Indonesia’s Agency for Meteorology, Climatology and Geophysics reported a magnitude-5.5 earthquake struck offshore 169 km northwest of Tanimbar Islands Regency at 07:53 local time on Nov. 2; focal depth 130 km. No tsunami risk was reported.

Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said on the evening of Nov. 1 local time that two tankers struck mines and exploded while transiting the Strait of Hormuz without Iranian authorization; one was a supertanker. The IRGC said the vessels had switched off navigation systems and attempted a covert transit with U.S. military support but were forced to stop after hitting mines.

Gulf states warn a renewed US–Israel strike on a better-prepared Iran could spark a far more destructive regional war that the Gulf would ultimately bear the cost of managing, UAE presidential foreign affairs adviser Anwar Gargash said at the Manama Dialogue. He said Gulf states had exhausted diplomatic options and are seeking a political solution. President Trump has repeatedly said the US and Israel will deliver a “final strike”; he ruled out strikes before Tuesday’s US midterm elections but did not rule out resuming military action if peace talks stall. RUSI deputy research fellow Mohammed Basha said he had not heard Gulf officials or civilians support strikes; most expect a new round of conflict and that Iran’s response would be more intense and likely not to follow previously observed rules of engagement.