Mass protests erupted in Israel over the government's failure to secure the return of hostages in Gaza, as Israeli air raids killed over a dozen people in the territory. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu resisted calls for a ceasefire, insisting on Israeli control of the Philadelphi corridor. Meanwhile, Gaza continued a polio vaccination campaign amid widespread destruction, and violence escalated in the West Bank and along the Lebanon border, illustrating the deepening regional conflict.

In a related development, Iraq’s Kurdish autonomous region extradited Iranian Kurdish activist Behzad Khosrawi to Iran amid controversy. The Kurdish Democratic Party of Iran condemned the move, highlighting Khosrawi's refugee status granted by the UNHCR, while local authorities claimed he voluntarily chose to return.

Turning to diplomacy, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken will visit London next week to discuss Middle East and Ukraine with British officials. This visit follows the recent political shift after Prime Minister Keir Starmer's Labour Party ended 14 years of Conservative rule, aiming to strengthen the special US-UK relationship.

Meanwhile, in France, a Paris court charged a couple with conspiring alongside an Iranian terrorist group to attack Jews in Europe. The case, known as "Marco Polo," underscores ongoing concerns over Iranian state-sponsored terrorism, particularly linked to the Israel-Hamas conflict.

Moreover, Hezbollah fired rockets at the Israeli town of Kiryat Shmona in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed three Lebanese civil defense members. This action is part of the ongoing tension and near-daily exchanges of fire between Hezbollah and Israeli forces.

In US politics, Donald Trump made a notable pitch in Mosinee, Wisconsin, promising tough tariffs and an immigration crackdown to appeal to Rust Belt voters. Despite losing some support post-summer, Trump remains favored by rural white voters, necessary for securing key states.