Report: US Preparing for Military Offensive Against Iran After Midterm Elections + Possible Tri-lateral US - Russia - Ukraine Talks in Abu Dhabi Next Month + Leaders of Finland & Norway Hold Call with Russian President

For review:
1. The Houthis reported 12 killed in strikes Thursday on residential areas of western Yemen, which they blamed on Saudi Arabia, while explosions later rocked Riyadh.
The Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis said on Thursday it had intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the group toward the Saudi capital, soon after fresh explosions were reported there.
2. The United States has informed several unspecified Gulf Arab countries to be ready for a short yet intensive military offensive against Iran following the American midterm elections on November 3, The Wall Street Journal reported Tuesday evening.
3. US Vice President JD Vance has contacted Iran’s security chief in a bid to revive peace talks that could head off a renewed American assault on the Islamic Republic.
VP Vance sent a letter to Mohsen Rezaei, head of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council, the WSJ reported, in a move that one of the newspaper’s sources said was directed by US President Donald Trump.
4. Russia’s next round of trilateral talks with Ukraine and the US could take place in Abu Dhabi after Nov. 4, but Moscow has yet to confirm a date and will not invite European representatives, Kremlin aide Yuri Ushakov said.
5. The leaders of Norway and Finland held a rare call Tuesday with Russian president Vladimir Putin to discuss Ukraine.
6. The United Kingdom plans to reach 3 percent GDP spending on defense by 2030, Chancellor John Healey announced today. In addition, he said that next year’s spending review would spell out exactly how the UK plans to hit the NATO commitment of spending 3.5 percent GDP on defense by 2035, and how the UK will be at 3 percent by 2030.