Good Morning. 

U.S. Secret Service urges police to form threat assessment units to prevent mass attacks, thousands are trapped in Gaza's Jabalia camp as Israel escalates attacks, a company is hacked after unknowingly hiring a North Korean cyber criminal, China claims an unnamed foreign company illegally conducts mapping activities in the country under the guise of autonomous driving research, and cellphone checks by cartel gunmen in Culiacan, Mexico lead to kidnappings and killings.

Let’s dive in.

— 🐈‍⬛ Acoustic Kitty

How Israel's Covert Pager Plot Fooled Hezbollah

• Israeli agents designed weaponized pagers with hidden explosives and detonators undetectable by X-ray, which were used in attacks against Hezbollah in Lebanon.

• The operation involved creating a fake backstory and online presence for the pagers and batteries to deceive Hezbollah's procurement process.

• The September 2024 attacks using these pagers killed 39 people and wounded over 3.4K, leading to escalated conflict between Israel and Hezbollah.

Counterterrorism

• U.S. Secret Service urges police to form threat assessment units to prevent mass attacks. ➚

• North Korea claims 1.4M youth enlisted amid tensions with South Korea following alleged drone incursions. ➚

• ISIS-K orchestrated a foiled Election Day terror plot in Oklahoma, U.S. officials confirm. ➚

• Lafarge to face trial in France over terrorism financing allegations related to Syrian operations. ➚

Military & Defense

• Thousands trapped in Gaza's Jabalia camp as Israel escalates attacks, with at least 20 killed in recent strikes. ➚

• Palestinian officials call for aid corridors to three northern Gaza hospitals nearing collapse due to Israeli operations. ➚

• Zelenskiy unveils "victory plan" to end war with Russia, urging NATO membership and weapons from allies. ➚

• Georgia faces pivotal election between West and Russia, with ruling party stoking war fears for support. ➚

• Xi Jinping expresses China's willingness to partner with the U.S., emphasizing mutual benefits. ➚

• Biden announces $425M military aid for Ukraine after discussing security assistance with Zelenskiy. ➚

Cybersecurity

• A company was hacked after unknowingly hiring a North Korean cyber criminal as a remote IT worker, leading to data theft and ransom demands. ➚

• Microsoft reports that Iran has significantly increased cyberattacks against Israel since the start of the Gaza war in October 2023. ➚

• The cost of notifying data breach victims has become a significant financial burden for some companies, even pushing them into bankruptcy. ➚

Counterintelligence & Espionage

• China claims an unnamed foreign company illegally conducted mapping activities in the country under the guise of autonomous driving research. ➚

• Egyptian President Sisi appointed Major General Hassan Mahmoud Rashad as the new head of the general intelligence agency, replacing Abbas Kamel. ➚

Transnational Organized Crime

• Cellphone checks by cartel gunmen in Culiacan, Mexico have led to kidnappings and killings, causing fear and economic disruption in the city. ➚

• RTX agreed to pay nearly $950M to settle U.S. charges of defense contract fraud and bribery of a Qatari official. ➚

• New York City launched "Operation Restore Roosevelt," a multi-agency task force to combat prostitution, illegal brothels, and other quality-of-life issues in Queens neighborhoods. ➚

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.