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Italian major Eni has withdrawn from Block 1, relinquishing a licence it gained in 2019 and casting fresh doubt on Bahrain's ability to exploit its offshore resources. 

QatarEnergy has been awarded the East Port Said exploration block as part of the Egyptian Natural Gas Holding Company's 2022 international bid round. It has also applied for offshore oil and gas blocks 8 and 10 in Lebanon, in a consortium with Eni and TotalEnergies.

Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Khaled Bin Mohammed arrived in Serbia late September on what was described as a working visit. Apart from cultivating business ties, the purpose of visiting Belgrade and then Tirana, Albania was not clear. However, analysts suggested that the UAE may be trying to mediate between Serbia and the Albanian-majority territory of Kosovo, whose independence is not recognised by Belgrade.

The turmoil that has broken out in Israel and Gaza in recent days may lead to a recalibration by Yemen's Houthis of what they should put on their list of demands and how much pressure they can exert on Saudi Arabia in any further rounds of talks. It might also concentrate minds in Riyadh about the need to secure a viable settlement in Yemen, so that the land beyond its southern border is not a long-term harbour of potential danger.

An analysis of Hamas' lightning invasion points as much to Israeli weaknesses as to the Palestinian group's abilities. Hamas clearly knew its enemy well and was well set up to exploit Israeli weaknesses, both before battle was joined and as it developed.

UAE President Sheikh Mohammed Bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (MBZ) made a surprise visit to Doha early October, ostensibly for the opening of the International Horticultural Expo 2023 but, in reality, to cement and expand relations between the two countries’ leaderships.

The extent to which Iran knew about, or helped with, the 7 October Hamas attack on Israel remains a point of conjecture. Some were quick to point the finger of suspicion at the Tehran regime, which is undoubtedly a major supplier of military materiel to Hamas and the driving force behind the 'Axis of Resistance' that is now confronting Israel.

Iranian human rights activist Narges Mohammadi was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize, in recognition of her fight for women’s rights. The Norwegian Nobel Committee said the award also recognised all those who had demonstrated over the past year against the Iranian regime's oppression of women.

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al-Thani laid the foundation stone of the North Field Expansion Project in Ras Laffan early October. The project will raise Qatar's liquefied natural gas (LNG) production capacity from 77m t/yr to 126m t/yr by 2026. 

Saudi Arabia announced that it would bid to host the 2034 Fifa World Cup, soon after football’s world governing body had set out the timetable for the process. It faces a rival bid from Australia, Singapore, Malaysia and Indonesia. 

Official statements from the Gulf monarchies have called for de-escalation and international mediation between Hamas and Israel, but there have been notable differences in where blame has been apportioned.

Islamic Republic of Iran Navy (Nedaja) commander Rear Admiral Shahram Irani has said Tehran is planning to establish a permanent presence in Antarctica which will have both military and scientific components.

The UAE is facing further accusations it is using a field hospital in north-east Chad as a cover for supplying arms to Sudan’s Rapid Support Forces (RSF) led by Lieutenant General Mohammed Hamdan Dagalo (often known as Hemedti), as well as to treat the militia group’s injured fighters.

The Bahrain Defence Force (BDF) announced late September that First Lieutenant Hamad Khalifa Al-Kubaisi had succumbed to the injuries he had sustained during a Houthi attack on Bahraini forces on the Saudi/Yemen border four days earlier, becoming the fourth casualty from the incident.

Iran has released video imagery of a new jet-powered suicide drone, similar in configuration to the Shahed-136 drone which has been heavily used by Russia in Ukraine.