 All right, Matt, nice to see you back. Welcome back, and Lita, welcome back. All right, so good afternoon, everyone. Just a few things at the top, and then be happy to take your questions. Earlier today, Secretary Austin participated in the Fifth North American Defense Ministerial virtually, hosted by Mexico's Secretary of the Navy, Admiral Jose Rafael Ojeda, Duran in Mexico City, and attended by Mexico's Secretary of National Defense, General Luis Cresencio Sandoval, and Canada's Minister of National Defense, Bill Blair, to discuss opportunities to strengthen North American defense cooperation. The NADEM chairs, co-chairs, discussed deepening regional defense cooperation, developing a continental threat assessment, fortifying cyber defense, and supporting trilateral humanitarian assistance and disaster response, and strengthening climate security and resilience. Secretary Austin and his Mexican and Canadian counterparts reaffirmed the importance of the North American defense relationship, and Secretary Austin agreed to host the sixth NADEM in 2025. We will have a readout later today on defense.gov. Switching gears, US Northern Command will conduct Arctic Edge 2024 from February 23rd to March 11th in various locations throughout Alaska. This joint and combined multi-domain exercise will focus on operating in extreme cold and high-altitude environments, and will include Northcom headquarters, Special Operations Command North, and Marine Forces North, along with participation from international allies and interagency representatives. State and local partners, including the Alaska National Guard, Alaska State and Local Law Enforcement, Alaska Native Tribes, corporations, and communities will also participate. Arctic Edge is an annual defense exercise designed to demonstrate that our forces are engaged, postured, and ready to assure, deter, and defend the US and Canada in an increasingly complex Arctic security environment. In other news, large-scale Global Exercise 2024, a series of all-domain US military exercises executed alongside allies and partners around the globe, begins this month and will run through June. LSGE-24 is a global exercise coordinated this year by US European Command in collaboration with participating COD combatant commands. It will incorporate military personnel from the US Army, Navy, Marine Corps, Air Force, and Space Force, and demonstrate joint and multinational military cooperation. LSGE-24 is comprised of multiple exercises designed to strengthen agility and interoperability with allies and partners. Collectively, these activities will highlight America's robust presence and capabilities alongside allies, partners, and fellow US combatant commands. Of the multiple events associated with LSGE-24, 11 are set to take place in the UCOM area of responsibility. The remaining events will be executed by participating US combatant commands. This series of exercises is distinct but complementary to NATO's steadfast Defender 2024. LSGE-24 is global and focuses on agility and interoperability for US-led activities. No nation can confront today's challenges alone, and this exercise is how we affirm our commitment to global security. In other news, earlier today, Acting Undersecretary of Defense for Policy, Ms. Sasha Baker departed for travel to the United Kingdom. She is scheduled to co-chair the third US-UK Strategic Policy Dialogue alongside UK Ministry of Defense Director, General Security Policy, Mr. Paul Wyatt on Friday. The two leaders are slated to discuss a wide range of defense and security issues that focus on aligning US and UK geographic and thematic priorities in the Euro-Atlantic, Middle East, and Indo-Pacific regions. A readout from Ms. Baker's travel will be made available on defense.gov later. And finally, I want to take a moment to emphasize the critical national security importance of Congress passing our budget and the impacts for the compacts of free association. These are important agreements with our long-standing partners in the Pacific Islands region, the Federated States of Micronesia, Palau, and the Republic of the Marshall Islands. As part of the compacts, the US military enjoys exclusive access to a critical part of the region that's actually larger than the continental United States. Our State Department colleagues have successfully negotiated a 20-year extension, and now we just need Congress to fund and enact it. And with that, I'd be happy to take your questions. Go to Lita. Thanks, Sabrina. Can you bring us up to date on the 30-day review? When will that be made public? And do you expect that we will get to see the entire review or how much of it do you think will be sort of classified? And then, secondarily, just with all the Houthi activity in the region, is the US looking at efforts to expand the maritime coalition? Is there enough assets in the region, or do you need to add more countries? Thanks, Lita, for your question. So I'll take the last one first. So in terms of, I think what you're referring to is Operation Prosperity Guardian. We've always welcomed more nations to join that coalition. We have seen growth since December when it was first announced, when the Secretary was in the region. So of course, we welcome more nations to join. Just recently, you saw the EU announce a coalition as well that will work alongside Operation Prosperity Guardian. So we certainly are seeing an expansion of assets in the region, even if they're not under OPA, they're still, OPG, I'm sorry, they're still working alongside us. And it's like-minded nations with the same goal in mind. In terms of your first question on the 30-day review, don't have an exact timeline of when we're going to release either, what will be released? If it's the full review, if it's redacted, if it's an executive summary, don't have that yet. We're working towards getting you something, hopefully that soon, but I just don't have the date yet. Jen. Sabrina, it's the Pentagon considering what weapons it could send to Ukraine that would make up for the past five months of congressional funding being stalled, and is the administration finally willing to send attack arms if the long range artillery, if Congress passes that funding? So in terms of weapons that we're considering sending, we know that Ukraine's top priorities are still air defense, artillery, ammunition. So whatever package comes together, whatever next PDA, you're going to see something that looks like what meets their priorities, and that's something that was discussed at the UDCG. I don't have anything to preview for you. I think you've heard others at the NSC also talk about how we're not taking anything off the table, but we certainly want to make sure that we're getting Ukraine what it needs. We can only do that when we have the supplemental passed in Congress. But of course, whatever we give Ukraine, it will be to meet their urgent battlefield needs. Ukraine has said repeatedly that they need attack arms. Are you ruling that out? We haven't taken anything off the table. And what message do you have for Ukrainian soldiers on the front lines that are facing Russian bombardment right now? Can you assure them that the US is still a trustworthy ally? Well, I think you've heard the president speak to this and the secretary that we will be with Ukraine for as long as it takes. And just recently, the vice president was in Munich speaking directly to European allies partners the entire world about the United States' commitment. And in that speech, I think she laid out a very good case of how America cannot turn inward. We cannot resort to isolationism. We're best when we are working with our partners, with our allies. We can't stand by as an aggressor invades its sovereign neighbor. And so you have a commitment from the United States that we are gonna be with you for as long as it takes. Unfortunately, that is hampered by Congress. We do need Congress to give us the funding in order to supply Ukraine with what it needs. We don't, we not only need the supplemental, we need a budget passed. And so we're working with Congress and hopefully we'll be able to get something done. Lastly, on the Houtis, how many US ships have been hit by the Houtis? US ships been hit or engaged in activity with? Actually been hit, either merchant or US. I'm not aware of, I actually, I shouldn't speak to something that I don't have the numbers for, so let me take that question. I can't give you the exact number on US ships. But in terms of engagement, I can also take that question for you. Tom and Alara and then come on. The administration has been pushing Israel for many months now to allow more aid into Gaza. It's just not happening. I know Jordan has airlifted some aid in. I think the king was aboard the aircraft. And now there was an op-ed in the post by a number of senators saying, the US should look at airlifts on its own, as well as sea lift to get more aid into Gaza. Now I know the Pentagon, I think, early on sent three plane loads of aid in for Gaza. Are you looking at anything along those lines, sea lift or airlifting aid in? That's something that, I mean, we would of course coordinate any aid efforts with other agencies, but that's something that the helm would be taken by state and USAID. And depending on what the requirements are, of course, DOD would be on standby, willing to assist. But you have folks on the ground, like Ambassador Satterfield, you have other folks from the NSC in the region as well, urging for humanitarian aid to get in. Should the department... We're doing that very much. Everyone said the same thing. It's not happening. So I'm asking, are you at least looking at providing either more plane loads of aid or going with airdrops or a sea lift? Again, that's something that state and USAID would be the lead on. And if asked DOD to help coordinate, to help get aid in, of course, we'd be willing to assist. But right now I'd direct you to state and aid for more of those questions. Laura. Thank you, Sabrina. A couple of questions. First of all, on the Houthis, does DOD assess that the Houthi attacks have ramped up over the past couple of days? It seems like we're seeing a lot more activity. And then can you also tell us how many ships both commercial and military have been damaged or taken offline by the Houthi attacks? I can, that's kind of similar to what Jen was asking. So I'll take that question in terms of US ships and then commercial ships. So we can get back to you on that. I think, yes, we've certainly seen in the past 48, 72 hours an increase in attacks from the Houthis, more consistency. But again, I think it'd be helpful to point out, one of the ships that they did hit was the Ruby Mar, which had to have its crew evacuated, which is currently still in the water, but taking on water as we speak, it's creating an environmental hazard with the leakage of all the fuel that it's carrying. On top of that, it was carrying it, to my understanding, as fertilizer. So the Houthis are creating an environmental hazard right in their own backyard. On top of that, as I mentioned at the podium the other day, they hit a ship that was carrying grain towards Yemen for their own citizens for a starving population. So again, they're saying that they're conducting these attacks against ships that are connected to Israel. These are ships that are literally bringing good services aid to their own people, and they're creating their own international problem. And just secondly, I wanted to ask you about Rafa, has the IDF provided any plans to DOD for its plan to protect the millions ahead of any kind of ground invasion? I'm not aware of any plan fully presented to the United States to review. Again, we're not asking to check their homework. What we're asking them to do is put forward a credible plan that they will be able to, as we have said in many conversations, protect the over one million innocent Palestinians that are there. And of course, any credible plan would have to take into account food, medicine, services, how are you going to provide those as you move a population? I know that's something that they're working through. The Secretary, of course, remains engaged with Minister Galant, not just at his level, but levels here at this building and throughout the interagency. But I'm just not going to get ahead of any plans that Israel's working on right now. He has not seen that plan yet. No, we haven't seen the plan, but we're not also asking to grade homework here. We want to make sure that whatever plan that they do brief us on does include protecting innocent civilians in that region. Yes, Phil. Excuse me. One question on Ukraine. Sure. And one on Red Sea. On Ukraine, would you describe the situation facing Ukrainian forces as an eroding stalemate right now? And if not, how would you describe it? And then on the Red Sea, can you give us a sense of how much so far has been spent by the United States on Operation Prosperity Guardian and the U.S. Naval mission? Do you have a daily estimate, a weekly estimate? Is that something you could take? I don't have a daily or weekly estimate. As you know, Operation Prosperity Guardian is ongoing. So when I think we have a better sense of when we can feel like we can provide more of a figure, I'd be happy to do that. In terms of your question on assessing Ukraine right now in the battlefield, I mean, I'd leave it up to the Ukrainians to assess their positions and how their general assessment of the war, but they do continue to make strides within the East and the South. We do continue to see them make progress, continue to push the Russian forces back. The issue is what they're running into right now is the fact that they don't have enough ammunition and artillery, and that's partly because we're not able to supply it. We're not able to be able to give it to them because, frankly, of congressional inaction. So we have seen the strategic withdrawal from Avdifka. We don't want to see them have to make those tough decisions again. So you heard me say it, but I'll say it again. We're continuing to urge Congress to pass the supplemental so we can flow PDA packages as urgently as possible, but I'd let Ukraine characterize their own efforts on the battlefield. Matt, yeah, welcome back. Yeah, thank you. Just wondering, have there been any new attempted attacks on US forces in the Middle East, in Iraq, or Syria? And is it the Department's assessment that there's essentially a credible deterrence that's taken hold at this point? Not to my knowledge. There hasn't been an attack since February 4th. So we certainly welcome that there hasn't been any attacks. I think we send a very strong message with our strikes, and we will continue to do so if we need to, and we'll do so at a time and place of our choosing. But haven't seen any activity since February 4th. Thank you. Yeah, of course. Yes, Konstantin. Thanks, Brita. Yesterday, the Navy revealed that they're prosecuting one of their chief petty officers under the USMJ for espionage charges. In August, the DOJ, or last August, the DOJ indicted two sailors for espionage charges as well. Does the Pentagon feel like there's a problem here that there's sort of this growing drumbeat of service numbers being charged for espionage? Look, these are ongoing investigations, so I'm just going to have to refer you to the Navy for that. Great. I will come to the phones and then come back in the room. Dan Lamoth, Washington Post. Hi, Sabrina. Thank you. I wanted to take back on Adivka a number of reports over the last couple of days, suggesting anywhere from a couple dozen to several hundred or even 1,000 Ukrainian soldiers have been left behind, missing, captured, various characterizations. What's the Pentagon's assessment at this point? What are you hearing from your Ukrainian counterparts? Thanks. Yeah, thanks, Dan, for the question. Unfortunately, we don't have an assessment just yet. I'd have to refer you to the Ukrainians to speak to Adivka and their own operations there. Heather, USNI. Thanks so much. It seems that with the uptick in Houthi attacks that they seem to be, I guess, a little bit more accurate, giving what happened with Rabimar. And it doesn't seem that the US deterrence efforts are working. Is there any plans to step up efforts or change in tactic to in order to try to stop these Houthi attacks on ships in the Red Sea? Well, thanks, Heather. We always reserve the right to respond at a time and place of our choosing. I'm certainly not going to get ahead of any action that we may or may not take. I think what you're seeing, though, in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden is a coalition of like-minded countries coming together, including most recently with the EU announcing their own coalition that's working alongside Operation Prosperity Guardian in working to defend innocent mariners that are transiting the Red Sea, the Gulf of Aden, and to allow for the freedom of navigation and upholding the rule of law. And so we're very proud of our efforts there. Our men and women in uniform are putting their lives on the line every single day, alongside our coalition partners and allies. And I'll just leave it at that. I'll take one more from the phone and then come back in the room. Jeff Schogel, task and purpose. Thank you. Has the Pentagon seen any indications that the cell phone outage that's affecting AT&T customers may have been caused by a foreign adversary like China, Russia, North Korea, Iran? Thanks, Jeff. I'm not aware of us doing an assessment on this. I know the cell phone companies are looking into this. We've seen the reporting, but not aware of it being because of a foreign actor and AT&T in any way at this point. Thanks, Rio. Thanks, Sabrina. This week, a US B-52 bomber flew over the South China Sea with Philippine fighter aircraft. So what message is the Pentagon sending to China by having a strategic bomber participate in joint air patrol with Philippines this time? So, Rio, I think what you're referring to is just the regular rotation of a B-52 in the region. These B-52 bombers are part of the bomber task force to support strategic deterrence missions aimed at reinforcing the rules-based order in the Indo-Pacific region. The 23rd Expeditionary Bomb Squadron will integrate alongside allies and partners to demonstrate US commitment to security and stability throughout the region. But for more information, I direct you to stratcom or to Pacific Air Forces. Separately. Sure. Have you seen any cases of China's unsafe flight against US and allies aircraft since the beginning of the year? I'm not aware of any recent examples or since the beginning of the year. As you know, I think it was late last year, Dr. Ratner briefed on a few unprofessional, unsafe, risky behaviors that we had witnessed, but I'm not aware of any recent examples of one. Yeah, Natasha. Thanks, Sabrina. So the US has conducted a number of strikes against the Houthis. They are near daily occurrence now, but it seems like they're not working. And I'm just wondering what the Pentagon's assessment is of how the Houthis seem to be adapting to this kind of new reality, these daily strikes by the US and some by the UK. Are they going underground more? Are they stockpiling and shoring up their weapons supplies? What is the assessment of how they are essentially preparing to dig in for the long haul? Well, some of that assessment also includes our own intelligence assessments, which I wouldn't be able to speak to from here. What I will say, and I know you've heard this, but we never said we've wiped off the map all of their capabilities. We know that the Houthis maintain a large arsenal. They are very capable, they have sophisticated weapons, and that's because they continue to get them from Iran. In terms of an adaptation from tactics, I don't think we've seen anything new. It's more when we see missiles on rails, when we see them about to launch an attack, we are able to take these proactive dynamic strikes. We've been able to do it more regularly because they frankly have been conducting more attacks more regularly. And we always reserve that right. I think the most sort of more unique or different tactic that we saw was with the unmanned underwater vehicle that they employed for the first time a few days ago. But other than that, I mean they've pretty much stuck to the same playbook. Yeah, did you have a question? Sure. Do you have any of it or anything on the ongoing discussions with the Iraqi forces regarding the high military commission? I know that there were meetings last week, but I don't have an update for you on any meetings that have taken place since then. Well, US forces are in Iraq to assist Iraq's security forces in the defeat of ISIS, where the Iraqi top officials say, including Iraq Prime Minister just said yesterday that we don't more need US forces and the last forces. Do you have any comment on it? Look, we're in Iraq at the pleasure of the Iraqi government. We value the partnership that we have with the ISF. We continue to work alongside them and it's part of the D ISIS mission. The HMC is there as to discuss what our relationship, what our footprint looks like in Iraq. Those are ongoing conversations and we're certainly gonna be part of those, but I just don't have more for you. I'm gonna go back to the phones and then happy to come back in the room. Ashley, breaking defense. Hi, Sabrina, I wanted to ask, there's been a slew of DOD IG reports that have come out lately pointing out some flaws in either the flow of weapons into Ukraine or sustainments and training to keep them up and running. Is there a larger look from DOD at the actual logistics or sustaining the weapons within Ukraine? So, I mean, thanks Ashley for the question. You know, we welcome these IG reports. They certainly shed light on more of what we can be doing and what we could be doing better. I think it's important to put the context or put the IG report that you're referring to into a bit of context. I think what you're referring to is the one that just came out a day or two ago. We have sent unprecedented security assistance to Ukraine at such a rapid rate. And Ukraine is right now modernizing its military in the middle of a war. On top of that, we don't have boots on the ground in Ukraine. We don't have people out in the field being able to do sustainment and maintenance alongside the Ukrainians. So we do offer tele-support, but again, we're not on the ground. And this is something that the secretary has been very focused on since the very beginning. He is very familiar with the Bradleys, the Strikers, the Abrams. He understands intimately what it takes to maintain these systems. And so part of every PDA package is ensuring that the Ukrainians have the support and the maintenance that they're gonna need. And also part of that is training. And so we're certainly aware that we could be doing more, but we've been saying from the beginning that we need to make sure that the Ukrainians have every tool available to them to maintain these systems, and we're doing that. Last question from the phones. I'm sorry, lost my sheet here. Carla Bab, VOA. Hey, thanks, Sabrina. I have a question on Pakistan, actually. And then if I can, I'd like to follow up on the Houthis. But the Pakistan's ambassador to the US was talking this week about calling for fast track approval to restore the defensive equipment deal between the US and Pakistan. So is the Pentagon considering restoration of defense assets between these two countries? And considering that they're getting their weapons from China now, how concerned is the US on Pakistan's reliance on China for defense equipment? Thanks, Carla. I would direct you to State Department. I believe they're engaged in those conversations, so I just don't have more to add at this time. And you said you had a question on the Houthis? Yeah, if I can. The concerning thing is that the ships keep getting hit. And as I understood it, the goal of the US mission out there is to protect the ships that are sailing in this vital waterway. Is the US and its allies, are they failing at their mission right now? And if they're not failing because ships being hit, if that's not a failure, then how would the Pentagon characterize it? Thanks, Carla. Respectfully, take a bit of issue with the question. When you say the ships keep getting hit, there are hundreds, thousands of ships that go through the Red Sea, the BAM, throughout this time period since these Houthis launched their attacks November 19th. I think it's important to remember that our service members out there, alongside our coalition partners and our allies, every single day are engaging in attacks from the Houthis and shooting down UAVs, missiles, an unmanned underwater vehicle, and protecting ships. Do some of the missiles get through every now and then? Yes, we've seen that happen. But for the majority of the time, our engagements have been successful, our allies' engagements have been successful, and we know the importance of this waterway. We know that 10 to 15% of the world's commerce flows right through here. So again, I would push back respectfully on the idea that ships keep getting hit and that this operation isn't successful. If we did nothing, then these ships would be getting hit every single day. So I think we have to remember that commerce does continue to flow through the Red Sea, through the Gulf of Aden, and we wanna continue to see that. But yes, absolutely, the Houthis are every single day putting at risk innocent mariners transiting, putting at risk the freedom of navigation, and therefore Operation Prosperity Guardian is there to protect against that, alongside other allies and partners who have formed their own coalitions. And I'm sorry, I forgot the second part of your question. If you wouldn't mind repeating that. I mean, that was pretty much it, but I mean, if ships keep getting hit, are more resources not needed to stop these ships from getting hit? I mean, this is the United States in a massive international coalition going up against a small militant group, and they're managing to hit about a ship a day, it seems, over the last few days. I haven't spoke to them, but I would imagine they would consider that successful. So what more can the US do, or should the US do on this issue? Well, thanks Carla. Again, we are certainly welcome to more allies and partners joining our coalition, like-minded nations that wanna uphold the rule of law. Right now, Central Command is working every single day to ensure the freedom of navigation with the resources that they have, and working alongside partner nations. And so, I'm just gonna leave it at that. Constantine, and then, yeah. Thank you, madam. My simple question is- Go ahead, no gap, go ahead. My simple question is as far as attacks in the Middle East on these ship lines and also on innocent peoples and all that, there are many bad actors in the area. Who is financing these bad actors or terrorists who are attacking these ships and innocent with the financing and also weapons? Is it Iran, Russia, China, or all three or more? In terms of the Houthis, I think what you're referring to is the Houthis and the activity in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden. We know that Iran funds groups like the Houthis, like these other militant groups that we see in Iraq and Syria. So Iran certainly has its fingerprints behind the support, whether it be financial, training, equipping, Iran certainly is supporting these groups. Constantine and then Mike. So earlier this week there was some reporting that the air force has identified a mechanical failure as part of the Osprey investigation. Does the, you know, as of right now, does the DODs still have confidence in the Osprey as a platform? Look, it is a very capable, unique agile platform. In terms of confidence, that's why the services are doing the stand-down and evaluating that. I know that there's an ongoing investigation, so I won't get ahead of that, but it's really up to the services to decide whether they deem that these Ospreys are, you know, that they should continue to fly. But these are very unique platforms that offer the commander a range of options. And so, you know, I'll let the investigation continue. Mike. Have there been any countries other than the U.S. and the U.K. that have struck, that have attacked any of the Houthi targets? There's at all just the U.S. and the U.K. of all the allies operating for Prosperity Guardian or the other... There have been other engagements for other countries, but we'll let them speak for themselves. All right, Louis. Sabrina, just thought, I knew you spoke earlier about the incident with this Navy charges against the sailor for Espionage. Can you tell us anything specifically about this case as far as you are aware of it? I can't, unfortunately. I just don't have more information. I would refer you to the Navy for further details. And this is now would be the third incident involving a Navy sailor in the last year with similar types of charges. Is there a concern here that you may need to reinforce some of the existing policies, reinforce the training for service members across DOD, of reaffirming what they should be careful of and disclosing information? Again, it's an ongoing investigation. I'd refer you to the Navy, but if the Navy feels like they need to do better reinforcement of whether it's ethics or regulations, I'll let the Navy speak to that. But again, it's an ongoing investigation, so I don't wanna get ahead of that. Great, all right, thank you, everyone.