Confront newspaper defending large international operation (4-4)
I believe the answer is:
face-lift
'operation' is the definition.
(face lift is a kind of operation)
'confront newspaper defending large international' is the wordplay.
'confront' becomes 'face' (synonyms).
'newspaper' becomes 'FT' (Financial Times newspaper).
'defending' means one lot of letters goes inside another (inserted letters are defended).
'large' becomes 'L' (eg in clothes sizes).
'international' becomes 'i' (abbreviation eg in IMF).
'face'+'ft'='faceft'
'l'+'i'='li'
'faceft' enclosing 'li' is 'FACE-LIFT'.
(Other definitions for face-lift that I've seen before include "Cosmetic procedure" , "Surgery to remove wrinkles; sounds elevated" , "Renovation of building or visage?" , "Cosmetic treatment" , "Elevation of visage in cosmetic surgery" .)