China Claims It’s Ready for War with U.S.

The confrontation between the United States and Iran escalated sharply this weekend after President Donald Trump issued a stark ultimatum threatening to “obliterate” Iran’s power infrastructure if Tehran does not reopen the Strait of Hormuz within 48 hours — one of the world’s most critical chokepoints.

Iran escalated its conflict with the United States by launching two long-range missiles at the U.S.-U.K. base on Diego Garcia—its first confirmed use of intermediate-range ballistic missiles. The strike, targeting a base about 2,500 miles away, revealed capabilities far beyond what many analysts had expected.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Saturday night was “a very difficult evening in the campaign for our future” after Iranian ballistic missiles struck the southern cities of Dimona and Arad, injuring at least 175 people and causing significant damage to civilian neighborhoods.

U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement agents will help with security efforts at the nation’s airports beginning Monday as a partial government shutdown is causing lengthy delays for passengers, President Donald Trump wrote Sunday on social media.

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday will hear arguments in a consequential case to determine if states can accept and count mail-in ballots after Election Day.

U.S. President Donald J. Trump used a major conservative gathering in Hungary to endorse Prime Minister Viktor Orbán ahead of a high-stakes April 12 election, as warnings over mass migration and what speakers described as the “Islamization of Europe” dominated the conference.

Human rights activists and senior officials have expressed concern about Russia’s interference in Hungary’s upcoming elections after revelations that a former interpreter of Russian President Vladimir Putin is part of an international observation mission overseeing the April 12 vote.