Press Release
☷Deputy Pentagon Press Secretary Sabrina Singh Holds a Press Briefing
U.S. Department of Defense ( By Press Release office)
Feb 23,2024
| 9| 1
Hey Matt , great to see you back . And Lita , welcome back as well . So , good afternoon everyone . Just wanted to share a few updates before we open it up for questions . Earlier today , Secretary Austin had a virtual meeting with defense ministers from Mexico and Canada to discuss ways to strengthen defense cooperation in North America . They talked about regional defense collaboration , cyber defense , and disaster response . Also , U . S . Northern Command will be holding a military exercise in Alaska focusing on operating in extreme environments . And there ' s a global exercise happening this month through June , involving various U . S . military branches and allied forces . This exercise aims to enhance cooperation and showcase America ' s military capabilities . More details will be available on defense . gov later today . The upcoming events will be carried out by different U . S . combatant commands . These exercises , known as LSGE ' 24 , are separate but complement NATO ' s Steadfast Defender 2024 , focusing on agility and interoperability for U . S . - led activities . We believe that no single nation can face today ' s challenges alone , and these exercises demonstrate our dedication to global security . In other news , Acting Undersecretary of Defense for Policy Ms . Sasha Baker has left for the UK to co - chair a strategic policy dialogue with UK Ministry of Defense Director General Security Policy Mr . Paul Wyatt . They will discuss defense and security issues in various regions . A summary of Ms . Baker ' s trip will be available on Defense . gov later . Additionally , it is crucial for Congress to pass our budget and support the Compacts of Free Association with Pacific Island nations . These agreements provide the U . S . military with exclusive access to a significant part of the region . We have negotiated a 20 - year extension , and now need Congress to approve it . Any questions?Regarding your first question about the 30 day review , we don ' t have a set timeline for when we will release the full review , a redacted version , or an executive summary . We are working towards getting something to you soon , but I don ' t have a specific date yet . In terms of the weapons being considered for Ukraine , we are prioritizing their needs for air defense and artillery ammunition . We are keeping all options open and will provide Ukraine with what they need once the supplemental funding is passed by Congress . As for the message to Ukrainian soldiers , the U . S . remains a reliable ally and is committed to standing with Ukraine against aggression . The funding from Congress is crucial for providing support to Ukraine . On the topic of the Houthis , we do not have information on how many U . S . ships have been hit by them . SINGH: I don ' t have the exact numbers on U . S . ships and the aid situation in Gaza , but I can look into that for you . The State and USAID would lead any aid efforts , and DOD would assist if needed . As for the Houthi attacks , we have seen an increase in activity recently . One ship , the Rubymar , was hit and is currently leaking fuel . We will provide more information on the situation with U . S . and commercial ships affected by the attacks . So the Houthis are causing a major environmental problem right in their own backyard . And on top of that , like I mentioned the other day , they attacked a ship carrying grain for their own starving population in Yemen . They claim they ' re targeting ships connected to Israel , but these ships are actually bringing goods and aid to their own people . It ' s causing a big international problem . Q: Also , I wanted to ask about Rafah . Has the IDF given any plans to DOD about how they ' ll protect civilians before a ground invasion? MS . SINGH: No , we haven ' t seen it , but we ' re not trying to grade their homework . We just want them to prioritize protecting innocent civilians in the region . Yes , Phil . MS . SINGH: I don ' t have a daily or weekly estimate . Operation Prosperity Guardian is still ongoing , so we ' ll provide a figure when we have a better idea . As for assessing the situation in Ukraine , I ' ll leave it to the Ukrainians to evaluate their positions and the overall progress in the war . But they are making strides in the east and south , and pushing back Russian forces . Q: So you haven ' t seen the plan? Q: Can you give us an idea of how much the United States has spent on Operation Prosperity Guardian and the naval mission in the Red Sea? MS . SINGH: I don ' t know of any plans that have been fully presented to the United States . We ' re not trying to grade their homework . We just want them to come up with a credible plan to protect the innocent Palestinians there , including providing food , medicine , and services . I know they ' re working on it , and the Secretary is in contact with Minister Gallant . But I can ' t speak to their plans right now . So , the thing is , they ' re having trouble because they don ' t have enough ammo and artillery , and that ' s partly because we can ' t supply it due to congressional inaction . We ' ve seen them strategically withdraw from Avdiivka , and we don ' t want them to have to make those tough decisions again . We ' re pushing Congress to pass the supplemental so we can get them the necessary support as quickly as possible . As for any new attempted attacks on U . S . forces in the Middle East , there haven ' t been any since February 4 . We hope our message of deterrence has been effective . Regarding the recent espionage charges against service members , those are ongoing investigations and you should reach out to the Navy for more information . As for the situation in Avdiivka , we don ' t have a clear assessment at the moment and suggest contacting the Ukrainians for updates . Lastly , regarding the uptick in Houthi attacks , we are monitoring the situation and will adjust our tactics if necessary to prevent further attacks on ships in the Red Sea . We always have the right to respond in our own time and place . I ' m not going to get ahead of any actions we may or may not take . What you ' re seeing in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden is a group of countries coming together to defend innocent mariners and ensure freedom of navigation . We ' re proud of our efforts there , with our military and coalition partners . As for the cell phone outage , we haven ' t assessed if it ' s caused by a foreign actor . Regarding the B - 52 bomber , it ' s part of regular rotations to support security in the Indopacific region . We haven ' t seen any recent cases of China ' s unsafe actions against US and allied aircraft . The strikes against the Houthis are ongoing , but it seems they may be adapting to the situation . Are they going underground more , stockpiling and shoring up their weapons supplies , and essentially preparing to dig in for the long haul? Well , some of that assessment includes our own intelligence assessments , which I can ' t really speak to from here . We know the Houthis have a large arsenal , are very capable , and have sophisticated weapons , largely due to support from Iran . In terms of tactics , we haven ' t seen anything new , just more frequent attacks that we have been able to respond to . We reserve the right to take proactive strikes . The most unique tactic we saw was the use of an unmanned underwater vehicle . As for ongoing discussions with the Iraqi process regarding the high military commission , I don ' t have any updates . We value our partnership with ISF in Iraq and are there at the pleasure of the Iraqi government . The ongoing conversations about our footprint in Iraq are ongoing , but I don ' t have more information at this time . Concerning the DOD IG reports pointing out flaws in weapons flow to Ukraine , we welcome these reports as they shed light on areas for improvement . I think it ' s important to give some context to the IG report you ' re talking about . I believe you ' re referring to the recent report that came out a day or two ago . We ' ve been providing Ukraine with unprecedented security assistance at a very fast pace . Ukraine is currently modernizing its military in the midst of a war . However , we don ' t have troops on the ground in Ukraine to provide direct support and maintenance alongside them . We offer tele - support , but we ' re not physically present . The Secretary has been highly focused on this issue from the beginning . He has a deep understanding of the systems and what it takes to maintain them . So , part of every assistance package includes ensuring that the Ukrainians have the necessary support , maintenance , and training . We are aware that we could do more , but we ' ve always emphasized the need to provide Ukraine with all the tools they need to maintain these systems . Moving on to your question about Pakistan , I would suggest reaching out to the State Department as they are engaged in those discussions . Regarding the Houthis , I have some concerns about your question . When you talk about ships getting hit , there are so many ships that go through the Red Sea , like hundreds , thousands of them . Since the attacks from the Houthis started on November 19th , our service members , along with our coalition partners and allies , are out there every day engaging in attacks from the Houthis , shooting down UAVs , missiles , and protecting ships . Sure , some missiles do get through every now and then , but most of the time , our engagements have been successful , as well as our allies ' . We understand the importance of this waterway , where 10 to 15 percent of the world ' s commerce flows . So , I respectfully disagree with the idea that ships keep getting hit and that the operation is unsuccessful . If we didn ' t do anything , ships would be getting hit every single day . We want commerce to continue flowing through the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden . However , it is true that the Houthis put innocent mariners and freedom of navigation at risk every day . That ' s why Operation Prosperity Guardian is there , along with other allies and partners , to protect against that . We would welcome more allies and partners joining our coalition to uphold the rule of law . Right now , Central Command is doing everything they can with the resources they have to ensure freedom of navigation and working together with partner nations . Who ' s funding these bad actors or terrorists attacking these ships and ( inaudible ) with financing and weapons? Is it Iran , Russia , China , all three , or more? In terms of the Houthis and their activity in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden , it ' s known that Iran supports groups like the Houthis , as well as other militant groups in Iraq and Syria . Iran is definitely backing these groups financially , providing training and equipment . As for the Osprey investigation and the reported mechanical failure , the DOD is currently evaluating the platform ' s capabilities and confidence . The Osprey is a unique and agile platform that offers various options for commanders . The investigation is ongoing , and it ' s up to the services to determine if the Ospreys should continue flying . Regarding Houthi targets , countries other than the U . S . and the U . K . have engaged with them , but those countries will need to speak for themselves . As for the Navy sailor charged with espionage , I don ' t have more information on the case . It ' s the third incident involving a Navy sailor in the past year with similar charges , and if the Navy feels the need to reinforce policies or training for service members , they will address it . It ' s an ongoing investigation , so I ' ll defer to the Navy for further details . Thank you , everyone .
PLAY the NEWS
* May be useful for visually impaired persons .
Press release information:
Direct link to press release:
Click here .
