Strait of Hormuz tanker attack, Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia, and a Brazilian political escape

An oil tanker was hit by two explosive devices in the Strait of Hormuz, while Houthis claimed attacks on Saudi refineries and Flávio Bolsonaro fled Brazil.

Strait of Hormuz tanker attack, Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia, and a Brazilian political escape — An oil tanker was attacked with two explosive devices in the Strait of Hormuz on Thursday, October 29, 2026, causing explosions and a fire in the engine room.[^1] The incident occurred about 25 nautical miles northeast of the Omani city of Khasab, adding to a pattern of maritime insecurity in the strategic waterway. No group immediately claimed responsibility, but the attack comes amid heightened tensions between Iran and the United States, with the Pentagon preparing for possible additional strikes on Iran.[^2] Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis said on Thursday they had attacked Saudi Arabia's Ras Tanura oil refinery, the largest in the kingdom, the Rabigh refinery, and an Aramco facility in Abqaiq.[^3] Saudi Arabia intercepted two ballistic missiles launched by the Houthis toward Riyadh, with at least eight explosions heard in the capital.[^4] The Houthi-run health ministry reported 12 civilians killed in Saudi airstrikes on residential areas in western Yemen. More than 1,600 people have been killed in Yemen since hostilities resumed, with over 275,000 displaced, according to UN figures. In a separate development, Flávio Bolsonaro, the political rival of Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva, fled Brazil to the United States on Thursday after refusing to comply with a Supreme Court order to surrender his passports.[^5] Bolsonaro declared himself the legitimate leader of the country, escalating a political crisis that has been brewing for months. The move follows a pattern of defiance against judicial authority that has characterized the Bolsonaro family's legal battles. Arab vote surge reshapes Israeli election math — The Central Elections Committee completed counting 100% of the votes, confirming a seismic shift: the Netanyahu bloc holds 53 seats, the Eisenkot bloc 48, and Arab parties 19 — nearly double their previous strength.[^1] Likud is the largest party with 27 seats, followed by Yashar! (21) and Together (12). The Joint List won 11 seats, the United Arab List 7.[^1] Voter turnout reached 77.9%.[^1] Dr. Nachman Shai argues that the revolution of Isr