Three commercial ships were damaged by 'unknown projectiles' in the Strait of Hormuz, escalating tensions in a vital global shipping route. In response to surging energy prices, 32 member countries of the International Energy Agency agreed to release 400 million barrels of oil from emergency reserves, marking the largest coordinated release in the agency’s history.

Israel announced a new wave of strikes targeting infrastructure in Iran and positions linked to Hezbollah in Beirut. Iran retaliated with strikes on targets in Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates and Kuwait, while Israeli territory was also hit, raising fears of a broader regional conflict.

Elsewhere, reports highlight suspected Russian intelligence sabotage operations in countries supporting Ukraine. Separately, computer scientists warn that future robots could reflect a predominantly male perspective due to the low number of women involved in artificial intelligence design.