SOFREP Evening Brief: Private Jet Crashes Into Navy Housing in San Diego

Good evening! SOFREP’s evening brief is here, wrapping up your Thursday with the latest updates on defense and global affairs for May 22, 2025. Here are your top stories for this evening: A private jet crashed into US Navy housing in San Diego, killing two. WHO says Gaza’s health system is collapsing as Israeli strikes continue. Iran warned the US that it will retaliate if Israel hits its nuclear sites. Netanyahu blamed the DC embassy shooting on rising antisemitism tied to Gaza criticism. A pro-Russian former Ukrainian official was shot dead in Spain. The Princess of Wales named the Royal Navy’s HMS Glasgow. Russia and Ukraine ramp up drone strikes—no new peace talks confirmed. China hit a Philippine vessel with a water cannon near a disputed reef, heightening regional tensions.

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Private Jet Crashes Into Navy Housing in San Diego, Killing two and Injuring Several

A private jet crashed into a US Navy-owned housing neighborhood in San Diego early Thursday during heavy fog, killing two people and injuring at least seven others.

The crash occurred just before 4 a.m., igniting multiple vehicles and homes, and displacing over 100 residents.

Authorities identified the aircraft as a Cessna Citation II jet, believed to have originated from Teterboro, New Jersey, with a fueling stop in Wichita, Kansas, before its planned arrival at Montgomery-Gibbs Executive Airport in San Diego. The plane is registered to Alaska-based Daviation LLC. It remains unclear how many were on board.

The jet slammed into a residential area, destroying one home, damaging 10 others, and charring at least six vehicles. Witnesses described hearing a loud bang followed by a massive fireball. Debris, jet fuel, and scorched wreckage littered the area.

There have been multiple fatalities after a small plane crashed in a neighborhood of San Diego on Thursday morning, spewing jet fuel and starting a large fire that damaged at least 15 homes and multiple cars, fire officials said.

Read more: https://t.co/4VwR9wdlNx pic.twitter.com/LxvADCTqM8

— ABC News (@ABC) May 22, 2025

Emergency crews evacuated residents and rescued pets. A family of five was hospitalized for smoke inhalation, and several others were treated for minor injuries.

Police and fire officials said foggy conditions may have contributed to the crash, and investigators are examining whether the jet clipped power lines.

The Federal Aviation Administration and National Transportation Safety Board are investigating. This is the latest in a series of aviation accidents in San Diego’s residential areas over the past 15 years.

WHO: Gaza Health System Collapsing Amid Israeli Offensive and Widespread Destruction

The World Health Organization (WHO) warned Thursday that Gaza’s health system is nearing total collapse as Israeli military operations intensify.

Acute shortages of medical supplies, widespread displacement, and continued strikes have forced four major hospitals to suspend services in the past week.

WHO said only 19 of Gaza’s 36 hospitals remain operational, and just 12 can offer a range of services. At least 94% of Gaza’s hospitals have been damaged or destroyed.

🚨 Intensified military operations in #Gaza are pushing the health system to collapse: https://t.co/2k4K5nFCOO

➡️ At least 94% of all hospitals in the Gaza Strip are damaged or destroyed.
➡️Only 19 of 36 hospitals remain functional, although only partially.
➡️ 4 major hospitals… pic.twitter.com/X5sFg5JjAI

— World Health Organization (WHO) (@WHO) May 22, 2025

WHO missions attempting to access Al-Awda and Indonesian hospitals were blocked, highlighting the growing difficulty in providing emergency care in the war zone.

Iran Warns US Over Possible Israeli Strike on Nuclear Facilities

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi warned Thursday that the US would bear legal responsibility if Israel attacks Iranian nuclear facilities, following a CNN report suggesting Israel may be preparing military action.

Araqchi said Tehran would consider Washington a participant in any such strike and pledged decisive retaliation.

The warning comes ahead of a fifth round of US-Iran nuclear talks in Rome, where disagreements over uranium enrichment remain unresolved. Iran insists its nuclear program is for civilian use, but Washington and Israel view its enrichment activity as a potential path to nuclear weapons.

Iran warns it would take action against Israel and hold the US “legally responsible” if the Jewish state acts on reported plans to attack the Islamic Republic’s nuclear facilities https://t.co/uYcHHzQtef

— Bloomberg (@business) May 22, 2025

Araqchi also said Tehran could adopt unspecified “special measures” to protect its nuclear sites, possibly including suspending cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) or relocating enriched material.

Separately, Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps vowed a “devastating and decisive response” to any Israeli aggression. Tensions are rising amid skepticism over the success of nuclear negotiations and fears that a breakdown in talks could prompt Israeli military action.

Araqchi stated in a televised interview that Iran will not accept any deal requiring it to halt uranium enrichment, though he remained open to an international enrichment consortium that includes Iran. Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei also denounced US demands as “excessive and outrageous,” casting doubt on the potential for a new agreement.

Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said the United States was engaging in negotiations with his country because their “cruel sanctions” have not yielded the expected results.

“If they were sure they could bring us to our knees, they would not negotiate,” Araqchi said at a… pic.twitter.com/wgwFJ5vDJM

— CGTN Europe (@CGTNEurope) May 22, 2025

Iran and Israel have exchanged fire directly in recent years, and renewed conflict could escalate into a wider regional confrontation.

Netanyahu Links DC Embassy Killings to Global Surge in Antisemitism Amid Gaza War

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu condemned the shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington as a “despicable act of hatred and antisemitism,” tying the attack directly to growing international hostility toward Israel over its war in Gaza.

The victims, Yaron Lischinsky and Sarah Milgrim, were gunned down outside a Jewish event by a lone suspect reportedly chanting pro-Palestinian slogans.

Netanyahu warned that global criticism of Israel—ranging from campus protests to genocide accusations at the International Court of Justice—has tangible consequences. He faces an International Criminal Court (ICC) arrest warrant himself, a move Israel’s political leadership has condemned as an attempt to delegitimize the state.

Israel continues its military campaign against Hamas, which began after the group’s October 2023 assault that killed 1,200 Israelis and abducted 251. More than 53,000 Palestinians have since been killed, and Gaza has been devastated.

Despite international pressure, including threats of sanctions from the European Union, the Untied Kingdom, France, and Canada, Netanyahu remains committed to what his government defines as an “existential war.”

‘You’re on the wrong side of humanity’

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has posted a video on social media – attacking the leaders of the UK, France and Canada for criticising Israel’s approach in Gaza.https://t.co/hqo4Fa7aZd

📺 Sky 501 and YouTube pic.twitter.com/AJVZ0UaSEs

— Sky News (@SkyNews) May 22, 2025

Tensions with Europe have grown, especially after countries like Ireland and Spain recognized Palestine. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar blamed rising antisemitism partly on hostile rhetoric from global leaders, particularly in Europe.

While the embassy killings have shocked Israelis, analysts say they are unlikely to shift Israel’s Gaza strategy or Netanyahu’s political standing, as polls show most Israelis want the war to end but see hostage recovery as the top priority.

Former Ukrainian Presidential Adviser Assassinated Outside Madrid School

Andrii Portnov, a former top aide to ousted pro-Russian Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych, was shot and killed Wednesday morning outside the American School of Madrid, where one of his children was enrolled. Spanish authorities said Portnov, 51, was gunned down at 9:15 a.m. by multiple unidentified assailants as he attempted to enter his Mercedes-Benz. He died on the scene with at least three gunshot wounds.

Portnov, a former deputy head of Yanukovych’s administration, was a key figure during Ukraine’s 2014 uprising and helped draft laws targeting protesters. He fled Ukraine after the revolution, reportedly lived in Russia and Austria, and was under U.S. sanctions for alleged corruption. Ukraine previously opened but later closed a treason case against him.

El cuerpo del abogado ucranio Andrii Portnov, exasesor del expresidente Víctor Yanukóvich e investigado por corrupción y traición en su país, yace frente a la puerta del exclusivo Colegio Americano de la localidad madrileña de Pozuelo de Alarcón. (Óscar del Pozo – AFP) pic.twitter.com/qsKftH8yCB

— Enrique Rodríguez (@rodriguezcoello) May 21, 2025

No group has claimed responsibility, and Ukrainian officials have not commented. Witnesses reported police helicopters searching the area post-attack. The school community was left in shock as the shooting occurred during morning drop-off.

Portnov’s assassination adds to a growing list of high-profile killings linked to figures from both sides of the Russia-Ukraine conflict, though motives and perpetrators in many of those cases remain unclear. Spanish and international authorities are investigating the shooting.

Princess of Wales Officially Names HMS Glasgow, First of New Type 26 Frigates

The Princess of Wales officially named the Royal Navy’s newest warship, HMS Glasgow (F88), during a ceremony on the River Clyde, marking a key milestone in the UK’s Type 26 frigate program.

The event, held at BAE Systems’ Govan yard, featured the traditional bottle-smashing—this time whisky—by Catherine, alongside the Prince of Wales.

To HMS Glasgow, go well, fair winds and following seas ⚓️ pic.twitter.com/cyHibssRKs

— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) May 22, 2025

HMS Glasgow, the first of eight new Type 26 frigates, is designed as a state-of-the-art anti-submarine warfare vessel. Laid down in 2017 and floated off in 2022, the 150-meter warship will carry a crew of 161 and is set to join the fleet by 2028.

Vice Admiral Sir Martin Connell described the ship as “a pure-bred Anti-Submarine Warfare platform.”

The Royal Navy plans to name the remaining vessels after major UK cities, with HMS Cardiff (F89) already launched and construction underway on HMS Belfast (F90), HMS Birmingham (F91), and HMS Sheffield (F92). The full class is expected to enter service through the mid-2030s, supporting carrier strike groups and Trident submarine protection missions.

No New Peace Talks Set as Russia, Ukraine Escalate Drone Strikes and Battlefield Plans

The Kremlin confirmed Thursday that no new peace talks are scheduled between Russia and Ukraine, nearly a week after their first direct meeting since 2022 and despite US President Donald Trump’s recent claim that ceasefire talks would begin “immediately.”

Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said the next round of talks remains unconfirmed, though both sides agreed to a large prisoner exchange during their May 16 session in Istanbul.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called the prisoner swap “perhaps the only real result” of the talks, while Russia awaits Kyiv’s response to its proposed list of detainees. Moscow rejected Ukraine’s offer of a 30-day ceasefire, linking any truce to a halt in Ukrainian mobilization and Western weapons deliveries.

I held a meeting on the preparation for an exchange. The agreement to release 1,000 of our people from Russian captivity was perhaps the only tangible result of the meeting in Türkiye. We are working to ensure that this result is achieved.

Reports were presented on contacts with… pic.twitter.com/39w5jfdKOX

— Volodymyr Zelenskyy / Володимир Зеленський (@ZelenskyyUa) May 22, 2025

Meanwhile, Russia continues to prepare for a summer offensive, with analysts warning the Kremlin is using peace negotiations to buy time while pushing for more territorial gains. European leaders have accused President Vladimir Putin of stalling and avoiding real diplomatic progress.

Russian officials are setting conditions to refuse Western involvement in peace negotiations to end Russia’s war in Ukraine and for Russia to deny the independence and sovereignty of other former Soviet states.⬇️ https://t.co/3dFt9SZBJO pic.twitter.com/Wx2oEhUj3x

— Institute for the Study of War (@TheStudyofWar) May 22, 2025

The war, now in its third year, continues with no significant diplomatic breakthroughs as both sides escalate aerial attacks and military operations across a 1,000-kilometer front. Tens of thousands of troops have been killed, and the conflict shows no signs of slowing.

China Coast Guard Hits Philippine Vessel with Water Cannon Near Disputed Reef

The Philippines accused the China Coast Guard (CCG) on Thursday of firing water cannon and ramming a Filipino government vessel during a scientific mission in the contested South China Sea.

The incident occurred Wednesday near the Sandy Cays in the Spratly Islands, an area claimed by both countries.

According to the Philippines Bureau of Fisheries and Aquatic Resources, the CCG vessel 21559 used water cannon and sideswiped the BRP Datu Sanday (MMOV-3002) twice while it was collecting sand samples for a marine research project. The aggressive actions damaged the ship’s port bow and smokestack and endangered the lives of civilian personnel onboard.

DA-BFAR condemns hostile actions by China Coast Guard against BFAR vessels in the area of the Pag-Asa Cays yesterday. pic.twitter.com/3paEhnagCy

— Jay Tarriela (@jaytaryela) May 22, 2025

This marks the first use of water cannon against Philippine ships near Sandy Cay, the bureau said. Despite the confrontation, the Filipino team completed its research at Pag-Asa Cays 1, 2, and 3.

Beijing’s foreign ministry said it was unaware of the event but insisted the CCG enforces laws “in accordance with regulations.” Tensions remain high after Chinese state media claimed in April that the CCG had taken control of Sandy Cay 2 (Tiexian Reef), a report the Philippines dismissed as “irresponsible.”

The encounter is the latest in a series of maritime clashes in the South China Sea, where China continues to assert sweeping territorial claims rejected by international law.

Sources: BBC, News Agencies, Reuters