Before what some consider to be the most decisive election in Israel's history, Israelis held their last large-scale protest rally against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

Meanwhile, the death toll following an attack on a church in Jordan on Friday has risen. Another Iranian military commander stated that Iran will not allow U.S. warships to enter the Persian Gulf; concerns about the resumption of full-scale warfare are also increasing.

The following are the latest updates from the Middle East on Saturday.

Days before Israel's general elections, thousands of people gathered in Tel Aviv

Before the closely contested election on Tuesday, a large crowd gathered to hold the last protest against Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and his government.

At the gathering, some called for the establishment of an investigation committee to examine the security failures that led to the Hamas-led attack on October 7, 2023. That attack sparked the Gaza War. Netanyahu has consistently refused to conduct such investigations.

Netanyahu's main opponent, Gadi Eizenkot, attended this rally. This event reminded people of the weekly rallies held previously to demand the release of hostages taken to Gaza. All the hostages or their remains were eventually released, but Netanyahu has been accused of delaying the relevant agreements and failing to facilitate the release of the hostages sooner.

Trump weighing further strikes against Iran or reaching an agreement

When asked how far away a potential attack on Iran was, U.S. President Donald Trump appeared displeased. He recently stated on social media that he would not strike Iran again before the mid-term elections on November 3rd.

Trump responded, "Do you really think I would tell you whether I would do that or not? There is a possibility. It's also possible that I could reach a wonderful, significant, and beautiful agreement."

Trump reiterated his statement that Iran wants to reach an agreement, "but the question is, will they abide by the agreement?"

Iranian president accuses the United States of undermining negotiations

Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi accused Washington of undermining negotiations to end the war, but said he still believes that "we must complete it."

In a speech broadcast on national television, he stated that Iran's supreme leader had instructed Iranian officials to "complete the agreement," but "these scoundrels violated the rules of the game. We were in negotiations at the time, and they disrupted them."

Concerns in Iran and other regions that the United States or Israel may resume attacks around Israel's elections on Tuesday, or around the U.S. mid-term elections, are growing.

Israel carries out arrest operations in several locations in Hebron

A day after two Palestinian gunmen killed two Israeli soldiers and wounded three others, Israeli forces carried out arrest and demolition operations in Hebron, on the occupied West Bank of Jordan.

According to statistics from the Hebron City Council, up to 300 families have left Deir Baha and two adjacent neighborhoods. The Israeli military has not responded to questions regarding this operation. On Friday, the Israeli army stated that its forces had begun conducting "precise, targeted, and thorough searches" in the areas where the shooters were active.

The death toll from the attack on a church in Jordan rises to 9 people

According to reports from the national television station, another person died after a gunman opened fire during a funeral at a church in Jordan, raising the total death toll to 9. More than twenty others are currently receiving treatment in hospitals.

On Friday, a gunman opened fire in a Greek Orthodox church in Karak, south of Amman, the capital of Jordan. Karak is home to a small Christian population.

Yemeni airstrikes result in 15 deaths, including one child

According to the Ministry of Health under the control of the Houthi forces supported by Iran, airstrikes caused 11 deaths in Sanaa, the capital of Yemen, including 4 children. Additionally, the health department reported that at least 4 people died when a civilian residence in Hodeida province was targeted by airstrikes.

Houthi militants blamed the attack on Saudi Arabia, a neighboring country that supports anti-Houthi forces. Saudi Arabia did not respond to requests for comment. The Associated Press was unable to independently verify these claims.

Subsequently, at least two explosions were reported near Aden International Airport in southern Yemen. Aden is the location of the internationally recognized government. A military spokesman for the Houthi rebels stated that a military camp and a naval base were targeted. The government's Ministry of Interior claimed that the Houthi rebels attacked the headquarters of the Coast Guard within their compound using two ballistic missiles.

Earlier on, the Saudi-led coalition stated that they had intercepted three ballistic missiles launched by Houthi forces towards Saudi capital Riyadh, as well as the cities of Taif and Yanbu.

United Arab Emirates closes beaches due to oil spill from tanker

The United Arab Emirates closed beaches after an oil tanker leaked oil. The Ministry of Climate Change and Environment stated that the spill affected the beaches of Um Al Quwain, one of the seven emirates that make up the UAE federation, and that cleanup efforts are underway.

The department stated that there is no health risk associated with this oil spill, but they did not provide details on the scale of the leakage. Two weeks ago, Iranian official media reported that an oil tanker collided with a mine and caught fire while attempting to cross the Strait of Hormuz without coordination with Tehran.

Iran says it will not allow U.S. warships to enter the Persian Gulf

According to the Iranian official news agency IRNA, an Iranian military commander stated that Iran will not allow U.S. warships to enter the Persian Gulf, nor will it permit them to approach Iranian territorial waters.

Ali Abdullahi, the Chief of Staff of the Iranian Armed Forces and Commander of the Joint Military Command, also warned Trump that the US military would never be able to return to the Strait of Hormuz.

The United States issues another travel warning for the Middle East due to Houthi threats

The U.S. State Department has once again issued a travel warning to Americans who are in the Middle East or plan to travel there, citing the threat posed by Houthi forces supported by Yemen and Iran.

The warnings cover Bahrain, Iran, Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Kuwait, Lebanon, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. Since the start of the Iran war, these countries have also appeared in travel alerts before.

After receiving intelligence indicating that Iran has intensified its actions against U.S. personnel, the U.S. State Department has reduced the staffing at four U.S. embassies in the Middle East.