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Open Source Intelligence Monitor focused on Europe and Conflicts across the World. RT ≠ Endorsement. Want to Support my Work? https://ko-fi.com/osintdefender
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The U.S. Army has released the identities of 3 out of the 4 Soldiers with the 1st Armored Brigade Combat Team (1ABCT), 3rd Infantry Division, from Fort Stewart, Georgia, that were killed last week when their M88A2 “Hercules” Armored-Recovery Vehicle (ARV) sunk over 16ft into a swamp during a training exercise in eastern Lithuania. They have been identified as Sergeant Jose Duenez Jr., aged 25 from Joliet, Illinois; Sergeant Edvin F. Franco, aged 25 from Glendale, California; and Private First Class Dante D. Taitano, aged 21 from Dededo, Guam; all served as M1 Abrams Tank System Maintainers (91A) in the 7th Cavalry Regiment. The body of the fourth soldier was found and recovered this morning, and is expected to be identified as soon as next-of-kin is notified.
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Satellite imagery from earlier today by @IndoPacWatch shows 6 B-2 “Spirit” Long-Range Strategic Stealth Bombers with the 509th Bomb Wing, on the tarmac at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, a little more than 2,000 miles away from Iran.
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In addition to the 6 B-2 “Spirit” Long-Range Strategic Stealth Bombers that arrived last week at Naval Support Facility Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean. One of the B-2s deployed from Whiteman Air Force Base in Missouri, remained at Daniel K. Inouye International Airport/Hickam Air Force Base in Honolulu, Hawaii as of yesterday, after suffering an “in-flight emergency” while crossing the Pacific on March 24th.

Photo credit goes to @InfantryPilot
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NBC News is reporting that the Pentagon has ordered the relocation of at least 2 U.S. Army MIM-104 “Patriot” surface-to-air missile batteries and a Terminal High Altitude Area Defense (THAAD) anti-ballistic missile defense system from Asia to the Middle East in the past few days, as tensions between Iran and the United States continue to grow and future military action against Iran seems more and more likely.

Reports of these relocations appear in line with a massive number of tracked military cargo flights to the Middle East over the last week by the U.S. Air Force’s Air Mobility Command (AMC), with dozens of C-17s and several C-5s arriving at Isa Air Base in Bahrain as well as other bases near the Persian Gulf, almost all of which originated from Osan Air Base in South Korea; with planes continuing to arrive today at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar and Djibouti International Airport near Yemen.

The relocation of critical air-defenses such as THAAD and the repositioning of the USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and her Carrier Strike Group to the Middle East, as well as the deployment of at least 6 B-2 “Spirit” Long-Range Strategic Stealth Bombers recently to Diego Garcia in the Indian Ocean, suggest that the United States may be preparing for a major conflict soon with Iran.
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The Iranian-backed Houthi terrorist group in Yemen released footage earlier today, appearing to show the wreckage of a U.S. Air Force MQ-9 “Reaper” surveillance and attack drone which they claim to have shot down last night over the Ma’rib Governorate, using a surface-to-air missile.
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Following yesterday large-scale joint military exercise surrounding Taiwan, by the Chinese People’s Liberation Army, Navy, Coast Guard, Air Force and Rocket Force; the PLA’s Eastern Theater Command has announced another exercise for today, April 2nd, in the Taiwan Strait, dubbed “Strait Thunder-2025A” and involving several life-fire drills in the Strait by the forces of the PLA.
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The Eastern Theater Command of the Chinese People’s Liberation Army has release footage of today’s military exercise directed towards the Taiwan Strait, which has been named “Strait Thunder-2025A” by the PLA. The footage shows a live-fire drill by several PHL-16 self-propelled multiple launch rocket systems (MLRS) firing rockets at targets which are clearly intended to signify Taiwan.
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According to Axios’ Barak Ravid, U.S. President Donald J. Trump is “seriously considering” Iran’s recent proposal for indirect nuclear talks, through either Oman or other Gulf States. This follows a major buildup of U.S. military forces in the Middle East over the last few weeks, with several surface-to-air missile batteries, two carrier strike groups and a number of long-range strategic bombers having arrived or enroute to the region; as senior officials in the Trump White House are involved in an internal debate, between those who believe a deal is possible and others who support strikes against nuclear facilities in Iran.
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The Israel Defense Force has announce an expansion of ground operations in the Gaza Strip, following an extensive wave of airstrikes overnight against Rafah and Khan Yunis; with forces of the 36th “Ga'ash” Division reentering Southern Gaza, advancing towards Rafah.
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Democratic Senator Cory Booker from New Jersey set the record yesterday for the longest continuous speech on the Senate floor in history, lasting over 25 hours and beating out the previous record set by Senator Strom Thurmond of South Carolina, a segregationist and Southern Democrat, who spoke for 24 hours and 18 minutes to filibuster the advance of the Civil Rights Act in 1957. Bookers speech, in which he spoke about cuts to Social Security, read letters from constituents and took questions from other Democratic Senators, was said to be in protest to U.S. President Trump and actions made recently by the White House.
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The USS Carl Vinson (CVN-70) and the remaining ships of Carrier Strike Group One (CSG-1), besides the USS William P. Lawrence (DDG-110), are continuing their journey right now towards the Middle East, clearing the Balabac Strait between Malaysia and the Philippines on Tuesday. The Vinson’s estimated date of arrival in U.S. Central Command’s (CENTCOM) area-of-responsibility is currently between April 11th and the 15th.

Credit for the satellite imagery goes to @MT_Anderson on X.
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Politico reports that U.S. President Donald J. Trump has told his inner circle, including several members of his Cabinet, that Elon Musk will soon be “leaving” to focus on his businesses and to play a less direct role in the Trump Administration. This is despite officials claiming that President Trump remains pleased with Musk and his Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), though other members of the Administration have become frustrated with his unpredictability and increasingly view him as a political liability in White House.
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During last month’s meeting in Kabul, Afghanistan between senior officials of the Taliban Government and a delegation led by U.S. Diplomat Zalmay Khalilzad and Special Envoy for Hostage Response Adam Boehler, which secured the release of Americans George Glezmann and Faye Hall in exchange for the removal of millions in bounties from three members of the Taliban’s Haqqani Network, including Sirajuddin Haqqani, the Taliban’s Interior Minister. The Taliban once again pushed the idea of normalizing relations between Afghanistan and the United States, which would see the U.S. recognize the Taliban as the Official Government of Afghanistan as well as the possible reopening of the Afghan Embassy in Washington. Another idea pushed by senior Taliban officials during the meeting included the opening of a Taliban office somewhere in the United States, separate from the Embassy and outside of Washington, which would provide assistance to Afghans in America.
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Russian channels are reporting that a Tu-22M3 “Backfire-C” Long-Range Heavy Bomber, which are regularly used by the Russian Air Force for missile attacks against Ukraine, has crashed in the Irkutsk Oblast of Siberia. A search-and-rescue operation for the crew of the bomber is currently ongoing, through it is not known if they were able to bailout before the crash.
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In a video statement earlier tonight, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu confirms that ground forces have reentered the Southern Gaza Strip, stating that their goal is to seize the “Morge Axis” which will run between Rafah and Khan Yunis, further separating Southern Gaza from its border with Egypt.
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Over a dozen airstrikes by the Israeli Air Force within the last hour on military sites in Central Syria, with strikes reported against Barzah Scientific Research Facility in Damascus, as well as Hama Air Base and the T-4 Air Base in the Homs Governorate.
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