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According to RIA Novosti, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and the UAE Foreign Minister held talks on the tensions in the Persian Gulf.

[US Military Launches Eighth Consecutive Night of Strikes Against Iran; 50,000 US Troops on High Alert] 1. US Central Command announced that, following presidential orders, it completed a new round of strikes against Iran at 11:30 p.m. Eastern Time on July 18 (11:30 a.m. Sunday Beijing Time). This marks the eighth consecutive night of strikes by the US military, continuing the operational rhythm since July 11. 2. In this operation, Central Command forces precisely targeted Iranian military coastal surveillance facilities, air defense facilities, naval combat equipment, and missile and drone storage sites, aiming to continuously weaken Iran's military combat capabilities. Simultaneously, the US military struck units of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps that launched an attack on US forces in Jordan on July 17. 3. Currently, over 50,000 US military personnel are deployed throughout the Middle East, all on high alert, focused on combat readiness, and possessing sufficient combat strike capabilities, ready to be deployed at any time. 4. This operation comes at a time of escalating US-Iran military confrontation. Previously, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps attacked a US base in the Tanf region of Syria, causing numerous US personnel casualties and equipment damage. The U.S. State Department has issued a global security alert, advising U.S. citizens abroad to be vigilant.

According to the New York Post, US President Trump stated that the US strikes prevented Iran from acquiring nuclear weapons. He added that if Iran is not stopped, the region could descend into a wider conflict.

[South Korea Plans to Expand Foreign Investment in Korean Bonds and Collateral to Boost the Won and Promote Internationalization] 1. South Korea's Ministry of Finance announced on Sunday (July 19) plans to allow foreign financial institutions to borrow won through temporary overdrafts and to use won-denominated bonds as collateral in financial transactions. These measures are part of an incentive program designed to encourage the use of the won and transform it from a restricted domestic currency into a more global one. 2. Prior to these measures, South Korea extended trading hours for the USD/KRW exchange rate to 24 hours a day starting July 6, marking a shift towards opening up its long-closed currency. These two moves are seen by some market participants as key steps in South Korea's bid to have its stock market upgraded from an emerging market to a developed market index by MSCI. 3. The won exchange rate has been under pressure recently due to the escalating US-Iran conflict, high oil prices, and capital outflows. In early July, the USD/KRW exchange rate approached the 1,560 won mark. Analysts point out that foreign holdings of South Korean bonds have reached approximately 200 trillion won. If the policy is implemented, it will significantly improve the international usability of the won and attract more overseas capital into the South Korean bond market, thus supporting the won. However, the market is also concerned that, given the Federal Reserve's maintenance of high interest rates, whether the won can reverse its downward trend solely through structural reforms remains to be seen.

A magnitude 5 earthquake struck Iran's Khuzestan province at approximately 6:00 AM local time today (July 19), according to the Seismological Center of Tehran University. The earthquake had a depth of 12 kilometers. (CCTV)

South Korea's Ministry of Finance announced that it will allow foreign investors to trade more won-denominated bonds and borrow won from domestic and foreign exchange banks.