Morning Brief: US military expands border authority with new restricted zones, North Korean man crosses demilitarized zone

Good morning and happy Independence Day. As fireworks light up US skies tonight, military actions and political flashpoints continue to ignite around the globe. From border crackdowns at home to chemical warfare in Ukraine and rising tensions across Asia and the Middle East, here’s what you need to know to stay ahead on this pivotal July 4th.

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US Military Expands Border Authority with New ‘Restricted Zones’

The US military has established expansive “restricted areas” across the southern border, marking a significant escalation in military involvement in immigration enforcement.

Thousands of orange no-entry signs have been posted in New Mexico and western Texas under the authority of a national emergency declared by President Trump. These zones, covering over 480 miles and supervised by US Army bases like Fort Bliss and Fort Huachuca, authorize troops to detain migrants, bypassing legal limits on military roles in civilian law enforcement.

Over 7,600 troops are deployed, and more than 1,400 migrants have been charged with military trespassing, punishable by up to 18 months in prison, in addition to standard illegal entry charges.

Critics, including civil rights groups and local outdoor users, argue that the militarized zones block public access and intensify risks for migrants, many of whom cross the desert in deadly conditions. Legal challenges are mounting, questioning the constitutionality of military enforcement on US soil without congressional approval.

President Trump has increased active-duty troop presence at the US-Mexico border from 2,500 to 8,000 in the past four months. Two new military zones in New Mexico and Texas, allow troops to detain and question civilians without invoking the Insurrection Act pic.twitter.com/PBVoU7lUHT

— Reuters (@Reuters) June 18, 2025

While some residents and ranchers welcome the added security, others express concern over escalating enforcement in areas historically used for recreation or labor. The Department of Defense has indicated it may negotiate public access in some zones. Meanwhile, migrant apprehensions have fallen to historic lows, dropping 30% in June alone.

Still, critics fear the initiative signals a broader push toward permanent militarization of the border.

US Army Push to Retain Hawaii Training Grounds Sparks Native Hawaiian Backlash

The US military aims to retain control of the Pohakuloa Training Area on Hawaii’s Big Island, a key live-fire training site vital to Indo-Pacific readiness, as its state land lease approaches expiration in 2029.

The plateau, positioned between Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa, is the only site in Hawaii large enough for battalion-level live munitions drills, making it critical for rapid troop deployment to Asia amid rising tensions with China.

Native Hawaiian groups and environmental advocates strongly oppose continued military use, citing a history of land contamination, cultural damage, and unfulfilled cleanup promises. Past incidents, including the Navy’s fuel spill at Pearl Harbor and unexploded ordnance left on Kahoolawe, have eroded public trust.

Recent archaeological discoveries on the plateau, including ancient burial figures, have intensified calls for the military to vacate and restore the land.

The Hawaii Land Board rejected the Army’s environmental impact statement in May, citing gaps in data on unexploded ordnance and cultural sites. The Army may appeal or pursue a land swap with the state, but finalizing such a deal would require significant political and legislative support. Alternatives like buying the land or invoking eminent domain appear unlikely at this stage.

Military leaders argue Pohakuloa is essential for combat readiness and regional deterrence, with joint training involving the Army, Marines, Navy, Air Force, and foreign partners. Critics, including Rep. Jill Tokuda and OHA Chair Kaialiʻi Kahele, demand increased accountability, cleanup commitments, and local benefits such as infrastructure support and housing relief.

Israeli Military Fence Turns West Bank Town Into ‘Prison,’ Palestinians Say

Israeli forces have sealed off the Palestinian town of Sinjil in the occupied West Bank with a five-meter-high metal fence, heavy gates, and roadblocks, leaving residents with only one monitored entry and exit point.

Locals describe the town of 8,000 as a “big prison,” with restricted access cutting them off from 2,000 acres of farmland vital to their livelihoods.

The Israeli military claims the fence is a security measure to protect the nearby Ramallah-Nablus highway from alleged stone-throwing and public disturbances. Officials argue residents still have “free access” through the remaining entrance.

Sinjil is one of many towns affected by a surge in Israeli barriers, checkpoints, and military restrictions following Hamas’ October 2023 attack.

With steel gates and a single guarded road, residents of a town in occupied West Bank say they are trapped in what feels like a big Israeli prisonhttps://t.co/yVgqrN67j5

— TRT World (@trtworld) July 4, 2025

Since the Gaza war began, Israel has dramatically escalated its control over West Bank movement, locking gates, erecting roadblocks, and increasing both permanent and flying checkpoints.

Residents now endure hours-long commutes and are often unable to reach work, schools, or family. The economic impact has been severe, compounded by a ban on Palestinian workers entering Israel and ongoing military operations in towns like Jenin.

Israeli settler leadership defends the restrictions, citing security concerns. However, Palestinian officials argue the increasing constraints are designed to crush civilian morale and suppress any move toward sovereignty. Critics warn the isolation strategy may fuel further radicalization among Palestinian youth.

The developments come amid a broader shift in Israeli policy, with the current government openly pushing to annex the West Bank and backing settler expansion—actions viewed by much of the international community as violations of international law.

Jihadist Attacks Kill 28 in Northeast and Northwest Nigeria

Two separate jihadist attacks in Nigeria this week left at least 28 people dead, according to military sources and local residents.

In the northeast, Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) fighters attacked Malam Fatori, a border town near Niger, early Thursday. The militants stormed a camp for internally displaced people, killing at least 11 civilians, according to Lt. Col. Olaniyo Osoba of the Multinational Joint Task Force.

Militants set fire to a hospital and government buildings before withdrawing. Local sources said 20 others were injured and transported to a hospital in Niger.

Malam Fatori, located in Borno State near Lake Chad, has been a frequent target of ISWAP, which split from Boko Haram in 2016 and uses the region as a stronghold. The town was seized by Boko Haram in 2014 and recaptured by the military in 2015.

The Islamic State West Africa Province (ISWAP) has released footage of storming a Nigerian army camp yesterday in the town of Malam Fatori in Borno State, northern Nigeria. pic.twitter.com/YMY53vevvg

— OSINTWarfare (@OSINTWarfare) July 3, 2025

In northwest Nigeria, militants from the Lakurawa jihadist group killed 17 villagers in Sokoto State’s Kwallajiya village on Wednesday. The attack, believed to be retaliation for a failed raid days earlier, targeted people working on farms and preparing for afternoon prayers. The assailants also burned homes, farmlands, and telecom infrastructure.

The Lakurawa group, which includes fighters from Mali, Niger, and Burkina Faso, entered Nigeria last year and now imposes strict Sharia law in areas it controls, collecting taxes and carrying out violent raids.

Nigeria’s northeast and northwest continue to face escalating threats from jihadist factions and cross-border insurgents, despite ongoing military operations and multinational cooperation.

Mali’s Junta Chief Granted Open-Ended Presidential Mandate Without Election

Mali’s military-led transitional council has approved a bill granting junta leader General Assimi Goïta a five-year presidential mandate, renewable indefinitely and without an election.

The move entrenches Goïta’s power until at least 2030, bypassing the military’s earlier promise to restore civilian rule by March 2024.

The bill, already backed by the cabinet and unanimously passed by 131 members of the National Transitional Council, now awaits Goïta’s signature.

Mali’s military authorities on Thursday granted junta chief General Assimi Goita a five-year presidential mandate, renewable “as many times as necessary” and without election.https://t.co/DTJ404CLup pic.twitter.com/pyNHYJJYgO

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) July 3, 2025

The new charter allows transitional leaders, including Goïta, to run in future elections and holds their positions “until the pacification of the country.” The decision follows a junta-led national consultation that proclaimed Goïta president and proposed stricter controls over political parties, many of which boycotted the process.

In May, the junta dissolved all political parties and banned public meetings.

Mali has faced jihadist insurgency since 2012. The junta claims the extended transition is necessary for national security. However, the military and its Russian allies from Africa Corps have been accused of human rights abuses.

Mali, alongside fellow junta-led states Burkina Faso and Niger, has formed the Alliance of Sahel States (AES) and plans to deploy a 5,000-strong joint force.

Like Mali, Burkina Faso and Niger have also extended military rule, dissolved political institutions, and pivoted away from France toward closer ties with Russia.

Russian Strike Batters Ukrainian Capital as US Halts Delivery of Air Defense Missiles

Russia carried out its largest aerial attack on Kyiv overnight Friday, launching 550 drones and missiles across Ukraine, including 11 missiles and hundreds of Shahed drones.

The barrage injured at least 23 people and caused widespread damage across multiple districts in the capital, according to Ukrainian authorities.

Ukraine’s Air Force reported intercepting 270 targets, including two cruise missiles, though 208 additional targets vanished from radar, likely jammed. Russia successfully struck eight locations with nine missiles and 63 drones. Debris from intercepted drones fell across 33 sites.

🚨 Following Russian strikes in #Kyiv’s Solomianskyi & Sviatoshynskyi districts, Ukrainian Red Cross emergency teams provided first aid, evacuated residents, and delivered vital aid. Volunteers remain on the ground supporting those affected. #EmergencyResponse #NotATarget pic.twitter.com/KWlvJogDQ7

— Ukrainian Red Cross (@RedCrossUkraine) July 4, 2025

Kyiv bore the brunt of the assault. Fires and structural damage were reported in at least five of the city’s 10 districts. Residential buildings, warehouses, garages, and rail infrastructure sustained hits. In Solomianskyi, a five-story building was partially destroyed and a warehouse ignited. In Sviatoshynskyi, a 14-story building and vehicles caught fire.

Strikes also affected buildings in Shevchenkivskyi, Darnytskyi, and Holosiivskyi.

The attack came just hours after President Donald Trump spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin and publicly addressed his administration’s pause on certain US weapons shipments to Ukraine, including Patriot, AIM-7, and Stinger missiles—critical tools for countering Russia’s missile and drone barrages.

2/ Ukrainian forces recently advanced near Borova and Siversk and in western Zaporizhia Oblast.

Russian forces recently advanced near Kupyansk, Toretsk, and Velyka Novosilka and in western Zaporizhia Oblast.

Full assessment: https://t.co/FJ7troCyr8 pic.twitter.com/focubkJz6Q

— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) July 4, 2025

The assault follows another massive Russian aerial strike less than a week earlier, which involved 537 drones and 60 missiles. Ukrainian defenses remain strained amid reduced Western support.

Dutch Intelligence Confirms Widespread Russian Use of Banned Chemical Weapons in Ukraine

Dutch intelligence has independently confirmed that Russian forces are systematically using banned chemical weapons, including the choking agent chloropicrin, in Ukraine.

According to Defense Minister Ruben Brekelmans and Military Intelligence Chief Peter Reesink, Russian troops have deployed chemical agents via drones to flush Ukrainian soldiers out of trenches before targeting them with gunfire.

Brekelmans described the trend as an alarming normalization of chemical warfare by Russia, calling for increased sanctions and Russia’s exclusion from international bodies like the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) Executive Council.

The findings were presented in a letter to the Dutch parliament and reflect broader European concerns about Moscow’s escalating tactics.

Our Dutch intelligence agencies reveal: Russia is increasingly using chemical weapons in Ukraine.

After tear gas it is confirmed Russia deploys the more potent and prohibited chloropicrin.

This is unacceptable: more sanctions and isolation of Russia, more support to Ukraine! ⤵️ pic.twitter.com/NWrFXT6mIS

— Ruben Brekelmans (@DefensieMin) July 4, 2025

Reesink said Dutch and allied intelligence confirmed Russia is not only using chemical agents in improvised munitions, such as gas-filled lightbulbs and repurposed riot control munitions, but is also conducting large-scale research and development to expand its chemical weapons program.

Evidence includes recruitment of scientists and official instructions from Russian command regarding poison agent deployment.

While at least three Ukrainian deaths and over 2,500 chemical-exposure injuries have been recorded, Ukrainian sources claim over 9,000 chemical weapon incidents. Russia, a signatory of the Chemical Weapons Convention, denies the accusations and instead blames Ukraine, which has rejected the claims.

The OPCW has not launched a formal investigation, citing lack of substantiated evidence from member states.

Dutch officials warn that unless international pressure mounts, Russia’s chemical warfare operations will continue to evolve and threaten broader global security.

North Korean Man Crosses DMZ, Now in South Korean Custody

A North Korean man crossed the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) into South Korea and was taken into custody Thursday night, according to South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff.

The military tracked and guided the unarmed individual from the central-western section of the military demarcation line, navigating him through the mine-laden area before detaining him.

Authorities have not confirmed whether the crossing was a defection attempt.

A North Korean man made a daring escape to freedom, traversing on foot one of the world’s most fortified places: the Korean demilitarized zone https://t.co/9fXetqTkxG

— The Wall Street Journal (@WSJ) July 4, 2025

South Korea notified the US-led United Nations Command and reported no unusual military activity from the North. This incident comes amid heightened inter-Korean tensions, marked by North Korean trash-balloon campaigns and South Korean loudspeaker broadcasts.

President Lee Jae Myung recently halted those broadcasts and sought to de-escalate tensions by curbing anti-North leafleting.

The DMZ has seen multiple unauthorized crossings in recent years. In April, South Korean troops fired warning shots at North Korean soldiers who briefly crossed the border. Similar incidents occurred in June 2024, likely due to North Korean construction activity near the DMZ.

Diplomatic ties remain frozen since the 2019 collapse of US-North Korea nuclear talks, with Pyongyang expanding its weapons program and Seoul strengthening defense ties with Washington and Tokyo in response.

Taiwan Retires F-5 Fighters Amid Modernization Push to Counter China

Taiwan has officially retired its Vietnam War-era F-5 fighter jets as part of its ongoing military modernization to counter growing threats from China.

First introduced in 1965, the F-5s once formed the backbone of Taiwan’s Air Force, with 336 aircraft in service at its peak. Most have since been downgraded to training, reconnaissance, or decoy roles.

The final flyby took place Friday, marking the end of the aircraft’s operational role.

Taiwan’s military is getting ready to retire its fleet of F-5 fighters after decades of service. @JaimeOcon1 went to Hualien ahead of a farewell ceremony on Friday. pic.twitter.com/IpjezhB0xy

— TaiwanPlus News (@taiwanplusnews) July 3, 2025

Taiwan has shifted focus to more advanced platforms, including a purchase of 66 new F-16V fighters and upgrades to its existing F-16 fleet, Mirage 2000s, and indigenous Ching Kuo fighters.

Unmanned aerial assets are also part of the broader defense overhaul.

China continues to claim Taiwan as part of its territory and has not ruled out military action. The F-5s once guarded Taiwan’s eastern coast against Chinese aircraft across the Taiwan Strait but are now being phased out to make room for faster, more capable systems.

✈️ End of an era! Taiwan’s Air Force retires its legendary F-5 fighter jets after decades of faithful service.
★ https://t.co/4CSHMhoVEY ★ pic.twitter.com/uXm71QUuLC

— TVBS World Taiwan (@tvbsworldtaiwan) July 4, 2025

Despite its retirement in Taiwan, the F-5 remains in service in several countries, including the US, where it is used as an aggressor aircraft in training exercises.

The aircraft is still praised for its speed, agility, low cost, and ease of maintenance.

Sources: News Agencies