Iran sinks two ships in Strait of Hormuz as Houthis ‘days’ from taking Yemen’s Taiz

Iran has sunk two cargo vessels in under 24 hours in the Strait of Hormuz for the first time since the war began in March.

On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, Venetia Rainey speaks to chief foreign affairs commentator David Blair about why Tehran is expanding its pace of attacks. So far the US has avoided a military response but how long can that last? Meanwhile, news that US President Donald Trump is considering using the GBU-43/B Massive Ordnance Air Blast Bomb - aka the “mother of all bombs”.

Plus, the Iran-backed Houthis have encircled Yemen’s Taiz and are on the cusp of taking the strategic city for the first time in the war in what would be a major blow to Saudi Arabia.

Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen, a Yemeni senior researcher from the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies, explains why the Houthis are so desperate to capture Taiz as a stepping-stone to oil-rich Marib and port city Aden and how it could take just “days” to fall. With around a million people trapped inside and news of food and medicine shortages, a humanitarian disaster is looming and Iran’s proxy group is on the brink of a major victory.

Highlights Iran sinks two ships in Strait of Hormuz as attacks escalate Houthis ‘days’ from taking Yemen’s key city of Taiz

CONTRIBUTORS: Venetia Rainey, co-host and executive producer @venetiarainey David Blair, chief foreign affairs commentator @davidblairdt Maysaa Shuja Al-Deen from the Sana’a Center for Strategic Studies @maysaashujaa

WATCH US ON YOUTUBE: https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLJnf_DDTfIVAif-vifC6F2aoPB8GIw6dk

CONTENT REFERENCED: Iran hits six oil tankers in single day https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/13/iran-hits-six-oil-tankers-day-hormuz-war-america-trump/ Trump lines up ‘mother of all bombs’ to strike Iran https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/15/trump-mother-of-all-bombs-strike-iran-moab/ Houthis on brink of taking their biggest scalp https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-news/2026/10/13/houthis-on-brink-of-seizing-their-biggest-scalp/ Con Coughlin: The Houthis are Europe’s problem https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026/10/15/houthis-are-europe-problem/

Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Bronze Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - London Press Club Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026

Producers: Peter Shevlin and Max Bower Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Studio Operator: Andy Watson Executive Producer: Venetia Rainey

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