The Pentagon readies for possible Iran strikes, attacks on Saudi airports kill three people, Iran sends its response to Washington through mediators, and Erdoğan speaks with Putin about Black Sea safety and Ukraine.

In this episode

• Pentagon Said to Order CENTCOM Readiness for Possible Iran Strikes
• Iran to Deliver Response to US Proposals Through Mediators
• Three Killed, 36 Injured in Attacks on Saudi Airports in Abha and Riyadh
• Erdoğan and Putin Discuss Bilateral Ties and Black Sea Safety by Phone

Transcript

Deniz: Good morning, and welcome to Turkey Brief Daily. It's Thursday, October 8th. I'm Deniz.

Maya: And I'm Maya. Today: Pentagon preparations for possible Iran strikes, deadly attacks on Saudi airports, Iran's diplomatic response going through mediators, and Erdoğan's phone call with Putin.

Deniz: Right. Let's start with the biggest story. The Pentagon has reportedly instructed US Central Command to complete preparations for potential military action against Iran.

Maya: Whoa. Is there a timeline for this?

Deniz: No. This comes from Axios, citing sources familiar with the matter. President Trump is still weighing when any operation might take place. US and Israeli sources suggested strikes could come before the US midterm elections on November 3 or the Israeli vote on October 27.

Maya: That's soon.

Deniz: Very soon. Those sources described a sustained campaign that could include large-scale attacks on Iran's energy infrastructure and nuclear sites. A Pentagon official told Anadolu Agency that the department's role is to develop military options and present them to the president.

Maya: Hm. So this is real preparation, not just talk. But is diplomacy still happening alongside this?

Deniz: That's the interesting part. Iran says it will pass its response to US proposals through mediators. Foreign Ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baghaei told state media that Tehran's position on ending the war is clear, and that exchanges with the US are not conducted directly.

Maya: So everything goes through third parties.

Deniz: Exactly. Iran's foreign minister laid out a seven-day plan in New York last week covering a halt to hostilities and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. The US reportedly submitted its own views. A White House official said the US holds a strong position over the strait and that Trump holds all the cards.

Maya: Right. Both sides posturing while the mediators work. And the violence is very real.

Deniz: Indeed. Saudi Arabia's Civil Aviation Authority says two attacks over two days struck Abha International Airport and King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh. Three people were killed and 36 injured.

Maya: Three killed — who were they?

Deniz: In Abha, two women holding Moroccan and Algerian citizenship were killed and 28 people injured. In Riyadh, a Sudanese national died and eight were wounded. Injuries ranged from minor to severe, and both attacks caused material damage.

Maya: So the victims were people from all over the world. This hits international travel safety directly.

Deniz: Absolutely. And finally, a Türkiye story. President Erdoğan spoke by phone with Putin. The Turkish presidency says they reviewed bilateral ties and exchanged views on regional and international issues. Erdoğan stressed the importance of safe navigation in the Black Sea and said Türkiye remains ready to help get Russia and Ukraine to start direct contacts with each other.

Maya: Diplomacy and birthday wishes in the same call?

Deniz: Indeed. Erdoğan also wished Putin a happy birthday and congratulated him on his party's State Duma election success.

Maya: Only Erdoğan. For the full stories and all the details, head to turkeybrief.com. I'm Maya.

Deniz: And I'm Deniz. Thanks for listening.

Voices in this episode are AI-generated. Stories are based on Turkey Brief's reporting.