Trump touts imminent decision on potential new attack on Iran

President Trump said Thursday that the world "will know very soon" his decision on whether to make a deal to end the war with Iran, or to order new strikes to "destroy what is left" of the country. The announcement comes as diplomatic efforts intensify to avoid further escalation in the region.

Mr. Trump called the Emir of Qatar to discuss efforts to end the war, the Qatari leader's office said Friday. The exchange came as Iran's top diplomat held a series of calls with his counterparts across the Persian Gulf - part of "efforts to maintain stability in the region."

Motorists could soon see U.S. gas prices fall below $4 a gallon for the first time since July, energy experts tell CBS News. Global oil prices have ticked back up slightly after plummeting this week on expectations that the U.S. midterm election results could increase pressure on Mr. Trump to strike a deal with Iran.

Diplomatic efforts intensify

President Trump called Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to discuss efforts to end the U.S.-Iran war, the emir's office said Friday, amid a diplomatic push to avoid a new round of major hostilities. Their discussion came as Iran's top diplomat made his own calls Thursday to counterparts across the Persian Gulf aimed at maintaining "stability in the region."

The emir emphasized the importance of continuing dialogue and relying on diplomatic means to settle disputes and prevent further escalation.

Gas prices fall amid election hopes

Motorists could soon see U.S. gas prices drop below $4 a gallon for the first time since July, according to energy experts. Patrick De Haan, a petroleum analyst at price-tracking firm GasBuddy, told CBS News he expected the national average for gas to dip below the $4 threshold by next week.

He also predicted diesel could fall below $6 a gallon by Thanksgiving. Gas and diesel prices have both dropped over the last week, thanks largely to market expectations that the U.S. midterm election results would underscore public dissatisfaction with the Iran war and pile pressure on the Trump administration to make a deal to end the conflict.

Regional tensions persist

The Saudi-led coalition backing Yemen's government said Friday that air defense systems had intercepted and destroyed two ballistic missiles launched by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels at Najran, a major city in southwest Saudi Arabia. "Debris fell as a result of the interception, and damage assessment is underway," the statement said.

Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said in a statement carried by state media Friday that two oil tankers hit mines and caught fire in or near the Strait of Hormuz, a day after Tehran claimed five other tankers had met similar fates. "Two violating oil tankers — one east of the Strait of Hormuz and the other within the Strait itself — that attempted to transit via an unauthorized route struck mines," the IRGC said.