Troop Deployment Amid War
The U.S. is deploying between 2,000 and 3,000 paratroopers from the 82nd Airborne Division to the Middle East, according to a U.S. government official. This deployment comes nearly a month after the start of the war with Iran. The troops are expected to come from the division's Immediate Response Force, capable of mobilizing worldwide within 18 hours. The deployment, combined with two Marine Expeditionary Units already en route, could bring 6,000 to 8,000 U.S. ground troops into close proximity to Iran.
Ceasefire Proposal and Iranian Reaction
Despite President Trump's claim of "very good" talks with Iran, Iranian officials continue to deny any negotiations are underway. A 15-point ceasefire proposal, first reported by the New York Times and Israel's Channel 12, calls for Iran to commit to never pursuing nuclear weapons and dismantling existing nuclear capabilities. Lt. Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari, an Iranian military spokesperson, said in a video aired on state television, "The strategic power you used to talk about has turned into a strategic failure."
Attacks and Regional Impact
Iran targeted Israel and bases hosting U.S. forces in Kuwait, Jordan, and Bahrain with missiles, according to the Revolutionary Guards. An Iranian missile strike in Bahrain killed a civilian contractor working for the UAE Armed Forces, the UAE Ministry of Defense said. The conflict has disrupted air travel, with some carriers halting passenger flights to destinations such as Dubai, Riyadh, and Tel Aviv, according to Bloomberg.
Strait of Hormuz Blockade
The Iranian Foreign Ministry said it would facilitate the "safe passage" of "non-hostile" ships, excluding vessels belonging to the U.S., Israel, and their allies. Iran attacked about 20 ships during the past three weeks of the conflict and blocked the transit of vessels already in the waters. Oil prices have surged globally since Iran's blockade of the Strait of Hormuz.
DHS Funding Standoff
Efforts to fund the Department of Homeland Security (DHS) have stalled, with Democrats rejecting a proposal that GOP senators had persuaded President Trump to entertain. The Department of Homeland Security has been shut down for 39 days. Republicans sent Democrats a proposal Tuesday that would fund all of DHS except parts of ICE's enforcement operations. Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-N.Y.) said Democrats plan on sending a counterproposal with reforms to ICE.
Political Reactions and Divisions
Sen. Rick Scott (R-Fla.) called a proposal to reopen DHS by funding emergency removal operations through budget reconciliation a "pipe dream." House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries (D-N.Y.) said a deal to fund all of DHS but ICE would likely get "strong Democratic support" in his chamber, a position that complicates Senate Minority Leader Schumer's ability to hold the line on ICE reforms. Delta Air Lines is partly suspending its speciality service desk for members of Congress until funding for the Transportation Security Administration (TSA) is restored.
Future Negotiations
Sen. James Lankford (R-Okla.) said of future negotiations, "There is nowhere to go." President Trump said, "We're going to take a good, hard look at it.… But I think any deal they make, I'm pretty much not happy with it." U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio will travel to France on Friday for talks with the Group of Seven foreign ministers to discuss the Middle East.
