Day 243 of the WarWednesday, October 28, 2026

Day 243 — With 88.6% Counted, the Elections Committee's Figures Give Neither Israeli Bloc 61 Seats; WSJ: U.S. Told Gulf States to Prepare for a Short, Intense Campaign Against Iran After the Midterms

IsraelWashington · Texas · Gulf statesDoha · Tehran · Washington · MuscatStrait of Hormuz · Ras al-Khaimah · Aden · KuwaitTehran · Juneqan (Farsan, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari)

The Statistical Centre of Iran Puts Annual Inflation at 76.8%, Monthly at 4.4% and Point-to-Point at 88.7%, per Iran International — the Highest Official Rate Since 1943, per BBC Persian; Pezeshkian Tells the Cabinet Ministers Must Keep 'Full Readiness' and Cut Costs as His Government Seeks to Move Past 'No War, No Peace,' per BBC Persian, While MP Esmail Kowsari Claims Mojtaba Khamenei Has 'Fully Regained His Health,' per Iran International; UN Special Rapporteur Mai Sato Says at Least 34 People Have Been Executed in Connection With the Dey 1404 Protests, per Iran International; a Provincial Official Says the Mayor of Juneqan Was Shot Dead and Initial Assessments Show No Security Dimension, per Iran International

Iran

The Statistical Centre of Iran put annual inflation for the 12 months to Mehr 1405 at 76.8%, monthly at 4.4% and point-to-point at 88.7%, with rural households at 92.3% annual, per Iran International; BBC Persian said it is the highest official rate since 1322 (1943).source
Pezeshkian told the cabinet all ministers must keep 'full readiness' and cut costs as his government seeks to move past 'no war, no peace', per BBC Persian; MP Esmail Kowsari claimed Mojtaba Khamenei has 'fully regained his health' and attends some public gatherings incognito, per Iran International.source
UN Special Rapporteur Mai Sato said at least 34 people have been executed in connection with the Dey 1404 protests, at least five in public, and that in one case 34 people were tried in five days and 12 sentenced to death, seven of whom have been executed, per Iran International.source
Abdolali Arzhang, Chaharmahal and Bakhtiari's deputy governor for political and security affairs, said Juneqan's mayor Esmail Eslami Babaheydari was shot dead in an armed attack early on Wednesday, telling IRGC-affiliated Fars initial assessments show no security dimension, per Iran International.source

The Wall Street Journal Says the U.S. Told Several Gulf Arab States to Be Ready for a Possible Short but Intense Military Operation Against Iran After the Midterms, Moving a Patriot System From Texas, Replenishing Munitions and Readying Bombers and Fighters, While Trump Has Not Made a Final Decision, per Iran International; at a Texas Rally Trump Says 'In Two More Weeks You'll See What Happens' and That the War Will End 'Whenever I Want,' per Vahid Online, and Says Iran 'Wanted to Make a Deal' but 'the Elections Won't Help Them,' per Iran International; Reuters Says the War Has Cost the U.S. Military Over $47 Billion, per BBC Persian, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent Tells CNBC the IRGC Is Talking of 'Collapse'

US / Coalition

The Wall Street Journal said the U.S. told several Gulf Arab states to be ready for a possible short but intense military operation against Iran after the midterms, moving a Patriot system from Texas, replenishing munitions and readying bombers and fighters, and that Trump has not made a final decision, per Iran International.source
At a Texas rally Trump said of Iran 'in two more weeks you'll see what happens' and that the war will end 'whenever I want', per Vahid Online; BBC Persian quoted him as calling the attack on Iran 'one of the greatest things I've done in my life.'source
Trump said the Islamic Republic 'wanted to make a deal' and 'maybe they are waiting for the elections', but 'the elections won't help them', claiming Iran has 'no money' and the world's highest inflation, 'now 340%', per Iran International; Iran's Statistical Centre puts annual inflation at 76.8%.source
Reuters, citing Pentagon data, said the U.S. military has spent over $47bn on the war with Iran, including over $29bn to replace munitions and excluding base repairs, per BBC Persian; Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent told CNBC the IRGC is 'very worried' and talks of 'collapse' publicly and privately.source

CENTCOM Calls Iranian-Controlled Media's Claims That Commercial Vessels Are Hitting Sea Mines in the Strait of Hormuz 'False,' Saying U.S. Forces Have Cleared All Internationally Recognised Primary Transit Routes; an Oil Slick From a Damaged Tanker Off the UAE Spreads and Closes More Beaches, Including in Ras al-Khaimah, per Iran International; Houthi Spokesman Yahya Saree Tells People at Aden Airport to Evacuate, Citing a Saudi Military Plane He Says Carried Weapons, and the Saudi-Led Coalition Says the Houthis Then Attacked the Airport, Wounding Civilians, per BBC Persian; Iran's Embassy in Kuwait 'Categorically' Denies Any Iranian National's Role in an Assassination Plot, and Kuwait Summons Iran's Ambassador Over 'Interference in Internal Affairs,' per BBC Persian

Gulf & Naval

CENTCOM called Iranian-controlled media's claims that commercial vessels are hitting sea mines while transiting the Strait of Hormuz 'FALSE', saying U.S. forces have cleared all internationally recognised primary transit routes of mines and thousands of commercial vessels have used them safely.source
An oil slick from a damaged tanker off the United Arab Emirates has spread and closed more beaches, with videos from 26–27 October showing a closed beach in Ras al-Khaimah, whose authorities said on Saturday all its beaches would stay closed until further notice, per Iran International.source
Houthi spokesman Yahya Saree told people at Aden airport to leave at once, citing a Saudi military plane he said carried weapons; the Saudi-led coalition said the Houthis then attacked the airport, wounding civilians, while an aid worker told Reuters some UN staff left shortly before and 'no one was hurt', per BBC Persian.source
Iran's embassy in Kuwait 'categorically' denied any Iranian national's role in a plot to assassinate Kuwaiti figures, after a court sentenced three people to death in a case in which one convict is Iranian; Kuwait summoned Iran's ambassador, calling the statement 'interference in internal affairs', per BBC Persian.source

The Central Elections Committee Says That With 88.6% of Votes Counted Netanyahu's Bloc Has 53 Seats and the Parties Opposing Him 67, Including 19 for Arab Parties, So Neither Main Bloc Alone Has the 61 Needed, per Iran International, Which Gives 53–48 at 89.8%, With 430,000–480,000 Double-Envelope Votes Still to Count; Netanyahu Says Israel Has a 'Historic Opportunity' to Remove the Iranian Threat and Claims a 'Decisive Majority' While Saying 'We Still Await the Real Results,' per Iran International and BBC Persian; Likud Claims Arab Parties Stole the Election Through Fraud, the Committee Says It Will Review the Request as Routine Oversight and Herzog Urges Parties to Avoid Another Election, per Iran International; a Senior Diplomatic Official Tells Israel Hayom U.S.–Israeli Efforts on Iran Will Continue Regardless of Coalition-Building, per Iran International

Global

The Central Elections Committee said that with 88.6% of votes counted Netanyahu's bloc held 53 of 120 seats and his opponents 67 — 48 plus 19 for Arab parties — so neither main bloc alone has the 61 needed, per Iran International, which gave 53–48 at 89.8%; 430,000–480,000 double-envelope votes are still to be counted.source
At Likud's headquarters in Jerusalem early on Wednesday, Netanyahu said Israel has a 'historic opportunity' to remove the Iranian threat and 'Iran is weaker than ever', and claimed the right-wing bloc won a 'decisive majority' while saying 'we still await the real results', per Iran International and BBC Persian.source
Likud claimed Arab parties 'supporting terrorism' stole the election through bribery, threats, violence, fraud and banned software; the Central Elections Committee said it will review the request as part of routine oversight, and President Herzog urged parties to form a coalition and avoid another election, per Iran International.source
A senior diplomatic official told Israel Hayom that U.S.–Israeli efforts on Iran, including a possible resumption of strikes, will continue independently of coalition-building, per Iran International; Trump told Axios Netanyahu is 'in a pretty good position' and 'I hear my support for Bibi had a big impact.'source

A Source Familiar With the Talks Tells Reuters Qatari Mediators Gave Tehran a New Draft Deal on Sunday With a Seven-Day Timeline of Confidence-Building Steps, While a Senior Iranian Official Tells Reuters Doha Offered Only 'Unacceptable Ideas,' Not a 'Proposal,' per RadioFarda; Axios Says Qatar Is Urging Iran to Let IAEA Inspectors Into Its Bombed Nuclear Sites in Exchange for Partial Sanctions Relief, With U.S. and Israeli Officials Saying a Week of Extensive Strikes Could Follow the Midterms if Diplomacy Fails, per Iran International; The Wall Street Journal Says Vance Wrote to SNSC Secretary Mohsen Rezaei to Revive Peace Talks, While Trump Denies Ordering Peace Talks and Says the Contact Was About Medical Supplies, per Iran International and BBC Persian; Araghchi Says Tehran Is in Close Contact With Mediators on 'Iran's Proposed Seven-Day Plan,' and Oman's Foreign Minister Warns of a Possible New War, per BBC Persian

Global

A source familiar with the talks told Reuters Qatari mediators gave Tehran a new draft deal on Sunday with a seven-day timeline of daily confidence-building steps, with Iran's reply expected by week's end; a senior Iranian official told Reuters Qatar offered only 'unacceptable ideas', not a 'proposal', per RadioFarda.source
Axios, citing three U.S., Israeli and regional sources, said Qatar is urging Iran to let IAEA inspectors into its bombed nuclear sites in exchange for partial U.S. sanctions relief; U.S. and Israeli officials said that if diplomacy fails, a week of extensive strikes could follow soon after the midterms, per Iran International.source
The Wall Street Journal said Vice President JD Vance sent a letter to SNSC secretary Mohsen Rezaei to revive peace talks, per Iran International; Trump denied ordering Vance to start peace talks, confirming the letter but saying it concerned medical supplies for people 'who are not well', per Iran International and BBC Persian.source
Araghchi said Tehran is in close, continuous contact with mediators on guarantees for implementing 'Iran's proposed seven-day plan', which could conclude in under a week, per BBC Persian; Oman's foreign minister Badr Albusaidi warned Channel 4 of a possible new war and called for a Gulf-led security framework.source

Sources