| OPERATION PROSPERITY GUARDIAN: As Houthi rebels in Yemen claimed responsibility for more cruise missile and drone attacks on cargo ships — forcing at least eight commercial shipping companies to halt transits of the Red Sea — Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin announced a coalition of willing countries to protect merchant vessels, dubbed "Operation Prosperity Guardian." "All countries have the right to move freely and lawfully in international waters, but that foundational global right is under new threat today from the totally unacceptable attacks on merchant vessels by the Houthis in Yemen," Austin said this morning in Manama, Bahrain, headquarters of the U.S. 5th Fleet. "These reckless Houthi attacks are a serious international problem, and they demand a firm international response." The new operation will fall under the current anti-piracy naval Task Force 153 and will include warships from the U.S., U.K., Bahrain, Canada, France, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Seychelles, and Spain. PENTAGON ANNOUNCES INTERNATIONAL TASK FORCE TO PROTECT COMMERCIAL VESSELS IN RED SEA FROM HOUTHIS 'SORELY LACKING RESOLVE': The plan to try to protect ships rather than attack the Houthi bases in Yemen, which are the source of the missiles and drones, drew immediate second guesses from Republican members of Congress and former top U.S. military commanders. "An important initiative," retired Adm. James Stavridis, former supreme NATO commander, posted on X while adding, "If Iran doesn't back off, we're going to have to do more than just be defensive, frankly." "I think the thing I've learned the most is that we have to strike back at the Houthis and get this behavior back in control," retired Army Gen. Joseph Votel, former commander of U.S. Central Command, told the Washington Examiner's Mike Brest. "When you see companies like Maersk and BP stopped shipping through the Red Sea and down through the Bab el-Mandeb [Strait], that's pretty significant." "I call on the Biden administration to give our regional commanders the freedom of action they require to ensure that continued Houthi aggression stops once and for all," Sen. Roger Wicker (R-MS), top Republican on the Senate Armed Services Committee, said in a statement. "We cannot let terrorists dictate the flow of global trade in the world's largest shipping lane." "How much longer can we tolerate these attacks without a proper response? What exactly would a task force accomplish?" Wicker said. "The continuing threat posed to American sailors and freedom of navigation could soon lead to a catastrophe unless the Biden administration acts with the resolve that it has so far sorely lacked … Until the Biden administration takes clear steps toward restoring deterrence, nothing will change in the Red Sea." 'WE HAVE TO STRIKE BACK AT THE HOUTHIS': FORMER CENTCOM COMMANDER THE LATEST ATTACKS: This morning, the U.S. Central Command confirmed two more attacks Monday against ships near the narrow Bab el-Mandeb Strait, controlled by the Iranian-backed Houthis. The Houthi claim they are attacking ships linked to Israel, in protest of Israel's war against Hamas. The Cayman Islands-flagged tanker Swan Atlantic was hit by a drone at about 9 a.m. local time and sustained some damage but no injuries. At about the same time, the cargo ship Clara reported an explosion in the water near their location. Over the weekend, the USS Carney shot down another 14 drones launched by the Houthis, bringing the total intercepted by the one guided-missile destroyer to 36. The announcement of a pause in shipping in the Red Sea by international firms, including British Petroleum and Maersk, briefly sent world oil prices up. Approximately 10% of the world's maritime oil shipments move through the Red Sea. Much of that oil will now have to take a longer, more costly route around the Horn of Africa. CLICK HERE TO READ MORE FROM THE WASHINGTON EXAMINER Good Tuesday morning and welcome to Jamie McIntyre's Daily on Defense, written and compiled by Washington Examiner National Security Senior Writer Jamie McIntyre (@jamiejmcintyre) and edited by Conrad Hoyt. Email here with tips, suggestions, calendar items, and anything else. Sign up or read current and back issues at DailyonDefense.com. If signing up doesn't work, shoot us an email and we'll add you to our list. And be sure to follow me on Threads and/or on X @jamiejmcintyre CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP OR READ BACK ISSUES OF DAILY ON DEFENSE NOTE TO READERS: Daily on Defense will take a holiday break beginning Friday, Dec. 22 and resuming Jan. 2, 2024. While we're gone, you can still get the latest defense and national security news from the Washington Examiner here. Subscribe today to the Washington Examiner magazine and get Washington Briefing: politics and policy stories that will keep you up to date with what's going on in Washington. SUBSCRIBE NOW: Just $1.00 an issue! HAPPENING TODAY: Senate negotiators are back at it today, attempting to overcome a bitter divide on asylum and parole policy at the U.S. southern border in order to reach a compromise that will unlock fresh funding for military assistance to Ukraine. "We're in good-faith negotiations with members of Congress about border security and, of course, funding for Ukraine and for Israel as a part of that," NSC spokesman John Kirby told reporters yesterday. "There were active discussions over the weekend, and we here at the White House are involved in those discussions. And as the president has said, it's important to move this forward, and he is willing to negotiate in good faith, and he is willing to make compromises both on the policy front and on the border security front." Meanwhile, Kirby says the Pentagon is scraping together one last aid package for Ukraine as its forces are now desperately low on ammunition. "We've got enough for one good aid package. And what — exactly what's in it and the total sum, I couldn't tell you right now. I have not seen a draft of that package, but we think we've got one more left in us." "We all know this is extremely difficult work, among the most difficult things we've done in recent memory," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) said on the Senate floor yesterday. "Everyone knows that something should be done to fix our broken immigration system, but we can't do so by compromising our values. Finding the middle ground is exceptionally hard, and both sides must accept that they will have to make concessions. And it's going to take some more time to get it done." DECLINING SITUATION AT SOUTHERN BORDER UPS ANTE ON SENATE IMMIGRATION TALKS SCHUMER: 'WE MUST ALSO FINISH THE JOB': In his remarks, Schumer also said he hopes to end the last of Sen. Tommy Tuberville's (R-AL) holds that have kept about a dozen of the most senior commanders from assuming their duties for months. Tuberville released his holds on hundreds of one, two, and three-star officers but kept the blocks on the highest ranks, including Adm. Samuel Paparo, nominated to lead the vital Indo-Pacific Command. "In past years, these four-star generals would have been swiftly appointed to their posts. But this year, one senator, the senator from Alabama, has broken decades of bipartisan tradition by placing blanket holds on these highly qualified and dedicated nominees." Schumer will now need to file cloture and hold stand-alone votes to confirm the remaining four-star nominees, something he said he plans to do this week before the Senate breaks for its holiday recess. "We still need to confirm the last few of these nominees before the end of this week," Schumer said "We must … finish the job." AUSTIN: 'ISRAEL HAS A MORAL DUTY': The U.S. continues to walk a fine line in its efforts to convince Israel to dial down the intensity of its campaign to eliminate Hamas from the Gaza Strip. In Jerusalem yesterday, Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin began his remarks at a press conference with his Israeli counterpart Yoav Gallant with a pledge that "America's support for Israel's security is unshakable and Israel is not alone." "At a time of mourning," he said, "a real friend shows up." But with casualties approaching an estimated 20,000, including an unknown number of women and children, Austin also alluded to his warnings that Israel risks achieving a tactical victory at the cost of a strategic loss. "You know, we can offer some insight based upon our own experience in fighting terrorist groups, and certainly, that enabled us to have great discussions," Austin said. "And we also have some great thoughts about how to transition from high-intensity operations to lower intensity and more surgical operations." "We had great discussions about the status of the campaign, about goals and objectives, and about how to reduce harm to civilians in the battlespace and the need to ensure sustained flow of humanitarian assistance into Gaza," he said. "The United States has been clear and consistent since Hamas started this war on October 7th, democracies are stronger and more secure when we uphold the law of war. And as I've said, protecting Palestinian civilians in Gaza is both a moral duty and a strategic imperative." ISRAEL WAR: AUSTIN DISCUSSED TRANSITIONING AWAY FROM 'HIGH-INTENSITY OPERATIONS' WITH ISRAELI LEADERS The Rundown Washington Examiner: Pentagon announces international task force to protect commercial vessels in Red Sea from Houthis Washington Examiner: 'We have to strike back at the Houthis': Former CENTCOM commander Washington Examiner: Israel war: Austin discussed transitioning away from 'high-intensity operations' with Israeli leaders Washington Examiner: Senators return to Capitol following weekend of border talks that produced no deal Washington Examiner: Declining situation at southern border ups ante on Senate immigration talks Washington Examiner: FISA reforms face uncertain future after Congress renews FBI spy tool Washington Examiner: House GOP gripes over Speaker Mike Johnson's decision to punt legislation into 'disastrous' 2024 Washington Examiner: Biden administration anticipates one more aid package to Ukraine before funding dries up Washington Examiner: North Korea threatens 'lightning' strike after ICBM test Washington Examiner: Opinion: Rick Santorum: American businesses risk national security by cozying up to China Washington Examiner: Opinion: Why it matters that a US Marine officer just earned the Royal Marines beret AP: Israel strikes south Gaza and raids a hospital in the north as war grinds on with renewed US support Reuters: Israel Signals Gradual Shift In Gaza War, After U.S. Defense Chief Visit New York Times: C.I.A. Director Discusses Resuming Hostage And Prisoner Exchanges Between Israel And Hamas Washington Post: Listening devices found in office of Ukraine's top general, military confirms Washington Post: Moscow glows triumphant as front freezes and Western aid for Ukraine stalls Stars and Stripes: Keeping 2nd Carrier Near Middle East Adds Long-Term Strain On Navy, Analysts Say AP: U.S. Indo-Pacific Commander 'Concerned' About China-Russia Military Ties Financial Times: China Curtails 'Dangerous' Fighter Jet Manoeuvres After Xi-Biden Summit Washington Times: Pentagon Urged To Send Taiwan Truck-Launched Anti-Ship Missiles And Long-Range Guided Bombs Nikkei Asia: US Weighs Returning Smaller Permanent Fighter Force to Okinawa Task & Purpose: US Marine Vet in Ukraine Repulsed Russian Attack in Final Moments Wall Street Journal: U.S. Military Struggles To Stop Osprey Crashes After Decades Of Flaws The War Zone: Israel's FireFly Urban Warfare Drone Spotted in Jenin Defense One: As Irregular Warfare Comes to a Crossroads, Congress Chips In Space News: Space Force's First Six Missile-Defense Satellites in Medium Orbit to Cost About $500 Million Air & Space Forces Magazine: Congress Won't Let Air Force Retire T-1s; Might Accept New T-7s Built Without Contract Air & Space Forces Magazine: The Space Based Environmental Monitoring Modernization Imperative: Weather Counts Air & Space Forces Magazine: US, Australia, and UK Bring Their C-17s Together for Pacific Mobility Exercise Hudson Institute: America's B-21 Raiders: Deterring and Assuring in the New Cold War Calendar TUESDAY | DECEMBER 19 9 a.m. — Intelligence and National Security Alliance virtual discussion: "Open Source Intelligence and Analytic Tradecraft," with Linda Weissgold, former deputy CIA director for analysis, and Bishop Garrison, INSA vice president for policy https://www.insaonline.org/detail-pages/event 10 a.m. — Hudson Institute virtual discussion: "The Rise of Russia-Iran Partnership," with Michael Doran, director, Hudson Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East; Bryan Clark, director, Hudson Center for Defense Concepts and Technology; and Can Kasapoglu, Hudson nonresident senior fellow https://www.hudson.org/events/rise-russia-iran-partnership 10 a.m. — Brookings Institution virtual discussion: "Global Actors in the War in Israel and Gaza," with Tanvi Madan, senior fellow at the Brookings Institution; Asli Aydintasbas, visiting fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center on the United States and Europe's Turkey Project; Angela Stent, nonresident senior fellow at the Brookings Institution's Center on the United States and Europe; Patricia Kim, fellow at the Brookings Center for East Asia Policy Studies and the Brookings China Center; and Natan Sachs, senior fellow at the Brookings Center for Middle East Policy https://www.brookings.edu/events/global-actors 11 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: "U.S.-Republic of Korea (ROK) Alliance Under Trump 2," with Scott Snyder, director of the Council on Foreign Relations's Program on U.S.-Korea Policy, and Victor Cha, CSIS Korea chairman https://www.csis.org/events/impossible-state-live-podcast 11 a.m. — Government Executive Media Group virtual discussion: "Revolutionizing Defense: The DOD's Path Towards Cloud Modernization," with Rob Nolen, Defense Department senior principal solutions architect and chief technologist, and Raj Iyer, global head of public sector at ServiceNow https://events.govexec.com/enhancing-cloud-security-cloned 2 p.m. — Atlantic Council virtual discussion: "The Israel-Hamas War and its Impact on Domestic and Foreign Policy," with Israeli President Isaac Herzog https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/president-isaac-herzog 3 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: "After the Coup d'etat, what comes next?" with Niger Prime Minister Ali Lamine Zeine; Mvemba Phezo Dizolele, director of the CSIS Africa Program; and Cameron Hudson, nonresident senior associate at the CSIS Africa Program https://www.csis.org/events/after-coup-detat-what-comes-next WEDNESDAY | DECEMBER 20 10 a.m. 419 Dirksen — Senate Foreign Relations Committee committee hearing: "The Future of Arms Control and Deterrence," with testimony from Bonnie Jenkins, undersecretary of state for arms control and international security, and John Plumb, assistant secretary of defense for space policy http://foreign.senate.gov | | | | "It's a notably different mood here, dark, frankly. In the summer, they were buoyed, feeling they had the world at their back moving forward. Now it is slow, dangerous, and there is a sense of despair, to be honest." | | Nick Paton Walsh, CNN chief international correspondent, reporting from the front line in Ukraine. |
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