U.S.-Iran Escalation: The Middle East’s crisis deepened as the U.S. carried out a ninth straight night of strikes on Iran after deaths of U.S. personnel in Jordan and Iraq, with Iran warning of further retaliation and denouncing attacks on civilian infrastructure. Gaza & Israel Politics: Israeli settlers and far-right figures marched toward the Gaza border demanding a return of settlements, while Israel’s High Court froze key parts of a contentious media reform law and Israel’s embassy in Australia sharply rebuked Labor’s draft platform ahead of its national conference. Humanitarian Pressure in Afghanistan: The Taliban said more than 4,000 Afghan migrants were forcibly returned from Iran and Pakistan in a day, as UN agencies warned that hunger and needs—especially for women and girls—are worsening. Regional Diplomacy & Rights: A rights group urged the UN to impose an arms embargo on the UAE over alleged Sudan genocide support, and Cyprus commemorated the 52nd anniversary of Turkey’s 1974 invasion amid renewed calls over missing persons. Economy & Markets: Oil pushed above $90 a barrel as conflict risk rose, while gold stayed near $4,000 and markets weighed the inflation and rate impact. Local Life in Egypt: Cairo’s “Garbage City” recyclers are seeing demand surge from plastic supply disruptions tied to Hormuz shipping disruptions.