Morning Brief: Julio César Chávez Jr. Released from Mexican Prison Pending Trial, Four Journalists Killed in Gaza Hospital Strike

· Guy D. McCardle

Israeli strike hits Palestinian rescue workers at Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Younis. (Screenshot: X)

Good morning. Here’s your SOFREP Morning Brief for Monday, August 25, 2025: Cartel kingpin “El Mayo” Zambada prepares to plead guilty in a US court while Julio César Chávez Jr. walks free in Mexico ahead of trial. An Israeli strike on a Gaza hospital killed four journalists. Russia’s Lavrov blames the West for stalling Ukraine peace talks as Zelenskyy presses allies for security guarantees. Taiwan ramps up drone warfare training after lessons from Ukraine. Indonesia and the US kick off their largest-ever joint drills with 11 allies. In Pakistan, militants stormed a security camp, killing three officers.

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Julio César Chávez Jr. Released from Mexican Prison Pending Trial

Julio César Chávez Jr., son of Mexican boxing legend Julio César Chávez, was released Sunday from a prison in Hermosillo, Mexico.

Authorities had detained him in August following his deportation from the US. He now awaits trial on allegations of cartel involvement and arms trafficking.

A judge ruled that Chávez does not need to remain in custody during the trial process but barred him from leaving Mexico. The court also allowed a three-month period for further investigation. A federal agent confirmed the decision under anonymity.

Chávez was arrested in the US in July after a match against Jake Paul in Los Angeles. Although Mexican authorities had an active arrest warrant since 2023, they delayed apprehending him due to his residence in the US.

The charges against Chávez stem from a 2019 investigation targeting the Sinaloa Cartel. His lawyer has dismissed the allegations as baseless speculation.

 

Sinaloa Cartel Boss ‘El Mayo’ Zambada Expected to Plead Guilty in US Federal Court

Ismael “El Mayo” Zambada, longtime Sinaloa cartel boss, is expected to plead guilty Monday in a Brooklyn federal court to racketeering conspiracy and running a continuing criminal enterprise.

The 77-year-old, arrested in Texas last year, will appear for a change of plea hearing after prosecutors confirmed they would not seek the death penalty.

Zambada had previously pleaded not guilty to multiple charges, including drug trafficking, firearms violations, and money laundering.

Federal prosecutors describe him as a key figure behind the Sinaloa cartel’s rise into the world’s largest drug trafficking network. Under his leadership, the cartel used a heavily armed security force and hitmen to enforce its operations through violence, including assassinations and torture.

Zambada’s guilty plea follows the life sentence of his co-founder Joaquín “El Chapo” Guzmán in 2019 and ongoing federal charges against Guzmán’s sons. Zambada’s legal team has not publicly commented.

 

Four Journalists Killed in Gaza Hospital Strike

At least eight people, including four journalists, were killed Monday in a strike on Nasser Hospital in southern Gaza.

Among the dead was 33-year-old Mariam Dagga, a freelance journalist who contributed to the Associated Press and other outlets since the start of the war. She had recently reported on child starvation in Gaza.

Al Jazeera confirmed the death of its journalist Mohammed Salam. Reuters reported that its contractor cameraman Hussam al-Masri was also killed, and photographer Hatem Khaled was wounded.

The Gaza conflict has become the deadliest war for journalists in recent history. The Committee to Protect Journalists reports 192 media workers have died in Gaza over the 22-month war, compared to 18 in the Russia-Ukraine conflict.

The Israeli Prime Minister’s Office and military declined to comment on the latest strike.

 

Lavrov Accuses West of Blocking Ukraine Peace Talks as Tensions Continue

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov accused Western nations on Sunday of trying to block peace talks between Russia and Ukraine. He claimed they seek excuses to derail negotiations and criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky for demanding a direct meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin.

In an interview with state media Rossiya aired Sunday on Telegram, Lavrov said Ukraine’s actions disrupt the framework set by Putin and US President Donald Trump, which he argued had previously produced positive results.

He confirmed that no meeting between Zelensky and Putin is currently planned.

Zelenskyy accused Moscow of avoiding talks and reaffirmed his position that any meeting must follow a unified stance from Ukraine’s allies on security guarantees to prevent future Russian aggression.

Russia rejected the idea of such guarantees without its involvement and warned that any deployment of European troops in Ukraine would be “absolutely unacceptable.”

 

Taiwan Adapts Military Training After Ukrainian War Lessons on Drone Warfare

Chen Ting-Wei, a former fighter in Ukraine’s Foreign Legion, now teaches in Taiwan, emphasizing the growing role of drones in modern combat.

In a report by France24 on Sunday, he noted that over 80 percent of infantry movements are detected by drones before they begin, making battlefield tactics significantly more difficult.

Taiwan’s defense officials have taken note.

This month, drone operations were added to the country’s basic military training for the first time.

The government also announced plans to acquire 50,000 drones within two years in response to increasing military pressure from Beijing.

 

Indonesia and US Launch Largest-Ever Joint Military Drills with 11 Allied Nations

Indonesia and the United States kicked off the annual “Super Garuda Shield” military exercises on Monday, involving over 4,100 Indonesian and 1,300 American troops.

The drills will run through September 4 across Jakarta, Sumatra, and the Riau archipelago, with participation from 11 nations including Australia, Japan, the UK, France, and Singapore.

US Indo-Pacific Commander Admiral Samuel Paparo called this year’s iteration the largest to date and emphasized its focus on strengthening deterrence and regional stability. While the US and allies have raised concerns over China’s growing influence in the Pacific, officials stated the drills are not directed at Beijing.

The exercises include staff coordination, cyber defense operations, and live-fire events.

Observers from India, Papua New Guinea, and East Timor also attended. Indonesia continues to maintain a neutral stance between Washington and Beijing.

 

Militants Attack Security Camp in Northwestern Pakistan, Killing Three Officers

Militants launched an attack on a security forces camp in Hangu, northwestern Pakistan, on Monday, sparking a prolonged gunbattle that killed at least three officers and one assailant.

Seventeen personnel were wounded, according to local police.

Security forces responded swiftly and began a search operation in the surrounding mountains to pursue the fleeing attackers. No group has claimed responsibility, but suspicion falls on Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), which has increased activity in recent months.

The attack follows Pakistan’s ongoing “targeted operation” against TTP in Bajaur district, which recently displaced nearly 100,000 people.

Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi honored the fallen and ordered top medical care for the wounded.

 

Sources: News Agencies