profile

The SOFX Report

Iran Aspired to Attack California with Drones, FBI Says

Published 7 days ago • 5 min read

Was this Email Forwarded to You?

​Subscribe!​

Major Developments

SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES

 

FBI Warns Iran May Launch Drone Attack on California

The FBI warned California police that Iran aspired to launch a drone attack on the West Coast from a vessel at sea, according to an alert reviewed by ABC News. The bureau had no details on timing, targets, or method of the alleged attack.

A source familiar with the memo told the Los Angeles Times that the warning was based on intelligence received by the U.S. Coast Guard, but stressed that the information has not been verified. “It has not been deemed credible at this time,” the source said. (Read More)​

Pentagon Obtained, Tested Suspected Havana Syndrome Device from Russia, Sources Say

The U.S. government reportedly spent $15 million to acquire a device believed to be behind Havana Syndrome, according to a CBS 60 Minutes investigation. The backpack-sized weapon, allegedly purchased from Russian criminal sources, can fire a directed microwave beam through walls.

Testing on animals at military labs reportedly produced neurological injuries consistent with what victims have described since 2016. (Read More)​

Strike on Iranian Girls' School Likely Caused by Outdated U.S. Targeting Data

A preliminary investigation reportedly found that outdated targeting data likely caused an American Tomahawk missile to strike an elementary school in Minab, Iran, on Feb. 28, killing more than 150 students, according to multiple U.S. officials and sources.

The Defense Intelligence Agency allegedly provided targeting information that identified the school as a military site, though the compound had served as an IRGC base until roughly 15 years ago. The Pentagon said the investigation remains ongoing. (Read More)​

SPONSORED

Continue the Mission. Join UG Solutions.

Stability Requires Strength.

​UG Solutions operates at the intersection of security, stabilization, and secured aid in politically complex environments. Structured under a contractor-centric model, our people are the capability.

We scale rapidly, deploy reliably, and integrate security, intelligence, and civilian interface to ensure programs function as intended.

Governments and partners trust UG when outcomes must be delivered with discipline, speed, and operational credibility.
The Tear Line

QUICK UPDATES

CONFLICT UPDATES

➤ The IRGC hit multiple commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, including the Thai-flagged Mayuree Naree, which caught fire and forced its 23-person crew to abandon ship. An American oil tanker was also struck in the northern Persian Gulf. (Read More)​

➤ Hezbollah fired more than 150 rockets into northern Israel, with the IRGC calling it a "joint and integrated operation" with Tehran. Five people were wounded when a rocket hit a home in the Upper Galilee. (Read More)​

➤ A drone strike set three fuel tanks ablaze at Oman's Port of Salalah, shutting down port operations. Oman's sultan called Iran's president to condemn the attack, the second hit on an Omani port this month. (Read More)​

SECURITY UPDATES

➤ A retired Air Force general who ran classified space and weapons programs went missing in Albuquerque, New Mexico on February 27. The FBI has now asked 600 residents for security footage in the search for Maj. Gen. William McCasland. (Read More)​

➤ Three brothers were arrested for bombing the U.S. Embassy in Oslo on March 8, when an IED hit the consular entrance without injuries. The suspects, in their 20s with Iraqi heritage, may have acted for a foreign government. (Read More)​

➤ Poland launched a criminal investigation into Jeffrey Epstein's ties to the country, with prosecutors examining whether women and minors were recruited and trafficked for sexual exploitation. (Read More)​

TECHNOLOGY UPDATES

➤ New footage appears to show a Ukrainian laser burning through a fiber-optic drone cable mid-flight. Fiber-optic drones are considered nearly unjammable, making a laser countermeasure a significant development. (Read More)​

➤ A Chinese AI startup posted satellite imagery of U.S. bases before Iran struck several of the same sites, identifying F-22s, AWACS jets, and carrier groups in Mandarin on X. The Shanghai startup only joined the platform in January as the buildup began. (Read More)​

➤ The B-21 Raider was photographed receiving aerial fuel for the first time, linking up with a KC-135 Stratotanker during a five-and-a-half-hour test flight over eastern California at 23,000 feet. (Read More)​

SPONSORED

Biometric Solutions For Identity Management

Experience fast, secure, and scalable identity management with Parsons’ Ares™ product suite, a modern biometric solution built for mission-critical environments.
​
Ares™ streamlines the collection, matching, and management of biometric data across mobile, desktop, and server platforms, giving defense, law enforcement, and security operators the power to verify identities anywhere in the world.
​
Its centralized, FBI-certified architecture simplifies deployment, reduces integration challenges, and delivers rapid, reliable results in both tactical environments or enterprise-scale infrastructures. From multi-modal biometric capture to seamless device management and real-time reporting, Ares™ provides the end-to-end capability agencies need to make confident, data-driven decisions. Elevate your operational advantage with the technology designed to perform when it matters most.
Special Interest

SPECIAL CATEGORY

➤ A former intelligence officer personally affected by Havana Syndrome published an essay on War on the Rocks arguing the CIA spent years burying evidence of a foreign-built weapon. The piece lands differently now that CBS 60 Minutes reported the Pentagon acquired and tested the suspected device.

➤ Amazon called an emergency engineering meeting after four outages in a single week were traced to AI-generated code changes, including a 13-hour incident where one tool autonomously deleted live production systems. Engineers now need senior sign-off before deploying AI-written code.

➤ Platformer's Casey Newton discovered Grammarly had been using his name and dozens of other journalists' identities to sell AI-generated "expert reviews" without permission or compensation. The feature attributes fake editing advice to real writers like John Carreyrou and Kara Swisher, who called the company "rapacious information and identity thieves."

On this day in history: On March 12th, 1947, President Truman asked Congress for $400 million in aid to Greece and Turkey to counter Soviet expansion, declaring the U.S. would defend nations resisting foreign subjugation. The speech launched the containment strategy that shaped American foreign policy for decades.
Special Interest

SENTIMENT COLLECTION

Yesterday’s Results:

Would you support or oppose a mandatory military service requirement?

  1. Support (71.6%)
  2. Oppose (21%)
  3. My country already requires it (0.2%)
  4. Unsure / Maybe (7.2%)

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

ASSIGNMENTS

Security and Intelligence
All Source Intelligence Analyst Defense Division Remote, US
Armorer Defense Division Remote, US
Austere Medic Defense Division Remote, US
Comms & Command Systems Instructor Defense Division Remote, US
Cultural Support Officer Defense Division Worldwide
Emergency Care Medical Provider Defense Division Remote, US
Generator Mechanic Defense Division Remote, US
International Humanitarian Security Officer Defense Division Worldwide
Interpreter Defense Division Remote, US
Logistics Officer Defense Division Remote, US
Security Director Defense Division Remote, US
Security Operations Chief Defense Division Remote, US
Security Team Lead Defense Division Remote, US
Targeter Defense Division Remote, US
Vehicle Mechanic Defense Division Remote, US

SPONSORED

Most people are operating with blind spots they don’t even realize they have. Former SEAL Sam Havelock built Wired to Win after seeing brilliant people make misaligned choices simply because they never learned how they’re wired.

In one hour, you get a research-grade assessment revealing your behavioral patterns, motivators, communication tendencies, and the environments where you perform at your best. You’ll walk away with two full reports, a guidebook, and a book of AI prompts that help you apply your insights immediately.

If you want better outcomes, start with better self-data. Wired to Win gives you exactly that. And with our Golden Guarantee, if the reports don’t give you clarity, you get 100% of your money back, no questions asked.

​​​Start Your Assessment Today → ​​​

Was this Email Forwarded to You?

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​

Copyright © 2025 SOFX Inc. All rights reserved.

The SOFX Report

The leading report for decision makers in the Special Operations, Private Military, and Clandestine Services community.

Join 70,000+ decision makers who get The SOFX Report delivered daily.

Read more from The SOFX Report
(Midjourney / SOFX Team)

Was this Email Forwarded to You? Subscribe! (Midjourney / SOFX Team) SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES Eight Out of Ten AI Chatbots Helped Users Plan School Shootings and Bombings Researchers posing as 13-year-olds tested ten major AI chatbots across 720 scenarios involving school shootings, assassinations, and bombings. Eight out of ten platforms provided actionable guidance, including weapon sourcing and target selection, more than half the time. ChatGPT provided campus maps, while Google Gemini...

about 9 hours ago • 5 min read
A man stands at the site of a drug users rehabilitation hospital destroyed in what the Taliban said was a Pakistani air strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 17, 2026. (REUTERS/Sayed Hassib)

Was this Email Forwarded to You? Subscribe! A man stands at the site of a drug users rehabilitation hospital destroyed in what the Taliban said was a Pakistani air strike in Kabul, Afghanistan, March 17, 2026. (REUTERS/Sayed Hassib) SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES Pakistan Kills More Than 400 in Airstrike on Kabul Drug Rehabilitation Hospital The Taliban government said a Pakistani military airstrike hit the Omid Addiction Treatment Hospital, a 2,000-bed drug rehabilitation facility in Kabul’s Police...

1 day ago • 5 min read
Three Israeli Air Force F-35I Adir stealth fighters fly in formation en route to strike targets in Iran. (Israeli Air Force via X)

Was this Email Forwarded to You? Subscribe! Three Israeli Air Force F-35I Adir stealth fighters fly in formation en route to strike targets in Iran. (Israeli Air Force via X) SIGNIFICANT ACTIVITIES Peter Thiel Brings Antichrist Lecture Series to the Vatican's Doorstep Palantir co-founder Peter Thiel is delivering a four-part invitation-only lecture series on the Antichrist in Rome, blending tech-futurism with apocalyptic theology steps from the Vatican. The lectures come as Pope Leo XIV has...

2 days ago • 6 min read