Yemen-Saudi Escalation: Houthis carried out attacks on Saudi Arabia, injuring 11 civilians in Najran, as Riyadh warned of coordinated strikes involving Houthis, Iraqi Shiite militias and Iran’s IRGC. Hormuz Shock to Energy Markets: Oil jumped again on reports Iran hit “hostile targets” in the Strait of Hormuz and is weighing a bill to block US and Israeli ships, while Iran-Oman talks still leave safe passage uncertain—keeping fuel prices and shipping costs jittery. Regional Security Pacts: Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan are set to sign a joint defence agreement in Jeddah, with talks expected to focus on maritime security and defence cooperation amid US-Iran tensions. Syria Security Blow: A bomb hidden in a minibus killed 2 and wounded 13 in the Damascus suburb of Jaramana, underscoring fragile stability. Islamic Finance Push: Standard Chartered says Saudi Arabia is positioned to become a global hub for Islamic capital flows as Vision 2030 expands markets and digital infrastructure. Gaza Diplomacy: Pakistan and seven other Muslim countries condemned Israeli violations in Gaza, especially attacks on healthcare and civilian infrastructure. Oman Environmental Threat: A Russian “shadow fleet” tanker ran aground off Oman, with Greenpeace warning of a growing oil spill threatening coral reefs and marine life.