Overnight developments centre on the Strait of Hormuz, where a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile, while diplomats push to shorten a proposed Iran plan ahead of a possible meeting in Turkey. A deadly Russian drone strike in Ukraine and the final stretch of Israel's election count round out today's update.
Tanker struck by unknown projectile in the Strait of Hormuz
A tanker in outbound transit through the Strait of Hormuz was struck by an unknown projectile on Thursday at around 1600 GMT, according to UK maritime trade monitors. No crew injuries and no environmental impact were reported, and the vessel's name, flag and cargo were not disclosed, with no claim of responsibility. The incident is distinct from an earlier report of a burning vessel largely submerged about nine nautical miles north of Khasab. Iran's Revolutionary Guards have separately claimed that three tankers hit mines and caught fire on what it called an unauthorised southern route, a claim that remains unverified, while US Central Command says mines have been cleared from the main shipping routes.
Iran seeks to shorten diplomacy plan from seven days to four
Mediators are discussing a meeting in Turkey before November 4 as part of efforts to avert post-midterm strikes, with Iran seeking to shorten a proposed plan from seven days to four. The plan covers reopening the Strait of Hormuz, lifting a US naval blockade and nuclear inspections. Iran's formal reply to a letter from US Vice President JD Vance is still pending, with Tehran saying contact with mediators continues.
Russian drone strike on Dnipro train station kills at least 14
A Russian drone strike on the crowded platform of Dnipro's train station in central Ukraine killed at least 14 people, according to a roundup of Thursday's reports. The attack hit civilians at one of the country's busy transport hubs as the war continues to strike deep into Ukrainian cities.
Netanyahu steps up election-fraud claims as final results near
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stepped up claims of election fraud and ruled out cooperation with Arab parties, while the electoral body has asked the Shin Bet security service to investigate. Final election results are due on November 4, with no bloc yet holding a majority.
Crypto watch: no new delisting announcements, Sophon deadline clarified
There were no new spot exchange delisting announcements in this window. One new detail emerged for holders of Sophon assets: November 25 is the withdrawal deadline, with infrastructure and websites shutting down after that date and final closure on November 30, meaning assets left behind after the deadline could become permanently inaccessible.
Market snapshot
Bitcoin traded near $80,897, down about 0.71 percent but still above $80,000, while Ethereum stood near $2,339, down about 1.20 percent. Brent crude was around $115.05 a barrel. Coming up today, October 30, are the Coinbase conversion of 14 EEA assets, Binance's removal of 12 spot pairs and 10 margin pairs, Balancer pools moving to withdrawal-only, and the deadline for comments on the US shipping-fee suspension proposal.
Sources
Tanker incident: Reuters, via Deccan Herald, Devdiscourse and ANews; UK Maritime Trade Operations report also carried by Iran International. Iran plan and pending reply: Al Arabiya English, SAMAA, Tasnim and Daijiworld. Dnipro strike and Israel election claims: Mathrubhumi roundup. Sophon shutdown detail: CoinStats. Market figures: Finnhub live data and oilpriceapi, as tracked in the news digest.
