The Independent reports that an IS spokesman and possible successor to leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi has been killed, Syrian Kurdish forces have said.  They claimed Abu Hassan al-Muhajir died in a joint operation with US troops in northern Syria.

BBC News and the Times report that the Pentagon has stated that two men were captured during the US military raid on al-Baghdadi’s hideout in Syria and are in US custody. The Joint Chiefs of Staff chairman said they were now “in a secure facility”. General Mark Milley also announced that al-Baghdadi’s remains had been disposed of and there were currently no plans to share footage of his death.

Sky News reports that the threat from IS is not finished, according to security experts.  Chris Costa, a former senior director for counter-terrorism for the National Security Council in the Trump administration, said: “the bottom line is: This puts the enemy on its heels, but the ideology – and this sounds so cliched – it is not dead.”

The Guardian, Telegraph and Reuters report that the SDF say they managed to place a spy in al-Baghdadi’s inner circle who stole a pair his underpants to prove his identity and then helped guide US soldiers to his Syrian hideout.

The Telegraph reports that US officials have claimed that President Trump’s abrupt order to withdraw US troops from Syria disrupted the planning of the operation on al-Baghdadi.

The Telegraph reports that Syrian Kurdish forces are beefing up security in prisons and detention camps where IS militants and their supporters are held, fearing a reaction to the death of leader al-Baghdadi. An official with the Kurdish-led internal security agency said forces were “on high alert” in anticipation of possible riots or attacks on the guards.

Channel 4 News and Sky News report that the UK has stepped up security measures fearing reprisal attacks following the death of al-Baghdadi.

The Guardian and Reuters report that the US military has started reinforcing its positions around oil fields in eastern Syria after the killing of al-Baghdadi. General Mark Milley said that US forces would remain in Tanf, and more were being sent to the oil fields operated by the US energy corporation ConocoPhillips around Deir Ezzor in eastern Syria.

Reuters reports that Iraqi Defence Minister Najah al-Shammari has stated that a missile fell near a military base hosting US forces north of Baghdad.

Reuters reports that a senior State Department official has claimed that the US wants to bolster the presence of a coalition fighting IS in north-Syria, and will convene a meeting of foreign ministers in Washington on 14 November.

The Times and Independent report that the parents of a US aid worker whose “heinous” rape by al-Baghdadi prompted US officials to name the raid in Syria after her now hope intelligence gathered in the operation will shed new light on her captivity.

BBC News reports that the Washington Post faced criticism on Sunday for calling al-Baghdadi an “austere religious scholar”.

The Times outlines the responses of countries thanked by President Trump following the operation that killed al-Baghdadi.

In the Independent, Kim Sengupta examines “how Isis leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi was killed in spite of Trump – not because of him”.

BBC News outlines what we know about the operation that targeted al-Baghdadi. The Guardian offers a visual guide to the operation that targeted al-Baghdadi.

In the Times, Catherin Philp argues that “Jihadists have chance to regroup under [a] new leader” following the death of al-Baghdadi.

The Guardian argues that “the sociology of violence espoused by IS will only be defeated by a political project that transcends the religious, nationalist and ethnic schisms in the region”.

In the Independent, Robert Fisk says that “Trump may have claimed to kill al-Baghdadi, but he has brought IS back to life”.

In the Independent, Borzou Daragahi argues that “Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi is dead […] but Is will live on”.

In the Independent, Richard Hall argues that “‘for the victims of IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi, the war is not over”.

Reuters reports that Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has accused Iran of seeking the means to launch precision-guided missiles at Israel from Yemen, a signal that the war-torn Arab could come under pre-emptive Israeli attack.

Reuters reports that UN special envoy for Syria has called for the ceasefire in north-east Syria to be extended as he tries to move ahead with a political process to end the eight-year-old war. Reuters reports that Turkey’s foreign minister has claimed that Kurdish YPG forces have not fully withdrawn from its ‘safe zone’.

Reuters reports that at least a dozen petrochemical, fertilizer and refinery projects in Iran have hit the buffers or been delayed due to water supply problems.

Reuters reports that Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin has stated that the US will increase pressure on Iran over its nuclear programme, making the pledge during a Middle East trip that includes visits to Israel and Saudi Arabia.

The FT reports that the Future Investment Initiative or ‘Davos in the Desert’ conference has commenced in Riyadh.

Reuters reports that Saudi Aramco aims to announce the start of its initial public offering on 3 November, after delaying the deal earlier this month to give advisers time to secure cornerstone investors.

Reuters reports that an IS cell broken up last week planned to attack Casablanca and its port, but a Syrian militant who assisted the group remains at large.

BBC News and Reuters report that Iraq has declared a curfew in Baghdad on the fourth day of anti-government protests. It came after at least five protesters were killed in Baghdad and 14 in the Shi’ite holy city of Kerbala on Monday, according to Reuters. Thousands of demonstrators defied the curfew, vowing to continue their protests in the city.

The Guardian interviews young Iraqi demonstrators partaking in the protests: “Iraq’s young protesters count cost of a month of violence”.

In BBC News, Aleem Maqbool meets a Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) official to hear its response to the recent fighting in Syria.

Reuters reports that Lebanon’s central bank governor has stated that a solution must be found in days to a crisis unleashed by huge protests against the government, saying this would restore confidence and avoid any future economic collapse.

In the Independent, Angela Godfrey-Goldstein opines that “continuing to worship Benjamin Netanyahu will not bring us closer to peace”.

US Democratic candidates at J Street Conference: Haaretz reported that five Democratic presidential candidates addressed the J Street Conference in Washington, DC yesterday, with most stating that US aid to Israel should be conditional on its policies vis-à-vis the Palestinians. Bernie Sanders said that the $3.8 billion military aid package to Israel should be conditioned on Israel “fundamentally changing its relationship to the people of Gaza,” adding that some of the amount be redirected to humanitarian aid for the Palestinian territory. Sanders also said that it’s “not anti-Semitic to say that the Netanyahu government is racist – it’s a fact.” Pete Buttigieg and Julian Castro said US aid should be leveraged to stop Israel from expanding or annexing settlements in the West Bank. “We need to make sure that any such cooperation and funding is going to things that are compatible with US objectives and US law,” Buttigieg said. Amy Klobuchar was more vague but expressed similar sentiments regarding conditioning US aid on Israeli settlement activity. “I think you need a president that’s willing to put that kind of pressure,” she said. In a taped message, Elizabeth Warren said progress towards a two-state solution “might mean finding ways to apply pressure and create consequences for problematic behaviour,” including making sure US aid is not used to support West Bank annexation by Israel.

Blue and White keep minority government option open: Amid deadlocked coalition talks, Blue and White leaders held an intra-party debate about the option of forming a minority government with the external support of the Arab-Israeli parties. Benny Gantz and other senior party officials requested that Knesset Members not reject the possibility in their public remarks, a demand that three right-wing party members disagreed with. At the end of a party meeting yesterday Gantz said that, while everyone was entitled to their own opinion, Blue and White could have only one position.

Finance Ministry rejects new spending: Kan Radio reported that the Accountant General in the Finance Ministry ordered government ministries not to approve new expenditure in the coming year, due to the absence of a new government and a 2020 budget. The IDF is seeking increased funding as Prime Minister Netanyahu touts the increased threat from Iran.