Today's top stories, with context, in just 15 minutes.
On today's podcast:
1) Israel and Iran exchanged missile strikes on Monday despite President Trump’s calls for both sides to stop fighting and give peace talks a chance. Iran launched a fresh wave of attacks just hours after firing ballistic missiles at Israel on Sunday. Israel responded with strikes on military targets in western and central Iran, while Iranian state media reported multiple explosions in the capital, Tehran.
2) The Houthis, an Iran-backed militant group that controls much of Yemen, declared a ban on Israeli ships in the Red Sea, threatening a key bypass route to the Strait of Hormuz. “We declare a complete and total ban on Israeli maritime navigation,” the group said Monday in a statement. “We consider all enemy movements to be legitimate military targets for our armed forces.” The move comes as the Iran war drags into a fourth month and hostilities flare across the region, threatening to derail a fragile truce and complicate negotiations toward a peace deal. The conflict has led to the near-closure of Hormuz, forcing key Middle Eastern exporters to find alternative routes to global markets.
3) The Secret Service and the New York Police Department barred outdoor watch parties planned near Madison Square Garden for Game 3 of the NBA Finals on Monday night, citing security requirements tied to President Donald Trump’s planned attendance. The ban applies only to Game 3, with officials expecting the New York City watch parties to resume for Game 4. Matt McCool, special agent in charge of the Secret Service’s New York field office, said the two agencies jointly determined that outdoor gatherings near the arena could not be safely accommodated.