Globe at a glance: From Houthis striking Saudi tankers in Red Sea to wildfires in Europe

Houthis claim attacks in Red Sea: Yemen's Houthi rebels claimed to have struck two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea on Wednesday, potentially opening a new front in the US-Iran war engulfing the region. The claim came as the United States launched a fresh wave of strikes on Iranian military targets, marking the twelfth consecutive night of US attacks on Iran. The Houthis said they had carried out missile and drone strikes on two Saudi tankers that "violated the blockade", naming the vessels as the Encelia and the Layla.

Mexican mayor shot dead: A local mayor in central Mexico was shot dead in a town hall, authorities reported Wednesday, after the politician had survived a previous assassination attempt. The town of Temoac is located in the state of Morelos, a region close to Mexico City where several drug cartels are active. Mayor Valentin Lavin, who was allied to President Claudia Sheinbaum's leftist party, had already survived an armed attack in January, according to local media reports.

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US strikes nuclear deal with Saudi: The United States on Wednesday announced a landmark deal with Saudi Arabia that would establish a civilian nuclear program in the Gulf country, with Washington insisting the agreement includes non-proliferation safeguards. The move comes as the United States under President Donald Trump fights a war with Iran that began in large part over concerns with Tehran's nuclear program -- an issue that remains a key point of contention during now-stalled peace talks. Two agreements -- one on "peaceful nuclear cooperation" and another on "bilateral safeguards" -- were signed by US Energy Secretary Chris Wright and his Saudi counterpart Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman, the US Energy Department said.

Wildfires in Europe: Wildfires raged on Wednesday in Sicily, southwestern France and central Spain, having claimed the lives of three firefighters and sparked thousands of evacuations. Temperatures topped 40C and gusts of hot wind fanned the flames in the southern Italian island, where wildfires have been raging for several days. Around 6,000 firefighters, forest guards and civil protection officials were deployed to battle the flames with the help of water-bombing aircraft, the head of the region, Renato Schifani, said, adding that 50 fires were still raging.

US House approves $95 bn budget plan with Iran war funding: The US House of Representatives approved a $95 billion budget framework on Wednesday, with most of the funding earmarked for the Pentagon to fund the war against Iran. The measure was narrowly approved in a 216-214 vote and now heads to the Senate, where its fate is uncertain. The plan provides $73 billion for the armed forces and intelligence agencies, notably to fund operations linked to the war against Iran, as well as $12 billion in aid for farmers affected by President Donald Trump's trade war.

Quote of the day: "Our defence doctrine is clear: eye for an eye. Any aggression against Iran, including our infrastructure, will compel a powerful and decisive response."

-Iranian FM Abbas Araghchi on US attacks

Today in history: The crew of Apollo 11, Neil Armstrong, Buzz Aldrin, and Michael Collins, returned safely to Earth, splashing down in the Pacific Ocean after the first crewed Moon landing.