| IKE TO BE REPLACED BY TR: The typical deployment of a U.S. aircraft carrier lasts about six months, with months of the time taken up with routine exercises and a show of "presence" to deter adversaries. But for the 7,000 sailors of the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower carrier strike group, their time at sea has been extended twice as they have been engaged in daily combat with Iranian-backed Houthis, in what was described by embarked reporters for the Associated Press as "the most intense running sea battle since World War II." Over the weekend, the Pentagon announced the battle-weary sailors and pilots were finally heading home and would soon be replaced by the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group, which is in the Indo-Pacific region. The Eisenhower and its three attendant warships "will remain briefly in the U.S. European Command area of responsibility before returning home," Maj. Gen. Pat Ryder said in a statement. "Following completion of a scheduled exercise in the Indo-Pacific, the USS Theodore Roosevelt carrier strike group will arrive in the U.S. Central Command’s area of responsibility to continue promoting regional stability, deter aggression, and protect the free flow of commerce in the region." "During its deployment, the IKE CSG protected ships transiting the Red Sea, Bab-el-Mandeb and the Gulf [of] Aden, rescued innocent mariners against the unlawful attacks from the Iranian-backed Houthis, and helped to deter further aggression," Ryder said. HOUTHI ATTACKS UNDETERRED: Despite almost daily strikes against Houthi launchers, missiles, and drones in Yemen, the attacks on commercial shipping have continued unabated. While the majority of attacks have been thwarted by U.S. and coalition defensive and offensive actions, the shipping lanes through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden remain treacherous waters. Over the past seven months, there have been almost 200 attacks on cargo ships, including at times directly targeting U.S. warships. Two ships have been sunk, including the Greek-owned MV Tutor, which was hit last week by a seaborne drone disguised as a small fishing vessel, and the MV Rubymar, a Belize-flagged, British-owned bulk carrier that was hit in March by an anti-ship ballistic missile. Yesterday, the U.S. Central Command reported that Liberian-flagged, Greek-owned MV Transworld Navigator was hit by an aerial drone, resulting in "minor injuries and moderate damage to the ship," which continued en route to its intended destination in Egypt. "This marks the fourth attack by Iranian-backed Houthis on the MV Transworld Navigator," CENTCOM said in a news release. "There were no injuries on U.S. or coalition vessels." PENTAGON DEFENDS MISSION: In a speech last week, Abdul-Malik al Houthi, leader of Yemen's Houthis, claimed the more than 100 U.S. and British strikes against targets in Yemen have had no effect on their ability to continue attacks on commercial shipping. "Well, they started with a certain amount of capability, and now they have a lesser amount of capability, so that’s just factually incorrect," Ryder responded at Thursday's Pentagon briefing. In addition, CENTCOM said in a statement that Houthi claims "about a successful attack" on the U.S. aircraft carrier Eisenhower "are categorically false." "The ultimate objective here is to ensure freedom of navigation through the Red Sea and to continue to work with the international community to safeguard mariners that are transiting this area, and we’ll continue to do that," Ryder said. "We’re not looking to get into a full-scale conflict with the Houthis. Our focus, again, continues to be on freedom of navigation and safety of the maritime corridor, and that’s what we’ll stay focused on." Last week, in testimony before a Senate foreign relations subcommittee, Barbara Leaf, assistant secretary of state for Near Eastern affairs, conceded the attacks by the Houthis were not likely to end until there is a peace agreement between Israel and Hamas. "We have a political standstill in Yemen with the added complication of Houthi provocations into the Red Sea," said Sen. Christopher Murphy (D-CT), the subcommittee chairman. "Both seem static until the Gaza conflict comes to a close." "You are absolutely right about all of that," said Leaf. "And, you know, the diplomacy continues even while we are working to get to that ceasefire agreement." HOUTHI ATTACKS ON COMMERCIAL VESSELS CONTINUE UNIMPEDED Good Monday 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 Stacey Dec. 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 HAPPENING TODAY: Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant has arrived in Washington and is scheduled to meet with both Secretary of State Antony Blinken and Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin amid worries that the situation in Israel could escalate into a wider war. The growing concern comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said in an interview yesterday that he's only "prepared to make a partial deal" with Hamas that would return "some" of the hostages. "We are committed to continuing the war after a pause in order to complete the goal of eliminating Hamas. I'm not willing to give up on that." At the same time, Israel is preparing to send more troops to its northern border to confront the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. In a video message Saturday night, Hezbollah threatened to attack crucial Israeli buildings if a full-scale conflict were to break out in Lebanon. "The video appears to display coordinates near a central Israeli airport, two power plants, a nuclear research center, a cargo port and a gas field," the Washington Post reported. In the video, Hassan Nasrallah, the head of Hezbollah, is heard to say, "If a war is imposed on Lebanon, the resistance will fight without restraints, without rules, without limits," in a clip from a speech last week. "I would just tell you that we still don’t want to see a second front opened up," White House national security communications adviser John Kirby said last week. "Obviously, we take the tensions and the rhetoric seriously by both sides, and we’re doing everything we can to try to prevent that outcome, and those conversations are ongoing literally as we speak." ISRAEL'S 'INTENSE' OPERATIONS IN GAZA 'ABOUT TO END' WITH ATTENTION TO MOVE TO HEZBOLLAH: NETANYAHU KEANE: CHINA LAND GRAB REAL THREAT: Reacting to a report in the New York Post that detailed how China has purchased farmland near 19 highly sensitive military bases in the U.S., including Fort Liberty in Fayetteville, North Carolina, and Camp Pendleton in San Diego, former Army vice chief of staff Jack Keane told Fox News it is a threat that should be taken seriously. "China is conducting one of the most comprehensive penetrations of American society in our history," Keane said on an appearance on the Fox News program Sunday Morning Futures with Maria Bartiromo. "And buying the farmland close to military bases is part of that strategy. After all, if you own that land close to the bases, you can monitor and surveil what is taking place there. You can use drones and other listening devices to do that." Keane, who is a Fox contributor, said the land grab is just one piece of a bigger strategy by Beijing that includes cyber-espionage, stealing secrets, stealing intellectual property, and putting malware in systems that control U.S critical infrastructure, "If war breaks out in the Indo-Pacific region, China fully intends to defeat us in the homeland," he said. "Thirty-three states have taken legislative action within their states to stop this land grab from taking place by China," Keane continued. "I think that we’re moving in the right direction. I think we got caught a little surprised by it, but now we’re tuned into it and taking appropriate action." PENTAGON DOES NOT KNOW HOW MUCH MONEY WENT TO CHINESE LABS, INCLUDING WUHAN THE RUNDOWN: Washington Examiner: Canada 'biggest laggard' in NATO alliance Washington Examiner: Opinion: Patriot missile diversions expose weak military-industrial base Washington Examiner: Police officers and priest among 15 killed after attacks on places of worship in southern Russia Washington Examiner: Israel's 'intense' operations in Gaza 'about to end' with attention to move to Hezbollah: Netanyahu Washington Examiner: Netanyahu accuses US of 'great slowdown in the provision' of military aid Washington Examiner: Pentagon does not know how much money went to Chinese labs, including Wuhan Washington Examiner: Border hawks baffled by Trump promise to give green cards to foreign students Washington Examiner: Record-high global displacement fueling US border crisis Washington Examiner: Texas soldiers fire pepper ball guns to deter border crossings Washington Examiner: Judge questions Trump claim that Smith is part of 'shadow government' Washington Examiner: Hackers that crippled car dealerships demand tens of millions in ransom AP: Netanyahu says he won't agree to a deal that ends the war in Gaza, testing the latest truce proposal Politico: US Says Ukraine Can Hit Inside Russia 'Anywhere' Its Forces Attack Across the Border Washington Post: Houthis maintain Red Sea menace Wall Street Journal: Taiwan Wants a Drone Army—but China Makes the Drones It Wants AP: Change in wind direction prompts worry about more North Korean trash balloon launches toward South AP: US struggles with shaky relations and troop cuts in African nations as military leaders meet Task & Purpose: Should Women Be Drafted? Congress Weighs the Question Yet Again Washington Post: Trump spreads violent rhetoric, suggesting migrants should fight for sport Breaking Defense: Air Force Mobility Fleet Seeks On-Board Defenses Against Small Drones Defense One: Two Startups Join Forces to Make Self-Flying Tankers, Dogfighting AI, and More SpaceNews: Lockheed Martin Secures $977.5 Million Contract Extension for Missile Warning Satellites Air & Space Forces Magazine: Can More Be Done to Respond to Russia's Space-Based Nuke? Breaking Defense: US Allies Cite Progress, but Say More Needed for Collective Response to Space Threats Federal News Network: Air Force Hopes to Boost Cohesion, Innovation as Part of Broad Restructuring Plan Air & Space Forces Magazine: Flying Hours: USAF Seeks Stability Before Seeking Growth Military.com: Number of Air Force Osprey Pilots and Aircrew Under Review Amid Mechanical Issues, Flight Restriction DefenseScoop: Air Force Likely Weighing Several factors as It Contemplates Future of NGAD AP: North Macedonia's parliament approves a new center-right government after May's election Air & Space Forces Magazine: Airmen Face Inspections as ACC Boss Calls Out 'Discernible Decline' in Standards Air & Space Forces Magazine: How a Small Fleet of E-11A Business Jets Allow USAF to Communicate Across the Middle East Air Force Times: Alaskan Command Operations Director Killed in Civilian Aircraft Crash THE CALENDAR: MONDAY | JUNE 24 9 a.m. — Deputy Secretary of State Kurt Campbell delivers opening remarks on "Sustaining U.S. Strategy in the Indo-Pacific" at the Council on Foreign Relations, followed by moderated questions and answers https://www.cfr.org/event/china-strategy-initiative 9 a.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Wilson Center Canada Institute discussion: “Canada’s Contribution to Deterrence and Defense on NATO’s Eastern Flank,” with Latvian Ambassador to the U.S. Maris Selga https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/canadas-contribution 10 a.m. National Harbor, Maryland — Deputy Defense Secretary Kathleen Hicks speaks at the 2024 SelectUSA Investment Summit https://www.selectusasummit.us/Home 1 p.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies virtual discussion: “The State of Russia’s Defense Industry After Two Years of War and Sanctions,” with Dara Massicot, senior fellow, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace’s Russia and Eurasia Program; Samuel Bendett, nonresident senior associate, CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program; Maria Snegovaya, senior fellow, CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program; and Max Bergmann, director, CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program https://www.csis.org/events/state-russias-defense-industry-after-two-years-war-and-sanctions 2 p.m. — Mitchell Institute for Aerospace Studies Schriever Spacepower Series discussion with Gen. Stephen Whiting, Commander, U.S. Space Command https://go.afa.org/e/285922/er-series-gen-stephen-whiting TUESDAY | JUNE 25 8 a.m. 1 West Pratt St., Baltimore, Maryland — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association 2024 TechNet Cyber conference: “Outpacing the Threat: Align, Adapt, Accelerate,” with Air Force Gen. Timothy Haugh, commander, U.S. Cyber Command, director, National Security Agency, and chief, Central Security Service; Air Force Lt. Gen. Robert Skinner, director, Defense Information Systems Agency and commander of Joint Force Headquarters-Department of Defense Information Network; Kenneth Flowers, chief technology officer, National Guard Bureau https://events.afcea.org/AFCEACyber24/Public/enter.aspx 9 a.m. — Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty and Freedom House virtual discussion: “Not Forgotten: Political Imprisonment and Incommunicado Detention in Belarus,” with Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN); Sviatlana Tsikhanouskaya, Belarus opposition leader; and Hanna Liubakova, Atlantic Council nonresident fellow https://zoom.us/webinar/register 9 a.m. — Atlantic Council virtual discussion: “Shoring Up Security and Support for Ukraine,” with Piotr Marczuk, co-chairman for defense and security at AmCham Poland; Valbona Zeneli, nonresident senior fellow, Atlantic Council’s Europe Center; and former U.S. Ambassador to Ukraine John Herbst, senior director, Atlantic Council’s Eurasia Center https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/warsaw-week 9 a.m. 1211 Connecticut Ave. NW — Stimson Center virtual discussion: "Takeaways from the Putin-Kim Summit," with Yuki Tatsumi, senior fellow and director, Japan Program, Stimson Center; Yun Sun, senior fellow and director, China Program, Stimson Center; Rachel Minyoung Lee, senior fellow, Korea Program and 38 North, Stimson Center; Vladimir Ivanov, adjunct senior fellow, Stimson Center; and Jenny Town, senior fellow and director, Korea Program and 38 North, Stimson Center https://stimsoncenter.zoom.us/webinar/register 1 p.m. — Center for a New American Security virtual book discussion: If Confirmed: An Insider's View, National Security Confirmation Process, with author retired Marine Maj. Gen. Arnold Punaro, former staff director, Senate Armed Service Committee, and Stacie Pettyjohn, senior fellow and director, CNAS Defense Program https://www.cnas.org/events/virtual-event-if-confirmed WEDNESDAY | JUNE 26 8 a.m. 1 West Pratt St., Baltimore, Maryland — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association 2024 TechNet Cyber conference: “Outpacing the Threat: Align, Adapt, Accelerate,” Caroline Kuharske, chief data officer, Defense Information Systems Agency; Shane Barney, chief information security officer, U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services; Pentagon Chief Information Officer John Sherman; Lt. Gen. Maria Barrett, commanding general, Army Cyber Command; Nicholas “Nick” Hull, deputy commander, Cyber National Mission Force; Rear Adm. John Vann, commander, Coast Guard Cyber Command; Lt. Gen. Kevin Kennedy, commander, Sixteenth Air Force, and commander, Air Forces Cyber; Army Gen. Michael Kurilla, commander, U.S. Central Command; Navy Chief Information Officer Jane Rathbun; Air Force Deputy Chief Information Officer Winston Beauchamp; Army Chief Information Officer Leonel “Leo” Garciga; and Brian Campo, acting assistant commandant for command, control, communication, computers, and information technology, Coast Guard https://events.afcea.org/AFCEACyber24/Public/enter.aspx 9:25 a.m. 1900 K St. NW — Women’s Foreign Policy Group discussion: “An Insider’s Fresh Perspective from the Front Lines of Ukraine,” with Simon Shuster, Time senior correspondent. RSVP: [email protected] 10 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies media conference call briefing: “Previewing the NATO Summit,” with Max Bergmann, director, CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program; Sean Monaghan, visiting fellow, CSIS Europe, Russia, and Eurasia Program; and Kathleen McInnis, senior fellow, CSIS International Security Program. Contact Andrew Schwartz, 202-775-3242 2 p.m. 310 Cannon — House Homeland Security Subcommittee on Counterterrorism, Law Enforcement, and Intelligence hearing: "Persistent Challenges: Oversight, Department of Homeland Security's Office of Intelligence and Analysis," with testimony from Ken Wainstein, DHS undersecretary for intelligence and analysis https://www.youtube.com/watch THURSDAY | JUNE 27 8 a.m. 1 West Pratt St., Baltimore, Maryland — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association 2024 TechNet Cyber conference: “Outpacing the Threat: Align, Adapt, Accelerate,” with Vice Joint Chiefs Chairman Adm. Christopher Grady and Cedric Terry, chief, National Security Agency Cybersecurity Directorate Encryption Production and Solutions Group https://events.afcea.org/AFCEACyber24/Public/enter.aspx 9 a.m. 1300 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Wilson Center Mexico Institute annual "Building a Competitive U.S.-Mexico Border Conference," with Rep. Henry Cuellar (D-TX); Rep. Lou Correa (D-CA); Rep. Tony Gonzales (R-TX); and Rachel Poynter, deputy assistant secretary of state for Mexico and Canada in the Bureau of Western Hemisphere Affairs https://www.wilsoncenter.org/event/tenth-annual-building-competitive-us-mexico-border 9:30 a.m. — Center for Strategic and International Studies and Republic of Korea’s Defense Acquisition Program Administration conference: "CSIS-DAPA 2024: The Potential for Expanding Defense Cooperation within the ROK-U.S. Alliance," with Douglas Bush, assistant Army secretary for acquisition, logistics, and technology; Seok Jong-gun, ROK minister, Defense Acquisition Program Administration; Cynthia Cook, director, Defense-Industrial Initiatives Group and senior fellow, CSIS International Security Program; Jedidiah Royal, principal deputy assistant secretary of defense for Indo-Pacific security affairs; Stacie Pettyjohn, senior fellow and director, CNAS Defense Program, Center for a New American Security; Scott Sendmeyer, acting director of policy, analysis, and transition; Park Jin A, director, Defense Industry Advancement Support Division, Defense Industry Promotion Bureau; and Han Seung Jae, director general for defense export program, Korea Research Institute for Defense Technology Planning and Advancement https://www.csis.org/events/csis-dapa-2024-potential-expanding-defense-cooperation 11:30 a.m. — Washington Post Live virtual discussion: “NATO’s Priorities and the Russia-Ukraine War,” with U.S. Permanent Representative to NATO Julianne Smith https://www.washingtonpost.com/washington-post-live 2 p.m. — Center for a New American Security virtual discussion: “Swarms over the Strait: Drone Warfare in a Future Fight to Defend Taiwan,” with former Deputy Defense Secretary Bob Work; Stacie Pettyjohn, director, CNAS Defense Program; and Andrew Metrick, fellow, CNAS Defense Program https://www.cnas.org/events/virtual-event-swarms-over-the-strait 2 p.m. — Government Executive Media Group and Booz Allen virtual discussion: “Disrupting the Battlespace: Developing Ecosystems to Enable Dual-Use Defense Technologies for the DOD,” with Brian MacCarthy, managing partner at Booz Allen Ventures https://events.govexec.com/disrupting-the-battlespace 9 p.m. CNN Studios, Atlanta, Georgia — CNN-sponsored 2024 election presidential debate with President Joe Biden and former President Donald Trump, moderated by CNN's Jake Tapper and Dana Bash. Livestream at https://www.cnn.com, plus ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox News, PBS, C-SPAN, and NewsNation will simulcast the debate and provide their own pre- and post-debate coverage. FRIDAY | JUNE 28 9 a.m. 1030 15th St. NW — Atlantic Council discussion: “Production diplomacy for Indo-Pacific deterrence, readiness, and resilience,” focusing on increasing the defense industrial bases of allies and partners https://www.atlanticcouncil.org/event/production-diplomacy-for-indo-pacific-deterrence 10 a.m. 1201 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — Hudson Institute discussion: “Germany and the World,” with German State Secretary Thomas Bagger and Peter Rough, director, Hudson Center on Europe and Eurasia https://www.hudson.org/events/germany-world-foreign-policy 12 p.m. 8100 Loisdale Rd., Springfield, Virginia — Armed Forces Communications and Electronics Association discussion with National Guard Chief Information Officer Kenneth McNeill, director, National Guard Command, Control, Communications, and Computers Systems Directorate. https://www.eventbrite.com/e/afcea-belvoir-june-2024-luncheon 12 p.m. 2100 Pennsylvania Ave. NW — American Bar Association Standing Committee on Law and National Security book discussion: The National Security Constitution in the 21st Century, with author Harold Koh, professor of international law at Yale Law School and former State Department legal adviser https://events.americanbar.org/event | | | | "You graduate from a college, I think you should get automatically, as part of your diploma, a green card to be able to stay in this country, and that includes junior colleges, too." | | Former President Donald Trump in an interview with Jason Calacanis on the All-In podcast last Thursday |
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