The day was dominated by the US-Iran conflict, with state-aligned and commercial outlets leading with Iran's IRGC strikes on a US base in Bahrain and US retaliatory waves across Iran. Trump notified Congress of renewed hostilities, while Iran vowed to defend the Strait of Hormuz. By evening, the US imposed a naval blockade.
In the morning, the FSB announced it had foiled a drone attack on a strategic enterprise in Moscow region, accusing Ukrainian rapper Kyivstoner of organizing the plot. This story saturated state media through the afternoon.
Other developments included Ukrainian drone strikes on Russian refineries, Russian strikes on Kyiv and Odesa ports, and Putin's call for lower interest rates. Independent sources reported China halting gas pipeline talks and Boris Nadezhdin's possible emigration.