Noontime News Recap: US and Iran trade strikes as Gulf shipping risk rises and diplomacy strains widen

The United States said it had completed an 11th consecutive night of strikes on Iran, while Iranian forces reportedly retaliated by hitting US military targets in the region, deepening fears of a wider confrontation and adding to pressure on Gulf shipping routes.  🔗

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That risk was underlined in the Red Sea, where three oil tankers turned back after a warning from Yemen's Houthi movement, a fresh sign that maritime disruption is spreading beyond the immediate battlefield.  🔗

India pressed Russia over the deaths of four Indian seafarers after a missile strike on a merchant vessel off the coast of Ukraine, as New Delhi sought answers over the attack and the loss of its nationals.  🔗

In Europe, EU ambassadors in Brussels were working to finalise the bloc's 21st sanctions package against Russia, with the talks coming amid continued pressure to tighten economic measures over the war.  🔗

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Diplomatic tensions also flared elsewhere, after Morocco demanded full clarification from Italy over the death of Abderrahim Fakir during an arrest in Bologna, a case that has already triggered protests and added strain to bilateral ties.  🔗

In Asia, India's External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar met Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Manila and raised concerns over supply chain predictability, trade and the border, while the wider Quad meeting in the city saw India, the United States, Australia and Japan restate support for a free and open Indo Pacific.  🔗 🔗

Pakistan has also sought a $10 billion US stabilisation facility, according to a source familiar with the matter, as Islamabad looks for financial support after playing a diplomatic role in talks involving Iran.  🔗

In domestic politics, Rahul Gandhi was released after being detained during a sit in outside Narendra Modi's residence in New Delhi, where student led protests over a range of issues continued to draw attention.  🔗

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In the United States, New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu a war criminal and urged federal action on the International Criminal Court warrant, while Donald Trump used Truth Social to praise allies in conservative media and repeat election fraud claims.  🔗 🔗

On the corporate front, Norway's Equinor said quarterly profits nearly doubled to $11.5bn, helped by higher oil and gas prices and increased production, a reminder of how the energy market is still being shaped by war related supply shocks.  🔗

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