more hours left in this and much more to go before we know exactly what's going on. >> All right, Megan, thanks very much. Megan Cassella, let's turn now to Michael O'Hanlon.He's director of foreign policy research at the Brookings Institution. Michael. And so we are hearing from different analysts that they think this could actually be a rather drawn out affair.That's going to kind of put that on one side of the equation. On the other side, are those pointing out that the market reaction here is not outsiz ...

Geopolitical Risk & Oil Prices - Rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly concerns about a potential Israeli strike on Iran, have pushed oil prices to a two-month high [1] - The US is considering a partial or complete evacuation of embassies in Baghdad, Kuwait, and Bahrain, raising concerns about potential military action [3][4] - The UK Navy has warned of potential military action around key waterways, adding to the unrest in the Middle East [4] - The Iranian nuclear talks are at a critical juncture, with a potential "make or break" point on Sunday, hinging on the issue of uranium enrichment [4][5] - Israel views Iran's enrichment capabilities as intolerable, potentially leading to preemptive action [7][8] Supply & Demand Dynamics - While supply and demand are currently balanced, a strike on Carg Island, which handles 90% of Iranian oil exports, could significantly increase oil prices, potentially reducing supply by over 1 million barrels per day [11][12] - Iraqi militias located in southern Iraq near key oil infrastructure in Basra pose a risk to oil supply [13] - OPEC spare capacity could be utilized if attacks intensify [13] US-Israel Relations & Iran - There may be a difference of opinion between the US and Israel regarding acceptable levels of uranium enrichment, with Israel favoring zero enrichment [9][10] - The US's final offer on uranium enrichment terms will be crucial in determining whether Israel might act independently [10] - If nuclear talks break down, the probability of an Israeli strike increases [11]