US-Iran Escalation: The US launched another round of strikes on Iran, targeting Revolutionary Guard air-defense and missile/drone sites after two American soldiers were killed in Jordan; Iran retaliated by hitting US bases in Kuwait and warned of further action as the Hormuz standoff keeps widening. Regional Diplomacy: Qatar’s PM and foreign minister met Türkiye’s Hakan Fidan, urging dialogue and pushing for the US-Iran MoU to protect freedom of navigation through the Strait of Hormuz; Iraq’s PM also met Qatar’s Amir, echoing the same de-escalation line. Oil Routes & Workarounds: Iraq is studying a Basra–Kirkuk–Türkiye pipeline with a possible branch to Syria’s Baniyas to cut Hormuz dependence, while Iraq and Syria signed an MoU to rehabilitate the Iraq-Syria pipeline; meanwhile, Basra loading resumed with three supertankers taking in six million barrels. Iraq Impact: Eco Iraq Observatory estimates Iraq lost about 302.8 million barrels of oil production in the first half of 2026 due to the US-Iran war disrupting Hormuz exports. Israel Politics: Israel’s Knesset was dissolved ahead of October 27 elections after Netanyahu’s coalition pushed through major laws, including changes affecting the ultra-Orthodox draft and judicial powers. Public Opinion & Politics in the US: An AP poll of Jewish adults finds complicated views on Gaza and growing feelings of insecurity in the US, while a Jewish pro-Israel group backs candidates accusing Israel of genocide.