Good Morning. 

Iranian forces killed 4 "terrorists" after a deadly jihadist attack killed 10 police in southeastern Iran, the U.S. has approved a potential $2B arms sale package to Taiwan, U.S. agencies are investigating unauthorized access to telecom infrastructure by China-linked actors, Russian hacker group APT29 has targeted Ukrainian state, military, and industrial entities in a new espionage campaign, and over 120 people were killed by militiamen in attacks in eastern Sudan.

Let’s dive in.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

Satellite Images Show Damage from Israeli Attack on Two Iranian Military Bases

• Satellite imagery shows an Israeli attack damaged facilities at the Parchin and Khojir military bases southeast of Tehran, including a structure at Parchin that was previously linked to Iran's nuclear weapons program.

• The destroyed "Taleghan 2" building at Parchin may have been used to study the compression of natural uranium hemispheres, a potential step in developing nuclear weapons, according to analysis by the Institute for Science and International Security.

• Damage was also visible at the Khojir base, which analysts believe houses an underground tunnel system and missile production sites for Iran's extensive ballistic missile arsenal.

Counterterrorism

• Iranian forces killed 4 "terrorists" after a deadly jihadist attack killed 10 police in southeastern Iran. ➚

• Thousands of North Korean troops have arrived in Russia's Kursk region to help expel Ukrainian forces occupying part of the area. ➚

Military & Defense

• The U.S. has approved a potential $2B arms sale package to Taiwan, including the delivery of an advanced air defense missile system battle-tested in Ukraine. ➚

• Israel has deployed a multilayered missile defense system to protect against attacks by regional adversaries like Iran. ➚

• India is opening its first private military aircraft plant with Airbus to boost local defense production and cut imports. ➚

• Russian forces have advanced further into several eastern Ukrainian towns, bringing them closer to capturing the strategic city of Pokrovsk. ➚

• Egypt has proposed an initial two-day ceasefire in Gaza to exchange four Israeli hostages of Hamas for some Palestinian prisoners. ➚

Cybersecurity

• U.S. agencies are investigating unauthorized access to telecom infrastructure by China-linked actors, urging affected firms to engage authorities. ➚

• Italian police have arrested four people over alleged illegal database access, including the son of the late Luxottica founder. ➚

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• Russian hacker group APT29 has targeted Ukrainian state, military, and industrial entities in a new espionage campaign to steal credentials. ➚

• Ten people, including eight military personnel, were indicted in Taiwan for allegedly providing classified material to Chinese agents in an espionage case. ➚

Transnational Organized Crime

• Over 120 people were killed by militiamen in attacks in eastern Sudan, as the UN decried indiscriminate shootings and sexual violence. ➚

• Rare footage captured by a Texas Department of Public Safety aircraft showed an intense gun battle between rival factions of the Gulf Cartel near the U.S.-Mexico border. ➚

The America Builds podcast sits at the nexus of national security, technology, and venture capital. Hosts Will Allen and Hayley Menser interview the brilliant operators and investors pushing the boundaries of frontier technology.