I. Legislative Branch
1) Legislation
Bipartisan Senate Resolution Condemns Iranian Crackdown. On February 11, Sens. James Lankford (R-OK) and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH) introduced S.Res.606, condemning the Iranian regime for the crackdown on protesters.
House Bill Seeks to Ensure Food Assistance for Gaza. On February 12, Rep. Maxine Waters (D-CA) introduced H.R.7565, which would ensure sufficient food aid for Gaza.
House Bill Would Prohibit Israel from Using US Funds to Commit West Bank Abuses. On February 12, Rep. Betty McCollum (D-MN) reintroduced H.R.7545, which would prohibit Israel from using US taxpayer funds in the occupied West Bank, including “for the military detention, abuse, or ill treatment of Palestinian children in Israeli military detention,” as well as for the seizure or destruction of Palestinian property or any support for unilateral annexation of Palestinian land, in violation of international humanitarian law.
Bipartisan, Bicameral Bill Seeks to Strengthen US-Israel Defense Cooperation. On February 12, Rep. Ronny Jackson (R-TX) introduced H.R.7540, which would strengthen bilateral defense cooperation between the United States and Israel by expanding joint defense technology research, development, testing, evaluation, and industrial collaboration. Sens. Ted Budd (R-NC) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY) introduced companion legislation (S.3855) in the Senate.
2) Personnel and Correspondence
Democratic Senators Urge End to Deportation Flights to Iran. On February 11, Sens. Tim Kaine (D-VA) and Peter Welch (D-VT) led 10 other Democratic senators in a letter to Secretary of State Marco Rubio, urging the Trump administration to immediately end deportation flights to Iran.
3) Hearings and Briefings
HFAC Holds Syria Hearing. On February 10, the House Foreign Affairs Committee (HFAC) held a hearing on US policy toward post-Assad Syria. Chairman Rep. Brian Mast (R-FL) said that the United States is not satisfied with Syria’s progress and outlined conditions that Syria needs to meet, including “advancing military integration, protecting religious and ethnic minorities, as well as their integration into the Syrian government and working with the United States to combat terrorists.”
Meeks Presses for Information on Qatar Account Holding Venezuela’s Oil Revenue.On February 12, HFAC Ranking Member Gregory Meeks (D-NY) sent a letter to Secretary Rubio demanding information about the Trump administration’s decision to route Venezuelan oil revenues into an offshore account in Qatar. The following day, Secretary of Energy Chris Wright stated that the administration had opened an account at the US Treasury and that “the money won’t go to Qatar anymore.”
II. Executive Branch
1) White House
Trump, Lawmakers Oppose West Bank Annexation. On February 9, an unnamed US official told reporters that President Donald Trump opposes Israel’s annexation of the occupied West Bank. The comment came a day after Israel’s far-right Minister of Finance Bezalel Smotrich and Minister of Defense Israel Katz announced new steps extending Israeli control over the occupied Palestinian territory, including measures that make it easier for Israelis to acquire land for new settlements.
Democratic lawmakers condemned the moves. On February 10 and 11, Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), alongside Jack Reed (D-RI), Mark Warner (D-VA), Patty Murray (D-WA), Dick Durbin (D-IL), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Chris Coons (D-DE), and Brian Schatz (D-HI), and, separately, Rep. Gregory Meeks (D-NY), issued statements criticizing the Israeli decision. The lawmakers emphasized that supporting annexation of the West Bank is not in the US national security interest and warned that the move “deliberately and potentially irreversibly” undermines the prospects for a two-state solution.
Trump Pushes Iran Talks as United States Deploys Second Aircraft Carrier. On February 11, President Trump met with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for their seventh meeting since Trump returned to office, describing it as “a very good meeting.” Trump said that “there was nothing definitive reached” and that he insisted that US negotiations with Iran on a nuclear deal will continue. He added that he and Netanyahu had “discussed the tremendous progress being made in Gaza, and the region in general.”
According to a February 14 Axios report, Trump and Netanyahu agreed during the meeting to intensify the “maximum pressure policy” to force Iran to give up its nuclear program, including by clamping down on Tehran’s oil exports to China, Iran’s main oil export destination.
On February 12, Trump shared on Truth Social a Wall Street Journal article titled “Pentagon Prepares Second Aircraft Carrier to Deploy to the Middle East,” signaling that the United States may bolster its military presence in the region. The next day, Trump said that regime change in Iran “would be the best thing that could happen” and confirmed that he has deployed the second carrier group.
On February 14, speaking to Bloomberg at the Munich Security Conference, Secretary Rubio was asked whether the United States is running out of patience with Tehran as it builds up forces in the region. Rubio said that Iran will never be allowed to obtain a nuclear weapon and that “we obviously want to have forces in the region because Iran has shown the willingness and the capability to lash and strike out at the United States presence in the region.” He added that Trump’s preference is to reach a deal with Iran and that Trump would agree to meet with Iran’s Supreme Leader. Iran and the United States are expected to hold a second round of nuclear talks in Geneva on February 17.
Trump Says Israeli President “Should Be Ashamed” for Not Pardoning Netanyahu. On February 12, following his meeting with Netanyahu, President Trump told reporters that Netanyahu has been an “extraordinary” wartime leader and that Israeli President Isaac Herzog should be “ashamed of himself” for not granting him a pardon.
Trump Says Board of Peace Will Unveil $5 Billion in Gaza Pledges. On February 15, President Trump said on Truth Social that members of his Board of Peace have pledged more than $5 billion toward humanitarian and reconstruction efforts in Gaza, and thousands of personnel to the International Stabilization Force (ISF). Trump did not specify which member nations made the commitments, but Indonesia’s military announced that same day that up to 8,000 troops are expected to be ready by the end of June for a humanitarian and peace deployment to Gaza. The pledges will be formally announced when board members gather in Washington on February 19 for their first meeting.
2) Department of State
Barrack Co-Chairs Global Coalition Meeting on Syria and Iraq. On February 9, Saudi Arabia hosted a meeting of senior officials from the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS in Riyadh, co-chaired by US Ambassador to Turkey and Special Envoy for Syria Thomas Barrack. Participants welcomed the recent agreement between the Syrian government and the Syrian Democratic Forces. Coalition members also discussed priorities related to the transfer and safeguarding of so-called Islamic State detainees, repatriation of foreign nationals, and coordination with Damascus and Baghdad on the future of counterterrorism efforts in Syria and Iraq.
Netanyahu Meets with Rubio, Joins Board of Peace. On February 11, Prime Minister Netanyahu met with Secretary Rubio and officially joined the Board of Peace. It was reported that Netanyahu will not attend the February 19 meeting and that Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar will attend in his stead.
Rubio, Lawmakers Meet Syrian Officials.On February 14 at the Munich Security Conference, Secretary Rubio met with Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Syrian Democratic Forces Commander Mazloum Abdi. Rubio welcomed Syria’s commitment to cooperate with the United States and the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS and underscored the importance of implementing a permanent ceasefire, advancing the integration agreement in northeast Syria, and safeguarding the rights of all Syrians.
At the conference, the Syrian officials also met with Sens. Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Thom Tillis (R-NC), Chris Coons (D-DE), Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Mark Kelly (D-AZ), along with Reps. Jim Himes (D-CT) and Sara Jacobs (D-CA) to discuss Syria’s political transition and regional stability.
Rubio Says UN Has No Role in Solving Gaza Conflict. On February 14, speaking at the Munich Security Conference, Secretary Rubio said that the United Nations has played “virtually no role” in resolving conflicts, including in Gaza, and that US leadership “freed captives from barbarians and brought about a fragile truce.” He also called for the reform of global institutions.
3) Department of War
CENTCOM Conducts Strikes in Syria. From February 3 to 12, US forces conducted 10 strikes against more than 30 so-called Islamic State targets in Syria, including infrastructure and weapons storage sites.
AFRICOM Conducts Strikes in Somalia. On February 9 and 10, US forces conducted airstrikes against al-Shabab in Somalia. On February 13, US forces conducted an airstrike against the so-called Islamic State in Somalia.
CENTCOM Announces Withdrawal from Syria’s al-Tanf. On February 11, US forces completed their departure from the al-Tanf base in Syria as part of a “deliberate and conditions-based transition.” Syrian forces subsequently took control of the site near the Jordanian and Iraqi borders.
CENTCOM Completes Mission in Syria to Transfer IS Detainees to Iraq.On February 12, US forces completed a 23-day mission to transfer more than 5,700 so-called Islamic State detainees from detention facilities in Syria to Iraq.
4) Department of the Treasury
Treasury Sanctions Hezbollah Operatives. On February 10, the Department of the Treasury’s Office of Foreign Assets Control announced new sanctions targeting Hezbollah operatives accused of exploiting Lebanon’s informal financial sector to generate revenue for the group. The action includes sanctions on gold exchange company Jood SARL, which operates under the supervision of Hezbollah-controlled Al-Qard Al-Hassan. The Treasury also targeted an international procurement and commodities shipping network run by Hezbollah financiers operating across the region, including from Iran.
5) Department of Homeland Security
DHS Ends TPS for Yemenis.On February 13, the Department of Homeland Security announced the termination of Temporary Protected Status for Yemeni nationals, warning that they will be subject to arrest and deportation if they do not depart the United States within 60 days.
III. Judicial Branch
Immigration Court Blocks Deportation of Tufts Graduate Student. On February 10, attorneys for Rumeysa Ozturk, a Turkish graduate student at Tufts University, said in court filings that an immigration court blocked her deportation after finding that the Department of Homeland Security had failed to demonstrate that she should be removed from the United States. The court ruled on January 29 and terminated Ozturk’s removal proceedings. In March 2025, the Trump administration arrested Ozturk, revoked her student visa, and sought her deportation, citing an op-ed that she co-authored criticizing her university’s response to the genocide in Gaza.
