Iran leaders react sharply as Trump loses congressional control

U.S. voters handed Democrats control of Congress on Tuesday, a result that Iranian officials quickly framed as a rejection of President Donald Trump’s war strategy. The shift in Washington power arrived just as regional leaders assessed whether the United States would de-escalate its conflict with Iran.

Mohammad Bagher Qalibaf, the Iranian parliament speaker and chief negotiator, posted on X that Americans said no to war. He warned that if the U.S. government ignores the vote for change, it will learn that Iran’s no comes with a nightmare. In contrast, Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei dismissed the idea that the United States would alter its approach to the Islamic Republic. Thousands of pro-government demonstrators marched through Tehran to mark the anniversary of the 1979 U.S. Embassy takeover, burning flags and chanting slogans against America and Israel.

Tensions remain high over whether Washington will resume full-scale military operations. Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the UN peacekeeping chief, warned that Lebanese officials fear a security vacuum when the UNIFIL mission ends on December 31. Lacroix questioned who would monitor the Blue Line border and prevent unintended clashes between Israeli forces and the Lebanese army if the third-party presence disappears. He noted that efforts to disarm Hezbollah failed due to a lack of political will, and the Security Council is scheduled to discuss the mission’s future on November 19.

In Yemen, the Iran-backed Houthis claimed they fired a ballistic missile at King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh, causing major damages. Spokesperson Yahya Saree also claimed drone and missile strikes on targets in Jazan province. The Associated Press could not independently verify the claims, and the Saudi information ministry did not immediately respond. Saudi civil defense agencies issued alerts for potential danger in Riyadh, Jazan, and Najran early Wednesday.

The Houthis blamed Saudi Arabia for an airstrike in Taiz province that killed at least seven people, including two children. The strike hit a house in the Maqbanah district and wounded six other children. Houthi media aired footage of the heavily damaged concrete building. This attack marks the latest deadly incident since the civil war revived more than three months ago.

In southern Lebanon, the Health Ministry reported that an Israeli drone strike on a motorcycle in the village of Qabrikha killed one person and wounded another. The Israeli military stated it struck two suspects who were observing soldiers. This was the first such strike in nearly a month, following a U.S.-brokered ceasefire in late June.