US-Israeli war against Iran reaches 100-day mark

The U.S.-Israeli war against Iran reached its 100-day mark on Sunday, with peace remaining elusive in the Middle East region.

On Feb 28, the United States and Israel launched coordinated military strikes against Iran, hitting multiple locations including the capital Tehran, Isfahan, and Karaj. Iran's then-Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and several high-ranking officials were killed in the airstrikes.

In retaliation, Iran's Islamic Revolution Guard Corps (IRGC) launched missiles and drones attack at U.S. military bases in the Middle East and Israeli targets on the same day.

According to information released by various sources, over the ensuing weeks, the U.S. military struck over 10,000 Iranian military targets, while the Israeli military hit several thousand Iranian targets. Iran launched 100 waves of retaliatory "Operation True Promise-4" strikes. The conflict spread to more than 10 countries across the Middle East.

After over a month of intense fighting, the United States and Iran announced a temporary ceasefire on April 8. Both sides held their first round of talks in Pakistan on April 11 and 12, but no substantive breakthrough was achieved.

In subsequent negotiations, the two countries engaged in intense discussions over issues including Iran's nuclear program and highly enriched uranium, the lifting of sanctions, the unfreezing of Iranian assets, and the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz. To date, no peace agreement has been reached.

On Feb 28, the IRGC announced a ban on any vessels passing through the Strait of Hormuz, bringing traffic to a halt on one of the world's most critical energy waterways. On May 30, Iran declared full operational and administrative management over shipping in the strait, requiring all commercial vessels, oil tankers, and other civilian ships to navigate designated routes and obtain prior permission from the IRGC Navy.

On the U.S. side, after the first round of U.S.-Iran talks ended without a breakthrough, the U.S. Central Command announced on April 13 that, effective that day, it would impose a blockade on all maritime traffic entering or leaving Iranian ports. The standoff between the United States and Iran over navigation rights in the Strait of Hormuz continues to this day.

As negotiations continue to stall, sporadic military clashes have begun to occur between the United States and Iran since last month, with the frequency of clashes intensifying since late May.

Since May 30, the United States has launched multiple strikes against Iranian targets along the coast of the Strait of Hormuz, while Iran has retaliated by repeatedly hitting U.S. military bases across the Middle East.

Following the U.S.-Israeli strikes on Feb 28, the Hezbollah group in Lebanon announced on March 2 that it had begun striking Israeli targets, reigniting the Lebanon-Israel conflict. The Israeli military launched airstrikes on multiple locations in Lebanon and carried out a ground invasion, taking control of large swaths of southern Lebanon.

On April 17, Lebanon and Israel, through U.S. mediation, announced a 10-day temporary ceasefire, which was subsequently extended several times. However, the Israeli military has continued operations in Lebanon.

Iran said the ceasefire agreement with the United States also covers Lebanon, and that the United States and Israel will be held accountable for any violations of the ceasefire.

US-Israeli war against Iran reaches 100-day mark

A large number of international guests have been drawn to Ninghai County in east China's Zhejiang Province, immersing themselves in the culture of its villages and enjoying warm welcomes from local people eager to share their traditional practices.

Recently, a traditional long-table banquet was held in the county's Qiantong Ancient Town, an exceptionally well-preserved town built during the Song Dynasty (960–1279).

Given the rising popularity of rural tourism in China, it was no surprise that the 300 tickets for the event sold out within a few minutes. However, local organizers had not expected the event to bring so many guests from overseas to the 200-meter-long table.

"I especially like the tall (long) table, it's actually a new experience for me," said an international visitor.

"The atmosphere here is lively and I really like it. The dishes arrived still hot, crispy and delicious," said another overseas guest.

Inspired by the stories of Xu Xiake, an explorer and travel writer from the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644), more than 100 overseas students also visited old villages in the county, where they learned traditional crafting techniques like paper cutting.

"I can experience traditional culture and I also like that in this village. There are some old traditional things," said an overseas student.

"This place is so beautiful, with many delicious foods," another student said.

The students also learned to make a kind of traditional dessert that symbolizes good wishes for longevity.

"It's my first time to see it. It's very interesting. I want to learn new things," said one of the students.

"I feel really amazed there, really happy. I was really enjoying this experience to do it," said another.

Local people were more than willing to share these ancient practices with young people from around the world.

"Through hands-on experience, our foreign friends can more easily understand our traditional culture. Our communication like this is more sincere and unforgettable," said Liang Lanlan, an intangible cultural heritage inheritor.

Traditional culture in east China county draws international guests