Breakfast News Recap: Middle East tensions flare as Trump moves on tariffs and markets rally on tech and metals

Violence across the Middle East intensified, with Houthi attacks killing at least 58 Yemeni government troops in Marib and Hadramawt and wounding 11 civilians in Saudi Arabia’s Najran Province, including a four year old child with second degree burns.  🔗  🔗

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In Syria, at least two people were killed and 13 wounded when a bomb exploded inside a minibus in Jaramana near Damascus, while a separate blast in the same area was also reported to have killed and wounded several people.  🔗  🔗

Regional tensions also deepened around the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran accused Donald Trump of “theatre diplomacy on loop” as talks continued, and reports said preparations were under way for a possible mine clearing operation using uncrewed surface vehicles, underwater drones and explosive laden robots.  🔗  🔗

Israel signalled it may act alone as the war with Iran drags on, even as Washington and Tehran appeared close to a deal, and Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan were expected to sign a joint defence pact in Jeddah amid the wider escalation.  🔗  🔗

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Elsewhere in the region, Israel resumed strikes and evacuation orders in south Lebanon, drawing anger from residents, while eight Arab and Muslim countries issued a joint statement condemning what they called ongoing Israeli violations in Gaza.  🔗  🔗

In the occupied West Bank, Israeli prosecutors filed a rare indictment against settler Yinon Levy over the killing of Palestinian activist Odeh Hathaleen, and a large scale raid in Qalandiya refugee camp injured at least 51 Palestinians.  🔗  🔗

Outside the Middle East, North Korea fired a ballistic missile toward the sea off its east coast as Kim Yo jong threatened Japan, while Taiwan’s President William Lai joined an emergency evacuation drill during the Han Kuang exercises.  🔗  🔗

In Europe and North America, Germany is investigating an explosives laden drone found at Leipzig/Halle Airport amid hybrid attack concerns, Toronto police arrested two people over a shooting at the US Consulate, and Heathrow’s runway reopened after a grass fire caused delays and cancellations.  🔗  🔗  🔗

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Further afield, Australia’s $2 billion PFAS case against 3M advanced in Federal Court, the Victorian court data leak prompted a police investigation, Argentina said it would not retaliate after Brazil downgraded diplomatic ties, and the UK Conservatives pledged to bar foreign nationals from new social housing tenancies in England.  🔗  🔗  🔗  🔗

Ukraine’s war also remained in focus after UN chief António Guterres condemned the deadliest Russian strikes on Kyiv this year, while a volunteer team was reported recovering bodies from the front line in a refrigerated van.  🔗  🔗

In the United States, Trump signed orders imposing a 15 percent tariff on polysilicon imports and targeting birthright citizenship and birth tourism, while also signalling ongoing US action against Venezuela and Iran and backing Pete Hegseth.  🔗  🔗  🔗

China and India held their 36th Working Mechanism for Consultation and Coordination meeting on border affairs in New Delhi, and in the US, Philip LeVota, the interim Jackson County Executive, was indicted over an alleged bribery scheme linked to the 2026 election.  🔗  🔗

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