Axios

Secretary of State Antony Blinken, the nation's top diplomat, turned his powers of persuasion inward Tuesday — laying out the emotional and practical cases for supporting Israel and Ukraine to a divided domestic audience.

Why it matters: The stepson of a Holocaust survivor and one of President Biden's closest confidants, Blinken's appeals represent the latest attempts to corral support for the administration's strategy on two of its defining foreign policy crises.

An Israeli airstrike that hit Gaza's largest refugee camp Tuesday killed dozens of Palestinians, according to Palestinian health authorities in the Strip.

The big picture: The Israeli military confirmed that Israel carried out the strike on the Jabalia camp. It claimed the attack killed a senior Hamas commander and injured other members of the group. It also said the strike severely damaged Hamas' underground infrastructure.

Saudi Arabia assured the Biden administration that the kingdom is still interested in pursuing an agreement that would normalize relations with Israel after the war in Gaza ends, White House National Security Council spokesperson John Kirby told reporters Tuesday.

Why it matters: Before the Israel-Hamas war began, Biden had been pushing for a mega-deal with Saudi Arabia that included a historic peace agreement between the kingdom and Israel.

The Senate on Tuesday confirmed former Treasury Secretary Jack Lew's nomination to become the next U.S. ambassador to Israel.

Why it matters: Lew's confirmation fills a months-long vacancy and comes at a critical moment, as the U.S. prepares for the possibility of a wider regional conflict in the Middle East amid the Israel-Hamas war.

A vast majority of Republicans say they support installing deterrents such as razor wire and floating barriers in rivers to prevent immigrants from entering the country illegally, even if people are endangered or killed, a new survey finds.

Why it matters: Texas Gov. Greg Abbott (R) is locked in a legal fight with the Biden administration to keep razor wires and buoy barriers with blades along the U.S.-Mexico border amid a surge in the number of migrants attempting to enter the country.

The Biden administration expressed alarm over Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich's decision to suspend the transfer of Palestinian tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority, two U.S. officials said.

Why it matters: The tax revenues Israel collects for the Palestinian Authority under an agreement between the parties are a major source of income for the PA, which is already in a financial crisis.

Israel's communications minister is seeking to temporarily shut down Al Jazeera's local bureau through new emergency regulations, drawing sharp criticism from press freedom groups.

Why it matters: Media analysts warn the Israeli government, which was already trying to clamp down on the independent media before the war, may not stop with Al Jazeera.

The Israeli military said on Tuesday that it intercepted a surface-to-surface long-range ballistic missile and two cruise missiles that were fired by the Houthi rebels in Yemen.

The big picture: It was the third Houthi attack since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hamas, but the most serious one so far. It also comes as concerns mount that the war could spread to new fronts.

Global oil markets don't yet foresee the Israel-Hamas war escalating in a way that eats into crude oil flows.

Driving the news: Prices have come back to where they were right after markets first reacted to the Oct. 7 Hamas terrorist attack against Israel.

Trey Yingst, a 30-year-old Jerusalem-based foreign correspondent for Fox News, has been covering wars and power battles in the Middle East and Europe since 2018. He tells Axios that he saw "the worst of humanity on display" during the Oct. 7th Hamas attack on Israel.

Why it matters: The personal toll of war on journalists is rarely covered on air or in print. The stress of reporting out a story and getting it right is often compounded by constant safety and security concerns, as well as mental and emotional baggage.

With the Israel-Hamas war escalating, the United States risks becoming involved in a larger conflict that could entangle some of the more than 40,000 U.S. military personnel based across the region.

Why it matters: U.S. troops and military contractors in Iraq and Syria have been targeted in over a dozen attacks by Iranian-backed militia groups since Hamas' surprise attack against Israeli civilians and soldiers on Oct. 7.

Israel's military has been secretive about its "expanded" ground operation in Gaza, but parts of its strategy have become clear in the hours since an Israeli soldier was rescued from a remote location where she'd been held by two Hamas militants.

Why it matters: As talks to free more than 230 hostages held at sites across Gaza continue, the Israel Defense Forces' mission now isn't just to "destroy Hamas military capabilities," as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Oct. 7, the day Hamas attacked Israel.