Middle East crises loom in background as NATO leaders gather in Washington While this year's summit is expected to focus largely on the ongoing war in Ukraine, Iran's military support for Russia and Turkey's strategic balancing act with Moscow are expected to weigh on NATO leaders gathered in Washington. Washington Pulse
US, Israel hold second virtual meeting on Rafah Biden administration officials have denied offering to green-light an Israeli invasion of Rafah if Israel holds off on retaliating against Iran. Washington Pulse
State Department staffer resigns over Biden's handling of Gaza Annelle Sheline is the second State Department official to publicly resign since Oct. 7, citing the erosion of US credibility on human rights in the Middle East as a result of the war. Washington Pulse
US Navy plans for smaller fleet amid spending caps despite Middle East crisis Facing budget caps and new procurement delays, the Navy is poised to reduce the overall size of its fleet even as attacks by Iran and its proxies in Yemen have led to unprecedented disruptions of commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Washington Pulse
Exclusive US government employees plan walkout over Biden’s Gaza policies By Joyce Karam , Elizabeth Hagedorn
Intel: Turkish defense minister asks Congress to halt bill sanctioning Ankara Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar asked US lawmakers today to abandon legislation that would sanction Ankara over its purchase of the Russian S-400 missile defense system that the House passed last week. Turkey
Intel: US calls on Turkey to release jailed philanthropist Osman Kavala The United States today called on Turkey to release Osman Kavala, a Turkish businessman and philanthropist who has spent 1,000 days in detention despite widespread condemnation from human rights organizations. Originals
Trump loosens rules on armed drone exports amid rivalry with China The new US policy will allow the United States to export armed drones after reinterpreting a 35-nation agreement aimed at limiting the proliferation of rocket-based weapons. Business
Intel: Russia may be reinforcing Libya’s Sirte ahead of expected offensive The US military has released new aerial surveillance images purporting to show additional Russian military equipment in Libya in the latest sign the Kremlin may be gearing up to help Gen. Khalifa Hifter defend the strategic city of Sirte. Turkey
Iran accuses US fighter aircraft of harassing Iranian airliner over eastern Syria An Iranian broadcaster says an Iran-to-Beirut commercial passenger flight had US jets make an aggressively close pass to it over Syria near the Iraqi border. Syria
Progressives push Democrats to acknowledge West Bank occupation in party platform Democrats made a series of compromises between pro-Palestinian and pro-Israel camps in the 2020 party platform, but progressives want to amend it with a reference to the occupation of the West Bank. Palestine
Intel: Key senator mounts bid to force Trump to declassify report on Soleimani strike The top Democrat on the Senate’s Middle East panel isn’t dropping the fight to force the Donald Trump administration to declassify the legal justification for the January strike that killed Iranian Quds Force commander Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani in Iraq. Originals
Intel: Trump, MBZ talk ridding Libya of proxy fighters During a phone call Tuesday, the US president and Abu Dhabi’s crown prince discussed diffusing the Libyan crisis as a new battle looms in the strategic city of Sirte. United Arab Emirates
US to buy eight of Turkey’s F-35s from Lockheed Martin The decision comes after Turkey had been expelled from the fighter jet's production program over its purchase of a Russian air defense system. Originals
Intel: Trump, Sisi address Nile dam dispute and Libya war President Donald Trump and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi discussed the Nile dam dispute with Ethiopia as well as the Libya war by phone today. Egypt
Intel: Trump presses Macron on Libya as France-Turkey row continues President Donald Trump pressed President Emmanuel Macron on France’s role in Libya during a phone call today. Originals
Engel is out — will the new foreign affairs chairman upend his Mideast policies? Three House Democrats are vying to replace Eliot Engel as the party’s new foreign affairs leader — will they actually change his Middle East policies? United States
