Escalating Middle East tensions drive oil toward $120 per barrel as Iran launches missile waves at Israel, intensifying regional volatility.

Escalating Middle East tensions drive oil toward $120 per barrel as Iran launches missile waves at Israel, intensifying regional volatility. Meanwhile, billionaire Tilman Fertitta is making aggressive moves in the gaming sector with a $6.5 billion bid for Caesars Entertainment at $32 to $34 per share, challenging Carl Icahn's competing offer of $33 per share. The Caesars deal faces significant regulatory hurdles given Fertitta's existing stakes in Wynn Resorts and Golden Nugget. Separately, Jared Kushner is soliciting $5 billion for his private equity firm Affinity Partners from foreign governments while serving as U.S. Middle East Envoy, raising serious ethics concerns about conflicts of interest. Energy markets remain under intense pressure as the effective closure of the Strait of Hormuz threatens global supply chains and pushes crude prices higher.