Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
‘Dismantlement of the government’? Israel’s Netanyahu under pressure over Hamas hostage deal
A key Israeli minister on Tuesday threatened "dismantlement of the government" if his country strikes a "reckless" deal with Hamas, underscoring the immense pressure facing Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as he searches for a way to bring home the roughly 130 hostages still held by the Palestinian militant group. Published January 30, 2024
The Middle East war Biden tried to avoid may be thrust upon him
President Biden insists he doesn't want a war with Iran. The reality is, America may already be in one. Published January 29, 2024
For years, Pentagon lacked a ‘coordinated approach’ to handle UFO sightings, watchdog says
The Pentagon for years has lacked a "coordinated approach" to detecting, analyzing and cataloging UFO sightings by U.S. service members, the Defense Department's top watchdog said in a key report released publicly this week, warning that the various approaches across the military may have left dangerous national security gaps. Published January 27, 2024
Houthi missile hits oil tanker in Gulf of Aden; U.S. responds with more airstrikes in Yemen
A missile fired by Iran-backed Houthis struck an oil tanker sailing in the Gulf of Aden late Friday night, U.S. officials said, and American forces quickly responded with another round of airstrikes targeting the rebel group in Yemen. Published January 27, 2024
Biden to dispatch CIA Director Burns to broker Hamas hostage deal: Report
CIA Director William Burns will soon travel to Europe to try and negotiate an extended cease-fire deal that would free the remaining hostages held by the Palestinian militant group Hamas, according to media reports, as pressure mounts on Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to secure the release of those prisoners who have been held for more than three months. Published January 25, 2024
U.S. military strikes Iran-backed Iraqi militias after attack that wounded American troops
U.S. forces on Tuesday struck three sites in Iraq used by Iran-backed Shiite militias, Pentagon officials said, in a move that comes just days after a militia attack on an American air base in Iraq left several U.S. personnel wounded. Published January 23, 2024
Turkey signs off on Sweden joining NATO, clearing major hurdle for Stockholm’s bid
The Turkish parliament on Tuesday approved Sweden's bid to join NATO in a major boost for the transatlantic alliance, which is now poised to gain its second new member in less than a year after Finland's accession last April. Published January 23, 2024
No way out? Iran bogs down another U.S. president in Middle East morass
First was the Obama administration's vaunted "pivot" to Asia. Then, President Trump pledged to get out of "endless wars" in the Middle East. President Biden has tried to follow suit and radically reduce America's military footprint in the tumultuous region after more than two decades of continuous war. Published January 22, 2024
U.S. ramps up war on Houthis with airstrikes in Yemen, targeting missiles loaded to be fired
The U.S. ramped up its war on Iran-backed Houthi rebels late Wednesday with another round of airstrikes on Houthi targets in Yemen, the fourth such strike in just a week. Published January 18, 2024
Undaunted Houthis trade strikes again with U.S., allies in tense Red Sea
U.S. forces on Tuesday conducted a third round of airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, Pentagon officials said, on the same day a missile launched by the Iran-backed group hit another commercial vessel in the Red Sea. Published January 16, 2024
U.S. forces launch third round of strikes against Houthis in Yemen: Report
U.S. forces on Tuesday conducted a third round of airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, U.S. officials told the Associated Press, just hours after a missile launched by the Iran-backed group hit another commercial vessel in the Red Sea. Published January 16, 2024
U.S. seized Iranian weapons destined for Houthis in mission that saw two Navy SEALs lost at sea
U.S. forces last week seized a boat loaded with Iranian missile components destined for Houthi rebels in Yemen, Pentagon officials confirmed Tuesday morning, in a dangerous operation that saw two Navy SEALs lost in the rough waters of the Arabian Sea. Published January 16, 2024
Defense Secretary Austin released from hospital after furor over cancer diagnosis, treatment
Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin was released from the hospital Monday following prostate cancer surgery and follow-up complications that sparked a firestorm when he kept his initial diagnosis and treatment hidden, including from President Biden. Published January 15, 2024
New Houthi missile hits American-owned cargo ship off coast of Yemen, U.S. officials confirm
A missile fired by Houthi rebels in Yemen struck an American-owned cargo ship traveling off the country's coast near the Gulf of Aden on Monday, U.S. military officials said, the latest in a string of attacks by the Iran-backed rebel group on regional shipping lanes in recent months that have exacerbated soaring regional tensions. Published January 15, 2024
Israeli defense chief Yoav Gallant storms out of meeting with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
Tensions boiled over Saturday night during a meeting between Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and key aides, Israeli media reported. Published January 14, 2024
No ‘material damage’? Questions mount over impact of U.S. strikes on Yemen’s Houthi rebels
Questions mounted Sunday about the long-term impact of U.S.-led airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, with a spokesman for the Iran-backed militant group boasting that the attacks had done no "material damage." Published January 14, 2024
U.S. hits another Houthi target in Yemen
U.S. forces late Friday struck another target in Yemen controlled by Houthi rebels, a day after American and British troops launched a massive assault on the Iran-backed group that for months has wreaked havoc on commercial shipping traffic in the Red Sea. Published January 12, 2024
Pentagon: U.S., British forces struck 28 Houthi sites in Yemen during Thursday night assault
U.S. and British troops bombed 28 separate locations and destroyed more than 60 individual Houthi targets in two rounds of airstrikes on Houthi-controlled Yemen, defense officials said Friday, far more than the initial counts reported in the immediate aftermath of the attacks on Thursday night. Published January 12, 2024
Lawmakers, fellow Democrats slam Biden for not consulting with Congress ahead of Yemen strikes
Key lawmakers, including some fellow Democrats, blasted President Biden late Thursday and early Friday for failing to consult with Congress before ordering U.S. airstrikes against Houthi rebels in Yemen, and they warned that the president risks dragging America into another open-ended Middle East war. Published January 12, 2024
U.S., Britain strike Iranian-backed Houthi sites in Yemen
The U.S. and Britain struck back at Houthi rebels in Yemen on Thursday night, marking the first major retaliation against the Iran-backed militants after weeks of warnings about their repeated assaults on commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Published January 11, 2024
