The Evening: Aid to Ukraine, Israel and Hezbollah Exchange Fire, TTB, and More

U.S. to Send Ukraine $300 Million Arms Package

The Biden administration said Tuesday that it will send another $300 million in security assistance to Ukraine as President Biden’s request for billions of dollars more remains stalled in Congress, as The Washington Post reports.

Israel and Hezbollah Exchange Fire

Hostilities flared between Israel and the Lebanese Hezbollah militia, threatening to broaden Israel’s war to its northern border, as the WSJ reports.

First Sea Shipment of Aid Departs for Gaza

The first sea shipment of food for Gaza left the Mediterranean island of Cyprus on Tuesday morning. The ship was pulling a barge loaded with nearly 200 metric tons of rice, flour and other food from World Central Kitchen, as the NYT reports.

Executive Education

Looking to unpack the defense priorities of FY25 without needing to decrypt complicated jargon and dig through lengthy reports? Join CSIS experts on April 16 for Inside DOD’s FY 2025 Budget to explore the most important strategic priorities, acquisition program changes and major budget movements for your organization. Register here by April 2.

Audio Briefs

CSIS experts give short, spoken-word summaries on the biggest takeaways from their latest reports, white papers, and commentaries—in their own words.

Listen here: "Forward Defense: Strengthening U.S. Force Posture in Europe" with CSIS's Seth Jones.

In That Number

100

The Lebanese militant group Hezbollah fired more than 100 rockets into northern Israel on Tuesday morning, according to Israel’s military.
Source: NYT

Critical Quote

iDeas Lab

The CSIS Africa Program hosted a conversation with H.E. Salah Jama, Somalia's Deputy Prime Minister, to address current events in Somalia and the Horn of Africa. Watch the ReCap video here.

The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and multimedia.

Optics

"Dragon's teeth," anti-tank obstacles, are seen on the new defense line on March 12, 2024, in Kharkiv region, Ukraine.

Recommended Reading

“Government Use of Deepfakes” by CSIS's Daniel Byman with Daniel W. Linna Jr. and V. S. Subrahmanian.

This Town Tomorrow

At 8:30 a.m., the CSIS Bipartisan Alliance for Global Health Security invites Sen. Chris Van Hollen (D-MD) to discuss U.S. options to address the health and humanitarian crises in Gaza. 

Then, 10:00 a.m., the CSIS Smart Women, Smart Power Initiative welcomes the Ambassador of the European Union to the U.S., Jovita Neliupšienė, to discuss the war in Ukraine.

Later, at 2:00 p.m., the CSIS Japan Chair hosts a discussion to explore dimensions of Japan’s strategic approach to the Global South.

Video

Yesterday, the CSIS Australia Chair hosted the chiefs of staff for the U.S. Army, British Army, and Australian Army to discuss land power's contribution to AUKUS Pillar 2. Watch the full video here.

Podcasts

Demetri Sevastopulo, U.S.-China Correspondent at the Financial Times, joins the podcast to discuss his perspective covering China as a journalist and of what it takes to break news on China in a competitive market. 

Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts.

Smiles

Thanks to so many of you for writing to me about the Tedeschi Trucks Band. They are a fun act to discuss, steeped in rock and roll tradition as they are. One of my favorite things about the band is the respect they pay to past artists while reinterpreting material in their own way. The live record TTB released a few years ago, “Layla Revisited (Live at LOCKN),” is a good example of this. 

While performing the Derek and the Dominos classic album “Layla and Other Assorted Love Songs” on stage with Phish’s Trey Anastasio, TTB showcased what a band in its prime looks like catching fire. The musicianship of TTB is extraordinary, whether it’s guitars, horns, drums, keys, or vocals. And, as one of you so adroitly put it in an email to me, it is clear that TTB “see themselves as stewards of a tradition.”