War

In November, efforts intensified to secure the release of hostages held by Hamas in Gaza, with US National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan and Qatari Prime Minister MBAR negotiating closely. A successful pilot deal saw two American hostages freed, which emboldened President Biden to push Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu for a longer ceasefire to secure more hostages. Although Netanyahu resisted, intense diplomatic back-and-forth interactions culminated in a phased release of 105 hostages by the end of the month. However, as Hamas held out on releasing young women, likely due to the strategic value of these hostages, the ceasefire eventually broke down, and hostilities resumed.

On Christmas Day, 2023, Brett McGurk received an urgent call about an Iranian-backed drone attack that had injured US troops in Iraq. This incident escalated as President Biden authorized targeted strikes on militia sites and, later, on specific individuals linked to the attacks. Despite these efforts, threats from the Houthis in Yemen intensified, prompting a series of US-led air and naval strikes. Through indirect talks in Oman, McGurk warned Iran to restrain its proxies, yet further aggression led to a major US retaliatory operation on February 2, targeting Iranian-linked sites in Iraq and Syria.