Iran military chief vows continued support for Hamas on Oct. 7 anniversary

 

The October 7 Hamas-led attack on Israel went beyond what Israel expected and upended its calculations, Iran’s Armed Forces General Staff chief said on Wednesday, marking the attack’s third anniversary.

Ali Abdollahi pointed to the killing of Qassem Soleimani, Hassan Nasrallah, Ismail Haniyeh and Yahya Sinwar, saying their “heroic deeds” would continue.

“October 7 turned the Resistance Front’s defensive strategy into an offensive strategy to lawfully defend the Palestinian people and their land,” he said.

Abdollahi, who also heads Iran’s Khatam al-Anbiya Central Headquarters, said “defending the Palestinian cause” would continue following the policies set by Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202610070962

Iran army spokesman says military may launch preemptive strikes if needed

 

Iran’s military could carry out further preemptive attacks if it considers them necessary to deter future strikes, an army spokesperson said on Wednesday.

Mohammad Akraminia said the change had accelerated under the late armed forces chief of staff and had already been put into practice during the recent war.

“If necessary, we will carry out preemptive operations in the future to deter the enemy from any aggression or attack,” Akraminia said.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202610079792

Video: Rubio says Iran sought 'untouchable' arsenal to shield nuclear program

 

Iran was trying to build a conventional military capability "so massive that they would become untouchable" — a shield for its nuclear ambitions, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Wednesday. He said Tehran's aim was to amass so many missiles and drones that no one could… pic.twitter.com/NEJfSbeozz

— Iran International English (@IranIntl_En) October 7, 2026

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202610071825

Iran ports chief says economy depends heavily on maritime trade

 

More than 90% of Iran’s foreign trade by weight and over 80% by value is carried by sea, making the uninterrupted operation of maritime transport crucial to the country’s economic stability, Ports and Maritime Organization chief Mohammad Shakibi Nasab said Wednesday.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202610077625

Iran sent Hezbollah $200 million after Lebanon war - Reuters

 

Hezbollah received $200 million from Iran last month to help Lebanese displaced by this year’s war with Israel, Reuters reported on Wednesday, citing two people with direct knowledge of the transfer.

The money was sent despite tighter US financial pressure on Iran and growing difficulties in transferring funds to Hezbollah, according to the report.

Intermediaries who moved the money charged a 20% fee because of the risks involved, with one source saying that was four times the usual rate.

A Hezbollah official told Reuters that funds had been secured and that a distribution plan would be announced in the coming days, but did not identify the source of the money.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202610072464

Iran Air says Karachi flights from Tehran and Mashhad resume

 

Weekly flights to Karachi have restarted from Tehran and Mashhad, with one service from each city under the new schedule, airline official Mahmoud Ansari told IRNA Wednesday.

Ansari said the carrier also currently operates international flights from Tehran and Mashhad to Istanbul, as well as services from Tehran and Isfahan to Najaf.

https://www.iranintl.com/en/202610077563

US, Saudi navy chiefs discuss maritime security

 Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Defense said on Wednesday that the country's naval Chief of Staff Lieutenant General Muhammad Al-Ghurairi met with United States Naval Forces Central Command and Fifth Fleet Commander Kurt Renshaw to discuss maritime cooperation.

The ministry said in a post on X that the talks aimed to serve the countries' shared interests, strengthen maritime security, and promote "freedom of navigation in the region."

The meeting follows Houthi claims of attacks on two Saudi airports and a United Arab Emirates statement condemning the group's targeting of Saudi vessels in the southern Red Sea and the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Separately, the Royal Saudi Navy is organizing the fourth Saudi International Maritime Forum in Riyadh from November 23 to 25, 2026.

https://breakingthenews.net/Article/US-Saudi-navy-chiefs-discuss-maritime-security/67252348