Morning Brief: US Central Command Rejects Iranian Claims of Naval Incursion Near Gulf of Oman, Global Space Economy Hits $613 Billion in 2024

· Guy D. McCardle

The Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) conducts a routine port call. (DVIDS)

Overnight, Israel signaled openness to a Hamas ceasefire deal, even as violence flares in Gaza and the West Bank. Washington moved to reinforce allies, approving fresh arms for Ukraine and announcing new troop rotations across Europe and the Middle East. In the shadows, a former embassy guard in Norway faces espionage charges, and Somalia accuses its own breakaway region of piracy. Meanwhile, border fire erupted between Thailand and Cambodia, and Haiti reels from yet another deadly gang ambush. From the frontlines to the fault lines—here’s what you need to know this Thursday morning, July 24, 2025.

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Israel Calls Hamas Ceasefire Proposal ‘Workable’ as Gaza War, West Bank Violence Continue

Israel has received a new ceasefire proposal from Hamas, which an Israeli official described as “workable,” though no specifics were disclosed.

Hamas confirmed the proposal was submitted to mediators early Thursday.

The development comes amid intensifying international pressure over Gaza’s humanitarian crisis and ongoing hostilities.

Top US envoy Steve Witkoff is set to meet with Middle Eastern leaders in Europe to discuss the proposal and potential hostage releases.

The Gaza war, launched in response to Hamas’ October 7, 2023, attack on Israel, has killed over 59,000 Palestinians, according to Gaza’s Health Ministry, which reports that more than half the dead are women and children.

In related developments, major American Jewish organizations are demanding Israel investigate rising settler violence in the West Bank, including the killing of Palestinian-American Sayfollah Musallet. They criticized Prime Minister Netanyahu’s government for allegedly tolerating such violence.

Meanwhile, two Palestinian teenagers, Ahmed Al-Salah, 15, and Mohammed Khaled Alian Issa, 17, were shot and killed by Israeli forces near Al-Khader in the West Bank.

The Israeli military said the teens were throwing Molotov cocktails.

Over 955 Palestinians have died in the West Bank since October, according to UN figures.

 

CENTCOM Rejects Iranian Claims of Naval Incursion Near Gulf of Oman

US Central Command (CENTCOM) has denied Iranian state media claims that the guided-missile destroyer USS Fitzgerald (DDG 62) violated Iranian territorial waters during an encounter Wednesday morning in the Gulf of Oman.

According to a report by USNI News, CENTCOM stated that the interaction between the US warship and an Iranian SH-3 Sea King helicopter was safe and professional.

Iranian media alleged the Fitzgerald attempted to enter Iranian waters and was warned off by the helicopter. CENTCOM dismissed those claims as misinformation from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), confirming the Fitzgerald was operating legally in international waters at the time.

Defense officials emphasized the interaction had no impact on the ship’s mission and that no threats were made by either side. The Fitzgerald, deployed from San Diego on June 2, remains in the region as part of ongoing naval operations.

Naval expert Afshon Ostovar described the Iranian move as typical harassment used for propaganda and testing US responses, especially amid heightened tensions following US strikes on Iranian nuclear sites. He noted that Iran may be pushing its limits to gain symbolic victories without posing a real threat to US forces.

 

US Army Announces Fall Deployments to Europe, Middle East in Ongoing Rotation

The US Army announced that six units will deploy this fall as part of regular rotational operations in Europe and the Middle East.

In the Middle East, two Fort Carson-based units—the 4th Combat Aviation Brigade and the 4th Sustainment Brigade, both from the 4th Infantry Division—will deploy to US Central Command. They will replace the 101st Airborne Division’s Combat Aviation Brigade from Fort Campbell, Kentucky, and the Nevada Army National Guard’s 17th Sustainment Brigade, respectively.

Four additional units will deploy to Europe in support of Operation Atlantic Resolve, which began in 2014 after Russia annexed Crimea and expanded following Russia’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine:

  • 3rd Division Artillery, 3rd Infantry Division (Fort Stewart, GA) will replace 1st Division Artillery, 1st Armored Division (Fort Bliss, TX).
  • 3rd Combat Aviation Brigade, 3rd Infantry Division (Fort Stewart, GA) will replace 1st Armored Division Combat Aviation Brigade (Fort Bliss, TX).
  • 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Cavalry Division (Fort Hood, TX) will replace 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 3rd Infantry Division (Fort Stewart, GA).
  • 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Infantry Division (Fort Riley, KS) will replace 3rd Armored Brigade Combat Team, 1st Armored Division (Fort Bliss, TX).

According to a report by Stars and Stripes, these deployments support NATO’s eastern flank and ongoing deterrence efforts against Russian aggression.

 

US Approves $322 Million in Weapons Sales to Ukraine

The State Department on Wednesday approved $322 million in proposed weapons sales to Ukraine, including $172 million for surface-to-air missile systems and $150 million for armored vehicle support.

The sales aim to boost Ukraine’s air defenses and ground mobility as Russian attacks intensify.

The announcement follows a temporary pause in arms transfers ordered by Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, which surprised the White House.

President Donald Trump reversed course shortly after, pledging continued US military support and endorsing a plan allowing European allies to purchase American weapons for Ukraine.

Since the start of Russia’s full-scale invasion in February 2022, the US has provided over $67 billion in security aid to Kyiv. The Trump administration has faced internal debate over further support, with isolationist voices pushing to limit American involvement in foreign wars.

Efforts to bolster Ukraine’s air defenses have been complicated by allies’ reluctance to part with advanced systems, particularly in Eastern Europe, where fears of Russian aggression remain high.

 

Global Space Economy Hits $613 Billion in 2024

The global space economy surged to a record $613 billion in 2024, a 7.8% increase from $570 billion in 2023, according to the Space Foundation’s latest report.

The commercial sector remains the primary driver, accounting for 78% of the total, while government spending contributed 22%.

US national security space spending grew to $49.58 billion, up from $45.98 billion in 2023, fueled by major investments like the $25 billion Golden Dome missile defense system.

Global military space spending reached $60.9 billion, with non-US defense budgets rising 76.5% over five years to $11.38 billion as countries seek sovereign space capabilities amid regional conflicts.

Launch activity also reached new heights, with one orbital launch occurring every 28 hours in the first half of 2025.

SpaceX led with 81 of the 149 global launches, largely for Starlink broadband satellites. Amazon’s Kuiper and Eutelsat’s OneWeb also contributed to the boom in low Earth orbit internet infrastructure.

The report also highlights commercial Earth observation as a fast-growing sector.

Space Foundation CEO Heather Pringle credited the consistent growth to declining launch costs, increased reusability, and the essential role of space in everyday technology and national security.

 

Former US Embassy Guard in Norway Indicted for Allegedly Spying for Russia and Iran

Norwegian prosecutors have indicted a former security guard at the US Embassy in Oslo on espionage charges for allegedly passing sensitive information to Russia and Iran, state broadcaster NRK reported Wednesday.

The unnamed man, arrested in November 2023, is accused of leaking details about US diplomats, embassy floor plans, and security procedures.

His defense attorney admitted he shared the information but argued it wasn’t classified or harmful to national interests, emphasizing the man lacked security clearance and access to vital intelligence.

NRK reported the suspect reached out to Russian and Iranian contacts due to US ties to Israel and the war in Gaza. He now faces up to 21 years in prison.

The man was studying security and preparedness at Norway’s Arctic University, UiT, which has previously been linked to another high-profile espionage case involving a Russian operative exposed during a 2022 spy swap.

Norway shares a 123-mile border with Russia and has tightened restrictions on Russian nationals since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine. Oslo is currently weighing plans to construct a border fence to bolster national security.

 

Somalia Demands Release of Seized Military Cargo Ship, Accuses Puntland of Piracy

Somalia on Wednesday condemned the seizure of a cargo ship carrying military equipment by security forces from the semi-autonomous Puntland region, calling the action an “act of piracy” and demanding the vessel’s immediate and unconditional release.

The Comoros-flagged ship was intercepted last week off the coast near Bareeda while en route to Turkey’s Camp Turksom in Mogadishu, Ankara’s largest overseas military base.

Puntland officials claimed the vessel unlawfully lingered off their coast for two days without sending a distress signal and carried visible weapons they said posed a security threat.

Mogadishu countered that the military cargo was legally authorized and accompanied by commercial goods belonging to Somali traders.

The central government accused Puntland of violating national sovereignty and pledged to take lawful security measures to protect its maritime territory.

The vessel remains docked in Bosaso as Puntland authorities continue their investigation. The incident highlights ongoing tensions between Somalia’s federal government and Puntland, which declared autonomy in 1998 and has maintained strained ties with Mogadishu ever since.

 

Three Haitian Police Officers, Informant Killed in Gang Ambush

Three Haitian policemen and an informant were killed, and a fourth officer is missing following a gang ambush in Haiti’s central Artibonite region, police officials confirmed Wednesday.

The slain officers were part of the UDMO, a specialized riot control unit.

A disturbing video circulated on social media shows gunmen dragging the bodies of officers near a burning armored vehicle amid heavy gunfire. Haiti’s National Police vowed to intensify operations against armed gangs in the area.

The SPNH-17 police union condemned the government for failing to equip security forces, warning of a possible revolt. “Too many police officers have fallen,” the union stated.

Haiti’s transitional presidential council pledged to deploy all available resources to investigate the killings and support security personnel.

Gang violence in Artibonite and neighboring regions has escalated dramatically. Between October 2024 and June 2025, over 1,000 people were killed, 213 injured, and 620 kidnapped, according to the UN.

Despite support from a Kenyan-led, UN-backed mission, Haitian police remain outgunned by heavily armed gangs. At least two Kenyan officers have been killed this year in the same region.

 

Thailand and Cambodia Exchange Fire on Border, Nine Civilians Killed as Tensions Escalate

Thai and Cambodian forces exchanged fire Thursday along their contested border, killing at least nine civilians and wounding over a dozen others in the most serious escalation since a May clash that left a Cambodian soldier dead.

Clashes broke out in at least six locations, including near the ancient Ta Muen Thom and Preah Vihear temples, historical flashpoints in the two countries’ long-standing territorial dispute.

Thailand said its Air Force struck military targets in Cambodia, while Cambodian officials claimed Thai jets bombed a road near Preah Vihear.

Thailand accused Cambodia of targeting civilian sites, including a hospital, and warned it would escalate self-defense measures if attacks continue.

Cambodia said it responded to an unprovoked Thai incursion and acted in self-defense.

The Thai Foreign Ministry demanded Cambodia halt attacks and respect its sovereignty. Cambodia’s Prime Minister Hun Manet responded by accusing Thailand of armed aggression, stating his country had no choice but to respond militarily.

The violence followed a landmine blast on Wednesday that injured five Thai soldiers. Thailand claims the mines were newly laid and Russian-made. Cambodia denies the accusation, citing the region’s legacy of leftover ordnance from past conflicts.

Diplomatic ties deteriorated rapidly. Both countries expelled each other’s ambassadors and closed all land border crossings. Thailand’s embassy in Phnom Penh urged citizens to leave Cambodia or avoid travel altogether.

The border conflict has reignited nationalist sentiments and caused political fallout in Bangkok, where the prime minister was suspended pending an ethics investigation related to the crisis. The dispute centers on long-contested territory around the Preah Vihear temple, despite an International Court of Justice ruling granting it to Cambodia in 1962 and reaffirmed in 2013.

 

Sources: News Agencies