The U.S.–Israel military campaign against Iran entered its third week on Tuesday, with no diplomatic resolution in sight and severe consequences for the global energy market. Iran’s blockade of the Strait of Hormuz — through which roughly one-fifth of the world’s oil supply normally flows — has caused an unprecedented disruption to Gulf exports.

According to shipping data, daily oil and fuel exports from eight Middle Eastern countries fell to approximately 9.71 million barrels per day in the week to March 15, down from 25.13 million barrels per day in February — a drop of over 61%. Crude oil prices have surged to their highest level in four years, and some fuel prices have hit record highs.

Dubai International Airport — the world’s busiest — temporarily suspended flights after a drone attack sparked a fire nearby. President Trump on Monday repeated demands for China and NATO allies to help reopen the Strait, while hinting he may delay his planned March 31 summit with Chinese President Xi Jinping. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer called Trump’s strategy “flailing,” saying the president “clearly has no plan for how to end it.”

The ripple effects are being felt globally: gas prices, diesel, and even fertilizer costs are rising. A truck driver, an Iowa corn farmer, and multiple manufacturers have already reported significant economic strain from the conflict.

Afghanistan’s government has accused Pakistan of carrying out an airstrike on a hospital for drug users in the Afghan capital Kabul, a dramatic escalation in a conflict between the two neighbours that flared in late February. Afghanistan’s deputy government spokesman confirmed the death toll has now risen to 400.

Pakistan has firmly denied the accusation. The incident marks one of the deadliest single strikes in the region in recent memory and has drawn international condemnation. The cross-border conflict has seen repeated clashes and airstrikes inside Afghanistan over recent weeks, raising alarm among humanitarian organisations about civilian safety.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in London on Tuesday for emergency diplomatic talks with British officials. The visit comes as the United States has paused ceasefire negotiations between Russia and Ukraine due to its ongoing military engagement in Iran, leaving Ukraine in a precarious diplomatic position.

Zelenskyy is expected to seek continued military support and financial aid from the UK as the war in Ukraine enters yet another critical phase. British officials have reaffirmed their commitment to Ukraine’s defence, though the diversion of U.S. strategic attention towards the Middle East has created uncertainty about the broader Western alliance’s ability to maintain pressure on Russia.

Cuba experienced a complete, island-wide electrical blackout on Monday, affecting all 11 million residents after a “complete disconnection” of its electrical grid, according to Cuban officials. The shutdown is directly linked to a worsening fuel shortage that has severely hampered the island nation’s power generation capacity.

Reports indicate it has been approximately three months since any oil shipment reached Cuba. The energy crisis has forced residents to queue for hours for basic goods such as bread, with scenes of long lines in Havana already widely circulated. The blackout adds yet another humanitarian layer to Cuba’s deepening economic crisis.

Climate scientists have recorded a new daily low in Arctic sea ice extent, falling approximately 4,400 km² below the previous record daily low that was itself set just last year. Experts noted the extent is still on track to set a new record-low maximum for the season.

The PIOMAS dataset, which tracks average sea ice thickness around the North Pole, shows continued monthly record lows going back to 1979. An international team of scientists is concurrently heading to Greenland’s fjord glaciers to study what researchers are describing as a potential “climate tipping point” in the Atlantic Ocean’s circulation system.

Separately, a new report from the Stop Methane Project at UCLA has identified the world’s worst methane leaks, with facilities in Turkmenistan dominating the top 25 list. Scientists previously described the scale of methane leakage in the secretive Central Asian state as “mind-boggling.”