Oil exports see modest rebound; Senate map expands for Dems; Israeli settlers attack Palestinian olive harvest

Israeli soldiers walk by a Palestinian vendor in the Old City market in occupied East Jerusalem. Photo by Nasser Ishtayeh/SOPA Images/LightRocket via Getty Images. Monday, September 28, 2026 – Iran: President Donald Trump expects more Iran talks. Iran files International Civil Aviation Organization complaint over U.S. flight restrictions. Eight U.S. Marines injured in previously undisclosed Iranian missile attack in Strait of Hormuz. Five arrested near UK airbase used for U.S. strikes on Iran. IRGC claims seizure of U.S. underwater vehicle in Hormuz. Middle East oil exports rebound as Saudi shipments surge. Yemen: Seven killed, 40 injured in Saudi strike on Taiz. EU’s Kallas calls for more ships for Red Sea mission as Ansarallah expand control. Palestine: Israeli strike kills woman, wounds several others in Gaza City. Israeli settlers attack Palestinian olive harvest amid occupied West Bank closure. Israeli settlers attack home of Palestinian-American in the occupied West Bank. Ben-Gvir threatens Palestinian prisoner with execution. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu secretly visited UAE, asked president to deny report he warned him before October 7 attack. Lebanon: Israeli airstrike hits southern Lebanon as ceasefire violations continue. Hezbollah chief calls for halt to direct Israel talks, says disarmament must follow Israeli withdrawal. U.S.: Troy Jackson defies consultants, denounces genocide in Gaza. Susan Collins bribery scandal mushrooming. New poll has Abdul El-Sayed leading Mike Rogers 48-44%, Trump badly underwater. Iowa Senate candidate Ashley Hinson reaches new levels of Iran war incoherence. New poll finds Darline Graham, Lindsey’s sister, at risk of losing South Carolina Senate seat. International: Myanmar military airstrike kills at least 33 people in Rakhine state. Pro-government forces capture strategic Tigray town as Ethiopia fighting escalates. France’s far-right National Rally expands Senate presence ahead of 2027 presidential election. Ukrainian strikes force fourth Russian refinery shutdown in under a week. RSF commander defects to Sudanese army with 50 fighters. Final U.S. troops withdraw from Iraq amid Kurdish leaders warnings. This is Drop Site Daily, our free news recap We send it Monday – Friday Subscribe Iran Trump expects more Iran talks: President Donald Trump said he expects further U.S.-Iran talks this week, one day after rejecting Tehran’s seven-day proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and restart nuclear negotiations. “They want to make a deal, but it is not the deal that I want to make,” Trump told Axios, adding when asked about renewed U.S. strikes: “I am always thinking about it.” U.S. Ambassador to the UN Mike Waltz said Washington rejected Iran’s proposal because it sought access to billions of dollars in frozen Iranian funds and the lifting of sanctions, also citing concerns over Iran’s nuclear program. Iran is “asking for everything up front,” he said. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran remains ready for “real diplomacy,” but is also prepared for renewed war. “We came to forge peace,” Araghchi said, adding that Iran would remain steadfast against aggression “even if it comes to an apocalyptic war.” Qatari mediators have continued shuttle diplomacy and presented both sides with a compromise proposal, with regional sources telling Axios another round of indirect dialogue could take place as early as Monday. A source close to Iran’s UN delegation, however, told IRNA that no new round of negotiations is currently scheduled and that Tehran is awaiting a U.S. response through Qatari mediators. Iran files ICAO complaint over U.S. flight restrictions: Iran filed a formal complaint with the International Civil Aviation Organization over U.S. flight restrictions and is pursuing the restoration of routes suspended by several countries. Iran’s CAO chief told state media Iran is working through diplomatic and legal channels to restore flights, including to Baghdad and Najaf, with Najaf expected to resume services “in the coming days.” The U.S. sanctioned 27 Iranian airlines on September 8 and threatened secondary sanctions against airports and companies providing Iranian aircraft with fuel, landing services or ticket sales. Oman and the UAE have since suspended Iranian flights, while four Iraqi airports have halted them. Iraq’s ambassador to Iran said Monday that Najaf airport would resume Iranian flights within 24 hours, adding that Iraq had not ordered flights suspended but foreign ground-service companies had stopped servicing Iranian aircraft. Eight U.S. Marines injured in previously undisclosed Iranian missile attack in Strait of Hormuz: Eight U.S. Marines were injured in an Iranian anti-ship cruise missile attack on a vessel they were operating aboard in the Strait of Hormuz on September 14, NBC reported. The Marines suffered smoke inhalation and possible traumatic brain injuries, including concussion symptoms such as headaches, but returned to duty soon afterward. Officials declined to identify the type of vessel involved but said it was not a U.S. Navy ship. The Pentagon’s Defense Casualty Analysis System added the eight Marines to its casualty count nearly ten days after the attack. The database now records 861 U.S. service members injured in the war with Iran. Iran claimed it struck 19 ships in the Strait of Hormuz over the past two nights. Iranian officials said any ship crossing without authorization will face an armed response. Five arrested near UK airbase used for U.S. strikes on Iran: Five men were arrested on suspicion of preparing a “terrorist” act near RAF Fairford, a military airbase in western England used by U.S. forces to launch attacks on Iran. Armed police made the arrests early Sunday after receiving reports of three suspicious vehicles apparently heading toward the base. President Donald Trump claimed the suspects intended to do “big damage” and said British and U.S. authorities were investigating. Police have not identified a suspected motive or said who they believe was involved, and no charges have been filed. Asked whether Iran could be involved, UK Defense Secretary Wes Streeting said it would be “very unwise” to speculate. The Iranian Embassy in the UK “categorically rejects and strongly condemns” speculation linking Iran to the incident. IRGC claims seizure of U.S. underwater vehicle in Hormuz: The IRGC Navy claimed it seized a second unmanned underwater vehicle (UUV) in the Strait of Hormuz “through a coordinated and complex operation involving intelligence superiority and electronic warfare.” Iran identified it as a U.S. Navy’s MK18 Mod 2 Kingfish, which is primarily designed for mine clearance. The U.S. military rejected Tehran’s claim. Middle East oil exports rebound as Saudi shipments surge: Crude exports from major Middle Eastern producers are on track to reach 12.8 million barrels per day (bpd) in September, their highest level since the U.S.-Israel war with Iran began, according to Kpler data . The rebound was driven by increased Saudi and UAE shipments and a recovery in flows through the Strait of Hormuz, though exports remain well below February’s 18.8 million bpd. Saudi exports are expected to reach about 5.4 million bpd this month, up from 2.45 million in August, as the kingdom diverted shipments from the Red Sea port of Yanbu following attacks on its East-West pipeline. Despite these rosy export projections, prices for oil remain near their highs . U.S. Treasury yields hit new post-financial crisis highs on both the 10-year and 30-year note as mortgage rates climbed above 7%. Pezeshkian brings tons of pharmaceutical supplies from India as Iran faces medicine shortages: President Masoud Pezeshkian used his visit to India for the BRICS summit this month to transport several tons of pharmaceutical ingredients back to Iran on his private plane, The Financial Times reported. “In the past, shortages were mainly limited to biological medicines or medications for difficult-to-treat diseases,” a pharmacist in Tehran told the FT. “Now, even basic painkillers and very common psychiatric medications are unavailable.” Yemen Seven killed, 40 injured in Saudi strike on Taiz: Seven people were killed and 40 others, including children, in a strike at the Mawiya junction in Yemen’s Taiz province on Sunday. The Ansarallah Health Ministry said Saudi airstrikes hit commercial shops at the market. Yemen’s Saudi-backed government claimed its own forces targeted an Ansarallah military camp and vehicles at Mawiya. 164 people were killed and 645 injured in Yemen between September 19 and 26, according to the World Health Organization. Since August 6, WHO has documented 838 deaths among 4,481 casualties. Fighting has also displaced more than 180,000 people. EU’s Kallas calls for more ships for Red Sea mission as Ansarallah expand control: EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas called on member states to provide more ships to the bloc’s Aspides naval mission to protect Red Sea shipping, saying she has pushed for reinforcements but received no firm commitments. The EU launched Aspides in February 2024 to protect commercial vessels from attacks in the Red Sea, Gulf of Aden and surrounding waters. Recent territorial advances have left Ansarallah positioned around 20 kilometers from the African coast and with effective control over the Bab al-Mandab Strait. Palestine Killed and wounded in Gaza: Over the past 24 hours, four Palestinians were killed and 19 injured in Israeli attacks across Gaza, according to the Palestinian Ministry of Health. The total recorded death toll since October 7, 2023 is now 74,022 killed, with 175,980 injured. Since October 11, 2025, the first full day of the so-called ceasefire, Israel has killed at least 1,421 Palestinians in Gaza and wounded 4,983, while 834 bodies have been recovered. Israeli strike kills woman, wounds several others in Gaza City: An Israeli airstrike targeted a home that was sheltering displaced Palestinians in northern Gaza City, according to WAFA, killing a Palestinian woman and wounding several others. Israeli settlers attack Palestinian olive harvest amid occupied West Bank closure: Israeli authorities imposed a week-long closure across the occupied West Bank on Sunday, tightening restrictions at checkpoints and military barriers, citing Jewish holidays. Ramallah and Al-Bireh: Settlers stole olives from Palestinian land in Sinjil, Turmus Ayya and Umm Safa, while others set fire to a Palestinian-owned vehicle in Deir Abu Mashal. The attacks come as the olive harvest begins, a period during which Palestinian farmers frequently face attacks on their trees, crops, and access to agricultural land. Jenin: Settlers entered agricultural land in Khirbet Masoud with tractors and stole harvested olives, according to WAFA. Nablus: Israeli settlers attacked a 75-year-old Palestinian man while he was on his land in Sebastia, northwest of Nablus, beating him and pouring boiling water on his body, WAFA reported. Hebron: Israeli forces raided the town of Al-Samu and the Bir Haram Al-Rama area of Hebron alongside settlers. In Masafer Yatta, settlers cut and stole electricity cables. Katz, Ben-Gvir lead over 1,270 Israelis into Al-Aqsa Mosque compound: Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz and National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir led at least 1,271 Israelis into the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound on Monday, on the third day of the Jewish holiday of Sukkot. Groups performed religious rituals under heavy Israeli police protection. Israeli settlers attack home of Palestinian-American in the occupied West Bank: Israeli settlers attacked the home of 78-year-old Palestinian-American Mustafa Zaater and his wife on Sunday in Abu Falah, northeast of Ramallah, setting fire to three of his vehicles, smashing doors and windows, and attempting to enter the house. Zaater told Drop Site contributor Mutasem Sqf ElHait that dozens of settlers, some carrying weapons, approached from the northern and southern sides of the area at around 1:30 a.m. “They want to drive us out of here,” Zaater said. “This is our land and our property. We’re not going to give it to them and leave.” Residents eventually pushed the settlers back, Abu Falah village council member Omar Hamayel, adding that Israeli forces fired tear gas at them after the settlers had withdrawn. Watch Sqf ElHait’s dispatch here . Ben-Gvir threatens Palestinian prisoner with execution: Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir published footage Sunday showing him inside the prison cell of Palestinian prisoner Hassan Salama, telling him: “I want to kill you. … I want you executed.” Salama, 55, has been imprisoned since 1996 and is serving 48 life sentences over his alleged role in a series of Hamas-orchestrated attacks. He has spent a total of more than 14 years in solitary confinement. The Palestinian Prisoners’ Society condemned Ben-Gvir’s threat, saying it reflected a broader Israeli policy