WS #9280

The Israel-Iran conflict has escalated sharply, with multiple sources (Al Jazeera, Bluesky OSINT, BBC) reporting direct missile and airstrike exchanges between the two countries. Iran launched approximately 30 medium-range ballistic missiles at Israel overnight, and Israel struck targets in Tehran, Isfahan, and Kermanshah. The Houthis declared a ban on Israeli ships in the Red Sea, and Iran's ambassador stated the Strait of Hormuz will remain open but under new conditions including a transit fee. Oil prices surged above $97/barrel, and Asian markets plunged—South Korea's Kospi fell 8.3%, Japan's Nikkei dropped 4.5%, and Hong Kong's Hang Seng Tech Index lost 2.7%. The Nasdaq recorded its worst session since April 2025, with the Fear & Greed Index moving to 'Fear' zone. The dominant narrative is ESCALATING: the Israel-Iran conflict is intensifying, oil is spiking, and global risk assets are selling off. Counter-signals: AMD announced a £2 billion AI investment in the UK, providing a bullish tech narrative; the Eurozone Sentix index improved to -13.4 from -16.4, suggesting some economic resilience. The Philippines earthquake aftershocks continue but are localized. The UK PM's call for tech companies to introduce child safety controls is a regulatory signal for big tech.