SOFREP Evening Brief: Denmark Condemns US Intel Activity in Greenland, North Korea Conducts Simulated Nuclear Counterstrike

Israel closed six UN Relief and Works Agency schools in East Jerusalem, displacing over 800 Palestinian students. Denmark slammed the US over alleged spying in Greenland. France and Poland signed a mutual defense pact. Ukraine arrested two suspected Hungarian spies in Zakarpattia, intensifying tensions with Budapest. North Korea launched short-range ballistic missiles simulating nuclear strikes against the US and South Korea, responding to joint drills. In Sri Lanka, a military helicopter crash during a graduation event killed six personnel, prompting an Air Force investigation. Here’s your SOFREP’s evening brief for Friday, May 9, 2025.

—

Israel Closes Six UNRWA Schools in East Jerusalem, Displacing Hundreds of Palestinian Students

Israel permanently shut down six schools operated by the United Nations Relief and Works Agency (UNRWA) in east Jerusalem on Thursday, disrupting education for over 800 Palestinian students.

The closures, enforced by armed Israeli police and Education Ministry officials, follow a 30-day order issued last month and mark the latest escalation in Israel’s campaign against the UN agency.

The closures stem from Israel’s broader ban on UNRWA operations, intensified after the October 7, 2023, Hamas attacks that sparked the ongoing Gaza war.

Israeli authorities accuse UNRWA of promoting antisemitic and anti-Israel content in its curriculum—allegations the agency denies. UNRWA remains the primary provider of education and health services to Palestinian refugees in East Jerusalem and the Israeli-occupied West Bank.

The Ministry of Education claims the schools were operating without proper licenses and says students will be reassigned to other schools in Jerusalem. However, parents and residents warn that this will force children to pass through heavily militarized checkpoints daily—an unsafe journey, particularly for those lacking proper permits.

UN Deputy Spokesperson Farhan Haq reaffirmed the legal protection of UN facilities and condemned Israel’s actions as a violation of international law. UNRWA officials had previously vowed to keep the schools open “as long as possible.”

Schools in the West Bank operated by UNRWA remain open.

Denmark Condemns US Intel Activity in Greenland, Warns “You Cannot Spy Against an Ally”

Danish Prime Minister Mette Frederiksen criticized the United States on Friday following reports that Washington has intensified intelligence gathering on Greenland, calling the alleged espionage unacceptable and a breach of allied trust.

“Of course, you cannot spy against an ally,” Frederiksen told the Associated Press.

Her remarks follow a Wall Street Journal report claiming senior officials under US Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard ordered agencies to investigate Greenland’s independence movement and US interests in Arctic resource extraction.

The Danish government responded by summoning the acting head of the US Embassy in Copenhagen, Jennifer Hall Godfrey, for an explanation.

Details of the diplomatic exchange were not disclosed.

The controversy stems from President Donald Trump’s renewed interest in acquiring Greenland, a resource-rich territory of strategic value in the Arctic. Though Denmark and Greenland have firmly rejected the idea, Trump has not ruled out the use of military force to secure the island.

Greenlandic Prime Minister Jens-Frederik Nielsen condemned the alleged espionage as disrespectful. “Greenland is not for sale,” he reiterated, echoing previous public statements.

Tulsi Gabbard dismissed the Journal report, accusing the outlet of enabling intelligence leaks and politicizing classified information. She confirmed making three criminal referrals to the Justice Department over the matter.

The situation has drawn regional concern. Nordic leaders, including Finnish President Alexander Stubb and Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre, emphasized Arctic sovereignty and the rule of international law during a security summit in Oslo.

Støre stated clearly: “Sovereignty applies. And Greenland is a part of the Kingdom of Denmark.”

France and Poland Sign Strategic Defense Pact with Mutual Military Support Clause

France and Poland signed a landmark strategic cooperation treaty on Friday, pledging mutual security guarantees amid rising tensions in Europe driven by Russia’s war on Ukraine.

Polish Prime Minister Donald Tusk and French President Emmanuel Macron met in Nancy to finalize the accord, which centers on mutual military assistance in the event of an attack on either nation.

“This treaty’s very essence is mutual security,” Tusk stated ahead of the signing, emphasizing its importance as a defense commitment between the two European Union allies.

He noted that the agreement opens avenues for cooperation on nuclear deterrence—a significant development given France is the EU’s only nuclear power.

The treaty aims to strengthen defense and energy ties between two of Ukraine’s strongest backers in the EU. The French presidency called the agreement a “high-level” commitment in key strategic sectors. Tusk described it as “historic” and a “game-changer” for European security.

The alliance comes as Poland’s influence within the EU grows, especially with Germany facing political instability. Poland, a NATO member sharing a border with Russia’s Kaliningrad exclave, plans to expand its military from 216,000 troops to 300,000 by 2035—making it potentially the largest army in the EU.

Macron has recently called for broader European defense responsibility, including potential expansion of France’s nuclear umbrella. Analysts view the France-Poland pact as a shift toward greater European self-reliance amid uncertainty over future US commitments.

Polish Prime Minister @donaldtusk and French President @EmmanuelMacron have signed a treaty of friendship and cooperation between the two countries. Apart from pleasantries, the treaty aims to make Warsaw and Paris more cooperative in the field of defense. pic.twitter.com/J2q0ktHATK

— TVP World (@TVPWorld_com) May 9, 2025

The symbolic location of the treaty signing—Nancy, a city once ruled by a deposed Polish king—coincided with Russia’s Victory Day military parade in Moscow attended by Chinese President Xi Jinping, further underscoring the West’s strategic messaging.

The agreement also comes just ahead of Poland’s May 18 presidential election, where fears of Russian disinformation are high, and Tusk’s pro-European camp is pushing to solidify alliances against potential aggression.

Ukraine Detains Two Alleged Hungarian Spies in Western Zakarpattia

Ukraine’s SBU security service announced Friday it had arrested two alleged Hungarian spies in the western Zakarpattia region, accusing them of gathering intelligence on military assets and political sentiment near the Hungarian border.

The SBU identified the suspects as a 40-year-old man and a woman, both former soldiers, who were reportedly operating under the supervision of a Hungarian military intelligence officer.

The agency said the pair collected sensitive information, including the locations of Ukrainian air defense systems, and attempted to recruit others as informants. They also assessed the political attitudes of locals, including how they might respond if Hungarian troops entered the region.

According to the SBU, the male suspect received cash payments from his handler and both detainees now face possible life sentences for espionage.

This marks the first time Ukraine has publicly exposed a Hungarian military intelligence network operating within its borders. The arrest further strains relations between Kyiv and Budapest.

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban has consistently refused to send military aid to Ukraine and has opposed its bid to join the European Union, while maintaining close ties with Moscow.

Zakarpattia is home to an estimated 150,000 ethnic Hungarians, based on Ukraine’s last official census in 2001.

North Korea Conducts Simulated Nuclear Counterstrike

North Korean leader Kim Jong Un oversaw tests of short-range ballistic missile systems on Thursday, simulating nuclear counterstrikes against US and South Korean forces, according to state-run media KCNA.

The launches came in response to ongoing joint military drills between Washington and Seoul, which Pyongyang continues to label as provocations and preparations for nuclear war.

South Korea’s Joint Chiefs of Staff detected multiple missile launches from the Wonsan area between 8:10 and 9:20 a.m., with the longest traveling approximately 800 kilometers (497 miles). Officials assessed that the launches likely served dual purposes: training for battlefield nuclear scenarios and testing weapons for export, particularly to Russia amid its ongoing war in Ukraine.

The tested systems included a mobile ballistic missile modeled after Russia’s Iskander and 600-mm multiple rocket launchers, which South Korea classifies as ballistic missiles due to their guided and self-propelled nature.

KCNA said the drills were aimed at improving nuclear force readiness, precision strike capability, and rapid response under the North’s nuclear command system.

South Korea’s Unification Ministry condemned the tests as a “clear act of provocation” and a violation of UN Security Council resolutions. Japan confirmed that no missiles entered its exclusive economic zone or caused damage.

Thursday’s tests marked North Korea’s sixth launch event this year and its first known ballistic activity since March 10. The launches follow a report of Kim urging increased artillery shell production and a visit to the Russian Embassy in Pyongyang, where he emphasized strengthening strategic ties with Moscow.

Sri Lankan Air Force Helicopter Crashes During Graduation Ceremony, Killing Six

A Sri Lankan Air Force Bell 212 helicopter crashed during a graduation ceremony at Maduru Oya National Park on Friday, killing six of the 12 personnel on board.

The aircraft plunged into a nearby reservoir while preparing for a fast-roping demonstration, a maneuver where troops descend from a hovering helicopter.

Among the dead were four special forces commandos and two Air Force gunners. The six survivors sustained minor injuries and were taken to a hospital.

#UPDATE A Sri Lankan Air Force helicopter crashed during a graduation ceremony on Friday, plunging into a reservoir and killing six of the 12 people on board, a military official said ➡️ https://t.co/WwEfaAoWEx pic.twitter.com/JeD6iJzeyk

— AFP News Agency (@AFP) May 9, 2025

The crash occurred midway through the ceremony, which was immediately canceled following the incident.

The Sri Lankan Air Force has launched an official investigation, with a special nine-member committee appointed by the Air Force Commander to determine the cause of the crash.

The incident marks the worst Air Force aviation tragedy since 2020, when a Chinese-made Y-12 aircraft went down in Haputale, killing all four on board.

The Air Force continues to operate a limited helicopter fleet that includes Bell, Mi-17, and Mi-24 models. Many of the Mi-24s have remained grounded since the end of Sri Lanka’s civil war in 2009.

Sources: News Agencies