The Cradle ✔

UPDATE | One person killed and one injured in the Israeli drone strike on a motorcycle in Qabrikha, southern Lebanon.

UPDATE | At least two people injured in an Israeli drone strike on a motorcycle in Qabrikha, southern Lebanon.

❗️China says preventing renewed West Asia war is ‘top priority’ China said on Wednesday that preventing a renewed outbreak of hostilities in West Asia was a “top priority” of its diplomatic engagement with countries across the region. “The top priority is to avoid the resumption of hostilities in the Middle East that would bring disaster to the region’s people,” Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning told a news conference on Wednesday. Beijing would “support Iran and the US in resolving disputes through negotiations, promote finding a political settlement to the Yemen issue, to help reach a proper and comprehensive solution for the opening of the Strait of Hormuz,” she added.

BREAKING | Initial reports indicate one person was evacuated following an Israeli drone strike targeting a motorcycle in Qabrikha, in southern Lebanon.

Israeli president launches govt formation talks as election committee rejects Likud bid to ‘undermine’ results The Shin Bet is probing Netanyahu and his party’s claims of election interference, as Israel’s national security minister calls for the arrest of Palestinian-Israeli political leaders

❗️️Israeli police detain Palestinian journalist Abed el-Qader Abu Shehadeh from Jaffa amid intensified crackdown on journalists Israeli police arrested Palestinian journalist Abed el-Qader Abu Shehadeh after raiding his home in Jaffa in the 1948 territories shortly after midnight on Wednesday, 4 November, taking him to an undisclosed location, according to Arab 48, where he serves on the editorial board. Israeli police initially refused to disclose his whereabouts, denied knowledge of the arrest, and ignored lawyers' attempts to locate him. Attorney Afnan Khalifa later traced him to an Israeli intelligence facility in Petah Tikva, according to Arab 48. Activists called for a solidarity gathering outside the Tel Aviv Magistrate's Court, where a hearing on extending his detention was expected at 1 pm. The Arab Center for Media Freedom, Development and Research (I'lam) condemned the arrest and demanded his release, warning that concealing his whereabouts deprived him of contact with his lawyers and family. The organization stressed that detention must not be used to intimidate journalists or suppress freedom of expression. Abu Shehadeh, who holds a master's degree in political science, heads podcast programming at Arab 48, hosts the political and intellectual podcast Al-Midan, and chairs Jaffa's elected Islamic body. Meanwhile, Israeli occupation forces rearrested Palestinian journalist Hazem Nasser, 36, from his home in Shuweika, north of Tulkarem in the occupied West Bank, early Wednesday, less than two weeks after his release from over two years of administrative detention. Both arrests come as Israel intensifies restrictions on Palestinian journalists across the occupied territories since October 2023, amid the killing of journalists and media workers during Israel's war on Gaza.

❗️Opposition leader Yair Golan warns Netanyahu is driving Israel into international isolation and sanctions The leader of Israel's Democrats party, Yair Golan, says that the sweeping Democratic victory in the US midterm elections highlights how destructive Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has become to Israeli interests across the US political spectrum. Writing on social media, Golan warned that the continued rule of Netanyahu alongside National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir risks pushing Israel toward complete international isolation, severe foreign sanctions, and an unprecedented rupture in relations with Washington. "Either Netanyahu’s Israel – a ‘Super-Sparta’ that is boycotted, regressive, and isolated – or a strong, progressive, free, and secure Israel. Netanyahu has lost the election. He is a danger to Israel," Golan wrote, asserting that the US midterm outcome delivered a direct domestic and international rejection of Netanyahu's governance. Golan’s Democrats party forms part of the main four-party Jewish opposition alliance that secured 48 seats in last week’s general election, trailing Netanyahu’s right-wing bloc at 53 seats, while Arab-led parties achieved a historic 19 seats. The remarks came as Israel’s Central Elections Committee officially certified the 27 October election results after rejecting Netanyahu’s claims of voter fraud, clearing the way for President Isaac Herzog to initiate coalition formation consultations with party leaders.

VIDEO | An Israeli UAV seen over the southern Lebanese town of Shaqra.

❗️️️️️️️Statement by Hamas: "The widespread arrest campaign carried out by the occupation forces across various areas of the West Bank, particularly in Hebron, Nablus, and Tulkarem, accompanied by raids on homes, the terrorizing of residents, and the arrest of dozens of citizens, including women, released prisoners, journalists, and students, comes as part of a systematic policy of repression aimed at persecuting our people, exerting pressure on them, and driving them toward displacement. We affirm that these arrests will not undermine our people's resilience and steadfastness, but will only strengthen their determination to uphold their rights, defend their dignity, and remain on their land. We warn against the continuation of the occupation's policies of persecution, arrest, and torture, and call on the international community and free people of the world to intervene urgently to exert pressure on the occupation, hold its leaders accountable for the crimes they commit, and work to save our prisoners in the occupation's prisons, where they are subjected to grave violations, inhumane conditions, and deprivation of their most basic rights. We also call on the national and Islamic forces and the masses of our people to unite their efforts in support of our courageous prisoners and their families, strengthen popular, legal, and media efforts in support of their cause, and work to keep it present in various local and international forums."

❗️IRGC warns Iranian retaliation will target enemy leaders directly if commanders are struck An adviser to the commander-in-chief of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) has warned that Tehran will abandon proportional responses and directly target top "enemy leaders" should Iranian military commanders or political leadership come under attack in any renewed military escalation. "If they target our commanders and leaders this time, they should expect their own commanders and leaders to be killed," Fars News Agency quoted IRGC adviser Mohammad Moghadamfar as saying. Emphasizing a fundamental shift in Tehran's strategic doctrine, Moghadamfar stated that future military retaliations will no longer adhere to measured or reciprocal frameworks: "Our responses will no longer be reciprocal or proportional. We will go beyond the point of attack and set their assets ablaze, regardless of time or place." The stern military warning comes amid sustained regional volatility following the direct US-Israeli military campaign launched against Iran on 28 February, which triggered extensive Iranian missile barrages against Israeli military hubs and US occupation bases prior to an April ceasefire. Implementation of a subsequent 18 June maritime navigation agreement governing the Strait of Hormuz remains stalled due to ongoing disputes over security protocols and foreign military presence.

❗️Gulf stock markets rally as investors assess US midterm fallout, war on Iran Gulf stock markets rose in early trading on Wednesday as investors assessed the implications of the US midterm elections and awaited Washington's next move in its war on Iran. Saudi Arabia's benchmark index climbed 1.7%, supported by a 6.7% surge in Saudi Arabian Mining Company and a 1.4% gain in Al-Rajhi Bank. Qatar's benchmark index jumped 2.3%, with nearly all its constituent stocks trading higher. Qatar Islamic Bank gained 3.3%. Dubai's main share index advanced 2.1%, led by a 3.6% rise in blue-chip developer Emaar Properties. Abu Dhabi's benchmark index rose 0.9%.

UPDATE | Oil prices declined on Wednesday, reversing earlier gains of around $1. By 10:34 GMT, Brent crude futures had dropped $1.75, or 0.7%, to $101.85 a barrel, after falling as much as $2 earlier in the session. US West Texas Intermediate crude futures lost $1.18, or 1.2%, to $94.91.

BREAKING | An Israeli drone laden with explosives is seen flying at low altitude near residential homes in Tebnine, southern Lebanon.

❗️Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei dismisses US midterm shifts, warns US hostility remains unchanged Iran’s Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei stated that the outcome of the US midterm elections will not fundamentally alter Washington's hostile policy posture toward Tehran, dismissing expectations of a major diplomatic pivot following the Democratic victory in Congress. In remarks carried by IRNA, Khamenei warned against misjudging political changes in Washington, stressing that basic imperial policy goals remain consistent across partisan lines. He noted that internal "factional shifts" within US politics will not "dissuade it from its hostility towards the Iranian nation," asserting that the primary objective of American leadership remains the "unconditional surrender of the Iranian nation." At the same time, the Iranian leader highlighted that Washington's participation in the US-Israeli war on Iran has produced a "self-made scandal" that severely weakened its international standing. Khamenei declared that the US has "suffered an irreversible decline" as a direct result of its regional military entanglements, adding that "the process of its collapse has accelerated" despite ongoing attempts by both political parties to project imperial strength across the region.

⭕️ Gaza's Health Ministry reported on 4 November that 3 Palestinians were killed, including one who succumbed to previous injuries, and 21 others were injured in Israeli attacks over the past 24 hours. According to the ministry, 1,602 Palestinians have been killed and 5,794 injured in Israeli attacks since the so-called 'ceasefire' took effect on 11 October 2025, while the bodies of 847 Palestinians have been recovered from beneath the rubble during the same period.

❗️Israeli media in panic over Democratic midterm sweep, warns against ignoring growing anti-war shift in Washington The Israeli press reacted with shock on Wednesday following the sweeping Democratic victory in the US midterm elections, sounding widespread alarms over the long-term strategic consequences for Tel Aviv as critics of Israeli policy gain significant power in Congress. In an analysis published this morning, Haaretz highlighted progressive candidate Abdul el-Sayed’s victory over pro-Israel candidate Mike Rogers, noting the outcome proved that "even strident opposition to Israel is no barrier to winning competitive federal races." The report emphasized that Sayed secured his Senate seat despite the American Israel Public Affairs Committee (AIPAC) sinking over $30 million into the Democratic primary and spending another $9 million on Rogers' behalf during the general election. Simultaneously, The Jerusalem Post warned that the collapse of Republican majorities threatens to permanently alter the strategic relationship between Washington and Tel Aviv. "The implications of the US midterm elections for Israel could extend far beyond the loss of Republican control of Congress," the paper observed, identifying the US-Israeli war on Iran launched on 28 February as the primary catalyst for Republican electoral losses. Concluding its assessment, The Jerusalem Post cautioned Israeli leadership that "the expansion of the camp critical of Israel, and its growing access to positions of influence, represents a shift that Israel cannot afford to ignore."

❗️AFP citing Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam: • “Faced with the risks of renewed war in the region, I renew my warning of the dangers of dragging Lebanon into a new senseless adventure in service of outside interests.” • “We do not accept the country again becoming a theater for the conflict of others ... [Lebanon] already paid a heavy price.”

❗️️️️️️️Israeli President Herzog receives official Israeli election results as Eisenkot leads recommendations to form next government Israeli President Isaac Herzog received the official results of the 26th Knesset elections on Wednesday, 4 November, paving the way for consultations to determine who will be tasked with forming the next government. According to Ynet and The Jerusalem Post, the Central Elections Committee approved the results after finding no evidence of irregularities or compromised election integrity, despite claims by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party that the election had been stolen. The results leave Israel facing a political deadlock, with Netanyahu’s bloc securing 53 seats, the opposition bloc winning 48, and Palestinian parties Ra’am and the Joint List securing a combined 19 seats, according to The Jerusalem Post. Yashar! leader Gadi Eisenkot is currently expected to receive 48 recommendations from Yashar!, Naftali Bennett’s Yachad, the Democrats, and Yisrael Beytenu, compared with 46 for Netanyahu from Likud, Otzma Yehudit, Shas, and Religious Zionism, according to Ynet. The Arab parties and United Torah Judaism have yet to announce their recommendations, leaving the outcome uncertain. The approval process unfolded amid controversy over allegations of foreign interference. Israel’s Shin Bet intelligence agency presented claims of extensive foreign financing and influence operations involving large sums of money, but provided no supporting evidence, according to Ynet. The allegations followed Shin Bet chief David Zini’s request to investigate Palestinian lawmakers Mansour Abbas and Ahmad Tibi without presenting evidence, prompting Attorney General Gali Baharav-Miara to warn that elected officials cannot be investigated without sufficient justification. Herzog is scheduled to consult parliamentary factions on Wednesday and Thursday before deciding which candidate has the strongest prospects of forming a government. While Eisenkot could potentially secure broader backing if Palestinian parties recommend him, Netanyahu retains the larger parliamentary bloc. Possible outcomes include a coalition agreement, a unity government, a minority government, or another election if negotiations fail.

Democrats win sweeping landslide in midterms as Iran says US citizens ‘voted no to war’ First Muslim senator Abdul el-Sayed said US citizens do not want their money going to ‘genocide, apartheid, and war’

❗️Tehran says US midterm outcome is direct defeat imposed by Iranian resilience Iranian officials and senior lawmakers characterized the dramatic Republican defeat in the US midterm elections as a strategic victory achieved through Iranian national resilience, asserting that US voters rejected Washington's willingness to fight wars on behalf of Tel Aviv. Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf warned the incoming US administration against disregarding domestic public opinion, emphasizing that Washington's unconditional alignment with Israeli war objectives directly triggered its political collapse at home. "If the United States government betrays their public will … it will learn our no comes with a nightmare," Ghalibaf stated, according to Al Jazeera, arguing that it is time for US policymakers to prioritize their own national interests over Israeli expansionism. Reinforcing the mood in Tehran, the deputy chairman of parliament's internal affairs commission declared that the Democratic congressional sweep represents a historic victory for the Iranian people rather than a standard partisan shift. Iranian leadership maintains that popular economic backlash over soaring energy prices and foreign military entanglements proved that Tehran’s steadfast resistance directly imposed a political defeat on Donald Trump and the Republican party.