Saudi coalition hits Sanaa oil facility as Houthis target Aramco and Dhahran; airlines cancel Saudi flights

Attacks on Hormuz shipping were the most intense of the war in the two weeks to October 11, the Financial Times reports; a tanker and a container ship were hit again Tuesday. Trump says the US will not attack Iran before the November 3 midterms, which "have no impact" on his approach, and that oil will "drop like a rock" when the war ends. Iran's Revolutionary Guards commander said no outside power may interfere in Hormuz.

Zelensky says Russia does not want to accept Trump's "energy ceasefire" and hit six energy sites on Monday. Trump insists both sides agreed, "because I said they agreed". Overnight Russia launched 108 drones and 14 missiles; at least 30 were wounded in Rivne. That evening ballistic missiles hit Kyiv's CHP-4 power plant and a nine-storey block, killing at least two and injuring 21; Zelensky again said partners gave no warning, and Trump says intelligence sharing continues.

Pope Leo XIV, 71, had a 90-minute operation at Rome's Gemelli hospital on Tuesday, and the Vatican said the surgery confirmed lung adenocarcinoma. The lower lobe of his right lung was removed "to ensure the procedure was radical". The Vatican said the operation went as planned and he woke up normally; further tests are checking whether the cancer has spread. It was his first hospitalisation since becoming pope.

The deal, under which Putin would release diesel supplies into global markets, irks allies and is unlikely to lower prices, the Japan Times reports. Six Democratic and six Republican senators have asked Trump to rescind it, and it is causing heartburn for Republicans in tough races. The European Commission has begun drafting a 23rd sanctions package on Russian oil in response, Politico reports; Peskov says such sanctions could hinder a US-Russia understanding.

Drones hit two ships in the Black Sea off Bulgaria on Tuesday, sinking one and leaving 11 people missing, the second such attack in a week. Only one person was rescued from the sunken ship, and 15 were picked up from the other. Prime Minister Rumen Radev called it unacceptable, said there is no clear proof who attacked but the result benefits Russia, and summoned Russia's ambassador. Ukraine's foreign minister blamed Russia.

The IMF raised its 2026 global growth forecast slightly to 3.1%, leaving 2027 at 3.4%, as AI investment offsets the Middle East energy shock. It warns the economy "could soon test the limits of resilience" as emergency oil stocks run low and budgets are stretched; a $130 oil scenario would add to inflation. It expects the Middle East and Central Asia to shrink in 2026, with Saudi GDP down 3.3%. Its financial stability report flags a possible AI share crash.