EconoTicker

U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth suggested Persian Gulf Arab partners could expand their involvement in the campaign against Iran, saying regional states are engaging the U.S. at “different levels” — including offensive action, plus providing additional access, basing, and overflight permissions, alongside closer air-defense coordination.

Separately, Hegseth said the U.S. is “winning” and that American and allied air defenses have “plenty of runway” to sustain operations, framing regional cooperation as part of a broader response to Iran’s hostile actions.

Source: Reuters; remarks reported from Pentagon briefing coverage (KC’s KCRA/AP-style transcript excerpt); The Guardian.

Turkey summoned Iran’s ambassador in Ankara to the Foreign Ministry to convey protest and concern after a ballistic missile launched from Iran was detected heading toward Turkish airspace, according to Turkish reporting citing Reuters.

Turkey’s Defence Ministry said the missile crossed Iraqi and Syrian airspace and was intercepted in time by NATO air and missile defence systems stationed in the eastern Mediterranean; no casualties were reported, though debris fell in Dörtyol (Hatay).

Source: Reuters; Turkey’s Ministry of National Defence; Nefes (Reuters).

U.S. President Donald Trump said Iran now wants to talk, but he has refused—writing on social media: “They want to talk. I said ‘Too Late!’”

In the same post, Trump claimed Iran’s air defenses, air force, navy, and leadership are “gone,” as the U.S.-Israel military campaign continues.

Source: Reuters; The Times of Israel

Israel’s Ynet reported that Israeli intelligence officials, after Iran’s attacks expanded beyond Israel to include multiple Arab countries and Cyprus, assessed that the “ayatollahs’ regime” is adopting abnormal—and potentially even “suicidal”—behavior aimed primarily at survival and preserving core regime interests/values.

The framing suggests Israeli analysts see higher risk tolerance in Tehran’s decision-making as the conflict regionalizes—raising the odds of unpredictable escalation, opportunistic strikes, and messaging designed to project control despite battlefield pressure.

Source: Ynet

The U.S. State Department said it has updated its travel advisory for the United Arab Emirates after ordering non-emergency U.S. government employees and eligible family members to depart due to the threat of armed conflict.

U.S. Mission UAE security alerts urged Americans in the country to stay vigilant, monitor official updates, and plan for possible disruptions as the regional security situation evolves.

Source: U.S. Department of State (Travel Advisory); U.S. Mission to the UAE

Israel’s military (IDF) said an Israeli Navy strike in Beirut killed Reza Khazaei, describing him as a senior figure working on behalf of Iran’s IRGC Quds Force to strengthen Hezbollah’s military capabilities. The IDF said Khazaei helped coordinate between Iran and Hezbollah, including weapons transfers into Lebanon and support for Hezbollah weapons production programs.

The claim is based on Israel’s statement and has not been independently verified through publicly available documentation.

Source: IDF statement (via The Times of Israel); Iran International.

Israel’s military says it has planned for a campaign against Iran lasting “weeks,” while stressing the timeline could shift depending on developments, according to Lt. Col. Nadav Shoshani, the IDF’s international spokesperson, speaking in an online briefing. Shoshani described progress so far as positive, and said the deployment of Israeli ground forces into Iran is unlikely at this stage.

Source: Reuters

Israel’s Defense Minister Israel Katz said he and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu have authorized the IDF to advance in southern Lebanon and take control of additional strategic areas to prevent direct fire on Israeli border communities.

Katz added that Israel will continue operating “with force” against Hezbollah targets, warning the group will “pay a price” for attacks on Israel.

Separately, an IDF spokesman said troop movements are limited to the border area and framed them as defensive deployments.

Source: Reuters; The National

France is ready to defend its partners if they request assistance, Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot said, as regional states face retaliatory strikes tied to the Iran crisis. Barrot pointed to France’s defence agreements, regional bases, and strategic interests, adding that Rafale fighter jets have been used in air operations to help secure airspace above French bases.

Barrot also said Paris is prepared to evacuate French nationals deemed most at risk—citing roughly 400,000 French citizens in the affected area—using commercial or military flights if needed.

Source: Reuters

Oman’s state news agency said several drones targeted fuel storage tanks at the commercial port of Duqm, with one drone striking a fuel tank. The resulting damage was described as contained, and no casualties were reported.

Source: Oman News Agency (ONA); Reuters

China’s Foreign Ministry said Beijing wants an early return to dialogue and negotiation on Iran, arguing the Iran nuclear issue ultimately requires a political and diplomatic solution.

In a regular briefing, spokesperson Mao Ning said China opposes the use or threat of force in international relations, called for an immediate stop to military operations, and said Beijing is ready to play a “constructive role”—including backing efforts at the UN Security Council to “uphold justice,” push for peace, and stop the war.

Source: Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China (FMPRC); Reuters.

U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee said Americans in Israel have “VERY LIMITED” options to depart right now and recommended leaving via Egypt, pointing to Israel’s Ministry of Tourism shuttle bus to Taba and then onward flights (including via Cairo) as the most workable route.

He also discouraged exiting via Jordan, citing inconsistent flights and limited hours/access at the Allenby crossing, as U.S. officials continue warning Americans to use whatever commercial options remain available amid widespread airspace disruptions.

Source: U.S. Ambassador to Israel (X); Reuters; ABC7NY.