Middle East Tensions Escalate with Israeli Closures, Deadly Jordan Attack, and Iran's Warning to US Amid Shipping Disruptions

Tensions in the Middle East have escalated significantly, with Israel imposing widespread closures in the West Bank city of Hebron following attacks by Palestinian gunmen that killed two soldiers. In Jordan, the death toll from a church attack rose to nine. Further raising fears of an "all-out war," an Iranian military commander declared that US warships would not be permitted to enter the Persian Gulf, following increased attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz. This situation has led to the US tapping emergency oil reserves after a ship sinking near NATO and a projectile strike on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz, highlighting the impact on global logistics and energy markets.