The President's Daily Brief - PDB Afternoon Bulletin | May 31st, 2024: Biden Unchains Ukraine & Houthis Vow Escalation In The Red Sea

Episode Date: May 31, 2024

In this episode of The PDB Afternoon Bulletin:    As the debate over the use of western weapons in the Ukraine war rages on, senior U.S. officials revealed Friday that the Biden administration officially gave Ukraine approval to use U.S.-provided weapons on targets inside Russia, albeit with certain restrictions. The U.S. is taking the fight back to the Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, launching the first targeted strikes on their territory in more than three months as attacks on shipping vessels once again escalate in the Red Sea. 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

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You talking to me? Kayak, got that right. It's Friday, 31 May. to the PDB afternoon bulletin. I'm Mike Baker, your eyes and ears on the world stage. Let's get briefed. First, as the debate over the use of Western weapons in the Ukraine war rages on, senior U.S. officials revealed Friday that the Biden administration officially gave Ukraine approval to use U.S. provided weapons on targets inside Russia, although with certain restrictions. Also, the U.S. has turned its sights back on the Iranian-backed Houthi militants,

carrying out a series of air strikes Thursday on more than a dozen Houthi-controlled targets inside Yemen. But first, our afternoon spotlight. Despite ongoing threats from Russia, the Biden administration confirmed Friday that they quietly approved the use of American-made weapons by Ukraine inside Russian territory. The surprising policy shift came after officials in Kiev intensely lobbied the U.S. government and other Western allies for weeks to ease the restrictions placed on Western-made military weapons and equipment amid Russia's incursion into their northeastern territory. U.S. Secretary of State Anthony Blinken confirmed the approval at an informal meeting of NATO

foreign ministers in Prague on Friday, but stressed that the approval was limited to attacking targets inside Russia that are actively involved in the ongoing attacks on the Ukrainian city of Kharkiv, and that's according to a report from Reuters. Blinken said, quote, over the past few weeks, Ukraine came to us and asked for the authorization to use weapons that were providing to defend against this aggression, including against Russian forces that are massing on the Russian side of the border and then attacking into Ukraine. Blinken did not indicate whether President Biden's formal approval, however limited in scope,

could be expanded to include other Russian targets or areas deeper inside their territory. He added that the decision came as the result of Russia's recent incursions into Ukraine's northeast, saying it had forced the U.S. to adapt to the changing battleground realities. Now, Ukrainian President Zelensky thanked the U.S. in remarks on Friday, saying he got the message, from American officials early in the morning. He called it a, quote, step forward in helping to defend Ukrainian cities and villages from Russian forces. As we discussed earlier on the PDB, NATO members have been weighing whether to let Ukraine use

Western-made weapons to attack targets inside Russia, with France, Germany and Poland, all lifting their restrictions over the past week as Moscow escalated attacks on Ukrainian cities along that northeastern border. Regarding U.S. made weapons, it's a notable shift, given the Biden administration has long balked at the idea of American munitions being used for offensive strikes inside Russia. For months, Biden has urged restraint, particularly around Ukraine's targeting of Russian energy infrastructure, fearing that it could trigger a wider escalation between Russia and NATO. From the Ukrainian perspective, however, it's, well, frankly, it's a matter of life or death.

Leaders in Kiev have said they can't possibly be expected to limit how they choose to use Western-made weapons, given how high the current stakes of the conflict are. Russia has mercilessly targeted Kiev's energy infrastructure and is currently bombarding Ukrainian cities in the northeast. Officials in Kiev said Russian forces launched five ballistic missiles at the besieged city of Kharkiv overnight, killing at least four people. Moscow is also currently amassing tens of thousands of troops along their border for a suspected summer offensive in Ukraine's northeast. For their part, Russian officials have aggressively warned the U.S. and Europe

against loosening their restrictions on Western-made weapons, threatening that such actions could lead to a full-scale war. Coming up after the break, with attacks once again escalating in the Red Sea, the U.S. has turned its sights back on the Iranian-backed Houthis, striking more than a dozen targets controlled by the militants inside Yemen for the first time in months. I'll be right back. USAA knows dynamic duos can save the day, like superheroes and sidekicks or auto and home insurance. With USAA, you can bundle your auto and home and save up to 10%.

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Before starting Ebbglis, tell your doctor if you have a parasitic infection. Ask your doctor about Ebbglis. And visit ebbglis.com or call 1800 lilyrx or 1-8505-5-97. Welcome back to the afternoon bulletin. The U.S. is once again taking the fight to the Iranian-backed Houthi militants in Yemen, launching the first targeted strikes on their territory in more than three months as attacks on shipping vessels once again escalate in the Red Sea. In coordination with the British military, a U.S.-led coalition unleashed a wave of airstrikes on 13 hooty-controlled targets inside Yemen on Thursday, killing at least. 16 people and wounding another 35, according to local Houthi-controlled media outlets. If those figures are confirmed, the operation would mark the deadliest strikes by Western

forces against the Houthi militants since the war in Gaza broke out, and that's according to a report from the Washington Post. Officials with U.S. Central Command said the strikes took out eight unmanned aerial attack drones and several missile launchers, while also neutralizing a number of militant fighters. The attacks were reportedly concentrated on the coastal city of Hauda, the Houthi's main base of operations. A statement from officials with the UK military said the strikes in Haudita targeted buildings that were, quote, identified as housing drone ground control facilities and providing storage for very long-range drones, as well as surface-to-air weapons. Officials with both the U.S. and U.K. said they took great care to ensure the strike

would limit any risk to civilians in the area. Now, that didn't stop the Iranian-backed Houthis from lashing out and accusing the West of committing a war crime. They vowed to escalate their attacks in the Red Sea in response to the airstrikes. Now, a Houthi military spokesman, apparently unaware that the Houthis have been targeting civilian vessels in the Red Sea for many months now, said on Friday, quote, this represents a clear targeting of civilian structures, a blatant violation of all international laws and a full-fledged war crime, end quote. Now, a Houthi military spokesman, lecturing anyone on what represents a violation of international law, well, that's about as stupid as it gets.

The Houthis claimed that they orchestrated a large attack against the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower aircraft carrier in the Red Sea on Friday in response. However, officials with the Pentagon said, well, there were no reports of an attack on the vessel. It's worth noting that the Houthis have a history of claiming successful attacks on U.S. aircraft carriers that never actually took place. While the Houthi attacks in the Red Sea have never stopped since the war in Gaza began, the group has escalated their attacks in recent weeks after a relative lull in activity. Earlier this week, a Greek-owned container ship was attacked by a barrage of Houthi ballistic missiles, which caused extensive damage but failed to sink the vessel, according to a CNN report.

The group also claimed on Wednesday to have shot down another US MQ9 Reaper drone, which would mark the third downing of the expensive military hardware this month. The drone reportedly costs roughly $32 million, and of course, that's depending on whether you get the luxury exterior paint package and upgraded entertainment system. The last round of comprehensive air strikes in Yemen by the U.S. and U.S. and U.K. occurred back on February 24th when the U.S. and UK struck Houthi-controlled weapons facilities and radar sites used to target vessels in the Red Sea. The strikes appear to have done little to deter the Houthi aggression as they continue their relentless attacks on international shipping vessels in the Red Sea in that channel that accounts for roughly 12% of global shipping. The U.S. also launched

Operation Prosperity Guardian back in December. along with a coalition of allies, to patrol the waters of the Red Sea and provide a degree of security to international shipping vessels. That strategy has faced criticism for being rather toothless, allowing the Houthis and their puppet masters in Iran to continue wrecking havoc in the region. Iran serves as the group's primary financial backer and smuggles military equipment regularly into Yemen. As we reported earlier on the show, Iranian state media. media announced on Wednesday that they had delivered another batch of sea-launched anti-ship ballistic missiles to the Houthis.

We expect the situation will only continue to intensify. In the wake of Israeli operations in Rafa, the Houthis have vowed to step up attacks in the shipping lane and expand their activities beyond the Red Sea. And that, my friends, is the PDB afternoon bulletin for Friday, 31 May. If you have any questions or comments, please, reach out to me at PDB. at thefirstTV.com. And if you want to listen to the show ad-free, be sure to check out our premium membership at PDB premium.com. I'm Mike Baker, and I'll be back this evening at 10 p.m. Eastern on the first TV with our extended weekend version of the PDB, and that's the PDB Situation

Report. We've got a couple of great guests this evening, and we'll be looking at what's happening on the ground in Ukraine, and closer to home on the U.S. southern border. Now, aside from catching it on the first TV, it's also available on all podcast platforms, as well as our YouTube channel at President's Daily Brief. Until then, stay informed, stay safe, stay cool. Ryan Reynolds here from Mint Mobile, with a message for everyone paying big wireless way too much. Please for the love of everything good in this world, stop. With Mint, you can get premium wireless for just $15 a month. Of course, if you enjoy overpaying, no judgments, but that's weird. Okay, one judgment.

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