U.S. Defense Secretary Hegseth told a press conference he agrees with President Trump and, if faced with the choice again, would again wage war against Iran. He thanked Trump for his support, said the U.S. can monitor Iran’s nuclear facilities and act if necessary, and described the blockade of Iran as "rock solid."

On Tuesday a China Southern 1.25x long Kioxia single-stock leveraged product began trading in Hong Kong. The 1.25x gearing is lower than many Hong Kong single-stock leverage products that offer up to 2x exposure. Institutional analyst Rebecca Sin said interest in leveraged semiconductor exposure remains evident—reflected in large inflows to US leveraged semiconductor ETFs—but retail traders typically favour higher‑risk structures, leaving milder 1.25x–1.5x tiers less attractive than 2x–3x products. Tokyo-listed Kioxia has struggled to regain momentum as investors rotate away from AI trades; the broader semiconductor ecosystem is weighed by macro headwinds and geopolitical uncertainty. Kioxia is up over 100% year-to-date but about 75% below its June record high.

Financial Times reports at least four Arab and Muslim leaders recently called US President Trump, urging him to refrain from new military strikes on Iran and to allow more time for diplomacy.