US and Israel on Saturday launched a surprise attack on Iran after weeks of face-off and multiple rounds of talks that failed to reach a deal between the two.

World leaders reacted to Saturday's attack on Iran with a mixture of support, condemnation, and calls for restraint.

China is arming Iran with attack drones, advanced missiles, and electronic warfare systems — right as the United States builds up its military presence for potential strikes against Tehran. Could this be the spark that ignites a new Middle East conflict?

Most of Iran's exported oil goes to China and is carried on so-called "shadow ships," tankers that actively conceal their activities to evade sanctions or other restrictions. The U.S. has recently escalated its sanctions enforcement on shadow fleets in an attempt to limit their activities.

While Beijing publicly advocates restraint, sustained tensions between the U.S. and Iran serve its strategic interests.

Iran is close to buying a supersonic missile from China that could destroy American aircraft carriers. Officials from the Islamic Republic are in advanced negotiations with Beijing to purchase the CM-302 cruise weapon, which is designed to damage warships, according to Reuters.

Iran reportedly nears deal with China for supersonic anti-ship missiles that could target U.S. carrier strike groups deployed in Middle East waters.

The U.S.’s leading rivals–Russia and China–criticized Washington over its strikes on Iran during an emergency meeting of the United Nations Security Council on Saturday. U.S. ambassador Michael G. Waltz countered and said “Operation Epic Fury is directed towards specific and strategic objectives.