Key Takeaways

Recent waves of Iranian attacks on vessels in and near the Strait of Hormuz indicate that Iran retains the ability to effectively target vessels in the strait, which suggests that Iran has either overcome previous operational challenges or is adapting to such constraints through new tactics or capabilities.

The Houthis are attempting to domestically produce a variant of the Iranian Kheybar Shekan missile with People’s Republic of China (PRC)-manufactured components.

Houthi development and use of Kheybar Shekan variants with maneuverable re-entry vehicles that can change the missile’s trajectory mid-flight present a challenge to Saudi air defenses as the Houthis continue to fire missiles and drones targeting Saudi critical infrastructure.

Key Takeaways

Ukrainian officials reported in-motion speed restrictions on SpaceX’s Starshield communications network over Ukraine overnight on October 13 to 14 that will significantly disrupt Ukraine’s jet-powered drone interception efforts and intermediate-range strike campaign.

Ukrainian forces do not have access to Starshield or Starlink services over Russia, such that the latest Starshield in-motion speed restrictions cannot affect Ukraine’s ability to conduct long-range strikes against targets in Russia.

The speed restrictions on Starshield could have major implications for Ukraine’s interception efforts against Russia’s faster jet-powered drones.

The Starshield restrictions will significantly impact Ukraine’s ability to conduct the intermediate-range strikes that have facilitated Ukraine’s counteroffensive operations in key frontline sectors throughout 2026.

The Starshield speed restrictions come as Ukraine’s 3rd Army Corps publicized more details on Operation Vivaldi in the Lyman direction, which has heavily relied on a coordinated, months-long intermediate-range strike campaign to facilitate successful Ukrainian ground advances.

Ukraine’s Operation Vivaldi continues to generate cascading effects on neighboring sectors immediately north and south of the Lyman area.

Ukrainian forces struck a data center of the Russian state-owned bank Sberbank in Saratov Oblast and industrial infrastructure in Rostov Oblast on the night of October 13 to 14. Russian forces launched 39 Iskander-M, KN-23, and S-400 ballistic missiles, Zircon and Onyx anti-ship missiles, and 128 drones and loitering munitions against Ukraine overnight.

Neither Russian nor Ukrainian forces advanced on October 14.