Following the collapse of the Syrian regime, the US is intensifying efforts to locate American journalist Austin Tice, who was detained in Syria over a decade ago. The US government is offering substantial rewards for information leading to Tice's return and is engaging with various stakeholders, including the rebel group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. The US believes Tice was held by the Assad regime and is operating under the assumption that he is alive. Efforts include searching prisons and gathering intelligence on the ground in Syria.
The CIA has had a secret partnership with Ukraine for over a decade, providing intelligence-gathering training, communications equipment, and spy bases along the Russian border. Initially cautious about not assisting Ukraine in lethal operations, the CIA's boundaries have since been abandoned following Russia's invasion in 2022, with the Biden Administration authorizing the CIA to provide critical intelligence for Ukraine's lethal operations against Russia, including thwarting assassination plans against top Ukrainian officials.
Balloons originating from China were detected in the skies around Taiwan for the second time this month, crossing the center line of the Taiwan Strait before disappearing. China's use of high-altitude balloons for intelligence-gathering purposes has been a subject of study, with similar balloons detected in other countries. The incident earlier this year, where a Chinese balloon crossed the United States before being shot down, led to diplomatic fallout. The recent balloon sightings come amidst increased military activity by China around Taiwan. Taiwan's Defense Ministry has been disclosing the detection of balloons to ensure transparency and avoid accusations of withholding information.
Michael Spavor, one of the two Canadians jailed by China for nearly three years, has claimed that he was unknowingly used for intelligence gathering and is seeking compensation from the Canadian government. Spavor blames his fellow prisoner, Michael Kovrig, for their incarceration, alleging that Kovrig shared information on North Korea with Canada and its intelligence partners without Spavor's knowledge. The Chinese embassy in Ottawa criticized Spavor's claim, accusing Canada of hypocrisy. Ottawa maintains the innocence of both men and rejects the espionage charges. The detention of Spavor and Kovrig had strained bilateral relations between China and Canada, with the release of all three individuals occurring in September 2021.
The US essentially stopped spying on Hamas over two decades ago, shifting resources towards al-Qaeda and later ISIS after the 9/11 attacks, believing that Israel's robust spying capabilities would handle any imminent threat. As a result, the US missed the recent Hamas attack on Israel, leaving more invasive spy operations to Israel. US spy agencies had all but given up collecting intelligence on Hamas, viewing it as a regional threat under Israel's control rather than a global threat. Some parts of the US government even believed that Hamas operatives could be recruited as sources of information about more urgent terrorist groups.
Former Israeli soldier Aaron Cohen suggests that the delay in Israel's ground invasion of Gaza may be due to their sophisticated hostage rescue operations and intelligence gathering. Israel's special forces are likely using this time to collect actionable intelligence and make their operation as precise as possible. Cohen emphasizes the need for selectivity and aggressiveness in rescuing hostages, as structures could be booby-trapped. He warns that the situation in Gaza is the largest hostage siege in modern warfare history, with Hamas holding up to one million Palestinians and 400 Israelis for potential killing. Cohen believes that Israel's experience and determination will lead to successful hostage rescues.
Documents obtained by NBC News reveal that Hamas had detailed plans to target elementary schools and a youth center in the Israeli village of Kfar Sa'ad, with the intention of killing as many people as possible and taking hostages. The documents, labeled "top secret" in Arabic, were found on the bodies of Hamas terrorists and include maps and instructions for two Hamas units to infiltrate the village. Israeli officials are analyzing a trove of documents that show Hamas had been systematically gathering intelligence on neighboring kibbutzim and creating specific attack plans targeting women and children. The revelations contradict recent claims by Hamas that it did not kill children.
CIA Director William Burns made a secret visit to China in an effort to improve diplomatic relations and discuss intelligence gathering concerns. The visit comes amid heightened tensions between the two countries over issues such as human rights abuses in Xinjiang and the origins of the COVID-19 pandemic.
The FBI conducted improper searches of intelligence gathered through a foreign spying law to obtain information on individuals suspected of involvement in the Jan. 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol and the George Floyd protests, according to a court opinion released on Friday.
Sweden has expelled five Russian diplomats for conducting activities incompatible with their diplomatic status, citing the security threat posed by Russian intelligence gathering. The Swedish security service has long warned that Russia uses diplomats to spy on Sweden, and concerns have grown in many countries over Russian intelligence activities. This comes after Norway expelled 15 Russian embassy officials earlier this month, and Sweden expelled three Russian diplomats in April last year.
Leaked Pentagon documents reveal American intelligence gathering on its key partners, adversaries, and competitors, including China. The documents contain insights into US intelligence gathering on Beijing’s activities, particularly in relation to US concerns about China’s potential involvement in the war in Ukraine. The documents also show US monitoring of China’s weapons development and naval activity. The Justice Department is investigating how the documents ended up on social media sites, and the US Department of Defense is assessing their impact on the US and its allies and partners.
Russian hackers are targeting private security cameras in Ukraine coffee shops to gather intelligence on aid convoys passing by, according to Rob Joyce, director of cybersecurity at the National Security Agency. The hackers are also attacking Ukrainian IT systems and focusing on US defence manufacturers and logistical transport companies to find out more about the arms supply chain to Ukraine.
Democratic Senator Jon Tester plans to hold the Biden administration accountable for China's spy balloon that collected intelligence from multiple military sites in the US in February. The balloon could be controlled and make multiple passes over sites before transmitting the information back to China in real-time. The Biden administration attempted to stop it from doing so, but China may have gathered more intelligence from military sites had it not been for the administration's attempt to block the electronic signals from the balloon. The data is being analyzed in Quantico, Virginia, though when it will be available is unknown.
CNN anchor Jim Sciutto faced criticism for a February tweet claiming that the US officials were able to block the Chinese spy balloon from gathering intelligence before it was shot down. However, a recent report from NBC News revealed that the balloon was able to gather intelligence from sensitive American military sites despite efforts from the Biden administration to prevent that. Sciutto updated his tweet without apologizing. Critics have blasted Sciutto for pushing what now appears to be inaccurate information, and the ordeal should raise concerns about what the Chinese learned about the US's most sensitive military installations.
A Chinese spy balloon that flew over the US earlier this year was able to gather intelligence from military bases for days before it was shot down. The balloon was able to transmit data to Beijing in real time by picking up electronic signals rather than taking pictures. US officials say they managed to limit the balloon's intelligence-gathering abilities as it floated over the country. The incident triggered a diplomatic row and led US Secretary of State Antony Blinken to cancel a trip to China.
