SOFREP Morning Brief: Israel Vows to Hold Security Zones in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria as Civilian Toll Mounts

SOFREP Morning Brief – Thursday, April 17, 2025. Here’s what you need to know: Israel will keep forces in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria security zones, drawing backlash as Gaza’s civilian death toll climbs past 51,000. Hamas demands full Israeli withdrawal for more hostage releases. Russia bombed Kherson, killing one, as ceasefire talks stall and it gains ground. Moscow seized a US-owned food firm to supply troops. The US approved a $825M Stinger missile sale to Morocco. Taiwan barred 62 troops from intel access over Chinese residency ties.

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Israel Vows to Hold Security Zones in Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria as Civilian Toll Mounts

Israel’s defense minister announced Wednesday that Israeli forces will remain indefinitely in designated “security zones” within Gaza, Lebanon, and Syria.

The move signals a hardened military stance and complicates ongoing ceasefire and hostage negotiations with Hamas.

Defense Minister Israel Katz said the Israel Defense Forces will not withdraw from cleared areas, stating, “The military will remain in the security zones as a buffer between the enemy and Israeli communities in any temporary or permanent situation.” This strategy echoes Israel’s continued military presence in parts of Lebanon and its seizure of a buffer zone in Syria last year.

The announcement came amid escalating civilian casualties in Gaza. Israeli strikes killed at least 22 people Wednesday, including an infant girl. Local officials report over 51,000 Palestinians have been killed since the war began. Israel claims it has eliminated around 20,000 militants but has not provided evidence. The Gaza Health Ministry states women and children comprise over half of the dead.

Hamas reiterated it would not release remaining hostages without a full Israeli withdrawal and a lasting ceasefire.

The families of hostages criticized the Israeli government for prioritizing territorial control over rescue efforts.

BREAKING: Israel’s defense minister says troops will remain in so-called security zones in the Gaza Strip, Lebanon and Syria indefinitely. https://t.co/UhkxlE1QiH

— The Associated Press (@AP) April 16, 2025

In southern Lebanon, Israeli drone strikes killed two people, bringing the civilian death toll from Israeli actions in the region to over 70 since the ceasefire with Hezbollah last November, according to the United Nations.

Humanitarian conditions in Gaza continue to deteriorate.

The UN reports widespread malnutrition and water scarcity as Israel’s aid blockade enters its seventh week. Nearly 90% of Gaza’s population has been displaced, many living in overcrowded tent camps with limited access to food, water, or medical aid.

On Wednesday, Palestinian Islamic Jihad released a video showing hostage Rom Braslavski alive, pleading for an end to the war and access to humanitarian aid.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reaffirmed Israel’s intent to destroy Hamas and recover the 59 hostages still believed to be held in Gaza.

He also stated Israel would pursue the resettlement of Gaza’s population abroad under a “voluntary emigration” plan aligned with US President Donald Trump’s proposal—an initiative widely condemned by Palestinians and human rights advocates as a potential violation of international law.

Meanwhile, ceasefire negotiations mediated by Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, have made little progress.

Russia Strikes Southern Ukraine as Ceasefire Talks Stall and Battle Lines Harden

Russian forces launched a coordinated glide bomb and artillery attack on the southern Ukrainian city of Kherson on Wednesday, killing one civilian and injuring nine others.

Regional governor Oleksandr Prokudin accused Moscow of deliberately targeting first responders, calling the tactic an attempt to obstruct rescue efforts.

The strike damaged a supermarket, sports facility, residential buildings, and civilian vehicles. It follows Sunday’s deadly missile attack on the northeastern city of Sumy, which killed 35 people, including two children, and injured more than 100—the deadliest assault on Ukrainian civilians so far this year.

Russia claimed it targeted a gathering of senior Ukrainian officers but provided no evidence.

Currently, 38 people are receiving treatment in medical facilities in Sumy following yesterday’s Russian ballistic strike — among them, 9 children. 11 people, including 3 children, are in critical condition. Every effort is being made to provide them with maximum assistance.… pic.twitter.com/fRDV0mVepN

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) April 14, 2025

The attacks continue amid a nominal 30-day agreement between Moscow and Kyiv to halt strikes on energy infrastructure. Both sides accuse the other of daily violations and disagree on when the truce began.

Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov said Russia has not yet decided whether it will honor the ceasefire after the 30-day period.

Moscow has rejected calls for a comprehensive ceasefire, including one backed by US President Donald Trump. Russian President Vladimir Putin has demanded a halt to Ukraine’s mobilization and Western arms supplies—conditions Kyiv has dismissed.

Meanwhile, Russian forces maintain battlefield momentum along the 600-mile front line, and Ukrainian intelligence warns of a new Russian offensive. The Kremlin continues its air defense efforts, claiming it downed 26 Ukrainian drones over several regions on Wednesday.

BREAKING:

Kherson is under intense attack. Several ppl have been killed & wounded

4 Russian glide bombs have hit the city. Rescue-workers arriving on the scene are being attacked by Russian artillery

The military mayor Roman Mrochko came under artillery attack while reporting pic.twitter.com/04xedW8Lsn

— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) April 16, 2025

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff will travel to Paris on Thursday for talks with European counterparts aimed at advancing US-led peace efforts.

Witkoff recently met with Putin for the third time and claimed the Russian leader seeks “permanent peace,” contingent on recognition of Russian control over five Ukrainian regions.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy rejected this stance, reiterating that Ukraine will not cede any occupied territory.

Ukraine’s economy ministry reported progress on a prospective US-Ukraine investment agreement focused on mineral resource development. A formal memorandum of intent is expected soon, with both sides preparing for parliamentary ratification.

Russian authorities recently detained former Kursk Oblast Governor Alexei Smirnov, likely as part of the Kremlin efforts to scapegoat Kursk Oblast officials for their failure in responding to Ukraine’s August 2024 incursion into Kursk Oblast. ⬇️ https://t.co/CrYlTNiwAH pic.twitter.com/BytHsmeBvi

— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) April 17, 2025

Russia Seizes US-Owned Food Firm Glavprodukt for Military Supply Use

The Kremlin plans to use Glavprodukt, a US-owned canned food manufacturer seized last year, to supply food to the Russian military, according to a letter reviewed by Reuters. The move risks complicating ongoing US-Russia negotiations aimed at ending the war in Ukraine.

Glavprodukt, based in Russia but formerly owned by Los Angeles businessman Leonid Smirnov, was placed under state control in October 2023. It is the only American-owned firm formally expropriated by Russian authorities. The company is now managed by Russia’s federal property agency, Rosimushchestvo.

In a letter addressed to Russia’s prosecutor general, Glavprodukt’s new management cited “stable production” as the reason for the seizure and noted future supply plans for Russia’s National Guard and Defense Ministry.

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said the company’s seizure will be raised in broader discussions about resetting US-Russia relations.

U.S.-owned Glavprodukt, a large food canning business in Russia, was seized by the Kremlin in October. Now, plans are afoot for the company to be used to supply food to the Russian army, a document seen by Reuters showed.

Story, with @ahirtens here👇 https://t.co/ozZUSh3lOm

— Alex Marrow (@alexmarrow57) April 17, 2025

Russian prosecutors allege Smirnov funneled 1.38 billion rubles (about $17 million) out of Russia between 2022 and 2024.

Glavprodukt’s assets were frozen on March 12 by the Moscow Arbitration Court, with a hearing scheduled for April 18. Smirnov denies wrongdoing and describes the case as a “Russian-style corporate raid.”

The expropriation appears to benefit Druzhba Narodov, a food producer with close ties to Russian state contracts. The group previously held exclusive supply rights to Russia’s National Guard and reportedly influenced the appointment of Glavprodukt’s new director. Ownership records for Druzhba Narodov are now classified, but past filings suggest ties to Agrocomplex, an agriculture conglomerate linked to former agriculture minister Alexander Tkachev.

Tkachev, sanctioned by the EU in 2014 for supporting Russia’s annexation of Crimea, chairs Agrocomplex’s board and remains a powerful figure in Russian agribusiness.

Glavprodukt’s case reflects a broader trend of Kremlin-led asset seizures targeting foreign companies amid escalating war demands.

At least a dozen European-owned firms have faced similar expropriations since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.

US Approves $825 Million Stinger Missile Sale to Morocco

This week, the US government has approved a potential $825 million sale of up to 600 Stinger surface-to-air missiles and associated equipment to Morocco.

The Defense Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) confirmed the State Department’s approval and formally notified Congress of the proposed transaction.

The sale aims to enhance Morocco’s short-range air defense capabilities and support the modernization of its armed forces.

“The proposed sale will improve Morocco’s capability to meet current and future threats,” the DSCA said in a statement.

The US agency emphasized that the weapons would help Morocco expand its existing air defense systems while improving interoperability with US and allied forces.

.@StateDept 🇺🇸 authorizes a Foreign Military Sales #FMS case for 🇲🇦 #Morocco to purchase Stinger Block I Missiles with an estimated cost of $825 million. #FMSUpdate – https://t.co/Gbn8XwoSAN pic.twitter.com/Tk3WkbZTVj

— Political-Military Affairs, US Dept of State (@StateDeptPM) April 15, 2025

Congress must still approve the deal before it can proceed.

Taiwan Bars 62 Active Troops from Intel Access Over Chinese Residency Permits

Taiwan’s Ministry of National Defense revealed this week that at least 62 active-duty military personnel currently hold Chinese residency permits, raising concerns about Beijing’s potential influence within the island’s armed forces.

Defense Minister Wellington Koo stated during a legislative hearing on Wednesday that while holding such documents is not illegal in Taiwan, the affected individuals will be barred from handling sensitive intelligence or confidential military data.

The move is part of efforts to tighten internal security amid intensifying gray-zone tactics by China.

China, which claims Taiwan as part of its territory, offers residency permits and travel documentation to Taiwanese citizens, allowing them to live or visit the mainland.

While none of the 62 service members were found to possess Chinese passports or official resident identity cards—which would require renouncing Taiwanese citizenship—officials cited national security concerns over divided loyalties.

Taiwan, with 150,000 active military personnel and 1.6 million reservists, has long faced internal challenges from citizens with familial or financial ties to mainland China. The Defense Ministry’s disclosure highlights the continued risk of infiltration and psychological operations, reminiscent of strategies used during the Chinese Civil War.

The Taiwanese government has taken steps to bolster national defense, including extending mandatory military service and acquiring advanced weaponry. These moves come as part of broader efforts to reinforce the island’s de facto independence and readiness in the face of escalating threats from Beijing.

Sources: News Agencies