The Middle East crisis accelerated dramatically this morning. Iran abandoned ceasefire negotiations with the U.S. and announced it will maintain closure of the Strait of Hormuz—a critical shipping route—in response to American airstrikes on Iranian military installations [The Hill]. The move signals a major escalation after Kuwait was also targeted by Iranian drone and missile fire [NPR].

Meanwhile, Israel's military operations in Lebanon are intensifying. The UN Security Council convened as Israeli forces push deeper into Lebanese territory, prompting mass evacuations from Beirut with traffic at a standstill [France 24]. However, a Lebanese official told the U.S. that Hezbollah is willing to accept a full ceasefire with Israel, offering a potential off-ramp to the conflict [Axios].

Elsewhere, Colombia's presidential race heads to a runoff after the first round. Pro-Trump lawyer De la Espriella surged ahead with promises of a crime crackdown, forcing leftist incumbent Gustavo Petro's favored successor into a second-round matchup [PBS, CBS News].

On trade, the Supreme Court's little-known nondelegation doctrine helped strike down Trump's tariffs, constraining the administration's ability to unilaterally impose duties [Bloomberg]. In Europe, France intercepted a sanctioned Russian oil tanker departing a Russian port, tightening enforcement of energy sanctions [UPI].

Domestically, a Senate Democrat defended judicial nominee Platner despite acknowledging "mistakes" in his personal life [The Hill], while the Bank of Canada cautioned against overreacting to technical recession signals [Bloomberg Markets].