Was this Email Forwarded to You?

Cochliomyia hominivorax, the New World screwworm fly, a parasitic species whose larvae infest the tissue of living animals. (Credit: Lidya Elfa Sari / Shutterstock)

SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES

DARPA Joins U.S. Fight Against Flesh-Eating Screwworm

The Pentagon’s research arm, DARPA, is responding to the resurgence of the flesh-eating New World Screwworm (NWS) in the U.S. through its newly launched GUARDIAN program, which aims to develop advanced biological and genetic tools to counter invasive species.

The response follows USDA detection of the first NWS case in decades in a 3-week-old calf in south Texas on June 3. The USDA has reported nine NWS cases as of June 11. (Read More)

False Anthrax Alarm Triggers Hours-Long Pentagon Lockdown

The Pentagon locked down several floors and conducted a partial evacuation early Thursday after a sensor flagged the possible presence of anthrax.

A CNN source said the system was malfunctioning, resulting in a false alarm. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said follow-up testing “confirmed no hazard exists.” Around 1 p.m., Parnell announced that the lockdown was lifted and normal operations had resumed. (Read More)

U.K. Defense Secretary Resigns Over Spending Plan

U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey resigned Thursday over the government’s Defence Investment Plan, warning it falls short of what is needed to address growing security threats, including a potential Russian aggression.

Hours later, junior defense minister Al Carns also stepped down over similar concerns. Prime Minister Keir Starmer appointed Dan Jarvis as the new defense secretary. (Read More)

Cyber Dominance Starts Here

Mission success requires more than defense. It demands the ability to anticipate, adapt, and act faster than emerging threats. Parsons delivers cyber and intelligence solutions that drive operational superiority across every mission, helping government and defense organizations stay ahead in an increasingly complex battlespace. Using advanced cyber operations, Zero Trust architectures, AI and machine learning analytics, and mission-focused software, we turn data into actionable intelligence and speed decision-making at every level.

Our experts support offensive and defensive cyber operations, vulnerability research, threat hunting, reverse engineering, data science, and critical infrastructure protection to strengthen resilience where it matters most. From securing weapon systems and enterprise networks to modernizing operational technology and developing next-generation cyber capabilities, we deliver solutions built for speed, scale, and mission impact.

Explore Our Cyber And Intelligence Solutions →

QUICK UPDATES

CONFLICT UPDATES

➤ President Donald Trump said he canceled scheduled strikes on Iran after Tehran's leadership approved a draft deal to extend the ceasefire, reopen the Strait of Hormuz and begin 60 days of nuclear talks. Iran has not publicly confirmed any agreement. (Read More)

➤ Ukrainian drones struck and damaged four bridges linking Kherson to Crimea overnight on Thursday, according to Russian-installed head of occupied Kherson Oblast Vladimir Saldo. He said the targets included the automobile bridge in the Perekop–Armiansk area, a bridge near Stavky, and two bridges near Myrne and Preobrazhenka over the North Crimean Canal. (Read More)

➤ Amnesty International accused Israel of carrying out “ethnic cleansing” of Palestinians in the occupied West Bank as part of a campaign aimed at annexation. Its report cited UN data indicating at least 117 villages have faced partial or total displacement due to settler attacks. Israel rejected the claims. (Read More)

SECURITY UPDATES

➤ The FBI has seized 13 websites it says were part of a Chinese operation targeting U.S. workers with access to classified or sensitive information. Officials said the sites posed as consulting firms offering fake jobs to current and former U.S. government and military personnel but were actually used to gather intelligence. (Read More)

➤ The 2026 FIFA World Cup, which opened Thursday across the United States, Mexico and Canada, faces a surge of cyber threats, with researchers at Arctic Wolf tracking more than 10,000 malicious tournament-themed domains created since January. (Read More)

➤ The U.K. is sending additional police to Northern Ireland after two nights of violent unrest linked to an alleged knife attack involving an immigrant suspect. Scotland is deploying 90 officers to support 200 others already sent from across the U.K. after protesters set fires, attacked police with projectiles, and harassed immigrant healthcare workers. (Read More)

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES

➤ A Forbes article argues that U.S. Navy infrastructure near the Mexican border, particularly Naval Base San Diego, may be vulnerable to low-cost FPV “kamikaze” drone attacks. It cites Border Patrol data showing about 27,000 drone detections near the southern border in late 2024. (Read More)

➤ Taiwan fired U.S.-made Altius-600 attack drones at maritime targets for the first time during west-coast live-fire drills held last week. Taiwan's army received roughly 2,000 of the Anduril-built drones, each ranging 99 miles. (Read More)

➤ Airbus unveiled at the ILA Berlin air show the U760 Ravenstorm, a new uncrewed collaborative combat aircraft designed for air-to-air, air-to-ground and electronic warfare missions. The company expects to field the drone in the early 2030s. (Read More)

Advanced Networking At Mission Speed

StreamCaster NEXUS integrates the next generation SM5200 MANET radio, providing high-fidelity video, voice and IP data communications with optimized output power and data throughput to maximize network performance.

At the heart of the SM5200 is Silvus' proprietary MN-MIMO waveform technology that is capable of linking hundreds of nodes (550+) with unmatched range, data throughput, EW resilience and scalability. Delivering up to 100 Mbps throughput and 4W effective output power, the SM5200 can be combined with the StreamCaster NEXUS via a quick-release, snap-lock system or used as a standalone radio for mission-critical operations.

Learn More →

SPECIAL CATEGORY

➤ In 2002, National Geographic TV producers sent a “Swiss Army knife” robo-crawler called Pyramid Rover into a narrow, unexplored shaft in the Queen’s Chamber of the Great Pyramid of Giza. The mission revealed a rare view inside the structure and uncovered ancient red masons’ marks, offering direct evidence of its builders.

➤ NASA named U.S. Army Col. Frank Rubio to the four-person crew of the 2027 Artemis III mission, which will rehearse for the first crewed landing at the moon's South Pole. Rubio holds the American record for the longest single spaceflight at 371 days.

➤ A Guardian essay challenges “AI absolutism,” the belief that artificial intelligence is destined to either usher in a technological utopia or trigger widespread societal collapse. While acknowledging AI’s growing economic impact and its role in some tech industry layoffs, the piece argues that claims of widespread, across-the-board job replacement are often exaggerated.

On this day in history: On June 12th, 1987, President Ronald Reagan stood at the Brandenburg Gate in West Berlin and challenged Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall," a defining Cold War appeal delivered as the Berlin Wall still divided the city.

SENTIMENT COLLECTION

Do you use social media as a source of news more than traditional media outlets?

Yes

Unsure

Yesterday’s Results:

Who do you think will win the 2028 Presidential Election?

Marco Rubio (40.9%)
JD Vance (39.9%)
Other (13.9%)
Gavin Newsom (4.1%)
Kamala Harris (1.2%)

n=655

Have a question you would like polled? Email us at editor@sofx.com

Built for the toughest environments, trusted for mission-critical performance. MilDef delivers rugged, customizable technology solutions that keep defense operations moving—where reliability, speed, and adaptability matter most.

Learn More →

Was this Email Forwarded to You?

Subscribe!

About SOFX: We are an independent media and communications technology company reporting on the conflicts, security, and technology issues impacting your lives and businesses. SOFX was founded by former special operations & intelligence professionals, not career journalists or Big Tech / Big Media.

Have feedback for us? We want to hear any and all comments you may have. Contact us at editor@sofx.com.

This email was sent to Reader

You've received it because you've subscribed to The SOFX Report.

Unsubscribe or Update to Sunday Only