Morning Brief: US Launches Operation Southern Spear, Coast Guard Monitors Russian Spy Ship Near Hawaii

Officials say the operation will begin later this month and help refine strategies for combining robotic and manned forces under the Navy’s Project 33. The effort coincides with a major US military buildup in the Southern Caribbean, including the arrival of the aircraft carrier USS Gerald R. Ford (CVN-78) and several warships. Analysts view the deployment as potentially signaling broader US action against Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro’s regime, which Washington accuses of overseeing narcotics operations. The administration has not sought congressional authorization but is reportedly exploring legal grounds for intervention under anti-drug authorities.   Robert Stirm, Vietnam POW in Iconic ‘Burst of Joy’ Photo, Dies at 92 Lieutenant Colonel Robert Stirm, the US Air Force pilot immortalized in the Pulitzer Prize-winning 1973 photograph “Burst of Joy,” has died at 92, CBS News reported late Thursday. Stirm, shot down over North Vietnam in October 1967, spent more than five years as a prisoner of war before his release in 1973. The photograph by AP’s Slava Veder captured his emotional reunion with his family at Travis Air Force Base, symbolizing the end of the Vietnam War and the return of American prisoners of war (POWs). During captivity, Stirm endured torture, illness, and mock executions in prisons, including the “Hanoi Hilton.” Robert Stirm, Air Force lieutenant colonel in iconic Vietnam War photo “Burst of Joy,” dies at 92. https://t.co/VLs2oE6Uhg — CBS News (@CBSNews) November 14, 2025 A California native, he retired from the Air Force in 1977 after 25 years and later worked in his family’s steel business. His son, Robert Jr., who appeared in the photo as a child, died in 2023. Stirm passed away Tuesday on Veterans Day, according to CBS.   Charlotte Braces for Federal Immigration Raids Under Trump Crackdown Charlotte, North Carolina, is preparing for a potential federal immigration operation that could begin as soon as this weekend, according to Mecklenburg County Sheriff Garry McFadden. Federal officials informed McFadden that US Customs and Border Protection agents plan to conduct enforcement actions in the city, though details remain undisclosed. The Department of Homeland Security declined to confirm the operation, citing policy against discussing future actions. US President Donald Trump has defended sending federal agents into major Democratic-led cities as part of his broader immigration and anti-crime campaign. Local leaders in Charlotte—home to more than 150,000 foreign-born residents—are coordinating with advocacy groups to inform immigrant communities of their rights and prepare for possible raids. U.S. Border Patrol immigration surge expected in Charlotte, report says pic.twitter.com/prFWSTYiM8 — Breaking911 (@Breaking911) November 13, 2025 Activists have reported sightings of plainclothes officers and are organizing legal support and “know your rights” trainings. The expected operation, part of the administration’s “Operation Midway Blitz,” follows similar crackdowns in Chicago and Los Angeles that led to thousands of arrests. Charlotte police emphasized they are not participating in federal immigration enforcement. Community organizations say concerns over family separations and public fear have already led to event cancellations and increased demand for legal aid.   US Coast Guard Monitors Russian Spy Ship Near Hawaii The US Coast Guard is tracking a Russian naval intelligence vessel that has been operating just outside US territorial waters near Hawaii for more than two weeks. Officials identified the ship as the Kareliya, a Vishnya-class intelligence-gathering vessel, which was first detected October 29 about 15 nautical miles off Oahu’s southern coast and later observed near Hawaii island. The Coast Guard confirmed the Kareliya remains in international waters, beyond the 12-nautical-mile territorial limit. The U.S. Coast Guard detected and monitored a Russian military vessel, identified as the Kareliya, a Vishnya-class intelligence ship with the Russian Federation Navy Auxiliary General Intelligence, operating right outside of American Territorial Waters, roughly 15-miles off the… pic.twitter.com/jLvpNACoi0 — OSINTdefender (@sentdefender) November 14, 2025 A Coast Guard aircraft and cutter conducted surveillance of the vessel in what officials described as a “safe, professional” response. Captain Mathew Chong of Coast Guard District 14 said crews regularly monitor foreign military activity near US waters to safeguard national security and maritime borders.   Newly Released Emails Reveal Jeffrey Epstein’s Vast Network of Elite Contacts Thousands of emails released by the House Oversight Committee this week show that Jeffrey Epstein maintained close contact with a wide range of powerful figures, including political operatives, academics, business leaders, and journalists, long after his 2008 conviction for soliciting prostitution from a minor. The correspondence, spanning 2009 to 2019, highlights Epstein’s enduring influence and his ability to network across ideological and professional lines. The documents reveal exchanges with figures such as Steve Bannon, Noam Chomsky, Larry Summers, Peter Thiel, and former Obama adviser Kathryn Ruemmler. Epstein offered political advice, made introductions, and discussed topics from global politics to personal relationships. The emails show no evidence linking these contacts to Epstein’s criminal activities but illustrate how his social and professional reach persisted while he was a registered sex offender. Epstein also corresponded with academics like physicist Laurence Krauss, offering guidance on handling misconduct allegations, and continued socializing with business leaders and foreign officials. He was arrested again in 2019 on federal sex trafficking charges and died by suicide in jail a month later.   Israel Returns 15 Palestinian Bodies After Militants Hand Over Israeli Hostage Israel on Friday returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza, officials at Nasser Hospital in Khan Younis said. The exchange followed militants’ handover late Thursday of one of the last four remaining Israeli hostages captured during the October 2023 Hamas-led attack that triggered the Gaza war. Under the ceasefire’s first-phase terms, Israel releases the remains of 15 Palestinians for each Israeli hostage returned. Israel returned the bodies of 15 Palestinians to Gaza, officials at Nasser hospital in Khan Younis said. For each Israeli hostage returned, Israel has released the remains of 15 Palestinians, an exchange central to the ceasefire’s first phase. https://t.co/3LTQEI7VIW — The Associated Press (@AP) November 14, 2025   Tanker Diverts Into Iranian Waters as British Military Warns of Possible State Involvement A Marshall Islands–flagged tanker, Talara, abruptly veered into Iranian territorial waters Friday while transiting the Strait of Hormuz, prompting a warning from the British military about possible “state activity.” The UK Maritime Trade Operations center said small vessels had intercepted the ship before it changed course. Iran has not commented on the incident, which occurred off the coast of the United Arab Emirates. Tracking data showed the Talara, en route from Ajman to Singapore, turning sharply toward Iran without explanation. A US Navy MQ-4C Triton surveillance drone circled the area for hours, though the Navy’s 5th Fleet did not issue a statement. ‼️🇲🇭🇮🇷UPDATE—-It appears the suspicious incident in the Gulf of Oman is related to a Marshall Island flagged oil tanker. The vessel, Talara, is supposed to be travelling to Singapore, but suddenly changed directions and is now heading into if not already in Irans territorial… https://t.co/qlKrUe13YP pic.twitter.com/PxiC8bFeJX — 🇷🇺 Vanguard-Veritas🇨🇦 (@RussCan91) November 14, 2025 The event comes amid heightened regional tensions following years of maritime confrontations between Iran and Western forces, as well as recent Houthi attacks on ships linked to the Israel-Hamas war and a 12-day conflict between Iran and Israel earlier this year.   Russia Launches Massive Air Assault on Kyiv, Injuring at Least 11 Russia carried out a large-scale overnight attack on Kyiv early Friday, striking multiple districts and injuring at least 11 people, city officials said. Mayor Vitali Klitschko reported widespread fires and debris across the capital as air defenses responded to the barrage. Five people were hospitalized, including a pregnant woman and a man in critical condition. The strikes damaged residential buildings, schools, and medical facilities across several districts, including Darnytskyi, Dniprovskyi, and Podilskyi. Fires were reported in homes and nonresidential structures, and authorities warned of possible power and water outages. In the surrounding Kyiv region, one civilian was hospitalized with burns after infrastructure and homes were hit. 🔴 Russia unleashed a massive overnight attack on Ukraine with waves of drones and missiles, hitting Kyiv. Preliminary reports say residential areas and energy infrastructure were struck. pic.twitter.com/swxxsThSFm — UNITED24 Media (@United24media) November 14, 2025 The attack came as European Union leaders reaffirmed their support for Ukraine but urged Kyiv to maintain anti-corruption efforts amid an ongoing scandal involving senior energy officials.   China Launches Sea Trials for New Type 076 Amphibious Assault Ship China began sea trials Friday for the Sichuan, its new Type 076 amphibious assault ship, marking another step in the rapid modernization of the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) Navy. The vessel, launched from Shanghai’s Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard, follows the commissioning of China’s latest aircraft carrier, the Fujian, just a week earlier. Weighing about 40,000 tons, the Sichuan combines features of an aircraft carrier and traditional amphibious assault ships, capable of deploying both aircraft and landing craft carrying troops. The ship is reportedly equipped with an electromagnetic catapult system similar to that used on the Fujian, potentially allowing it to launch fixed-wing aircraft or drones—an upgrade over US Navy assault ships that rely on helicopters and short takeoff jets. On November 14, 2025, China’s first new-generation Amphibious Assault Ship, the #Sichuan (Hull 51), set sail from Hudong-Zhonghua Shipyard in east China’s Shanghai City, heading for relevant sea areas to carry out its first navigation test mission. This #SeaTrial will mainly… pic.twitter.com/E7BeWycCIq — China Military Bugle (@ChinaMilBugle) November 14, 2025 The trials come as China expands its naval capabilities to match those of the United States, part of Xi Jinping’s goal of building a “world-class” military by 2050. Analysts say the Sichuan could play a key role in any future operation against Taiwan, though its full capabilities will be determined later in testing.   China and Thailand Pledge Closer Cooperation During Thai King’s Historic Visit to Beijing Chinese President Xi Jinping and Thai King Maha Vajiralongkorn agreed to strengthen bilateral ties during the monarch’s first-ever visit to China, marking the 50th anniversary of diplomatic relations between the two nations. Xi hailed China and Thailand as “good relatives, good friends, and good partners,” highlighting plans to expand cooperation in trade, rail infrastructure, artificial intelligence, and aerospace. Vajiralongkorn described the relationship as one of “brotherly cooperation” and expressed support for deepening exchanges across multiple sectors. Chinese leader Xi Jinping rolled out the red carpet for the first Thai monarch to visit China since ties were established 50 years ago https://t.co/6icsmXiVPE pic.twitter.com/rresSEYabn — Reuters (@Reuters) November 14, 2025 The Thai royal couple’s visit, their second official trip abroad since the king’s ascension in 2016, underscores growing warmth between Bangkok and Beijing. While Thailand remains a US treaty ally, China has become its largest trading partner and a major source of investment and military equipment. Recent actions by Thai authorities, including deporting Uyghur asylum-seekers and censoring politically sensitive art exhibits, have reflected Bangkok’s increasing alignment with Beijing’s positions.   Sources: News Agencies