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
Coronavirus likely to delay Pentagon war games in Mideast to 2021 Mideast war exercises planned for this year are likely to be delayed until 2021, and other war games scheduled for next year may be delayed until 2022. Egypt
Intel: Pro-Palestinian progressive insurgent ousts House Foreign Affairs chairman Pro-Palestinian progressive insurgent Jamaal Bowman ousted House Foreign Affairs Committee Chairman Eliot Engel in the New York Democratic primary, according to an Associated Press call of the today. While Engel has been trailing behind Bowman since the election was held last month, the counting of mail-in ballots has delayed the final results. United States
Intel: Pompeo thanks Qatar for facilitating Afghanistan peace talks Secretary of State Mike Pompeo thanked Qatari Minister of Foreign Affairs Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani for agreeing to host peace talks between the Afghan government and the Taliban. Qatar
Intel: White House sympathizes with France in Libya row with Turkey White House National Security adviser Robert O’Brien on Wednesday expressed sympathy for France’s account of events in a Mediterranean naval standoff with Turkey last month over a Libyan arms smuggling allegation. Turkey
Intel: Democrats seek path for Biden to close Guantanamo Bay after obstructing Obama After years of obstructing Barack Obama’s efforts to close Guantanamo Bay when he was president, House Democrats have reversed course and are quietly trying to clear the way for Joe Biden to close the notorious detention facility should he win the presidential election in November. Congress
Intel: Trump joins chorus of Iranians urging halt to imminent political executions President Donald Trump today joined the online chorus of Iranians warning the government against the imminent execution of three young men sentenced to death after participating in last year’s mass protests against rising gasoline prices. Iran
Intel: Democrats advance legislation to restrict Trump’s Middle East war powers House Democrats advanced three provisions today that would broadly curtail President Donald Trump’s ability to conduct offensive military action across the Middle East — and the world — should they become law as part of the annual defense spending bill. Congress
Intel: Trump, Erdogan chat as Libya heats up US President Donald Trump and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan chatted by phone today as regional tensions threaten to escalate the already volatile situation in Libya. Libya
CENTCOM: No sign of coronavirus in Syria’s IS prisons as riots raise concern Gen. Kenneth “Frank” McKenzie, the top commander of American forces in the Middle East, said today that his command is concerned about recurring uprisings in prisons holding thousands of Islamic State detainees in northeast Syria. Syria
Intel: US CENTCOM commander meets with head of Syria’s Kurdish forces The head of Syria’s Kurdish-led militias said he met today with the top commander of US forces in the Middle East, Gen. Frank McKenzie, in northeast Syria. Syria
Intel: CENTCOM commander says Soleimani strike won’t deter Iran forever The top commander of US military forces in the Middle East says he believes the assassination of Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani has only temporarily deterred Iran from pursuing its goal of pushing US troops out of the region. Iraq
Intel: Turkey lashes out at new US support for Cyprus Turkey is lashing out at the United States as Washington moves closer to providing Cyprus with military aid as the disputed island nation develops closer energy ties with Israel. Turkey
