Banner - Hamas Attack on Israel (Oct 2023)

Israel Under Attack

October 7, 2023 SOF News 0

Hamas terrorists crossed Israel’s border from the Gaza Strip (CIA Map) by land (including tunnels), sea, and air (hang gliders) to conduct surprise multipronged attacks against military and civilian targets in central and southern Israel early on Saturday, 7 October […]

U.S. pulls support for Yemen conflict

Yemen: U.S. Pulling Support

February 9, 2021 SOF News 0

The Biden administration wasted very little time in setting a course correction in the United States role in the Yemen conflict. Citing humanitarian issues (as well as other concerns) it has decided to eliminate support for offensive operations provided to […]

Map Middle East

Middle East Update – January 2021

January 31, 2021 SOF News 0

Recent news, analysis, and commentary about the Middle East – politics, conflict, Iraq withdrawal, and great power competition. Security Overview CENTCOM Now Has Israel. In his last week in office President Trump ordered that U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) add Israel […]

Iranian Proxy Groups

JSOU Paper: Iranian Proxy Groups in the Middle East

January 14, 2021 SOF News 0

The Iranian regime maintains a network of proxies including Lebanese Hezbollah, various Shiite militias in Iraq, the Houthis in Yemen, and foreign fighters in Syria. This paper by the Joint Special Operations University (JSOU) provides a look at the problem […]

Quarterly Report to Congress OIR Summer 2020

DoD IG Report On OIR – Aug 2020

August 13, 2020 SOF News 0

A report to Congress by the Lead Inspector General for Operation Inherent Resolve has been published online. The 136-page PDF covers the period of April 1 to June 30, 2020. The publication summarizes the quarter’s key events in the fight […]

DoD Quarterly Report OIR August 2019

DoD Quarterly Report on OIR (August 2019)

August 7, 2019 John Friberg 0

The Department of Defense Office of Inspector General has posted the quarterly report to Congress on OIR. The report covers the period of April 1, 2019 to June 30, 2019. The report is entitled Lead Inspector General for Operation Inherent […]

Map of Syria and Iraq (CJTF-OIR)

Middle East War News Update 20171022

October 22, 2017 SOF News 0

ME Update 20171022 – Russia helping the Kurds, Iranian proxies gain ground in northern Iraq, Syrian Kurds advance into oil fields, stabilizing Mosul, Raqqa and governance, Iranian influence in Yemen, Salafism in Gaza, British jihadists, and more. Iraq Iranian Proxies Advancing […]

Map of Jordan

Middle East War News Update – 20171019

October 19, 2017 SOF News 0

Middle East Update – ISIS downfall in Iraq and Syria, Iranian influence grows, Kurds lose out, easy victory for Baghdad, Raqqa cleared of ISIS (almost), Iraqi elections coming soon, and more. Hawija Offensive. The last urban stronghold of the Islamic […]

US artillery unit providing fire support to Iraqi government forces in the offensive to take Mosul from the Islamic State.

Mosul Offensive – Now in Phase II

January 5, 2017 SOF News 0

The Fight Continues – Phase II. After a two-week lull in the action in the waning days of December the Iraqi military and its allies (Kurdish Peshmerga, Iran proxy militias, etc.) have re-started the campaign to re-capture Mosul. Phase II […]

Fall of Aleppo - Map depicting location of Aleppo, Syria (red circle). (Map from CIA 2007).

The Fall of Aleppo – and the Aftermath

December 23, 2016 SOF News 0

The recent fall of Aleppo to Syrian government forces signals a new turn of events for the long, confusing, and complex conflict. Read some recent news articles, analysis, maps, and commentary about the fall of Aleppo and the future of […]