SOFREP Daily: Ceasefire Talks Drag as Ukraine Battles On, Israel Resumes Gaza Strikes After US Consultation

Good morning! It’s Tuesday, March 18, 2025. Here’s your essential briefing on defense and global affairs to keep you informed.

Russia-Ukraine War: Energy Facilities Targeted as Drone Attacks Intensify

Ukraine launched a drone attack on an oil refinery in Russia’s Astrakhan region overnight, sparking a large fire and injuring one person, according to local officials on Monday.

In retaliation, Moscow fired nearly 200 drones at Ukraine, damaging infrastructure, leaving 500 people without power in Odesa, and wounding one person.

ASTRA reports that Ukrainian drones struck the Astrakhan Gas Processing Plant overnight, injuring a worker. Around 10 drones were shot down, with unknown damage. The plant was previously attacked on Feb 3, 2025. https://t.co/Po3KWyoqC5 pic.twitter.com/g8u01PmkXw

— NOELREPORTS 🇪🇺 🇺🇦 (@NOELreports) March 17, 2025

Ukrainian air defense managed to shoot down 90 of the drones, including Iranian-designed Shaheds.

The strikes come as Ukraine condemned Russia for rejecting a proposed 30-day ceasefire by the US, escalating the ongoing aerial conflict targeting energy facilities on both sides.

NEW: Russian President Vladimir Putin appears to have been partially successful in holding the ceasefire proposal hostage as part of his efforts to extract preemptive concessions from US President Donald Trump in negotiations to end the war. ⬇️(1/3)

Trump stated on March 17 that… pic.twitter.com/rew9jlITZg

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

Ceasefire Talks Drag as Ukraine Battles On

US President Donald Trump announced plans to speak with Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday about ending the war in Ukraine, hinting that discussions are already underway to divide certain assets, including land and power plants.

While US officials are optimistic about a ceasefire deal following recent talks in Saudi Arabia, Putin has yet to agree, raising concerns and conditions instead.

Meanwhile, Ukraine’s President Volodymyr Zelenskyy accused Moscow of stalling to gain a stronger battlefield position before negotiating.

Tomorrow marks one week since the U.S. proposal for a ceasefire in the sky, at sea, and on the front lines has been on the table. The implementation of this proposal could have begun long ago. Every day in wartime is a matter of human lives.

Now, almost a week later, it’s clear… pic.twitter.com/bqRbA8hf7K

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) March 17, 2025

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov also held talks, but Russia did not confirm discussions about a ceasefire.

As fighting continues, Zelenskyy urged global leaders to intensify sanctions on Russia to pressure Putin into a peace deal.

Israel Resumes Gaza Strikes After US Consultation

Israel launched its deadliest airstrikes on Gaza early Tuesday since the January 19 ceasefire, killing at least 100 people, including many children, according to Palestinian health officials.

The strikes targeted Hamas leadership and infrastructure, with Israeli officials accusing the group of refusing to release 59 remaining hostages.

The Trump administration confirmed it was consulted before the attack, with White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt stating that the US supports Israeli military action against Hamas and other regional threats.

Karoline Leavitt: “The Trump administration and the White House were consulted by the Israelis on their attacks in Gaza tonight.” pic.twitter.com/nFIRvY2FNL

— The Post Millennial (@TPostMillennial) March 18, 2025

Trump had previously warned that failure to release the hostages would lead to severe consequences, echoing his stance that “all hell will break loose.”

Hamas accused Israel of unilaterally breaking the ceasefire agreement, while international criticism mounted over Israel’s continued assault, which has killed more than 48,000 Palestinians and displaced nearly Gaza’s entire 2.3 million population.

Trump has also faced condemnation for his proposal to relocate Gazans and redevelop the enclave, a plan widely criticized as ethnic cleansing.

Meanwhile, the US separately conducted airstrikes in Yemen, killing dozens of Houthi militants in response to their continued attacks on Red Sea shipping, which they claim are acts of solidarity with Palestinians.

Bomb Mishap Levels Syrian Building, Kills 16

A powerful explosion in Syria’s Latakia city killed at least 16 people, including five children, and injured 18 others after a scrap dealer allegedly mishandled an old bomb.

The Saturday blast leveled a four-story building, trapping residents under the rubble as rescue teams worked overnight to recover victims.

Syria’s civil defense linked the explosion to a hardware store in the apartment block, while the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights (SOHR) classified it as an accident.

The moment when #WhiteHelmets rescue teams saved a young man, Alaa, from beneath the rubble of a collapsed residential building in the Al-Raml Al-Janoubi neighborhood of #Latakia. The building was destroyed following an explosion caused by remnants of war inside a scrapyard… pic.twitter.com/RfU87IHWsT

— The White Helmets (@SyriaCivilDef) March 16, 2025

Experts have warned of the dangers posed by unexploded munitions from Syria’s long civil war, with estimates suggesting hundreds of thousands remain active.

The incident occurred on the same day Syrians marked the 14th anniversary of their uprising, the first since President Bashar al-Assad was ousted by Islamist-led rebels in December.

Colombia Vows to Crush ELN Near Venezuela

Colombia’s Defense Minister Pedro Sanchez vowed to confront the ELN guerrilla group near the Venezuelan border with “full force” to reassert state control over the conflict-ridden region.

The ELN (National Liberation Army – Columbia), which controls significant territory and has displaced around 56,000 people, has warned that government offensives could escalate into “total war.”

Sanchez dismissed the ELN as a “narco-criminal group” and also pledged to retake coca-growing areas controlled by the Estado Mayor Central rebel faction.

Acknowledging the difficulty of the mission, he warned of sacrifices ahead but remained firm in his commitment to reclaiming territory.

Pentagon Removes Military Tribute Pages, Cites Policy Shift

The US Department of Defense said Monday that it mistakenly took down web pages honoring Black Medal of Honor recipient Maj. Gen. Charles Calvin Rogers and the Japanese American 442nd Regimental Combat Team but defended its broader efforts to remove diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI)-related content.

The removals are part of the Trump administration’s push to eliminate what it calls “DEI” initiatives, a move that has sparked outrage among veterans, historians, and lawmakers.

Pentagon spokesman Sean Parnell justified the move by stating that unity, not diversity, is the military’s strength.

However, critics argue that erasing historical contributions of minority service members is an attack on civil rights and could hurt military recruitment.

The backlash led to the quick restoration of the pages, but concerns remain over the continued removal of content related to minority groups in the military.

The controversy follows broader changes under Trump, including the removal of the only female four-star officer and the first Black chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Advocacy groups and lawmakers, including Hawaii Rep. Ed Case, condemned the erasure, warning it disregards historical context and sacrifices made by minority service members.

Despite public pressure, the Pentagon remains firm in its decision to strip out DEI-focused military history.

China Sends Warplanes, Warns Taiwan Over ‘Separatism’

China conducted large-scale military drills near Taiwan on Monday, sending 54 warplanes, including J-10 jets and drones, around the island in what Beijing described as punishment for Taiwanese President Lai Ching-te’s “separatist” stance.

Taiwan’s defense ministry reported that 42 of the aircraft crossed the Taiwan Strait’s median line, prompting Taiwan to deploy its air and naval forces in response.

The #ROCArmedForces closely monitor maritime and aerial activities, with the #ROCA, #ROCN, and #ROCAF conducting joint operations to track and respond to PLA incursions.

Our mission is to always be prepared to defend the nation!#PeaceThroughStrength pic.twitter.com/pESgSxEsdf

— 國防部 Ministry of National Defense, ROC(Taiwan) 🇹🇼 (@MoNDefense) March 18, 2025

Beijing warned that Lai’s administration was “playing with fire,” while Taiwan’s Mainland Affairs Council called China a “troublemaker” that threatens regional peace.

Taiwan accused China of trying to normalize these military exercises, which now occur every 7-10 days.

Lai has repeatedly offered talks with Beijing, but China continues to reject dialogue, insisting that Taiwan belongs to China—a claim strongly denied by Taipei, which maintains that only its people can decide their future.

Sources: Associated Press, News Agencies, SOHR, Reuters