U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has admitted that Israel exerted pressure on the United States to initiate the recent attacks on Iran, a revelation that deepens the diplomatic fallout surrounding the escalating conflict.
The admission comes as Israel launched further airstrikes on Tehran, following an intensification of Iranian retaliatory actions across the region. These included reports of attacks on U.S. interests, notably the U.S. embassy in Riyadh, underscoring the widening scope of hostilities that have gripped the Middle East.
The deepening conflict continues to wreak havoc on global financial markets. U.S. equity futures tumbled by over 1%, signaling a challenging open for American trading. Asian markets registered significant declines, with Japan’s Nikkei 225 down nearly 3% and China’s CSI 300 falling 1%. The U.S. dollar continued its strengthening trend against major currency peers, reflecting its safe-haven appeal amidst uncertainty. Gold, however, showed relative stability, trading around $5,350 an ounce. In energy markets, Brent crude surged an additional 4%, pushing prices to $80 a barrel amid fears of prolonged supply disruptions.
Amidst the escalating violence, diplomatic efforts are reportedly underway to de-escalate the situation. Qatar and several other Gulf states are said to be reaching out to the United States in a bid to find an “off-ramp” to the conflict, seeking to prevent a further broadening of the regional war.