By Brijesh Patel (Reuters) -Gold rose for a fourth straight session to a near two-month high on Monday, as intensified clashes between Israel and Iran over the weekend stoked fears of a broader regional conflict,

Iran conflict could open opportunities for Russia to possibly become a power broker to help end the confrontation.

The U.S. was represented at the UN Security Council's emergency session on Friday by State Department Senior Bureau Official McCoy Pitt, who said the U.S. was advised by Israel that the actions carried out against Iran overnight were "necessary for its self-defense."

As both Iran and Israel showed no signs of backing off from their attacks, the prospect that Tehran might seek to choke off the Strait of Hormuz - the world’s most important gateway for oil shipping - raised broader economic risks from disruptions in the energy rich Middle East.

"The full strength and might of the U.S. Armed Forces will come down on you at levels never seen before," Trump warned.

Smoke billowed above fuel tanks in Tehran and gas plants on Iran’s south coast on Sunday as energy became the latest frontline in its conflict with Israel. Iran’s creaking energy sector, starved of foreign investment for years by sanctions,

India's equity benchmarks are set to open little changed on Monday after two straight sessions of losses, as the conflict between Israel and Iran showed no signs of cooling, denting risk sentiment.

Jon Faust, who advised three Fed chairs, doesn’t see an interest-rate cut until December — an even then, the odds of a move are just 50/50.