Morning Briefing: Oct. 14, 2026

Here's a rundown of all the news you need to start your Wednesday, including at least four people suffering injuries and 15 homes sustaining damage after debris from two intercepted Houthi missiles fell in the Saudi capital Riyadh, Yemen’s leader vowing to continue military operation until Houthi coup ends, state institutions restored, and the US rejecting Iran’s claim of control over Strait of Hormuz.

TOP STORIES

• 4 injured, 15 homes damaged by debris from intercepted missiles in Saudi capital
  

Four people were injured and 15 homes sustained minor damage after debris from two intercepted cruise missiles fell in Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh, authorities said early Wednesday.

Saudi Civil Defense said the missiles were launched by Yemen's Houthi group and intercepted Tuesday, with falling debris injuring two women, a man and a child.

The agency said emergency procedures were carried out following the incident.

In a separate announcement, Saudi-led coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki said coalition forces intercepted and destroyed another cruise missile in Al-Kharj, southeast of Riyadh.

Meanwhile, the Saudi Energy Ministry said an administrative building belonging to Saudi Aramco in the eastern city of Dhahran was targeted Tuesday evening, sparking a small fire.

• Yemen’s leader vows to continue military operation until Houthi coup ends, state institutions restored

The military operation against the Houthis will continue until their coup is ended and state institutions are restored, said the head of Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council on Tuesday.

In an address marking the 63rd anniversary of the Oct. 14, 1963 revolution, which led to Yemeni independence, Rashad al-Alimi said the “Dawn of Yemen” operation was advancing toward its ultimate objective of “ending the coup” by Iranian-backed Houthis, restoring state institutions, and placing weapons and decisions on war and peace exclusively in the hands of constitutional institutions.

“This decision is now in effect, and there is no turning back, whatever the sacrifices,” he said.

He said the operation was launched “after exhausting opportunities for de-escalation,” accusing the group of insisting on continuing the war and expanding attacks on cities, villages, neighboring countries, and international waterways.

• US rejects Iran’s claim of control over Strait of Hormuz

The US military’s Central Command (CENTCOM) on Tuesday rejected claims by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) that it controls the Strait of Hormuz and would sink any approaching US Navy warships.

"IRGC's navy commander has no navy. American forces and regional partners clearly control the Strait of Hormuz," CENTCOM said on US social media company X.

It disputed an Iranian navy commander’s remarks that Tehran controls the strategic international chokepoint, declaring that US forces had helped Gulf partners transport more than 19 million barrels of crude oil through the strait on Monday.

The statement came amid heightened tensions between Washington and Tehran about maritime security and control of the Strait of Hormuz, a critical passage for global oil shipments.

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NEWS IN BRIEF

• US President Donald Trump on Tuesday denounced the Houthis' continued attacks against Saudi Arabia.
  
• Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi to discuss the latest developments in the region and efforts to resolve ongoing conflicts, according to Turkish Foreign Ministry sources.
  
• Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani on Tuesday accused Israel of supporting armed militias operating outside state authority in the southern city of Suwayda, providing them with weapons and money to carry out an “agenda of chaos” in the region
  
• Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defense issued a warning of potential danger in the kingdom’s Eastern Province.
• Pope Leo XIV’s surgery to remove a lung nodule was completed Tuesday, according to the Vatican, which later added that a surgical procedure confirmed he has lung cancer.
  
• US Ambassador to Greece Kimberly Guilfoyle announced her resignation, rejecting recent misconduct accusations as unfounded.
  
• The UN condemned drone attacks against commercial shipping vessels in the Black Sea on Tuesday, warning of mounting perils for global food supply chains and international maritime crews.
  
• US Senator Jon Ossoff said he has “zero interest” in running for president in 2028 and pledged to serve a full six-year term if re-elected.
• Federal agents investigating Democratic Representative Ilhan Omar have issued subpoenas to some of her relatives as part of a criminal inquiry into her family’s immigration history, the New York Times reported.
• Palestinian factions, including Fatah and Hamas, will begin preparatory talks in Cairo on Wednesday ahead of a broader national dialogue aimed at building political consensus, a Fatah spokesman told Anadolu.
• A bipartisan group of 12 US senators urged President Donald Trump to rescind a decision easing sanctions on Russian diesel exports, arguing that the move could help finance Moscow’s war against Ukraine while delivering little relief to American consumers.
• Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Ukraine received no advance warning from its partners about Russia’s attack on Kyiv’s energy infrastructure.
• The US Treasury Department said it has imposed more than $1.21 billion in penalties on Bank of America, the country’s second-largest bank, for violations of anti-money laundering and sanctions laws.
• Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari urged the US and Iran to exercise restraint and honor their commitments under the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, a framework agreement reached in June to resolve the Middle East conflict.
• A container ship and a tanker were struck by unknown projectiles in two separate incidents in the Strait of Hormuz, the UK Maritime Trade Operations (UKMTO) center said.
• Iran summoned the British ambassador in Tehran about allegations by senior UK officials linking Tehran to an incident at the RAF Fairford military base, according to Iran’s state news agency IRNA.
• A member of the US House of Representatives introduced legislation to dismantle the Department of Homeland Security (DHS), abolish Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) and Customs and Border Protection (CBP) and establish a new federal Department of Community Safety.

BUSINESS AND TECHNOLOGY

• Saudi national arrested for allegedly planting recording device at OpenAI

A Saudi national employed as an engineer at US-based artificial intelligence company OpenAI has been arrested for allegedly installing a covert audio recording device in an executive conference room, said the Justice Department.

Abdulrahman Alfozan, 35, was arrested Friday and appeared in federal court Tuesday. He is charged with using or attempting to use a device to intercept oral communications, the agency said in a statement.

According to a criminal complaint, OpenAI personnel discovered a recording device concealed in toilet paper and plugged into a television in an executive conference room at its San Francisco offices on or about on Sept. 30.

• Italy's Meloni urges EU to deliver long-term response to high energy prices

Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni urged the European Union to develop long-term measures to address high energy prices, warning that Europe risks remaining dependent on emergency responses.

Speaking at an assembly of the Assolombarda business association in Milan, Meloni called for “structural and long-term responses” and said she would raise the issue of flexibility at Thursday’s European Council meeting, the Italian news agency ANSA reported.

She described her proposal as “a simple proposal based on common sense as well as responsibility.”

CULTURE AND LIFE

• Duane Davis sentenced to 40 years to life in US for Tupac Shakur’s murder

Duane “Keffe D” Davis was sentenced to 40 years to life in prison for the 1996 murder of rap icon Tupac Shakur, according to media reports.

Judge Carli Kierny in Las Vegas handed down the sentence after a 12-person jury found Davis guilty of first-degree murder following a multi-week trial in August.

Shakur was shot multiple times on Sept. 7, 1996, while riding in a black BMW with music executive Marion “Suge” Knight. A white Cadillac pulled alongside the vehicle at a Las Vegas intersection and gunfire erupted. Shakur died six days later. Knight survived the shooting.

SPORTS​​​​​​​

• Barcelona beat Galatasaray 4-1 in Champions League

Galatasaray suffered a 4-1 home defeat to Barcelona on Tuesday in the second matchday of the UEFA Champions League.

Galatasaray took the lead in the 28th minute when Batrakov fired into the net from the edge of the box after receiving the ball from Leao.

Barcelona equalized in the 43rd minute. The teams went into halftime level at 1-1.

Barcelona took control after the break, moving ahead in the 50th minute when Fermin Lopez headed in Yamal's cross. Yamal then played a key role again three minutes later, setting up Gordon, who made it 3-1 with a close-range finish.

Barcelona extended its lead in the 65th minute. Adeyemi collected Jesus' touch on the edge of the area and fired into the far corner to make it 4-1.

• FIFA paid Infantino $1.76M in undisclosed compensation: Report

FIFA President Gianni Infantino received an additional $1.76 million in compensation in 2024 that was not publicly disclosed by football’s world governing body, potentially violating its own statutes, The Times reported.

According to the British newspaper, Infantino received two separate salaries: one from FIFA in Switzerland, disclosed in its annual report, and another from FWC2026 US Inc., the company established to organize the 2026 World Cup.

FIFA’s 2024 annual report listed Infantino’s compensation at 4.274 million Swiss francs ($5.13 million), while a filing with the US Internal Revenue Service showed he received an additional $1.76 million from the organizing company that year.