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US Special Ops Raid Eliminates ISIS’ Next Leader in Syria
Published 11 days ago • 4 min read
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A subscriber provided a phenomenal piece of advice the other day on email. He said: “why don’t you invite subscribers to submit original Articles or OP-Eds for publication on SOFX which will provide them a platform for publishing while providing you additional thought-provoking content on sofx.com that can’t be gotten anywhere else?”
So that’s what we are doing.
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US Raid Kills Future ISIS Leader in Northwest Syria
The United States Central Command (CENTCOM) killed a senior ISIS commander, viewed as the group’s likely future leader, in a pre-dawn raid in Atmeh, near Syria’s border with Turkey, on Wednesday. The coalition targeted Abu Hafs al-Hashimi al-Qurashi, an Iraqi national. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said another Iraqi citizen was killed during the operation. No U.S. troops were killed or injured in the raid. (Read More)
Russian Missiles Strike US-Owned Factory in Western Ukraine
Two Russian cruise missiles struck an American-owned electronics facility in Ukraine’s Zakarpattia region early Thursday, injuring at least 15 people, Ukrainian officials said. The factory, operated by Flex Ltd., a Texas-based electronics manufacturer, is located near Mukachevo, roughly 30 miles from NATO borders with Hungary and Slovakia. The site produced consumer items like coffee machines and had no military links. (Read More)
Russian Gasoline Prices Reach Record Highs After Drone Strikes Cripple Refineries
Wholesale gasoline prices in Russia have hit record levels after Ukrainian drone strikes forced several major refineries offline. On Monday, AI-92 gasoline on the St. Petersburg International Mercantile Exchange rose 1.3% to 71,516 rubles ($885) per ton, while AI-95 climbed 2.2% to 80,430 rubles ($995). Since the beginning of the year, AI-92 has risen by 38%, while AI-95 has surged nearly 49%. (Read More)
Air Force Seeks Shahed-136 Drone Replicas to Test US Defenses
The U.S. Air Force is seeking exact replicas of the Iranian-designed Shahed-136 drone to test new counter-drone systems. According to a request for information posted last week, the service plans to acquire 16 replicas, with an option for 20 more. The drones must match the Shahed’s form, size, propeller placement, and payload capacity of 70 to 100 pounds. (Read More)
Israel Orders 5,000 Xtend FPV Drones for IDF Ground Forces
Israel’s Defense Ministry announced Tuesday that it has awarded a multimillion-dollar contract to Xtend to supply 5,000 first-person view (FPV) drones to the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) Ground Forces. The Defense Procurement Directorate said the contract, managed by its Air and Naval Procurement Unit, is aimed at strengthening Israel’s defense industry while meeting the IDF’s operational needs. The actual cost of the contract was not disclosed. (Read More)
How Your Solar Rooftop Became a National Security Issue | TechCrunch
CISA has flagged vulnerabilities in solar inverters made by Texas-based EG4 Electronics that could let attackers on the same Wi-Fi network take control of the devices. EG4 CEO James Showalter called such attacks unlikely, but the issue affects about 55,000 customers. Experts say inverters have become critical links in modern energy systems, making their security a growing concern. (Read More)
China Steps Up Russian Oil Purchases as India Cuts Back Under US Tariffs
Chinese refiners have secured 15 cargoes of Russian crude for October and November delivery, filling a gap left by reduced Indian demand following new U.S. trade measures, Reuters reported. India has been the top buyer of Russian seaborne oil, taking advantage of discounted prices after some Western countries imposed restrictions on Russian exports following Moscow's 2022 invasion of Ukraine. (Read More)
The Wiretap: The DEA Laundered $19 Million Of Cartel Drug Money Into Cash And Crypto | Forbes
A newly unsealed warrant shows the DEA laundered $19 million for Colombia’s Pecoso cartel over a decade, routing funds through banks and crypto. The effort led directly to two heroin trafficking charges, though former agents say it likely aided other cases. Agents collected cash, sometimes more than $100,000, and converted $150,000 into bitcoin. The DOJ is now seeking to seize crypto from the operation, valued at over $1.5 million. (Read More)
In Rare Admission, Syrian Media Confirms Talks With Israel Over Regional Stability
Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani met with Israel’s Strategic Affairs Minister Ron Dermer in Paris on Tuesday in a U.S.-brokered meeting, Syrian state news agency SANA reported. According to SANA, the talks focused on de-escalating the conflict in southern Syria and reviving the 1974 disengagement agreement between Israel and Syria, which established a U.N.-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights. (Read More)
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Alert Line NSTR. Sam Havelock CEO, SOFX Are you a first time reader? Subscribe. Footage shows a Ukrainian drone strike on a Russian Buyan-M class warship in the Azov Sea, forcing it to retreat from patrol waters near occupied Crimea. (Source: Ukraine’s military intelligence service (HUR) via Telegram) Armed Conflict Open-Source Reporting on Global Conflict Ukrainian Special Forces Strike Russian Kalibr Missile Ship in Azov Sea Ukrainian military intelligence forces struck a Russian...
