Giles Snyder

South Korea's benchmark plunged more than 12 percent.

Japan's Nikkei closed down more than 3 percent as oil prices climb higher.

I'm Giles Snyder, NPR News.

Live from NPR News, I'm Giles Snyder.

War in the Middle East widened Monday with waves of attacks by the U.S.

and Israel on Iran and Iran striking back on targets in the Gulf and as far afield as Cyprus.

The Lebanese militia group Hezbollah has also entered the fray.

NPR's Jane Araf is in Oman.

NPR's Jane Araf in Amman, France, meanwhile, calling on the military escalation to stop as Hezbollah enters the fight and Israel bombs the southern suburbs of Beirut.

NPR's Eleanor Beardsley reports a French foreign minister says prolonged military operations without a precise goal carries enormous risks.

U.S.

Embassy in Saudi Arabia telling Americans to avoid the embassy until further notice.

And the embassy in Riyadh came under an Iranian drone attack Monday.

Also, the State Department has ordered the evacuation of non-emergency personnel and family in Bahrain and Jordan and Iraq.

One of Iran's already damaged nuclear sites has been struck.

NPR's Jeff Brumfield reports.

This is NPR.

The FBI says it's investigating the mass shooting outside a bar in Austin, Texas over the weekend as a potential act of terrorism.

Two people were killed, 14 others wounded before police fatally shot the gunman late Monday.

Police announced a third person died of gunshot wounds in the attack.