The most consequential story this morning is the escalating confrontation with Iran. Donald Trump reportedly convened top security officials to discuss opening a major new offensive, with options ranging from massive escalation to a return to talks, as Tehran remains unmoved by days of strikes around the Strait of Hormuz. The broader regional instability is palpable: a security incident at a D.C.-area airport grounded flights for hours over concerns for an Iraqi leader, and Kuwait's airspace closure amid the Middle East war situation stranded two SriLankan Airlines aircraft mid-flight. These are not isolated events but symptoms of a region on a hair trigger. In Ukraine, the war of drones is intensifying on both sides. Ursula von der Leyen announced a new EU partnership with Kiev focused on drone development, while Russia is reportedly preparing a new kamikaze drone that is cheaper than the Iranian Shahed models but more destructive. This is a clear signal that drone warfare is becoming the defining tactical layer of this conflict, and both sides are racing to innovate. In the UK, the murder of veteran politician Ann Widdecombe has triggered a reckoning. Andy Burnham called for a serious review of MP security, warning that something has changed in politics. The incoming prime minister said he is certainly prepared to look at the issue, a recognition that political violence is no longer an abstract threat. Separately, China's economy posted disappointing second-quarter growth despite rising exports, a paradox that suggests deeper structural headwinds beneath the surface of its trade machine. Finally, two U.S.-based advocacy groups sued the Trump administration over its sanctions against the International Criminal Court, arguing the crackdown violates Americans' free speech rights. It is a legal test of whether the administration can use financial penalties to silence support for international investigations the White House opposes.