A potentially dangerous encounter occurred over the South China Sea as a Chinese Shenyang J-11 fighter jet approached within 10 feet of a US B-52 bomber, risking a collision, according to the US Indo-Pacific Command. The incident highlights the ongoing tensions between the US and China in the contested region, where both nations regularly assert their influence. The US military expressed concern about the proximity, emphasizing the potential for a collision and noting that such intercepts have occurred more than 180 times since the fall of 2021. Despite the incident, the US military affirms its commitment to lawful operations in international airspace.