 Defense &
National Security |
Defense &
National Security |
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200 US troops to help with peace deal |
The U.S. will have roughly 200 military personnel in Israel helping oversee the implementation of a ceasefire agreement between Israel and Gaza, a senior U.S. official said Thursday. |
© Jim Lo Scalzo, EPA, Bloomberg via Getty Images |
The official said that Adm. Brad Cooper, the commander of U.S. Central Command (Centcom), will have 200 people on the ground as parties work to get the deal implemented. White House press secretary Karoline Leavitt later posted on the social platform X that the U.S. forces involved are already stationed at Centcom. A second U.S. official clarified that no U.S. troops are expected to go into Gaza. Officials said they were still working to determine the exact location of their deployment. The first U.S. official said Cooper's role will be to "oversee, observe, make sure there are no violations, incursions … much of this is going to be oversight." Within Cooper's team of 200 people will be members of the Egyptian armed forces, the Qatari armed forces, Turkish forces and the Emirati forces, a U.S. official said. The Centcom forces are expected to help establish a joint control center in Israel that will help oversee the implementation of a peace deal that President Trump announced on Wednesday night. The deal is expected to result in the withdrawal of Israeli forces from parts of Gaza, as well as the release of hostages who have been held since the October 2023 Hamas attacks in Israel. Special envoy Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner, the president's son-in-law and a senior White House adviser in Trump's first term, have led talks in the Middle East in recent days with leaders in Egypt and Israel to ensure the deal is finalized and carried out. Read the full report at thehill.com. |
Welcome to The Hill's Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Ellen Mitchell — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond. |
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How policy will affect defense and national security now and in
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The Senate could pass its annual defense policy bill as soon as Thursday after the legislation was stalled for more than a month. Senate Armed Services Committee Chair Roger Wicker (R-Miss.) secured an agreement to vote on 17 stand-alone amendments, a manager's package of nearly 50 less controversial amendments, and final passage for the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA). Party leaders are still to determine when that … |
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Pressure is rising on House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) to call the House back in session for a vote on ensuring military pay during the shutdown. President Trump said a standalone military pay bill “probably will happen” in remarks to reporters Wednesday, while bipartisan legislation allowing service members to be paid amid the shutdown is gaining momentum in the House. Rep. Ken Calvert (R-Calif.), the chair … |
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The White House on Thursday denied claims from Colombia’s President Gustavo Petro that the latest U.S. military strike in the Caribbean struck a boat carrying Colombian citizens. Petro on Wednesday said last week’s operation on a vessel that the Trump administration argued was smuggling drugs into the country targeted a boat with Colombians on board. The Colombian leader added that he hopes the families will come … |
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President Trump on Thursday hosted Finnish President Alexander Stubb, where the two leaders announced an agreement for the U.S. to add 11 icebreaker ships to its fleet. Trump said as part of the agreement, the U.S. would purchase four icebreakers built in Finland, while seven additional ships would be constructed in the United States. Icebreakers are ships that are designed to navigate through ice-covered waters. "We have a … |
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Upcoming things we're watching on our beat: |
- Georgetown University will have a discussion on "Palestine at a Historical Juncture: Perspectives on New Realities," tomorrow at 9:30 a.m.
- Atlantic Council will hold a conversation on "New insights on American views of Ukraine, Russia, and the War," with former U.S. Amb. to Ukraine John Herbst at 10 a.m. tomorrow.
- Hudson Institute will host a talk on "The deepening Russia-China partnership," tomorrow at 10 a.m.
- The Center for Strategic and International Studies will discuss "Should the United States extend New START limits?" at 1 p.m. tomorrow.
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Branch out with a different read from The Hill: |
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FBI fires 2 special agents who worked on Jack Smith probe: Reports |
The FBI has fired two special agents involved in former special counsel Jack Smith's investigation into President Trump, according to multiple reports. On Monday, the Senate Judiciary Committee released an unclassified document showing that the FBI analyzed the phone records of nine Republican … |
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News we've flagged from other outlets: |
- Food pantry visits from military families climb over 30% since government shutdown began (Military.com)
- DHS tells hundreds of staffers: accept reassignment to border security, immigration—or face termination (Defense One)
- Nuclear missile workers are contracting cancer. They blame the bases (KFF Health News)
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Two key stories on The Hill right now: |
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As the shutdown fight stretches into its second week, the winds have shifted in favor of the Democrats — at least for the moment. Early polls say voters … Read more |
| Former Rep. Abigail Spanberger (D-Va.) will take on Virginia Lt. Gov. Winsome Earle-Sears in a debate Thursday night ahead of November’s gubernatorial … Read more |
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