Middle East on edge as fears grow of renewed US-Iran war after midterms

Residents across the Middle East are on edge, uncertain whether the US-Iran war will reignite after Tuesday's US midterm elections, with President Donald Trump hinting renewed fighting is possible. Many are making contingency plans for school closures or travel disruptions. The war began in February with US and Israeli strikes that killed Iran's Supreme Leader, entering its eighth month in a stalemate. Trump has offered little clarity, oscillating between threats and diplomacy, while Iran claims new weapons capabilities. US diplomat families have discreetly left, and thousands of US troops have been dispatched to the region. Quiet diplomacy continues, including a US vice presidential letter to Iran and talks in Qatar, though no breakthrough is confirmed. Regional residents remain anxious, with some comparing the uncertainty to the Covid era, while major events proceed despite security concerns.