Today In Issues:
FDD Research & Analysis
The Must-Reads
Israel to seize parts of Gaza as military operation expands Israel Policy Forum’s Nimrod Novik: How Trump can succeed where his predecessors failed in Gaza U.S. sends warplanes, ships to the Middle East in warning to Iran U.S. issues Iran-related sanctions against China, UAE-based entities Iran mulls preemptive strike on US base after Trump bomb threats WINEP’s Dana Stroul: A return to maximum pressure: comprehensively countering the Iranian regime’s malign activities WSJ Editorial: Serious sanctions time for Russia Yemen’s Houthi rebels claim they shot down another American drone as US strikes pound country MEI’s Paul Salem: The first two months of Trump 2.0 in the Middle East: Hard push for elusive breakthroughs By attempting to shift focus to North Korea, China looks to woo Japan, South Korea as all three face american tariff pressures Taiwan says 76 Chinese warplanes, 15 warships detected around island Spanish Civil Guard begins operation against Hezbollah members in SpainIn The News
Israel
In one meeting in New York in 2024, Adi Alexander was surprised to realize Trump thought most of the Israeli hostages being held by Hamas were dead. It was a dangerous misconception, he felt, one that could prevent the administration from putting pressure on Israel and Hamas to strike a deal. – Wall Street Journal
Israel announced a major expansion of military operations in Gaza on Wednesday, saying large areas of the enclave would be seized and added to its security zones, accompanied by large-scale evacuation of population. – Reuters
The United Nations on Tuesday dismissed as “ridiculous” an assertion by Israel that there was enough food in the Gaza Strip to last for a long period of time, despite the closure of all 25 bakeries in the enclave supported by the World Food Programme. – Reuters
Israel has cancelled its remaining tariffs on imports from the United States, officials said on Tuesday, a day before the Trump administration hits global trading partners with reciprocal levies. – Reuters
Accepting the US State Department’s 2025 International Woman of Courage Award, former Hamas hostage and sexual assault survivor Amit Soussana called Tuesday for global action to secure the immediate release of the remaining captives in Gaza. – Times of Israel
A member of Hamas’s policing forces was executed earlier today in Deir Al-Balah, central Gaza Strip, after a local clan accused him of murdering one of their kin, reports from Gaza say. – Jerusalem Post
The IAF killed Hassan Ali Badir, a Hezbollah and Iran Quds Force terrorist, in an overnight strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs, the military, the Mossad, and the Shin Bet (Israel Security Agency) said on Tuesday. – Jerusalem Post
Two aides to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu are suspected of taking money to spread pro-Qatari messaging to reporters, in order to boost the Gulf state’s image as a mediator in hostage talks between Israel and Hamas, all while in the prime minister’s employ, an Israeli judge said on Tuesday, as he lifted a gag order on the so-called Qatargate case. – Times of Israel
Nimrod Novik writes: With the alternative so bleak and the consequences to regional stability so alarming, it is time that those Arab leaders recognize their agency. By resorting to such a two-prong approach — mobilizing Trump and energizing the Israeli public — they can set in motion a course change that turns the corner on the Gaza tragedy and offers a brighter horizon to Israelis, Palestinians and the region. – The Hill
Jason D. Greenblatt writes: The path is narrow and the obstacles immense. But for the first time in years, there is a tiny sliver of hope emanating from Gaza—a hope that there may be just enough courage in Gaza to vomit out a Hamas leadership that has caused untold suffering, murder and destruction over so many years. It would be nothing short of a miracle for the region, and for Palestinians and Israelis alike. – Newsweek
Iran
The Pentagon is rapidly expanding its forces in the Middle East as the U.S. military continues airstrikes against Houthi militants in Yemen and steps up its pressure on Iran, the Defense Department said Tuesday. – Wall Street Journal
Russia’s Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov discussed with his Chinese counterpart, Wang Yi, the situation on the Korean Peninsula as well as Iran’s nuclear program, the Russian foreign ministry said late on Tuesday. – Reuters
The U.S. on Tuesday imposed sanctions on entities and individuals in Iran, the United Arab Emirates and China whom it accused of being part of an Iranian weapons procurement network, as President Donald Trump seeks to ramp up pressure on Tehran. – Reuters
Russia has warned that strikes against Iran’s nuclear infrastructure would have “catastrophic” consequences, after U.S. President Donald Trump threatened to bomb Iran unless it came to an agreement with Washington over its nuclear program. – Reuters
Iran has responded to a letter sent by U.S. President Donald Trump to its supreme leader in an attempt to jump-start talks over Tehran’s rapidly advancing nuclear program, rejecting the option of direct talks. – Associated Press
President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the nation’s highest-ranking military officer said military force alone might not be enough to deter Iran from obtaining a nuclear weapon, according to a statement he provided ahead of his Senate confirmation hearing Tuesday. – Bloomberg
Iranian military commanders are considering a preemptive strike on a joint U.S.-U.K. base on the Chagos Island located in the Indian Ocean in an apparent attempt to deter President Donald Trump from launching a military attack on Iran, a report by the Telegraph first said. – Fox News
Iran “will have no choice” but to seek nuclear weapons if attacked, an adviser to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has warned. The statement comes in response to U.S. President Donald Trump’s threat to bomb Iran if it does not agree to a new nuclear deal. – Newsweek
An Iranian lawmaker has called for the country to develop and test an atomic bomb, arguing it would provide security similar to North Korea. Ahmad Naderi, a representative for Tehran, made the statement on X, advocating for a stronger nuclear stance in response to U.S. pressure. “If we were also armed with an atomic bomb, Trump would not dare threaten bombing,” he wrote. – Newsweek
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard has seized two foreign oil tankers in the Persian Gulf, accusing them of smuggling diesel fuel, according to state media. The latest seizure comes amid ongoing tensions with the United States over maritime security in the region. – Newsweek
Ilan Berman writes: Once upon a time, Team Trump understood all this. “The great Iranian people have been repressed for many years,” President Donald Trump tweeted in January 2018. “They are hungry for food & for freedom. Along with human rights the wealth of Iran is being looted. TIME FOR CHANGE!” Returning to those priorities would make for a much more encouraging Iran policy—for the Iranians themselves, and for everyone else. – Newsweek
Dana Stroul writes: In conclusion, the executive and legislative branches can take a number of steps in the coming months to better position the United States to take advantage of regional opportunities. Real opportunities exist to block Iran from pursuing a nuclear weapons capability and consolidate military gains against its destabilizing activities. To do this, the United States must fully resource all elements of its national power and apply them to the Middle East: not only military operations and sanctions, but also assistance, stabilization, and diplomacy. – Washington Institute
Dana Stroul writes: Tehran’s past efforts to destabilize the region’s governments, subjugate its people, challenge U.S. interests, and spread terror abroad only succeeded because they targeted undergoverned, corrupt, and politically weak states. The central objective of a stabilization strategy must be to support the emergence of more responsive, transparent governments that retain their monopoly on the use of force, their capacity to deliver prosperity to their people, and their willingness to confront Iranian influence. Contrary to decades of conventional thinking, it turned out that an exceptional military campaign could significantly degrade Iran’s regional standing. Now, the United States must do its part to lead a similarly extraordinary civilian effort to make that change permanent. – Foreign Affairs
Russia & Ukraine
Russia is putting sticks in the wheels of Trump’s cease-fire drive, playing for time as it presses its gains on the battlefield and pushes for maximum concessions in negotiations. All the while, Moscow insists it wants peace. – Wall Street Journal
A key Kremlin negotiator is expected in Washington this week for talks with U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration, two sources familiar with the plan said, the most senior Russian official to visit since Moscow invaded Ukraine in 2022. – Reuters
The Russian Defence Ministry said on Tuesday its forces had taken control of the village of Rozlyv in Ukraine’s eastern Donetsk region, the focal point of their steady westward advance through the area. – Reuters
Senior Trump administration officials have discussed in recent days the likelihood that the U.S. will be unable to secure a Ukraine peace deal in the next few months and are drawing up new plans to pressure both Kyiv and Moscow, according to two U.S. officials familiar with the matter. – Reuters
Ukraine will hold in-depth talks on Friday with a small group of foreign countries about contributing forces to a contingent that would act as a security guarantee for Ukraine, President Volodymyr Zelenskiy said on Tuesday. – Reuters
Russia cannot accept U.S. proposals to end the war in Ukraine in their current form because they do not address problems Moscow regards as having caused the conflict, a senior Russian diplomat said, suggesting U.S.-Russia talks on the subject had stalled. – Reuters
Ukraine will work with the United States towards a mutually acceptable text of a minerals deal that the two countries can sign, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha said on Tuesday. – Reuters
Editorial: Mr. Trump isn’t the first President to discover that Mr. Putin’s actions contradict his promises. Bring on the secondary sanctions that Joe Biden was afraid to impose. Any hope of getting Mr. Putin to accept a deal that doesn’t subjugate Ukraine will require speaking a language the Russian dictator understands. – Wall Street Journal
Alexander Kolyandr writes: Russia’s demands are a sign that it would be willing to countenance a step-by-step lifting of sanctions (rather than stubbornly demanding their immediate removal). But they are unfulfillable and difficult to understand. They are either a tactic to frustrate negotiations or a symptom of incoherence in Russia’s negotiating strategy. In any event, they confirm that there is still a long way to go before Russia gets any major sanction relief. – Center for European Policy Analysis
Suriya Evans-Pritchard Jayanti writes: As with developing Ukraine’s mineral wealth under a professionally and internationally managed Reconstruction Investment Fund, and provided Ukraine actually benefits from the arrangement, Trump’s suggestion that the US become involved in Ukraine’s nuclear sector is worth exploring. It could help pave the path to peace, and to future prosperity. – Center for European Policy Analysis
Dennis Ross writes: Practitioners of American statecraft have always used our leverage—positive and negative—to alter the behavior of others. For President Donald Trump, applying pressure on other countries and groups in order to advance U.S. interests comes very naturally. He’s done so with the Houthis in Yemen to stop their attacks on international shipping and on Israel—objectives that have not yet been achieved. The president is also applying U.S. leverage in a bid to end the war in Ukraine—which he’s described as a major priority. The problem is, so far Trump has been unwilling to apply the pressure evenly. – Foreign Policy
Syria
The trainer paced the grounds of a mountain enclave in southwestern Syria, shouting at dozens of new recruits as they drilled sprints between barricades made from old car tires. – New York Times
Syria suffered a nationwide power outage on Tuesday night due to malfunctions at several points in the national grid, a spokesperson from the energy ministry told Reuters. – Reuters
Natasha Hall writes: For years U.S. presidents have tried to deprioritize the Middle East to confront other strategic challenges, only to be dragged back into conflicts in the region over and over. But for now, in this delicate moment of geopolitical competition, Syria is still an opportunity for the United States to stabilize the heart of the Middle East. – New York Times
Turkey
A new generation of young Turks is at the forefront of mass protests against President Tayyip Erdogan’s government, demanding change in a country they see as increasingly authoritarian. – Reuters
Turkish prosecutors have launched an investigation into individuals promoting economic boycotts on social and traditional media, following the arrest of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu. – Reuters
Shay Gal writes: Erdogan’s regime has never been closer to conflict with Israel. With domestic legitimacy collapsing amid mass protests, Erdogan’s threats have become immediate and increasingly militarized. While open to dialogue, Israel must recognize that military confrontation is no longer a question of “if,” but “when.” Visible military preparedness, strengthened air defenses, advanced intelligence, and proactive diplomacy are Israel’s strongest deterrents. – Jerusalem Post
Alon Liel writes: Under the principle of natural selection, where only the strong survive, Israel should maintain diplomatic relations with Turkey. Erdogan had a good political year that included the Kurd’s laying down arms, a security agreement with the new regime in Syria, the election of Donald Trump to a second term in the White House and the growing European need for Turkish involvement in NATO. There is no doubt that Turkey is a strong regional player. – Ynet
Yemen
Suspected U.S. airstrikes battered rebel-controlled areas of Yemen into Wednesday, with the Houthis saying one strike killed at least four people near the Red Sea port city of Hodeida. – Associated Press
Yemen’s Houthi rebels claimed Tuesday that they shot down another American MQ-9 Reaper drone, as the U.S. kept up its intense airstrikes targeting the group. – Associated Press
Satellite imagery spots a French nuclear-powered aircraft carrier in Djibouti as United States forces continue to strike Yemen-based Houthi rebels from the nearby Red Sea. – Newsweek
Before the Trump administration began striking targets across Yemen to reopen global shipping, before many of its top officials included a journalist on a group chat to plan those strikes, in fact even before Donald Trump took office this January, many in his administration didn’t think attacking the Houthis was such a good idea. – Defense News
Middle East & North Africa
Algeria and Mali on Tuesday gave differing accounts of an unmanned aircraft that went down in their desert border region. – Reuters
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi and U.S. President Donald Trump discussed mediation efforts to restore regional calm which would have a positive impact on Red Sea navigation and end economic losses for all parties, the Egyptian presidency said on Tuesday. – Reuters
OPEC+ ministers from eight nations that are gradually raising oil output will meet online on Thursday and are likely to approve a further hike in production from May, sources from the producer group told Reuters. – Reuters
Qatar and the United Arab Emirates have joined Israeli and U.S. forces to participate in the ongoing multinational air exercise Iniochos 2025 at the Andravida Air Base, Greece. Newsweek has reached out to the Hellenic Air Force, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF), and the governments of Qatar and the U.A.E. for comment. The IDF declined to comment. – Newsweek
Paul Salem writes: Trump prides himself on being the ultimate dealmaker. He is correct in prioritizing a resolution to the Arab-Israeli conflict and an agreement that would end decades of US-Iranian hostility. Both deals are long overdue. So far, it’s been hard going, but there is plenty of time in the months ahead for Trump to move these two goals forward. – Middle East Institute
Korean Peninsula
North Korea criticised a recent agreement by Japan and the United States on co-producing air-to-air missiles as aggravating regional security risks and another example of Washington’s push to militarize Japan, state media said on Wednesday. – Reuters
South Korea’s parliament on Wednesday formally introduced a motion to impeach Finance Minister Choi Sang-mok. – Reuters
Washington faces the prospect of a realignment of forces in northeast Asia with China joining America’s two staunch allies there, Japan and South Korea, in a bid to talk North Korea out of its nuclear program. – New York Sun
Choong-Koo Lee writes: Moreover, North Korea could use its alliance with Russia to initiate provocations against South Korea. In the worst-case scenario, this could escalate into a military crisis, destabilizing the Indo-Pacific and complicating the U.S. military responses across the region. To ensure lasting regional security, the United States and South Korea must remain vigilant in monitoring and responding to evolving Russo-North Korean ties. Their success — or failure — will shape Asia’s security landscape well into the future. – War on the Rocks
China
China’s President Xi Jinping and European Union leaders are set to visit Vietnam in the next few weeks in a swirl of diplomatic activity amid growing risks from U.S. trade tariffs, officials said. – Reuters
China launched its latest round of war games around Taiwan on Tuesday, saying on Wednesday they were code-named “Strait Thunder-2025” and were a “stern warning” against separatism. – Reuters
Taiwan’s defence ministry said on Wednesday that in the previous 24 hours it had detected 76 Chinese military aircraft and 15 Chinese military ships operating around Taiwan. – Reuters
China’s embassy in Australia rejected reports linking the transit of a Chinese research vessel south of Australia with the country’s upcoming federal elections, saying the vessel’s passage had “nothing to do with China-Australia relations”. – Reuters
Li Qiang writes: Ultimately, it is the president’s advisors and Congress who must urgently reevaluate the global consequences of their policy decisions. Delay will only deepen the loss of market share, global trust and competitiveness for American firms — consequences that run counter to the very goals of the America First agenda. – The Hill
Joseph Bosco writes: Trump can escape the geopolitical trap by reversing or substantially modifying his unstinting support for Putin while declaring an unequivocal commitment to defend Taiwan — without the administration dilution that followed each of Biden’s statements on the issue. A 180-degree turn on Ukraine would put both Putin and Jinping Xi off-balance, and potentially freeze any further aggressive moves by either. – The Hill
Asia
Soldiers in Myanmar opened fire on a convoy of vehicles carrying relief supplies from the Chinese Red Cross for earthquake victims in the badly hit city of Mandalay, according to a rebel armed group in Myanmar. – New York Times
In the political vacuum that has emerged after the overthrow of Bangladesh’s authoritarian leader, religious fundamentalists in one town declared that young women could no longer play soccer. – New York Times
Thailand could suffer a $7 billion to $8 billion export loss from potential U.S. tariffs if the U.S. administration were to even up levies between the two countries, but it has a strategy for trade negotiations, senior officials said on Wednesday. – Reuters
Australian Prime Minister Anthony Albanese and his rival in a May election, Liberal Party leader Peter Dutton, said they would stand up for the country’s national interests in the face of looming U.S. tariffs that could hit Australian beef. – Reuters
Japan’s Prime Minister Shigeru Ishiba said Tuesday his government is making last ditch efforts to get U.S. President Donald Trump to exclude his country from an increase in auto tariffs due to take effect from Wednesday. – Associated Press
The State Department told Congress it has approved a possible $5.6 billion sale of F-16 fighter jets to the Philippines, a move that would send US warplanes to a key ally in Southeast Asia that has clashed with China. – Bloomberg
Britain and Mauritius are finalizing a deal to transfer sovereignty over the Chagos Islands, a disputed U.K. territory that is home to a major U.S. military base, the U.K. government said Tuesday. – Associated Press
Yingtai Lung writes: Virtually all of us in Taiwan want to protect our cherished freedom. Where we disagree is on how to achieve that — through conciliation or confrontation with China. But one thing is now clear: Relying entirely on the United States while rejecting and antagonizing China is no longer a viable path forward. There can be no democracy without first ensuring peace. – New York Times
Europe
Europe’s top antitrust enforcer travels to Washington, D.C., to meet her U.S. counterparts this week, timing that throws the tension between them into sharp relief, with President Trump set to announce planned tariffs on Wednesday. – Wall Street Journal
NATO’s European members, grappling with President Trump’s demand that they more than double military spending, are pitching a new approach to hitting the target: change the rules for what counts as military spending. – Wall Street Journal
The White House is preparing an estimate of what it would cost the federal government to control Greenland as a territory, according to three people with knowledge of the matter, the most concrete effort yet to turn President Donald Trump’s desire to acquire the Danish island into actionable policy. – Washington Post
Denmark’s prime minister will visit semi-autonomous Greenland on Wednesday for talks with the territory’s incoming government, following U.S. President Donald Trump’s repeated expressions of interest in controlling the Arctic island. – Reuters
U.S. officials have told European allies they want them to keep buying American-made arms, amid recent moves by the European Union to limit U.S. manufacturers’ participation in weapons tenders, five sources familiar with the matter told Reuters. – Reuters
NATO member Finland plans to quit a global convention banning anti-personnel landmines and boost defence spending to at least 3% of GDP by 2029 in response to the evolving military threat from Russia, the government said on Tuesday. – Reuters
Germany’s interior minister claimed success for her outgoing government in efforts to curb irregular immigration, saying deportations were up and asylum claims down in an apparent centre-left pitch to be part of the next ruling coalition. – Reuters
Portugal’s government plans to change public procurement rules for defense orders as it aims to make the process faster, Defense Minister Nuno Melo said. – Bloomberg
US Vice President JD Vance is planning to visit Italy later this month, his third mission to Europe as Donald Trump’s deputy follows on a series of blistering attacks on the continent. – Bloomberg
Germany’s armed forces, the Bundeswehr, said its troops would be stationed along NATO’s eastern flank in Lithuania, and the unit will be fully operational by 2027. This marks the first time soldiers from the country will be on a permanent foreign deployment since World War II. – Newsweek
When Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visits Hungary, it is virtually certain he will not be detained despite an arrest warrant from the International Criminal Court (ICC) over alleged war crimes in Gaza. – Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
European Commissioner for Enlargement Marta Kos has emphasized the “need to protect Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty (RFE/RL),” warning that “if we don’t, we hand a gift to autocrats the world over.” – Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
On April 3-4, NATO foreign ministers will gather in Brussels for their regular spring meeting. Much like at the defense ministerial in February, all eyes will be on the American representative. – Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
Africa
Photographs reveal the extent of the destruction and looting of the capital’s landmarks during a devastating conflict that has killed more than 150,000 people and created one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. – Washington Post
The Congo government and Rwanda-backed M23 rebels aim to hold direct talks on April 9, sources from both camps said on Tuesday, a potential boost to Qatar’s efforts to end the Central African country’s worst fighting in decades. – Reuters
The foreign ministers of Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger will visit Moscow this week as the Sahel nations and Russia seek to strengthen ties, the three African countries’ foreign ministries said in a joint statement on Tuesday. – Reuters
A South African delegation returned home after meeting with US officials to mend ties between the two nations that have become increasingly strained since President Donald Trump took office in January. – Bloomberg
Yaël Ossowski writes: If there is one bright spot in Trump’s cacophony of trade threats, it is that the conversation on how to improve the global regulatory space for the average consumer has been recalibrated. The ability to change the conversation has always been Trump’s most clever weapon, and it is providing a great opportunity to refine our tech and trade relationships for the better. – National Interest
Clémence Pinaud writes: South Sudan has once again returned to the brink of war, the United Nations warned on March 24. The country had made international headlines earlier in March after members of an ethnic militia attacked a U.N. helicopter in Nasir, a town rocked by fighting between the South Sudanese national army and a local rebel militia called the White Army. The U.N. peacekeeping mission was trying to evacuate a government army general and his soldiers when members of the White Army—largely from the Nuer ethnic group—shot at them, killing 28 people, including a U.N. crew member. – Foreign Policy
The Americas
Chinese buyers are already stockpiling Brazilian soybeans as Beijing retaliates against President Trump’s tariffs with levies on U.S. agricultural producers. Brazilian suppliers of everything from cotton to chicken are banking on higher Chinese demand. – Wall Street Journal
The Trump administration deported a man to a prison in El Salvador in what it calls an administrative error and isn’t able to bring him back, immigration officials said in court filings. – Wall Street Journal
Lawyers for Venezuelan migrants accused of being members of a violent street gang asked the Supreme Court on Tuesday to continue a temporary block on President Trump’s use of a wartime powers law to send hundreds of people to a prison in El Salvador. – New York Times
Former Costa Rican President and Nobel Prize winner Oscar Arias said on Tuesday that the U.S. had revoked his visa to enter the country, weeks after he criticized U.S. President Donald Trump on social media saying he was behaving like “a Roman emperor.” – Reuters
Argentina’s foreign minister will meet U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Tuesday in a trip aimed at laying the initial groundwork for a trade deal between the two nations, even as President Donald Trump prepares to impose sweeping tariffs. – Reuters
Brazil Finance Minister Fernando Haddad said on Tuesday that his country would maintain its openness to negotiate with the United States ahead of a long-awaited announcement by President Donald Trump on reciprocal import tariffs. – Reuters
Latin America
Two Kenyan police officers in Haiti have been seriously injured in clashes with gangs over the past week, three officers told Reuters, adding to the mission’s growing list of casualties as it comes under increasingly frequent attack. – Reuters
Paraguay’s government summoned Brazilian ambassador Jose Antonio Marcondes to report on an “intelligence action” against Paraguay linked to the Itaipu power plant, according to a statement published on Tuesday. – Reuters
Argentina and the International Monetary Fund may be on the home stretch over a $20 billion new program, but the deal has so far failed to dispel traders’ anxiety and a haze of uncertainty around the outlook for the country’s peso currency. – Reuters
North America
Canada will not impose retaliatory tariffs on most U.S. food and other essentials or on components essential to avoiding job loss in key sectors of the economy, the Globe and Mail reported on Tuesday citing comments by two federal trade advisers. – Reuters
Canada should reconsider its planned purchase of U.S.-made F-35 advanced fighter jets, the former head of Ottawa’s air force has said, after the new Canadian government suggested it was weighing up its commitment to the American-led fighter program. – Newsweek
Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney spoke with Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum on Tuesday about Canada’s plan to “fight unjustified trade actions” by the United States, the prime minister’s office said. – Reuters
Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum said on Tuesday that there are more lists of names of alleged drug traffickers for extradition to the United States. – Reuters
The number of migrants caught illegally crossing the U.S.-Mexico border in March fell to the lowest level ever recorded, according to initial figures released by the U.S. government on Tuesday. – Reuters
A federal judge in Florida has blocked the imports of a high-priced fish from protected waters near Antarctica, siding with U.S. regulators who argued they were required to block imports amid a diplomatic feud triggered by Russia’s obstruction of longstanding conservation efforts at the bottom of the world. – Associated Press
United States
The Trump administration is pursuing agreements with several more countries to take migrants deported from the U.S., according to officials familiar with the matter. – Wall Street Journal
Secretary of State Marco Rubio has ordered diplomats overseas to scrutinize the social media content of some applicants for student and other types of visas, in an effort to bar those suspected of criticizing the United States and Israel from entering the country, U.S. officials say. – New York Times
Donald Trump urged his fellow Republicans in the U.S. Senate to vote against a measure rebuking his tariff policy that is tied to the fentanyl emergency the president declared involving Canada. – Reuters
The U.S. Supreme Court examined on Tuesday the legality of a 2019 statute passed by Congress to facilitate lawsuits against Palestinian authorities by Americans killed or injured in attacks abroad as plaintiffs pursue monetary damages for violence years ago in Israel and the West Bank. – Reuters
Matias Spektor writes: For the United States, it would signal a shift from reactive coercion to proactive leadership. And Latin American states would not only escape the strains of great-power competition but also benefit from great-power collaboration. Although this approach demands policy coherence and diplomatic discipline—qualities in short supply in Trump’s Washington—it offers a far more credible path toward renewing U.S. influence in a region that will not be easily coerced into alignment. – Foreign Affairs
Cybersecurity
The European Commission said on Tuesday it will propose expanding the role of EU law enforcement cooperation agency Europol and boosting law enforcement access to data as part of a strategy to improve the bloc’s internal security. – Reuters
Britain said on Tuesday it would place anyone working for the Russian state on the highest tier of its upcoming Foreign Influence Registration Scheme, requiring Moscow to register all efforts to exert political influence in the UK. – Reuters
As thousands were laid off from the Department of Health and Human Services on Tuesday morning, Congress held a hearing on medical device cybersecurity where experts raised concerns about the ramifications of the firings. – The Record
So-called hunt forward operations by U.S. Cyber Command have uncovered Chinese malware implanted in Latin American nations, according to President Donald Trump’s nominee to be the next chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff. – CyberScoop
Defense
The body of the last U.S. Army soldier who went missing last week in Lithuania has been found, ending a week-long search for the four soldiers after their vehicle sank in mud and water. – Wall Street Journal
Coming out of an entire career in the operational Army, Maj. Gen. Patrick Ellis, now the director of the Army’s command-and-control modernization, said it hasn’t been uncommon in the field to see critical data jotted down on a piece of cardboard in the back of a platoon sergeant’s tank. – Defense News
Retired Lt. Gen. Dan Caine, President Donald Trump’s pick to be the nation’s highest-ranking military officer, sought to reassure lawmakers Tuesday that he would avoid political interference and was qualified for the job, despite having a resume unlike anyone previously tapped for the position. – Defense News
If President Trump’s tariffs and threats shatter the U.S.-Canadian defense partnership, the Pentagon would lose some ability to track incoming enemy threats. – Defense One
The expanded military presence along the U.S. southern border and at sea will probably continue for a couple of years, Northern Command’s senior officer told the House Armed Services Committee on Tuesday. – USNI News
Andrew F. Krepinevich, Jr. writes: The Trump administration has come to office at a time when national security threats are arguably greater than at any time since the 1930s, and as the country’s fiscal posture is rapidly eroding. Meanwhile, the character of war, stimulated by relentlessly advancing technologies, is evolving more rapidly than ever. In this environment, sound assessments of emerging threats and new ideas to counter them will be especially vital. Hegseth might benefit from his predecessors’ experience and take the time to ensure he doesn’t break what isn’t broken. His 30-day review of ONA’s value offers an opportunity to avoid a mistake that would prove difficult, if not impossible, to fix. – Foreign Affairs
Long War
The annual parade by Assyrian Christians in the Iraqi city of Dohuk to mark their new year was marred Tuesday when an axe-wielding man attacked the procession and wounded three people, witnesses and local officials said. – Associated Press
A man injured five people, two seriously, in a stabbing attack in the heart of Amsterdam last week, and Dutch public prosecutors said Tuesday that they believe the suspect acted with “terrorist intent.” – Agence France-Presse
The Spanish Civil Guard has launched an operation against suspected Hezbollah members in Spain, according to Spanish newspaper El Confidencial on Tuesday, citing sources involved with the investigation. – Jerusalem Post
In a warning Tuesday ahead of the Passover holiday, the National Security Council (NSC) said Israelis and Jews traveling abroad could be targeted by Hamas, Iran and global jihadi groups including Islamic State. Many Israelis typically fly abroad during the weeklong holiday, which will begin on April 12. – Times of Israel