Houthis sink Singapore container ship in Strait of Hormuz as Riyadh airport strikes kill 13

Iran has escalated attacks on commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz, sinking the Singapore-flagged GFS Pride after a projectile strike caused a fire on board, while the Houthi movement has separately struck Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport, killing 13 people and injuring hundreds more. All 21 crew of the GFS Pride were safely evacuated. A second Singapore vessel, GFS Giselle, sustained hull damage but reached safe anchorage with its 22 crew unharmed. October's running total of UK Maritime Trade Operations Centre warnings has now reached 24 separate incidents.

Iran's Revolutionary Guard claimed a naval mine sank the GFS Pride, but maritime security firm Marisks called it 'psychological operations' with no independent evidence of a mine.

The Houthis struck a second Saudi airport the day after Riyadh, targeting King Fahd International Airport in Dammam, raising fears of full Saudi retaliation.

A former UK general has warned that 'Iran's back is against the wall' — but remains capable of further dangerous escalation across the region.