U.S. forces in the Middle East destroyed a swarm of drones and missiles fired by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels during an hours-long attack in the Red Sea on Tuesday, U.S. Central Command said.
Why it matters: A surge of Houthi attacks in recent weeks has disrupted international shipping, and prompted the U.S. to step up its military presence in the region.
Secretary of State Tony Blinken is expected to travel to the Middle East late next week to discuss the Gaza war, five U.S., Israeli and Arab officials told Axios.
The big picture: This will be Blinken's fourth trip to the Middle East and his fifth visit to Israel since the war started. His trip is part of an ongoing series of high-level visits by Biden administration officials to conduct constant consultations with the Israeli government and regional partners about the crisis.
U.S. public pensions have invested more than $68 billion into private Chinese entities over the past three years, ending June 30, according to data from pro-democracy trade advocacy group Future Union.
The Turkish Parliament's foreign affairs committee approved Sweden's bid to join NATO on Tuesday.
Why it matters: The vote that brings Sweden closer to achieving NATO membership comes after a series of delays in its attempt to become part of the alliance, including Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's initial refusal to accept Sweden's bid.
Why it matters: Apple continues to be the largest smartwatch seller in the world and while the company saw a decline in revenue last quarter, it also touted 2 billion active devices, which Tim Cook attributed to "a lot of first-time buyers in the case of the Apple Watch."
Israel said on Monday that it will deny a UN employee's visa request and not extend the visa of another UN employee.
The big picture: The UN has been critical of Israel's military actions in Gaza since Oct. 7, particularly regarding civilian deaths, and this is an example of Israel's government bristling at the blowback.
Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny on Tuesday made his first public statement since going missing for two weeks in Russia's prison system and being located at a Siberian penal colony.
Driving the news: Navalny, a vocal adversary of Russian President Vladimir Putin, posted a nine-part message on X (formerly Twitter) detailing his transport to the Arctic facility.
President Biden ordered retaliatory airstrikes against Iranian-backed militia groups after three U.S. service members were wounded, one critically, in a Christmas Day drone attack in northern Iraq, the White House said Monday.
Why it matters: The fighting illustrates the broader effects of the Israel-Hamas war across the Middle East — and how U.S. military bases in Iraq and Syria have become targets, Reuters notes.
Israel's government has awarded a $3.2 billion grant to Intel as part of a $25 billion investment the chip company is making in a manufacturing facility roughly 40 miles south of Tel Aviv, both sides reportedly said Tuesday.
Why it matters: Confirming Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's preliminary June announcement, Intel's increased investment in Israel comes at a tumultuous time for the country's economy amid the ongoing war with Hamas.
