Axios

Israel's retaliatory strike against Iran took out a critical component in Iran's ballistic missile program, according to three Israeli sources.

Why it matters: The destruction of the equipment severely damages Iran's ability to renew its missile stockpile and could deter Iran from further massive missile strikes against Israel, the sources said.

"He respects me and he knows I'm f***ing crazy."

• If Donald Trump's foreign policy doctrine could be boiled down to one sentence, it would be this quote to the Wall Street Journal explaining his relationship with China's Xi Jinping.

Why it matters: Trump has claimed he'll bring peace to Ukraine, curb China's unfair trade practices, force allies to pay up, and prevent further shocks like the Oct. 7 attacks in Israel — all because decision-makers around the world fear what he'll do if they defy him.

Israel sent a message to Iran on Friday ahead of its retaliatory airstrikes warning the Iranians not to respond, three sources with knowledge of the issue told Axios.

Why it matters: The Israeli message was an attempt to limit the ongoing exchange of attacks between Israel and Iran and prevent a wider escalation, the sources said.

Israel began its attack against Iran in retaliation for its massive ballistic missile attack on Oct. 1.

The big picture: U.S. and Israeli officials believe Iran will respond militarily, but hope it will be limited and allow the two adversaries to break the tit-for-tat cycle.

Nation-state election disinformation won't end on Nov. 5 as government officials prepare to fend off a wave of lies about the outcome.

Why it matters: Conspiracy theories and partisan social media posts peddled by Russia, Iran and China now have a longer shelf life.

A second cybersecurity company has detected a fake IT worker trying to infiltrate its ranks — but this time, the job applicant wasn't from North Korea.

Why it matters: Officials have been focused on the threat North Korea-based IT workers pose to U.S. companies.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky warned Friday that Russia could deploy North Korean troops to combat zones in Ukraine as soon as Sunday.

Why it matters: The move could mark a significant escalation in the war and has already drawn preemptive warnings from South Korea and the U.S.

Scout Motors, Volkswagen's new electric off-road vehicle brand, said its first models will be available with a backup gasoline generator — an acknowledgment of many Americans' anxiety about going fully electric.

Why it matters: As a bit of a latecomer to the EV market, Scout has the advantage of learning from the mistakes of other companies that made big bets on electrification, only to walk back their EV ambitions amid slower-than-expected sales.

Elon Musk — the world's richest man and a major contractor to the U.S. government — "has been in regular contact with Russian President Vladimir Putin since late 2022," The Wall Street Journal reports.

Why it matters: Musk's conversations could foreshadow U.S. reengagement with Putin if former President Trump wins the White House, given "Trump's expressed desire to cut a deal over major fault lines such as the war in Ukraine," The Journal notes.