Avsnitt
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//The Wire//2300Z July 24, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: TARGETING CONTINUES TO ESCALATE THROUGHOUT MIDDLE EAST. EXPLOSIVES RECOVERED DURING RAID IN IRELAND. SHILOH HENDRIX CONVICTED OF DISORDERLY CONDUCT IN LANDMARK FREE SPEECH CASE.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Middle East: Iranian strikes continue to target American military installations around the region. Most of the American bases in Kuwait have been struck regularly by Iranian drones, and missile attacks remain constant at American positions in Jordan. This morning, the Patriot battery in Erbil was targeted again, with local Iraqis reporting large smoke plumes emitting from the section of the base where the launchers are located. Some successful interceptions of drones were also reported along with the more unconfirmed targeting efforts which can't yet be geolocated or verified with satellite imagery.
Iran: American targeting continues to escalate as well. Airstrikes have been observed in Bandar Abbas, Jask, and Qeshm Island, along with more substantial strikes at the underground missile cities in Khorramabad and Yazd. Coastal targets remain an American priority as the ports and marinas housing small boats using the IRGCN are constantly targeted.
Red Sea/HOA: This afternoon the war between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia flared up once again, with both belligerents trading strikes this evening. The Yemeni port (and Houthi stronghold) of Hodeida was struck, with fires continuing to burn late into the night.
Ireland: This morning an explosive device was discovered during a series of raids throughout the regions near the border with Northern Ireland. One suspect was arrested after a bag containing plastic explosives (allegedly Semtex) and a detonator was discovered in her vehicle.
Analyst Comment: Details are very sketchy and vague, but this incident generally aligns with some of the other incidents that have recently taken place regarding explosives in Northern Ireland or adjacent areas. Much of the time the person arrested in possession of an explosive device is not the actual assailant, but instead transporting a package that they do not know the contents of. What the story is in this case, is not known. However, this is another reminder that even though Northern Ireland might be out of the mainstream news cycle, paramilitary groups are very much active throughout the region, and the causes of the Belfast riots last month have not been forgotten.
-HomeFront-
Minnesota: Last night, after a four day jury trial that involved multiple Somali interpreters, Shiloh Hendrix was convicted of one count of disorderly conduct, for calling a Somalian a name while being harassed on a Rochester playground in May of last year.
Analyst Comment: This landmark First Amendment case is being appealed on the grounds that the judge in the case refused to allow evidence to be presented, verbally abused the defense council in front of the jury, and allowed one the the star witnesses in the case to commit perjury while on the stand.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: Indications and warnings continue to point toward a widening of the war, possibly to include more serious targeting efforts over the next few days/weeks. All American aircraft that were stationed at Al Udeid Airbase in Qatar have been relocated to Ovda Airbase in Israel, and King Hussein International Airport in Jordan, both of which have been targeted by Iran since their movement earlier this week. Otherwise, military aviation has been extremely active throughout the region, with many assets being moved around from base to base.
On the messaging front within the homeland, other more generalized indicators are stacking up too. The media blitz to urge a widening of the war has re-intensified to a staggering degree, to similar levels in the days leading up to the war back in February. Rhetoric from official White House sources has likewise continued to expand the war, with the announced targets now including more tunnels and bridges along with more deliberately civilian infrastructure such as power plants, and water treatment/desalination facilities. All things considered, as the weekend approaches more targeting is likely.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
//The Wire//2100Z July 22, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: IRANIAN TARGETING OF AMERICAN BASES REMAINS SIGNIFICANT. MISSILE THREAT ISSUED FOR LA GUARDIA LAST NIGHT, REPORT QUICKLY DEEMED NOT CREDIBLE.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Kuwait: Strikes on American positions continue to degrade American capabilities. The logistical hub at Camp Doha in Kuwait City was struck overnight, along with possible strikes at the remote HIMARS launch sites in near the Iraqi border. Iran also claimed to have struck the AN/FPS-117 Early Warning radar array at Ahmed al-Jaber Airbase.
Analyst Comment: Unlike all of the other strikes, this site cannot be independently verified or geolocated using current satellite imagery, so it might be a newly constructed site or the Iranians got the names of bases mixed up.
Saudi Arabia: Iranian missile strikes were reported throughout the morning, with unknown success. The oil terminals at Yanbu as well as American positions at Prince Sultan Airbase were targeted, with unknown effect.
Jordan: American positions continue to be struck at Muwaffaq al Salti Airbase, in the vicinity of the strike that killed 3x service members last week. In central Jordan, King Faisal Airbase was targeted as well, with satellite imagery confirming that as of this morning, one of the structures targeted was still on fire. Down south, the American positions at King Hussein International Airport were targeted, as the Iranians attempted to strike the American refueling aircraft that have been parked on the apron for several days. Israeli citizens across the border observed smoke over the mountain ridge in the vicinity of this airport.
Analyst Comment: Now that the Iranians know that their targeting is effective at Muwaffaq, they will continue targeting the same location over and over again. Same with Tower 22, the far-flung base in Jordan's northeastern quadrant, where extensive damage has been noted. Also, the Iranians claim to have unveiled a comparatively new missile system during this wave of attacks; Iran used many of their low-grade missiles during the early days of the war, and now they are occasionally pulling out the newer missiles which have more advanced maneuverability during the terminal phases of the warhead's flight. This might be a contributing factor for why missile interceptions are completely non-existent during some attack waves.
-HomeFront-
New York: Last night, a security incident was reported at La Guardia after a MANPAD alert was issued for the airport. Port Authority Police alerted the tower regarding a threat they had received regarding the potential use of a shoulder-fired Surface-to-Air missile launcher being used to target a civilian airliner. The report was deemed to be not credible almost immediately afterwards, but the alert was still sent out over the radio to all aircraft in the vicinity.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: Sometimes, a few seconds of radio traffic is very illuminating. Listening to the very brief radio exchange between the tower and a Delta flight explaining the issue in New York, perhaps the most telling and concerning detail is that La Guardia possibly has a "MANPAD alert" procedure now. From a counterterrorism perspective this is a good thing, but it's also very disconcerting that this contingency is something that is not only actively being planned for...but already has a procedure drawn up for it. Granted, there's not a whole lot that a commercial airline pilot can do with that information while trying to land, and the rather nonchalant affirmation that no issues have been reported "yet" is only slightly reassuring. But this does go to show that threats within the homeland don't take a break just because eastern Europe and the Middle East are on fire, and the threats to commercial aviation are always on the menu even if most of the concerns are not credible. However, it only takes one credible threat for a very bad day to occur, and this target vector is the epitome of the old counterterrorism saying: We have to be successful in defending ourselves every single time, but the terrorist has to succeed only once.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
Saknas det avsnitt?
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//The Wire//1700Z July 23, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: TARGETING THROUGHOUT MIDDLE EAST CONTINUES TO ESCALATE. CRUDE OIL FUTURES SURGE AS HOUTHIS ENTER THE WAR BY STRIKING TWO SAUDI TANKERS. U.S. HOUSE PASSES 2027 NDAA, WITH SECTION 219 LANGUAGE INTACT. POLICE SHOOTING REPORTED IN WISCONSIN, PROTESTS ALREADY UNDERWAY.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Red Sea/HOA: The Houthis entered the war overnight, striking two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea. The Houthis claim to have targeted the M/T ENCELA and the M/T LAYLIA for attempting to transit the Red Sea to the Saudi oil terminal at Yanbu. The UKMTO confirmed that at least one tanker was struck, but made no mention of the other vessel.
Kuwait: Last night the Abdali Border Checkpoint crossing with Iraq was struck by an unidentified Iranian munition. This morning, satellite imagery became available for the first time in a few days over Ali Al Salem Airbase. At this base, a 50+ meter impact crater is visible directly in the center of a series of barracks buildings. The exact timing of this attack is not known, but the imagery indicates it was conducted sometime over the past week.
-HomeFront-
Wisconsin: Yesterday afternoon a high-profile police shooting was reported in Madison, which involved a man with a knife being shot during a scuffle in the vicinity of Baldwin and Williamson Street. The suspect's identity has not been confirmed yet, however protests and demonstrations broke out immediately after the shooting occurred. More demonstrations were carried out this morning, and more protests are expected over the next few days.
Washington D.C. - Last night, the House of Representatives passed the 2027 National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA), which included the highly controversial Section 219 language intact. This section links the American military industry with Israel, embedding Israeli control of discretionary budgets within the Pentagon. The bill enables the creation of an "Executive Agent" for the Pentagon, which will direct American military technological advancements at the behest of the IDF. The bill now heads to the Senate for approval, where it is expected to pass.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: Following the strikes in the Red Sea, financial markets reacted as Brent crude spiked to over $100/bbl, bringing futures prices back in line with the height of the war months ago. This is an indicator that the flimflammery present in the financial sector can no longer ignore the reality of the situation at hand. Since the war began, a grand game of musical chairs has been played by powerful entities to pretend that everything is fine, but at some point the markets will be forced into accepting reality by the sheer lack of oil. Within a few weeks the music is going to stop, and hard decisions will have to be made. This is why President Trump himself stated on June 17th that the main reason for signing the MOU was to prevent an extremely dire energy crisis, because the US was running out of oil. He directly stated that the US had 4 weeks of oil reserves left, and that if those run out, "bedlam" would be the result.
The Houthi's becoming involved, and proving their dedication by striking oil tankers, is stacking concerns on top of concerns. The war in the Middle East now officially affects three of the most important maritime choke points in the world: the Strait of Hormuz, Bab el Mandeb, and the Suez Canal. Shipping attempting to transit any of these three points will very likely either be targeted directly, or be negatively affected in some way and the other options for securing oil are tightening as well. Venezuela, the nation that has become a proxy state of the US and thusly touted as being a major source of US oil during the Hormuz Crisis...just suffered a catastrophic earthquake that severely damaged infrastructure. Despite this destruction, oil continues to flow, but it was only ever half a million barrels per day before the war, and it's hard to imagine that an earthquake would make that export any easier. The war in Ukraine now including the daily mutual targeting of Russian and Ukrainian tanker vessels further squeezes an already dire situation. Even if the US does not use Russian oil, petroleum is a commodity...a scarcity in one place on earth affects the whole world because supply is reduced and demand remains the same.
Over the past few days, most indications and warnings point to a widening of the war in the Middle East. The US has flown a lot of assets into the region, and has relocated many other assets based on the assumption that American bases will continue to be struck. The Israelis are starting to prepare their larger civil defense bunkers in preparation for large-scale ballistic missile strikes, and PM Netanyahu is scheduled to visit the US sometime this week, though the schedule has not been finalized. Glancing at mainstream media right now results in an onslaught of commentary urging strikes on Iran...you can't turn on the television without hearing the words "Pickaxe Mountain" in the context of a random ex-General urging strikes on this bunker complex, which is impervious to everything but a subterranean nuclear detonation.
Nothing on the table right now points to de-escalation, in fact, all indications align with a return to the full-scale bombing campaign of the early days of the war. It's always possible to suddenly switch back to diplomacy and not restart major operations, but wars are usually fought on trends. And right now, the trends continue to suggest the war escalating for the time being.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
Research Notes/Bibliography can be found here: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Common Intelligence Picture: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=204a59b01f4443cd96718796fd102c00
Border Crisis Map: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=7f13eda1f301431e98a7ac0393b0e6b0
TOC Dashboard: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ebe374c40c1a4231a06075155b0e8cb9/
00:00 - The Good News
03:00 - Middle East
10:30 - Ukraine
11:41 - GhostNet and Reticulum
Download the GhostNet plan here! https://github.com/s2underground/GhostNet The text version of the Wire can be found on Twitter: https://twitter.com/s2_underground And on our Wire Telegram page here: https://t.me/S2undergroundWire If you would like to support us, we're on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=30479515 Disclaimer: No company sponsored this video. In fact, we have ZERO sponsors. We are funded 100% by you, the viewer. All of our funding comes from direct support from platforms like Patreon, or from ad revenue on YouTube. Without your support, I simply could not do this work at all, so to those of you who chose to support my efforts, I am eternally thankful. Odysee: https://odysee.com/@S2Underground:7 Gab: https://gab.com/S2underground Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/S2Underground BitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/P2NMGFdt3gf3/ Just a few reminders for everyone who's just become aware of us, in order to keep these briefings from being several hours long, I can't cover everything. I'm probably covering 1% of the world events when we conduct these briefings, so please remember that if I left it out, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's unimportant. Also, remember that I do these briefings quite often, so I might have covered an issue previously that you might not see if you are only watching our most recent videos. I'm also doing this in my spare time, so again I fully admit that these briefings aren't even close to being perfect; I'm going for a healthy blend of speed and quality. If I were to wait and only post a brief when it's "perfect" I would never post anything at all. So expect some minor errors here and there. If there is a major error or correction that needs to be made, I will post it here in the description, and verbally address it in the next briefing. Also, thanks for reading this far. It is always surprising the number of people that don't actually read the description box to find more information. This content is purely educational and does not advocate for violating any laws. Do not violate any laws or regulations. This is not legal advice. Consult with your attorney. Our Reading List! https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/133747963-s2-actual The War Kitchen Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYmtpjXT22tAWGIlg_xDDPA
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//The Wire//2300Z July 20, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: CENTCOM CONFIRMS FOUR AMERICAN CASUALTIES FOLLOWING IRANIAN STRIKES IN MIDDLE EAST. ARSON ATTACK REPORTED AT FEDERAL BUILDING IN NYC.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Jordan: Over the weekend CENTCOM confirmed the deaths of three US service members, who were killed as a result of the strikes on a barracks building at Muwaffaq al Salti Airbase. Two of the casualties have been identified as 1LT Tyler James Feehan, and Private Isabella Gonzales. The third casualty officially remains classified as Missing in Action as the remains will require DNA analysis to confirm identity, and has not yet been officially identified. A fourth casualty was also reported somewhere in Iraq, which was the result of an Iranian drone strike.
Middle East: Following Iranian targeting of the al-Subiya Power Station, Kuwait has begun to rely on portable substations and generators to provide electricity while repairs are made. The scale of the power outages is not known, but Iranian forces have struck several logistical hubs and electrical power plants over the past few days. In Bahrain, Iranian targeting has remained heavy over the weekend, with several ballistic missile strikes reported at American installations around the country.
Strait of Hormuz: Several more merchant vessels were struck over the past few days, most of which were tankers attempting to use the southern Omani route instead of the Iranian route. At least one of these vessels resulted in the crew abandoning ship before being rescued.
Iran: After these collective strikes over the weekend, American targeting efforts intensified with the latest bombing campaign focusing on the targeting of bridges and civilian roadway tunnels around Bandar Abbas. Many of the roads that lead to the port city are now cut off, with only a few major roadways allowing access to the city. Several bridges have also already been repaired, and the status of others remains unclear until better satellite imagery is available.
-HomeFront-
New York: This morning an arson attack was reported at the Federal building in downtown Manhattan. One assailant approached the building with a bucket of gasoline, dumping the bucket at the northeast side of the structure. The suspect immediately ignited the pool of gas, which also contained a mix of commercial grade fireworks. The suspect was immediately detained by the plethora of police already on scene, as the accelerant burned on the sidewalk.
Analyst Comment: No motive has yet been conveyed regarding this attack, however some of the paraphernalia scattered throughout the scene of the attack appears to be political in nature, opposing ICE.
Washington D.C. - This morning, the latest numbers for Strategic Petroleum Reserve levels were released indicating that over the past week, the US has drained the SPR by an additional 5.1 million barrels, to it's lowest level since the Tanker War in 1983.
Analyst Comment: Many might have assumed that the US might have re-stocked the SPR during the two-week ceasefire in the Middle East, however very little oil actually made it out of the region during that time, which amounted to only a tiny fraction of US daily usage. Since the war began five months ago, only a very small percentage of oil has exited the region, and the US has been draining the SPR at breakneck pace in order to keep the country going.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: Concerning the American casualties sustained over the weekend, it is extremely important to note that the deaths of 1LT Feehan and PVT Gonzales are officially classified under Operation INHERENT RESOLVE (OIR)...not under Operation EPIC FURY (OEFU). Inherent Resolve is the long-standing mission to combat ISIS in Syria, and not in any way linked to the current war in Iran. As a result, the true number of casualties sustained warrants further investigation. This classification could have been an administrative error, but this would also be a way of camouflaging casualty figures. The Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) is the main database for logging all American casualties, which are defined by military operation. In this case, these deaths are not cataloged under either operation yet, adding to the more broad (but also growing) concerns that the database has been concealing the true number of casualties, specifically the numbers of personnel wounded.
In fact, while admonishing these concerns as "baseless and malicious accusations" Assistant Secretary of War Sean Parnell directly contradicted the numbers his own department was producing. He stated in an interview with CBS News that roughly 100 personnel had been wounded throughout the war over the past month....while his own database states that a grand total of zero personnel had been wounded for the month of July, and three in June. If this testimony is accurate, this confirms beyond all doubt that the Pentagon is lying about the number of troops wounded during this campaign. Considering that the Pentagon has disclosed a total of 413x soldiers wounded during this entire campaign, ~100x WIA being reported within a month (which also included a two-week ceasefire) is alarming to say the least.
The cause of the fatalities reported over the weekend is also important to note as these deaths were very likely preventable. In the days leading up to the ballistic missile striking the housing at this base, the Iranians successfully struck the Patriot battery in Erbil, Iraq. This missile defense site would have been one of the sites providing protection for missiles launched into Jordan. With this battery offline or at least degraded in some way, it is possible that a clear air corridor existed that allowed Iranian ballistic missiles to fly unchallenged through a gap in air defense coverage. If the Erbil strike also damaged the radar array, it is also very possible that the warning time for an incoming ballistic missile would have been reduced, so any defenses at the target base would have been less effective. Obviously, the true scale of the damage to this air defense site would be classified, so in the public eye we have to guess as to how bad it was based on blurry satellite imagery. However the military commanders who knew the systems and did NOT have to guess, were also the same commanders who had the authority to either issue warnings or orders to disperse from the unprotected Containerized Housing Units (CHUs) that were struck by Iran. The failure of command to disperse their soldiers is what led to these fatalities.
The very minute that the Patriot battery was struck in Erbil was a major clue that the Iranians were conducting shaping fires of their own...they were striking the air defense sites so as to open up a gap in air defense coverage, and reach out to American positions with their larger ballistic missiles.
Though it is usually in poor taste to reflect on failures in the immediate aftermath of the death of troops, in the interest of expediency sometimes uncomfortable conversations must be had in order to prevent further loss of life. If a gap in air defense coverage is what allowed this strike to happen, it is almost certain that this gap still exists and that the danger to American service members is still not mitigated. For ALL American troops in the Middle East, this observation must be noted: If the Iranians are striking air defense sites, the next assumption must be that the Iranians are planning to strike something that would have been protected by that site. In retrospect this is common sense, but even at this very moment, the continued strikes on American positions (and the nearly total lack of fortification efforts at these bases, even to this day) continues to indicate that the Iranian targeting efforts are not being taken seriously by senior American decision makers. Five months into this war, CENTCOM leadership has still not figured out that the Iranians can strike their bases at will, and as demonstrated by the strikes in Kuwait and Jordan, the US is still not digging in, and also not dispersing enough to avoid troops getting killed. No underground fortification efforts have been undertaken at any base in the Middle East, and satellite imagery indicates that no substantial fortifications have been undertaken either. Granting as much leeway to the Pentagon's decision making process as possible, it is possible that no hardening of defenses would have mattered considering the missiles Iran is launching. Drone defense is one thing, but it would take years to build a bunker that would withstand the impact of an Iranian Fattah or Ghadr missile. Nevertheless, when it comes to defending American positions, doing something is better than doing nothing, and concrete does not take half a year to dry.
Even if large-scale construction projects are off the menu, ALL military publications, textbooks, and training scenarios dictate and demand what has been obvious since World War One...Dispersion is the name of the game. This is what kept casualties to a minimum in Bahrain, but different theater commanders have different personal initiatives. Some are more proactive with their defense, and others have done nothing at all, besides making sure that all of the vehicles in the motorpool are lined up neatly.
Where this goes from here is anyone's guess, but unless radical and immediate changes are made, the United States will continue to suffer casualties. And as long as the bombing continues which is motivating Iran to target our bases, this indirectly highlights the deficiencies with American air defense technologies, not just for this war, but for the wars to come.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
NomadNet: 5fa68c88be72 -
//The Wire//2300Z July 21, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: HOUTHIS ANNOUNCE EMBARGO OF SAUDI OIL TANKERS. LARGE SCALE BOMBINGS OF IRAN CONTINUE. ANDY BURNHAM ASSUMES OFFICE AS BRITISH PRIME MINISTER. STABBING REPORTED AT CHURCH IN IRELAND.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Middle East : The war continues as before with a new series of attacks taking place overnight, with CENTCOM conducting their 7th wave of airstrikes within Iran since the break of the ceasefire. In Jordan, the Tower 22 Base was struck again, with Iranian ballistic missiles targeting an aircraft hangar as well as a warehouse.
Bahrain: Significant Iranian targeting continued with the Iranians striking the electrical substation powering an Amazon data center. The data center itself was not hit, but the center remains offline due to the power source being cut.
Black Sea: The targeting of oil tankers by both Ukraine and Russia has continued, with concerns growing regarding the wider threats to petroleum infrastructure. Yesterday, Kazakhstan halted all shipments of oil through their pipelines that eventually arrive at the Russian oil terminals on the Black Sea, due to the threats presented by Ukrainian drones.
Ireland: This morning a stabbing attack was reported at Holy Cross Church in Tramore, Wateford. One woman was stabbed at the altar shortly before Mass began, with the assailant fleeing the scene before being detained a short distance from the church. The victim remains hospitalized with serious wounds following the attack.
United Kingdom: Yesterday Andy Burnham formally transitioned into the role of Prime Minister. This afternoon, he authorized the use of British bases by the United States to conduct strikes in Iran, marking a more public foreign policy departure from Starmer's government.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: In the Red Sea, things are not going so well. Last night, the Houthis claimed to have partially closed the Bab el Mandeb Strait, threatening another major global maritime chokepoint. This announcement has been implemented as a blockade of Saudi ports, with the Houthi's claiming that all ships bound for Saudi Arabia will be attacked. The status of other ships just passing through the area remains unclear.
As a reminder, the US already fought the Houthis, specifically over their closure of the Bab el Mandeb Strait last year. That conflict resulted in a de facto Houthi victory after the US ceased the bombing campaign without securing the defeat of the Houthis, and many shipping companies have, to this day, continued to avoid the Red Sea route altogether. So far, the Houthi's have not struck any vessels however reports suggest they may have turned a couple of tankers around without missiles being fired.
The Houthis are perhaps an even more substantial threat to the region than most realize, simply due to the weapons available to them. Unlike Iran, which has the capability of hitting individual ships in the comparatively cramped Strait of Hormuz, the Houthis have historically had to rely on the sledgehammer approach. It is true that the Houthis will strike vessels in their backyard with relative ease, but their main target is the Saudi port of Yanbu, far to the north on the east coast of the Red Sea. From that distance, the Houthis can't hit individual ships...they will be hitting the oil terminal itself. That's comparatively worse than striking just one ship; the Houthi targeting efforts are a much more blunt instrument than observed with Iran, and as a result they are more likely to cause damage that lasts a long time. This was already demonstrated by their previous targeting efforts during the short-lived war last year. The Houthis can also hurt the United States more directly too...Camp Lemonnier in Djbouti is just 70 miles away from Yemen, on the other side of the Strait. This has historically been a non-combat post, but this can change in an instant, if the belligerents choose to escalate this war to include two continents.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
//The Wire//2300Z July 17, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: GULF WAR ESCALATES AS INFRASTRUCTURE TARGETING BEGINS. SIGNIFICANT IRANIAN RETALIATION REPORTED ON AMERICAN INSTALLATIONS. IRANIAN TARGETING OF MERCHANT SHIPPING REMAINS CONSTANT.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Middle East: The war escalated again overnight, with the United States beginning the series of strikes on bridges and infrastructure targets intended to soften up areas near the coast of Iran. Several bridges were struck in the vicinity of Bandar Abbas, along with the usual nightly strikes on more military targets.
On the Iranian side, the targeting of American installations has been substantial over the past few days. In Iraq, Iranian forces successfully struck the Patriot battery in Erbil, with satellite imagery indicating burn scars in the vicinity of where one launcher was previously located. In the UAE, a series of warehouses and probable weapons storage facilities were destroyed at the Zayed Military City. In Kuwait, one of the HIMARS launcher sites on the Iraqi border was targeted, in addition to a desalination plant providing the fresh water supply for Kuwait City.
Persian Gulf: The war on the seas continued with many different strikes and incidents being reported around the region. At the northern end of the Gulf, the UKMTO reported an unidentified incident involving a merchant vessel, which was carried out by unknown parties and in the Strait of Hormuz and the Arabian Sea, several targeting efforts of merchant vessels was reported throughout the day.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: Last night's targeting in Iran possibly offers up a clue as to what the military objective of this specific operation might be. The bridges that were struck by the United States are not specifically military targets, however they did offer high-speed avenues of approach to the coastline. If the IRGC ground force needed to reinforce specifically the area of the coastline to the west of Bandar Abbas, north of Qeshm Island, these would be the bridges they would need to use.
The bridges that were taken out also would be a way of isolating Bandar Abbas in terms of trade. In addition to the naval base being a military target, this is also a major civilian port city that handles the import of a lot of cargo for the nation (some reports claim up to 80% of Iran's imports arrive at this port). Under normal circumstances, taking out bridges is a tricky subject in the world of military targeting; if the bridge is predominantly used for military purposes, it's usually a valid target, but if it's predominantly a civilian bridge it's not normally legal to target. This categorization gets really blurry really quickly, but what is very clear is that targeting infrastructure like this isolates the military objective into only a few possibilities.
Either the United States is attempting to go scorched-earth on civilian infrastructure so as to make life as miserable as possible and thus attempt to turn the populace against the government...or this is pre-shaping fires for other operations that might take place in the vicinity of the coastline. Neither option makes a whole lot of tactical sense, but making sense has not been a prerequisite for any military objective sought so far during this conflict, so the continued targeting over the next few days will probably shed some light on what the objective is with this latest campaign. As of this afternoon, dozens of refueling tankers are once again making their way into the Middle East from Europe and beyond, so the war is likely to continue escalating for foreseeable future.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
//The Wire//1800Z July 16, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: UKRAINIAN ATTACKS CONTINUE ON RUSSIAN SHIPPING IN BLACK SEA, RUSSIA RETALIATES BY STRIKING UKRAINIAN SHIPPING. WILDFIRES CONTINUE TO SPREAD IN CANADA.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Europe: The war in Ukraine has continued to expand, with attacks on Russian merchant vessels remaining constant in the Black Sea. Russia has likewise retaliated by striking Ukrainian vessels also located within the Black Sea, as well as several port cities in southwestern Ukraine.
Middle East: The war continues as before, with regular strikes taking place in the coastal regions which have been host to targeting for several days. Last night the US struck the port of Bandar Abbas again, and the Iranians have responded with attacks on Kuwait, which continued sporadically overnight.
Analyst Comment: One aspect of the war that has not escalated for now, has been the conflict between Saudi Arabia and Yemen. After the initial mutual strikes two days ago, the Saudi's have chosen to back off of this line of effort, probably because they realized how bad of an idea it is to start a fight with the Houthis right now. That Saudi East-West Pipeline is the main asset that is keeping Saudi Arabia in the global oil market right now, and the Houthis can very easily threaten their main revenue source.
Canada: Over the past few days, wildfires have continued to spread throughout the nation. As of this morning, at total of 859x wildfires are actively burning nationwide in Canada, most of which are clustered in Ontario, Qeubec, and the Northwest Territories. Of these active fires, 63x are out of control with zero percent containment. Evacuations of thousands of rural and tribal areas have been ordered over thousands of square miles, and air quality alerts have been issued for much of the American northeast and mid-Atlantic due to the smoke.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: Though not exactly grabbing front page headlines, the war in Ukraine has continued to expand and become increasingly more serious during this year's summer offensive.
Numbers are hard to independently verify, but the Ukrainians claim a total of 136x Russian vessels have been struck so far during this Black Sea targeting campaign since it began last week. This number seems a little high, but what is undeniable is that the Black Sea and the Sea of Azov have become a new front during this war...for both sides, as demonstrated by the Russians now targeting Ukrainian ships. Equally important is the impact this is having on the broader Russian oil market. Previous strikes on petroleum refineries resulted in fuel shortages throughout Russia, which have varied by severity and location. Striking tankers in the Black Sea really only impacts the petroleum export market, and the long-term impacts of this will be interesting to follow.
Like it or not, the concept of globalization has functioned as designed, and most nations are linked to each other in ways that are not readily apparent at first. Russia mostly exports oil to India and China, and their exports have remained high during the Persian Gulf crisis. So Ukraine, in striking the oil intended for China, is directly playing a hand in the Gulf War...a conflict thousands of miles away. How this will manifest over the next few weeks will be important. Gas prices in the US have been MUCH cheaper than they should be, due to a long list of factors, one of which has been the Chinese dipping into their own reserves to sharply reduce their demand. Ukraine strikes ships intended for China, and China now has to either dip into their reserves more...or buy more oil from the Middle East, and demand goes up in an already restricted supply chain. The Gulf War is still hot to some degree, and the miniscule flow of oil that had begun to trickle out of the Gulf during the ceasefire has once again slowed to a drip...and now that Ukraine is striking Russian oil intended for China, an already tight oil market is probably going to be squeezed even harder.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
Hey everyone, kind of an odd one today. I had a spur of the moment thought this morning and decided that what I was going to say in tomorrow's Intel Update, would be best served as a dedicated podcast/video. I did not want to bog down the more informational content with a full-blown rant segment, so I recorded this separately.
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//The Wire//2300Z July 15, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: STRIKES CONTINUE TO ESCALATE IN THE MIDDLE EAST AS WAR REMAINS HOT. PARASITIC INFECTION CONTINUES TO SPREAD IN USA. POLICE OFFICERS AROUND THE NATION INVESTIGATED FOR ILLEGALLY SPYING ON AMERICANS.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Middle East: Mutual targeting continued overnight throughout the region, with Iranian forces striking many American-aligned military bases in several Gulf states. Isa Air Base in Qatar was hit hard overnight, and several storage warehouses were hit in Kuwait. Iran claims to have also struck the parking apron at Muwaffaq Al-Salti Air Base in Jordan, targeting the fighter aircraft which have been staged at the base for weeks. On the American side, the US has conducted several waves of attacks, with constant bombings continuing in many major port facilities. The ports of Bandar Abbas, Jask, and Chabarhar have been targeted regularly for several days, in addition to the Gulf Islands which have served as communications nodes for ships transiting the Strait.
Throughout the morning, the Strait remained somewhat navigable via the Iranian route. Several ships were observed making the crossing using only the northern Iranian traffic scheme. After the targeting of several merchant vessels over the past few days in the southern route, no ship has taken the Omani route, all ships are diverting north.
Analyst Comment: In terms of how much oil is getting out, it's not much. No American tankers were observed transiting overnight via either route, and the severity of the oil crisis remains a major concern for impacts to the homeland. This afternoon CENTCOM struck a merchant vessel themselves, highlighting that the American blockade of the Strait is still in effect.
-HomeFront-
USA: Around the nation, an outbreak of Cyclosporiasis has continued to sweep through the country, with roughly 7,000 cases of parasitic infection being reported. Most of the cases are clustered in Michigan, but the food-borne illness has been reported in many other states. Health authorities are working to narrow down the point of origin for the parasite, which appears to be linked to contaminated lettuce or unclean food preparation practices at fast food chains.
Georgia: This morning, five police officers with the Albany Police Department were fired after an internal investigation revealed that they were using their access to the Flock camera/sensor database to stalk and illegally surveil citizens.
South Carolina: This morning, two police officers in the city of Greer were fired after an internal investigation revealed that they were using their access to the Flock camera/sensor database to stalk and illegally surveil citizens.
Texas: Yesterday, one police officer with the Pasadena Police Department resigned after an investigation was launched into his misuse of the Flock camera/sensor network. Sgt. Michael Palitz is currently under investigation for allegedly using the intelligence network to stalk a female police officer. No further details on this incident have been provided as the investigation is still ongoing.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: Though it is purely anecdotal at the moment, locals on the ground in many Middle Eastern countries are reporting that this time, the fighting is different as fewer successful interceptions are being reported. As always, if interceptions of drones and missiles are successful, these munitions are usually destroyed out over the waters of the Gulf, out of view of the civilian populace. However, a lot of people have been rather dismayed that the fighting has resumed, and from their perspective it looks like their country is not intercepting anything because they are out of interceptor missiles. The stockpiles of interceptors running low for Gulf states has been a common theory for a while, after the war drew to a lull two months ago. After the ceasefire went into effect, it was generally assumed that the United States would sell more interceptor missiles to the Gulf countries (in addition to resupplying our own missile defense sites), but now that the fighting has resumed and locals are observing slow-flying drones very clearly not being intercepted in many cases, the concerns of missile stockpiles have come to the front page once again.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
//The Wire//1900Z July 14, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: WAR IN MIDDLE EAST REMAINS HOT WITH USA AND IRAN EXCHANGING HEAVY FIRE OVERNIGHT. NEW YORK TIMES JOURNALISTS ISSUED SUBPOENAS REGARDING THEIR REPORTING ON AIR FORCE ONE.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Middle East: The war continued to escalate overnight, with the attack/counterattack cycle no longer being distinguishable, as all belligerents are now attacking constantly. At least two more ships have been struck in the Strait of Hormuz since last night, and the US has continued to fly continuous sorties to strike targets within Iran. Dozens of targets were struck overnight, with CENTCOM announcing that the sorties took 5 hours to complete throughout the region. As of this morning, nearly all of the targets that have been struck have been within a few hundred yards of the Gulf, with heavy concentrations of targets being located within Bushehr, Bandar Abbas, Chabahar, and Jask, all of which are major naval bases. Most of the Gulf islands have also been struck, with Qeshm and Kish Islands being targeted heavily this afternoon.
Conversely, Iran has conducted their own strikes in Jordan, Bahrain, Qatar, and Kuwait. In Kuwait, Iranian forces have conducted counter-battery fire on American HIMARS missile launcher sites, with multiple ballistic missile strikes taking place at most of the US bases and missile launch sites all day.
Analyst Comment: Over the past 24 hours, the war in the Middle East has returned to the level of fighting first observed during the height of the war back in March. How long this is planned to continue is unknown, but this is not a slight increase in targeting; the war appears to be fully back on once again.
United Kingdom: This morning Counterterrorism police released more details regarding a high-profile murder case that took place last week. On Thursday, Ann Widdecombe was found murdered in her home in the town of Haytor in Devon. After her murder was discovered, local authorities immediately referred the case to counterterrorism, and one suspect has already been arrested in conjunction with this case. This suspect has been charged for the murder, and as of this morning terrorism offenses have been added to the list of charges.
Analyst Comment: This case is noteworthy as most of the information so far indicates this was a political assassination, and the speed at which authorities have immediately declared this to be a terrorism incident is very, very unusual. Widdecombe was a former Member of Parliament, and in her later years was a familiar conservative political commentator known to weigh in on political issues throughout the nation. More details may or may not come to light in due time regarding the identity of the suspect, but due to the high-profile nature of this murder, this case will be in the headlines for a while.
-HomeFront-
Washington D.C. - Yesterday a total of five New York Times reporters have been subpoenaed to appear before a grand jury, to testify regarding their reporting on the alleged security breaches onboard the new Air Force One. Last week, President Trump flew to Turkey for the NATO summit on the new airframe, but during the trip, an undisclosed security issue prompted the Secret Service to switch back to the older platform.
Analyst Comment: The details of exactly what the alleged crimes are, have not been disclosed. The New York Times has a history of publishing content which could lead to security issues, but in this case nothing they wrote in their original report appears to have been classified. However, they did explicitly state that they had a source who had classified knowledge of the defenses (or rather, the alleged lack of defenses) on the new Air Force One platform, which is probably why the harsh crackdown on the New York Times. They also made the claim that the new airframe has not had enough time to install the anti-missile countermeasures of the older platform, though no detail on this was provided. Regardless, talking to journalists in any capacity about any of the protection measures used by the White House is a huge no-no, and one of the most sensitive issues that always results in a very heavy-handed response.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: As the war in the Persian Gulf rages on, concerns are growing regarding the apparent widening of the war to include the Red Sea region. The mutual targeting between the Saudis and the Houthis in Yemen has continued to some degree, though it's too soon to tell if either party is committed to turning this into a more protracted fight. If that is the chosen course of action, the situation is likely to get very serious.
While the Strait of Hormuz remains a hot warzone that has restricted the flow of about 20 million barrels per day out of the region, the Saudi East-West Pipeline system has been working to reduce this deficit by pumping roughly 7 million barrels per day during most of this conflict. This has eased the burden of Hormuz being cut off, and has been one of the main factors keeping oil from reaching $200 per barrel. However, this pipeline runs from the Gulf, across the desert, before terminating in Yanbu at a major oil export terminal. This terminal....is within missile range of the Houthis. Somewhat interestingly, there are also very little air defenses in the southern regions of Saudi Arabia despite the Saudis fighting the Houthis for a couple of decades at this point; nearly all missile defenses are on the northern coastline or in the vicinity of American bases. So far during this conflict, the Iranians have successfully struck the Yanbu oil terminal using extremely long-range (and slow-flying) drones. The Houthis have a much higher chance of success in threatening Yanbu, and if they are able to strike this facility, the global oil crisis will go from worse to worst.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
Research Notes/Bibliography can be found here: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Common Intelligence Picture: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=204a59b01f4443cd96718796fd102c00
Border Crisis Map: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=7f13eda1f301431e98a7ac0393b0e6b0
TOC Dashboard: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ebe374c40c1a4231a06075155b0e8cb9/
00:00 - Global Strategic Concerns
01:12 - Washington
05:54 - Middle East
10:38 - Ukraine
14:21 - GhostNet and Reticulum
Download the GhostNet plan here! https://github.com/s2underground/GhostNet The text version of the Wire can be found on Twitter: https://twitter.com/s2_underground
And on our Wire Telegram page here: https://t.me/S2undergroundWire If you would like to support us, we're on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=30479515
Disclaimer: No company sponsored this video. In fact, we have ZERO sponsors. We are funded 100% by you, the viewer. All of our funding comes from direct support from platforms like Patreon, or from ad revenue on YouTube. Without your support, I simply could not do this work at all, so to those of you who chose to support my efforts, I am eternally thankful. Odysee: https://odysee.com/@S2Underground:7 Gab: https://gab.com/S2underground Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/S2Underground BitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/P2NMGFdt3gf3/ Just a few reminders for everyone who's just become aware of us, in order to keep these briefings from being several hours long, I can't cover everything. I'm probably covering 1% of the world events when we conduct these briefings, so please remember that if I left it out, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's unimportant. Also, remember that I do these briefings quite often, so I might have covered an issue previously that you might not see if you are only watching our most recent videos. I'm also doing this in my spare time, so again I fully admit that these briefings aren't even close to being perfect; I'm going for a healthy blend of speed and quality. If I were to wait and only post a brief when it's "perfect" I would never post anything at all. So expect some minor errors here and there. If there is a major error or correction that needs to be made, I will post it here in the description, and verbally address it in the next briefing. Also, thanks for reading this far. It is always surprising the number of people that don't actually read the description box to find more information. This content is purely educational and does not advocate for violating any laws. Do not violate any laws or regulations. This is not legal advice. Consult with your attorney. Our Reading List! https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/133747963-s2-actual The War Kitchen Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYmtpjXT22tAWGIlg_xDDPA
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//The Wire//2300Z July 13, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: GULF WAR REIGNITES AS MAJOR STRIKES REPORTED THROUGHOUT MIDDLE EAST. HOUTHIS JOIN THE WAR AS MILITARY BASES STRUCK IN SAUDI ARABIA. USA/IRAN CONTINUE MUTUAL TARGETING WITH MANY MILITARY INSTALLATIONS TARGETED THROUGHOUT THE DAY. SENATOR LINDSEY GRAHAM PASSES AWAY UNDER UNCLEAR CIRCUMSTANCES IN WASHINGTON.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Middle East: Over the weekend the war continued to escalate with major attacks being reported throughout the region. On Saturday, the Iranians allegedly struck a containership in the Strait of Hormuz for attempting to sneak through the waterway without their permission. The crew of this vessel abandoned ship, and the vessel is reportedly sinking in the Strait.
After this initial strike, the United States struck several dozen targets within Iran. One of the most significant strikes conducted by the United States was an airstrike at the Bushehr Nuclear Power Plant. One of the buildings a few feet away from the reactor core was struck, and the status of the power plant is unknown. At least one of the attacks this morning involved the United States conducting several Unmanned Surface Vessel attacks on the port of Bandar Abbas, targeting an Iranian submarine and several other warships.
Analyst Comment: Other more traditional airstrikes also continued regularly throughout the day, with Iranian retaliatory strikes being reported at nearly every US base in the region, from Kuwait to the UAE. Full battle damage assessment will take some time due to the sheer volume of locations struck by both the United States and Iran.
Red Sea/HOA: Following last night's targeting efforts to the north in the Persian Gulf, the Houthis and Saudi Arabia engaged in mutual targeting early this morning. Houthi rebels launched several ballistic missiles toward targets in Saudi Arabia, and the Saudi's responded by conducting airstrikes throughout the Houthi-controlled areas of Yemen.
Analyst Comment: These targeting efforts in Yemen have complicated maritime shipping through the Bab El Mandeb Strait, elevating concerns that another major maritime choke point might be turning into a warzone. During the American campaign to combat the Houthis in March of last year (dubbed Operation ROUGH RIDER), the Houthis demonstrated the ability to disrupt shipping through the Strait, to the point that nearly all maritime shipping chose to re-route around the continent of Africa. Though that military operation departed the news headlines after a few weeks, even as of a year later (even before the Iran war began), many maritime shipping companies were avoiding the Red Sea a full year after the strikes. Everyone has been waiting for the Houthis to enter the current war on the Iranian side, and last night's strikes may be an indication that relationship is growing.
-HomeFront-
Washington D.C. - Saturday night, Senator Lindsey Graham reportedly died after suffering a cardiac incident at his home on Capitol Hill, after returning from his trip to Ukraine. Initial statements claim that he suffered a tear of his aorta, and died instantly.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: As one might expect based on current events, the theories surrounding Graham's death largely focus around his trip to Ukraine. Normally, the trip into Ukraine for diplomats involves flying into Poland, then taking a train into Kiev. This trip usually takes most of the day. Also, on the same day as Graham's trip, Russia conducted two major strikes in Kiev. Some claims have been made that both of these strikes targeted both the drone factory that Graham visited, but also the hotel where he was staying during his visit. These claims will take some time to verify independently.
Due to the timing of Graham's alleged departure, it's possibly mathematically questionable that Graham would have had enough time to transit back to the United States before his death was reported. As always, there's enough discrepancy in the timing to make it technically possible for Graham to have arrived home from Ukraine and immediately had a cardiac incident, but this timing would have been incredibly tight. In short, the theory that Graham was actually killed in Ukraine holds some weight at this present moment, based on the evidence we have right now, even as speculative as it is. Further investigation will indicate whether or not more credence should be granted to this possibility.
Perhaps the biggest bit of evidence countering the theory of Graham being killed in Ukraine, is the sheer logistics of such a coverup operation. There's very little chance that his remains would have been located, recovered, identified, and transported back to the United States if he was killed during the strikes on a Ukrainian drone factory. These attacks would have made it challenging to identify anyone's remains, and similarly to the concerns of Graham possibly not having enough time to arrive back in the US, timing is the main issue. If Graham was observed alive after his departure from Ukraine, this would obviously dispel any of the more nefarious theories, but as it stands, it is not known which flight he took from Poland to the United States (which was likely a military or government flight).
All things considered, the suspicious and coincidental circumstances of Graham's death can certainly be verified either way in due time, but Graham's death coupled with Senator Mitch McConnell's questionable status, means that Washington has been host to several shakeups involving key wartime decision makers this week.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
//The Wire//1900Z July 10, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: HORMUZ TRAFFIC SLOWS AS AIRSTRIKES CONTINUE IN IRAN OVERNIGHT. PRESIDENT TRUMP STATES THAT THE CEASEFIRE IS OFFICIALLY OVER. WIRED-GUIDED FPV DRONE DISCOVERED IN CARTEL WEAPONS CACHE IN MEXICO. RUSSIAN AFRICA CORPS CONTINUES CONFLICT IN MALI.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Middle East: Yesterday's targeting continued throughout the night, with dozens of targets being struck within Iran. Much of the targeting centered around the major port of Bushehr, with a SAM site being struck and the runway being cratered again last night.
Strait of Hormuz: This morning the UKMTO published a notice reaffirming their assurance that the southern Omani route remains open for use. Despite this assurance (and highlighting that sentence in red in their notice), most of the maritime community is no longer trusting this route at the moment due to Iranian targeting which kicked off the war again. No vessels transited either route overnight due to the targeting, however some ships attempted to make the crossing this morning.
Far East: This morning China imposed an export ban on Helium, effective immediately. The Ministry of Commerce stated that this decision was made to allow domestic semiconductor chip manufacturing facilities to maintain their supply of the gas, which is essential for the production of computer chips.
Analyst Comment: Most of the world's supply of Helium is produced as part of the process of refining natural gas in the Middle East. Since the war began, crude oil has not been the only concern, but also other distillates and byproducts such as jet fuel and helium. China halting exports is a substantial indicator of the severity of the current war. China has also been able to get more of their ships out of the Gulf than anybody else, so if even they are hurting for helium, this is not a good sign.
Africa: The conflict between Russian mercenaries and FLA militants has continued to escalate, with fierce fighting being reported in the vicinity of Anefis over the past few days. The Russian Africa Corps base in Anefis has been routinely targeted by FLA, with most of the attacks taking the form of ground skirmishes or drone attacks.
Mexico: During a counter-narco raid in Durango yesterday, Mexican forces located a fiber-optically controlled drone platform within a weapons cache in the Dolores del Río neighborhood. This drone was reportedly fitted with an explosive charge similar to that which has become more commonly used throughout the region for carrying out attacks between rival cartel factions.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: In the Middle East, yesterday evening contradictory reports circulated on social media regarding which nation actually carried out some of the strikes within Iran. Some reports claimed that the strikes in the afternoon were not conducted by the United States, but actually another nation. The most obvious culprit is Israel, but reports also claimed that the Kuwaitis also conducted attacks of their own last night as well. No matter who actually dropped the munitions, the effect is the same: the Iranians consider all attacks on their territory as originating from the same US-led coalition. What the Iranian response will be is unclear. Previously, they have been extremely forthcoming with the target list they would strike, if the US conducted more serious targeting within Iran. Desalination plants, energy production facilities, oil export terminals, and the aircraft at US bases in the region which are once again within Iranian missile range, are all likely targets if the Iranians so desire. Considering that President Trump announced that the ceasefire is officially off this afternoon (but that talks will continue) the next few days will be instrumental in determining if the war will return to it's full form, or if the attack-peace-attack cycle will continue.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
//The Wire//2300Z July 9, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: WAR CONTINUES IN MIDDLE EAST AS CEASEFIRE REMAINS DEFUNCT FOR NOW. MERCHANT TRAFFIC IN HORMUZ SLOWS TO A CRAWL DUE TO TARGETING.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Middle East: The war continued to escalate overnight, with many targeting efforts being undertaken by the United States and Iran. Within Iran, the U.S. continued to strike coastal sites and fastboat ports, in addition to striking more substantial infrastructure targets deep within Iran. These strikes continued throughout the day, with explosions being reported around the country this afternoon.
On the Iranian side, many strikes were carried out on the usual sites throughout the region. In Kuwait, Ali Al Salem Airbase and Camp Arifjan were targeted, with the Iranians claiming to hit a Patriot battery at one of these sites. In Qatar, a radar installation was targeted, and a fuel depot was targeted in Bahrain. In Jordan, Muwaffaq Salti Air Base was targeted again, with the American Embassy in Amman urging all Americans to shelter in place during the strikes. Drone/missile strikes were also reported targeting U.S. positions in Erbil, Iraq, the success of which is currently unknown.
-HomeFront-
New York: The Department of Buildings has reported that the former Pfizer building has largely been stabilized, after severe buckling and a partial collapse of the upper floors was observed a few days ago. Various reinforcement operations continue to be undertaken to further stabilize the structure, and a third-party construction firm has been brought in to conduct additional repairs.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: Despite many airframes being transferred back to the United States from the Middle East, American targeting within Iran has continued throughout the day. The heavy reliance on Tomahawk munitions (as observed on the ground by Iranians) also adds weight to the theory of the US having to rely on standoff munitions due to the logistical movements resulting in fewer aircraft being available for bombing runs.
Also, last night's strikes were also possibly more significant than meets the eye. Locals on the ground reported the Aq Taqeh Khan railway bridge being struck overnight, which was interesting due to it's location being in the far northeastern corner of Iran. This bridge is part of the newly unveiled China-Iran railway network, which is a series of rail lines linking Iran to western China. These lines also meander through the mountains to eventually connect to Russia via Turkmenistan and Kazakhstan. Taking out this bridge was not only interesting because it is one of the farthest-north targets struck during the entire war, but it's also a very public message to China, who has been long-suspected of shipping the Iranians materiel and supplies to carry on the fight.
In the Strait of Hormuz, civilian merchant traffic continued to transit the waterway, but since last night the traffic has slowed to a halt again with very few crossings throughout the day. As a reminder, it takes up to two months for a tanker to make it's way to the US from the Middle East. Consequently, if the Iranians shut down the Strait again due to this targeting (or if companies simply decide that the risk isn't worth it), the world will only have the benefit of a handful of tankers which have been able to make the crossing over the past couple of weeks. This does not even remotely come close to alleviating the problems that prompted the MOU being signed...President Trump himself said that (at the time) the US only had about 4 weeks worth of Strategic Reserve left before shortages began. As the fighting has resumed to some degree, the status of the global energy crisis remains a very real concern, and the clock starts ticking down as the flow of petroleum slows down once again.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
NomadNet: 5fa68c88be727a0e1a250a75e5e79269
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
//The Wire//2300Z July 8, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: MIDDLE EAST CEASEFIRE COLLAPSES AS MAJOR STRIKES REPORTED OVERNIGHT BETWEEN USA AND IRAN. SOMALI CLAN CONFLICT BREWING IN MINNEAPOLIS.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Middle East: Following yesterday's targeting of merchant vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the United States retaliated by striking many targets within Iran. Several dozen locations were reportedly struck, ranging from naval ports to more substantial bases in the coastal region. Qeshm Island and Kharg Island were struck, in addition to many smaller ports used by IRGCN fastboats.
In retaliation, the Iranians conducted strikes on Isa Air Base in Bahrain. Possible strikes were also reported at the former 5th Fleet Headquarters in Manama. Kuwait also reported intercepting 2x ballistic missiles and 13x drones. At least one American MQ-9 drone was also shot down during the night, reportedly somewhere near Bushehr. All total, Iran claims to have conducted 85x strikes in retaliation. As last night's targeting was unfolding, President Trump was still located in Turkey for the NATO summit. During a press conference, he stated that he considered the ceasefire to be over and the Memorandum of Understanding to no longer be in effect. A few hours later, Iranian representatives also stated that the MOU has concluded.
-HomeFront-
Minnesota: Several small arms engagements have been reported throughout Minneapolis over the past few days. Over the July 4th holiday weekend, several instances of Somali clans targeting each other with fireworks deteriorated from a general nuisance into shootings. A total of four small arms engagements took place Saturday night, and several more shootings have been reported throughout the week, at least one of which took place at a confirmed Somali fraud site, which was being used to launder money until being raided by federal agents earlier this year.
Analyst Comment: After the wave of shootings over the weekend, yesterday Ramsey County Sheriff Bob Fletcher issued a statement confirming that all of these shootings were linked to the growing conflict between Somali Clans in the city. These concerns have been growing for some time, and now that the summer fighting season is in full swing, these engagements are likely to continue until the colder seasons arrive.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: If the ceasefire in the Middle East really is over, nobody seems to have told the Air Force, as there were a substantial number of refueling tankers on the ground at Al Udeid Airbase in Qater as of 4 days ago. Due to how vulnerable this base is to Iranian missiles, most major engagements have usually been preceded by this specific base evacuating ahead of a large bombing campaign. The major unanswered question is whether or not this was just a particularly heavy mutual targeting effort, or if this marks a true return to the more kinetic phases of the war. At the moment, it's too soon to tell, but there aren't really enough assets in region to conduct large scale bombing campaigns. Most of the B-52's that were stationed in England have already re-deployed back home to the USA, and over the past two weeks various assorted flights of fighter aircraft have also been making their way back home from the Middle East.
It's possible that the MOU is being abandoned without the US returning to the full-blown bombing campaign, with the situation remaining in limbo and neither side really working toward a diplomatic solution. President Trump did threaten to invade Kharg Island again, in addition to re-imposing the US blockade in the Gulf of Oman. The blockade is doable with the US Navy vessels in the region, but Kharg Island is completely off the menu as this was not a viable military objective during the height of the "surge" leading to the war, and now that a significant drawdown has occurred it's even less feasible.
Concerning merchant shipping, even though the MOU is now essentially defunct, merchant traffic has continued to flow through the Strait of Hormuz, mostly using the Iranian route. This afternoon, Iranian sources claimed that they will be closing the Strait in response to this latest wave of targeting, but as of this evening many vessels continue to transit using the Iranian route with no problems. This may change this evening as President Trump directly stated that more strikes will take place tonight. Pakistan is attempting to get Iran and the US to re-adopt the MOU and continue the framework of solutions that they had worked out. Once the smoke clears in a few days, the world may be able to determine how likely it is for the US to resume the terms of the MOU, but as the bombing has continued throughout the day, peace is not likely at the moment.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
//The Wire//2300Z July 7, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: EXPLOSIONS REPORTED NEAR HOTEL HOUSING FRENCH PRESIDENT DURING STATE VISIT TO DAMASCUS. MONACO BOMBER FOUND DEAD IN UKRAINE. IRAN RESUMES TARGETING OF UNAUTHORIZED TRANSITS OF HORMUZ STRAIT. CONCERNS GROWING REGARDING STATUS OF SENATOR MCCONNELL'S HEALTH, COMPLICATING UPCOMING ELECTION.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Syria: This morning several explosive devices were detonated in Damascus during French President Emmanuel Macron's state visit. The first device took the form of a Vehicle-Borne IED (VBIED) which was detonated on the street adjacent to the Ministry of Tourism, wounding many people including the Assistant Deputy Minister of Tourism. A few minutes after this device detonated, another device detonated on the street immediately adjacent to the initial blast site. At the time of the blasts, President Macron was staying at the Four Seasons hotel directly across the street from the blast site. Macron was not wounded during the attack, and has not canceled his state visit to Syria.
Analyst Comment: This complex attack was very likely targeting Macron himself, or at least trying to get as close as possible to cause diplomatic trouble. Throughout the region, it's extremely common for terror groups to conduct attacks while foreign dignitaries are visiting, so as to embarrass their political leadership.
Ukraine: Yesterday one of the lead suspects in the Monaco bombing case was found dead. Anastasiia Berezovska was the individual suspected of dropping off the bomb at the residence of Vadym Yermolaiev a few weeks ago. Berezovska was found at an undisclosed location in Ukraine with multiple gunshots to the head. After her death was discovered, an actively-serving member of the Intelligence Directorate of the Ukrainian MoD confessed to her murder.
Analyst Comment: Very clearly, someone is tying up the loose ends in this case, and doing so very publicly to send a message. Now that the lead suspect in the bombing case is dead, the entire affair is tidied up neatly, and no further investigation can be undertaken regarding who Berezovska was working for.
-HomeFront-
Washington D.C. - Concerns are growing regarding the status of Senator Mitch McConnell, who has been hospitalized for several weeks. On June 14th, McConnell was found unconscious on the floor of his home in Capitol Hill after suffering an apparent heart attack. CPR was performed at the scene, and he was transported to a hospital. Apart from those initial details, there is currently no indication of his status beyond unconfirmed rumor.
Analyst Comment: McConnell's health has been extremely concerning over the past few years, with several viral media incidents indicating that he is not well. In this case, three days after his heart attack, his wife Elaine Chao traveled to China to meet with Chinese Vice President Han Zheng. As a result of the timing of this visit, and the extreme secrecy surrounding the health of a man who has been of ailing health for years, concerns are growing regarding McConnell's status. In Kentucky, election law regarding position appointments has recently changed. Instead of the Governor being able to make an appointment for the seat, if a Senator dies in office, a special election is now mandatory. As such if McConnell passes away before the election, a special election would have to be held to fill the vacancy of only a couple of months, before the general election in November.
However, the timing matters. If a Kentucky Senator dies in office (and thus vacates the seat) less than 63 days before the election, a special election would probably not be required and the normal election goes on. In this case, McConnell is not running again this year but the law regarding his seat still applies, so he must remain alive until September 1st, in order to prevent a special election which would allow a third-party candidate to run for his seat.
New York: This morning evacuations were conducted after a high-rise building experienced a partial collapse in midtown Manhattan. The former Pfizer building at 235 E. 42nd St was undergoing major renovations/construction this morning, when approximately 5 floors of the building experienced a partial collapse. A perimeter cordon is currently in place around the building, as pieces of the structure have been falling on the street and sidewalk throughout the morning.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: In the Persian Gulf, the Ayatollah's funeral has served as a sort of ceasefire-within-a-"ceasefire", and the United States and Iran took the past week to actually stop shooting at each other. During that time, merchant vessels also took the opportunity to slip through the Strait of Hormuz via the southern Omani route...something that Iran has repeatedly warned against. During the funeral, Iranian forces let this take place, however as of last night patience ran out and the Iranians have returned to striking commercial vessels for taking this route. So far today, a total of 4x confirmed (and probably one more unconfirmed) merchant vessels have been engaged by Iran for trying to sneak through the Strait. This is the most ships that have been struck since the hot-phase of the war, and these targeting efforts were not the result of ship captains unilaterally changing the route.
Yesterday, the UKMTO directly stated that merchant traffic may take the southern route without coordinating with the Iranians. This statement was issued knowing full well that the Iranians have been warning ships that they must take the Larak Island route. Exactly who made the decision to issue this statement is unclear, but in effect the UKMTO told ships to take a route that they knew would be unsafe, gambling on the Iranians not conducting strikes during the Ayatollah's funeral. Now, the burning hulls of five ships are evidence that this gamble was ill advised. In response to these attacks, the United States has re-imposed sanctions on Iranian oil exports after granting them permission to export their oil a few weeks ago. Other than the sanctions, the United States is likely to conduct the standard retaliation strikes at random targets near Bandar Abbas over the next few days.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
//The Wire//2300Z July 6, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: CHINA AND NORTH KOREA CONDUCT MISSILE TESTS IN PACIFIC. RUSSIA AND UKRAINE CONDUCT MAJOR TARGETING EFFORTS. INDONESIAN MILITARY RECOVERS REMAINS OF AMERICAN PILOT KILLED IN AMBUSH OVER THE WEEKEND.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Far East: Multiple missile tests were reported over the weekend, with both North Korea and China conducting tests of long-range munitions. North Korea tested a total of 12x cruise missiles from the KANG KON, the Choe Hyon-class Destroyer which is the newest addition to the Korean People's Navy. In China, a submarine-launched ballistic missile test was carried out at an undisclosed location in the Pacific, marking the first test of a SLBM by China in several years.
Europe: The war in Ukraine escalated over the weekend as Russia renewed strikes on Ukrainian infrastructure. On Saturday, Ukrainian forces conducted more long-range drone attacks on Russian oil depots, most notably the Ust-Luga oil terminal in St. Petersburg. Separately, a different series of drone attacks struck various refineries in the Omsk region, deep within Russia. In response, Russia has conducted several strikes throughout Kiev, including the Vishnyovoye fuel depot on the southwestern outskirts of Kiev, which resulted in an extremely large fire. NASA's space-based fire detection sensors noted one very large fire at this fuel depot, along with a few smaller fires throughout the city that are anomalies from normal heat signatures in the region. In addition to the fuel depot, an ammo dump was co-located with this facility, which was used to store American tank rounds which contained depleted uranium penetrators, along with components for the production of cluster munitions which also contained depleted uranium.
Analyst Comment: Depleted uranium tank rounds are about 40% less radioactive than raw uranium that is mined out of the ground, so the radiological nature of this ammunition is not normally a concern. However, this risk changes substantially if it's on fire as the smoke produced by burning uranium does indeed present a radiological hazard, thus the evacuations. This ammunition storage area was located in a densely populated residential area, with the resulting fires prompting the evacuation of roughly 600x residents.
Indonesia: Over the weekend, Indonesian troops conducted an operation to recover the remains of an American civilian pilot who was killed by armed rebels in a remote town high in the mountains southeast of Wamena on the island of West Papua. Nicholas F. Goselin was a bush pilot flying supplies and materiel into Balinggama Airstrip when he was ambushed last Thursday. The attack was carried out by the West Papua Liberation Army (TPNPB), a separatist movement that has been seeking independence from Indonesia for a few decades. The rebels allowed Goselin to land, before murdering him on the airstrip and burning his aircraft. At the time of the ambush, a total of 7x passengers (local Indonesian villagers) were allegedly onboard the aircraft and their status is unknown.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: According to the armed rebels in Indonesia, the reason for the murder is due to Goselin allegedly shuttling Indonesian special forces into the region to fight the rebels. An American bush pilot landing at sketchy airstrips, alone, in the middle of a war-torn region high in the mountains is not a particularly safe career choice, and it's not clear as to what prompted the rebels to conduct this attack. The rebel group has claimed that they warned the aircraft not to land, but the airline that Goselin was flying for (PT AMA) made no mention of acknowledging any no-fly zones declared by armed groups.
In any case, due to the death of an American, the Indonesian military is likely to crack down hard on this region over the next few weeks, in order to prevent rebel groups from capitalizing on their power-projection operations. Back in April, the United States signed a non-binding "defensive cooperation partnership" with Indonesia as Washington sought to increase relations by way of undermining Chinese expansion in the region.
On April 13th of this year, one day before the defense pact was signed, Indonesian media reported that their nation was discussing (or had already agreed to) allowing American military access to their airspace.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// -
Sam Adams Letter (Original microfilm): https://www.masshist.org/collection-guides/digitized/fa0306/b01-i013#1
Warren-Adams Letters (1917 Transcription): https://archive.org/details/warrenadamslette7211mass/page/14/mode/2up
Research Notes/Bibliography can be found here: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Common Intelligence Picture: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=204a59b01f4443cd96718796fd102c00
Border Crisis Map: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=7f13eda1f301431e98a7ac0393b0e6b0
TOC Dashboard: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ebe374c40c1a4231a06075155b0e8cb9/
00:00 - Global Strategic Concerns
01:11 - Venezuela
05:47 - Ukraine
11:59 - Homeland Threats
14:09 - Nil Desperandum
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Disclaimer: No company sponsored this video. In fact, we have ZERO sponsors. We are funded 100% by you, the viewer. All of our funding comes from direct support from platforms like Patreon, or from ad revenue on YouTube. Without your support, I simply could not do this work at all, so to those of you who chose to support my efforts, I am eternally thankful. Odysee: https://odysee.com/@S2Underground:7 Gab: https://gab.com/S2underground Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/S2Underground BitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/P2NMGFdt3gf3/ Just a few reminders for everyone who's just become aware of us, in order to keep these briefings from being several hours long, I can't cover everything. I'm probably covering 1% of the world events when we conduct these briefings, so please remember that if I left it out, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's unimportant. Also, remember that I do these briefings quite often, so I might have covered an issue previously that you might not see if you are only watching our most recent videos. I'm also doing this in my spare time, so again I fully admit that these briefings aren't even close to being perfect; I'm going for a healthy blend of speed and quality. If I were to wait and only post a brief when it's "perfect" I would never post anything at all. So expect some minor errors here and there. If there is a major error or correction that needs to be made, I will post it here in the description, and verbally address it in the next briefing. Also, thanks for reading this far. It is always surprising the number of people that don't actually read the description box to find more information. This content is purely educational and does not advocate for violating any laws. Do not violate any laws or regulations. This is not legal advice. Consult with your attorney. Our Reading List! https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/133747963-s2-actual The War Kitchen Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYmtpjXT22tAWGIlg_xDDPA
-
//The Wire//1800Z July 3, 2026//
//ROUTINE//
//BLUF: AYATOLLAH KHAMENEI'S FUNERAL BEGINS IN TEHRAN. IMMOLATION INCIDENT REPORTED IN NEW YORK. DHS REPORTS CYBERATTACK AFFECTING INFORMATION EXCHANGE NETWORK.//-----BEGIN TEARLINE-----
-International Events-
Iran: This week, the official state funeral for Ayatollah Khamenei began, which has drawn large crowds to Tehran. Khamenei's remains will lie in state in Tehran for three days, before a funeral procession is carried out through the streets of Tehran. On July 7, the body is scheduled to be transported to the city of Qom, before various ceremonies are carried out and he's finally buried in his hometown of Mashhad.
Analyst Comment: As nearly all of the upper echelons of Iran's political leadership will be participating in some of these ceremonies, concerns are growing that the Israelis will attempt another series of decapitation strikes during the funeral. Striking the Ayatollah's coffin during the funeral procession just to send a message would also be right up the IDF's alley, but the question remains as to whether the IDF can even manage such an operation so far into Iran at this point. This possibility is pure speculation, however due to the potential for a very serious conflagration to occur once again, this would be worth keeping an eye on for the next few days.
On a related note, a surge of several tankers was observed in the Strait of Hormuz, taking advantage of the southern Omani route while the Ayatollah's funeral is ongoing. These vessels were probably gambling on the Iranians not wanting to carry out strikes during a period of mourning, while a lot of the senior decision makers are occupied with traveling to Tehran for the funeral. This clever trick is probably a one-time thing, as the Iranians have demonstrated in the past that they will allow this for a couple of days, before they start striking vessels again.
-HomeFront-
New York: Yesterday evening an immolation incident was reported at the United Nations building, after a protester set himself on fire during a livestream at the main entrance on United Nations Plaza. The individual has been identified as Lobga Rangzen, an activist affiliated with the Tibetan independence movement. Rangzen was eventually extinguished by building security, but later died at an area hospital.
-----END TEARLINE-----
Analyst Comments: Yesterday, the Department of Homeland Security announced an investigation into an alleged breach and/or cyberattack on their Homeland Security Information Network, an information sharing network for coordinating between various federal agencies. The breach reportedly involved an older unclassified computer system, and was only discovered recently after occurring back in May. This is a developing story at the time of this report, and so far the main primary sources of this breach are two unidentified whistleblowers who leaked the story to the mainstream media. Following this leak, the DHS quietly confirmed that the breach did take place, but no further comment has been made regarding the national security implications of this incident, or who the culprit was.
Analyst: S2A1
Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT// - Visa fler
