World News Brief Thursday
Netanyahu escalates incitement against Arab parties in the country with claims they received foreign funding, while Iran announced that three oil tankers caught fire after hitting naval mines in Hormuz following Washington's confirmation of mine clearance.
The World News Brief from Arab 48, published on Thursday, October 29, 2026, highlights two main developments. The first concerns Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's escalation of incitement against Arab parties following their historic results in the Israeli elections held two days ago on Tuesday. Netanyahu claimed that Arab parties received foreign funding to influence the elections, pointing fingers at Qatar, which categorically denied any funding or interference. In response, the Joint Arab List considered that Netanyahu's fear of their political power is behind his accusations. The vote counting process, in which neither Netanyahu nor the opposition bloc led by Gadi Eisenkot secured a majority in the Knesset, is expected to conclude today. The second development involves Iran's announcement that three oil tankers caught fire after hitting naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, following Washington's confirmation of mine clearance.