Ben Wolfgang
Articles by Ben Wolfgang
Good enough for Grant: Pressure mounts to scrap military beard bans
It's been wielded as a weapon of intimidation in conflicts throughout history. More recently, it's been subject to an outright ban by the top brass. But the beard -- only in its most neatly trimmed form, mind you -- is enjoying a groundswell of support at the grass-roots/stubble level in militaries around the world, including in the U.S., where a historic recruiting shortfall has left Pentagon leaders scrambling to find new ways to fill the ranks. Published December 29, 2023
Houthis use opportunity to roil world economy; brazen fighters target shipping, oil
Yemen's Houthis, backed by Iran, have gone from a little-known rebel outfit in one of the world's poorest countries to a household name that can directly impact global commerce, regional security and international energy markets -- with no easy way to stop them. Published December 27, 2023
Biden urged to step up attacks; U.S. looks to ‘degrade capabilities’ after militias injure 3 troops
The Biden administration faced renewed pressure Tuesday to hit back harder against Iran-backed militias in the Middle East after a Christmas Day drone attack in Iraq left three American troops injured, with one of them in critical condition. Published December 26, 2023
U.S. airstrikes hit Iran-backed militias in Iraq after drone attack injures 3 American troops
Three U.S. troops were injured in Iraq on Monday after a drone attack on an American air base by Iran-backed militias, Pentagon officials said, leading to a round of retaliatory airstrikes by U.S. forces. Published December 25, 2023
Christmas barrage: Ukraine says it foiled massive Russian drone assault
Ukraine intercepted more than two dozen attack drones and several missiles fired by Russian forces in a massive Christmas Day barrage, Ukrainian military officials said Monday. Published December 25, 2023
As war rages, it’s a somber Christmas in Bethlehem: ‘How can you be joyous?’
The city of Bethlehem is feeling a profound impact from the Israel-Hamas war, miles away from the front lines of fighting in the Gaza Strip. Published December 24, 2023
Chaos in the Red Sea: Houthis hit oil tanker, launch attack drones toward U.S. warship
A drone fired by Yemen's Houthi rebels hit a commercial oil tanker in the Red Sea over the weekend, Pentagon officials said Sunday, while the Iran-backed group launched another four attack drones toward a U.S. warship in the region. Published December 24, 2023
What a difference a year makes: Putin confident, Ukraine on the defensive as 2024 looms
One leader is self-assured, convinced that momentum is on his side as the new year looms. The other is on the defensive, faced with mounting questions over whether his nation is on an irreversible path to defeat. Published December 20, 2023
U.S. pressures Israel after hostage deaths; warships fend off Houthi drones in expanding conflict
Israel faced growing pressure Sunday to scale back its relentless military campaign against Hamas while American warships once again clashed with Iran-backed Houthi rebels in the Red Sea, as the U.S. and its allies raced to contain multiple interconnected conflicts raging across the Middle East. Published December 17, 2023
Israel under fire after hostage deaths; European officials call for ‘sustainable cease-fire’ in Gaza
Israel faced intense pressure Sunday to scale back its military campaign against Hamas, with powerful European officials calling for a "sustainable cease-fire" in the Gaza Strip and U.S. leaders expected to privately press Jerusalem to wind down the current phase of its operation. Published December 17, 2023
‘Absolutely absurd’: Putin rejects Biden’s warning that Russia could attack NATO
American warnings that Russia could launch an attack on NATO's eastern flank are "absolutely" absurd" and designed only to justify more U.S. financial support for Ukraine, Russian President Vladimir Putin said. Published December 17, 2023
U.S. warship shoots down Houthi attack drones as Pentagon chief Lloyd Austin arrives in Middle East
An American warship on Saturday shot down 14 attack drones launched by Houthi forces operating in Yemen, Pentagon officials said, marking yet another direct clash between U.S. troops and the Iran-backed rebel group. Published December 17, 2023
Israeli troops mistakenly kill 3 hostages during fighting in Gaza
Israeli troops mistakenly killed three hostages while fighting in the Gaza Strip, Israeli military officials said, with the prisoners being wrongly identified as potential threats after they apparently escaped from their Hamas captors. Published December 15, 2023
House passes defense with largest pay raise for military personnel in decades
The House approved the National Defense Authorization Act on Thursday with a strong bipartisan majority backing the $886 billion bill and sending it to President Biden's desk. Published December 14, 2023
U.S. debate on Ukraine contentious at best; lack of clear vision on victory over Russia breeds doubt
President Biden has framed it as an existential fight, one that requires sustained U.S. funding for Ukraine in order to keep Russian President Vladimir Putin from overrunning Eastern Europe with a 21st century blitzkrieg. Published December 10, 2023
Capitol Hill gridlock rattles Ukraine: GOP demands plan for victory; Dems say it’s aid or defeat
Ukraine's prospects for victory over Russia hinge on the outcome of a bitter partisan battle playing out this week on Capitol Hill, top Ukrainian and U.S. officials said Tuesday, as both Kyiv and the Biden administration mounted a full-court press to convince skeptical Republicans to back another round of aid for Ukraine before it's too late. Published December 5, 2023
Houthis goad U.S. Navy in Middle East, step up campaign against Israel, shipping
A series of escalating clashes between U.S. troops and Houthi rebel forces adds even more fuel to a powder keg in the Middle East, with analysts warning that the Iran-backed militant movement in Yemen is the most dangerous of adversaries -- an unpredictable force with little to lose and no particular stake in stability in one of the world's most dangerous regions. Published December 4, 2023
Fierce social media fight to shape Gaza narrative in Israel-Hamas enter digital battleground
Even during the just-ended seven-day pause in fighting on the ground, there was no let-up in the digital war between Israel and Hamas. Published December 1, 2023
Truce collapses: Israeli fighter jets hit targets in Gaza, fate of remaining hostages in doubt
The fragile truce between Israel and Hamas collapsed Friday morning and a new round of hostilities erupted in and around the Gaza Strip, raising major questions about the fate of the remaining hostages held by Hamas and stoking fears about further civilian suffering in the densely packed Palestinian enclave. Published December 1, 2023
U.S. Navy warship shoots down drone launched by Houthis from Yemen, official says
A U.S. warship on Wednesday shot down an Iranian-made drone launched by Houthi rebels in Yemen, Pentagon officials said, the latest in a string of confrontations between American forces and Iran-backed groups in the Middle East. Published November 29, 2023
