China has sharply escalated military pressure on Taiwan, deploying more than 100 warships and jets in what it calls a live-fire blockade rehearsal. Taiwan says it detected a record number of Chinese aircraft and vessels near the island, prompting battle stations, Mirage jet takeoffs, and heightened coast guard alerts. Beijing’s drills, featuring rocket forces, naval swarms, and AI-generated propaganda videos under the banner “Shield of Justice,” are being seen as a direct warning to Taipei and its allies. The massive war games have raised fears of miscalculation and growing tensions in the Taiwan Strait.