The President's Daily Brief - PDB Afternoon Bulletin | April 5th, 2024: Israel Bows To Biden Threats & CIA Warns Of Imminent Iranian Retaliation

Episode Date: April 5, 2024

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:     Under enormous international pressure, punctuated by wavering U.S. support, Israel is taking steps to significantly increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, as their government announces the initial findings of their investigation into the deadly strike on aid workers on Monday. The CIA has warned that an Iranian retaliation from the suspected Israeli airstrike on their consulate in Syria could be coming within the next 48 hours, as Israel temporarily closes 28 embassies around the world. To listen to the show ad-free, become a premium member of The President’s Daily Brief by visiting PDBPremium.com. Please remember to subscribe if you enjoyed this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin.  Email: [e-mail] Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices

Fox News is now streaming live on Fox One. When news breaks, we don't just report it. We go beyond the headlines to get the full story. Get live coverage, in-depth analysis, and perspectives from the voices you trust, all in one place. Whether you're at home or on the go, stay connected to the stories shaping our world. Stream Fox News on Fox One. Download today. It's Friday, 5 April. Welcome to the PDB afternoon bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage.

Let's get briefed. First, facing intense pressure from the Biden administration, Israel has agreed to open a new border crossing in northern Gaza to accelerate the delivery of humanitarian aid. They've also announced the firing of two military officers after determining that they made grave errors in the deadly strike on aid workers as international fallout from the tragic incident continues to intensify. Also, the CIA has warned that an Iranian retaliation from the suspected Israeli airstrike on their consulate in Syria could be coming within the next 48 hours, as Israel temporarily closes 28 embassies around the world. But first, our afternoon spotlight. Under enormous international pressure, punctuated by wavering U.S. support, Israel is taking steps to significantly increase the flow of humanitarian aid to Gaza, as their government announces the initial findings of their investigation into the deadly strike on aid workers on Monday. As we discussed earlier on the PDB, President Biden and Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu

had a tense 30-minute phone call on Thursday to discuss the fallout. of the deadly strike, where Biden threatened to pull U.S. support for Israel's offensive in Gaza unless the government took concrete steps to protect civilians and aid workers and increase humanitarian deliveries into the enclave. It marked the first time that Biden has attempted to directly leverage the U.S.-Israel relationship to dictate Israel's wartime policies. Late Thursday evening, in the wake of the phone call, the Israeli government announced that they would open the Erez border crossing in northern Gaza, which was breached on October 7th by Hamas during their brutal attacks that started this conflict, and has remained closed ever since.

Israel also pledged to greatly increase the flow of aid resources into the devastated region, saying they will also use the port of Ahtod to direct aid into Gaza and increased deliveries coming from Jordan, according to a Reuters report. A statement from Netanyahu's office said the increased aid is, quote, necessary to ensure the continuation of the fighting and to achieve the goals of the war." It's unclear how quickly the northern crossing at Arez will be opened, but the White House is pushing for an accelerated timetable. A spokesperson for White House National Security Council said these steps were a welcome change, but added that the Biden administration would not be satisfied until they see the measures rapidly implemented. The officials said, quote,

As the president said today on the call, U.S. policy with respect to Gaza will be determined by our assessment of Israel's immediate action on these and other steps, including steps to protect innocent civilians and the safety of aid workers, end quote. Israel also announced the preliminary findings of their inquiry into the deadly strike on vehicles belonging to the humanitarian organization World Central Kitchen, which killed seven of the organization's members on Monday. On Friday, the Israeli military said they had dismissed two officers and formally reprimanded their senior commanders over the tragic incident, finding that serious errors and breaches of procedure were made. In a statement, the Israeli military said, quote, the strike on the aid vehicle is a grave mistake stemming from a serious failure due to a mistake in identification, errors in decision-making, and then attack contrary to the standard operating procedure, end quote.

The government's inquiry determined that IDF forces operating a drone in the area had mistaken the humanitarian convoy for Hamas fighters. They had followed the convoy towards a logistics point late on Monday, where it offloaded supplies at a hangar. As a convoy left the hangar, they saw a man carrying a bag that they mistook to be a rifle. That coupled with the fact that in the dark, drone operators could not see identifying logos that the trucks belonged to the World's Central Kitchen, apparently caused the IDF soldiers to believe the convoy had been seized by Hamas.

Israel said the IDF forces attempted to contact World Central Kitchen coordinators prior to striking the convoy but were unsuccessful. Once they acted, the three vehicles were hit in quick succession. Officials with the World Central Kitchen responded to the findings on Friday with skepticism. They called on an independent commission to investigate the deadly strike, saying, quote, the IDF cannot credibly investigate its own failure in Gaza. end quote. The group CEO, Aaron Gore, added, quote, their apologies for the outrageous killing of our colleagues represent cold comfort. Israel needs to take concrete steps to assure the safety of humanitarian

aid workers, end quote. I've spent a fair amount of time in hostile and challenging environments, and I've seen how things can get sideways very quickly. Now, both sides in this sad event, the IDF and WCK, need to be fully transparent in the aftermath. regarding the exact movements, timing, and activities that were reportedly coordinated. In an active war zone, there can be no deviation from these coordinated movements, given the dangers inherent in operating in this type of environment. If WCC movements were coordinated with the IDF, there should have been no question as to where, when, and how the aid group's vehicles and personnel would be operating.

If they were operating outside of those coordinated plans, that needs to be highlighted for the safety and security of other humanitarian groups and aid workers currently on the ground. In addition, aid groups need to be working in concert with and with guidance from experienced security personnel. These organizations have a responsibility to their staff and volunteers when in a hostile environment or war zone to provide security assistance and oversight. It's not enough to have a big heart and generous, kind spirit and be looking to do good. Now, I have no idea, no idea what security support the WCK is currently providing or has been providing to their personnel in Gaza. But all aid groups should have experienced personnel who coordinate route planning, vehicle and personnel movements,

constant threat assessment support, and real-time liaison with, in this case, the IDF, as well as security personnel working with other aid groups. The protocol should be the security officer calls the shots. the aid workers don't move unless it's approved. Coming up after the break, we'll discuss a warning from the CIA that Iran could be preparing a retaliation over a strike on their consulate in Syria within the next 48 hours, as Israel temporarily closes 28 embassies around the world. I'll be right back.

This episode is brought to you by Planet Oat Oak Milk. Some people like their coffee hot, some like it ice cold, but everyone can agree planet oat is made for every cup, delivering the perfect pour, rich, smooth, and delicious every time. Try several varieties like Planet Oak Barista Lovers oat milk. It's great for frothing and steaming and will upgrade your at-home coffee. Whether you're team hot or team iced, discover your favorite oat milk at planetoat.com. Hey, sweetie, your mother showed me this Carvana thing for selling the car.

I'm going to give it a try. Wish me luck. Me again, I put in the license plate. It gave me an offer. Unbelievable. Okay. I accepted the offer. They're picking it up Tuesday from the driveway. I haven't even left my chair. It's done.

The car is gone. I'm holding a check. Anyway, Carvana. Give it a whirl. Love you. So good, you'll want to leave a voicemail about it. Sell your car today on... Carvana.

Pick up these may apply. Welcome back to the afternoon bulletin. The CIA has informed Israel that a retaliatory strike on their country by Iran is likely within the next 48 hours over a suspected Israeli drone strike on Monday that destroyed part of their consulate in Syria. The offensive air strike killed several high-ranking Iranian officials, including General Muhammad Reza Zahidi, the commander of the IRC's Quds Force for Lebanon and Syria. The fallout from Monday's strike has been swift, with Iranian leaders promising revenge against Israel, while also saying they hold the U.S. directly responsible.

Expecting an imminent action from Iran, the CIA reportedly warned Israel on Thursday that the Islamic regime would likely respond within the next 48 hours. According to reports cited by Vox Media, Iran is planning a combined attack with drones and missiles on Israeli territory. However, these speculations have not been independently verified. Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenev, said Wednesday on X, quote, with God's help, we will make the Zionists repent for their crime of aggression against the Iranian consulate in Damascus. Israel has been battening down the hatches in anticipation of Iran's retaliation, moving on Thursday to indefinitely halt leave for all combat units. They also drafted reservists to boost their aerial defenses and began scrambling GPS

services across their major cities, guarding against the risk of guided missile attacks. As of Friday, Israel has withdrawn a number of its ambassadors and temporarily closed some 28 embassies around the world, fearing Iranian reprisals may target Israeli diplomatic facilities and officials. Some ambassadors have also reportedly asked not to appear at public events, fearing for their lives. While Iran has promised a robust retaliation, most analysts do not expect the Islamic regime to directly respond. Any retaliation will instead likely be carried out through their network of proxies, such as Hezbollah in Lebanon or the Houthis in Yemen. U.S. military leaders have also warned troops in the Middle East that they may be targeted once again by Iran and its proxies,

given their rhetoric holding the U.S. responsible for Israel's airstrikes in Syria. As we've previously discussed, Monday strike was a significant development for the region, given that diplomatic targets are usually avoided even during conflicts. Analysts have warned that the strike brings a world much closer to the possibility of a direct confrontation between Israel and Iran and a wider regional war. On that cheery note, we've wrapped up the BDB afternoon bulletin, for Friday, 5 April. If you have any questions or comments,

please reach out to me at PDB at thefirsttv.com. And be sure to check out our new premium membership at PDBPremium.com. If you like your news and analysis, ad-free with a chaser of exclusive content, give the premium membership a go. I'm Mike Baker. I'll be back on Monday.

Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. Some follow the noise. Bloomberg follows the money, whether it's the funds fueling AI or crypto's trillion dollar swings. There's a money side to every story. Get the money side of the story. Subscribe now at Bloomberg.com.