Curated news, analysis, and commentary about special operations, national security, and conflicts around the world.
Photo / Image: East Coast-based Naval Special Warfare Operators use a Submarine Exploration (SUEX) diver propulsion vehicle during a sustainment exercise in Virginia Beach, Va. (U.S. Navy photo by Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Trey Hutcheson)
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SOF News
CA to Consolidate Gains. The opening by U.S. Central Command of a Civil-Military Coordination Center (CMCC) in Israel this past week is an example of how Civil Affairs can consolidate gains during the transition from combat operations to stability operations. It is in this ‘in-between space’ – when fighting stops but uncertainty reigns – where CA can be a leading force for stability and prove their worth to Combatant Commanders. Assad Raza explains in “The Hard Part: Why U.S. Army Civil Affairs are Essential”, Real Clear Defense, November 5, 2025.
SOF Value to Military. For more than 20 years, special operations forces have spearheaded US military operations around the world. SOF offers attractive alternatives to high-level policy makers – relatively cheap, small footprint, sometimes discreet, and a low political cost. Stavros Atlamazoglou explains in “Why Does America Have 70,000 Special Forces Troops”, National Interest, November 4, 2025.
Next Generation – SF Training. The rigorous process of recruiting, preparing and producing Special Forces soldiers has entered an era of continuous transformation focused on technology, human performance, resource management and advanced learning. “Special Training: Army Prepares Next Generation of Elite Warriors”, Association of United States Army, October 31, 2025.
SOCPAC and AI. An artificial intelligence boot camp will help leaders better understand how to apply AI technology. “Special Operations Command Pacific undergoing first AI boot camp”, Breaking Defense, October 29, 2025.
Famous OSS Operative – Peter Ortiz. A U.S. Marine had combat experience prior to joining the Marines in 1942. He had already survived five years in the French Foreign Legion and fought in Africa, faced the Nazis in France, spent 15 months as a prisoner of war, and escaped occupied Europe to get back into the fight. “The U.S. Marine Who Forced Nazi Officers to Toast FDR at Gunpoint”, Military.com, November 5, 2025.
History of Son Tay Raid. In November 1970 more than 50 Green Berets raided a suspected prisoner of war camp hoping to liberate American POWs. This highly secretive and complex mission was Operation Kingpin and took place at Son Tay in North Vietnam. It was estimated that more than 60 POWs were held there. Read more in “Guns, Guts, and Glory on the Son Tay Raid”, by Warren Gray, SOFREP, November 3, 2025.
ARSOF Transformation. Army special operations forces are transforming for the future by increasing multidomain capabilities, growing asymmetric lethality and expanding the ability to compete and win in the information space “Special Operations ‘Driving Change’ for Future Fight”, Association of the United States Army, October 31, 2025.
SF Identity Crisis. Robert C. Jones weighs in on the discussion about a perceived Special Forces identity crisis. “Setting the Force: 10 Steps for Resolving the Special Forces Identity Crisis”, Small Wars Journal, October 29, 2025.
Spanish SF Rescue Mariners. A Malta-flagged tanker was attacked by pirates off the coast of Somalia. the Hellas Aphrodite was transporting gasoline from India to South Africa when it was seized by pirates. The 24 crew members locked themselves inside the ship’s citadel as the pirate attack began. The Spanish Special Forces had been sailing on the ESPS Victoria, a Spanish frigate operating as part of the European Union’s Operation Atalanta. An early ‘show of force’ by the Victoria (helicopter, drone) encouraged the pirates to flee the vessel. Piracy off the coast of Somalia has grown in the past few years due to the instability caused by Houthi attacks on shipping in the region. “Spanish Special Forces Liberate Greek Tanker After Pirate Attack”, Maritime-Executive, November 7, 2025.
SOF History
Some past history on special operations – Vietnam and Afghanistan:
- On November 8, 1962, HQ US Army Special Forces Command – Vietnam was established.
- November 8 is the annual JFK Wreath Laying Day at Arlington National Cemetery. This event, conducted by Green Berets, has taken place since the burial of John F. Kennedy after his assassination. https://sof.news/events/green-beret-wreath-laying-ceremony/
- On November 9, 2001, the Taliban held city of Mazar e-Sharif fell to Northern Alliance forces led by warlords Dostum and Atta. They were advised by U.S. Army Green Berets. USAF Combat Controllers, attached to the Special Forces teams, were key to coordinating for air support.
- On November 13, 2001, Kabul fell to the Northern Alliance. Green Berets would enter the city the next day. The Northern Alliance were also advised and assisted by other SOF elements such as the 49th Public Affairs Detachment (ABN) out of Bragg, Psychological Operations elements, and 1st Battalion 87th Infantry Regiment out of Ft. Drum, NY. The initial operation name was Operation Stronghold Freedom and these U.S. service members made up the Joint Special Operations Task Force-North (JSOTF-N).
National Security and Commentary
Digital Case Officer. Artificial intelligence (AI) is now being used to spot, assess, and develop HUMINT sources. There are some specific actions that the U.S. intelligence services can use to safely accelerate integration of this powerful new technology. “The Digital Case Officer”, Special Competitive Studies Project, September 2025. (PDF, 46 pgs)
Kosovo and Narrative Warfare. Years of shadowy planning by Albanian nationalists was followed by a deftly crafted media campaign that had lasting political impact. The separatists engaged in basic guerrilla warfare that turned frustrated Serbian authorities into rash responses that gained international attention. Western media outlets began to “side” with the separatists. The media campaign soon turned into calls for NATO intervention and for the declaration of a Kosovo independent from Serbia. The Serbian-Kosovo conflict demonstrates how propaganda can shape Western media and public opinion to advance political and military objectives. “Media, Martyrdom, & Manipulation”, by Jacob S. Feinstein, Irregular Warfare Initiative, November 5, 2025.
Hitting Drug Boats – A “Legal Twilight Zone”. The U.S. is carrying out an ambitious plan to interdict fast boats carrying drugs in the Carribean Sea. This is a new frontier in the counter narcotics fight and there are some legal experts taking a careful look at the situation. “America’s Shadow War at Sea: The Legal Grey Zone of the U.S. “Drug Boat” Strikes”, Modern Diplomacy, October 27, 2025.
New Army IO Unit for PACOM. A Pacific-based detachment tasked with countering disinformation and “malign influence” aimed at America and its allies and partners by adversaries. The 1st Theater Information Advantage Detachment in Hawaii will stand up before the end of 2026. “Army stands up unit to combat disinformation, ‘malign influence’ in Indo-Pacific”, Stars and Stripes, November 8, 2025.
Lithuania and Resilience. The concept of total defense, unknown for the most part in the United States, has taken hold in Europe; especially in the Nordic and Baltic countries. The recently developed Resistance Operating Concept (ROC) has been the guide for many of these countries. Some national security practitioners are arguing that the U.S needs to take heed and adopt some resilience methodology as well. “What Lithuania Can Teach America About Resilience”, Small Wars Journal, November 6, 2025.
Ukraine Conflict
Pokrovsk Could Fall to Russians. A strategic Ukrainian city could soon fall to the Russians. It would be a big although costly victory for Russia. The small city of 60,000 (at one time) is a key logistical hub for Ukraine’s Donetsk region.
Russia and IO. Moscow is stepping up its information operations capability – spending more money to influence people – both domestic and foreign audiences. “Kremlin Shifts Focus to Information Warfare”, Eurasia Daily Monitor, The Jamestown Foundation, November 6, 2025.
Russia’s Winter Strategy. The war may shift to one of energy, with Russia trying to freeze out Ukrainian civilians forcing a refugee movement into Europe. “Russia has a new strategy for winter war in Ukraine”, Aljazeera, November 3, 2025.
- References:
- Interactive Map. Russia’s Invasion of Ukraine by the Institute for the Study of War and Critical Threats. On storymaps.arcgis.com See also https://www.national-security.info/ukraine/maps.html
- U.S. Security Assistance to Ukraine, Congressional Research Service, CRSIF12040, periodically updated, PDF, 3 pages. https://crsreports.congress.gov/product/pdf/IF/IF12040
- Ukraine Conflict, National Security Info. https://www.national-security.info/ukraine-conflict.html
SOF News welcomes the submission of articles for publication. If it is related to special operations, current conflicts, national security, or defense then we are interested.
Around the World
The “Forgotten Myanmar Civil War”. Over the past two years the ruling military Junta in Myanmar has been suffering defeat after defeat. It was faced with the prospect of losing on the battlefield and yielding government rule to the pro-democracy National Unity Government (NUG) and its allies. However, China has been stepping up assistance to the Junta and it is now holding its own on the battlefield and actually making advances on the ground. The United States – nowhere to be found; more concerned about Ukraine, Israel, and Venezuela than what its primary strategic competitor is up to in Asia. Liam Weston presents the case for U.S. assistance in “The Myanmar Frontier: Why the United States Should Provide Military Aid to the NUG”, The Yale Review of International Studies, November 4, 2025.
Fighting Continues in Nigeria. The jihadist conflict in the northeast of Nigeria has killed over 40,000 people and displaced million since it started in 2009. Neighboring countries – Chad, Niger, and Cameroon – are affected by the fighting as well. Militants from the Islamist State West Africa Province (ISWAP) have been active in the area attacking government bases, outposts, and convoys.
Venezuela Update. News reports say that Venezuela has requested drones from Iran that if provided would place some U.S. military bases in the Caribbean within striking distance. Recent attacks by the U.S. on “drug boats” reportedly coming from Venezuela have increased tensions between the two nations. The Trump administration has also authorized the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) to carry out covert operations in Venezuela. The U.S. military sites at risk include the naval base at Guantanamo Bay (Cuba), five bases in Puerto Rico, and some military installations in the U.S. Virgin Islands. “Map Shows US Forces in Range of Possible Venezuela Attack Drones”, Newsweek, November 5, 2025.
Turkey Expands its Influence in Africa. Traditionally, Turkey has limited its involvement in African affairs to the coastlines of North Africa and the Horn of Africa. However, with the security vacuum left by the United States, France, and others it is stepping into the breach. This is certainly taking place in the Sahel region. “As Western States Withdraw, Turkey Aims to fill a Vacuum in the Sahel”, World Politics Review, November 3, 2025.
TPS Ends for South Sudan. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) has terminated (usics.gov, 5 Nov 25) the designation of South Sudan for Temporary Protected Status (TPS). The termination will be effective January 5, 2026. Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem has determined that conditions in South Sudan no longer meet the TPS requirements. If South Sudanese self-report to the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) then they can obtain a complimentary plane ticket, a $1,000 exit bonus, and potential future opportunities for legal immigration. Some South Sudanese arrived as early as 2011 – the new ruling is expected to affect some 5,000 South Sudanese who currently live in the United States.
Insight into Military Operations in South America. Michael Burgoyne provides some guidance to those military personnel finding themselves assigned to SOUTHCOM on a full-time or semi-permanent basis. Talks of taking on the drug cartels in Mexico and the recent attacks on ten alleged drug boats causing about 50 deaths has heightened the U.S. military awareness of the forgotten continent. Read more in “Welcome to the Western Hemisphere”, Small Wars Journal, November 3, 2025.
Troubles in Mali. The al-Qaeda branch of jihadists is choking off the country’s fuel supplies and the capital of Bamako may be in peril. If Mali falls there could be a domino effect with the nearby countries – almost all of them dealing with jihadist insurgencies. It would also be a blow to Russia – highlighting the ineffectiveness of Russia’s private military companies in providing security to dictatorships. “Mali on the Brink of Collapse as Jihadists Threaten to Overrun the Country”, Intelbrief, The Soufan Center, November 4, 2025.
U.S. Military Action in Nigeria? The Trump administration’s latest messaging on the use of military force is aimed at Nigeria. Christians have been targeted for years in Nigeria and recent events have captured the attention of President Trump. He has threatened Nigeria with military action if the government does not do more to protect its Christian population. “Probability and Purpose of a Hypothetical Trump-Era U.S. Military Campaign in Nigeria”, Lansing Institute, November 5, 2025.
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