ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - February 5, 2024

ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - February 5, 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

• U.S. Conducts First Round of Retaliatory Airstrikes
• Houthis Largely Targeting U.S.- and U.K.-Linked Ships in the Red Sea
• Israeli Troops Press Towards Rafah amid Ceasefire Talks

U.S. Conducts First Round of Retaliatory Airstrikes

On February 2, 2024, the United States conducted an initial round of airstrikes on Iran-linked targets in Iraq and Syria in retaliation for the deaths of three U.S. soldiers last week. The United States Central Command said over 85 targets were struck, including weapons depots, missile storage, and logistics facilities used by Iran-aligned militants. It is yet unclear how many casualties the strikes incurred. None of the targeted sites were within Iranian territory. Additional strikes are quite certain in the coming days and possibly weeks. Targets could include additional militia sites and likely Iranian military personnel. Many Iranian officers are reported to have evacuated their positions in recent days as a result of Israeli airstrikes in Syria and the possibility of an extended U.S. bombing campaign. Airstrikes are unlikely to target Iranian territory as this could be viewed as an escalatory move and would likely spark direct retaliation from Tehran.

Houthis Largely Targeting U.S.- and U.K.-Linked Ships in the Red Sea

Houthi rebels based in Yemen have begun increasingly targeting cargo ships linked to the United States and United Kingdom in the past month, with Israel-linked ships no longer making up the largest share of targets. This comes after the American and British militaries began striking Houthi missile sites in a bid to protect commercial shipping in the Red Sea. Of the nine Houthi missile attacks against cargo ships since early January, five targeted vessels with American or British links, while none of the targeted ships had apparent links to Israel. Most recent attacks have taken place in the Gulf of Aden off Yemen’s southern coast, as opposed to earlier attacks which took place to the west around the Bab al-Mandab Strait.

Israeli Troops Press Towards Rafah amid Ceasefire Talks

On February 1, 2024, Israel’s Defense Minister Yoav Gallant stated that the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) will soon deploy its troops against Hamas’ Rafah Brigade in the southern Gaza Strip. The city was previously declared a safe zone and is currently housing hundreds of thousands of refugees from other areas of the enclave, making this operation particularly politically sensitive. This move may also be part of a strategy designed to pressure Hamas into finalizing a weeks-long ceasefire that multiple reports indicate has been agreed upon in principle.