Friday briefing: How Gaza, Lebanon and Iran have found themselves caught in an escalation without end

Key points

• In today’s newsletter: ​Global powers​ are focused on oil markets and elections​ but those living through conflict in the Middle East feel abandoned Good morning.
• It’s been another week of brinkmanship via Truth Social and ceasefires broken before they’ve been announced.
• While US president Donald Trump claims an agreement with Iran could happen soon, for those living in the Middle East it does not feel like peace is anywhere near.
• People have seen more bombs dropped in Lebanon this week;
• and the death toll continues to rise, national economies falter, and displacement abounds.