Sept. 27 — The PLA Southern Theater Command held joint sea‑and‑air drills around Scarborough Shoal in the South China Sea, describing the exercise as a necessary response to actions by unspecified countries perceived as undermining regional stability and saying it aimed to test and enhance forces' real‑combat capability to defend China’s territorial sovereignty and maritime rights.

Axios reports that during the UN General Assembly in New York on Tuesday U.S. Middle East envoy Witkoff and Kushner held indirect talks with Iranian foreign minister Araghchi, with Qatari officials relaying messages. Araghchi conveyed Iran's conditions: if the U.S. lifts a naval blockade, lifts oil‑sales sanctions and restores a comprehensive regional ceasefire, Iran would reopen the Strait of Hormuz within a week and resume nuclear talks. Trump rejected the proposal on Saturday, but a U.S. official and two regional sources say Qatari mediators continued shuttle diplomacy over the weekend, circulating a compromise text and iterating edits; mediators were expected to meet Araghchi and Witkoff on Monday.

Israel will impose a "complete lockdown" on the West Bank until next Saturday.