President Trump publicly acknowledged authorizing the CIA to take action in Venezuela, citing concerns about prisoners being released into the U.S. and drug trafficking. The president’s comments followed reports of the administration authorizing covert, lethal action in the country. Trump also stated that U.S. military strikes on suspected drug smuggling boats in the Caribbean, an option also being considered on land, had saved American lives, despite experts’ claims that fentanyl is not primarily transported by boat. The administration has offered different explanations for these actions, portraying them as a means to combat drug cartels, while also applying pressure on the Venezuelan regime.
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A recently revealed covert operation, authorized by Donald Trump, involved Navy SEALs infiltrating North Korea to install surveillance equipment aimed at intercepting Kim Jong Un’s communications. During this mission, the SEALs, believing a small boat contained North Korean security forces, fired upon it, resulting in the deaths of two or three civilians who were fishing. The SEALs then attempted to conceal the incident, and military investigations later deemed the operation justified, classifying the findings and keeping them from the public. Furthermore, legal experts have suggested that the Trump administration may have violated federal law by failing to notify relevant congressional committees about the mission.
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Following Israel’s initial strikes against Iran, Israeli intelligence operatives launched a covert campaign to intimidate senior Iranian officials. Utilizing Persian-speaking agents, they made phone calls threatening officials with death if they continued supporting the regime. The Washington Post obtained an audio recording of one such call, where an operative gave a general a deadline to disassociate himself from the Iranian government. This campaign, part of the larger operation “Rising Lion,” aimed to destabilize the regime and sow fear among its leadership. The ultimate goal of the campaign was to make it difficult for Ayatollah Ali Khamenei to replace those eliminated in the Israeli attacks.
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The success of the operation hinged on the seamless collaboration between Mossad and the military’s Intelligence Directorate. This partnership yielded comprehensive intelligence, facilitating highly accurate strikes. These strikes specifically targeted prominent leaders within Iran’s security apparatus and nuclear development efforts. The result was the elimination of key figures crucial to these programs. This close cooperation proved instrumental in achieving the operation’s objectives.
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Ukraine’s Security Service (SSU) conducted a covert operation on June 1st, damaging approximately 40 Russian aircraft at multiple airfields. This operation, planned for over a year and a half, involved the clandestine deployment of drones concealed within mobile crates. According to Axios and CBS News sources, the US was not informed beforehand. The attacks preceded Ukraine-Russia negotiations scheduled for June 2nd in Istanbul.
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Ukrainian intelligence recently provided Syrian rebels with approximately 150 FPV drones and 20 operators to aid in attacks against Russian and Syrian forces. This covert operation, though playing a modest role in the overall Syrian conflict, represents a broader Ukrainian effort to undermine Russian interests globally. While not a secret, the Ukrainian actions were reportedly unknown to senior Biden administration officials. Similar operations have targeted Russian mercenaries in Mali, resulting in significant casualties and severed diplomatic ties between Ukraine and Mali.
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A Rolling Stone report reveals discussions within Trump’s transition team regarding a potential “soft invasion” of Mexico, involving covert operations by American special forces to eliminate cartel leaders. This plan, echoing previous proposals by Trump and some congressional lawmakers, would proceed without Mexican government consent. The discussions center on the scope of this intervention, raising concerns about unilateral US action in Mexico. The plan draws parallels to past counter-terrorism operations, such as the raid that killed Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi.
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As I delve into the intricacies of the 5-year Havana Syndrome investigation, my thoughts are consumed by the unsettling findings that have surfaced, pointing to Russian intelligence and the weaponization of acoustic technology. The notion that Russia may be behind these attacks is not far-fetched, given their history of engaging in hybrid warfare and manipulating various aspects of the US information sphere. Acoustic weapons, it seems, are just the tip of the iceberg in their arsenal of tactics to disrupt and sow discord.
The concept of an acoustic weapon that can induce symptoms akin to a concussion or traumatic brain injury is alarming.… Continue reading
John Q. Hosedrinker