Strait of Hormuz shipping hit again, Macron backs Syria and Gaza governance shifts

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz comes under renewed attack as Iran strikes vessels in the waterway. The incidents have fuelled concerns over energy security as Britain and France prepare a multinational naval mission to protect commercial traffic in the strait. French President Emmanuel Macron also arrives in Damascus, becoming the first western leader to visit Syria since the end of the civil war in 2024. His talks with President Ahmad Al Shara are expected to focus on reconstruction, investment and regional stability. We also look ahead to a planned meeting between US President Donald Trump and Mr Al Shara at the Nato summit in Turkey, where regional security and Lebanon are expected to top the agenda. Attention is also turning to Gaza's political future after Hamas announced it is dissolving its governing authority, paving the way for a UN-backed technocratic administration to take over under a wider peace plan. Meanwhile, Abu Dhabi Commercial Bank says most of its digital banking services have been restored after a week of technical disruption, with only a small number of customers still awaiting full access to its app. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.