Iran says Qatar's latest offer is not a deal, while US war costs hit $47 billion

Tehran rejected the idea that mediators delivered a fresh peace proposal, labeling the concepts as unacceptable. A senior Iranian official spoke to Reuters on Wednesday to clarify the status of the ongoing talks. This denial complicates the diplomatic path toward ending the conflict.

The cost of the war for the United States has climbed to at least $47.1 billion as of mid-October. This figure comes from an estimate obtained by CBS News from U.S. Central Command on Tuesday. The total does not include damage to American military bases in the Middle East. Replacing used munitions accounts for the largest portion of that spending at $29 billion.

The Congressional Budget Office projected in September that the conflict could continue to drain between $2 billion and $3 billion per month. These ongoing expenses add to the financial strain on the U.S. military budget.

In Israel, voters went to the polls on Tuesday to decide the composition of the next government. Exit polls from major television networks suggested a majority of citizens voted against the current coalition led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Despite this, Likud appeared to be the largest single party in the race.

Neither Netanyahu's bloc nor the opposition held a clear majority in the early results. Both sides would need to secure backing from a majority of the 120-seat Knesset to form a stable government. Netanyahu seemed to have won fewer votes than his main challenger in the initial tallies.

Israel's two Arab parties secured more seats than in any previous election. Some Arab voters told CBS News that their historic turnout was a response to the difficult conditions under Netanyahu's hard-right government. Arab citizens represent about 20% of the country's population.

Both Netanyahu and his opponents pledged to avoid forming a government that relies on Arab parties. They argued that such an alliance could endanger the country if those parties gained enough influence over conflict decisions.