- Royal Navy warship HMS Dragon has been deployed to the eastern Mediterranean, capable of intercepting drones and ballistic missiles amid the ongoing Middle East crisis.
- The Type 45 destroyer's deployment follows a drone attack on the RAF Akrotiri base in Cyprus, with its crew preparing the vessel rapidly for departure from Portsmouth Harbour.
- The Ministry of Defence confirmed that a second British ship, landing ship RFA Lyme Bay, is being prepared for potential deployment to assist with maritime tasks or evacuations from Lebanon.
- Markets saw some calm after Donald Trump suggested military action would be a "short-term excursion" but warned Iran of "death, fire and fury" if vessels were blocked in the Strait of Hormuz.
- Despite market calming, concerns over higher energy costs persist, with the UK's budget watchdog, the OBR, warning that inflation could reach closer to 3% by year-end.
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