BLUF: Tensions in the Middle East

The death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, mastermind of last year’s October 7th massacre, deals a tremendous blow to Hamas’ campaign of death and destruction. Still, there is little room for celebration as the region continues to unravel and tensions between neighbors reach a fever pitch. In that vein, Washington has committed to strengthening our ally’s missile defense and deterrence capabilities, notably by deploying the advanced THAAD anti-missile system alongside 100 US troops to Israel amid regional tensions.

Stockpiles of critical weapons systems are already running thin with conflicts raging in Ukraine and Israel, leading to real concern amongst policymakers that the US and our allies may not be able to effectively deter and respond to a new conflict. 

Furthermore, since the start of the Russian invasion of Ukraine, our adversaries have greatly advanced their shared military industrial capabilities. For instance, Chinese, North Korean, and Iranian assistance has kept the Russian war machine alive, only deepening their military and industrial ties.

With the American defense industrial base struggling to keep pace with the demand for critical weapons such as air defense missiles and artillery shells, we too will be calling on our allies abroad in ways that have not been seen since World War II.

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