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Biden administration officials have discussed potentially negotiating a unilateral deal with Hamas to secure the release of five Americans being held hostage in Gaza if current cease-fire talks involving Israel fail, according to two current senior U.S. officials and two former senior U.S. officials. The Biden administration has said it believes Hamas is holding five American hostages who were abducted during the Oct. 7 terrorist attack on Israel. The officials did not know what the U.S. might give Hamas in exchange for the release of American hostages. Earlier this week, Israeli officials estimated that some 120 hostages are still being held by Hamas and that 43 of them have died in captivity. Over the weekend, four Israeli hostages kidnapped from the Nova music festival were rescued in an operation conducted by the Israel Defense Forces.

Persons: Biden, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Netanyahu, Alexander, Sagui Dekel, Chen, Hersh Goldberg, Polin, Omer Neutra, Keith Siegel, Itay Chen, Judy Weinstein, Gad Haggai, Antony Blinken, Jake Sullivan, Bill Burns, Brett McGurk Organizations: Hamas, U.S, Qatari interlocutors, White, Nova, Israel Defense Forces, NBC News, National, CIA Locations: Gaza, New York City , New York, Israel, Qatari, U.S

☆ Ukraine uses long-range ATACMS against Russia for the first time
▼ + stars: | 2024-04-24 | by ( Courtney Kube | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The first strike was about 100 miles inside Crimea's border on the morning of April 17, targeting a Russian military airfield, according to the officials. The Biden administration has not previously acknowledged sending ATACMS to Ukraine, but a National Security Council spokesperson confirmed that the U.S. has provided them. The NSC spokesperson said the administration did not reveal at the time that it was sending Ukraine the long-range missiles for operational security reasons. President Joe Biden directed his national security team to send the ATACMS to Ukraine secretly, the spokesperson said. The powerful missiles have a range up to 300 kilometers (about 187 miles) and allow Ukraine to strike the Russian military throughout Crimea and in occupied parts of eastern Ukraine that had been difficult to reach.

Persons: Biden, ATACMS, Joe Biden, Kostiantyn Liberov Organizations: South Korean Defense Ministry, U.S, MGM, Tactical Missile, South, Getty, Russian, Army Tactical Missile, National Security, NSC, Armed Forces Locations: U.S, South Korea, East Coast , South Korea, Ukraine, Crimea's, Russian, Ukrainian, Berdyansk, Zaporizhzhia Oblast, Crimea

The White House will provide $300 million in additional weapons to Ukraine, officials announced Tuesday, as more funding remains held up in Congress by Republican leaders. The announcement comes as the Ukrainian military is facing dire weapons shortages in its two-year war with Russia. The last supplemental funding package was in December 2022. The U.S. sent $200 million in aid to Ukraine this past December, but it was funded with money from the previous year. It was not immediately clear if the latest weapons package included long-range ballistic missiles.

Persons: Jake Sullivan, Mike Johnson Organizations: Republican, Defense Locations: Bakhmut, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, Russia, U.S

☆ Biden administration is leaning toward supplying Ukraine with long-range missiles
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-19 | by ( Courtney Kube | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

MUNICH — After months of requests from Ukrainian officials, the Biden administration is working toward providing Ukraine with powerful new long-range ballistic missiles, according to two U.S. officials. It's to hit deep into the occupied territories, bypassing Russian radio electronic warfare and interceptors," he said, referring to long-range ATACMS. "If you want to hit behind the lines, disrupt their logistics and supplies, destroy their depots of ammunition, you can do it only with long-range missiles," he said. The Biden administration has resisted sending the long-range missiles over the past two years because officials worried Ukraine would use them to strike inside Crimea or Russia and cause Russian President Vladimir Putin to escalate the conflict. "Every advance Russia makes in Ukraine brings Russian weapons closer to the home of a middle-class European."

Persons: Biden, Donald Trump, Trump, Dmytro Kuleba, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Kuleba, It's, Vladimir Putin Organizations: Army Tactical Missile Systems, Republican, GOP, Trump Republicans, Senate, Republicans, Democrats, Senate . Defense, NBC News, Defense Department, U.S, Pentagon Locations: Ukrainian, Kreminna, Donetsk Oblast, Ukraine, MUNICH, U.S, Russian, Crimean, Israel, Taiwan, Munich, Crimea, Russia, White, Europe, Avdiivka

Asked about Biden's private comments about Netanyahu, a spokesperson for the National Security Council said in a statement that the two leaders have a respectful relationship. His descriptions of his dealings with Netanyahu are peppered with contemptuous references to Netanyahu as "this guy," these people said. And in at least three recent instances, Biden has called Netanyahu an "asshole," according to three of the people directly familiar with his comments. U.S. President Joe Biden is welcomed by Israeli Prime Minster Benjamin Netanyahu, as he visits Israel amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas, in Tel Aviv, Israel, October 18, 2023. Secretary of State Antony Blinken was also decidedly blunt last week after a meeting with Netanyahu in Israel.

Persons: Joe Biden, Netanyahu, Biden, Israel, Benjamin Netanyahu, Antony Blinken, Blinken, Bibi, Biden's Organizations: Israel's, Palestinian, Hamas, National Security Council, Israeli, Sunday, NBC News, NBC, Congress, Israel Locations: Tel Aviv, Israel, WASHINGTON, Gaza, Rafah, Iraq, Afghanistan, Saudi Arabia

☆ Onboard a U.S. aircraft carrier, a cat-and-mouse game with Houthi forces plays out
▼ + stars: | 2024-02-04 | by ( Courtney Kube | Dan De Luce | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

It was the second night in a row that aircraft from the Eisenhower have targeted Houthi militants in Yemen who are attacking cargo ships in the Red Sea. NBC News is currently the only news organization embedded with the U.S. Navy in the Red Sea while it is conducting strikes. Houthi militants based in Yemen have attacked roughly 30 cargo ships navigating the Red Sea since Nov. 19. Houthi leaders dismissed the U.S. and U.K. strikes on Saturday and vowed to continue their Red Sea attacks until Israel ends its military operations in Gaza. On Friday, the carrier's F/A-18 aircraft intercepted multiple drones that Houthi forces were preparing to launch, military officers told NBC News.

Persons: Eisenhower, Mason, Mohammed Al Organizations: EISENHOWER, Navy, —, NBC News, U.S . Navy, U.S . Central Command, Maersk, U.S, Gaza, Nimitz, Desert Locations: Yemen, Red, U.S, Aden, Israel, Gaza, Iran

☆ As calls grow for a tougher response to Houthi attacks on Red Sea ships, Biden officials meet to discuss military options
▼ + stars: | 2024-01-03 | by ( Courtney Kube | Carol E. Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

According to the officials, U.S. Central Command provided Pentagon leaders with options for an additional military response after the incident, and the Pentagon sent those options to senior White House officials. Biden was updated multiple times on the situation in the Red Sea while on vacation. An administration official denied that there have been disagreements between White House and U.S. military officials about responding to the Houthis. On Tuesday, Houthi rebels fired two anti-ship ballistic missiles into the southern Red Sea, the 24th attack against ships in the area since Nov. 19. The USS Laboon and U.S. Navy F/A-18 Super Hornets shot down the drones and missiles, and no ships were damaged.

Persons: Joe Biden, Houthi, Jon, Biden, CENTCOM, Al Jasrah, Carney Organizations: Galaxy, WASHINGTON, White, U.S ., U.S . Navy, U.S . Central Command, Pentagon, White House, . U.S . Navy, U.S, Iran, Maersk, Hornets Locations: Iran, Yemen, Red, U.S, St . Croix, White House, ., Gulf of Aden, Gaza

☆ U.S. is sending a carrier strike group closer to Israel and will begin supplying munitions
▼ + stars: | 2023-10-08 | by ( Courtney Kube | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

The U.S. military is moving an aircraft carrier strike group and military aircraft closer to Israel as a show of support, and will also begin supplying Israel with munitions and other military supplies immediately, said Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin. Austin said Sunday afternoon that he had directed the USS Gerald R. Ford Carrier Strike Group to go to the Eastern Mediterranean. The group includes the carrier, a Ticonderoga-class guided missile cruiser, and four Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyers. "In addition, the United States government will be rapidly providing the Israel Defense Forces with additional equipment and resources, including munitions. The U.S. is also working through plans for a possible non-combatant evacuation — helping Americans get out of Israel, according to the officials.

Persons: Lloyd Austin, Mark Milley, Austin, Gerald R, Arleigh Burke Organizations: Defense, Joint Chiefs, Staff, Ukraine Defense Contact, Pentagon, Ford Carrier Strike Group, Ticonderoga, U.S Air Force, United, Israel Defense Forces Locations: Ukraine, Washington, U.S, Israel, United States, States

The surprise attack by Hamas on Israel suggests a massive intelligence failure as the Israeli government appeared blindsided by the infiltration of Hamas fighters across the southern border and the launch of thousands of rockets. The Hamas assault by air, land and sea also raised questions as to why U.S. intelligence agencies apparently did not see it coming, experts and former intelligence officials said. U.S. officials said that if the Israelis knew an attack was imminent, they did not share it with Washington. The additional intelligence to Israel could include information gathered from drones, eavesdropping and satellites, but the officials did not elaborate. Not since 1973 has there been such a catastrophic intelligence failure in Israel," said Marc Polymeropoulous, who worked for 26 years for the CIA, where he specialized in counterterrorism, the Middle East and South Asia.

Persons: Marc Polymeropoulous Organizations: NBC News ., U.S, CIA Locations: Israel, Washington, U.S, Egypt, Syria, East, South Asia

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy is embraced by U.S. President Joe Biden in the Oval Office of the White House in Washington, September 21, 2023. The officials, who were not authorized to speak publicly, did not say when the missiles would be delivered or when a public announcement would be made. Defense officials have said the U.S. does not have a large stockpile of excess ATACMS, which have a bigger payload than traditional artillery, to provide to Ukraine. Since Russia invaded Ukraine in February 2022, the Biden administration has shifted its stance on which weapons it is ready to provide to Ukraine's military. At the same, Ukraine has intensified a campaign of missile and drone strikes targeting sites deep behind Russian lines.

Persons: Volodymyr Zelenskiy, Joe Biden, Volodymyr Zelenskyy, Biden, — Henry Austin Organizations: U.S, White, NBC, Army Tactical Missile, Defense, Rights, Sea Fleet Locations: Washington, United States, Russia, Ukraine, U.S, Eastern Europe, America, Crimean

☆ U.S. Navy says Iran tried to seize two oil tankers, fired on one
▼ + stars: | 2023-07-05 | by ( Courtney Kube | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Courtesy: U.S. Department of DefenceThe U.S. Navy prevented Iranian warships from seizing two oil tankers in international waters near Oman on Wednesday, according to an American military official. At about 1 a.m. local time, an Iranian navy vessel approached a Marshall Islands-flagged tanker, the TRF Moss, that had just transited the Strait of Hormuz. Three hours later, another Iranian navy vessel approached the tanker, the Richmond Voyager, that had sailed from the United Arab Emirates through the Strait of Hormuz. The tanker issued a distress call after the Iranian ship allegedly tried to get it to stop. When the USS McFaul arrived, the Iranian ship left, according to the official.

Persons: Moss, McFaul, Brad Cooper, Ken Paxton Organizations: Merchant, U.S . Department of Defence, U.S . Navy, American, Marshall, Navy, Richmond Voyager, United, United Arab Emirates, U.S . Naval Forces Central Command, . 5th Fleet, Combined Maritime Forces, NBC, U.S Locations: Iran, Gulf of Oman, Oman, Iranian, Hormuz, United Arab, U.S, Ohio

A different report containing classified material will be shared with members of Congress, which comes in response to requests from congressional committees, the White House said. "President Biden's choices for how to execute a withdrawal from Afghanistan were severely constrained by conditions created by his predecessor," the report said. But the Trump administration "provided no plans for how to conduct the final withdrawal or to evacuate Americans and Afghan allies," the White House said. "No agency predicted a Taliban takeover in nine days," Kirby told reporters at the White House press briefing. Many critics of the withdrawal — including lawmakers from both parties — faulted the Biden administration for how it handled the pullout.

☆ Chinese spy balloon gathered intelligence from sensitive U.S. military sites, despite U.S. efforts to block it
▼ + stars: | 2023-04-03 | by ( Courtney Kube | Carol E. Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +4 min

The Chinese spy balloon that flew across the U.S. was able to gather intelligence from several sensitive American military sites, despite the Biden administration's efforts to block it from doing so, according to two current senior U.S. officials and one former senior administration official. The intelligence China collected was mostly from electronic signals, which can be picked up from weapons systems or include communications from base personnel, rather than images, the officials said. Officials have not said which company, department or organization the balloon belonged to, despite several requests for comment by NBC News. After the balloon was shot down in February, Biden administration officials said it was capable of collecting signals intelligence. The balloon first entered U.S. airspace over Alaska on Jan. 28, according to the Biden administration, which said it was tracking it as it moved.

☆ U.S. contractor killed, five service members and contractor wounded in suicide drone strike in Syria
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-24 | by ( Courtney Kube | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

US forces patrol near the countryside of Rumaylan (Rmeilan) in Syria's northeastern Hasakeh province near the Turkish border, on December 2, 2022. A U.S. contractor was killed and five U.S. service members and one U.S. contractor were wounded Thursday when a suicide drone hit a coalition base near Hasakah in northeast Syria just before 2 p.m. local time, the Defense Department said in a statement. "Our thoughts are with the family and colleagues of the contractor who was killed and with those who were wounded in the attack earlier today," he said. Two wounded service members were treated on-site, while three others and the wounded U.S. contractor were evacuated to medical facilities in Iraq. The attacks, mainly by drones and rockets, are believed to have carried out by Iran or Iranian-backed proxies.

☆ Two Ukrainian pilots are in the U.S. for training assessment on attack aircraft, including F-16s
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-05 | by ( Courtney Kube | Carol E. Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +3 min

U.S. authorities have approved bringing up to 10 more Ukrainian pilots to the U.S. for further assessment as early as this month, the officials said. The arrival of the first two pilots marks the first time Ukrainian pilots have traveled to the U.S. to have their skills evaluated by American military trainers. Officials said the effort has twin goals: to improve the pilots' skills and evaluate how long a proper training program could take. Asked about the assessment of two Ukrainian pilots, a defense official described it as "familiarization event." This event allows us to better help Ukrainian pilots become more effective pilots and better advise them on how to develop their own capabilities."

☆ U.S. intel on China considering lethal aid for Putin's war was gleaned from Russian officials
▼ + stars: | 2023-03-04 | by ( Courtney Kube | Carol E. Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +2 min

Initial U.S. intelligence suggesting that China is considering supplying lethal aid to Russia for its war in Ukraine was gleaned from Russian government officials, according to one current and one former U.S. official familiar with the intelligence. The multiple threads of intelligence suggesting that China is considering giving lethal aid to Russia, including ammunition and artillery, raised alarm among Biden administration officials, particularly given how such a move by Beijing could shift the dynamic of the war in Moscow's favor. Top administration officials, including Secretary of State Antony Blinken and CIA Director Williams Burns, have publicly expressed confidence in the intelligence and warned China against providing Russia with lethal military aid. China has denied it is considering sending lethal aid to Russia, calling the U.S. accusation "disinformation." U.S. officials note that they have not seen any evidence of movement or a decision from China to take that step.

☆ U.S. officials believe China may be providing Russia non-lethal military assistance in Ukraine war
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-18 | by ( Courtney Kube | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S. believes China may be providing non-lethal military assistance to Russia for use in Ukraine, according to four U.S. officials, and the administration is concerned they are considering sending lethal aid. While China has provided some help to Russia, including parroting Russian disinformation campaigns about the war, this is more tangible assistance for use by Russian troops in Ukraine. The officials declined to provide specifics about the non-lethal military assistance, but said it could include gear for the spring offensive like uniforms or even body armor. U.S. officials, including President Joe Biden and National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan, have warned China not to supply Russia with military assistance or there would be consequences. Vice President Kamala Harris spoke at the Conference Saturday and said China has grown closer to Russia since the war began.

☆ Suspected Chinese spy balloon found over northern U.S.
▼ + stars: | 2023-02-02 | by ( Courtney Kube | Carol E. Lee | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +5 min

The Pentagon would not confirm that the balloon in the photo was the surveillance balloon. The U.S. military has been monitoring a suspected Chinese surveillance balloon that has been hovering over the northern U.S. for the past few days, and military and defense leaders have discussed shooting it out of the sky, according to two U.S. officials and a senior defense official. "The United States government has detected and is tracking a high-altitude surveillance balloon that is over the continental United States right now," Pentagon spokesperson Brig. A senior defense official said the balloon is still over the U.S. but declined to say where it is now. Pentagon leaders presented the options to President Joe Biden on Wednesday.

☆ Air Force general predicts war with China in 2025, tells officers to get ready
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-27 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Courtney-Kube-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Courtney Kube | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +3 min

A four-star Air Force general sent a memo on Friday to the officers he commands that predicts the U.S. will be at war with China in two years and tells them to get ready to prep by firing "a clip" at a target, and "aim for the head." In the memo sent Friday and obtained by NBC News, Gen. Mike Minihan, head of Air Mobility Command, said, “I hope I am wrong. My gut tells me will fight in 2025.”Air Mobility Command has nearly 50,000 service members and nearly 500 planes and is responsible for transport and refueling. His order builds on last year’s foundational efforts by Air Mobility Command to ready the Mobility Air Forces for future conflict, should deterrence fail.”In March 2021, Adm. Philip Davidson, then commander of the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command, told a Senate Armed Services Committee hearing that “Taiwan is clearly one of [China’s] ambitions. “I think the threat is manifest during this decade, in fact, in the next six years,” said Davidson.

☆ U.S. military raid in northern Somalia kills a senior ISIS leader and 10 ISIS fighters
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Courtney-Kube-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Courtney Kube | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +1 min

A U.S. military operation in northern Somalia killed a senior leader of the Islamic State terrorist group and 10 other ISIS fighters on Wednesday night, according to two senior administration officials. Bilal al Sudani, who the officials described as a key operative and facilitator of the terror group’s global network, was the target of the raid. The only injury the officials reported was a U.S. service member who was bitten by one of the American military service dogs. The operation took place in a mountainous area in northern Somalia and followed months of planning, the officials said. “Our intelligence community expects to glean valuable information from this operation as well, demonstrating our continued emphasis on maximizing intelligence collection,” one official said.

☆ Biden considering a trip to Europe in show of support for Ukraine after one year of war
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Carol-Lee-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Carol E. Lee | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

WASHINGTON — President Biden is considering a trip to Europe next month to coincide with the one-year anniversary of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine, according to three administration officials and a person familiar with the discussions. The White House is exploring ways Biden might mark the one-year milestone in the Ukraine war, the sources said. Biden administration officials have also discussed announcing another major military aid package for Ukraine to coincide with the anniversary of Russia’s invasion, according to three U.S. officials. On Wednesday Biden reversed his administration’s position on sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine, though the tanks are not expected to arrive for months if not a year. Last March when Biden traveled to Europe, he delivered a speech in Poland where he said — controversially — that Putin “cannot remain in power.”

☆ Inside the Biden administration's decision to reverse course and give tanks to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-26 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Courtney-Kube-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Courtney Kube | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +8 min

When he announced his decision to provide Abrams tanks to Ukraine, President Joe Biden made a point to say Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin had recommended the move. Biden wasn’t initially sold on sending the tanks, despite pressure to do so to give cover to Germany to send Ukraine some Leopard 2 tanks, the officials said. But because Germany had said it would send Leopards to Ukraine if the U.S. agreed to commit tanks, too, the U.S. promise of a future delivery opened the door for Germany to send tanks to Ukraine now. In the case of the tanks, U.S. military leaders argued the Leopards and the U.K.’s Challengers were much better options. Military leaders, namely Milley, also have been more publicly vocal about the importance of potential talks to end the war.

☆ Biden administration, in a reversal, is preparing to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-24 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Courtney-Kube-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Courtney Kube | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +2 min

After weeks of discussion, the Biden administration is preparing to send Abrams tanks to Ukraine, according to three senior U.S. officials. The current plan includes a couple dozen Abrams tanks, but the officials stressed that the decision is not yet final and could change. The decision to move forward with providing the tanks would be a reversal for the Biden administration, which had been resisting pressure from Germany to send them to Ukraine. It was not immediately clear what may have led the Biden administration to apparently shift its stance on sending the tanks. Earlier Tuesday, The Wall Street Journal reported that the Biden administration is “leaning toward sending” Abrams tanks to Ukraine.

☆ U.S. and Israel launch a massive joint military exercise to send a message to Iran and others
▼ + stars: | 2023-01-23 | by ( Https | Media-Cldnry.S-Nbcnews.Com Image Upload Newscms Courtney-Kube-Circle-Byline-Template.Jpg | Courtney Kube | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +4 min

The United States and Israel began a massive joint military exercise in Israel on Monday to show adversaries like Iran that Washington is not too distracted by the war in Ukraine and the threat from China to mobilize a large military force, a senior defense official said. Approximately 6,400 U.S. personnel have joined 1,100 Israeli personnel for the exercise, which will employ 142 total aircraft. “The scale of the exercise is relevant to a whole range of scenarios, and Iran may draw certain inferences from that,” the official said. “My guess is the next time they do a military exercise, they’ll say, even if it was planned for months, they’ll say it was reaction to this. The senior defense official said this drill is a signal to other nations that argument is not true.

Despite German efforts to pressure the U.S. into providing Abrams tanks to Ukraine, the Pentagon’s top leaders are against sending them, three U.S. officials said. At the same time, the officials said President Joe Biden would not pressure Germany to send the Leopard tanks to Ukraine. Asked Friday about sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine, Biden was noncommittal. They also have argued they are not the right vehicles for the fight in Ukraine right now, according to the officials. Artur Widak / AP fileU.S. officials said opposition within the Biden administration to sending Abrams tanks to Ukraine is not due to concerns Russia would see the move as escalatory.

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