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Morning Brief: Special Ops Helicopters Spotted Near Venezuela, US Army Fast-Tracks M1E3 Tank Program, Houthi Confirms Military Chief Killed

BY Guy D. McCardle

US buildup near Venezuela, John Bolton indicted, Alaska storm devastates villages. Here’s your Friday morning rundown, October 17, 2025.

US Army's M1E3 Main Battle Tank prototype showcase. (Image grabbed via X)

Good morning — here’s your Friday, October 17, 2025, world brief. At a glance: US Special Operations aircraft spotted near Venezuela signal a growing Caribbean buildup as tensions with Caracas rise. Former Trump adviser John Bolton is indicted for mishandling classified files, and the Army fast-tracks its next-generation M1E3 battle tank. A deadly storm surge devastates Alaska Native villages, while Trump readies for Zelenskyy talks as Russia hammers Ukraine’s energy grid. Budapest prepares to host Trump-Putin peace talks, Israel confirms a strike that killed Yemen’s Houthi military chief, and a suicide bombing rocks Pakistan’s border region. Plus, Mongolia’s prime minister is ousted, and Japan mourns former leader Tomiichi Murayama at 101.

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US Special Operations Helicopters Spotted Near Venezuela Amid Expanding Caribbean Mission

US Special Operations helicopters were recently seen flying less than 90 miles from Venezuela’s coast, according to visual analysis by The Washington Post.

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A US official said the aircraft — including MH-6 Little Birds and MH-60 Black Hawks — were conducting training exercises but could be preparing for expanded counterdrug missions in the region.

The flights come as the US military has destroyed at least five boats allegedly carrying narcotics off Venezuela since September, killing 27 people.

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President Donald Trump confirmed he authorized the Central Intelligence Agency to operate inside Venezuela, while declaring an “armed conflict” with drug traffickers — a claim legal experts dispute.

Analysts said the helicopters likely belong to the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment, known for supporting Navy SEALs and Delta Force missions. Satellite imagery suggests they may be operating from the MV Ocean Trader, a converted special operations vessel active near Trinidad.

About 10,000 US troops, eight warships, a submarine, and F-35 jets are now stationed across the Caribbean, marking a major military buildup as tensions with Caracas escalate.

 

John Bolton Indicted for Mishandling Classified Information

Former US national security adviser John Bolton was charged Thursday with 18 counts of illegally storing and transmitting classified material.

The indictment follows a Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) search of his Maryland home and Washington office in August, where agents seized documents marked “classified,” “confidential,” and “secret.”

Prosecutors allege the materials included information on weapons of mass destruction and the US communications strategy.

Bolton, who served under President Donald Trump before being fired in 2019, has denied wrongdoing, arguing that many of the seized records were cleared during pre-publication review for his 2020 memoir, The Room Where It Happened.

The case, filed in Maryland, stems from a long-running investigation into his handling of sensitive information and adds to a string of high-profile prosecutions involving former government officials.

 

US Army Accelerates Development of Lighter, Smarter M1E3 Battle Tank

The US Army is fast-tracking development of the M1E3 main battle tank, a lighter, more mobile successor to the Abrams that incorporates lessons from the Ukraine war.

General Dynamics Land Systems received a $150 million contract to build four prototypes by next year, with potential full production by 2027-2028 and deployment targeted for 2030.

Weighing about 60 tons, the M1E3 will feature an automated turret, a hybrid diesel-electric engine, and Israel’s Iron Fist active protection system to defend against drones and missiles.

The tank will retain a 120mm smooth-bore gun and use modular systems for faster repairs and upgrades.

US Army officials said the design focuses on survivability, range, and mobility rather than heavier armor, reflecting the vulnerabilities tanks have faced in modern drone warfare.

 

Mass Evacuation in Western Alaska After Storm Surge Devastates Native Villages

A massive storm surge driven by remnants of Typhoon Halong flooded Alaska’s coastal villages of Kipnuk and Kwigillingok, destroying more than 150 homes, killing one person, and leaving two missing.

More than 1,000 residents—mostly Alaska Natives—were airlifted to safety, with hundreds now sheltered in Anchorage after military transport flights from Bethel.

Floodwaters reached over six feet above normal tides, submerging entire neighborhoods and cutting off utilities.

The disaster has drawn attention to Trump administration cuts to grants that funded flood and erosion protection for Indigenous communities.

Survivors described scenes of chaos and devastation but vowed to rebuild.

 

Trump, Zelenskyy to Meet at White House as US Hesitates on Ukraine Missile Sale

President Donald Trump will host Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House on Friday, a day after speaking by phone with Russian President Vladimir Putin about ending the war in Ukraine.

Trump signaled he is unlikely to approve Kyiv’s request to buy long-range Tomahawk cruise missiles, citing US defense needs and potential strain on relations with Moscow.

Zelenskyy argues the weapons are critical for striking deep inside Russia and pressuring Putin into peace talks.

Putin warned Trump that supplying the missiles would “cause substantial damage” to US-Russia ties.

Trump, who plans to meet Putin soon in Budapest, said resolving the Ukraine conflict is now his top foreign policy goal but suggested any talks between Moscow and Kyiv may need to occur indirectly.

Friday’s meeting will mark Trump and Zelenskyy’s fourth since Trump’s return to office.

 

Russia Pounds Ukraine’s Energy Grid as Zelenskyy Heads to Washington for Talks

Russia launched one of its largest attacks in months on Ukraine’s energy infrastructure, firing more than 300 drones and 37 missiles overnight, leaving eight regions without power, Ukrainian officials said Thursday.

The strikes targeted electricity and natural gas facilities, including in Kyiv and Poltava, as winter approaches.

 

Orbán Hails Budapest as Host for Upcoming Trump-Putin Peace Talks

Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orbán on Friday praised Hungary’s selection as the venue for an upcoming meeting between US President Donald Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin, where the leaders are expected to discuss ending the war in Ukraine.

Orbán, a longtime ally of both Trump and Putin, said Budapest was chosen because Hungary is “the only pro-peace country” in Europe.

The meeting, which Trump said could take place in about two weeks, follows his earlier talks with Putin in Alaska that failed to produce a breakthrough. Hosting the talks poses logistical and legal challenges since Hungary, a NATO member, is bound by an International Criminal Court warrant for Putin’s arrest, though Orbán has announced plans to withdraw from the court.

Critics say Orbán’s stance undermines European Union unity and favors Moscow, while he portrays it as promoting peace.

The meeting’s location also carries symbolic weight, as Budapest was the site of the 1994 accord guaranteeing Ukraine’s sovereignty in exchange for surrendering its nuclear weapons.

 

Israeli Strike Kills Houthi Military Chief in Yemen, Officials Confirmed

An Israeli airstrike in August killed Major General Muhammad Abdul Karim al-Ghamari, the Houthi rebels’ military chief of staff, officials confirmed Thursday.

Al-Ghamari, sanctioned by the United Nations and US for his role in Yemen’s war and attacks on Saudi Arabia, died from injuries sustained in the strike, which also killed his 13-year-old son.

Israeli leaders, including Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, hailed the operation as part of a broader campaign against Houthi militants responsible for missile and drone attacks on Israel.

The Houthis named Major General Yusuf Hassan al-Madani as al-Ghamari’s successor.

The strike comes as a ceasefire holds in Gaza and Houthi attacks on Israel and Red Sea shipping have paused. The group, which previously disrupted global trade routes, has recently detained dozens of UN and aid workers, accusing them without evidence of espionage—claims the United Nations called false and dangerous.

 

Suicide Bomber Attacks Security Compound in Pakistan as Ceasefire With Afghanistan Nears End

A suicide car bomber linked to the Pakistani Taliban attacked a security forces compound in Mir Ali, near Pakistan’s border with Afghanistan, on Friday, triggering a firefight that killed three militants, police said.

The blast damaged nearby homes, and authorities have not confirmed troop casualties.

The attack came as a fragile ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan, brokered after deadly border clashes, was set to expire Friday evening.

Tensions remain high amid a surge in militant attacks blamed on the Pakistani Taliban, which Islamabad says operates from Afghan territory. Pakistani forces have killed 88 militants in recent operations across the northwest.

 

Hanwha and General Atomics Partner to Develop New Short-Takeoff Combat Drone

South Korea’s Hanwha Aerospace and US defense firm General Atomics have teamed up to develop the Gray Eagle Short Takeoff and Landing (STOL) drone, a new variant of the MQ-1 Predator, the companies announced this week.

The aircraft will feature multi-mission capabilities, including electronic warfare, surveillance, and over-the-horizon targeting, and can operate from both ships and unpaved runways.

The $528 million joint venture aims to produce a demonstrator by 2027 and begin deliveries in 2028.

Hanwha will provide engines, fuel systems, and avionics, while General Atomics will manage final systems integration. Hanwha also plans to open a production facility in South Korea.

General Atomics projects global demand for the Gray Eagle STOL could reach $10.5 billion over the next decade.

 

Mongolia’s Parliament Ousts Prime Minister Amid Ruling Party Power Struggle

Mongolia’s parliament voted Friday to dismiss Prime Minister Zandanshatar Gombojav in a rare public split within the ruling Mongolian People’s Party.

The move followed weeks of infighting between Zandanshatar and parliamentary speaker Amarbayasgalan Dashzegve, his main rival, who has also offered to resign.

Zandanshatar, appointed in June, will serve as acting prime minister until a successor is chosen.

The ouster comes as the government faces teacher strikes and looming budget deadlines. The feud escalated after Zandanshatar’s faction accused Amarbayasgalan of corruption in the coal industry, deepening divisions within the party as Mongolia grapples with economic and political instability.

 

Former Japan Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama Dies at 101

Former Japanese Prime Minister Tomiichi Murayama, remembered for his landmark 1995 “Murayama statement” apologizing for Japan’s wartime aggression, died Friday at age 101 in his hometown of Oita.

Murayama, who led a coalition government from 1994 to 1996 as head of the Japan Socialist Party, issued Japan’s most enduring apology to Asian nations affected by its imperial expansion during World War II. His government faced major crises, including the Kobe earthquake and Tokyo subway sarin attack in 1995.

After retiring in 2000, Murayama continued to criticize nationalist leaders who sought to downplay Japan’s wartime responsibility and urged reconciliation with China and other Asian countries.

 

Sources: News Agencies

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