Day 34 of Middle East conflict — Oil prices surge as Trump’s Iran war speech fails to calm nerves | CNN

• Follow the latest updates on the war with Iran here. • Opening the strait: The UN Security Council is set to vote Friday on a Bahraini proposal that would authorize countries to use “all defensive means necessary” to secure the Strait of Hormuz. More than 40 countries attended a virtual meeting to discuss reopening the waterway Thursday, as US President Donald Trump railed against allies over their handling of the issue. • Iran’s capabilities: US intelligence assessments have found that Iran maintains significant missile launching capability despite more than a month of heavy US-Israeli bombardment, sources told CNN. Tehran remains poised to “wreak absolute havoc” throughout the region, one of the sources said. • Impact on markets: Asian equities rebounded on Friday, tracking gains on Wall Street amid hopes for an end to the conflict despite surging oil prices. Meanwhile, Asian airlines have hiked ticket prices and cut flights as carriers face pressure amid rising jet fuel costs. The aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford, the US Navy’s newest and largest carrier, is back at sea and mission-capable after undergoing repairs for a fire in its laundry spaces, a stat