Author: openjargon

• A Russian tank fell into a crater and was targeted by Ukrainian drones, new footage appeared to show.
• Ukraine's 68th Jaeger Brigade claims to have destroyed eight Russian tanks in the Donetsk region.
• The battle was in one of the "most tense" areas along the front line, Ukraine's General Staff said.

A new war video from the battlefield in Ukraine appears to show a Russian tank falling into a crater when fleeing Ukrainian fire.

The footage, released by Ukraine's 68th Jaeger Brigade, begins by showing drone video of an oncoming column of Russian armor. The vehicle at the front of the company is taken out by an explosion. Debris can be seen flying up into the air.

Drones then attack the rest of the column of tanks and armored vehicles.

One of the tanks, when crossing a field, drives into a large crater. A drone then targets the tank as at least one Russian soldier attempts to flee.

A second video shows the tank engulfed in flames and exploding.

Business Insider could not independently verify the video or the claims made in the caption.

According to the video's caption, eight Russian tanks and eight infantry fighting vehicles (IFVs) were destroyed. The video was taken in Pokrovsk in Ukraine's Donetsk region, one of the "most tense" areas along the front line, according to an update by Ukraine's General Staff.

"Ukrainian defense forces continue to make efforts to stabilize the situation and inflict major fire damage," the update said.

Later on June 14, in comments to Ukrinform, Nazar Voloshyn, the spokesman for the Khortytsia grouping of forces, a formation of the Ukrainian Ground Forces, confirmed the brigade's claims.

"In the Pokrovsk axis, our Defense Forces destroyed eight Russian tanks and disabled two more. That's 10 in total. This makes up a tank company," he said.

"In addition, in this section of the front, during the said period, our defenders destroyed eight more armored fighting vehicles, two artillery systems, and four other vehicles (one more damaged)."

Voloshyn didn't specify when the video had been filmed but said 242 Russian troops had been killed or wounded during fighting in Pokrovsk.

"Our Ukrainian defenders did a good job yesterday and disposed of plenty of Russian hardware, and even more so Russian invaders along with their equipment," Voloshyn said.

• Fermented foods are rich in probiotics and can increase gut microbiome diversity. 
• Mass-produced, processed, fermented foods may not be as beneficial. 
• A gut-health dietitian recommends eating a variety of fermented food and buying locally-made items.

Studies have shown that fermented foods, like sauerkraut and kimchi, are good for gut health.

Made when live bacteria or yeast are added to ingredients like tea, milk, or vegetables, fermented foods contain probiotics, which are the "good" bacteria in our guts.

Fermented food can increase the diversity of the gut microbiome, the trillions of microbes that live in the colon lining. This can impact digestion, the immune system, and the brain. Experts believe that the more diverse the microbial community, the healthier it is.

But with Big Food cashing in on this discovery, it's easy to be sold products that doesn't deliver.

"Lots of things are being mass produced at the moment in the fermented food space, and they're not necessarily as good quality," Tanzil Miah, a gut-health specialist dietitian at The Gut Health Clinic in London, UK told Business Insider.

A new lawsuit, for example, has claimed that someone would need to drink more than four cans a day of the "gut-friendly" soda Poppi, which claims to aid gut health, to receive any potential health benefits.

Miah shared her three top tips for getting the most benefit out of fermented foods.

Eat multiple servings per day

Miah eats two servings of fermented foods a day. This could mean around two to three tablespoons of yogurt or kefir, or 30 grams of aged cheese, she said.

There's compelling evidence to suggest that eating multiple servings of fermented foods daily can be beneficial for gut health.

A 2021 study from Stanford University found that people who ate around six servings of fermented foods a day for 10 weeks had increased microbiome diversity compared to those who ate a high-fiber diet. They also had reduced inflammation biomarkers.

Eat a variety of fermented foods

It's also important to eat a variety of different fermented foods, Miah said, because the gut microbiome thrives on diversity.

"We still haven't discovered all the secrets of the microbiome yet. But one of the things we know for sure is our gut microbiome loves diversity," Miah said.

Eating plant-based foods, probiotic foods, and prebiotic foods, which are found in plants like fruits, vegetables, nuts, and seeds, leads to a more diverse microbiome with more types of beneficial bacteria, she said.

Buy locally and check labels

Due to the explosion of the gut-health trend, sauerkraut, kimchi, and kombucha are now available at most grocery stores. But oftentimes, they're mass-produced and contain far more ingredients than you might realize, Miah said.

"They lose some of that goodness in the processing and batch production," she added.

Some might even be considered ultra-processed foods (UPFs) because they contain five or more ingredients, including some you wouldn't find in a regular kitchen. UPFs are linked to many health problems and typically contain little fiber and few nutrients, meaning they're not particularly nourishing for the microbiome.

Miah recommended buying locally-made fermented foods when possible or checking the nutritional labels of products in the store before buying them.

"Go to a local market or a farmer's market or something like that," she said.

• China's newest aircraft carrier is a substantial capability jump as it builds a modern blue-water navy.
• Carriers are important to China's national identity and vision of being a great power.
• Carriers are also useful tools China can use to address a variety of strategy and security issues.

China is building a fleet of aircraft carriers, making technological and capability jumps at a breakneck pace.

Carriers bring new aviation capabilities to its navy, but the flattops also appear to be key elements of China's vision for the future, giving it the ability to project strength and influence as a great power.

China's latest carrier is the Fujian, a large, conventionally powered vessel that underwent sea trials earlier this spring. By all accounts, Fujian is a marked improvement over China's first two carriers — it's the only warship in its class and bigger than its Soviet-style predecessors, boasting a larger potential air wing.

Most notably, the Fujian lacks the ski-jump style ramp that is prominent on China's Shandong and Liaoning carriers. Instead, its flight deck is equipped with an electromagnetic catapult launch system like the US Navy's new Ford-class carriers.

For now, China and the US are the only countries with this technology, which allows them to launch heavier aircraft with more fuel, supplies, and weapons more efficiently and effectively, adding new assets and options to the air wing.

The big leap from the ski jump to the catapult system is already significant, but China also skipped steam-powered catapults, which would've been a natural next step from the ramps.

The move shows China is attempting to push technological boundaries while building and developing new carriers, reinforcing the view that with major shipbuilding capacity on its side, China can develop, test, and field capabilities faster than its competitors.

"Now it's getting into a pace of understanding what it needs to successfully put an aircraft carrier into the water, and you combine that with its shipbuilding prowess and you have a recipe for a lot of carriers getting built in a short amount of time," said Matthew Funaiole, a senior fellow with the China Power Project at the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS).

China's shipbuilding strengths and political motivations to build carriers are propelling it towards its blue-water navy future. China is planning to build and deploy six carriers in total by 2035, which would give China a fleet just over half the size of the American carrier force, though numbers alone aren't everything.

China has a roadmap for its ambitions in the coming decades. By 2027, its People's Liberation Army is expected to be fully modernized, per a command from Chinese Communist Party leader Xi Jinping, giving it the ability to invade Taiwan should it decide to do so. And by 2049, China has goals for a national transformation into a modern power with a "world-class military."

The "great rejuvenation of the Chinese nation" is a core Chinese ambition with different interpretations. US Army Maj. Kyle Amonson and retired US Coast Guard Capt. Dane Egli wrote in a 2023 Journal of Indo-Pacific Affairs article that this monumental Chinese effort "has been the ultimate goal for President Xi" and that the goal is the "emergence of China as the leading global power by 2049."

"In this era of strategic competition, no strategic goal is more ambitiously anticipated than the annexation of Taiwan," they wrote, as this would establish "Xi's standing in history" and help him consolidate greater power.

Connected to the 2049 goal, to be realized within one hundred years of the founding of the People's Republic of China under the Chinese Communist Party, is China's desire "to have a naval presence and project power globally," Funaiole explained, noting that while it may not be accomplished in the same way as the US, China wants the ability to flex its muscles, "and aircraft carriers are a big part of how it sees itself being able to accomplish those goals."

Such a future — one where China's carriers sail the globe like the US Navy — is not necessarily hard to imagine, given that while China faces plenty of domestic and economic woes at this time, it's chasing the US military might at a speed and ability that clearly concerns US officials and military leaders.

Aircraft carriers are symbols of military strength. With thousands of sailors on board, dozens of combat aircraft, and often surrounded by other warships with their own capabilities, these flattops can represent a nation's far-reaching influence, making them as much a status symbol as a naval warfare asset.

For China, having aircraft carriers allows it to enjoy many of those perks. It gives it the ability to project power across the East and South China Seas, out into the Western Pacific, further into the Indian Ocean, and potentially beyond. With that type of physical presence, Funaiole said, China can enhance its ability as a power broker in those regions.

And beyond their military purposes, carriers can lend to diplomacy, signaling, and humanitarian assistance. They can ensure proper sea lanes of communication and trade, as well as favorably position China in regions like the Gulf states and allow it to challenge the US Navy's status as a guarantor of international trade.

While some of these have been lesser priorities for China, the carriers provide Beijing with options.

Funaiole explained that China may have a different mindset from the US on how to use its carriers, instead wanting the ability to project power when it wants and where it wants, which is different than how the US spreads its influence.

For the US, carriers are just one tool which, when combined with US bases, logistics hubs, humanitarian projects, and military installations in other countries, it uses to create a large network of allies and partners. "The US has a very different mindset about what it is in the world versus how China sees its role in the world," Funaiole said.

Part of that may come from China's history. As retired Cmdr. Michael Dahm of the US Navy, and Peter W. Singer, a strategist at New America and author, wrote for Defense One earlier this month, defeat at the Battle of the Yalu River in 1894, as well as the larger "Century of Humiliation" that followed, weigh heavily on the minds of the Chinese and PLA Navy's leadership.

These factors, combined with how long China has wanted to build aircraft carriers and how the vessels reflect national pride, create a situation where the success of its carrier program is directly tied to its success in becoming a great power, if not a leading world power.

But just because China is building carriers quickly doesn't mean it can bypass the growing pains that come with carrier operations. China's biggest problem will be fielding the right talent and getting them the experience needed, something the US has mastered through over a century of carrier operations.

China's carrier force is a little over a decade old, meaning its most senior leaders are still getting their feet wet and may not have the expertise to train newer people. And with the technological jumps between carrier types, that learning gap only grows.

China, of course, can and does learn from the decades of US trial and error, but that doesn't mean it can build what Guy Snodgrass, a former defense official and US naval aviator, described as the "connective tissue" necessary to conduct carrier operations, generate big sorties, and seamlessly bring every element together, from aviation to maintenance and logistics, without actually experiencing it. Some things can really only be learned by doing them.

• Donald Trump shook Sen. Mitch McConnell's hand, signaling a peace between the top two Republicans.
• The former president has repeatedly torn into Senate minority leader since leaving office.
• Both men now recognize the benefits to playing nice with each other once more.

Former President Donald Trump and Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell have decided to play nice, again.

On Thursday, Trump returned to the Capitol for the first time since the 2020 election. It was also his first time back since his supporters stormed the building on January 6, 2021. At the time, the two top Republicans in Congress, House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy, and McConnell, then the Senate Majority Leader, blamed the sitting president for the riot. McCarthy eventually made peace with Trump, but McConnell didn't talk to the former president for years. According to reports at the time and since then, the longest-serving GOP Senate leader came close to voting to convict Trump of inciting the violence.

"The Democrats are going to take care of the son of a bitch for us," McConnell said of the House's 2021 impeachment proceedings, according to journalists Alex Burns and Jonathan Martin's book "This Will Not Pass: Trump, Biden and the Battle for America's Future."

Those past tensions were nowhere to be seen on Thursday.

McConnell said that the meeting was "really positive." Even Sen. Mitt Romney of Utah, the only Republican to vote to impeach Trump twice, was in attendance at the large gathering of the Senate GOP.

"We had a really positive meeting, he and I got a chance to talk a little bit, we shook hands a few times, he got a lot of standing ovations, it was an entirely positive meeting," McConnell told reporters, per Politico. "Mitt Romney was there, as well, and I can't think of anything to tell you about it that was negative."

Trump wants to avoid the appearance of disunity that would distract from his coronation as he is crowned the Republican Party's presidential nominee for the third straight time in Milwaukee. There's also a block of traditional, Reagan-loving Republicans that remain skeptical of returning Trump to the White House. McConnell considers himself a card-carrying member of that wing, having staked perhaps the last major fight of his legacy on a massive foreign aid bill for Ukraine, Israel, and Taiwan.

McConnell wants the Senate majority back. He recognizes how Trump could help the GOP despite calling the former president's political standing "diminished" less than two years ago. The path back to power is favorable to the GOP on paper because the majority runs through states Trump won easily in 2020 like Montana and Ohio. Polls show the Democratic incumbents in those states are hanging tough for now.

McConnell is also thinking about his next act. Now, the longest-serving Senate leader in history, McConnell has said he will step down from the role after the election. According to Axios, he's already considering becoming chairman of the powerful Senate Appropriations Committee. It would give him major sway on topics like defense spending, where he favors more interventionist foreign policy than Trump.

The pair are also behind Trump's biggest legacy: a more conservative judiciary. McConnell needed a GOP president to cement a conservative majority on the US Supreme Court. Trump's legacy will continue to be shaped in the years to come by his three nominees on the high court and the scores of lower court judges.

McConnell and Trump are still an odd pairing

Trump has far more in common with Republicans in the House, where allies like Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia hold power, than the Senate GOP, which is still dominated by lawmakers skeptical of Trump's foreign and trade policy.

McConnell is the perfect encapsulation of this. The 82-year-old Kentuckian is known for saying very little in halls of the Capitol, to his colleagues' chagrin. Trump, according to an author of a forthcoming book about the Apprentice, has an almost encyclopedic knowledge of every celebrity that has crossed him. McConnell's memoir is entitled "The Long Game," while Trump redefined how Americans view the presidency through 140 and later 280-character messages on a platform created for its ephemerality.

Still, their Cold War has unnerved Republicans.

Trump did not respond to his post-January 6 isolation well. In September 2022, he asked if McConnell had a "DEATH WISH" because he supported legislation that Trump said McConnell knew he opposed.

"Mitch McConnell, the Broken Old Crow, has just conceded, for absolutely nothing and for no reason, the powerful Debt Ceiling negotiating block, which was the Republicans' first-class ticket for victory over the Democrats," Trump said in December 2021 over a deal McConnell struck to avoid the US defaulting on its debt.

Trump repeatedly lashed out at McConnell and former Labor Secretary Elaine Chao. The former president went so far as to engage in patently xenophobic attacks against Chao, McConnell's wife, who resigned from the Trump administration in the wake of the January 6 attack. Trump was extremely unhappy that McConnell repeatedly worked with President Joe Biden, his former Senate colleague, on bipartisan legislation that never came to fruition when Republicans controlled the White House, particularly a sweeping infrastructure law.

Amid his pique, Trump pushed Sen. Rick Scott of Florida to challenge McConnell for the right to lead Senate Republicans. McConnell easily won, but their contest laid bare the frustration some Republicans had about the Cold War between two of their leaders.

But for all the insults, McConnell has always pledged to support the GOP nominee. In April 2022, journalist Jonathan Swan seemed perplexed that McConnell could potentially support the very man he called "practically and morally responsible for provoking" the Capitol riot.

"Well, as the Republican leader of the Senate, it should not be a front-page headline that I will support the Republican nominee for president," McConnell said. "I think I have the obligation to support the nominee of my party."

It remains to be seen what, if any, obligation Trump will have to McConnell in the coming months.

• My dad was a Jamaican immigrant who beat all odds and became an entrepreneur. 
• My mom died when I was 19 and I when my dad died many years later, I thought I knew how to grieve.
• But our relationship was different, we had a unique bond, and so the pain was different. 

My dad was the living embodiment of the American dream and my hero. He wasn't a superhero in a billion-dollar blockbuster — he was a real-life miracle worker, seemingly making the impossible a reality.

A Jamaican immigrant with only a fourth-grade education, my father arrived in Providence, Rhode Island, armed with nothing but an indomitable spirit. Against all odds, he became a successful entrepreneur and accomplished his goal of providing a good life for his family.

My earliest memories of my dad are from when he was 40, just two years younger than I am now. That's when he "made it."

In 1994, we moved from our cramped apartment into what was once his workshop. He transformed it into a cozy one-story home and later added a second level. Our new home featured a circular driveway, a white fence, a brick gate, and a balcony off the master bedroom. For a man who grew up with an outside toilet — an outhouse, as they call it back home — and walked his neighborhood streets barefoot, he'd accomplished the ultimate dream, providing a good life for his family.

I thought I knew how to grieve

The bond we shared was unique. We're both Geminis, with birthdays just four days apart, creating a dynamic that often felt like looking into a mirror — sometimes a reflection I wasn't ready to face. He raised me as a single parent after my mom began shuttling between her native Chicago and Providence when I was 9. This was the 90s, a time before FaceTime, emails, or voice notes. Parenting happened through letters, phone calls, and annual visits. Tragically, my mother died when I was 19.

When I lost my dad in 2022, I foolishly thought I knew how to grieve, having already lost my mom. But I was wrong. The relationship was different, and the pain was unlike anything I had ever experienced.

The only time I didn't see him regularly was during the pandemic, when FaceTime calls from Los Angeles to the East Coast kept us connected. Once we were both vaccinated, I flew home to see him. A few days before I arrived, he suggested a road trip to New Jersey to visit family. I was annoyed at the last-minute change because I already had plans with friends in motion, but I still agreed to take the trip, and I'm so glad that I did. The spontaneous trip to Jersey during Labor Day weekend 2021 took me back to my childhood, filled with road trips to the Jamaica Colosseum Mall in Queens, NY, with old-school soca music providing the soundtrack.

That trip was the last time I saw him.

I still struggle to find the words to describe how I feel

Though the world didn't end during the pandemic, mine shattered. I lost my father under traumatic circumstances — until this day, his case is unsolved and remains a missing persons case. Navigating grief while playing amateur detective and trying to hold on to some semblance of life was the hardest thing I've ever faced. Almost three years later, I still struggle to find the words to articulate how I feel. Through it all, this experience has deepened my empathy and driven me to help others in their grief, believing that no one should have to navigate such pain alone.

This inspiration led me to create "Sorry For Your Loss (Cards)." This greeting card company and community aim to support those grieving by providing resources and simplifying how to show up for someone you love during the most difficult time in their life. Each card features a heart-shaped QR code, allowing recipients to share how they need people to show up for them because dealing with loss is hard enough — helping someone heal shouldn't be. My hope is to not only support people through their grief but also to help restore their joy. Our community events will reflect this energy, incorporating wellness practices and uplifting activities.

Here's how I honor my dad during Father's Day

While I miss my father terribly, I've found a lot of healing and inspiration through my grief. This doesn't mean I don't have difficult days; it's just changed my outlook on life. Now, I have more appreciation for the people I love and my experiences. I'm also more present than I was in the past.

If your father has transitioned into your guardian angel, here are some heartfelt ways to honor him:

• Write a letter: Pouring your feelings onto paper can be a therapeutic release.
• Visit a significant place: Revisit a location filled with cherished memories.
• Donate: Make a contribution to a charity in your father's honor. Last year, we honored my dad with a memorial at the local library in my childhood neighborhood.
• Gather with friends and family: Surround yourself with loved ones to share stories and love.
• Request letters or videos: Ask family and friends to share their favorite memories of your dad, creating a collection to revisit whenever you miss him.
• Create a dad playlist: Compile songs that remind you of your father.
• Honor yourself: If your relationship with your father was complicated, it's OK to take your time and decide how or if you want to celebrate his life.

There's no right way to grieve. Only you can determine the best way to remember and honor your loved one

• Ukraine used a Patriot missile to down a prized Russian A-50 spy plane earlier this year.
• The hi-tech A-50 is crucial for Russia's early warning, command, and control during air operations.
• A senior US officer called the destruction of the A-50 a 'SAMbush.'

A senior US Army officer has confirmed that Ukraine used a Patriot missile system to down a Russian A-50 spy plane back in January.

Speaking at the Fires Symposium event last month, Colonel Rosanna Clemente, the assistant chief of staff of the 10th Army Air and Missile Defense Command, said that Patriot launchers were "being used to protect static sites and critical national infrastructure" in Ukraine.

"Others are being moved around and doing some really historic things that I haven't seen in 22 years of being an air defender. And one of them is a 'SAMbush,'" she said, referring to surface-to-air missile ambushes that Ukrainians have been performing.

"They're doing that with extremely mobile Patriot systems that were donated by the Germans because the systems are all mounted on the trucks."

She added that Ukrainian anti-aircraft teams used this tactic "to engage the first A-50 C2 system back in January."

On the same day, Ukraine also claimed to have shot down an Ilyushin Il-22 airborne command post.

The A-50, produced by manufacturer Beriev, is a crucial spy plane that allows Russia to detect incoming Ukrainian missiles and identify ground targets. The aircraft can also act as a mobile command-and-control center to direct Russia's air strikes and other attacks. It has a range of over 3,000 miles and can stay airborne for about eight hours.

The plane has been a "key enabler for Russian operations over Ukraine providing airborne early warning of threats as well as command and control functionality," according to British intelligence.

Ukraine claimed it downed a second A-50 in February, though it is not yet clear what weapons were used in this instance.

Russia now only has around 5 operational A-50s left, reports say.

In March, Ukraine also attempted to strike the Beriev manufacturing plant where Russia refurbishes and modernizes its A-50s, the think tank the Institute for the Study of War said.

Russian sources claimed that the plant was repairing an A-50 that had been previously damaged in a drone attack.

• Robert Downey Jr. and Anthony Michael Hall are developing a TV series called "Singularity."
• Hall told Business Insider that Downey Jr. plans to direct the pilot episode, which would mark the Oscar-winner's directorial debut.
• Hall said the series had to be revised due to similarities with "Succession."

Anthony Michael Hall and Robert Downey Jr.'s friendship goes back to the mid-1980s when the two met on the set of the John Hughes classic "Weird Science" and soon after were cast members on "Saturday Night Live."

Though their career trajectories diverged — Hall went from '80s teen idol to character actor, Downey Jr. from unknown to "Iron Man" — the two have remained close friends. In fact, Hall is the godfather of Downey Jr.'s son.

Now, the old friends are in development on a TV series that would mark Downey Jr.'s directorial debut.

"We wrote a TV series together, we're calling it 'Singularity,' and it's based on an idea Downey had," Hall told Business Insider.

Hall said the two have been developing it for years (it was first announced by The Wrap in 2016), and it took even longer to get off the ground once they realized what they wrote was similar to the hugely popular HBO series "Succession."

"We had to change things because it wound up being too similar to 'Succession,'" he said. "What I mean by that is I would have played one of three sons, and the father was this tycoon industrialist. It's more of a comedic tone than 'Succession,' but it mirrored it too much, so we had to change things. Downey and I actually had a Zoom session the other day with a top producer who will hopefully come on board."

Hall also revealed that "Singularity" would mark Downey's directorial debut.

"He might direct the pilot and some other episodes along with being in it," Hall said of Downey Jr. "He's committed to being a part of it."

After four decades in the business on screen, Hall said he's focusing more on work behind the scenes. Along with developing "Singularity," Hall also wrote a feature script that he plans to direct.

"It has been a passion and desire for me to do that for many years now," Hall said of trying his hand as a writer-director. "It's the next evolution in my career, being behind the camera." 

• The US Navy has spent over six months battling the Houthis in the Red Sea.
• It's a resource-consuming conflict with no end in sight, raising questions about sustainability.
• Experts say the Houthis are managing to threaten shipping lanes despite the US Navy's efforts.

The US Navy warships deployed to the Middle East have found themselves locked in a high-tempo operating environment as they work around the clock to battle unprecedented attacks from a restless enemy.

The Houthis have proven to be a wily and formidable foe. Five months after rounds of US-led coalition airstrikes to "disrupt and degrade" their capabilities, the militants continue to wreak havoc. They're routinely forcing the US-led task force to intercept their missiles, bomb boats, and flying drones that have turned shipping lanes in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden into a dangerous — and deadly — corridor.

The Houthis have struck multiple ships in the last week, and US officials say these attacks are unlikely to end anytime soon, raising concerns the US is stuck in a costly and unsustainable standoff.

The Houthis have managed to drag Washington into a prolonged, expensive, resource-depleting conflict and driven shipping costs much higher. While no American warships have been hit, the US must bear the growing financial costs and wear and tear to its warships.

Through their campaign, the rebels have not only proven their role as a formidable asset in Iran's proxy network, but they've also demonstrated that they're more than capable of threatening commercial shipping again in the future.

Is the US military's approach sustainable?

US naval forces have expended a significant amount of resources battling the Houthis since the fall.

The Dwight D. Eisenhower Carrier Strike Group, which consists of the aircraft carrier Ike and several other warships, has fired off more than 500 munitions during its deployment, and its aircraft have flown tens of thousands of hours, Navy officials have disclosed in recent weeks.

The spent munitions alone account for nearly $1 billion, Secretary of the Navy Carlos Del Toro revealed in mid-April, although that figure has certainly gone up in the two months since. This figure, by itself, underscores the growing financial drain of America's naval presence in the region, and it doesn't include the other costs that help sustain the operation.

Business Insider asked the Pentagon and US Central Command for the total cost of counter-Houthi operations but is yet to receive a response.

The US has relied on expensive missiles to destroy Houthi weapons that cost a fraction of the $2.1 million SM-2 interceptor, for instance, but experts say the Pentagon can sustain the increasing missile expenditures for what could be years. What's more of a concern for the US, they say, is sustaining the warships from which these munitions are being launched.

Director of National Intelligence Avril Haines warned last month that the Houthis are likely to remain active for some time. Elements of the Eisenhower strike group have already left the Red Sea once to be rearmed and resupplied, and the Pentagon recently extended its monthslong deployment for a second time.

"As long as we continue to have the will to do this, we can sustain this," retired Gen. Joseph Votel, who served as the CENTCOM commander in the 2010s, told Business Insider. "We're big enough, we have enough capability and capacity to do that. What will matter will be the will of whether we want to continue to pursue this."

A spokesperson for the White House National Security Council said the US remains committed to fighting the Houthis because the rebels remain a "very viable threat" and are still causing problems for shipping companies.

"We will continue to do everything that we can to knock that steel out of the sky and make sure that our Navy is fully prepared to do so," John Kirby told reporters at a Tuesday briefing when asked by BI about the sustainability of the mission.

"We believe it's still vital, and we're going to treat it that way when it comes to resourcing it," he added.

The US has taken several steps to degrade Houthi capabilities with firepower of its own. American forces have conducted several rounds of joint strikes with the UK, targeting rebel facilities and assets across Yemen, and unilaterally destroyed missiles and drones before they can be launched.

The Pentagon has asserted that these routine actions have managed to help degrade the Houthis' capabilities. Haines, however, said they have been "insufficient" to stop the rebels, and experts agree that the US military strategy has largely been unsuccessful.

"I think, unfortunately, the Biden administration has settled into a rhythm where, because of the Houthi attacks on commercial shipping, they feel like they have to do something," Brian Finucane, the senior advisor for the US program at the International Crisis Group, told BI.

"And as is all-too-often the case, that 'do something' is respond militarily, even if the military option is not particularly effective at bringing about an end to them," said Finucane, a former lawyer at the US State Department.

The US, in its strikes, has gone after radars, weapons storage facilities, launch sites, and other rebel assets in Yemen, but the Pentagon has stopped short of taking its military response "to the next level," Votel said. "We are largely defending and blunting, and not trying to remove the capacity that the Houthis actually have."

An 'unstable and unsure' future

For years, the Houthis' destabilizing activities were kept to a regional level, as the rebels fought a catastrophic civil war with Yemen's internationally recognized government and against Saudi Arabia, its neighbor to the north.

But the attacks on commercial shipping have thrust the Houthis onto the world stage. By participating in attacks on Israel and Western naval forces, the rebels have attempted to position themselves as a valuable member of Iran's regional proxy network. More tangibly, though, they have managed to throw a wrench into the workings of a major shipping route, impacting the world economy.

As of February, for instance, shipping through the Red Sea — which normally accounts for up to 15% of international maritime trade — had declined by around 90% since December 2023, according to a Defense Intelligence Agency report published on Thursday. Ships that take an alternate route around Africa add time and money to their journeys.

The impact of these attacks, which have affected the interests of at least 65 countries, is a win for the rebels.

"They seem to have succeeded in disrupting one of the primary national security interests that we have in the region, and that is the free flow of commerce and goods through the waters of the region," Votel said. "That's got to be viewed as a success from their standpoint."

The Houthis have claimed that their actions are in response to Israeli military action in Gaza, itself a response to Hamas' Oct. 7 massacre, but US officials have pushed back on these claims, citing the wide range of countries that have been impacted by the maritime attacks.

Whether a new, lasting ceasefire in Gaza pushes the Houthis to stop their attacks remains to be seen. Notably, the rebels did not adhere to the first ceasefire between Israel and Hamas in November.

Even if the Houthis do stop their attacks as a result of a ceasefire, experts warn that the rebels have demonstrated they retain the weaponry to target shipping lanes whenever they want — a strategy they could always turn to down the road if they contest any sort of regional development, like Israeli military action.

"We are set for a very unstable and unsure period in the foreseeable future," Farzin Nadimi, a senior fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy and an expert on the Persian Gulf region, told BI. "There is a possibility that [the] Houthis will continue to assert some form of control over the shipping traffic in the Red Sea and Bab al-Mandab [Strait]."

Ultimately, any near-term solution to the Houthi conflict this time around may not actually address the long-term threat that the rebels pose, experts say, and the Biden administration's current military approach seems unlikely to permanently fix the problem.

"There's no easy military solution to the various challenges that the Houthis pose," Finucane said. "It's going to require a longer-term political diplomatic process."

For now, though, the Houthi attacks are certain to continue. Over the past week alone, the rebels have struck multiple commercial vessels, even hitting one with an explosive-laden drone boat for the first time — something they've failed to do in previous attempts.

Several Western nations, including the US, are keeping their warships in the region, ready to shoot down missiles and drones at a moment's notice. But with a Gaza ceasefire still out of reach — seemingly the only short-term way that the Houthi attacks might end — these countries are unlikely to pack up and head home anytime soon.

"We have to expect the Houthis will maintain at their current pace for some time," Nadimi said. "Therefore, the Western navies in the region are facing this challenge — whether they can sustain their assets."

• Barbara Fleischman is an art collector and board member for many New York cultural institutions.
• She recently celebrated her 100th birthday, but still puts on events and works out.
• Staying busy and active, and having close friendships may have helped her live so long. 

Barbara Fleischman, 100, has had a more illustrious life than most.

Originally from Detroit, she and her husband, the art dealer Lawrence Arthur Fleischman, moved to New York City in 1966, where they made their mark on the metropolis over 50 years.

Fleischman volunteered for major organizations including Planned Parenthood and The Juilliard School, and has been a trustee of the New York Public Library for 40 years. Her husband served on a White House advisory committee on American art under Presidents Kennedy and Johnson, and co-founded the Archives of American Art at the Smithsonian Institution. Thanks to their philanthropy, the couple had a gallery named after them at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in 1983. They also found time to have two children, now 70 and 74.

"I've just been a lucky lady all my life. First with a great husband, great daughters, wonderful friends, interesting activities, and a reasonable amount of good health," Fleischman told Business Insider. "I am just blessed."

In 1997, her husband died, and in September 2023, Fleischman left her "pretty big apartment" near the United Nations headquarters in New York to move into the Sunrise at East 56th assisted living home after her balance began to fail. Otherwise, she's still active and healthy.

Fleischman's privileged life likely helped her reach 100 in good health, and genetics probably played a part, too. But what she says are her secrets to healthy aging are accessible to most of us: She's not interested in longevity clinics favored by biohackers, for instance, which can cost tens of thousands of dollars.

Here are three habits Fleischman has kept up across her life that may have helped her reach triple digits.

Staying busy and always learning

Fleischman stays busy in the care home by continuing to organize cultural events and talks for her fellow residents, featuring speakers from the Metropolitan Museum of Art, The New York Public Library, and Carnegie Hall, to name a few.

"I've been able to use my connections and friendships to invite people from organizations across the city to come and speak," she said, "and I think people have really enjoyed it."

Staying busy, or having lots of tasks to do and little spare time, was linked to better cognition in older adults in one 2016 study, as well as better memory and faster processing of information.

Fleischman also continues to learn at the assisted living center, including by watching video lectures about music from Juilliard.

Learning as we age could help maintain cognitive function and slow the decline of spatial skills and memory, according to a 2018 study.

Exercising

Growing up, Fleischman was not an "exercise freak," she said, but she's started working with a personal trainer to improve her balance and has "taken it in strides."

Being fit is an obvious way to improve longevity, and maintaining balance is an important part of that because it helps to prevent falls. The authors of a 2022 study found those aged over 50 were less likely to die within 10 years if they could stand on one foot for more than 10 seconds, and concluded that poor balance is a marker of shorter life expectancy.

According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, falls are the leading cause of injury-related death in people who are 65 or older.

BI's Gabby Landsverk recently reported on some of the best exercises for longevity and balance that don't require a gym.

Strong relationships

"I have loads of friendships," Fleischman said, many of whom she made through her work.

"It's a pleasure to work together for a common cause and find that you have a lot in common," she added.

She also had a "wonderful marriage" with her late husband.

Strong relationships are thought to be key to longevity. One 2019 study found that women who had an active social life were 41% more likely to reach age 85 than those who were isolated.

Research also shows that older people who volunteer are more likely to be physically and mentally healthier, happier, and satisfied.

Fleischman, who calls herself a "professional volunteer," has been doing so her whole life, and says that helping others "gives her pleasure."

• Supercommuters travel at least 75 miles or three hours to get to their jobs.
• Business Insider spoke with three supercommuters about the reasons they supercommute to work.
• One commuter said she has the best of both worlds when traveling from NYC to Michigan.

Over the last few years, many US workers have found themselves traveling farther to get to work but going into the office less often, thanks to hybrid work models.

They routinely wake up before sunrise to venture at least 75 miles to their workplace or spend at least three hours commuting to their job. Some of these supercommuters could move closer to their office, but they choose not to.

Business Insider spoke with three commuters who have traveled through multiple states to get to work each week. They shared the main reason they refused to move closer to their jobs.

Flying to Michigan weekly for work gave this New Yorker the best of both worlds

When BI spoke with Susan Miller in April, she had already been supercommuting for over two years.

The college professor shared how she lived in New York City but was flying to Ann Arbor, Michigan, weekly to teach at the University of Michigan Ross School of Business.

The 500-mile flight only takes two hours each way and costs her between $120 and $250 for a roundtrip ticket. The school doesn't cover her commute, but Miller uses her airline credit card to rack up miles and discounts.

"I enjoy the fresh air from the lakes and the nature of the Midwest, as opposed to city life," Miller told BI.

At the same time, the professor said she loves returning home to take advantage of everything that makes New York City exciting and interesting.

Living in the Delaware suburbs on an NYC salary made this four-state commute worth it

Kyle Rice started traveling from Wilmington, Delaware, to NYC every morning for work in February.

Even though Rice traveled 125 miles through four states to reach his project manager job at an EMS software company, it only took him two hours to get to work each day on the Amtrak and subway.

"I'd never consider relocating to NYC because it wouldn't be smart financially," Rice told BI.

His new six-figure job allowed him to double his salary, but he was spending $1,510 monthly on commuting. First, he'd drive eight minutes to Amtrak and catch the 6:30 a.m. train from Wilmington to Newark, New Jersey. That ride took an hour and 37 minutes.

Then Rice would hop on the PATH in Newark and ride that railway for 30 minutes into NYC. Despite the traveling expense and time, Rice said his home in Delaware is way more affordable than living in New York City.

When BI interviewed Rice in May, his job had shifted his in-office schedule from daily to twice a week.

Traveling from LA to New York four times a month made this flight attendant happier

In 2023, flight attendant Malick Mercier moved to Los Angeles to live in a place with more creatives. But he was still a New York crew member.

"I knew that there'd be more creative people in Los Angeles, and I was finding myself really happy here on layovers," Mercier told BI.

Four times a month, he'd spend between five and eight hours commuting from LA to New York, and he said it wasn't easy. The airline worker would sometimes have to take three buses just to get to the Los Angeles International Airport before starting his 2,400-mile flight to work. And he'd book his ticket the night before or the day of his commute.

Mercier said occasionally getting to work on time was risky, but he always made it. His love and passion for his job made it all worth it.

"Plenty of people are like, 'Is it worth it?' And I feel like, yes, because this is my dream."

If you're a supercommuter or tried supercommuting and want to share your story, email Manseen Logan at mlogan@businessinsider.com.