Houthi Strike Aramco, Ukraine Hits Russian Refinery, and Global Markets Tumble Amid Midterm Tensions
Iran-backed Houthis attacked Saudi Aramco's headquarters while Ukraine struck a Russian refinery, sending global markets tumbling ahead of U.S. midterm elections amid widening geopolitical tensions.
Newsnibs Staff
- 2026-10-16
- Updated 1:30 AM UTC
Iran-backed Houthi rebels struck the headquarters of Saudi oil giant Aramco in Dhahran on October 15, damaging the top three floors of the company's CEO offices. Two regional officials, speaking on condition of anonymity, said the strike caused no casualties. Saudi Arabia described the attack as causing a "limited fire." Separately, debris from intercepted missiles wounded four people in Riyadh. The strike raised questions for President Donald Trump about potential U.S. involvement in the Iran war.
Ukrainian drones struck a Russian oil refinery in the Ryazan region, 300 kilometers southeast of Moscow, starting a fire there. A senior Ukrainian official confirmed the attack, and Russia's Defense Ministry also reported it. The strike further complicated relations between Kyiv and the Trump administration. Russian strikes killed at least six people in Ukraine and cut power to parts of Kyiv.
The U.S. Department of Justice threatened California with legal action over alleged noncitizen voter registration. The department sent a list of names to California Secretary of State Shirley Weber and demanded a 48-hour review ahead of the November 3 midterms.
At Cornell University, President Michael Kotlikoff faced faculty frustration over his handling of a 2024 fraternity gang rape allegation, with a no-confidence resolution against him under debate. In Minnesota, federal authorities seized the phone of Rep. Ilhan Omar and issued more than a dozen subpoenas as part of an investigation into potential immigration fraud involving her. D.C. U.S. Attorney Jeanine Pirro confirmed multiple probes are underway.
A school roof collapse at Al-Khair school in Peshawar, Pakistan, killed at least 28 children and a teacher and injured more than 50 others.
Pope Leo XIV is recovering at Rome's Gemelli hospital. Accounts of his condition diverge. The Gazette reported he was diagnosed with lung cancer and is recovering at the hospital, without mentioning any operation. AFP reported he underwent surgery to remove a cancerous tumor from his right lung. The discrepancy between the two accounts has left his future agenda in question.
South Korea's Kospi index fell 7.6% to 5,554.22 amid a tech sell-off. Samsung Electronics shares dropped 9.5%, and SK Hynix shares fell 11.1%.
Democrats are targeting Republican-held seats held by veterans, including in Colorado's 5th district, leveraging anger over the Iran war. In Germany, a former Ukrainian military officer is set to become the first person tried over the 2022 Nord Stream pipeline bombings. In San Francisco, a Saudi OpenAI employee was arrested for allegedly planting a recording device in the company's office.
Photo by Danny Burke on Unsplash
