SOFREP Daily: Satellite Photos Reveal US Air Force’s B-2 Bombers Buildup Amid Middle East Tensions, Israel Seizes Land to Pressure Hamas

· SOFREP News Team

SOFREP Daily roundup for Thursday, April 3. (Image grab via X)

Good morning! Today is Thursday, April 3, 2025. Stay informed with the latest in defense and global developments.

 

Russia, Ukraine Blame Each Other Over Renewed Energy Attacks

Ukraine and Russia both recently lodged complaints with the United States, accusing each other of violating an informal understanding not to target energy infrastructure.

While no formal ceasefire or agreement has been signed, the US said both countries had agreed to develop measures to avoid such strikes.

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy called on the US to ramp up sanctions on Russia, accusing Moscow of breaking promises allegedly made to Washington.

Zelenskyy also expressed Ukraine’s willingness for an unconditional ceasefire.

Meanwhile, Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed Ukraine’s alleged violations with top officials and submitted a list of grievances to US officials, including National Security Advisor Mike Waltz and Secretary of State Marco Rubio.

Both countries exchanged blame after energy sites in regions like Belgorod, Zaporizhzhia, and Kherson were attacked.


Amid this, Ukraine and the US resumed talks on a minerals agreement that had previously stalled after a public clash between Trump and Zelenskyy.

Trump has since warned Zelenskyy of consequences if Kyiv rejects a new proposal.

 

Satellite Photos Reveal US Air Force’s B-2 Bombers Buildup Amid Middle East Tensions

Satellite imagery confirms the US has deployed at least six nuclear-capable B-2 Spirit bombers to Camp Thunder Bay on Diego Garcia, a strategic island base in the Indian Ocean. This marks a significant show of force as the US continues its airstrike campaign against Yemen’s Houthi rebels and keeps pressure on Iran amid rising nuclear tensions.

The B-2s, capable of carrying “bunker-buster” bombs, are considered critical for potential strikes on Iran’s underground nuclear facilities.

The deployment represents nearly a third of the US B-2 fleet, underscoring the seriousness of the regional situation, which also includes ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.

The number of B-2s spotted at the base has steadily increased in recent satellite images, reflecting heightened military readiness.

Meanwhile, US airstrikes in Yemen have reportedly killed 65 people and surpassed 200 strikes since mid-March.

 

Israel Seizes Land to Pressure Hamas

Israel has significantly expanded its military operations in Gaza, announcing plans to seize large portions of the enclave and add them to its security zones.

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the move is part of a strategy to increase pressure on Hamas to release Israeli hostages.

Troops have taken control of key areas like the “Morag Axis” to cut off southern cities and reinforce their presence along the Egyptian border.

The expansion has triggered mass evacuations, with 64 percent of Gaza now under forced displacement or within buffer zones.

Gaza health officials report at least 60 deaths on Wednesday alone, including civilians and children.

An Israeli airstrike hit a United Nations clinic sheltering displaced people, which Israel claimed was a Hamas command center — an assertion Hamas denies.

Israeli leaders, including Defense Minister Israel Katz, have called for the removal of Hamas and suggested long-term plans to resettle Gaza.

The operation has intensified protests in Israel over hostages still held in Gaza and prompted international condemnation, including from the UN, over mounting civilian casualties and potential land seizure.

At the same time, Israeli forces are striking Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and Syria, indicating a broadening of the conflict beyond Gaza.

Despite mediation efforts by Egypt and Qatar, there is no progress toward a ceasefire.

Over 50,000 Palestinians have been killed since the start of Israel’s campaign, according to Palestinian health officials, with almost the entire Gaza population displaced.

 

US Air Force Grounds Pregnant Pilots in Policy Shift

The US Air Force has reversed recent progressive policies that allowed pregnant aircrew members to fly during the early stages of pregnancy, returning to stricter guidelines from 2019.

The new policy prohibits flying during the first trimester due to miscarriage risks and increases the difficulty of obtaining waivers, now requiring approval at the major command level rather than by local flight surgeons.

The changes also ban flying high-performance or ejection-seat aircraft at any point during pregnancy.

While the flying window has been extended from 28 to 32 weeks for those with waivers, critics say the rollback undermines readiness and forces pregnant aircrew to sacrifice autonomy and possibly hide pregnancies.

The revision is seen as part of a broader rollback of diversity and inclusion efforts under Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, who shut down initiatives like the Air Force Women’s Initiative Team.

Retired Lt. Col. Jessica Ruttenber, who helped advance the original policy, criticized the changes as outdated and harmful to women’s health and careers.

 

US Troops Roll Strykers to Border for Support Mission

Fort Carson Soldiers have begun deploying 105 Stryker armored vehicles and other equipment by rail to the US-Mexico border as part of a major military support operation for immigration enforcement.

The deployment, involving about 2,400 troops from the 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, is centered at Fort Huachuca, Arizona, with forces also spreading from Yuma to El Paso.

Though active-duty military cannot enforce immigration laws directly, soldiers will support Border Patrol agents through patrols, intelligence gathering, surveillance, and transportation.

The Strykers are equipped with advanced reconnaissance systems, enhancing coverage along the border.

The operation is part of a broader effort led by the 10th Mountain Division, with the involvement of aviation units and an expected total of 9,000 troops under US Northern Command (NORTHCOM). This latest mission builds on past deployments, such as in 2018, when troops helped install barriers and improved mobility in remote areas.

The duration of the Fort Carson brigade’s deployment remains unclear.

 

US Navy Removes Books in Anti-DEI Crackdown

The US Naval Academy has removed nearly 400 books from its library after being instructed by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth’s office to review and eliminate content promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI).

The purge follows a broader Trump administration effort to eliminate DEI policies and materials from federal institutions, including military academies, websites, and curriculums.

Initially, around 900 books were flagged for review, with nearly half removed before Hegseth’s scheduled visit on Tuesday, April 1.

Although officials claim his visit was unrelated, it followed media scrutiny over the Naval Academy’s lack of compliance with anti-DEI directives.

Other academies, such as West Point and the Air Force Academy, have already conducted similar curriculum reviews.


The aggressive removal campaign has sparked backlash, especially after mistakes like the temporary removal of photos of distinguished Jewish female graduates from a Naval Academy display.

The Navy said it is working to correct that error.

Pentagon officials insist all academies are following executive orders, though confusion around implementation continues to cause controversy.

 

Trump Hits Asia With New Tariff Barrage

President Donald Trump’s second-term trade war, driven by aggressive new tariffs, is shaking the foundations of Asia’s export-heavy economies.

The US is imposing or expanding tariffs across a wide range of goods—from autos to computer chips to liquefied natural gas (LNG)—targeting key trading partners, including China, Japan, Taiwan, South Korea, Vietnam, and India.

The moves are intended to reduce trade deficits and bring manufacturing back to the US, but they’re disrupting long-established global supply chains.

China faces some of the steepest penalties, with auto and EV exports hit especially hard, while retaliating with its own duties and export controls.

Japan is scrambling to get exemptions for its auto industry, which employs millions.

Taiwan and South Korea are expanding US investments to maintain access to American markets, while Vietnam and India are adjusting policies to reduce surpluses and avoid further penalties.

The trade war’s uncertainty is already causing major economic ripples, with slowing exports, falling stock markets, and worsened business sentiment across Asia.

While some companies are shifting production out of China, many are waiting to see how Trump’s “reciprocal” tariffs evolve—policies that remain unpredictable and open-ended.

 

Sources: News Agencies