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With help from Lara Seligman, Nahal Toosi, Paul McLeary, Eric Bazail-Eimil and Daniel Lippman

The Biden administration is not looking to bomb Houthi targets in Yemen in retaliation for the militants’ attack on commercial ships in the Red Sea. Not yet, anyway.

As Alex and LARA SELIGMAN report, there’s high-level consensus within the administration that a direct military response against the Iran-backed group doesn’t make much sense, even though missile and drone attacks on three civilian vessels on Sunday drew a U.S. Navy warship into an hours-long firefight. U.S. intelligence officials have not determined that the warship was the target.

There are some troops who would like to see a more forceful response. Military officers charged with U.S. operations in the Middle East have drafted options to hit back against the Houthis, though they are not actively pushing those plans at this time.

The military’s job is to present a variety of options to senior commanders, but the ultimate decision is up to the president and the administration’s political appointees. In multiple high-level meetings this week, the Pentagon has neither briefed President JOE BIDEN on options to strike Houthi targets nor recommended that he do so, per two officials. Both, like others, were granted anonymity to detail sensitive internal deliberations.

Some current and former military officials were frustrated by the administration’s initial response to the Houthis’ attacks on the ships. The Houthis launched four drone and missile attacks on three ships on Sunday; the destroyer USS Carney, responding to the distress calls, shot down three drones in its vicinity.

Separately this morning, the destroyer USS Mason shot down another Houthi-launched drone in the Red Sea, according to two DOD officials. Again, the U.S. does not know for sure what the drone was targeting; although no commercial vessels issued distress calls at the time, there were many ships nearby.

“Either way, it presents an imminent threat” to the warship, said one of the DOD officials. “The decision was made to shoot it down before it became a greater threat.”

Those current and former officials say the Iran-backed group’s increasingly aggressive behavior poses a significant risk to American forces in the region, and took issue with the administration’s public statements on Monday, which they say downplayed that threat.

But while top Biden administration officials acknowledge the threat to U.S. troops, they are not convinced the U.S. needs to respond militarily. They believe the Houthis were attempting to target assets with ties to Israel — either owned by Israeli companies or crewed by Israelis — not U.S. warships. But Houthi missiles aren’t overly precise.

And as the White House and senior Pentagon leaders seek to contain the violence in Israel and Gaza, they are concerned that Iran, which backs the Houthis in Yemen, Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon, could escalate the conflict.

Senior officials across the government are also worried that a major strike on Houthi positions could derail progress on another Middle East conflict: U.S. and U.N.-led efforts to broker another cease-fire between Saudi forces and the militants in Yemen, per two U.S. officials.

“In light of the recent targeting of civilians by the Houthis and its piracy in international waters, we have begun a review of potential sanctions,” said a State Department spokesperson. “We will be considering other options together with our allies and partners, as well.”

Read Alex and Lara’s full story.

OPEN THE GATES: The Biden administration quietly has been urging Israel to open a second Gaza crossing at Kerem Shalom, situated at the intersection of Gaza, Israel and Egypt, that is far more capable of handling an influx of aid delivery trucks.

Top administration figures raise the opening of Kerem Shalom — a vital throughway that Israel has kept closed over military and political concerns — “in every meeting,” a senior U.S. official told Alex and ERIN BANCO. Critics say the closure keeps essential food, water, medicine, winter clothing and other aid from reaching Gaza’s 2.3 million people. The outreach comes as international aid organizations have pushed the administration in private meetings, including with national security adviser JAKE SULLIVAN, to use its leverage with Israel to open the crossing.

“We have been engaged with Israel to enable a surge of humanitarian assistance through multiple mechanisms and options, including Kerem Shalom,” confirmed a second U.S. official, like others granted anonymity to detail a sensitive diplomatic discussion. A third administration official said such urgings have been delivered behind closed doors “for weeks.”

Meanwhile, Israeli officials said its military has killed more than half of Hamas’ combatant commanders since the war began in October, The Wall Street Journal’s RORY JONES reports.

As Israel expands its offensive into southern Gaza, Israeli forces are hoping to take out the militant groups’ leader YAHYA SINWAR and others who they believe could be hiding in the town of Khan Younis.

As the war moves deeper into Gaza’s south, Biden’s criticism of Hamas in recent days has focused on the group’s “horrific” use of sexual violence against women and girls in Israel during the group’s Oct. 7 attack, our own MYAH WARD reported Tuesday evening. He called for people around the globe to condemn the group for such crimes.

The White House believes Hamas is hesitant to release young women being held hostage because of what they may tell the world about their experiences in captivity, Puck’s JULIA IOFFE reported Tuesday night.

“Everyone assumes it seems to be the case,” a senior administration official told Puck. Another added that “it’s quite ugly … that is our going assumption, that at least one reason they’re unwilling to let these young ladies go is that they have been sexually assaulting them.”

Read: Israel could open second front in Lebanon, defense minister hints by our own JAMIE DETTMER.

WAR CRIMES CHARGE: U.S. prosecutors charged four Russian men with torturing an American during the invasion of Ukraine, The Associated Press’ LINDSAY WHITEHURST and ERIC TUCKER report.

It marks the first time the Justice Department has charged Russians with atrocities during the conflict using a nearly 30-year-old statute that makes it a crime to commit torture or inhumane treatment during a war, the AP reports.

It’s a largely symbolic move, since the defendants are unlikely to be apprehended. But U.S. officials said it sets a precedent for Washington to pursue Russians for war crimes in the future as the war drags on: “This is our first, and you should expect more,” Attorney General MERRICK GARLAND told reporters.

Also today, Secretary of State ANTONY BLINKEN announced he’s concluded that members of the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces have committed war crimes in Sudan, where a major, vicious conflict has been unfolding for months. Blinken also determined that “members of the RSF and allied militias have committed crimes against humanity and ethnic cleansing,” according to the State Department.

PUTIN IN UAE: Russian President VLADIMIR PUTIN met with United Arab Emirates President SHEIKH MOHAMMED BIN ZAYED AL NAHYAN in Abu Dhabi today to shore up ties to the oil-rich nation in a rare trip abroad since the war in Ukraine began.

The pair planned to discuss that war and the Israel-Hamas conflict, according to remarks made on television during the start of the meeting, per Bloomberg News. Relations between the countries are at “an unprecedented level,” Putin said, and will strengthen economic ties.

“I will be happy to continue our joint work to strengthen bilateral cooperation in different spheres,” the Emirati leader responded.

MR. CAMERON GOES TO WASHINGTON: U.K. Foreign Secretary DAVID CAMERON is in Washington today for a series of high-level meetings about Ukraine, the Israel-Hamas war and much more.

The former British prime minister landed in the capital today and rushed straight to Capitol Hill to meet with Speaker MIKE JOHNSON, the leadership of the foreign relations committees and the Republican Study Committee. His main message, per a British official who exclusively shared details of Cameron’s visit, was “if we allow Putin’s aggression to succeed, it will embolden those who challenge democracy and threaten our way of life.”

On Thursday, Cameron will meet with Blinken to discuss Ukraine and lowering the temperature in the Middle East. He’ll then speak at a public event hosted by the Aspen Security Forum. He’ll deliver a stark warning to the audience: “We are in a new era where we face unprecedented crises and threats. Simply put, it is hard to recall a time of such danger and uncertainty.”

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DICTATOR FOR A DAY: Former President DONALD TRUMP seemingly joked that he would act as a dictator on his first day in office if he’s re-elected next year.

During a Fox News town hall with SEAN HANNITY Tuesday night, Trump was pressed on whether he would disavow taking retributive action against all his enemies if he reentered the Oval Office. He initially shied away from responding, but that changed when he was asked a second time.

“He says, ‘You’re not gonna be a dictator, are you?’” Trump said to the audience, referring to the question from Hannity. “No, no, no, other than day one. We’re closing the border, and we’re drilling, drilling, drilling. After that, I’m not a dictator.”

Hannity quipped: “That sounds to me like you’re going back to the policies when you were president.”

“That’s exactly it,” Trump responded.

TRUMP’S LEGAL WOES, CONTINUED: Federal prosecutors accused Trump of encouraging violence during the Capitol riots, saying he “sent” supporters to storm the building that day.

In a new court filing, reported by The Washington Post’s SPENCER HSU and DEVLIN BARRETT Tuesday night, prosecutors for special counsel JACK SMITH went further than they ever have in accusing the former president of inciting the riots.

“Evidence of the defendant’s post-conspiracy embrace of particularly violent and notorious rioters is admissible to establish the defendant’s motive and intent on January 6 — that he sent supporters, including groups like the Proud Boys, whom he knew were angry, and whom he now calls ‘patriots,’ to the Capitol to achieve the criminal objective of obstructing the congressional certification,” prosecutors wrote.

They plan on introducing new evidence to make their case against Trump during his next criminal trial in March, according to the filing.

SPENDING SPREE: Advocacy organizations supporting Israel in its war with Hamas have spent roughly 100 times more on advertising via Meta’s social media platforms in the last month compared to groups aligned with Palestinians and Arabs, according to an analysis by our own MARK SCOTT.

The combined spending of more than $2 million on Facebook and Instagram, though not coordinated, shows how pro-Israel groups are trying to shape public opinion among Americans, especially younger generations who are increasingly skeptical of Israel.

“It’s very asymmetric,” said SAM JEFFERS, executive director of Who Targets Me, a nonprofit organization that tracks political social media advertising campaigns. “That’s true on the ground as much as it’s true in the information space.”

BOMBS AND BORSCHT: The U.S. and Ukrainian governments signed an agreement to speed weapons co-production and data sharing during a high-level conference in Washington today, our own PAUL McLEARY writes in.

The signing of the “letter of intent” kicked off two days of meetings attended by 350 U.S., Ukrainian, and NATO military and policy officials meant as a way to kickstart more co-production and data-sharing agreements between Western defense companies and Ukrainian firms.

In the room today, Ukrainian Defense Minister RUSTEM UMEROV said he’s already signed more than 20 agreements with various European companies to build new drones and anti-tank weapons, and pitched Ukraine as a testbed for new weapons and defense technologies, noting that Ukrainians are experimenting with military software and hardware “in a way that is impossible in peacetime,” and they’re ready to share with the West what they’ve learned.

Since the Russian full-scale invasion, Ukraine has managed to develop a homegrown drone program and has been able to produce ballistic missiles, even under Russian bombardment. But with European warehouses reaching dangerously low levels after two years of aid, and the uncertainty of political support in the face of upcoming national elections in the U.S. and elsewhere, Kyiv is desperate to ink deals with defense companies to start to do more for themselves.

‘THIS CANNOT WAIT’: Biden urged lawmakers to pass $106 billion in Ukraine and Israel funding during a White House address today just as negotiations to get a deal done stalls.

“This cannot wait,” the president said, calling it “stunning” that Congress hasn’t approved the funds yet. Biden reused lines about Putin attacking NATO territory if he isn’t stopped in Ukraine, calling on America to not let Russia win.

Biden blamed “extreme Republicans” for why the funding hasn’t been approved yet, claiming GOP members are “holding Ukraine’s funding hostage for their extreme partisan border policies.”

“This has to be a negotiation,” Biden said, saying the differences are hurting Ukraine and U.S. national security. “Stand for freedom. Let’s get this done.”

Biden said that he was willing to make “significant compromises” on the border.

The Senate will vote on the supplemental later today.

On Tuesday night, Blinken said not passing the supplemental would mainly benefit China, Russia and Iran.

Read: Dem anger boils over at linking border with Ukraine by our own BURGESS EVERETT and NICHOLAS WU.

HOSTAGE DEAL REJECTED: Moscow rejected a proposed deal from the Biden administration to bring home jailed Wall Street Journal reporter EVAN GERSHKOVICH and former Marine PAUL WHELAN.

State Department spokesperson MATTHEW MILLER told reporters on Tuesday that the White House made an offer in recent weeks, but didn’t give details about what the trade would’ve included or why Russia had turned it down.

“This was a new proposal … It was a significant proposal,” Miller said. “And it was rejected by the Russians but it does not, it will not deter us from continuing to do everything we can to try and bring both of them home.”

Read: The Too-Weird-to-Be-Fiction Story of Cuba’s Spying Ambassador by our own ERIC BAZAIL-EIMIL.

ENEMY ENTITIES: The Commerce Department added 42 entities on Tuesday to its entity list, — its trade blacklist which prohibits U.S. firms from doing business with them without approval from the federal government — for contributing to Russia’s military and defense industrial base, including efforts to build Iranian Shahed drones for Moscow’s war efforts.

— CAROLINE CHANG has been promoted to be deputy assistant national cyber director for stakeholder engagement at the White House, our own DANIEL LIPPMAN has learned. She most recently was senior adviser to the national cyber director.

— ZACH BARNETT is now comms director for Sen. ROGER WICKER (R-Miss.) and the Senate Armed Services GOP. He previously was comms director for Rep. GARRET GRAVES (R-La.).

— Retired Air Force Lt. Gen. VERALINN ‘DASH’ JAMIESON was appointed to the board of directors for Rolls-Royce North America.

— PAUL KRUGMAN, Foreign Affairs: The American way of economic war

— SINAN CIDDI, Foreign Policy: Turkey’s NATO membership should be reconsidered

— Sens. RON JOHNSON and RICK SCOTT, Fox News: Before Biden gives one more dime to Ukraine, he must first secure our border

— The House Armed Services Strategic Forces Subcommittee, 9 A.M.: Regional missile defense assets — assessing COCOM and allied demand for capabilities

— The Henry Stimson Center, 9:30 a.m.: The modernization of the U.S. Japan alliance

— The U.S. Commission on International Religious Freedom, 10:30 a.m.: Religious freedom and governance in Iraq

Thanks to our editor, Emma Anderson, who has been a dictator long beyond Day One.

We also thank our producer, Gregory Svirnovskiy, who is the paragon of democracy.