Stocks rallied on Tuesday after US President Trump said that a “complete and total ceasefire” between Iran and Israel would take effect in the coming hours.
Iran’s foreign minister denied that an official ceasefire agreement had been reached, but noted that Tehran would not continue its attacks as long as Israel halted its “aggression”. At the time of writing, Israel had yet to comment.
The truce, which Trump is labelling the end of the “12-day war”, came after Iran attacked a US base in Qatar on Monday, retaliating against the US bombing of its nuclear sites over the weekend.
In response to Tuesday’s development, oil prices dropped as fears over a blockage to the Strait of Hormuz subsided.
About 20% of global oil and gas flows through this narrow shipping lane in the Gulf.
Brent crude, the international standard, dropped 2.92% to $69.39, while WTI dropped 3.18% to $66.35.
Last week, Brent reached over $78 a barrel, a level not seen since the start of this year.
Looking to the US, S&P 500 futures rose 0.58% to 6,112.00 on Monday, while Dow Jones futures increased 0.51% to 43,118.00.
Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 jumped 0.89% to 8,550.10, South Korea’s Kospi rose 2.75% to 3,097.28, and the Shanghai Composite index climbed 1.07% to 3,417.89.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng rose 2% to 24,162.70 and the Nikkei 225 increased 1.16% to 38,796.39.
The US Dollar Index slipped by 0.32% to 98.10. The euro gained 0.25% against the dollar while the yen dropped 0.48% in comparison to the greenback.
Economists had suggested that persistent threats to oil would increase the value of the US dollar and hurt other currencies such as the euro, notably as the US economy is more energy independent.
Greg Hirt, chief investment officer with Allianz Global Investors, told Euronews earlier this week that although the dollar may see a short lift on the Iran-Israel conflict, “structural issues around a twin deficit and the Trump administration’s volatile handling of tariffs should continue to weigh on an overvalued US dollar”.
United States President Donald Trump says that Iran and Israel have agreed to a “complete and total” ceasefire that will come into effect in the coming hours.
Trump’s announcement on Monday came shortly after an Iranian missile attack on Al Udeid Air Base hosting US troops in Qatar.
“On the assumption that everything works as it should, which it will, I would like to congratulate both Countries, Israel and Iran, on having the Stamina, Courage, and Intelligence to end, what should be called, ‘THE 12 DAY WAR,’” Trump said in a social media post.
“This is a War that could have gone on for years, and destroyed the entire Middle East, but it didn’t, and never will! God bless Israel, God bless Iran, God bless the Middle East, God bless the United States of America, and GOD BLESS THE WORLD!”
Neither Israel nor Iran has confirmed the agreement.
Iran has launched an attack on a United States military base in Qatar in retaliation for US strikes on several key Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend.
No injuries have yet been reported after Iran on Monday fired a missile barrage targeting the Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, which had been evacuated and was protected by Qatari air defences.
While some analysts believe the relatively limited Iranian response signals a desire to de-escalate tensions with the US, numerous countries have strongly condemned the attack.
Here are some of the statements released by various countries in response.
United States
Posting on the Truth Social social media platform, US President Donald Trump wrote: “Iran has officially responded to our Obliteration of their Nuclear Facilities with a very weak response, which we expected, and have very effectively countered. There have been 14 missiles fired — 13 were knocked down, and 1 was ‘set free,’ because it was headed in a nonthreatening direction. I am pleased to report that NO Americans were harmed, and hardly any damage was done. Most importantly, they’ve gotten it all out of their ‘system’ and there will, hopefully, be no further HATE. I want to thank Iran for giving us early notice, which made it possible for no lives to be lost, and nobody to be injured. Perhaps Iran can now proceed to Peace and Harmony in the Region, and I will enthusiastically encourage Israel to do the same. Thank you for your attention to this matter!”
Qatar
“Advisor to the Prime Minister and Official Spokesperson for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Dr. Majed bin Mohammed Al Ansari expressed the State of Qatar’s strong condemnation of the attack that targeted Al-Udeid Air Base by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, and considered this a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of the State of Qatar, its airspace, international law, and the United Nations Charter.
“He affirmed that Qatar reserves the right to respond directly in a manner equivalent with the nature and scale of this brazen aggression, in line with international law.”
Saudi Arabia
“The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia expresses its condemnation and denunciation, in the strongest terms possible, [of] the aggression launched by Iran against the brotherly State of Qatar, which constitutes a flagrant violation of international law and the principles of good neighborliness, and an entirely unacceptable act that cannot be justified under any circumstances.”
United Arab Emirates
“The United Arab Emirates condemned in the strongest terms the Iranian Revolutionary Guard’s targeting of Al Udeid Air Base in the sisterly State of Qatar, considering it a flagrant violation of Qatar’s sovereignty and airspace, and a clear contravention of international law and the UN Charter. The UAE affirmed its categorical rejection of any attack that threatens the security and safety of Qatar and undermines the security and stability of the region.”
Bahrain
“The Kingdom of Bahrain affirms its full support for the sisterly State of Qatar following the Iranian attack on its territory.
“The Kingdom of Bahrain also expresses its full solidarity with the sisterly State of Qatar, as required by the bond of brotherhood and blood, which confirms the solidarity of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in these sensitive circumstances the region is going through to exert the necessary efforts to exercise self-restraint, avoid escalation, and resolve all disputes through peaceful means.”
Kuwait
“The State of Kuwait expresses its strong condemnation and denunciation of the attacks targeting Al Udeid Air Base in the sisterly State of Qatar by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard. This attack constitutes a flagrant violation of Qatari sovereignty and airspace, as well as of international law and the United Nations Charter. It constitutes a dangerous escalation that threatens peace, security, and stability in the region.
“The State of Kuwait affirms its full support for the brothers in the sisterly State of Qatar, its leadership, government and people, and its full support for all measures taken to preserve its sovereignty, security and stability, including its right to respond directly in a manner commensurate with the magnitude of this blatant aggression.”
France
President Emmanuel Macron issued a statement saying: “France’s solidarity [is] with Qatar, which has been struck by Iran on its soil. I am in close contact with the country’s authorities and our partners in the region. I call on all parties to exercise the utmost restraint, de-escalate, and return to the negotiating table. This spiral of chaos must end.”
Iran
Posting on the social media platform X, Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei wrote: “We didn’t harm anyone. And we will not accept any harassment from anyone under any circumstances. And we will not submit to anyone’s harassment; This is the logic of the Iranian nation.”
Intelligence operations years in the making were behind Israel’s targeting of key military positions and leaders in Iran this month, according to the Israeli press.
The strikes that took out much of Iran’s key defensive infrastructure and killed military commanders are credited to an Israeli intelligence service that is claimed to have infiltrated much of Iran’s security apparatus.
People gather near damaged vehicles in the aftermath of Israeli strikes, in Tehran, Iran, on June 13, 2025 [Majid Asgaripour/West Asia News Agency]
Inside Iran, scores of people have reportedly been arrested and accused of spying for Mossad, Israel’s intelligence agency, providing media support for Israel or disturbing public opinion.
Just a few days ago, the Iranian government ordered senior officials and their security teams not to use smartphones connected to the internet to avoid Israeli hacking of sensitive communications. Iranian security services, meanwhile, are understood to have asked the public to report any building they have rented to companies or individuals in the last couple of years.
Iran’s crackdown follows what has been framed as an unprecedented Israeli intelligence operation that led to its recent strikes on the country, but how extensive has the infiltration been, and how long has it been in the works?
How large a role did Israeli intelligence play in its initial strikes on Iran?
A significant one.
Shortly after Israel’s strikes on Iran, stories of the intelligence operations that preceded the “unprecedented” attack flooded the media. In interviews given by senior members of Israel’s intelligence community, details were given about how both human intelligence and AI were used in tandem to stage the attack, which they claimed hobbled much of Iran’s air defences.
On June 17, just days after the strike, The Associated Press published interviews with 10 Israeli intelligence and military officials with knowledge of the strike.
“This attack is the culmination of years of work by the Mossad to target Iran’s nuclear program,” Sima Shine, the former research director of Mossad, told the AP. The piece also detailed how Israeli agents were able to smuggle in a series of drones and missile systems into Iran, which were then used to strike numerous targets determined by a United States AI model working on data provided to it by Israeli agents within Iran, as well as information gained from previous strikes.
Are the intelligence operations ongoing?
They appear to be.
Israel claimed that the locations of two senior officers in Iran’s Quds force, Saeed Izadi and Behnam Shahryari, who were killed over the weekend, had been determined by its intelligence networks.
Earlier, on June 17, Israel was able to locate and kill one of Iran’s most senior military figures, Major-General Ali Shademani, and that was just four days after the assassination of his predecessor in a targeted air strike.
“I don’t think people realise how much audacity we have,” Israeli military intelligence specialist Miri Eisin told The Observer in the United Kingdom, noting that a target would have to entirely rid themselves of any electronic devices that could connect to the internet to avoid detection. “Most people don’t take themselves off the grid,” she said. “You can get to anybody.”
“Israel likely has around 30 to 40 cells operating inside Iran,” defence analyst Hamze Attar told Al Jazeera from Luxembourg, “with most of those made up of collaborators, rather than Israeli agents, which also makes Iran look weak,” he said, citing the assembly instructions found on the hardware seized by authorities.
“Some of those cells will be responsible for smuggling weapons from Israel, others for carrying out attacks and others for intelligence gathering,” he said.
How long has this been going on?
Israeli intelligence operations inside Iran are nothing new. According to analysts, operations designed to monitor, infiltrate, sabotage and undermine Iranian defences date back to the Iranian revolution of 1979.
Speaking in November 2024, Ali Larijani, a senior adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, acknowledged the extent of Israeli operations in Iran, telling the ISNA news agency that the “problem of infiltration had become very serious in recent years”.
“There have been some instances of negligence for years,” the former parliamentary speaker and nuclear negotiator added.
The detonation of communication devices used by the armed Lebanese group Hezbollah in September 2024 was only possible after the infiltration of the group’s supply chain by Israeli intelligence. Likewise, the assassination of its leader, Hassan Nasrallah, was carried out after details of his location were obtained by Israeli agents. Similar subterfuge was also used in the targeted assassination of Hamas’s political chief Ismael Haniyeh in Tehran in July 2024, when an explosive device placed in his residence weeks before was detonated.
In the last two decades, Israel has killed a number of Iran’s nuclear scientists, including Mohsen Fakhrizadeh, who was assassinated by a remote-controlled gun mounted on the back of a pick-up truck. Israel was also responsible for the release of the Stuxnet computer virus in 2010, which was thought to have infected 30,000 computers across at least 14 nuclear facilities in Iran.
Does Iran also spy on Israel?
Absolutely.
In late October, Israel’s internal security agency, Shin Bet, announced the arrest of seven Israeli citizens on suspicion of spying for Iran. A day earlier, authorities had detained another group of seven in Haifa, alleging they had assisted Iran’s Ministry of Intelligence during wartime.
At the time, Israeli police sources indicated that additional covert networks with ties to Iran may be active within the country.
If this is a covert operation, why do we know so much about it?
Because, according to analysts, publicity can also be a powerful tool in an intelligence agency’s toolkit.
Publicising the degree to which an opposing country’s security infrastructure can be infiltrated and sabotaged undermines that country’s morale while scoring points at home.
“It’s psychological warfare,” Attar said. “If I keep saying that I’ve broken into your house and you keep denying it, then I present proof of having done that, how do you look? You look weak. Israel will keep bragging about the extent of their infiltration in the hope that Iran will deny it, then they’ll provide further proof of it.”
Insurers are reassessing traditional approaches to risk transfer—and the markets are responding.
The insurance industry is undergoing a structural realignment in its approach to risk capitalization and transfer. Emerging threats, ranging from climate and cyber perils to evolving macroeconomic pressures, are forcing carriers to rethink how they provide for anticipated risks. The result is a risk financing landscape that is evolving at an unprecedented pace.
A clear indicator of this shift is the growth in insurers’ investment in alternative capital. Aon Securities calculates that global alternative capital lept from $24 billion in 2010 to $115 billion in 2024: a clear sign of the industry’s pivot toward broader capital strategies. The cost of damage from systemic threats such as ransomware is forecast by Cybersecurity Ventures to exceed $275 billion a year by 2031. Reflecting the impact of climate change, global inflation-adjusted insured losses from natural catastrophes grew almost 6% a year between 1994 and 2023, according to Swiss Re.
Across the entire property and casualty (P&C) space, carriers are wrestling with the need to protect profitability and capital in the light of spiraling claims costs while keeping their product affordable. This is especially true in personal lines, says Sean O’Neill, head of Bain & Company’s global insurance practice.
“Commercial P&C carriers have benefited from a hard market [a period when premiums increase, coverage terms are restricted, and capacity for most types of insurance decreases] the past few years,” he notes, “and are now increasingly focused on managing through earnings volatility as the market softens. In life insurance, the issue is often more one of accessibility: how to increase relevance and make it easier for non-affluent customers to understand and buy the product.”
Carriers are increasingly turning to insurance-linked securities (ILS), including collateralized reinsurance and sidecars, to improve risk-adjusted returns and increase capacity.
“There will be more cyberrelated losses as the economy becomes increasingly connected.”
Sean O’Neill, Head of Global Insurance, Bain & Company
Capital Hits New Highs
These concerns are also visible in headline capital figures. According to Aon, global reinsurer capital reached a record $715 billion in 2024, driven by strong retained earnings and an expanding catastrophe bond market that saw outstanding bond limits grow to nearly $50 billion as of first-quarter 2025.
George Attard, CEO, Reinsurance Solutions, Asia-Pacific, Aon
“Reinsurance capital continues to grow and keep pace with increasing demand,” observes George Attard, CEO, Reinsurance Solutions, Asia Pacific at Aon. “Heading into the mid-year renewals, we expect over $7.5 billion of additional US property catastrophe limit demand, mostly due to a healthier Florida market and the depopulation of the state windstorm insurer Citizens. We also anticipate some additional reinsurance purchasing from US national carriers looking to mitigate further major net losses during 2025.”
Available capital does not eliminate risk or uncertainty, however. Attard highlights the continuing impact of geopolitical and macroeconomic volatility on exposure modeling, inflation assumptions, and investment returns. Further, catastrophe losses during the remainder of 2025, including the Atlantic hurricane season, may yet impact future market conditions beyond the US.
Aon’s April 2025 Reinsurance Market Dynamics Report anticipates that this year is likely to record the highest firstquarter losses from natural catastrophes in over a decade. At between $11 billion and $17 billion, ceded losses from the Los Angeles wildfires have absorbed 25% to 33% of major reinsurers’ annual catastrophe allowances, which could affect how some come to the market at mid-year.
“June and July are key renewal dates for insurers in the US, Australia, and New Zealand, which along with Japan, are among the world’s largest markets for property catastrophe reinsurance,” the Aon report notes. Despite early-year losses, the broker expects broadly stable renewal dynamics, driven by continued capital inflows and unfulfilled reinsurer appetite.
Much of this capital flow is occurring through structured and alternative mechanisms. Growth in sidecar capital has contributed to broader buoyancy in the ILS market, with strong investor returns matched by persistent demand from originating insurers amid inflationary pressure and changing views of risk. Sidecars, however, are expected to post negative first quarter returns due to the Los Angeles wildfires.
New Structures For APAC
The Asia Pacific region represents a particular opportunity for capital innovation. With low insurance penetration and material catastrophe exposure, the region is attracting increasing policy support and capital interest. Aon’s April renewals report notes that Hong Kong and mainland China are actively promoting the catastrophe bond market and more sophisticated regional sponsors are exploring sidecar structures to access third-party capital. In 2021, Aon structured and placed a $30 million catastrophe bond for China Re, the first to be issued from a Hong Kong-based special-purpose insurer.
In parallel, facultative reinsurance—coverage purchased by a primary insurer to cover a single risk or block of risks—has grown markedly. Recent renewals in Asia-Pacific and elsewhere have seen oversubscription and improved pricing as both new entrants and incumbents expand their appetite. The market is experiencing active competition from London and Singapore, Aon suggests, alongside growing capacity from managing general agents, consortiums, and facilities. Aon’s own Marlin APAC facultative facility, launched recently, offers up to $15 million per risk and is targeted at property and renewable energy exposures in the region.
Parametric policies also continue to receive attention, although the size of the market remains limited.
“Despite its long history, parametric insurance has yet to reach any significant scale in the industry,” Bain’s O’Neill explains, adding that climate change and associated perils may boost demand and that AI could be a powerful catalyst.
“This construct has the simplicity of getting payments paid faster through a dramatically simplified claims process,” he says.
“AI has the potential to reduce basis risk, or the difference between the actual loss and the stipulated value rate in the parametric construct. The more data that can be ingested and managed by AI, combined with the declining cost and increased power of computing, the more the potential to increase the fidelity of the models that underlie a parametric policy.”
Cyber has similar loss-pattern challenges to those caused by climate, according to O’Neill: “There will be more cyber-related losses as the economy becomes increasingly connected; some will be small, some large, and the range of possibilities is endless.”
Capacity Is No Panacea
The industry’s pool of capital is growing alongside an even steeper escalation in underlying risks. Climate volatility, cyber threats, geopolitical instability, and inflationary uncertainty are all expanding in scale and complexity, and despite growing capital availability, fundamental challenges persist; chief among them, price-to-risk misalignment.
In some regions, particularly those exposed to flood or wildfire risk, O’Neill notes, homeowners are exiting the insurance system altogether, threatening to create “insurance deserts” with broader economic consequences including risk to mortgage-backed securities.
In certain flood- or fire-prone regions, and for specific perils like terrorism and cyber, greater collaboration between public entities and insurers may be needed in the future, he argues.
“Given the affordability and accessibility challenges across many jurisdictions, the increasing size of the protection gap, which is approaching $2 trillion, and the increasing role the insurance industry needs to play in prevention, greater collaboration between insurers and public entities will be required,” O’Neill explains. “Participants walk a fine line to get the right balance in publicprivate partnerships and matching price to risk, without increasing moral hazard into risk-taking by businesses or consumers.”
There are other fine lines to walk in the current environment, with geopolitical uncertainty a key risk vector. President Donald Trump’s trade and policy stance, for instance, may continue to significantly influence global risk transfer dynamics. To navigate these pressures, some insurers are pursuing mergers and acquisitions as a means of reshaping their capital and risk portfolios.
Says O’Neill, “As insurers contemplate the need for a broader range of scenarios given market uncertainty, we are seeing aggressive M&A moves to re-shape their portfolios, such as Japanese life [insurer] acquisitions in the US, increased tie-ups and scale building in asset management in the US and Europe, and greater activity by private equity-backed consolidators: especially in distribution and insurtech.”
Explosions have been seen in the sky over Qatar’s capital, Doha. Iran’s state media said it launched a missile attack on US forces at Qatar’s Al Udeid Air Base. Qatar earlier had closed its airspace amid Iranian threats to retaliate for the US strikes on its nuclear facilities.
Joseph Giarraputo, the Founder and Editorial Director of Global Finance, talks to Arjo Haksteen, Surecomp’s Head of Solution Consulting, about how cloud-based digital transformation is reshaping trade finance and the ecosystem of banks, corporates and cloud providers.
Selected by Global Finance as Best Trade Finance Software Provider for the third consecutive year, Surecomp is well-positioned to capitalise on this shift.
Haksteen explains that banks want to digitise processes to improve the customer experience by deploying new features and more personalised services and delivering them faster. Yet ‘anytime, anywhere’ solutions require real-time data insights, unlocking the potential of modern technologies, such as artificial intelligence (AI) and blockchain.
Digitisation drives greater cost efficiency, scalability and standardised software. This in turn makes trade finance solutions easier to scale and quicker to bring to market, and also enhances integration across various trade platforms and solutions.
By using reputable cloud service providers that have invested in the right infrastructure, compliance and monitoring capabilities, solution providers with rigorous protocols and controls, like Surecomp, can guarantee date protection andconfidentiality via a robust security and risk framework.
“The revolution of AI and machine learning will continue to go beyond our imagination, and we will see practical applications of blockchain and DLT technology,” says Haksteen. Widespread adoption of paperless digital trades and end-to-end digital workflows will lead to greater interoperability between different platforms and market segments, along with industry specific, multi-cloud strategies.
Watch for a deeper understanding of what’s driving digital trade finance and to learn how Surecomp is delivering best-practice, cloud-based solutions for corporates and financial institutions alike.
The dollar rose on Monday as uncertainty over the Israel Iran conflict persisted following US strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities over the weekend.
By around 2.45 CEST, the Dollar Index had risen 0.61% in daily trading to 99.31.
Over the month, it showed a 0.19% increase, although its year-to-date value was still down almost 9%, failing to win back losses linked to erratic policies from the Trump administration.
US President Donald Trump said that the weekend strikes had caused “monumental damage”, although some Iranian officials downplayed the impact. The full extent of the damage could not immediately be determined by the UN’s nuclear watchdog.
Israel — meanwhile — continued with its strikes on Iran on Monday, while Tehran vowed that it would “never surrender to bullying and oppression”.
Several nations warned Iran against a retaliatory closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a shipping lane responsible for around 20% of global oil and gas flows.
“In this morning’s trading session, the dollar staged an expected rebound. The demonstration of US military strength, as well as the fear of higher oil prices, weakened the euro,” said ING economists in a note.
Higher oil prices would likely drive up inflation and discourage the US Federal Reserve from cutting rates in the near future. This would spell bad news for US consumers but would simultaneously increase the dollar’s attractiveness to investors.
“Looking ahead, one of the key questions is whether US involvement in the conflict could restore the dollar’s safe-haven appeal. Here, a crucial factor will be the duration of any potential Strait of Hormuz blockade. The longer such a blockade lasts, the higher the likelihood that the value of safe-haven alternatives like the euro and yen is eroded, and the dollar can enjoy a decent recovery,” said ING economists.
The greenback’s value has dropped significantly this year as policies from the Trump administration have spooked investors, damaging the currency’s status as a safe-haven asset.
Signals worrying investors are not solely linked to trade policy, but also include a high US deficit, the cost-slashing bureau DOGE, sudden cuts to foreign aid, withdrawals from international treaties, and the prospect of financial deregulation.
Greg Hirt, chief investment officer with Allianz Global Investors, told Euronews that “structural issues around a twin deficit and the Trump administration’s volatile handling of tariffs should continue to weigh on an overvalued US dollar”.
Even so, he noted that the “short term potential for higher oil prices will likely affect the Chinese and European economies to a greater extent, as they are more dependent on oil imports than the US”.
Ryan Sweet, chief US economist at Oxford Economics, reiterated this point, noting that “the US economy is essentially energy independent but others are not, including Japan as it imports most of its oil from the Middle East”.
Sweet told Euronews that dollar gains are positive but still muted as “currency markets are in a wait and see mode”.
There is also significant uncertainty around President Trump’s tariff deadline, with a 90-day pause on so-called “reciprocal” duties set to expire on 9 July.
Move follows campaign accusing Maersk of links to Israel’s military and occupation of Palestinian lands.
Maersk will cut ties with companies linked to illegal Israeli settlements on the occupied West Bank, the Danish shipping giant has said.
The decision follows months-long pressure by activists on Maersk on issues related to Palestine.
Its shipments have come under scrutiny as part of an international campaign led by the Palestinian Youth Movement (PYM), a grassroots organisation. The group has focused mainly on Maersk’s shipments of US foreign military sales, but PYM has also researched the transport of cargo from companies tied to settlements.
A statement on the Maersk website, dated June, 2025, said, “Following a recent review of transports related to the West Bank, we further strengthened our screening procedures in relation to Israeli settlements, including aligning our screening process with the OHCHR database of enterprises involved in activities in the settlements.”
The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) database includes businesses involved in various activities related to the settlements, such as providing services, equipment, or financial operations that support the illegal settlements.
When asked for further details on its decision, Maersk pointed Al Jazeera to the statement on its website. It is unclear which or how many businesses Maersk had links to.
Israel has built more than 100 settlements across the occupied West Bank that are home to some 500,000 settlers. These settlements, illegal under international law, range from small outposts to larger communities with modern infrastructure.
“This sends a clear message to the global shipping industry: compliance with international law and basic human rights is not optional. Doing business with Israel’s illegal settlements is no longer viable, and the world is watching to see who follows next,” said PYM’s Aisha Nizar.
But she called for further action, arguing that Maersk still transports goods for the Israeli military, including components of its F-35 fighter planes.
“Maersk continues to profit from the genocide of our people – regularly shipping F-35 components used to bomb and massacre Palestinians,” Nizar said. “We will continue to build pressure and mobilise people power until Maersk cuts all ties to genocide and ends the transport of weapons and weapons components to Israel.”
Last year, Spain banned Maersk ships transporting military goods to Israel from using its ports.
Earlier this month, PYM revealed how Maersk was using the port of Rotterdam as an essential link in what it called a “supply chain of death”.
Despite a Dutch court ruling that prohibited the Netherlands from exporting F-35 parts to Israel, Rotterdam still played a role in Israel’s F-35 programme, the report showed.
In response to those findings, Maersk told Al Jazeera that it upholds a strict policy of not shipping weapons or ammunition to active conflict zones and that it conducts due diligence, particularly in regions affected by active conflicts, including Israel and Gaza, and adapts this due diligence to the changing context.
It confirmed, however, that its US subsidiary, Maersk Line Limited, was one of “many companies supporting the global F-35 supply chain” with transport services.
The rapidly evolving nature of AI is a double-edged sword as far as cybersecurity goes. As user-friendly and beneficial as Generative AI (Gen AI) can be, it is also being misused ever more frequently in the form of trickery and manipulation, such as deepfaking the voice, face or name of a person or organisation to elicit payments. By 2027, for example, 17% of total cyberattacks will involve the use of Gen AI, according to Gartner1. This figure is expected to rise quickly.
While high-profile incidents continue to underscore the scale and sophistication of AI-driven threats, the same technology also equips companies with powerful, proactive tools to defend their critical infrastructure and stay ahead of attackers. For example, detecting patterns to identify intrusions into networks, or spotting new malware and other threats can flag unusual and potentially harmful activity much quicker than any human could.
As a result, AI’s role in cybersecurity has evolved from a technical issue into a strategic business imperative.
“Cybersecurity is one of the key concerns today, and companies are investing heavily to combat this” Aaron Chiew, Head of Digital Channels for DBS’ Institutional Banking Group
AI’s dark side: New frontiers in cyber threats
AI AI brings powerful capabilities, but those same capabilities are amplifying cyber risks in three major ways:
Accelerated processing times – AI can process vast datasets very quickly, enabling scammers and fraudsters to identify exploitable patterns and design new scam tactics with unprecedented efficiency.
The prevalence and believability of deepfakes – a case in point was in Hong Kong, where deepfake technology was used to impersonate company executives on a video call, successfully convincing an accounts clerk to transfer $25 million to fraudsters.2
Rapid creation of deceptive or manipulative information in the form of scam content – including automating scam calls, generating realistic looking fake ads, and creating websites that mimic legitimate businesses to trick people into providing sensitive information or making unauthorised payments.
Such threats have far-reaching repercussions, beyond the obvious financial losses. One of the most damaging is the erosion of trust, both within the organisation and with clients.
For example, Chiew noted employees may start to question the authenticity of the calls they receive, uncertain whether they’re truly speaking to the person they believe they are. This growing uncertainty could lead to more verification steps and processes to confirm the legitimacy of communications. “What might have been a quick transaction in the pre-AI world could now take much longer,” he said. “Whether businesses can maintain the same level of operational efficiency going forward is increasingly uncertain.”
The damage doesn’t stop at the office door. Rebuilding trust with customers can take a long time once a cybersecurity incident becomes public knowledge.
Stepping up defences against AI cyber threats
Companies are not standing still in this new era, with the threat from AI now top of mind. For example, 66% of organisations expect AI to have the most significant impact on cybersecurity in the year to come3.
In response, investment in cybersecurity protection measures has risen significantly across various industry sectors. For example, in August 2024, Gartner projected that global end-user spending on information security would grow by 15% this year to $212 billion4.
At the same time, companies are reviewing their processes and implementing stricter communication policies with regard to the role of AI tools as an advanced way to quickly spot and respond to dangers, said Chiew. “They are relooking at how they interact with each other in a digital space, to understand how they implement these cybersecurity protection measures safely so the current processes can run smoothly.”
This is triggering action such as more defined data protection policies in terms of collection and storage, along with stricter guidelines for using social media, plus regular penetration testing of systems and infrastructure.
Turning cyber risk into operational resilience
Companies are at different stages of their cybersecurity journey, but in all cases a clear and structured path to protection is essential.
According to Chiew, early-stage companies should start with the basics:
1. Verify all requests carefully
Always double-check the credibility of requests received by email – especially those involving sensitive financial changes. For instance, if an employee requests a payroll update or a supplier emails to change bank details, confirm the request by calling back using a verified number on record.
2. Audit your internal processes
Regularly review internal workflows to identify weak points that could be exploited through human error or fraud. Even small procedural gaps can open the door to cyber threats.
For mature-stage companies, the key is to strengthen and stress-test:
1. Invest in penetration testing
Engage cybersecurity professionals or specialist agencies to conduct penetration testing and simulate attacks. This helps uncover vulnerabilities in systems, processes, or infrastructure before attackers do.
2. Continuously monitor and upgrade systems
Periodically review your infrastructure and security protocols to stay ahead of evolving threats. As Chiew warns: “It only takes a single loophole or gap – and for scammers, finding and exploiting these gaps is a full-time job.”
The head of the UN’s nuclear watchdog the IAEA Rafael Grossi has warned that the global non-proliferation regime could “crumble” following US strikes on Iran, telling the Security Council that no-one is in a position to assess the damage at Iran’s Fordow underground site.
Investors reacted to US strikes on Iran over the weekend as Iran and Israel continued to trade missile fire on Monday morning.
The price of Brent crude oil rose around 1.53% to $78.19 a barrel as of around 7.15 CEST, while WTI rose 1.48% to $74.93 a barrel.
On Sunday, US forces attacked three Iranian nuclear and military sites, stating that Tehran must not be allowed to possess a nuclear weapon.
President of Iran Masoud Pezeshkian said that the country “will never surrender to bullying and oppression”, while Iranian foreign minister Abbas Araghchi has arrived in Moscow for talks with Russian president Vladimir Putin.
Futures for the S&P 500 slipped 0.13% to 6,010.25 and Dow Jones Industrial Average futures dropped 0.2% to 42,431.00. Nasdaq futures fell 0.18% to 21,804.50 on Monday morning.
In Asian trading, Tokyo’s Nikkei 225 index fell 0.19% to 38,331.12, the Kospi in Seoul dropped 0.3% to 3.012,88, and Australia’s S&P/ASX 200 declined 0.37% to 8,474.40.
Hong Kong’s Hang Seng and the Shanghai Composite Index were in positive territory, with respective gains of 0.35% to 23,611.68 and 0.13% to 3,364.29.
The conflict, which flared up after an Israeli attack against Iran on 13 June, has sent oil prices higher linked to Iran’s status as a major oil producer.
The nation is also located on the narrow Strait of Hormuz, through which much of the world’s crude oil passes.
Investors are concerned that Tehran might decide to bomb oil infrastructure in neighbouring countries or block tankers from travelling through the Strait of Hormuz.
Shipping company Maersk said on Sunday that it was continuing to operate through the strait, adding: “We will continuously monitor the security risk to our specific vessels in the region and are ready to take operational actions as needed.”
According to vessel tracking data compiled by Bloomberg, two supertankers Coswisdom Lake and South Loyalty U-turned in the Strait of Hormuz on Sunday.
The situation now hinges on whether Tehran decides to opt for aggression or a more diplomatic response to US and Israeli strikes.
Iran could attempt to close the waterway by setting mines across the Strait or striking and seizing vessels. Even so, this would likely be met by a forceful response from the US navy, meaning the oil price spike may not be sustained.
Some analysts also think Iran is unlikely to close down the waterway because the country uses it to transport its own crude, mostly to China, and oil is a major revenue source for the regime.
If Tehran did successfully close the Strait, this would cause a wider price spike for transported goods and complicate the deflationary process in the US, potentially keeping interest rates higher for longer.
On Monday morning, Trump also floated the possibility of regime change in Iran.
“If the current Iranian regime is unable to make Iran great again, why wouldn’t there be regime change?” said the US president on Truth Social.
Vice-president J.D. Vance had commented earlier that the administration did not seek regime change in Iran.
US President Donald Trump has announced that the United States has “totally obliterated” three Iranian nuclear sites in what he called “spectacularly successful” strikes.
The military used so-called “bunker buster” bombs and missiles to target the heavily fortified Fordow facility as well as Natanz and Isfahan sites.
Trump’s decision to join Israel’s military campaign marks a sharp escalation in the region, which has seen more than 21 months of Israeli genocide in Gaza.
The US intervention comes more than a week after Israel launched an unprovoked strike on Iranian nuclear and military sites after accusing Tehran of making an atomic bomb.
Iran, as well as the United Nations nuclear watchdog, has rejected the claims that Tehran was on the cusp of developing nuclear weapons.
How did the attack happen, and which sites were targeted?
Trump announced the bombing of three of Iran’s main nuclear sites:
Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant – A heavily fortified, deeply buried uranium enrichment site near the northern city of Qom.
Natanz Nuclear Facility – Iran’s main uranium-enrichment complex, located near Isfahan in central Iran.
Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center – A key conversion and research facility south of Isfahan city.
According to US General Dan Caine, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, a large formation of seven B-2 stealth bombers, each with two crew members, was launched from the US on Friday at midnight as part of Operation Midnight Hammer.
US Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, the US on Sunday, June 22, 2025, after the US military struck three sites in Iran, directly joining Israel’s effort to destroy the country’s nuclear programme [Alex Brandon/AP]
To maintain tactical surprise, a decoy group flew west over the Pacific, while the main strike group headed east with minimal communications during an 18-hour flight.
At 5pm EST (1:30am local time and 21:00 GMT), a US submarine in the region launched more than two dozen Tomahawk missiles, striking surface infrastructure targets in Isfahan.
At 6:40pm EST (2:10am Iran time and 22:40 GMT), the lead B-2 dropped two GBU-57 Massive Ordnance Penetrators (MOPs) on Fordow, followed by a total of 14 MOPs dropped across Fordow and Natanz.
All three nuclear sites—Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan—were hit between 6:40pm and 7:05pm EST (1:30am-2:10am local time; 22:40-23:10 GMT). The final wave of Tomahawk missiles struck Isfahan last to preserve surprise.
In total, more than 125 US aircraft participated, including stealth bombers, fighter jets, dozens of tankers, surveillance aircraft, and support crews.
The Pentagon described it as the largest B-2 combat operation in US history and the second-longest B-2 mission ever flown. Force protection across the region was elevated in anticipation of potential retaliation.
Where are Iran’s nuclear sites?
Iran’s nuclear programme is spread across several key sites. While Iran insists its programme is peaceful and aimed at energy and medical research, the US and Israel remain deeply suspicious.
Iran’s resumption of uranium enrichment after the US withdrawal from the 2015 nuclear deal in 2018 has only deepened tensions. Israel, which had vehemently opposed the nuclear deal under US President Barack Obama, has vowed to prevent Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons by any means necessary. On June 13, it launched strikes on Iran a day ahead of a sixth round of US-Iran nuclear talks.
(Al Jazeera)
Attack on Fordow
Iran’s Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant, located about 95km (60 miles) southwest of Tehran, is built deep inside a mountain, reportedly up to 80-90 metres (260-300 feet) underground, to survive air strikes and bunker buster attacks.
(Al Jazeera)
According to Sanad, Al Jazeera’s fact-checking agency, three locations show damage: two craters resulting from bunker-busting bombs, and a damaged air defence site designed to shield the nuclear reactor.
Mehdi Mohammadi, an adviser to the chairman of the Iranian parliament, claimed that the US attack was not surprising and that no irreversible damage was sustained during the strikes. He added that authorities had evacuated all three sites in advance.
(Al Jazeera)
Attack on Natanz
Natanz nuclear facility, the largest uranium enrichment site in Iran, is located in Isfahan province.
In a previous attack on June 15, the above-ground section of a pilot fuel enrichment plant, where uranium was enriched up to 60 percent, was destroyed by an Israeli strike, according to the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).
Natanz’s key electricity infrastructure, such as the substation, main power building, emergency supply, and backup generators, was also destroyed. There was no direct hit on the underground cascade hall, but the power loss may have damaged centrifuges used for uranium enrichment.
(Al Jazeera)
Attack on Isfahan
Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center is a key conversion and research facility south of Isfahan city. It plays a critical role in preparing raw materials for enrichment and reactor use.
This is the third time Isfahan has been struck since Israel launched attacks across Iran on June 13, prompting fears of a regional escalation.
Bunker buster bombs
The strikes on Iran’s nuclear sites were conducted using B-2 stealth bombers armed with so-called “bunker buster” bombs, alongside submarine-launched Tomahawk cruise missiles.
Experts have long noted that the Fordow Fuel Enrichment Plant—buried deep within a mountain—could only be destroyed by the US’s 30,000-pound (13,600kg) Massive Ordnance Penetrator, the world’s most powerful bunker-busting bomb. The US remains the only country known to possess this weapon.
(Al Jazeera)
No signs of contamination
Iran’s nuclear agency said on Sunday that radiation monitoring and field assessments show no signs of contamination or risk to residents near the targeted sites.
“Following the illegal US attack on the Fordow, Natanz, and Isfahan nuclear facilities, no contamination has been recorded,” the agency posted on social media. “There is no danger to residents around these sites. Safety remains stable.”
In a separate statement, the Atomic Energy Organization of Iran vowed that its nuclear activities would continue despite the strikes, saying it “assures the great Iranian nation that, despite the hostile conspiracies of its enemies, the efforts of thousands of committed and revolutionary scientists will ensure that this national industry—built on the blood of nuclear martyrs—will not be stopped”.
The IAEA, the UN nuclear watchdog, also did not notice an increase in radiation levels near the targeted sites.
The attacks came as Israel and Iran have been engaged in more than a week of aerial combat, with more than 400 killed in Iran and 24 casualties reported in Israel.
Six Iranian scientists, two of whom were prominent nuclear scientists, were also killed in Israeli strikes.
Iran says the United States will be “solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences” of its attacks on Iranian nuclear sites, adding that US President Donald Trump has “betrayed” American voters by submitting to Israel’s wishes.
During an address to a meeting of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) in Istanbul on Sunday, Iran’s Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the US crossed “a very big red line” by attacking Iran’s three nuclear facilities.
Speaking just hours after Trump announced that US warplanes had “obliterated” the nuclear sites, Araghchi condemned the strikes and called on the United Nations Security Council to act.
“It is an outrageous, grave and unprecedented violation of the fundamental principles of the Charter of the United Nations and international law,” he said, adding that the “warmongering and lawless” US administration will be “solely and fully responsible for the dangerous consequences and far-reaching implications of its act of aggression”.
“The US military attack on the territorial integrity and national sovereignty of a UN member state carried out in collusion with the genocidal Israeli regime has once again revealed the extent of the United States’ hostility towards the peace-seeking people of Iran. We will never compromise on their independence and sovereignty,” he said.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to defend Iran’s territory, sovereignty, and people by all means necessary against not just US military aggression, but also the reckless and unlawful actions of the Israeli regime.”
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who escalated the Middle East conflict by launching strikes on Iran on June 13, praised Trump’s “bold decision” to hit Iran’s nuclear sites, and said Israel and the US acted in “full coordination”.
After the strikes, Trump said Iran “must now agree to end this war” and that under no circumstances could Iran possess a nuclear weapon.
But Araghchi said any demand to return to negotiations on the country’s nuclear programme was “irrelevant”. The US and Iran were engaged in nuclear talks before Israel launched a surprise strike on Iran – publicly backed by the US – earlier this month.
Iran denies its uranium enrichment programme is for anything other than civilian purposes, rejecting Israeli allegations that it is secretly developing nuclear weapons. Netanyahu has pledged to continue the attacks for “as many days as it takes” to stop Iran from developing a “nuclear threat”.
Reporters take photos of a displayed graphic as US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth speaks during a news conference at the Pentagon in Washington, DC, the United States, June 22, 2025 [Alex Brandon/AP]
“The world must not forget that it was the United States which – in the midst of a process to forge a diplomatic outcome – betrayed diplomacy by supporting the genocidal Israeli regime’s launch of an illegal war of aggression on the Iranian nation,” Araghchi said.
“So we were in diplomacy, but we were attacked. They gave a green light to Israelis, if not instructed them, to attack Iran’s nuclear facilities. They have proved that they are not men of diplomacy, and they only understand the language of threat and force.”
US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth on Sunday said he still hopes Iran will return to the negotiating table.
“I can only confirm that there are both public and private messages being delivered to the Iranians in multiple channels, giving them every opportunity to come to the table,” he told reporters.
Trump also ‘betrayed’ US voters
Araghchi also accused Trump of betraying not only Iran, but his own supporters as well. He said Trump was elected on a platform of putting an end to “America’s costly involvement in ‘forever wars’”.
“He has betrayed not only Iran by abusing our commitment to diplomacy, but also deceived his own voters by submitting to the wishes of a wanted war criminal who has grown accustomed to exploiting the lives and wealth of American citizens to further the Israeli regime’s objectives,” said Araghchi, referring to Netanyahu.
Iran says more than 400 people have been killed and at least 3,056 others wounded since Israel launched its attacks on June 13. In Israel, at least 24 people have been killed in Iranian strikes.
Araghchi said he would head to Moscow later on Sunday and hold “serious consultations” with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Monday morning in the wake of the unprecedented US strikes.
“Russia is a friend of Iran and we enjoy a strategic partnership,” he said in Istanbul. “We always consult with each other and coordinate our positions.”
Meanwhile, Iran’s delegation to the UN also formally called for an emergency meeting of the UN Security Council on Sunday to discuss the US strikes. In a letter submitted to the council carried by Fars News Agency, the Iranian delegation urged “immediate action and the adoption of necessary measures under the framework of the United Nations Charter”.
“Silence in the face of such blatant aggression will plunge the world into an unprecedented level of danger and chaos,” Araghchi said in Istanbul. “Humanity has come too far as a species to allow a lawless bully to take us back to the law of the jungle.”
See the moment former Columbia University student Mahmoud Khalil, who was held for 100 days in a US detention centre, was greeted by supporters after his release from custody. Khalil vowed to continue protesting US complicity in Israel’s genocide against Palestinians in Gaza.
The FIFA Club World Cup has entered its second week, and one of the tournament’s star attractions, Kylian Mbappe, has yet to step on the football field.
The Real Madrid forward was first ruled out when he missed his side’s opening match against Al Hilal on Wednesday, but his exclusion from the match-day squad was extended when Real coach Xabi Alonso confirmed Mbappe would also miss their second game against Pachuca on Sunday.
Here’s what to know about the Mbappe situation:
Why did Mbappe go to the hospital before the Club World Cup?
Mbappe received treatment in Florida, United States, after suffering from a high fever and an illness later diagnosed as gastroenteritis.
“Our player Kylian Mbappe is suffering from an acute case of gastroenteritis and has been admitted to hospital in order to undergo a series of tests and follow the appropriate course of treatment,” Real Madrid said in a statement on Thursday.
The statement did not indicate when Mbappe was admitted, but another update from the club, seven hours later, confirmed that he had been discharged after receiving treatment and returned to Real Madrid’s training ground.
“Mbappe will continue with specific medical treatment and will gradually return to team activity,” the club said.
What is gastroenteritis, and how did Mbappe get it?
Gastroenteritis – also known as the stomach flu or tummy bug – is a common illness that causes diarrhoea, fever and vomiting.
“Gastroenteritis is usually caused by a bacterial or viral tummy bug and affects people of all ages,” according to the United Kingdom’s National Health Service (NHS).
While it has not been revealed how the Real Madrid star caught the illness, the NHS says “cases in adults are usually caused by norovirus or bacterial food poisoning”.
How many games will Mbappe miss at the Club World Cup?
The France captain has so far missed one game and has been ruled out of another by Real’s manager, Xabi Alonso.
“He [Mbappe] is better,” Alonso said in his pre-match news conference on Saturday.
“It’s been two days since he came back from hospital. He’s recovering, and day by day.”
Mbappe, second left, took part in Real Madrid’s training before the Club World Cup at the Gardens North Country District Park at Palm Beach Gardens, Florida, but was ruled out of their opening game [File: Hannah McKay/Reuters]
Who will replace Mbappe for Real Madrid’s Club World Cup games?
Gonzalo Garcia, part of Real Madrid’s second team, replaced Mbappe in the club’s opening game, which ended in a 1-1 draw against Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal.
The 21-year-old opened the scoring for Real, leading Alonso to entrust him with another start.
“Gonzalo can do what he did the other day [against Al Hilal],” the Spanish manager said.
“He scored a goal and had three chances. Looking ahead, we’ll see what happens. Having players with that sense of smell is very important. He did very well.”
Will Mbappe play in the Club World Cup?
Alonso has hinted that Mbappe could be included in his squad for Real’s last group game against FC Salzburg on Thursday.
“We’re increasingly optimistic about him for the next match.”
Gastroenteritis, according to the NHS, usually clears up by itself within a week. While the 26-year-old may be cleared of the illness by Wednesday, it remains to be seen if he will be match-day fit, especially as the game is a late afternoon kickoff amid hot conditions.
Should Real qualify for the round of 16, Mbappe’s chances of playing out a full game will increase, given the rest period between the last group-stage match and the first knockout game.
Mbappe during a warm-up session [File: Susana Vera/Reuters]
What’s Real Madrid’s schedule at the Club World Cup?
After Sunday’s game against Pachuca, the Spanish giants will finish their Group H run with a fixture against Salzburg at the Lincoln Field in Philadelphia on Thursday at 19:00 GMT.
Should Real top Group H, they will play their first knockout game against the runners-up of Group G on July 1 at the Hard Rock Stadium in Miami at 19:00 GMT.
If they finish second in the group, Real will play the winners of Group G at the Camping World Stadium in Orlando on June 30 at 9pm (01:00 GMT, July 1).
Has Mbappe won a Club World Cup?
No. Mbappe has never participated in the Club World Cup before, as only one European team – the winners of the UEFA Champions League – entered the tournament under its previous rules.
While Real Madrid have won the tournament on a record five occasions, Mbappe was still plying his trade in the French Ligue 1 at the time, and his then clubs PSG and Monaco did not participate in the competition.
Can Real Madrid win the Club World Cup without Mbappe?
Los Blancos have an impeccable record in club competitions, having won the most European and Club World Cup titles in history. They have won the continent’s premier club competition on five occasions in the last 10 years.
Incidentally, Mbappe was not part of Real’s last La Liga, Champions League and Club World Cup triumphs, having joined the club at the beginning of the 2024-25 season.
It is fair to say the club has done quite well without its star Frenchman, but would not mind having his services for the remainder of the Club World Cup.
While Mbappe is a fan favourite, he is one of the many Real Madrid stars adored by football fans [File: Marco Bello/Reuters]
Mixed martial arts (MMA) legend Jon Jones has retired, and interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall has been elevated to the undisputed title holder, Dana White, the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) president and CEO, confirmed.
“Jon Jones called us last night and retired,” White said during a news conference on Saturday in Azerbaijan, where UFC Fight Night was held.
“Jon Jones is officially retired. Tom Aspinall is the heavyweight champion of the UFC.”
Jones, who turns 38 on July 19, has compiled a win-loss record of 28-1 with 11 total knockouts (TKOs), capturing UFC titles at light heavyweight and heavyweight. He was in line for a highly anticipated unification bout with Aspinall, 32, who became the UFC’s interim heavyweight champion in November 2023 when an injured Jones could not fight.
Englishman Aspinall (15-3 win-loss in MMA, 11 TKOs, 8-1 win-loss in UFC) posted a message on Instagram after White’s announcement.
“For you fans. It’s time to get this heavyweight division going,” wrote Aspinall, 32. “An active undisputed champion.”
Jones last fought on November 16, 2024, winning by a third-round TKO over Stipe Miocic. Jones has won six consecutive bouts since a no contest with Daniel Cormier on July 29, 2017.
White’s announcement countered words of Jones on Thursday when he appeared on the “Full Send” podcast.
“I don’t want to say that I’m retired because fighting’s in my blood,” Jones said on the podcast, per multiple media reports. “Right now, I could really care less about fighting. I’ve been doing it my whole life at a very high level and when the itch comes back – and if it comes back too, then I’ll do it with my whole heart, do it to the best of my abilities.”
Jones has had a chequered history out of the octagon, where he became the youngest UFC title holder at age 23 with a win over Mauricio Rua for the 205-pound crown. Jones, who is 16-0 in UFC title bouts, has dealt with legal issues was well as a yearlong suspension in 2016 for testing positive for performance-enhancing drugs – a result he disputes.
US President Donald Trump watched as Jon Jones defeated Stipe Miocic at UFC 309 on November 17, 2024, in New York [Evan Vucci/AP Photo]
Rountree Jr downs Hill in Baku
Meanwhile, former UFC light heavyweight title challenger Khalil Rountree Jr earned a dominant unanimous decision against Jamahal Hill in the main event of the Fight Night, taking the cards 49-46, 50-45, 50-45.
Utilising leg kicks and knocking the former light heavyweight champion down on several occasions, Rountree Jr (15-6 win-loss in MMA) is open to multiple options for his next fight, as long as he remains in the light heavyweight title picture.
“I didn’t come in here underestimating Jamahal,” Rountree said.
Hill (12-4 win-loss in MMA) has lost three in a row and is searching for his first win since January 2023.
The co-main event went the way of hometown lightweight Rafael Fiziev (13-4 win-loss in MMA), winning a unanimous decision against Ignacio Bahamondes 30-27, 30-27, 30-27 for his first victory since July 2022. Fiziev’s striking ability made the difference, as it was the first loss for Bahamondes (17-6 win-loss in MMA) since August 2023. Fiziev does not prefer whom he fights next, as he entered the bout ranked 11th in the division.
Heavyweight Curtis Blaydes outlasted debutant Rizvan Kuniev, earning a split decision 29-28, 28-29, 29-28. Blaydes (19-5 win-loss in MMA) bounced back after falling victim to UFC interim heavyweight champion Tom Aspinall last July at UFC 304.
In one of the most high-octane UFC fights in recent memory, lightweight Nazim Sadykhov overcame a Herculean effort from Nikolas Motta to secure a late second-round TKO at 4:17. Sadykhov was nearly finished by a plethora of Motta strikes in the first round before Sadykhov turned the fight around in the second. Sadykhov (11-1-1 win-loss MMA) has won 11 of his last 13 fights, landing a 75-punch combination to seal the deal. Motta (15-6 win-loss MMA) suffered his first loss since June 2023.
“There will be either peace or there will be tragedy for Iran, far greater than we have witnessed over the last eight days.” US President Donald Trump thanked Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and God after the US conducted strikes on Iran.
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