SOFREP Daily: Israeli Strikes Kill Seven in Gaza Before Ceasefire Vote, Russia Bombs Ukrainian Energy Sites, Iran Unveils First Signals Intelligence Ship

Good morning! It’s Thursday, January 16, 2025, and we’re back with your daily briefing on defense and global affairs. Here’s what’s making headlines today.

Israeli Strikes Kill Seven in Gaza Before Ceasefire Vote

At least seven people were killed in Israeli airstrikes on Gaza early Thursday, just hours before Israel’s cabinet was set to vote on a ceasefire agreement.

Gaza’s civil defense agency reported recovering five bodies and over ten injured from the rubble of a house bombed in Gaza City’s Al-Rimal area.

Two more bodies were retrieved from a strike at the Al-Sha’biya intersection.

BREAKING: Heavy Israeli bombardment in Gaza after the announcement of a ceasefire deal has killed at least 32 people, medics reported.https://t.co/pS4xOmzuXg

📺 Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/VjkL6jgtyV

— Sky News (@SkyNews) January 16, 2025

These strikes come amid hopes of a breakthrough following a Qatar- and US-brokered ceasefire and hostage-release deal between Israel and Hamas, which could potentially bring an end to the conflict.

Israeli media reports that the cabinet will vote on the ceasefire deal later in the day.

Russia Bombs Ukrainian Energy Sites, Ukraine Shoots Down Missiles

Russia launched a massive wave of missiles and drones targeting Ukraine’s energy infrastructure on Wednesday, further straining the country’s resources during a harsh winter.

The attack, which involved 43 missiles and 74 drones, focused on western Ukraine, damaging power grids and critical facilities.

NEW: Russian forces conducted a large series of missile and drone strikes against Ukrainian energy infrastructure on the night of January 14 to 15.

Ukraine and Russia conducted a one-for-one prisoner of war (POW) exchange on January 15, their first POW exchange in 2025.

A… pic.twitter.com/0K1QcQwYYN

— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) January 16, 2025

Ukrainian forces managed to intercept a significant portion of the barrage, shooting down 30 missiles and 47 drones.

Despite Russia claiming success, Ukrainian officials called the attack a failure, though it still caused widespread damage in regions like Lviv and Ivano-Frankivsk.

President Volodymyr Zelenskyy condemned the strikes and urged allies to step up military aid, including using frozen Russian assets to fund Ukraine’s defense.

Another massive Russian attack. It’s the middle of winter, and the target for the Russians remains unchanged: our energy infrastructure. Among their objectives were gas and energy facilities that sustain normal life for our people. Over 40 missiles were launched in this attack,…

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) January 15, 2025

Meanwhile, Poland scrambled fighter jets to secure its airspace as Russian drone attacks escalated, hitting an oil depot in Russia’s Voronezh region.

This back-and-forth comes at a precarious time for Ukraine, with Russian forces advancing steadily in eastern Donetsk and northern Kharkiv.

The attacks highlight the continued devastation of the nearly three-year war, with both sides escalating their use of missiles and drones.

Meanwhile, Ukraine and Russia carried out a rare exchange of 25 prisoners of war, offering a brief moment of cooperation amidst the chaos.

Iran Unveils First Signals Intelligence Ship During Military Drills

Iran unveiled Wednesday its first-ever signals intelligence ship, the Zagros, as part of a series of nationwide military drills aimed at safeguarding its nuclear facilities.

State media reported that the Iranian-made ship is equipped with advanced electronic sensors and cyber intelligence capabilities, with Navy chief Admiral Shahram Irani calling it a “watchful eye” for operations in deep waters.

The Iranian Navy has taken delivery of Zagros, a domestically-developed destroyer. pic.twitter.com/6hHbHKzTo5

— Tehran Times (@TehranTimes79) January 15, 2025

The launch coincides with major military exercises focused on defending key nuclear sites like Natanz and Fordow, amidst heightened scrutiny of Iran’s nuclear program.

The announcement comes just days before US President-elect Donald Trump’s inauguration, a tense moment in US-Iran relations.

Trump’s past policies included withdrawing from the 2015 nuclear deal, reimposing sanctions, and authorizing the killing of Iranian General Qasem Soleimani.

Meanwhile, Iran continues to enrich uranium to 60 percent, nearing weapons-grade levels, though it maintains its program is for peaceful purposes.

Israel Targets Islamist-Led Syria in Deadly Quneitra Airstrike

For the first time, Israel targeted Syria’s new Islamist-led authorities in an airstrike on Wednesday, killing three people, including two members of the Military Operations Department and a civilian.

The strike, carried out by an Israeli drone in the Quneitra region, hit a military convoy, according to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR).

A local official from the Ghadir al-Bustan area was reportedly among the casualties.

This marks a shift in Israel’s long-running strikes in Syria, which previously focused on the now-defunct Assad regime’s forces.

NEW — #Israel just conducted a drone strike on an #HTS-linked force in the village of Ghadir al-Bustan in #Quneitra. Early reports claim civilian casualties.#HTS-linked forces were there to remove weapons from former #Assad loyalists & military positions. pic.twitter.com/eGAvrdI2Tg

— Charles Lister (@Charles_Lister) January 15, 2025

The Observatory noted that Syrian security forces were conducting a search for weapons in civilian homes at the time of the attack.

Since President Bashar al-Assad was ousted on December 8, Israel has intensified its military presence, crossing into the UN-patrolled buffer zone in the Golan Heights, a region it annexed after seizing it from Syria in 1967—a move still not recognized internationally.

Taiwan Deploys Navy to Safeguard Undersea Telecom Cables

Taiwan is stepping up efforts to protect its undersea telecom cables after a Chinese-owned ship was suspected of damaging one earlier this month.

Defense Minister Wellington Koo announced Thursday that the Navy will assist the coast guard in monitoring suspicious vessels near the island’s crucial cable networks.

If necessary, the Navy will be deployed to support investigations.

The incident involved a Cameroon-flagged ship, owned by a Hong Kong company with ties to China, suspected of dragging its anchor over an international cable northeast of Taiwan.

While the coast guard briefly detained the ship, rough seas prevented boarding, and the vessel was later released.

Taiwan says its navy can help the coast guard to protect the country’s undersea communication cables in the wake of an incident with a Chinese-linked ship. pic.twitter.com/0ndDi3baL8

— TaiwanPlus News (@taiwanplusnews) January 16, 2025

With Taiwan’s 14 international cables being critical to communication, Taipei remains concerned about potential sabotage by Beijing, which has previously threatened to cut off communication as part of a blockade.

The National Security Bureau warned that damaged cables could pose a major national security threat and pledged stricter monitoring of suspicious ships.

New Details Emerge in Bourbon Street Truck Rampage That Killed 14

The FBI revealed Wednesday chilling new details about Shamsud-Din Jabbar’s deadly New Year’s Day attack in New Orleans, where he drove a pickup truck into a crowd on Bourbon Street, killing 14 people and injuring 57 others.

Inspired by the Islamic State, the 42-year-old US Army veteran had meticulously planned the assault, scouting the area multiple times and researching attacks like a recent Christmas market rampage in Germany.

In the hours before the attack, Jabbar searched online for information on accessing Bourbon Street balconies, details about Mardi Gras, and other violent incidents in New Orleans.

Surveillance footage showed him placing undetonated explosive devices in the French Quarter before crashing his truck into revelers and being killed in a shootout with police.

The FBI is piecing together Jabbar’s radicalization timeline, noting he became more devout in 2022 and adopted extremist views by 2024.

FBI releases video showing Meta glasses recording of Shamsud-Din Jabbar as he rode a bicycle through the French Quarter pic.twitter.com/zkYnMcPzR4

— New York Post (@nypost) January 5, 2025

The attack has raised serious concerns about security in New Orleans, especially with Carnival season underway and the Super Bowl approaching.

Officials are investigating potential vulnerabilities that left the city exposed to such a catastrophic event.

Impeached South Korean President Refuses Questioning After Martial Law Fallout

South Korea’s impeached president, Yoon Suk Yeol, has refused further questioning after being detained by anti-corruption officials over his controversial martial law declaration last month.

His lawyers argue that the detention and investigation are illegal, claiming the anti-corruption agency has no authority to probe rebellion allegations.

Yoon’s arrest followed a dramatic raid on the presidential residence involving hundreds of investigators and police.

The political crisis began on December 3, when Yoon declared martial law and deployed troops around the National Assembly to break a legislative deadlock.

Lawmakers quickly overturned the measure, and Yoon was impeached by the opposition-dominated assembly on December 14. His fate now rests with the Constitutional Court, which will decide whether to remove him from office or reinstate him.

Yoon’s detention has sparked protests from his supporters, who are calling for his release.

If formally arrested and charged with rebellion, Yoon could face severe penalties, including life imprisonment or the death penalty under South Korean law.

Sources: News Agencies