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Iran live updates: Houthis claim new attack on Riyadh airport, Saudis report interception

PHOTO: This file photo shows Houthi activists standing in front of a banner depicting missile launches, at a rally in Sanaa, Yemen, on July 31, 2026.

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Khaled Abdullah/Reuters

Growing concerns over alleged Iranian efforts to target US officials abroad

Talks between the U.S. and Iran remain stalled despite the two countries signing a memorandum of understanding in June, aimed at ending the war that began with joint American-Israeli strikes on the country in February. The opening strikes killed a host of top Iranian officials and commanders, among them Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.

The two sides have continued to exchange strikes, though have not returned to the intense fighting seen in the early stages of the conflict. The U.S. says it is enforcing a naval blockade of the country's Persian Gulf and Gulf of Oman ports, while Iran claims control over the strategic Strait of Hormuz and continues to claim attacks on shipping transiting the waterway.

Meanwhile, intensified fighting between Saudi-backed Yemeni forces and Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen has seen the latter repeatedly attack Saudi military, oil infrastructure and transport facilities.

See the most recent developments below.

Oct 26, 2026 8:40 PM

Iran's supreme leader details recent meetings

The official Telegram page for Mojtaba Khamenei has released details of two meetings Iran's supreme leader has reportedly held in recent days.

According to the readout, he met with the head of Iran's judiciary, Gholamhossein Mohseni-Ejei, on Saturday, during which the two reportedly discussed pursuing compensation from the U.S. and Israel over damages from the war in Iran. That follows a meeting last week with Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Iran's parliament speaker, during which the two reportedly discussed the latest developments in the war, according to the readout.

Khamenei has not been seen in public since he succeeded his late father in March.

Oct 26, 2026 10:43 AM

Iran to host security talks with Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan

Tehran will host a security summit attended by senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesperson Esmaeil Baqaei told reporters on Monday.

Baqaei described the meeting as "a prelude to establishing indigenous security within the region."

Rayed Krimly, Saudi Arabia's deputy minister for public diplomacy, said in a post to X that Riyadh's delegation will include Defense Minister Khalid bin Salman.

Krimly added that Pakistani army chief Field Marshall Asim Munir and Turkish intelligence chief Ibrahim Kalin will also attend the meeting, which will be chaired by Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian and Mohsen Rezaei, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council.

-ABC News' Victoria Beaule and Somayeh Malekian

Oct 26, 2026 7:07 AM

Houthis claim new attack on Riyadh airport, Saudis say missile intercepted

Yahya Saree, the spokesperson for the armed forces of the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, said on Monday morning that the group launched a new ballistic missile attack on the King Khalid International Airport in the Saudi capital Riyadh.

The attack came hours after flights resumed at the airport, having been suspended following recent and deadly Houthi strikes there.

Saudi military spokesperson Col. Turki Al-Maliki said in a post to X on Monday morning that Saudi forces intercepted a Houthi ballistic missile bound for Riyadh. Maliki also said that Saudi forces launched a series of airstrikes in Houthi-controlled Yemeni territory targeting missile storage and launch sites.

Saudi Arabia's General Directorate of Civil Defense, meanwhile, posted an advisory to X warning of potential danger to Riyadh. An hour later, the directorate said the danger had passed.

Oct 26, 2026 7:07 AM

Intel finds Iran has 'substantially increased' efforts to target US officials abroad

The U.S. intelligence community has gathered information through various channels indicating that Iran has "substantially increased" efforts to target American officials abroad, according to a memo sent from Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

"The lethal plotting efforts by the Iranians against U.S. citizens have reached advanced stages in both the Middle East and certain other countries," Clayton wrote.

Kylie Cooper/Pool Reuters via AP

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on as he speaks with members of the media at the Taj Mahal Palace hotel in Mumbai, India, Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026.

Kylie Cooper/Pool Reuters via AP

Clayton also said that senior members of Rubio's staff had been briefed on the matter and that he would make every effort to downgrade as much of the intelligence as possible so that it could be shared more widely within the State Department.

A U.S. official confirmed the authenticity of the memo, which is unclassified and dated Oct. 23.

"When it comes to our staffing at embassies, we constantly evaluate new information about the security environment," the official said. "The threat of Houthi attacks and of Iranian terror plots targeting U.S. officials are informing our decisions on staffing adjustments for embassies on restricted operating status in the region."

The existence of the memo was first reported by Axios.

-ABC News' Shannon Kingston