SOFREP Morning Brief: Hamas Claims ‘Loss of Contact’ with Hostage Captors After Israeli Strike, US-Philippine Forces Launch Largest Joint War Games Yet

Good morning! Welcome back to SOFREP’s morning brief. Here’s a quick roundup of what’s happening in defense and global affairs this Wednesday, April 16, 2025: The US has deployed a second aircraft carrier to the Arabian Sea, ramping up pressure on Iran as nuclear talks resume. Hamas claims it lost contact with the captors of an Israeli-American hostage after an Israeli airstrike in Gaza. In Sudan, civil war enters its third year with famine and displacement worsening what the UN calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis. The Marine Corps has relieved the commander of MCAS Beaufort for loss of confidence. A federal judge has ordered Trump officials to testify over a deportation case that defied a Supreme Court ruling. And in the Pacific, US and Philippine forces have launched their largest-ever joint war games, reinforcing military readiness near the South China Sea.

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Second US Carrier Enters Mideast as Iran Nuclear Talks Intensify

The USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and its strike group are now operating in the Arabian Sea alongside the USS Harry S. Truman (CVN-75), marking the presence of two US aircraft carriers in the region amid renewed negotiations with Iran over its nuclear program.

Satellite images confirmed the Vinson’s position near Socotra Island off the coast of Yemen.

The deployment comes as US forces continue airstrikes against Iranian-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen, with both carriers conducting what US Central Command (CENTCOM) described as “24/7 strikes.”

The Navy released footage showing Vinson launching F-35 and F/A-18 jets, further signaling a sustained show of force.

24/7 strikes from USS Harry S. Truman (CVN 75) and USS Carl Vinson (CVN 70) across multiple Iran-backed Houthi locations… #HouthisAreTerrorists⁩ pic.twitter.com/CINFfQZ5tP

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 15, 2025

US officials have connected the military pressure campaign to the diplomatic effort underway with Iran.

Weekend talks between the two countries took place in Oman, with US Mideast envoy Steve Witkoff calling the discussions “positive, constructive, compelling.” While Iran initially confirmed Rome as the next venue, it has since insisted negotiations will return to Oman.

Witkoff emphasized that any future deal must include strict verification of Iran’s uranium enrichment and weaponization efforts. He also identified 3.67% as the acceptable enrichment ceiling, in line with the 2015 nuclear agreement that the Trump administration withdrew from in 2018. Iran currently enriches uranium to as high as 60%, close to weapons-grade.

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, while cautious, described the first round of talks as having gone “well.” He stated the process should continue carefully and reiterated that Iran’s “red lines” remain firm.

Khamenei warned against relying on negotiations to guide national policy but signaled optimism about Iran’s negotiating position.

24…7….#HouthisAreTerrorists pic.twitter.com/YI8EnrHM0R

— U.S. Central Command (@CENTCOM) April 15, 2025

Tehran’s state-aligned Javan newspaper suggested Iran may be open to limiting enrichment again, framing it as consistent with past concessions rather than a retreat from core principles.

The second round of talks is expected Saturday. With carriers launching strikes in parallel to diplomacy, the US appears to be leveraging military presence as both deterrent and bargaining chip.

Hamas Claims ‘Loss of Contact’ with Hostage Captors After Israeli Strike

Hamas announced Tuesday that it had lost contact with the group holding Israeli-American soldier Edan Alexander following an Israeli airstrike in Gaza.

Alexander, whose release reportedly figures prominently in Israel’s latest ceasefire proposal, was abducted during Hamas’s October 2023 attack and is believed to have been held in Gaza since.

Hamas military wing spokesperson Abu Obeida stated on Telegram that the strike directly hit the captors’ location and that contact with the group has not yet been re-established. Hours later, Hamas released a video warning Israeli families that continued bombardment would result in hostages returning “in black coffins.”

⚡️BREAKING: Qassam Brigades-Hamas publishes

Be prepared, soon your sons will return in black coffins pic.twitter.com/o2K364rpNz

— S2FUncensored (@S2FUncensored) April 15, 2025

The footage showed masked militants carrying coffins and included messages in Hebrew, Arabic, and English threatening that hostages’ bodies would be torn apart by Israeli strikes.

On Saturday, Hamas had previously released a video showing Alexander alive, speaking under apparent duress and criticizing Israel’s leadership.

Israel’s latest ceasefire proposal, conveyed via Egyptian mediators, includes the release of 10 living hostages—beginning with Alexander—in exchange for a 45-day ceasefire. Hamas has yet to formally respond but is expected to do so within 48 hours.

The proposal reportedly includes an Israeli demand for Hamas to disarm, a move the group has rejected as a “red line.”

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu visited troops in northern Gaza Tuesday, reaffirming Israel’s commitment to military pressure until all hostages are released and war objectives are met.

“Hamas will continue to suffer blow after blow,” Netanyahu said.

Out of 251 hostages taken in the October assault, 58 remain in Gaza, including 34 confirmed dead, according to the Israeli military.

Sudan Marks Two Years of Civil War Amid Famine, Atrocities, and De Facto Partition

As Sudan marks two years of civil war, the country faces what the United Nations calls the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.

The Sudanese military recently retook Khartoum from the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), but the conflict has shifted to new fronts, deepening the humanitarian catastrophe.

Over 300 civilians were killed by RSF fighters in recent attacks on refugee camps in Darfur. Famine has gripped camps like Zamzam, where 400,000 have fled. Aid workers are unable to reach these areas due to ongoing violence.

Half of Sudan’s 50 million people face hunger, with famine confirmed in 10 regions and likely to spread. More than 25 million are food insecure, including over 600,000 facing starvation. Cholera and other diseases are surging.

The war has displaced nearly 13 million people and killed at least 20,000.

The country now appears effectively split, with the military controlling the north and center, and the RSF holding much of the west and south.

Despite calls for a ceasefire, both sides remain entrenched. Aid groups report severe funding shortfalls, while returnees to retaken areas find homes destroyed and communities shattered.

US Marine Corps Fires MCAS Beaufort Commander Citing ‘Loss of Confidence’

The US Marine Corps relieved Col. Mark D. Bortnem of his command at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) Beaufort, South Carolina, effective Tuesday.

A spokesperson for Marine Corps Installations East confirmed that Bortnem was fired due to a “loss of trust and confidence” in his ability to command.

Brig. Gen. Ralph J. Rizzo Jr., commanding general of MCI East-Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, made the decision nearly two years into Bortnem’s tenure.

The Marine Corps did not disclose further details, including whether the dismissal was tied to misconduct, performance, or a criminal investigation.

Lt. Col. Michael R. Eubanks, the executive officer of the air station’s headquarters squadron, will serve as acting commander until a permanent replacement is appointed.

Bortnem, a former F/A-18 pilot, enlisted in the Marine Corps in 1991 and commissioned as an officer in 1998. He logged nearly 3,000 flight hours, including over 500 in combat, and deployed multiple times—most notably flying missions in support of Operation Iraqi Freedom.

His firing came just two days after MCAS Beaufort hosted its annual air show, which featured the Navy’s Blue Angels and a display of the Marine Corps’ V-22 Osprey. There were no reported incidents at the event. Bortnem was publicly seen greeting performers shortly before the show.

Attempts to contact Bortnem were unsuccessful. His official biography remained posted on a Marine Corps website as of Tuesday.

Federal Judge Orders Testimony After Trump Officials Defy Supreme Court on Deportation Case

A federal judge has ordered sworn testimony from Trump administration officials to determine whether they defied court and Supreme Court orders in the deportation of Kilmar Abrego Garcia, a Salvadoran national mistakenly expelled to a high-security prison in El Salvador.

US District Judge Paula Xinis of Maryland issued the order Tuesday, criticizing the administration for taking “no action at all” to retrieve Abrego Garcia despite a clear mandate from the Supreme Court.

Xinis dismissed recent public statements from the White House and El Salvador’s president as irrelevant to the legal obligations before her.

The court-ordered testimony will include officials from Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), the Department of Homeland Security, and the State Department. The fact-finding process is expected to take two weeks and could lead to contempt proceedings if noncompliance is confirmed.

Abrego Garcia, 29, lived in the US for 14 years, working in construction and raising three children with disabilities. Though protected from deportation by a 2019 immigration ruling due to threats from local gangs, he was expelled last month.

The Trump administration later labeled the deportation an “administrative error” but claimed he was linked to MS-13 — an allegation he denies and for which he has never been charged.

His lawyers argue that the US government retains the contractual authority to request his release, as it pays El Salvador to detain foreign prisoners. The administration has resisted, claiming courts cannot interfere with executive powers over diplomacy.

President Nayib Bukele of El Salvador has refused to return Abrego Garcia, comparing it to smuggling a terrorist.

Despite the Supreme Court’s decision affirming the US government’s obligation to “facilitate” Abrego Garcia’s return, officials have continued to assert they lack authority to act. Judge Xinis has demanded daily status updates and dismissed the administration’s recent filings as insufficient.

The case has become a flashpoint amid broader deportation efforts under President Trump. Demonstrators gathered outside the Maryland courthouse Tuesday, demanding due process. Abrego Garcia’s wife, Jennifer Vasquez Sura, publicly vowed to keep fighting, describing his removal in front of their child as a traumatic event.

US and Philippine Forces Launch Largest Joint War Games Yet

Roughly 14,000 American and Filipino troops will participate in the 2025 Balikatan joint military exercises from April 21 to May 9, signaling that the Trump administration is not scaling back its regional security presence, according to Philippine Brig. Gen. Michael Logico.

The drills, which include 9,000 US and 5,000 Filipino personnel, will feature live-fire exercises, artillery and missile strikes, anti-ship warfare, and mock island defense operations.

The US will again deploy its mid-range missile system, the Navy Marine Expeditionary Ship Interdiction System, previously positioned in western Philippine coastal territory facing the South China Sea. The system includes Standard Missile (SM)-6 and Tomahawk missiles.

PH-US Exercise Balikatan 40-2025 to Kick Off, Marking Expanded Regional Security and Cooperation

The Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) and the United States Armed Forces through the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM) set to launch Exercise Balikatan 2025, the 40th… pic.twitter.com/qtG3qyCysK

— Armed Forces of the Philippines (@TeamAFP) April 15, 2025

Australia will contribute around 200 troops, while Japan and other allies will send smaller delegations. Most of the training will take place on Philippine soil, with multi-nation naval exercises in unspecified sea areas.

The annual Balikatan (“shoulder-to-shoulder”) exercises aim to boost battle readiness through command post coordination and full-scale field operations. The program includes special operations training in Batanes, a northern Philippine province near Taiwan.

US Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, during a March visit to Manila, affirmed Washington’s commitment to deterring Chinese aggression in the South China Sea. He stressed that the US seeks peace “through strength” and is not preparing for war.

China, which has repeatedly condemned joint military drills near disputed waters and Taiwan, remains vocally opposed to US deployments in the region. Beijing claims most of the South China Sea and has viewed US-Philippine defense cooperation as a threat to regional stability.

The South China Sea remains a high-stakes flashpoint, with overlapping territorial claims by China, the Philippines, Taiwan, Vietnam, Malaysia, and Brunei. The waterway is a critical global shipping route believed to hold vast undersea energy reserves.

Sources: News Agencies