Middle East War Escalates: Israel Strikes Lebanon, Iran Threatens Shipping, Oil Prices Soar

• Israel intensifies campaign against Iran-backed militants in Lebanon, causing massive explosions in Beirut and displacing over 1 million Lebanese.
• US and Israel pummel military targets in Iran; Iran retaliates with drone strikes, temporarily closing Dubai's airport and hitting UAE oil facilities.
• Iran maintains a stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, disrupting global shipping, causing Brent crude to remain over $100 a barrel and fueling fears of an energy crisis.
• US President Donald Trump's appeals for international warships to secure the Strait of Hormuz have received no commitments, while Iran rejects truce talks.
• Over 1,300 killed in Iran, 850 in Lebanon, 12 in Israel, and 13 US military members amidst widespread destruction and internet outages in Iran.