As an unprecedented Israeli attack on Iran last week sparks a spiraling conflict between the two enemy states, China has seen an opportunity to cast itself as potential peace broker – and an alternative voice to the United States.

Chinese commentators have said that Iran might have fared better against Israeli strikes if had been equipped with Chinese weaponry

Both countries have closed their airspaces, leaving few options for citizens of other countries seeking to leave.

The USS Nimitz and its carrier strike group are steaming west from the Pacific as part of an overall buildup of US military firepower

The SIPRI Yearbook 2025 reveals that China’s nuclear arsenal is growing faster than any other country’s, by about 100 new warheads a year since 2023.

Israel and Iran launched a new round of attacks as the conflict between the two heavily armed rivals enters its fifth day.

Since shortly after it was founded in 1948, Israel has been intent on building a nuclear program to ensure its survival.

Israel hasn’t attacked Iran’s energy export hubs so far. If it does, China could find itself cut off from a flow of cheap oil. Iran exports around 1.7 million barrels of crude a day, less than 2% of global demand.