REGIONAL WARS INTENSIFY AS DIPLOMATIC CHANNELS REMAIN OPEN

The US-Israeli campaign against Iran remains unresolved, with Reuters describing a choice between negotiations and further escalation and ISW assessing that Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia serve Iranian pressure objectives. Russia and Ukraine continue long-range attacks, including reported strikes on power stations and refineries, even as diplomatic preparations and reconstruction consultations proceed. North Korea's concentrated missile testing, Chinese military activity around Taiwan, and reported injuries to Filipino fishermen at Escoda Shoal add pressure across the Indo-Pacific. Diplomatic contacts remain active, but no broad reduction in hostilities is established; the situation reflects elevated regional and great-power confrontation risk, not evidence that a world war is under way.