Rising Tensions Across Iran-U.S. War as Trump Heads to China and Middle East Flare-Ups Continue

UN peacekeepers in southern Lebanon report escalating Hezbollah-Israel clashes and drone activity near UN positions, as regional fighting intensifies. Separately, Iran-U.S.-Israel hostilities coincide with a jump in U.S. wholesale prices driven by energy costs from the war. Iran outlines preconditions for talks as President Trump arrives in Beijing to meet Xi, with mediation efforts led by Pakistan and discussion of a multinational mission to secure the Strait of Hormuz, which Australia plans to join. The ceasefire remains fragile amid continued strikes and cross-border incidents in Lebanon and around Hormuz.