The briefing for Sunday, June 28.

The US launched a second round of airstrikes on Iran Saturday following a drone attack on a Panama-flagged vessel in the Strait of Hormuz. US Central Command said it hit military equipment, communication systems, air defense sites, and drone storage facilities across Iran in response to what it called 'continued aggression' against commercial shipping. Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps retaliated by launching missiles and drones at US infrastructure in Kuwait and Bahrain, marking a dangerous escalation beyond the previous day's exchanges.

The strikes represent the complete breakdown of a June 17 ceasefire agreement that was supposed to end hostilities and allow safe passage for commercial vessels through the strategic waterway. Iran claims it attacked the vessel because it used an unauthorized route, while the US says the ship posed no threat and Iran violated the ceasefire. President Trump warned on Truth Social that it was 'very possible' Tehran would 'never learn,' adding that if the US is 'forced to militarily complete the job,' the 'Islamic Republic of Iran will no longer exist.'

Kuwait and Bahrain both activated air defense systems and urged citizens to seek shelter as Iranian projectiles targeted their territories. The Strait of Hormuz, which was effectively closed by Tehran after US-Israel attacks in February, is a critical channel for global oil and gas shipments. Its closure earlier this year caused spikes in energy prices and prevented shipments of fertilizer and other commodities. Both countries had reported progress in negotiations just days earlier, but the ceasefire appears to have lasted less than two weeks.

Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem rejected the US-brokered framework agreement signed Friday by Lebanon and Israel, calling it 'humiliating, shameful, and a surrender of sovereignty.' The four-point agreement links Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon to Hezbollah's disarmament and allows Israeli forces to remain in an expanded security area. Qassem accused the Lebanese government of making damaging concessions that 'crossed all red lines' and vowed that Hezbollah would continue its armed resistance.

Despite the framework deal, Israeli strikes continued Saturday in southern Lebanon. Lebanon's health ministry reported one person killed when an Israeli drone hit the town of Nabatieh al-Fawqa, with at least two more wounded in subsequent strikes. The Israeli military said it targeted an individual who posed a threat to its forces. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz ordered forces to 'prepare for an extended stay in the security zone,' referring to an area up to 10 kilometers inside Lebanese territory.

The agreement calls for Israel to initially withdraw from two small 'pilot zones' where the Lebanese army will assume security control, with future withdrawal zones to be negotiated. However, Hezbollah was not involved in negotiating the deal and has significant military presence in the affected areas. Israeli attacks in Lebanon have killed at least 4,192 people since March, when Iran-backed Hezbollah launched missiles into Israel in retaliation for an Israeli strike that killed Iran's supreme leader. A previous US-brokered ceasefire in April failed to stop the fighting.

About 3 million fewer Americans had Affordable Care Act health insurance in February compared to the same time last year, according to new federal data released Friday. Enrollment dropped 13% from 22.1 million people in 2025 to 19.2 million in 2026, marking the first major decline in the program's recent history. The Department of Health and Human Services attributed the drop to a crackdown on fraudulent enrollment, but health analysts say it was primarily caused by the January 1 expiration of federal subsidies.

The expired subsidies triggered double or even triple-digit premium increases that made coverage unaffordable for many Americans. 'We know that real people lost their health insurance coverage,' said Cynthia Cox of the healthcare research nonprofit KFF, citing survey findings. The February data represents the first official look at how nonpayment affected enrollment after the grace period expired. An earlier January estimate had shown about 800,000 fewer sign-ups compared to the previous year.

KFF expects total enrollment to continue declining throughout 2026, potentially falling to about 17.5 million people. That would represent a significant drop for the government's flagship subsidized health insurance program, which has become popular among gig workers, farmers, ranchers, hairstylists, and others without employer-provided coverage. The subsidies were at the center of a bitter Congressional fight last fall, with Democrats and some Republicans calling for their renewal. Sharp health cost increases come as voters say affordability is among their top concerns heading into November elections.

Armed soldiers shut down Uganda's leading independent media group Sunday after the army chief ordered the closure of TV stations, newspapers, and radio outlets. Gen. Muhoozi Kainerugaba, son of President Yoweri Museveni, said on social media that he has 'the power in Uganda to shut down ANY media house I want to,' claiming his father gave him that authority in 2017. The Daily Monitor newspaper reported that soldiers were stationed outside its Kampala headquarters while NTV and Spark TV were taken off air.

Gen. Kainerugaba, who has served as Uganda's top military commander since 2024, declared 'I DO NOT believe in a free press! The press should be guided by cadres of the revolution.' He said both NTV and Daily Monitor 'will not re-open without my permission' and that 'from now on ALL media in Uganda will follow the rules.' The outlets are part of Nation Media Group, one of East Africa's most influential media companies. The National Association of Broadcasters said at least six publishing and broadcasting outlets were closed.

The crackdown comes as the 81-year-old President Museveni, who has ruled Uganda since 1986, increasingly relies on his son's military authority. Gen. Kainerugaba openly asserts he will succeed his father, an increasingly likely scenario as Museveni has no rivals within the ruling party. The Daily Monitor has been targeted before, raided by police in 2013 over coverage of an alleged succession plan. During January's contested election, the general threatened opposition leader Bobi Wine in posts that were later deleted. The UN said that election was held in 'an environment marked by widespread repression and intimidation.'

President Trump announced Saturday he is nominating Lance Schroyer, a former Oklahoma state trooper, as the next director of Immigration and Customs Enforcement. Trump called his pick 'a PATRIOT with real operational experience, and proven leader with DECADES of experience locking up the worst of the worst' in a post on Truth Social. The nomination follows the resignation of former ICE director Todd Lyons at the end of May, with David Venturella, a former private prison executive, serving as acting head.

Department of Homeland Security Secretary Markwayne Mullin, also from Oklahoma and a former congressman, quickly praised the nomination. 'With over 29 years of law enforcement experience, Lance will play a vital role in helping deliver on the President's mandate from the American people to target, arrest, and deport illegal aliens,' Mullin wrote on social media. Mullin has promised to keep his department out of the headlines and indicated a softer tone on immigration while aligning with the president's mass deportation priorities.

The nomination comes as the administration continues its deportation campaign across the country. Schroyer's law enforcement background contrasts with recent leadership at the agency, though details of his specific immigration enforcement experience were not immediately available. The position requires Senate confirmation.