WS #9441

The US-Iran conflict continues to escalate with Iran launching a second wave of drones and missiles targeting the US Navy's 5th Fleet Headquarters in Bahrain, and Iranian state media releasing footage of strikes on the 5th Fleet. Jordan intercepted five Iranian missiles headed toward the Al-Azraq region. US officials report nearly all Iranian drones and missiles were intercepted, with damage assessments ongoing. Oil prices have risen (Brent +1.0% to $92.39, WTI +0.9% to $89.00) as the conflict near the Strait of Hormuz threatens supply. The narrative arc is ESCALATING, with no de-escalation signals in this window. Separately, a German court ruled Google liable for false AI overviews, which could impact AI liability frameworks. Lucid Motors saw a top executive depart amid a leadership shakeup. GM is investing in Peak Energy for sodium-ion battery tie-up. The EU has mandated Meta to open WhatsApp to competing AI chatbots, which Meta criticizes as excessive regulation. These developments are secondary to the dominant geopolitical risk.