SOFREP Daily: Israel Expands Ground Assault Across Gaza, US Drops Bounties on Top Taliban Leaders

Welcome to a new week! It’s Monday, March 24, 2025. Here’s your essential briefing on defense and global affairs.

Israel Expands Ground Assault Across Gaza

Israel intensified its ground operations across Gaza on Sunday, focusing on Rafah and Beit Hanun, while urging civilians to evacuate active combat zones.

The renewed offensive comes amid widening regional tensions, with Israeli airstrikes hitting Lebanon and missiles launched from Yemen.

In southern Gaza, an Israeli airstrike struck Nasser Hospital, killing two people — including a 16-year-old boy and senior Hamas political figure Ismail Barhoum — and igniting a large fire.

Separately, another top Hamas leader, Salah al-Bardawil, and his wife were killed in a strike on a displacement camp.

Gaza’s humanitarian crisis has deepened, with power cuts, aid blockages, and over two million Palestinians displaced, many multiple times.

🚨 BREAKING: Mass Displacement and Field Executions in Gaza

Widespread evacuation of Palestinian families is underway amid heavy gunfire in Tel Al-Sultan, Rafah southern Gaza , and Beit Hanoun northern Gaza, as the Israeli army launches a ground offensive.

Dozens of families… pic.twitter.com/mLo4eNeyTK

— Gaza Notifications (@gazanotice) March 23, 2025

Over 50,000 people in Gaza have now been killed since the war reignited after Hamas’s October 7, 2023 attack, which left around 1,200 people dead in Israel.

Despite the collapse of a January ceasefire, calls for renewed negotiations continue, while in Israel, domestic unrest has grown, with protests demanding a ceasefire and the return of remaining hostages. Meanwhile, Israel’s Cabinet approved the creation of 13 new settlements in the West Bank, heightening international concern.

Sudan’s Paramilitary Shells Civilians in Khartoum Suburb

On Sunday, an artillery attack by Sudan’s paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) killed three civilians, including two children, in Omdurman—part of Greater Khartoum.

The assault followed the Sudanese Army’s symbolic recapture of the presidential palace, marking a significant gain in the nearly year-long civil war.

Despite reclaiming key sites across Khartoum, including state institutions and Tuti Island, RSF forces continue launching strikes from positions in western Omdurman.

#Sudan 🇸🇩 BREAKING: the city of Bahri (Khartoum North) is now under full control of the #SAF.

This afternoon military forces seized the Defense Industries facility, the last remaining location in Bahri under #RSF control.

Bahri has now become the first city in the Khartoum… pic.twitter.com/fhNuaYrUwh

— Thomas van Linge (@ThomasVLinge) February 17, 2025

Analysts warn that military gains may not end the war, which has caused tens of thousands of deaths, displaced over 12 million people, and triggered a massive humanitarian crisis.

Jihadists Target Pro-Junta Group in Mali

Two members of the pro-junta Movement for the Salvation of Azawad (MSA) were killed on Saturday in northeastern Mali when their motorbike struck an improvised explosive device.

The victims were providing security for a food convoy heading to Menaka.

The MSA reaffirmed its support for Mali’s armed forces amid ongoing conflict with jihadist groups and separatists in the region.

Although Mali’s military junta, in power since 2021 and backed by Russian mercenaries, claims to have made gains, jihadist violence continues to plague the country, particularly in the north, where separatist fighters have regrouped near the Algerian border.

Russia Bombards Cities Ahead of Ceasefire Talks

Russia launched a massive overnight drone assault across Ukraine on Sunday, killing at least seven people and injuring many others, including in Kyiv, where falling debris struck residential buildings.

The attacks came just ahead of indirect ceasefire talks between Ukraine and Russia, set to take place in Saudi Arabia and mediated by the US, focusing on a pause in long-range strikes on energy and civilian infrastructure.

NEW: US and Ukrainian officials are meeting in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia on the evening of March 23 to discuss the contours of the temporary moratorium on long-range strikes and a possible temporary maritime ceasefire in the Black Sea. pic.twitter.com/AabT2xUAtb

— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) March 23, 2025

Ukraine’s President Zelenskyy emphasized the daily toll of Russian attacks, calling for stronger international pressure on Moscow.

Meanwhile, skepticism is growing among Ukrainians about the value of any ceasefire deal, as many residents express deep distrust in Russia’s intentions.

In return, Russia reported downing 59 Ukrainian drones and claimed casualties on its own soil.

The deadly exchange underscores the ongoing intensity of the war, even as diplomatic efforts to halt the violence cautiously begin.

Adversaries Might Exploit Jobless US Officials

As President Donald Trump and Elon Musk reshape the federal government through the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), thousands of federal workers with insider knowledge are being forced out, raising serious national security concerns.

Intelligence experts warn that this mass exodus creates a prime recruitment opportunity for foreign adversaries like Russia and China, who may target recently laid-off employees—especially those with access to sensitive information or critical infrastructure.

While traditional countermeasures like background checks and exit interviews remain in place, the digital age makes it easier than ever for foreign operatives to identify and approach potential informants online, often under the guise of fake job offers or consulting gigs. Even low-level federal employees could unwittingly become tools for espionage.

The risk of insider threats is amplified by the scale of the workforce upheaval.

Although the majority of former public servants are loyal patriots, experts caution that it takes only one rogue actor to cause significant harm—especially given modern cyber vulnerabilities and global tensions.

Meanwhile, the intelligence community has pledged to investigate internal leaks more seriously amid growing calls for heightened vigilance.

US Drops Bounties on Top Taliban Leaders

The US has lifted bounties on three senior Taliban figures, including Interior Minister Sirajuddin Haqqani, a leader of the notorious Haqqani network blamed for deadly attacks against US and Afghan targets.

While the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) still lists him as wanted, his removal from the State Department’s Rewards for Justice program signals a diplomatic shift.

Afghan officials hailed the move as a step toward normalization, especially following the recent release of a US prisoner by the Taliban.

The #US has lifted bounties on three senior #Taliban figures, including the interior minister who also heads a powerful network blamed for bloody attacks against Afghanistan’s former Western-backed government, officials in Kabul say.https://t.co/MOpugb8kOg

— Al Arabiya English (@AlArabiya_Eng) March 23, 2025

Experts say this development reflects a transactional approach by the US, rewarding Taliban figures who show willingness to engage, even if broader Taliban policies—especially on women’s rights—remain unchanged.

Though formal recognition of the Taliban government remains distant, lifted sanctions and small diplomatic gestures offer the group meaningful gains amid continued global isolation.

Hamas Hostage’s Dad Pleads: Keep Talks Going

Adi Alexander, father of the last known living American hostage held by Hamas, is staying focused on one goal: bringing his son Edan home.

While many families criticize Israel’s leadership, Alexander places more hope in US efforts, particularly those led by President Trump’s team.

Edan, a 21-year-old Israeli-American soldier, was captured during Hamas’ October 7 attack.

Though Hamas recently offered to release Edan and four bodies in exchange for a renewed ceasefire, Israel resumed strikes in Gaza, derailing the fragile truce.

Alexander remains in close contact with US officials involved in separate negotiations with Hamas — the first such direct US engagement since the group was designated a terrorist organization in 1997.

2 – Adi Alexander, father of Edan Alexander: “Seeing my son alive for the first time in over a year gave us hope but reignited our urgency. Edan’s haunting words—‘Every day here feels like an eternity’—demand action. President Biden, President-elect Trump, Prime Minister… pic.twitter.com/reIXFxtQp2

— Israel Nitzan🇮🇱🎗️ (@IsraelNitzan) December 1, 2024

Though progress is slow and the war continues, he hopes the chaos might ultimately lead both sides back to the table.

As the humanitarian crisis worsens and political pressure on Israeli leadership grows, Alexander urges negotiators to stay the course and prioritize freeing the hostages above all else.

South Korea Reverses Impeachment, Restores Prime Minister Han

South Korea’s Constitutional Court overturned the impeachment of Prime Minister Han Duck-soo on Monday, reinstating him as acting president while the nation awaits a separate ruling on President Yoon Suk Yeol’s impeachment over his controversial imposition of martial law.

The court ruled 7-1 that the charges against Han were either legally insufficient or procedurally flawed.

Han, thanking the court, vowed to focus on urgent issues and called for national unity.

While Han wasn’t directly involved in the martial law decree, his reinstatement could energize supporters of President Yoon Suk Yeol, who faces charges of rebellion — a crime that could carry a life sentence or death penalty if convicted.

The court has not yet decided on Yoon’s fate, though a ruling was initially expected by mid-March.

Han had been impeached in December over political clashes and his refusal to fill key judicial vacancies. His return brings temporary stability to South Korea’s leadership after months of political turmoil.

Meanwhile, massive rival rallies, divided public opinion, and mounting legal and political drama continue to rock the country as the impeachment crisis unfolds.

Sources: News Agencies