Iran says 7 tankers hit overnight in Gulf and Hormuz · US orders diplomats out of Saudi Arabia · Russia pounds Kyiv with missiles

Risk stays high into Thursday, Oct 22. Iran claims its largest single night of tanker hits since the war began, Washington has ordered non-emergency staff out of Saudi Arabia as Houthi attacks spread, and Russia hit Kyiv with a heavy missile barrage hours after agreeing to resume peace talks.

Middle East: Iran's Revolutionary Guard Navy says four ships it accuses of illegal ship-to-ship oil transfers in the northern Gulf were hit and set on fire Wednesday, and three more struck mines west of the Strait of Hormuz. It warned the U.S. that its response could widen to American bases in the region. None of the seven has been independently confirmed yet. The UN's maritime agency counts 119 confirmed incidents and 24 seafarer deaths in the region as of Oct. 21. The New York Times reports U.S. and Israeli militaries have drawn up plans for renewed strikes on Iran after next month's midterm elections.

Saudi Arabia/Yemen: A drone attack on King Fahd International Airport in Dammam killed one resident and wounded eight Wednesday, and falling debris from a drone shot down over Aramco's Shaybah oil field killed two workers. Saudi officials say oil operations were not affected. The Saudi-led coalition reports drones intercepted over the Eastern Province and the Madinah region. The State Department ordered non-emergency U.S. government employees and their families to leave Saudi Arabia. Riyadh's main airport has reopened.

Ukraine/Russia: Russia fired about 21 missiles, including ballistic missiles, and 210 drones overnight. Kyiv region officials report two killed and 34 injured, including five children, and the metro line on Kyiv's Southern Bridge was damaged. At least seven people were killed across Ukraine. Ukraine sent hundreds of drones toward Moscow and other Russian regions. The strikes came right after U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff met Putin, and the Kremlin says U.S.-mediated talks with Ukraine could resume next month.

Energy/U.S.: Brent jumped about 3% to around $112 a bar