Israel imposed widespread closures and displaced residents in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron a day after attacks by Palestinian gunmen that killed two soldiers.
Meanwhile, the death toll rose from Friday's attack on a church in Jordan. And an Iranian military commander said his country will not allow U.S. warships to enter the Persian Gulf. The comment followed increased attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, raising fears of a return to all-out war.
Here is the latest news from the Middle East on Saturday. Read our full coverage here.
Israel imposes closures across Hebron
Taxis piled up behind gates controlled by Israel's military outside Hebron, waiting for Palestinians forced to cross on foot. All gates leading in and out of the city were closed to vehicles, according to Basma Radio, a Telegram channel Palestinians use to monitor checkpoints and road closures.
Palestinian news outlet WAFA said Israeli troops forced dozens of residents to evacuate their homes. Up to 300 families left Deir Baha, an area on one of the city’s hillsides, and the two adjacent neighborhoods, according to a tally from Hebron’s municipality. Associated Press reporters saw Israeli flags draped over a home seized for military use in Deir Baha.
Israel's army didn't respond to questions about the operation. On Friday, it said that in response to the attacks, its forces had begun “conducting precise, targeted and thorough searches” in the area from where the gunmen had operated.
Death toll from church attack in Jordan rises to 9
An ninth person has died after gunmen opened fire during a funeral at a church in Jordan, state television reported. More than two dozen people were receiving treatment in hospitals.
Gunmen on Friday opened fire at a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, south of Jordan's capital, Amman. Footage broadcast on state television showed a crowd fleeing in panic. Karak is home to a minority Christian population.
Airstrikes kill 10 people in Yemen, including a child
Two strikes killed 10 people, including a woman and child, in the Yemeni capital of Sanaa, according to the Health Ministry run by Iran-backed Houthi rebels. A strike on a cement factory killed seven and a strike on a home killed three.
The Houthi media center also said a wave of strikes hit the coastal city of Mokha in Taiz province, which the Houthis captured in September. The center didn’t provide details on what was struck, and The Associated Press couldn’t independently verify the claims.
The Houthis blamed neighboring Saudi Arabia as fighting has escalated. Saudi Arabia did not respond to a request for comment.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said it intercepted three ballistic missiles fired by the Houthis toward the Saudi capital, Riyadh, and Taif and Yanbu cities. It also said it destroyed a drone over the country’s eastern region.
The UAE closes beaches after oil spill from tanker
The United Arab Emirates closed beaches and warned fishermen to avoid parts of its Gulf shores after an oil spill from a tanker. Authorities in Ras al-Khaimah announced that all beaches across the emirate would remain closed until further notice.
The spill impacted the beaches of Umm Al Quwain, one of the seven emirates making up the federation, and cleanup efforts were underway, the Climate Change and Environment Ministry said. Images obtained by the AP showed oil washing up along the beach.
The ministry said the spill poses no health risks but did not provide details about its scale. It came two weeks after Iran’s state-run broadcaster reported an oil tanker had struck a naval mine and caught fire while attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz without coordinating with Tehran.
Iran says it will not allow US warships to enter Persian Gulf
An Iranian military commander said Iran will not allow U.S. warships to enter the Persian Gulf or approach Iran’s territorial waters, according to the state-run IRNA news agency.
Gen. Ali Abdollahi, chief of staff of Iran’s armed forces and commander of its joint military command, also warned U.S. President Donald Trump that U.S. forces would never return to the Strait of Hormuz.
US reissues Mideast travel warnings over Houthi threats
The State Department reissued travel advisories for Americans in or traveling to the Middle East, citing threats posed by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi rebels.
Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are covered by the warnings and have appeared in previous travel alerts since the start of the Iran war.
The alerts follow the department reducing staffing at four U.S. embassies in the Middle East after receiving intelligence that Iran has stepped-up efforts to target American personnel.
Israeli strikes kill at least 1 in Gaza
Israeli strikes killed at least one person in Gaza City and injured others, health officials at Shifa Hospital said. Israel's army said it struck a military operative.
More than 1,500 Palestinians in Gaza have been killed by the Israeli military since the ceasefire between Israel and Hamas began in October 2025, according to the territory’s health ministry. The ministry maintains detailed records and is regarded as generally reliable by U.N. agencies and independent experts. Part of the Hamas-run government, the ministry does not distinguish between civilians and militants but says women and children make up nearly half of those killed.
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This report will be updated throughout the day as new developments emerge.
