Breakfast News Recap: Middle East tensions flare as Kyiv hit, Gaza deal stalls and markets watch risk

Renewed strikes between the United States and Iran have ended a brief pause in hostilities and raised the risk of a wider regional escalation, with reports also saying Washington and Israel are preparing a major bombing campaign against Iran's energy infrastructure and that the timing could come as soon as the weekend. Donald Trump has separately threatened to bomb Iran's Pickaxe Mountain site, while a tanker was struck by an unknown projectile near Oman close to the Strait of Hormuz, underlining the danger to shipping.  🔗  🔗  🔗  🔗

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In Gaza, the political track remains fragile. Hamas said it had agreed to a Trump backed deal that includes handing over weapons to a Palestinian governing committee and allowing a gradual Israeli withdrawal, but Israel has not given formal approval and a senior Israeli official said troops will not pull back without what he called genuine Hamas disarmament. Palestinians in Gaza voiced scepticism that the pledge will change conditions on the ground or deliver a lasting ceasefire.  🔗  🔗  🔗

Ukraine faced another deadly night as Russian ballistic missile strikes on Kyiv killed at least nine people and injured at least 23 more, with rescue work continuing. The attack came as Trump said the US has not agreed to let Ukraine produce Patriot missiles, contradicting comments from President Volodymyr Zelensky.  🔗  🔗

Elsewhere in Europe, Poland summoned the Russian ambassador after confirming that a missile landed in Tarnawa Kolonia in the Lublin region, adding to concern over spillover from the war. In the UK, Labour retained the Greater Manchester mayoralty after Bev Craig won a low turnout contest following a two round count.  🔗  🔗

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In Asia, India's nationwide youth protests were called off after education minister Dharmendra Pradhan resigned over a leaked exam paper, ending a two month campaign led by the Cockroaches movement. In Sri Lanka, a court sentenced former police chief Pujith Jayasundara and former defence ministry secretary Hemasiri Fernando to death over the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings.  🔗  🔗

Public health officials in the Democratic Republic of the Congo said the Ebola outbreak has become the world's second largest on record, with 3,532 confirmed cases and 1,556 deaths. The scale of the outbreak keeps pressure on health services and aid agencies across the country.  🔗

In the Americas, Venezuela's government and a segment of the opposition are due to begin US backed talks on Saturday aimed at creating a path towards eventual elections. In the United States, federal prosecutors in Southern California filed 115 border related cases this week, while a Virginia court saw Scalpa chief executive Bryce Cleveland plead guilty to three federal charges linked to the sale of skincare products.  🔗  🔗  🔗  🔗

Separately, the US Marine Corps said an F 35B stealth fighter crashed near Miramar air base in San Diego, but the pilot ejected safely and was taken to hospital. Yemen's Houthis also denied reports that they plan to charge ships transiting the Red Sea and Bab al Mandeb, despite continuing tension around the route.  🔗  🔗

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