221: No Deal on Latest Hostage Negotiations Israel - Hamas + Armor Not Dead: Lithuania to Procure 1 x Battalion of Leopard 2 Tanks + Ukraine Defense Contact Group Establishes Armor & Drone Capability Coalitions + More

For review:1. US CENTCOM X: 24 Jan 2024; US CENTCOM Forces strike Kataib Hezbollah (KH) capabilities in Iraq. Targets included KH headquarters, storage and training locations for rocket, missile, and one-way attack UAV capabilities.2. US and Iraq discussing future of US Military presence in the country.  Currently, the US has 2,500 Troops in Iraq as part of the anti-ISIS coalition.3. US CENTCOM X: 24 Jan 2024; Iranian-backed Houthi terrorists fired three anti-ship ballistic missiles from Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen toward the U.S.-flagged/ owned/operated container ship M/V Maersk Detroit (Gulf of Aden). One missile impacted in the sea. The two other missiles were successfully engaged and shot down by the USS Gravely (DDG 107). No reported injuries/damage to the vessel.4. No Deal on Latest Hostage Negotiations between Israel & Hamas. Egypt and Qatar are brokering these negotiations.5. Ukraine Defense Contact Group #19 Establishes Armor & Drone Coalitions. Poland will lead the Armor Coalition. Latvia will lead the Drone Coalition.  These latest 2 coalitions are added to existing capability coalitions: Air Force; Artillery; Maritime Security; Ground-Based Air Defense; De-mining; & Information Technology. (That's 8 x capability coalitions- by my count)  6. From the Armor Not Dead Files: Lithuania to Procure 1 x Battalion of Leopard 2 Tanks from Germany. (roughly 58 Tanks for a pure Armor Battalion- my guess)7. Romania will increase Defense Spending in 2024. Planned 2 x major contacts for land systems: 1. Tracked Infantry Fighting Vehicles (298 x new vehicles); and 2. Tracked Artillery Systems-  (54 x self-propelled 155mm). 8. North Korea fires several cruise missiles toward the Yellow Sea- increasing tensions on the Korean Peninsula.