iness <a href=https://github.com/istio/istio/pull/18164>#18164</a>.</li><li><strong>Improved</strong> performance of Envoy proxy configuration updates via xDS by sending partial updates where possible <a href=https://github.com/istio/istio/pull/18354>#18354</a>.</li><li><strong>Added</strong> an option to configure locality load balancing settings for each targeted service via destination rule<a href=https://github.com/istio/istio/pull/18406>#18406</a>.</li><li><strong>Fixed</strong> an issue where pods cra