Good morning. Nelli Saarinen and Maddy Morwood here with Monday's AM NewsMail.

Iran has reportedly chosen a new supreme leader, whose name is yet to be announced, as Israel expands its strikes on Tehran. The ABC's global affairs editor Laura Tingle joins us from Dubai again to give us the latest.

Meanwhile, Russia looks to be the one to benefit from the unfolding oil crisis, and on home soil, the Labor backbench is growing increasingly uncomfortable with Anthony Albanese's response to the US-Israeli strikes. Plus, we'll review a frustrating night for the Tillies and quietly contemplate a career break.

AND REMEMBER: You can now see more ABC News stories in your Google search results.  

I'm ABC global affairs editor Laura Tingle in Dubai. I'm giving you daily updates to help you quickly understand what's going on.

• In breaking news this morning, a seventh US soldier has died in the war, from wounds sustained during Iran's initial counter-attack a week ago.
• Meanwhile, Iran is in turmoil. Deep divisions between its government and military have been laid bare after its President apologised to Gulf neighbours for attacking them, only for the Revolutionary Guard to escalate those attacks within minutes. And while a new Supreme Leader is reported to have been chosen, his identity remains undisclosed.
• Gulf state patience with Iran is running out. Saudi Arabia has warned Tehran that continued strikes on the kingdom could force it to respond in kind. The UAE, more tersely, said it reserves the right to take "all necessary measures" to protect its sovereignty.

So, what's the fallout?

This dirty war is now also being fought over perhaps the most precious of commodities in such an arid region: water.

Over 400 desalination plants line the Persian Gulf. On Sunday, Iran struck a plant in Bahrain, cutting water supply — and separately, Iran's foreign minister said a US airstrike damaged an Iranian desalination plant on Qeshm Island.

But the story then got really complicated. Israeli media quoted Israeli sources as saying it had been the UAE that had struck the Iranian desalination plan — a hugely significant development as it would have been the first time a Gulf state directly attacked Iran.

UAE official Ali Rashid Al Nuaimi quickly responded, flatly calling the claim "fake news", adding: "When we do something, we have the courage to announce it."

A source close to the Emirates told The Jerusalem Post that the UAE was "struggling to understand Israeli conduct", and accused Israeli officials of leaking false reports about UAE actions. The leak was widely seen as an attempt by Israel to drag the UAE directly into the conflict.

Thanks for joining me. You can keep track of the latest updates from Iran and around the world throughout the day via our live blog.

• Analysis by Patricia Karvelas: As more innocent people become victims of a regional war with no publicly articulated clear strategy, the Albanese government will need to pivot if it intends to keep a lid on its increasingly irritated base inside and outside of caucus.
• Oil crisis: As the Middle East war sparks an oil crisis, experts say the rising prices are setting up Russia to be a "big winner".
• Analysis by Alan Kohler: Oil markets can't bank on deal maker Donald Trump in the Middle East — while investors seem calm, the reality is this conflict could be long and destabilising.
• 'Makes me a target': In the inaugural ABC National Forum, Jewish authors, teachers, students, parents and grandparents examine their lives in Australia amid a rise in antisemitism. The ABC National Forum airs tonight on ABC TV and Radio National from 8:30pm AEDT.

• Analysis with Amanda Shalala: The Matildas have finished second in their group at the Women's Asia Cup after a thrilling 3-3 draw against South Korea last night. Alanna Kennedy continues to be a revelation for the Tillies, but Caitlin Foord's frustrated lashing out at the ball after full-time just about summed up the game.
• Illicit tobacco: Australian crime syndicates are using fake packaging to legitimise illicit tobacco and flood the market. The packets, which mimic official Australian packaging, are mass produced in Chinese factories and sold online, an ABC investigation has found.
• Tourist tax: Travellers wanting to visit the iconic Twelve Apostles on Victoria's Great Ocean Road will now be required to pay a fee, which the Victorian government says will help fund upgrades to tourist sites in the area.

- That's Deirdre Croft, who has dedicated 45 years of her life to caring and advocating for her intellectually disabled son, Richard, who is non-verbal and needs 24/7 care.

Now in her seventies, Deirdre says there is "no time to be wasted" as she tries to secure Richard's future for after she's gone. It's a distressing scenario faced by thousands of Australian parents — what happens to my child when I die?

Have you ever thought about taking a career break, but need the safety net of your old job to return back to?

Whether it’s for a holiday, additional study or a exploring a new field of work, experts say a career break can have many benefits. Turns out you can have it all!

PLUS: The Notorious B.I.G was killed on this day 29 years ago. Which hip-hop scene was he part of? Test yourself in our week in history quiz.

And that's it for today. Thanks for reading! We'll be back at the same time tomorrow with more.

Nelli, Maddy and the ABC News Digital team.

A seventh US soldier has died as the war in the Middle East continues into its second week. Follow live.