The death toll from Israel's relentless bombardment of Gaza has surpassed 41,000, according to Gaza's health authorities. Oxfam, a confederation of nongovernmental organizations, reported Monday that more women and children had died in the airstrikes than during any other conflict in the past two decades.

Israel widened its strikes against Hezbollah targets in Lebanon Saturday as the government weighed its options on how to retaliate against Iran for a missile strike earlier this week.

China boasts a massive, ever-expanding missile force that could make war in the Pacific devastating for the US and its allies.