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White House NSC Kirby To Brief Press Shortly

SECURITY

14:00 ET 19:00 BST: White House National Security Council Spokesperson John Kirby is shortly due to brief reporters from the White House. LIVESTREAM

  • The White House presser will be the first of 2024 and comes during a period of heightened tensions in the Middle East. Kirby will likely brief on the status of US force posture in the region. Of particular note to markets will be the taskforce to ensure freedom of navigation in the Red Sea in the face of Houthi attacks on commercial shipping.
  • Kirby is also likely to update on US deterrent posture in the Mediterranean in light of yesterday's drone strike which killed a high-ranking Hamas official in Lebanon and has threatened to draw Hezbollah and Iran closer to conflict with Israel.
  • Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah gave a speech this afternoon which briefly addressed the drone strike but declined to substantially update on the Hezbollah response, choosing to defer a statement until Friday.
  • Nasrallah: "I will address the brothers and sisters on Friday, God willing, during a commemoration. I will discuss certain current topics on Friday instead of tonight, if God keeps me alive."

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