313: Iran Supreme Leader Orders Direct Strike on Israel + IDF Tough Response to Hezbollah + US SECDEF: US Will Help Defend Israel + AP Report: F-16s Arrive in Ukraine + More

For review:1. Iran Supreme Leader Orders Direct Strike on Israel. Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has ordered a direct strike on Israel for the killing of Hamas chief Ismail Haniyeh. Israel has not commented on the incident.2.  IDF Tough Response to Hezbollah. The IDF confirms that top Hezbollah commander Fuad Shukr was killed in an Israeli airstrike in the Lebanese capital of Beirut. Shukr has been managing Hezbollah’s attacks against Israel, including the deadly strike in the Druze Village of Majdal Shams over the weekend that killed 12 children.3.  US SECDEF: US Will Help Defend Israel.United States Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin said Washington would come to Israel's defense if needed, hours after Hamas’s political leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in Iran early Wednesday.4. Associated Press Report: F-16s Arrive in Ukraine.Ukraine has received the first F-16 fighters, a U.S. official confirmed to The Associated Press.  A Ukrainian lawmaker also confirmed Ukraine had received a small number of F-16 fighter jets. 5. US to provide Ukraine advanced munitions for F-16 Fighters. A senior US official recently told The Wall Street Journal that the warplanes will feature the AIM-120 Advanced Medium-Range Air-to-Air Missile (AMRAAM). Additionally, the Ukrainian F-16s will reportedly have AIM-9X Sidewinder missiles for air-to-air engagements. 6. Russia considers deploying offensive missiles that can strike Western Europe. Move is in response to US announcement of “episodic deployments” of conventional missiles to Germany in 2026. 7. USAF Secretary (Frank Kendall) announces formal “pause” in the effort to field a new stealth fighter. Secretary Kendall did not specify how long the pause will be to begin development on the Next Generation Air Dominance (NGAD) Program.  8. IDF procuring Iron Sting 120mm mortars in deal worth $220 million. Iron Sting 120mm rounds have laser and GPS guidance systems, that enable precision targeting, while minimizing collateral damage.