Sirens wailed across Jerusalem on Thursday as Israel’s military intercepted a new wave of Iranian missiles.
Footage from China Media Group (CMG) showed interceptor missiles arcing upward before striking Iran's rockets.
The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a statement that Iran had launched four waves of ballistic missile attacks since midnight, all of which were intercepted.
Israel’s Health Ministry reported 179 injuries in the past 24 hours, bringing the total to 2,745 since the conflict began, whilst 85 remain hospitalized. On Feb 28, Israel and the United States launched joint strikes on Tehran and other Iranian cities, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with senior commanders. Iran has since retaliated with waves of missile and drone attacks targeting Israeli and U.S. assets across the Middle East.
More than 1,300 civilians have been killed and 9,669 civilian sites destroyed in Iran in the military strikes launched by the United States and Israel since Feb 28, according to official data released by Iran on Tuesday.
Israel intercepts new round of missile attacks from Iran
China will formulate more effective laws and regulations in 2026, covering key areas, emerging fields, and foreign-related domains, Minister of Justice He Rong said in an interview in Beijing on Thursday.
Legislative efforts will focus on four fronts this year to ensure that the rule of law aligns more effectively with reform, development, and stability, while better upholding social fairness and justice, the minister said after the closing meeting of the fourth session of the 14th National People's Congress (NPC), China's national legislature.
"Firstly, we will improve the business environment by formulating regulations for building a unified national market. Efforts will be made to address issues of concern, such as local protection, the imposition of improper market access restrictions, and rat-race competition," said the minister.
"Secondly, we will promote sci-tech innovation. Artificial intelligence has become a 'buzzword' at this year's two sessions. In 2026, we will accelerate research on legislation in fields such as artificial intelligence and the law-altitude economy, revise the Road Traffic Safety Law and formulate regulations on airspace management," He said.
"Thirdly, legislation will place greater emphasis on safeguarding people's livelihood and promoting common prosperity, aiming to meet the public's growing demand for better legal protections in areas such as food, housing, clothing, and transportation. This year, administrative regulations will be formulated and implemented concerning water supply, pharmaceutical administration, road transport management, and housing safety," the minister said.
"Fourthly, we will strengthen services to advance high-level opening-up. We will advance the formulation of laws and regulations related to trade, investment, and customs clearance facilitation," the minister said.
The "two sessions," or the annual sessions of the NPC, and the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), the top political advisory body, concluded on Thursday and Wednesday, respectively.
China to strengthen legislation in key sectors, emerging fields, foreign-related domains: minister
