Curated news, analysis, and commentary about special operations, national security, and conflicts around the world.
Photo / Image: A North American Aerospace Defense Command F-35 Lightning II fighter aircraft lands at Pituffik Space Force Base, Greenland, Oct. 7, 2025. Greenland as part of the Kingdom of Denmark has long played an important role in the defense of North America, which strengthens NORAD’s ability to protect the continent from today’s threats and emerging challenges from all approaches. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Maxim Dewolf)
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Editor’s Note: SOF News received several comments regarding the January 23, 2026 article about SEAL history and some notable SEALs. Some readers appreciated the article, while others noted additional SEALs they felt should have been mentioned. The article by Katie Lange was first published by Pentagon News (DoD / DoW); we republished it with no edits. If there are any aspiring writers out there that want to submit articles on Navy special operations history then send it our way.
SOF News
Culture and Special Operations. Establishing cooperative security partnerships and supporting the resistance and resilience of a U.S. ally are important aspects of U.S. special operations forces. Read more in “The Lethality of Relationships”, Special Warfare Journal, January 15, 2026.
Tanks Overran an SF Outpost in 1968. Green Berets and irregulars at the remote special operations camp at Lang Vei found themselves staring down something they had never faced before in the South: North Vietnamese tanks. “North Vietnam’s first major tank battle overran a Special Forces outpost”, We Are the Mighty, January 21, 2026.
Biometrics for SOF. USSOCOM is looking for a tactical integrated identity architecture that will merge single-purpose biometric tools. “US special operations expands push for battlefield identity intelligence”, Biometric Update, January 9, 2026.
Navy SEALs and Saving Jessica Buchanan. In the dark night of January 25, 2012, U.S. Navy SEALs jumped at a very high altitude over northern Somalia to save an American and Dane who were being held for ransom by Somalis bandits. By the time the mission was over the two captives were taken by helicopter to safety and the bandits were dead. Read more in an article by CDR Tom Harkins entitled “Saving Jessica Buchanan: Somalia East Africa – The Men You Don’t See”, Navy SEAL Museum, January 2026.
SOF and OSINT. Jared Martin writes that U.S. Special Operations must treat open source intelligence as a primary discipline and that SOF organizations need to adopt faster decision making processes. Phones, social media, and commercial sensors are exposing operational activity. Information dominance is now taking place outside of classified channels. “The End of Battlefield Secrets: Addressing the OSINT Gap in U.S. Special Operations”, Small Wars Journal, January 23, 2026.
SOF, LSCO, and Risk. CWO2 Matthew van der Graaff (SF) writes on how Special Forces will need more independence while operating in the large-scale combat operations (LSCO) environment of the future. The constraints and micro-management exercised by higher echelons during the Global War on Terror (GWOT) will not work in LSCO. Read more in “Modern Warfare and Risk”, Special Warfare Journal, January 22, 2026.
MARSOC Needs Intel Specialists. The Marine Corps is seeking intelligence specialists to apply for its elite unit – Marine Forces Special Operations Command. Working as an intel specialist for the Marine Raiders requires volunteers to step forward from a high-demand, high-skill, but low-density field. “MARSOC wants intel specialists amid high demand, limited personnel pool”, DefenseScoop, January 23, 2026.
SOF and Hormone Loss. The recent National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) has included a provision for the continued study on diminished testosterone levels in special operations personnel. Read more in “Hormone Loss in Special Operations Addressed in NDAA”, Special Operations Association of America, January 21, 2026.
SOF History
On January 30, 1945, over 500 prisoners of war were rescued at the Cabanatuan prisoner of war camp during WWII in the Philippines by a combined force of 6th Ranger Battalion, Alamo Scouts, and Philippine guerrillas. https://arsof-history.org/articles/v14n2_cabanatuan_page_1.html
On January 25, 1974, General Creighton Abrams directed the activation of the first battalion-sized Ranger unit since World War II. HQ U.S. Army Forces Command issued General Orders 127, issued in the fall of 1973, directing the activation of the 1st Ranger Battalion, 75th Infantry with the effective date of January 31, 1974. The battalion was to be an elite, light, and very proficient infantry unit consisting of highly motivated Airborne Ranger qualified personnel. Selection of unit personnel and cadre training took place in early 1974 at Fort Benning, Ga. The battalion moved to Fort Stewart, Ga. where it was stationed until moving to Hunter Army Airfield, Ga. in September 1978. (USASOC) https://www.soc.mil/rangers/1stbn.html
On January 31, 1991, 33 years ago, an AC-130, Spirit 03, was shot down during the Persian Gulf War. All crew members lost. https://sof.news/history/spirit-03-downed-ac-130h-during-desert-storm/
National Security and Commentary
Another Tanker Seized. On January 20, 2026, U.S. military forces boarded another oil tanker – M/V Sagitta – in the Caribbean. This is the seventh oil tanker connected with Venezuela seized.
Another Narco-Boat Blown Up. Joint Task Force Southern Spear conducted a lethal kinetic strike on January 23, 2026, on a vessel that was transiting along known narco-trafficking routes in the Eastern Pacific. Two were killed and one survived the strike. Watch the video (DVIDS).
Arctic Security. The Journal of Advanced Military Studies published a special issue in 2025 on security in the High North. Read it online (PDF, 25 pgs).
U.S. DoS Strategic Plan. The U.S. Department of State posted its “Agency Strategic Plan” online. This document, dated January 2026, is for the period of 2026 to 2030. (PDF, 24 pgs)
Trump’s Map – Canada and Greenland. According to a report by Newsweek (Jan 20, 2026) President Trump posted an edited picture of him on January 20, 2026, addressing several world leaders around a conference table with a map depicting the U.S. flag over the United States, Greenland, . . . and Canada.
Arctic Gaps in Security. NATO allies and partners can protect their homelands by updating their defense force postures. Read about it in Closing the Arctic Gaps, Hudson Institute, January 2025, PDF, 84 pages.
Intel, IO, Cyber, AI, IW
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. James H. Adams III has been nominated for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as director, Defense Intelligence Agency, Joint Base Anacostia-Bolling, Washington, D.C. Adams is currently serving as deputy commandant for Programs and Resources, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Marine Corps Lt. Gen. Melvin G. Carter has been nominated for reappointment to the grade of lieutenant general, with assignment as director’s advisor for Military Affairs, Office of the Director of National Intelligence, Washington, D.C. Carter is currently serving as deputy commandant for Information, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps, Pentagon, Washington, D.C.
Intel Front Companies. Commercial cover companies provide accessibility to intelligence agencies that is sometimes difficult to obtain otherwise. Read more in “The Secretive Front Companies Run by Intelligence Services”, SpyScape, January 2026.
Ukraine Conflict
Archaic Soviet Doctrine. Julian McBride writes on how Russia, relying on Soviet-era tactics has cost them dearly in Ukraine. “The Archaic Defensive Doctrine Continues to Plague Post-Soviet States Today”, Small Wars Journal, January 22, 2026.
Ukrainian SOF. The Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO) is the Special Missions Unit (SMU) branch of the Armed Forces of Ukraine (AFU). Headquartered in Kyiv, the command is tasked with conducting unconventional warfare and designing influence operations, as well as training conventional soldiers in deep reconnaissance and direct action. Their ongoing operations involve raids behind enemy lines and deliberate ambushes on rear areas. “Ukrainian Special Operations Forces (SSO)”, Grey Dynamics, September 11, 2025.
Ukrainian SOF and “Proxy Battlespaces”. Special operations forces of Ukraine have been operating outside of Ukraine. Ukraine is leveraging global Russian vulnerabilities to impose strategic dilemmas. Read more in “Proxy Battlespaces: A New Perspective on Ukraine’s Use of Special Operations Forces in Syria, Sudan, and Mali”, Inter Populum, January 2026.
- 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
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.
Europe and NATO
NATO Allies Disappointed. President Trump made some remarks last week that were not well received by members of NATO that sent troops to Afghanistan after 2001 – responding to Article 5 of the NATO alliance. On Thursday, January 22, 2026, President Trump, talking about NATO, said:
“I’ve always said, will they be there if we ever needed them? That’s really the ultimate test. I am not sure of that. We’ve never needed them, we have never really asked anything of them. You know, they’ll say they sent some troops to Afghanistan, or this or that, and they did, they stayed a little back, a little off the front line.”
Many of the NATO partners responded to the President’s comments, stating that they sent in their special operations units to work side by side with U.S. SOF. They countered that the NATO allies did take significant casualties during the 20-year long conflict. The U.S. lost 2,402 service members in Afghanistan according to DoD. In total, non-US NATO member and other partner nations lost almost 1,200 military personnel. Some of the highest numbers were from the UK (437), Canada (150), France (90), Italy (53), and Denmark (44). (sources differ on the exact counts per country) Trump’s remarks brought swift reactions from many of the NATO countries like United Kingdom, Italy, and others.
Europe’s Collective Defense? The Atlantic Council’s Transatlantic Security Initiative has a real-time NATO Defense Spending Tracker that shows how allies are contributing to collective defense and the development of real military capabilities. Norway is leading the alliance (including the U.S.) in defense spending per capita for 2025. “NATO Defense Spending Tracker”, Atlantic Council, January 2026. The list below shows the top five:
- Norway, $3,191
- United States, $2,469
- Denmark, $2,400
- Finland, $1,478
- United kingdom, $1,164
Middle East and Africa
Drawing Down in Iraq. U.S. troops have withdrawn from Ain al-Asad Airbase in western Iraq. This departure follows a 2024 U.S.-Iraq agreement to reduce U.S. and coalition partner presence.
SDF and Ceasefire? Last week the Syrian Transitional Government (STG) and the Syrian Democratic Front (SDF) based in northeast Syria (Kurdish-held territory) signed a ceasefire agreement. However, clashes have not stopped between the two parties. Kobane (NSI map), in northern Syria is under threat of attack by the STG as well as several other cities. In the meantime, the United States continues its new-found relationship with the new Syrian regime. Once again, the Kurds find that there are No Friends But the Mountains. (SOF News, 2018)
ISIS Prisoners – From Syria to Iraq. The U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched a new mission (CENTCOM, Jan 21, 2026) to transfer ISIS detainees from northeastern Syria to Iraq on January 21, 2026, to help ensure the terrorists remain in secure detention facilities. Up to 7,000 ISIS detainees could be transferred from Syria. Many of them have been held for years in facilities controlled by the Syrian Democratic Front (SDF). This is taken place as the STG is advancing into SDF held territory and thousands of ISIS detainees have escaped in the chaos.
Disarming the Kurds in Syria. The Syrian Democratic Front (SDF) has yet to negotiate a meaningful settlement with the Syrian Transitional Government (STG), yet the move to disarm the SDF and incorporate their territory is ongoing. Read more in “The Silent Disarmament of Kurds”, Small Wars Journal, January 21, 2026. See also an article about how the Syrian government will not be able to replace the SDF as a Counter-ISIS partner in northeastern Syria. (AEI, Jan 23, 2026)
Iran and U.S. Increased Presence. The riots and demonstrations in Iran are continuing with civilian deaths numbering in the thousands. Meanwhile, a carrier strike group led by the US Abraham Lincoln is making its way from the South China Sea to the Middle East region. In addition, land-based aircraft have been arriving at several bases throughout the Middle East.
U.S. Strike on ISIS in Somalia. On January 21, 2026, U.S. Africa Command (AFRICOM) conducted an airstrike targeting ISIS-Somalia. The strike took place in the vicinity of the Golis Mountains.
Publication – The War in Sudan: The Role of External Actors and the Prospects for U.S.-Led Conflict Resolution, The Soufan Center, January 21, 2026, PDF, 23 pgs. (document)
Books, Podcasts, Videos, and Movies
CTC Sentinel. The January 2026 issue of CTC Sentinel was published by the Combating Terrorism Center at West Point. Articles on Jihadi expansion in Nigeria, Red Teaming Hamas’ options, and terrorism in Europe. (PDF, 60 pgs) https://ctc.westpoint.edu/january-2026/
Publication – Psychological Defence and Information Influence. A textbook on theory and practice by the Psychological Defence Agency, Lunds Universitet, Sweden, PDF 258 pgs.
Publication – Countering Information Influence Operations in the Nordic-Baltic Region, NATO Strategic Communications Center of Excellence, January 22, 2026, PDF, 60 pgs. (link to doc)
Video – Lt. Gen. (Ret.) Ken Tovo (SF) and CCWO (Ret.) Sean McCormick (SOAR) talk about mission planning of the 160th Special Operations Aviation Regiment and culture within Army Special Operations Forces (ARSOF). Posted by the Green Beret Foundation, January 19, 2026, YouTube, 9 minutes.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Kb9xoMxCyjM
Video – Allied SOFCOM Command Video, January 18, 2026, YouTube, 2 minutes. Allied Special Operations Forces Command (SOFCOM) is NATO’s dedicated special operations command. This video provides an overview of Allied SOFCOM’s mission, role, and contribution to the Alliance.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=duzvIPrBdOI
Video – NATO: An Enduring Alliance, Army University Press, January 13, 2025, YouTube, 17 minutes. A video that explains NATO and its current mission. This film features interviews with Admiral Robert Bauer, Royal Netherlands Navy, 33rd Chair of the Military Committee of NATO and General Philip M. Breedlove, United States Air Force (Ret), 17th Supreme Allied Commander Europe (SACEUR) of NATO Allied Command Operations.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KWr2dJxm23k
Book Review – When Rambo Meets the Red Cross: Civil-Military Engagement in Fragile States, by Stanislava P. Mladenova. Eunomia Journal, Civil Affairs Association, January 17, 2025.
https://www.civilaffairsassociation.com/post/book-review-when-rambo-meets-the-red-cross-civil-military-engagement-in-fragile-states
Army Magazine. The January 2026 issue from the Association of the United States Army (AUSA) is now published online. https://www.ausa.org/issues/army-magazine-vol-76-no-1-january-2026
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Upcoming Events
February 10-12, 2026
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February 17-18, 2026
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April 27 – May 1, 2026
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May 18-21, 2026
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May 28-31, 2026
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June 7-11, 2026
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