Saudi Arabia intercepts missile as Gulf tanker losses peak in October

Security in the Gulf tightened on 24 October as a ballistic missile was intercepted over Saudi Arabia and new strikes were reported on commercial shipping.

Saudi coalition forces said they destroyed the missile and a drone targeted at the country. The Directorate of Civil Defence warned residents of potential danger before declaring the threat passed in Riyadh, Najran, and Wadi al-Dawasir.

Maritime data from a Washington-based think tank indicates October is the worst month for attacks on commercial shipping since 2017. The navy of Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps claimed two supertankers struck naval mines while using an unauthorised route south of the Strait of Hormuz. UK Maritime Trade Operations reported a separate tanker was hit by an unknown projectile seven nautical miles off the Omani coast.

Tensions between Washington and Tehran have escalated in recent weeks. US President Donald Trump stated at a Florida rally that the US might launch another military operation against Iran. Major General Abdollahi, Iran's armed forces chief of staff, responded that Iran will not allow "rusting US warships to re-enter the Persian Gulf". Mohammed Mokhber, an adviser to Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, described threats from Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as signs of "desperation rather than power".

Diplomatic efforts continue alongside the military posturing. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian is scheduled to travel to Moscow next week. He is expected to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and attend the Gas Exporting Countries Forum summit on 27 October. In London, Foreign Secretary Ed Miliband said Britain is "redoubling" its efforts to find diplomatic solutions, noting the conflict is "driving up bills for families in Britain".

In the West Bank, Israeli forces ordered Palestinian residents of Hebron to leave their homes on foot and demolished buildings near where two Israeli soldiers were killed. Troops detained dozens of people during raids in the territory.

In Syria, protests were held on Friday against Israeli incursions in the south. The demonstrations followed an earlier attack that killed a man with a disability. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said the time had come to reunify Libya's rival administrations. In Israel, Netanyahu warned the country should prepare for international banking sanctions and suggested cryptocurrency could help bypass them. The Knesset election is scheduled for four days from now.