US-Iran War Escalation: The US and Iran traded a seventh straight night of strikes across the Middle East, with Washington targeting Iranian military logistics, underground weapons storage and maritime capabilities while Tehran warned of “full-scale” retaliation and hit US-linked sites in Kuwait and Jordan. Energy Infrastructure Under Fire: Kuwait reported an Iranian strike on a power generation and desalination station, forcing units offline and triggering fires; Iran also claimed attacks on desalination and electricity assets in Iran’s Hormozgan province. Strait of Hormuz Pressure: The fight is increasingly about the Strait of Hormuz, with the US enforcing a naval blockade and Iran claiming it stopped “violating” vessels; CENTCOM rejected IRGC claims that two oil tankers exploded after mine hits. Oil Market Jitters: Brent pushed toward $88 as shipping fears and potential supply disruption lifted crude and gas prices, while regional attacks raised the risk of wider chokepoint disruption. Iraq-Syria Pipeline Deal: Iraq and Syria signed an MoU to rehabilitate the Haditha–Baniyas crude pipeline, with Chevron expected to play a key role—an effort to improve regional connectivity beyond Hormuz. Pakistan Red Line: Pakistan told Iran that Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia are “attacks on Pakistan,” complicating how far Islamabad may be pulled into the wider West Asia energy-security shock.