Iran Update, October 25, 2026

The Institute for the Study of War (ISW) and The Critical Threats Project (CTP) at the American Enterprise Institute are publishing updates Monday through Friday to provide analysis on the war with Iran and the broader Middle East. Weekday updates cover events from the past 24-hour period, whereas weekend updates are abbreviated and cover the Houthi-Saudi conflict and major breaking developments related to the war with Iran. 

Key Takeaways:

• The Houthis have fired at least 12 missiles and two drones targeting Saudi Arabia since October 24 as part of the Houthi strike campaign, which aims to impose economic and political costs on Saudi Arabia and compel Saudi Arabia to capitulate to the Houthis’ primarily economic demands.
• Yemeni government-aligned forces continue to engage Houthi forces south of Taiz City in an effort to break the Houthi encirclement of the city and central Taiz Governo

Toplines

The Houthis have fired at least 12 missiles and two drones targeting Saudi Arabia since October 24 as part the Houthi strike campaign, which aims to impose economic and political costs on Saudi Arabia and compel Saudi Arabia to capitulate to the Houthis’ primarily economic demands. The Saudi Joint Forces Command reported that Saudi air defenses intercepted 11 missiles over southern Saudi Arabia, including Asir Province, on October 25.[i] Debris from two missile interceptions over Asir Province injured two individuals and damaged several residential buildings and vehicles, according to the Saudi Civil Defense Directorate.[ii] Saudi forces also intercepted two drones and a missile over Riyadh Province on October 24 after CTP-ISW's data cutoff.[iii] The Houthis have not yet claimed the attacks as of this writing. The Houthis have repeatedly targeted Saudi critical infrastructure, including energy and transport infrastructure, as part of the Houthis’ ongoing strike campaign. The Houthis seek to compel Saudi Arabia to halt military operations against the Houthis and accept the Houthis’ demands, which include lifting Saudi controls on Houthi-controlled ports and airports and granting the Houthis control over Yemen’s oil and gas resources.[iv] 

Yemeni government-aligned forces continue to engage Houthi forces south of Taiz City in an effort to break the Houthi encirclement of the city and central Taiz Governorate. Anti-Houthi media sources reported that Yemeni government-aligned forces engaged Houthi forces near al Aqroud, al Misrakh District on October 25.[v] An anti-Houthi source also reported that Houthi artillery struck civilian homes in al Aqroud on October 25, which further indicates that fighting between government forces and the Houthis has continued in that area.[vi] Yemeni government-aligned forces will gain little from breaking the Houthi encirclement of central Taiz unless they also recapture and secure key segments of the Taiz-Aden ground line of communication to restore reliable routes for resupply and reinforcements to Taiz City.[vii]

US and Partner Military Operations

Nothing significant to report.

Iranian Strike Campaign

• Assessed Iranian War Aims:
  • Secure international recognition of Iranian control over the Strait of Hormuz
  • Degrade the US ability and willingness to continue the war
  • Restore deterrence vis-à -vis the United States and its regional partners
  • Divide the United States and Israel from the Arab states

Nothing significant to report.

US-Iran Negotiations

Nothing significant to report.
Iranian Domestic Affairs

Nothing significant to report.
Lebanon

Nothing significant to report.

Iraq

Nothing significant to report.
Arabian Peninsula

See topline section.

[i] https://x.com/CJFCSpox/status/2114250213913440577 ; https://x.com/CJFCSpox/status/2114277401764991226

[ii] https://x.com/SaudiDCD/status/2114347309010202819

[iii] https://x.com/CJFCSpox/status/2114114725524971606 ; https://x.com/CJFCSpox/status/2114173159784227312 ; https://x.com/CJFCSpox/status/2114195670219599917

[iv] https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-update-october-24-2026/ ; https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/iran-update-september-22-2026 ; https://www.criticalthreats.org/analysis/iran-update-october-15-2026 ; https://x.com/SaudiDCD/status/2113440753120592327;
https://x.com/SaudiDCD/status/2113451613046366644;
https://x.com/SaudiDCD/status/2113451785989902665

[v] https://x.com/FaresALhemyari/status/2114392696026476585                 ; https://x.com/ALyemennow/status/2114394408753959121

[vi] https://x.com/FaresALhemyari/status/2114326358683697275 ; https://x.com/FaresALhemyari/status/2114413208085700678

[vii] https://understandingwar.org/research/middle-east/iran-update-october-20-2026/

 [BS3]https://criticalthreats.imeetcentral.com/p/aQAAAAAFNuL5