A regional military escalation is not in Israel's "best interest," White House National Security spokesman John Kirby said on Sunday, as heightening cross-border tensions between Israel and Lebanon have led to fears of an all-out war. Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah have engaged in rapidly escalating cross-border exchanges, including intense rocket fire overnight in northern Israel. The fire reached Kiryat Bialik on the edge of north Israel's biggest city Haifa, leaving a building in flames, another pockmarked with shrapnel, and vehicles incinerated.

HOW THE US IS TRYING TO AVOID A WIDER MIDDLE EAST WAR

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky is expected to meet with President Joe Biden and Vice President Kamala Harris and hopes to also huddle with Donald Trump when he arrives in the US in days to present his "victory plan" on how to end the nearly two-year war with Russia. The Ukrainian leader will also pitch his proposal when he attends sessions of the United Nations Security Council and the General Assembly. He said his "victory plan" lays out a diplomatic roadmap on how Ukraine can force Russia to end the war this fall.

POLL SHOWS HALF OF RUSSIANS WANT PUTIN TO WITHDRAW

A $40 million yacht that sank off the coast of Italy may hold classified intelligence locked in watertight safes, prompting fears that Russia and China may try to steal it. The concerns led prosecutors investigating last month's capsizing of the Bayesian to protect the sunken sailboat with guards above water and underwater surveillance cameras. The 184-foot luxury vessel sank last month near the island of Sicily during a storm, killing seven of the 22 on board. The dead included British tech tycoon Mike Lynch, who founded the Darktrace cybersecurity company.

SEE THE SECURITY MEASURES BEING TAKEN TO GUARD YACHT

Name the most valuable shipwreck ever discovered. When and where?

Friday's answer: The five U.S. territories where Americans can travel without presenting a US passport are American Samoa, Guam, the Northern Mariana Islands, Puerto Rico and the US Virgin Islands.