War and retaliation in the Middle East, 'Teflon Mark' takes over NATO, Veeps' debate

It has been a week of relentless escalation in the Middle East, with Israeli air strikes across Lebanon, Gaza and Yemen against Iranian-backed militants. Hundreds of civilians have been killed in the past seven days, and in the south of Lebanon, a "limited ground offensive" has begun. Iran has retaliated, sending almost 200 ballistic missiles across Israel, leading to much speculation over Israel's response.

This week has also seen "Mr Teflon" Mark Rutte take over the helm at NATO. It's a nickname he's going to need as he takes on the job in the midst of spiralling international crises. He has also been called "The Trump Whisperer", which could come in handy, depending on who gets the keys to the White House. Rutte’s first trip was to Kyiv. It is inevitable, he says, that Ukraine will become a NATO member.

And it has been "Veep week" in the US, with the two running mates going head-to-head in a 90 minute debate. It was a surprisingly cordial affair, with tough questions for both. Tim Walz says he "misspoke" when suggesting he was in Hong Kong at the time of the Tiananmen Square massacre. JD Vance says he only compared Trump to Hitler in the past because of the mainstream media. We ask: who won, was it worth it and does it matter?