ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - January 3, 2024

ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - January 3, 2024

ZeroFox physical security experts collect, curate, and analyze information derived from open and proprietary sources for comprehensive context of the circumstances surrounding global events. Here is today’s daily roundup of major developments.

Brief Highlights

• Ethiopia Signs Controversial Sea Port Agreement with Somaliland
• Dutch Chip Maker ASML Blocked from Shipping Chip-Making Equipment to China Ahead of Deadline
• Israeli Strike Kills Hamas Official South of Beirut

Ethiopia Signs Controversial Sea Port Agreement with Somaliland

Ethiopia signed a controversial Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with Somaliland to allow Ethiopia access to a sea port located in the breakaway region of Somaliland. Ethiopia currently relies on the ports of neighboring countries for maritime trade, and the MoU would allow Ethiopia, a landlocked country, access to the Berbera Port — a 20 km (12 mi) stretch of coastal land. Somalia held an emergency meeting on January 2 to condemn the agreement, claiming that Ethiopia has violated Somalia's territorial sovereignty by making the deal. Somalia claims sovereignty over Somaliland, and the agreement signifies Ethiopia's intent to recognize Somaliland as a sovereign entity. Somali officials asserted that they will defend their land, and have recalled the Ethiopian ambassador in response.

Dutch Chip Maker ASML Blocked from Shipping Chip-Making Equipment to China Ahead of Deadline

On January 2, 2024, Dutch computer chip equipment maker ASML announced that the Dutch government had partially revoked an export license to ship some of its machines to China. ASML had been operating under a January 1 deadline, after which it could not export certain machines that make semiconductor chips. However, that deadline was pushed forward without notice, meaning China likely missed out on importing some of the machines. There was a reported 1,050 percent surge in imports from the Netherlands in the last year. U.S. President Joe Biden reportedly requested that ASML cancel the shipments of DUV systems weeks ahead of the new rules coming into force. Two weeks before this, China banned the export of certain machines that process rare-earth metals. The U.S. depends on China for rare-earth metals, much like China depends on the U.S. and its allies for semiconductors.

Israeli Strike Kills Hamas Official South of Beirut

Security officials stated that Saleh al-Arouri, a senior Hamas official, was killed by an Israeli drone strike in southern Beirut during evening hours local time on January 2, 2024. According to local reports, five other individuals were also killed in the attack, including two of al-Arouri's bodyguards. Given that the strike occurred in an area dominated by Hezbollah, the group is likely to respond by temporarily escalating clashes with Israeli forces in the vicinity of the Lebanese and Syrian borders.