Fewer than 100 days to Election Day
With fewer than 100 days until November's midterm elections, key Senate and House races are already heating up across the country.
Snapshot · Up First from NPR
Seattle Shooting, Iran War Pause, Midterm Elections
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Jul 27, 2026
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80% of interceptors depleted
The US reportedly burned through approximately 80% of some of its precision interceptor missile stockpiles, including Patriots and THAADs, during the Iran campaign.
US ran out of precision munitions
Top US military commander Brad Cooper recommended stopping the bombing campaign near the Strait of Hormuz partly because depleting interceptor missiles made resuming large-scale operations a risky option.
China declared Iran a strategic partner
China officially described Iran as its 'strategic partner' militarily, economically, and politically — a public commitment that preceded its warning to Trump.
China threatened direct war entry
China, via Foreign Minister Wang Yi, warned Trump that striking power plants or bridges in Iran would bring China directly into the conflict and trigger World War III.
China-Pakistan diplomatic coordination
Beijing and Islamabad are conducting coordinated diplomatic contacts aimed at reducing US-Iran tensions, with Pakistan acting as a regional facilitator and China as the overarching political umbrella.
China replaced US as Mideast security umbrella
Analysts cited on the show argue that China has replaced the US as the dominant security provider in the Middle East, attracting Gulf states toward a China-centric framework.
Iran struck US air bases with impunity
Iran successfully struck US air bases in nearby Arab nations after the US escalated, demonstrating Iran's ability to retaliate effectively.
Flynn warned against war with nuclear alliance
Former Trump adviser Gen. Michael Flynn warned that war against an Iran-China-Russia-Pakistan-North Korea alliance of nuclear-armed nations would be 'monumentally challenging.'
Trump denied munitions shortage publicly
Trump told the Wall Street Journal the US has 'far more munitions than anyone in the world and far more than we need,' directly contradicting military reporting.
