An ongoing excavation has uncovered the massive gate to the Philistine city of Gath, best known as the home of Goliath. The Times of Israel reports:

Gath, one of the five cities of the ancient foes of the Israelites, was one of the largest cities in the region during the 10th and 9th centuries BCE. The Hebrew Bible describes Gath as the home of Goliath, the enormous warrior killed with a slingshot by the young Israelite David, who would go on to found a dynasty of kings. . . .

[The city’s] monumental gate is among the largest ever found in Israel and confirms that Gath was one of the most influential cities in the region at the time. Near the gate, [the archaeologists] also unearthed the remains of the city’s extensive fortification wall, a Philistine temple, ironwork, and pottery.

While the pottery bears hallmarks of the distinctive Philistine style, elements of Israelite techniques can be seen on the fragments as well, indicating there was more interaction between the two cultures than previously thought.

For more than a year, the Iran-backed Houthis have been launching drones and missiles at ships traversing the Red Sea, as well as at Israeli territory, in support of Hamas. This development has drastically curtailed shipping through the Suez Canal and the Bab al-Mandeb Strait, driving up trade prices. This week, the Trump administration began an extensive bombing campaign against the Houthis in an effort to reopen that crucial waterway. Burcu Ozcelik highlights another benefit of this action:

The administration has a broader geopolitical agenda—one that includes countering China’s economic leverage, particularly Beijing’s reliance on Iranian oil. By targeting the Houthis, the United States is not only safeguarding vital shipping lanes but also exerting pressure on the Iran-China energy nexus, a key component of Beijing’s strategic posture in the region.

China was the primary destination for up to 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports in 2024, underscoring the deepening economic ties between Beijing and Tehran despite U.S. sanctions. By helping fill Iranian coffers, China aids Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in financing proxies like the Houthis. Since October of last year, notable U.S. Treasury announcements have revealed covert links between China and the Houthis.

Striking the Houthis could trigger broader repercussions—not least by disrupting the flow of Iranian oil to China. While difficult to confirm, it is conceivable and has been reported, that the Houthis may have received financial or other forms of compensation from China (such as Chinese-made military components) in exchange for allowing freedom of passage for China-affiliated vessels in the Red Sea.