Iran set for joint naval exercise with Russia and China

Iranian military spokesman Gen. Abolfazl Shekarchi has announced that his country will carry out a four-day joint naval exercise with Russia and China. The exercise is set to commence on December 27th and take place in the northern part of the Indian Ocean. This all follows recent U.S. buildup in the region. In particular, the […]

Israeli Air Force whacks Iranian base in Syria

On Sunday night, the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) hit Iranian bases inside of Syria with airstrikes. Syrian air defense units have claimed to have shot down one of the missiles launched from Israeli aircraft outside of Aqraba. No casualty figures have been released. Both media and civilians have also reported that explosions could be heard […]

Could a Spec Ops base in Syria be in danger of being overrun?

The presence of a small, but strategically important, Special Operations base inside Syria might be in jeopardy after Congress raised concerns about its security. Last week, Congress requested the Department of Defence (DoD) and the Director of National Intelligence Retired Vice Admiral Joseph Maguire, a former Navy SEAL, to assess the threat level of the […]

Israelis hit Iran’s “land bridge” in Syria with airstrikes

On Saturday night after 22:00, jets pounded three different Iranian militia sites in Syria, including at the all-important border crossing with Iraq. The airstrikes took place in the Abulkamal region of Syria. While no one is claiming responsibility for the strikes, it is believed that they were undertaken by Israel. Israel never comments on airstrikes, […]

Iran using power vacuum to move missiles into Iraq

The Iranians are taking advantage of the chaos and power vacuum in Iraq to solidify themselves in the country. They are now stockpiling a number of short-range missiles in Iraq. This is part of their plan to increase their leverage across the Middle East and to check the influence of the United States and Israel […]

$15 million bounty for Iranian officer behind the deaths of 5 American soldiers

The State Department is offering $15 million for information relating to the financial activities, networks, and associates of a high-ranking Iranian operative. According to U.S. Special Representative on Iran Brian Hook, Abdul Reza Shahlai, an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) officer with Quds Force, has been behind attacks targeting American soldiers and civilians. In 2007, […]

Israelis hit dozens of targets in retaliation for Syrian airstrike

On Tuesday, Iranian Quds Forces launched, from Syrian territory, four missiles at targets in Israel. The Israelis’ reaction was swift. They retaliated early on Wednesday morning by attacking dozens of Syrian air defense and Iranian forces targets within Syria.  According to a statement by the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), Israel’s airstrikes targeted missile launchers, weapons […]

The defense implications of a Trump impeachment

The public hearing for the impeachment inquiry into President Donald Trump is underway, and while a lot of the nation’s attention is focused on domestic politics, it’s important to remember that the world continues to turn even when our attention wanes. As Republicans and Democrats in Washington D.C. and all around the nation fortify their […]

Iran discovers massive oil reserve

Iranian President Hassan Rouhani announced that his country has found a new oil field, which contains an estimated 53 billion barrels of crude oil, in the southwestern province of Khuzestan. The discovery increases Iran’s proven reserves by a third. Covering roughly an area of 2,400 sq km, it’ll be the country’s second largest oil field, […]

Just weeks after Syria pullout, US troops return to defend oil fields

Just weeks after President Trump ordered the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Northern Syria, troops have returned to defend oil facilities from falling into the hands of the Islamic State. There were approximately 1,000 American troops in Northern Syria when President Trump announced, “It’s time to come back home,” earlier in October, but with this […]

Fraying at the edges: Elite SOF aviation unit faces critical pilot shortage

According to a manning report, the elite 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment (160th SOAR), also known as Night Stalkers, is facing significant manning shortages. The report, first obtained by the Army Times, concerns the final quarter of Fiscal Year 2019. It reveals the following numbers of pilot shortages: With regard to the MH-60 Black Hawk […]

SOFREP’s exclusive interview with President Assad of Syria

“There is nothing personal, I’m just a headline,” President Bashar Al-Assad said when questioned about how he feels being called a war criminal in the western media. “The bad president, the bad guy is killing the good guys. It is black and white like George Bush’s narrative. The real reason for wanting to topple this […]