Morning Brief: Two Firefighters Detained by Border Patrol During Washington Wildfire Response, Israel Ends Midday Humanitarian Pauses in Gaza City

· Guy D. McCardle

Border Patrol arrests two firefighters battling the Bear Gulch fire on the Olympic Peninsula, halting firefighting efforts for three hours during ID checks. (Seattle Times/Screenshot via X)

Good morning. Here’s your brief for Friday, August 29, 2025. At a glance: Border Patrol detains firefighters at a Washington wildfire, Trump threatens Guard deployments to blue cities, and the Space Force graduates its first class of Guardian officers. The UN sets 2026 as the end for Lebanon’s peacekeeping mission, Israel halts aid pauses in Gaza, and Poland hikes defense spending near NATO’s new target. The US clears an $825M arms sale to Ukraine, EU ministers push tougher measures after a deadly Russian strike on Kyiv, Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of cross-border airstrikes, and Myanmar brands the Karen National Union a terrorist group ahead of elections.

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Two Firefighters Detained by Border Patrol During Washington Wildfire Response

Two firefighters battling the Bear Gulch Fire on Washington’s Olympic Peninsula were detained by US Border Patrol after agents determined they were in the country illegally.

The arrests came during a federal investigation into two Oregon-based contractors, Table Rock Forestry Inc. and ASI Arden Solutions Inc., whose contracts were terminated by the Bureau of Land Management.

The remaining 42 crew members were escorted off federal land.

The detentions sparked criticism from lawmakers and officials, including Sen. Patty Murray, Sen. Ron Wyden, and Washington Governor Bob Ferguson, who condemned the Trump administration’s immigration policies and warned that the move undermines wildfire response efforts.

Border Patrol officials defended the operation as necessary to uphold immigration law.

The Bear Gulch Fire has burned about 14 square miles and was 13 percent contained as of Thursday.

 

Trump Threatens National Guard Deployments to Democratic-Led Cities Despite Falling Crime Rates

President Donald Trump threatened to send the National Guard to Chicago, New York, Seattle, Baltimore, San Francisco, and Portland, calling them crime-ridden despite data showing violent crime has declined in recent years.

Homicides and aggravated assaults through mid-2025 are down in most of the targeted cities, continuing a nationwide post-pandemic decline.

Public perception differs, with 81 percent of Americans saying crime is a major problem in large cities, though only 32 percent support federal control of police.

Trump has already taken federal control of Washington, D.C.’s police and often criticizes Democratic-led cities while not threatening Republican-leaning ones with similar or higher crime rates.

Local officials and experts argue deploying the National Guard is unconstitutional, ineffective, and could alarm residents. Cities like Baltimore have shown sharp declines in homicides through community-based prevention strategies, while leaders in San Francisco and elsewhere reject claims that their cities need military policing.

 

US Space Force Graduates First Class of Guardian Officers Under New Training Program

The US Space Force marked a milestone on Thursday with the graduation of its first class of Guardian officers from the new Officer Training Course (OTC) at Peterson Space Force Base.

More than 80 officers completed the year-long program, which replaces the old training model and serves as the service’s initial leader development course.

The OTC integrates satellite, intelligence, cyber, and acquisition training to prepare officers as multidisciplinary leaders across space operations.

Chief of Space Operations General Chance Saltzman called the approach a critical shift toward producing big-picture strategists.

The program is part of a broader effort by Space Training and Readiness Command to build tailored training pipelines for officers, enlisted personnel, and civilians.

Graduates will now move to operational assignments worldwide, qualified for roles in cyber, intelligence, and space operations, with opportunities in modernization roles in the future.

An interim badge was issued to symbolize their entry into the Guardian officer corps.

 

UN Security Council Votes to End Lebanon Peacekeeping Mission by 2026

The UN Security Council voted unanimously to end the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon (UNIFIL) after nearly 50 years, agreeing to a final extension through December 31, 2026.

The decision, backed by the United States and Israel, gives the 10,800-strong force one year after that date to withdraw personnel and equipment.

UNIFIL was established in 1978 and expanded after the 2006 Israel-Hezbollah war to monitor security along the Blue Line border.

The Trump administration pushed for the mission’s closure, arguing it delays efforts to strengthen the Lebanese army and reduce Hezbollah’s influence.

European nations, led by France and Italy, supported extending the mandate to avoid a security vacuum.

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam welcomed the extension, citing his military’s limited capacity, while Israel’s UN ambassador accused UNIFIL of overlooking Hezbollah’s buildup. The resolution calls for Lebanon to assume full security control and urges Israel to withdraw from areas north of the Blue Line.

UNIFIL will maintain limited operations during its final mandate, including civilian protection and support for humanitarian aid.

 

Israel Ends Midday Humanitarian Pauses in Gaza City, Citing Combat Risks

Israel’s military announced it will suspend mid-day pauses in Gaza City that had allowed humanitarian aid deliveries, calling the area a “dangerous combat zone.”

The pauses, previously in effect from 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., also applied to Deir al-Balah and Muwasi, where many displaced residents are sheltering.

The decision comes as Israel mobilizes tens of thousands of troops in preparation for a broader offensive to seize Gaza City, which it describes as a Hamas stronghold with an active tunnel network.

It is unclear whether aid groups or residents were notified of the change.

The United Nations warned that Gaza could lose half of its hospital bed capacity if the invasion proceeds.

 

Poland to Raise Defense Spending to 4.8% of GDP, Near NATO’s New Five Percent Target

Poland will boost defense spending in 2026 to 4.8 percent of GDP, Finance Minister Andrzej Domanski announced, committing a record 200 billion zlotys ($55 billion).

The move comes as NATO members are set to meet the alliance’s old two percent spending goal this year and as the bloc transitions to a new target of five percent pushed by US President Donald Trump.

Poland, a key NATO ally bordering Ukraine, has accelerated modernization of its armed forces amid fears of Russian aggression, purchasing large amounts of US and South Korean weaponry.

NATO’s new framework divides the five percent goal into 3.5 percent for core defense spending and 1.5 percent for areas like infrastructure and cybersecurity, replacing the decade-old two percent benchmark.

 

US Approves $825 Million Arms Sale to Ukraine Including Extended-Range Missiles

The Trump administration approved an $825 million arms package for Ukraine that includes 3,350 extended-range attack munition missiles, GPS navigation units, spare parts, training, and technical support.

The State Department notified Congress of the sale on Thursday, which will be funded through US foreign military financing and contributions from NATO allies Denmark, the Netherlands, and Norway.

Officials said the deal strengthens Ukraine’s defense capabilities and supports US national security interests in Europe.

The approval comes as Russia intensifies attacks despite President Donald Trump’s recent meeting with Vladimir Putin in Alaska to push for a settlement. It follows two earlier US arms sales to Ukraine in July totaling more than $650 million, focused on air defense systems and armored combat vehicles.

 

EU Defense Ministers Convene After Deadly Russian Strike on Kyiv, Call for Tougher Measures Against Moscow

European defense ministers gathered in Copenhagen to address the war in Ukraine after a Russian airstrike on Kyiv killed 23 people and damaged a European Union (EU) diplomatic mission.

The attack, which drew immediate condemnation, has fueled calls for tougher measures including seizing frozen Russian assets, imposing new sanctions, and expanding military support for Ukraine.

Leaders also discussed long-term security guarantees, including the possible deployment of European missions inside Ukraine once a ceasefire is in place.

The EU summoned Russia’s envoy in Brussels, while the UN Security Council scheduled an emergency meeting on the strikes.

European officials, including Lithuania’s Dovilė Šakalienė and Ireland’s Simon Harris, stressed that Russia is stalling peace efforts and must face greater pressure to end the war. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen began a tour of EU states bordering Russia and Belarus to reinforce security cooperation.

 

Afghanistan Accuses Pakistan of Deadly Airstrikes on Eastern Provinces

Afghanistan’s Taliban government recently accused Pakistan of carrying out airstrikes in Nangarhar and Khost provinces that killed at least three people, wounded seven, and damaged homes.

Kabul’s foreign ministry condemned the strikes as a “provocative act” and summoned Pakistan’s ambassador, while the Afghan Defense Ministry warned of consequences.

Local officials said the attacks were launched by Pakistani drones.

Pakistan has not commented.

The strikes follow previous Afghan accusations that Pakistan targets suspected hideouts of the Pakistani Taliban inside Afghanistan, a group responsible for deadly attacks in Pakistan.

The incident comes shortly after high-level talks between Afghanistan, Pakistan, and China on counterterrorism cooperation, underscoring ongoing tensions between Islamabad and Kabul.

 

Myanmar Military Declares Karen National Union a Terrorist Organization Ahead of Elections

Myanmar’s military government designated the Karen National Union (KNU) a terrorist organization, criminalizing nearly all activities or contact with the group.

The KNU, which has fought for autonomy since 1948, has been one of the strongest opponents of the military since the 2021 coup and vowed to disrupt elections set to begin on December 28.

State media said the group was banned for causing widespread destruction and loss of life, while military leader Min Aung Hlaing also declared the KNU and its affiliates unlawful organizations.

A KNU spokesperson dismissed the move on Friday, calling the military the true criminal actor.

The designation further restricts nonviolent activities and comes as critics label the planned polls a sham following the dissolution of Aung San Suu Kyi’s National League for Democracy.

The KNU has allied with pro-democracy militias and continues to fight in Karen state, where it trains young activists. Its demands include military withdrawal from politics and the establishment of a federal democracy.

 

Sources: News Agencies