@SOFXnetwork profile picture
SOFX @SOFXnetwork

Global conflict & battlefield tech. Publisher of the SOFX Report, trusted by 70K readers.

Joined July 2015
  • Tweets 4,800
  • Following 1,063
  • Followers 3,199
1,773 Photos and videos
U.K. Defense Secretary John Healey resigned on June 11, saying Prime Minister Keir Starmer’s Defence Investment Plan would leave the armed forces without the resources needed to meet growing security threats. Hours later, junior defence minister Al Carns also stepped down. Starmer defended the spending plan and appointed former security minister Dan Jarvis as the new defence secretary.
1
1
88
The Pentagon was locked down and partially evacuated on June 11 after a hazardous materials sensor triggered an alarm and reportedly indicated a possible anthrax presence. Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell said standard protection protocols, including a shelter-in-place order, were implemented. Fire and hazmat teams responded, and by 1:31 p.m. subsequent testing confirmed no hazard existed and normal operations resumed.
2
74
DARPA launched its GUARDIAN program to help combat the resurgence of the flesh-eating New World Screwworm (Cochliomyia hominivorax), following USDA confirmation of the first U.S. case on June 3 in a calf near the Texas-Mexico border. USDA reported nine U.S. cases as of June 11. DARPA says the program will develop new technologies to suppress invasive species that threaten agriculture, food supplies, and national resilience.
2
54
Dino Garner argues that operational success depends on broad proficiency rather than deep specialization. In an essay published June 11, the former 1st Ranger Battalion member describes using a “hundred-tool box” approach, selecting a handful of skills for each mission and refining them through real-world experience. He recommends SOF selection, training, and promotion systems prioritize adaptable operators with diverse competencies over narrowly focused experts and credentials.
3
76
CENTCOM said U.S. forces struck multiple targets in Iran on June 11 at President Donald Trump’s direction, marking a second consecutive night of operations. Iranian state media reported explosions in Bandar Abbas, Qeshm, Gorgan, and Hengam. The strikes followed a U.S. campaign launched after an Army Apache helicopter was downed over the Strait of Hormuz, which U.S. officials attributed to an Iranian drone.
2
2
75
The Guardian, citing Cleanview data and federal drought records, reports that 517 of 809 planned U.S. AI data centers are slated for areas that experienced drought within the past year. Projects backed by Google, Meta, Microsoft, Amazon and others are expanding in drought-affected regions of Utah, Washington, and Texas. Researchers project U.S. data center water use could reach 73 billion gallons annually by 2028, up from about 17 billion gallons in 2023.
53
Anthropic on June 10 released Claude Fable 5, the first public version of its previously restricted Mythos-class AI model. The company said Fable 5 includes safeguards that redirect hacking, biology, and chemistry requests to a less capable model, while Claude Mythos 5 remains limited to select cybersecurity and infrastructure organizations under Project Glasswing. Anthropic said Mythos 5 has identified more than 10,000 critical security flaws during testing.
63
Hundreds of residents fled Tyre’s Christian quarter in southern Lebanon on June 10 after an Israeli airstrike killed 8 people and wounded at least 32, according to Lebanese officials. The evacuation followed Israeli warnings that Hezbollah operatives had infiltrated the area. Israeli military spokesman Col. Avichay Adraee said buildings used for military purposes could be targeted. Hezbollah later said it attacked Israeli soldiers in Maroun al-Ras.
1
42
U.S. Central Command said a U.S. Navy Corsair unmanned surface vessel rescued two U.S. Army soldiers after their AH-64 Apache helicopter went down in the Gulf of Oman on June 9, marking what is believed to be the first military search-and-rescue mission conducted by a drone boat. Operated by Task Force 59, the USV recovered the crew and transferred them for helicopter evacuation. President Donald Trump later said Iran had shot down the Apache, and CENTCOM announced self-defense strikes in response.
2
8
607
A French Rafale fighter on NATO’s Baltic Air Policing mission shot down an unidentified drone over Latvia on June 8 near Berzgale, about 30 km from the Russian border. Latvian authorities said the drone entered the country’s airspace “as a result of Russian electromagnetic warfare.” The incident is the first confirmed case of a NATO aircraft destroying a drone over Latvia under the Baltic Air Policing mission.
1
1
73
NASA’s X-59 quiet supersonic research aircraft completed its first supersonic flight on June 5 from Edwards Air Force Base, California. Test pilot Jim “Clue” Less flew the aircraft to Mach 1.1 (713 mph) and 43,400 feet during an 81-minute mission. Developed with Lockheed Martin Skunk Works under the Quesst program, the X-59 is designed to replace traditional sonic booms with a quieter “thump” to support future overland supersonic travel.
1
75
Ukraine has developed AI-powered interceptor drones that autonomously identify and destroy Russian Shahed attack drones. On June 9, Ukrainian Defense Minister Mykhailo Fedorov said the MaXon Systems platform passed combat testing in the Kharkiv region and automates about 95% of the interception process. Operators select targets and can abort attacks, while onboard AI independently tracks, identifies, and locks onto Shahed drones before engagement.
1
47
The FBI arrested Bereen Dzayee, 25, Bisaam Ghafoor, 21, and Elias Shamsaldeen, 21, on June 6 for allegedly supporting ISIS and providing more than $2,000 they believed would fund attacks on U.S. troops overseas. Prosecutors say the men communicated with a presumed ISIS contact from February 2025 to June 2026, discussed targeting U.S. service members, and explored joining the group abroad.
2
221
Iran launched missiles at Israel on June 8, marking its first direct attack since an April ceasefire. The IDF said air defenses intercepted the missiles and reported no immediate casualties. Hours earlier, Israel struck a Hezbollah command center in Beirut. Israel later responded with airstrikes on military targets in western and central Iran, while President Donald Trump publicly urged Israel not to retaliate.
86
A Wired report published June 8 says Meta embedded facial-recognition code called “NameTag” in its Meta AI app, which powers Ray-Ban and Oakley smart glasses. If enabled, the feature could identify people seen by the glasses and save unrecognized faces in a “pending” folder. Meta disputes claims the feature is near launch, with spokesperson Ryan Daniels stating that “nothing has shipped to consumers” and no final decision has been made.
1
119
Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on June 5 rejected a U.S.-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon, opposing terms requiring Hezbollah fighters to withdraw south of the Litani River and halt attacks. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Beirut would notify Washington of the rejection. Strikes continued in southern Lebanon, where local authorities reported at least four deaths and a U.N. peacekeeper was killed in the crossfire.
2
93
The Five Eyes alliance warned on June 5 that Chinese intelligence operatives are using fake job postings on LinkedIn, Indeed, and Upwork to target government employees, military personnel, journalists, and academics. According to a joint bulletin from Australia, Canada, New Zealand, the UK, and the US, recruits may be asked to produce reports on defense and foreign policy topics before being pressured to provide more sensitive information. China’s embassy in the UK rejected the allegations.
1
55
The Israel Defense Forces announced on June 5 that a female combat soldier became the first woman to complete training for Israel’s elite Sayeret Matkal commando unit. The pilot program began in December 2024, and the soldier completed more than 18 months of training after passing the unit’s selection process. The IDF said she is expected to join operational activities in the near future, subject to military protocols and operational needs.
2
2
107
Researchers at the University of Toronto reported on June 2 that publicly available AI models can power a self-propagating malware worm that adapts its attacks to Linux, Windows, and IoT devices. The study found the worm exploited real-world network vulnerabilities and used infected machines to run AI models, raising concerns that any internet-connected device could become a target or launch point for further attacks.
1
86
An Iranian drone and missile attack on June 4 killed one person and wounded more than 60 at Kuwait International Airport, according to Kuwaiti authorities. Kuwait said Iran launched 30 missiles and drones targeting civilian infrastructure, while Tehran denied responsibility. The strike came as U.S.-Iran ceasefire talks continued, with President Donald Trump saying a broader peace agreement could be reached soon.
2
130
Load more