SOFREP Daily: Pentagon Sends Troops to Bolster US-Mexico Border Security, Europe Rallies Behind Ukraine After White House Clash

· SOFREP News Team

SOFREP Daily roundup for Sunday, March 2. (Image grab via X)

Good morning! It’s Sunday, March 2, 2025. Start your day with the latest briefing on defense and global affairs.

Pentagon Sends Troops to Bolster US-Mexico Border Security

The Department of Defense (DoD) is deploying approximately 3,000 additional active-duty troops to the US-Mexico border as part of President Donald Trump’s efforts to curb illegal immigration, fulfilling a key campaign promise.

Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth has ordered a Stryker brigade combat team and a general support aviation battalion to assist in border security operations.

This deployment will add to the 9,200 troops already stationed at the border, including both active-duty and National Guard personnel.

The military’s presence at the border has been a long-standing strategy to address migration, drug trafficking, and transnational crime.

US Condemns Venezuela for Threatening ExxonMobil

The US condemned Venezuela on Saturday for deploying naval vessels that allegedly threatened an ExxonMobil unit operating in Guyanese waters.

Guyana’s President Irfaan Ali reported that a Venezuelan patrol boat had entered Guyana’s exclusive maritime zone, prompting his government to alert international partners.

The US warned Venezuela against further provocation, stating that any escalation would have consequences for the Maduro regime.

Tensions between Guyana and Venezuela have been rising due to a long-standing territorial dispute over the resource-rich Esequibo region, especially since ExxonMobil discovered vast oil reserves there in 2015.

The situation remains fragile, with recent violent incidents and military exercises escalating regional concerns.

Israel Blocks Aid, Pressures Hamas on Ceasefire Deal

Israel announced on Sunday that it is halting all goods and supplies into Gaza, warning of further consequences if Hamas does not agree to a new ceasefire extension proposal.

Hamas condemned the move as an attempt to sabotage the fragile truce, calling it “cheap extortion” and a violation of the agreement.

The initial ceasefire phase, which facilitated humanitarian aid, ended on Saturday, with negotiations ongoing for a second phase involving hostage releases and an Israeli withdrawal.

Israel said it supports extending the ceasefire through Ramadan and Passover under a US-backed plan, but there has been no official response from mediators Egypt, Qatar, or the US.

Europe Rallies Behind Ukraine After White House Clash

A European leaders’ summit, originally aimed at advancing peace in Ukraine, has been overshadowed by US President Donald Trump’s public rebuke of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy at the White House.

The London meeting, hosted by British Prime Minister Keir Starmer, has now become a critical moment for Europe to rally behind Ukraine and strengthen its own defense strategy.


European leaders, concerned about Trump’s wavering support and outreach to Russian President Vladimir Putin, are now discussing ways to take a leading role in the conflict, including boosting military spending and potentially using seized Russian assets to aid Ukraine.

Starmer and other European officials have pledged continued backing for Ukraine, emphasizing the need for a united European response amid shifting US priorities.

Russia Downs Ukrainian Drones Targeting Key Gas Pipeline

Russia reported on Saturday that it had intercepted three Ukrainian drones targeting the Russkaya gas compressor station, a key part of the TurkStream pipeline supplying Russian gas to Europe via Turkey.

This marks the second attack on the facility this year, following a similar attempt in January.

The Russian defense ministry claimed all drones were destroyed at a safe distance.

Ukraine has previously targeted Russian energy infrastructure in response to Moscow’s strikes on its own power grid.

The attack, which occurred overnight on February 27-28, was discussed by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov with Turkish and Hungarian officials.

The report surfaced shortly after US President Donald Trump publicly criticized Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, casting uncertainty over Washington’s support for Kyiv.

 

Sources: News Agencies