Iran escalates strikes targeting ships and Dubai as energy fears mount

Iran escalates its Gulf campaign by attacking commercial ships and striking near Dubai International Airport, part of a broader confrontation with the United States and Israel that threatens oil flows through the Strait of Hormuz; energy markets tighten as prices rise and the IEA approves a 400 million-barrel emergency reserves release, while the UN calls for a halt to attacks and global powers scramble to keep trade and aviation moving.