baloch ethnic group and Iranian forces in the southern part of the country, lasting for nine hours.

In other international news, former U.S. President Donald Trump sent a message to Iran on the 25th anniversary of the 9/11 attacks, linking the lessons of the tragedy to the ongoing fight against Iran. In Norway, Princess Astrid passed away at the age of 94, two days after her brother King Harald V's funeral. In Thailand, a Rosh Hashanah dinner at a Chabad center in Phuket was canceled due to anti-Israel and anti-Jewish protests, with Israeli security officials warning of potential escalation.

Domestically, the body of 23-year-old Border Police officer Itai Parson was found in Haifa after a three-day search. The IDF is investigating an incident near Jenin where a Palestinian was shot in the leg by a soldier after the soldier and a shepherd felt threatened. Israeli entrepreneur Elite Raz, former head of the AI company Joonko, pleaded guilty to securities fraud in the U.S. for falsely presenting companies as clients. The film "Nezah," based on testimonies of soldiers from the Gaza conflict, won the Grand Jury Prize at the Venice Film Festival.