Good Morning. 

The U.S. carries out strikes against Houthi weapons storage facilities in Yemen using B-2 stealth bombers, UN envoy Staffan de Mistura proposes dividing Western Sahara between Morocco and the Polisario Front, U.S. prosecutors target the rising threat of AI-generated child abuse imagery, Egypt's President el-Sisi replaces powerful spy chief Abbas Kamel, and NYPD warns of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recruiting children as young as 8 for criminal activities in New York City.

Let’s dive in.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

Hamas Leader Yahya Sinwar Killed in Unexpected Encounter with Israeli Troops

• Israeli trainee squad commanders unexpectedly encountered and killed Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar during an operation in southern Gaza, despite extensive intelligence efforts to locate him.

• The encounter involved a firefight with a small group of militants, resulting in the collapse of a building where Sinwar was hiding, contrary to intelligence assumptions about his underground location.

• Sinwar's body was identified through distinctive physical features, though soldiers approached cautiously due to concerns about booby traps and potential hostage presence in the area.

Counterterrorism

• The U.S. carried out strikes against Houthi weapons storage facilities in Yemen using B-2 stealth bombers for the first time against the group. ➚

• Venezuela has detained three Americans and two others on terrorism charges, bringing the total number of foreign detainees to at least 12. ➚

• The FBI coordinated with French authorities on arrests related to Islamic State plots in both countries. ➚

• A suicide bomber killed at least 7 people in an attack at a restaurant in Mogadishu, Somalia, suspected to be carried out by al-Shabab. ➚

• North Korea confirmed it has revised its constitution to define South Korea as a "hostile state." ➚

• U.S. and NATO allies met to discuss the future of their anti-ISIS mission amid growing concerns about the group's threat in Africa. ➚

Military & Defense

• UN envoy Staffan de Mistura proposed dividing Western Sahara between Morocco and the Polisario Front as a potential solution to the long-standing territorial dispute. ➚

• The U.S. sanctioned Chinese and Russian entities for their role in designing, building and shipping attack drones used by Russia in Ukraine. ➚

• Ukraine's prime minister appealed for international help to clear landmines covering up to a quarter of the country at a meeting in Switzerland. ➚

• Biden traveled to Germany for talks with European leaders on the Ukraine war and Middle East conflict. ➚

Cybersecurity

• U.S. prosecutors target the rising threat of AI-generated child abuse imagery, bringing criminal cases against suspects using the technology. ➚

• FBI arrests Alabama man for hacking SEC's X account, which caused Bitcoin price spike due to false information. ➚

• Two Sudanese brothers charged for leading Anonymous Sudan, a hacking group responsible for 35K DDoS attacks since early 2023. ➚

• FBI and CISA seek public input on making software more resilient against hacking, aiming to shift security burden to developers. ➚

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• Egypt's President el-Sisi replaces powerful spy chief Abbas Kamel, a key mediator in Gaza negotiations. ➚

• Georgian civil society groups defy "foreign agent" law and team up to monitor crucial election on October 26. ➚

• U.S. charges former Indian intelligence officer for allegedly directing a foiled plot to murder a Sikh separatist in New York. ➚

Transnational Organized Crime

• NYPD warns of Venezuelan gang Tren de Aragua recruiting children as young as 8 for criminal activities in New York City. ➚

• Thai police arrest 18 people, including celebrities, in connection with a multi-million dollar pyramid scheme selling health supplements. ➚

• Mexico's former security chief Genaro García Luna sentenced to 38 years in prison for taking bribes from drug cartels. ➚

• U.S. indictment claims jailed Zetas drug lord Miguel Angel Treviño Morales continued to run cartel operations from inside a Mexican prison. ➚

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.