White House NSA Sullivan To Brief Press Amid Concerns Of Mid-East Escalation

White House National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan is shortly due to brief reporters from the White House. Livestream

• Sullivan is expected to preview this week's APEC Leaders' Summit which is underway in San Francisco. He may also give an update on President Biden's Wednesday meeting with Chinese President Xi Jinping.
• Sullivan told CNN yesterday that restoring military-to-military channels will be a “top agenda item” for Biden: "The Chinese have basically severed those communication links. President Biden would like to re-establish that. This is a top agenda item."
• Sullivan told CBS, in a later interview: "The president is determined to see the re-establishment of military-to-military ties because he believes it's in the U.S. national security interest. We need those lines of communication so that there aren't mistakes or miscalculations or miscommunication."
• Sullivan is also likely to take questions on Gaza war amid concerns over the conflict escalating into Lebanon.
• Barack Ravid at Axios, one of the most well connected Israeli journalists working in Washington, reported today: "There are officials in the Biden administration who are concerned that the attacks carried out by the IDF in Lebanon are intended to provoke Hezbollah and create an excuse for a wider Israeli military operation in Lebanon, which could drag the United States deeper into the crisis. Israeli officials vigorously deny this."