00:02This morning, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has fired another top general at the Pentagon,
00:07just as President Trump is weighing new military strikes against Iran after next week's midterms.
00:12Lieutenant General Brett Sylvia was abruptly removed from his post earlier this week.
00:17He led the Joint Staff Strategy and Planning Office, known as J-5,
00:21which helps develop military plans and advise the chairman of the Joint Chiefs.
00:25No public explanation for his firing and no replacement has been named.
00:30He's the second General Hegseth has removed from that same job in just over a year,
00:34part of a much broader shakeup of the military's top ranks.
00:38And his departure comes at a particularly sensitive time.
00:42The Associated Press reports U.S. officials have warned several Middle Eastern countries
00:46to prepare for possible new American strikes against Iran after Tuesday's elections and potential Iranian retaliation.
00:53But there's also a new diplomatic effort underway.
00:56The Wall Street Journal reports Vice President J.D. Vance sent a letter to Iran's top national security official
01:02trying to restart negotiations.
01:04Trump says he didn't direct Vance to open peace talks, but did give him the okay to reach out.
01:09He described the contact as an effort to get medical supplies to Iranians.
01:14No, what that is, is we, they need help with medical supplies and various things.
01:21He asked me what I thought.
01:23I said, if you want to do that, that's okay.
01:25Basically, it's getting supplies in to help people that are not well.
01:30The Journal reports the outreach hasn't produced a specific peace proposal.
01:34So far, the discussions have focused on whether the two sides can even get negotiations started again.
01:40I say, and now I'm sure you're going to come back here.
01:40The Journal ofaskets
01:41Help me, people.
01:41Help me, people.
01:43descone when I forth with you.
01:43Any questions I'm giving away from Chinese people.
