Federal Reserve Governor Lael Brainard has resigned as Chair of the White House Council of Economic Advisers

On April 5th, Reuters reported that the OPEC+ committee raised concerns during its Sunday meeting over attacks on energy assets amid the U.S.-Israel and Iran conflict, noting repairs to affected facilities are costly and time-consuming—hitting supply. In a statement, the committee stressed the critical importance of safeguarding international maritime routes to ensure uninterrupted energy flows. It also voiced concern about strikes on energy infrastructure, adding that restoring damaged assets to full capacity is both expensive and time-intensive, weighing on overall supply capacity. Per PolyBeats monitoring, in the prediction market Polymarket, the probability WTI crude oil closes above $130 in a single day has climbed to 51%, while the chance it exceeds $120 has risen to 80%.

April 5 (Wednesday) — Michael Saylor, founder of Strategy, again released information related to the Bitcoin Tracker, stating, "?ack to Work." Per past patterns, Strategy typically discloses its Bitcoin accumulation details the day after sharing such related news.

April 5 — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) announced early on April 5 that its Navy and Aerospace Force jointly executed the 96th wave of the “True Promise-4” operation. In a statement, the IRGC said it launched fierce attacks on the Haifa refinery (which supplies fuel to Israeli warplanes), destroying its core facilities. It also targeted ExxonMobil and Chevron gas facilities in Habshan, United Arab Emirates (UAE), and a petrochemical plant in Ruwais, UAE, with missiles. Additionally, multiple petrochemical facilities in Sitra, Bahrain, and Shuwaikh, Kuwait, were struck by drones and missiles. Those sites were fully shut down, and large-scale fires broke out. Source: CCTV News

On April 5, former President Donald Trump posted on Truth Social claiming U.S. forces rescued a severely injured, brave F-15 fighter jet pilot—an officer and highly respected colonel—from deep in Iran’s mountains. Iran’s military had deployed extensively for a thorough search and was closing in on the target, he said. Trump noted such raids are rarely conducted due to significant risk to personnel and equipment, calling the operation “unheard of.” A second raid followed the first, and the pilot was rescued in broad daylight—another unprecedented detail, as U.S. forces remained over Iranian airspace for seven hours. Trump praised the courage and skill of all involved, adding he will hold a press conference with military officials in the Oval Office on Monday afternoon at 1:00 p.m.

April 5th: On-chain investigator Tay (@tayvano_) revealed that a large number of North Korean IT workers have been deeply involved in building various blockchain protocols we know and love since the 2020 DeFi Summer. Their resume claim of “7 years of blockchain development experience” isn’t fake—they do have hands-on experience. The crypto protocols in question include SushiSwap, THORChain, Harmony, Ankr, Shib, and Yearn, among others.

On April 5, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) issued a statement claiming it targeted petrochemical facilities in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Kuwait, and Bahrain; an oil refinery in Israel; and a gas facility in the UAE. Should another attack on civilian targets in Iran occur, the impact on U.S. economic interests in the region will escalate further.