Welcome to The Hill's Defense & NatSec newsletter{beacon} Defense &National Security Defense &National Security   The Big Story  Taiwanese leader says nation will defend against Chinese aggression Thursday's address from Taiwanese President William Lai Ching-te sparked immediate backlash from China, which sees the island nation as historically part of the mainland. © APIn his speech marking the 113th National Day of Taiwan at a ceremony in Taipei, Lai pledged to defend his nation's sovereignty in forceful remarks.  "The People’s Republic of China has no right to represent Taiwan,” he said. “I will also uphold the commitment to resist annexation or encroachment upon our sovereignty.”  The speech drew fury from Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning. "It once again exposed that he is hellbent on advancing Taiwan independence and has the ill intention of heightening tensions in the Taiwan Strait for his selfish political interest,” Mao said at a briefing.  China has often reacted to more aggressive Taiwanese statements with large-scale military drills, though it wasn't immediately clear as of Thursday evening if Beijing would launch one.  A U.S. official told reporters on Wednesday ahead of Lai's speech that they were prepared for China to use the address as a pretext for large drills.  "We see no justification for a routine annual celebration to be used in this manner," the official said, according to Reuters. "Coercive actions like this against Taiwan and in the cross-Strait context, in our view, undermine cross-Strait stability." Lai was inaugurated in May and delivered similar remarks, which prompted massive Chinese drills.  The Taiwanese leader maintains the status quo with China but has been clear he will stand up to any Chinese aggression.  The U.S. has informal relations with Taiwan but commits to supporting the country, including with arms. Washington is preparing for a possible attack or blockade of Taiwan in 2027, the year Chinese leader Xi Jinping has told his forces to be ready for a potential invasion.  Vice President Harris, the Democratic presidential nominee, said in a "60 Minutes" interview on Monday that it was important to maintain the status quo.  "That includes supporting Taiwan's ability to defend itself," she said, dodging a question of whether the U.S. would defend the island nation in the event of a Chinese attack.  Read the full report at TheHill.com.  Welcome to The Hill’s Defense & National Security newsletter, I'm Brad Dress — your guide to the latest developments at the Pentagon, on Capitol Hill and beyond.  Did someone forward you this newsletter? Subscribe here.   Essential Reads  How policy will affect defense and national security now and inthe future:  UN: Israeli military fired on peacekeepers in southern LebanonThe United Nations on Thursday accused the Israeli military of firing on peacekeeper missions in southern Lebanon as Israel conducts a cross-border operation inside the country. The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement on the social platform X that Israeli soldiers inside the country have clashed with the Lebanese militant group Hezbollah and its headquarters in the city of Naqoura, and “nearby …  Full Story  Trump-Putin ties face fresh scrutiny with Woodward bookLess than a month before the U.S. presidential election, former President Trump is facing fresh scrutiny on his relationship with Russian President Vladimir Putin. A bombshell book by celebrated journalist Bob Woodward, previewed this week by multiple outlets, revealed the two have secretly been in touch over the last few years, speaking at least seven times since Trump left office. The book also claimed that while still in …  Full Story  Brown votes against student proposal to divest from companies allegedly tied to Gaza war Brown University announced Thursday it will not divest from companies that pro-Palestinian students say contribute to Israel’s war efforts in Gaza. The Corporation of Brown University decided against the measure Tuesday after agreeing in the spring to listen to a student proposal on divestment and take a vote on it in exchange for the activists’ encampment coming down ...  Full Story   Israel seeks to reshape Middle East, with force and US backing One year after Hamas’s Oct. 7 attack, Israel is reshaping the Middle East by force, taking the fight to Iran and its proxies with the help of the United States — despite pleas from the Biden administration for diplomacy.  While President Biden is warning Israel against a major attack on Iran in retaliation for a missile barrage last week, Israel’s ambassador to the United States is warning “a long and arduous path” lies ahead.   …  Full Story   On Our Radar  Upcoming things we're watching on our beat:  The Association of the United States Army hosts its annual conference next week, starting on Monday, with attendance by top Army and Pentagon leaders. Secretary of State Antony Blinken returns from a trip to Asia on Friday.  On Tap Tomorrow  Events in and around the defense world:  The Center for Strategic and International Studies chats on U.S.-India cooperation for critical minerals security during a 2:30 p.m. ET online event. The Brookings Institution looks at development aid in conflict-stricken nations for a 9 a.m. online event. The Hudson Institute unpacks Israel's economy a year after war during a 9 a.m. virtual event. The Wilson Center hosts an online lecture on "Latin America and the making of the nuclear club" for a 3 p.m. online event. Johns Hopkins University analyzes Mexican politics during a 4:30 p.m. online event.  What We're Reading  News we've flagged from other outlets: New images show Lebanese border villages flattened in Israeli invasion (The New York Times) Stop Israel from bombing Iran's oil sites, Gulf states urge US (Reuters)  Trending Today  Two key stories on The Hill right now: Democrats start to hit the panic button Democrats’ nerves are at an all-time high.  Two months ago — even a month ago — they were feeling bullish about Vice President Harris’s … Read more 5 things to know about the TD Bank scandal Toronto-Dominion Bank, commonly referred to as TD Bank, is facing unprecedented fines and penalties from U.S. officials after allegedly failing to … Read more  Opinions in The Hill Op-eds related to defense & national security submitted to The Hill: A path toward a nuclear off-ramp with Iran North Korea wades into Ukraine  You're all caught up. See you tomorrow!  Close Thank you for signing up! Subscribe to more newsletters here The latest in politics and policy. Direct to your inbox. Sign up for the Defense and National Security newsletter Subscribe