House Intelligence Committee GOP Chairman Mike Turner made waves Wednesday by demanding the Biden administration go public about what he called a major new national security threat. National Security Adviser Jake Sullivan appeared caught off guard as headlines swirled around the demand, which came ahead of a classified briefing between intelligence officials and lawmakers. House Speaker Mike Johnson called a press conference saying there was “no need for public alarm.”

We’re continuing to track the developments. As of Thursday morning, Threat Status sources had neither confirmed nor denied reports that the intelligence in question centers on Russian efforts to put an anti-satellite missile system — potentially armed with nuclear weapons — into space. It’s worth noting Russia conducted a “hit-to-kill” anti-satellite (ASAT) test in 2021.

Defense Minister and former commando Prabowo Subianto’s claim of victory in Indonesia’s presidential election could prove bumpy for the Biden administration’s relations with the strategically positioned Southeast Asian nation, whose gas, gold, oil and ports are eagerly sought by China.

Apart from allegations of human rights abuses that dogged Mr. Subianto’s military career, the issue of U.S.-China jockeying for influence in Jakarta is likely to dominate behind-the-scenes posturing by Washington and Beijing through a coming power transition between Mr. Subianto and Indonesia’s American-educated President Joko “Jokowi” Widodo.

Washington Times Asia Editor Andrew Salmon digs into the situation, examining how U.S.-Indonesia military relations remained strong during the Widodo years, even as Jakarta kept lines open to China and straddled the diplomatic chasm between Washington and Beijing. It’s worth noting that Israel’s war against Hamas is a sticking point for Indonesia, which has the world’s largest Muslim population.

U.S. forces seized a ship originating in Iran that was loaded with missiles and drones destined for Yemen’s Houthi militants on Jan. 28, according to U.S. Central Command, which revealed the operation Thursday, accusing Tehran of aiding the Houthis in their campaign targeting commercial ships in the region.

National Security Correspondent Ben Wolfgang compares the interdiction to another January operation in which two Navy SEALs died at sea when boarding another weapons-laden ship off the coast of Somalia. This time around, Central Command officials say a Navy fast-response cutter identified the Iran-originated vessel in the Red Sea and troops quickly boarded it, discovering more than 200 packages filled with a range of equipment, including anti-tank guided missile launcher assemblies.

The development prompts a reflection on how the U.S.-Iran conflict has evolved since 2017, when then-Defense Secretary James Mattis was first reported to have explored — during internal Trump administration debates — whether the Navy could intercept and board Iranian ships to search for weapons flowing to Tehran’s regional allies like the Houthis.

President Biden flexed his executive powers Wednesday to grant deportation amnesty to Palestinians in the U.S. who lose their legal status, saying conditions back home have deteriorated too badly to force them to return. The development comes amid ongoing analysis of whether the administration’s issuance of nearly 3.5 million work passes last year to migrants — many caught and released at the border — provided an unexpected boost to the U.S. economy.

With the Israel-Hamas war now well into its fifth month, regular columnist Clifford May argues that Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, who masterminded the terror group’s Oct. 7 invasion of Israel, is now pondering four possible options for his fate. He can wait, betting Mr. Biden will pressure Israel to accept a cease-fire, an option that could pave the way for the Hamas leader’s return to power in Gaza. He could go into exile. He could embrace martyrdom, or he “could emerge from the depths, surviving hostages in tow, and order his troops to cease firing,” according to Mr. May, who offers a lucid assessment of which option is the least likely to become reality.