ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - July 22, 2024

ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - July 22, 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

• President Biden Ends Reelection Campaign, Backs Harris as Nominee
• Houthis Carry Out First Deadly Strike Against Israeli Territory
• Former Ukrainian Law Maker Assassinated in Lviv, Ukraine

President Biden Ends Reelection Campaign, Backs Harris as Nominee

President Joe Biden has decided not to seek reelection amid mounting pressure from fellow Democrats. Shortly after the President's announcement, ActBlue (a platform processing Democratic donations) revealed that donations over USD 50 million were raised, marking the biggest Democrat fundraising achievement in this election cycle. Alongside President Biden, Bill and Hillary Clinton, Martin Luther King III, Maxwell Frost, and many others have endorsed Vice President Kamala Harris as the party's nominee to face Republican Donald Trump in the upcoming elections. Meanwhile, former president Barack Obama acknowledged Biden's decision to step aside, citing it as a move for the benefit of the Democratic Party and the nation. Biden, who is currently isolating after testing positive for COVID-19, plans to complete his term until January 20, 2025, and will address the nation soon. His decision comes after a turbulent period, including a poorly received debate and recent assassination attempt on Trump. Trump, responding to Biden's announcement, has reportedly expressed confidence in facing Harris over Biden in the polls.

Houthis Carry Out First Deadly Strike Against Israeli Territory

On July 19, early morning hours local time, a drone launched by Houthi Movement forces in Yemen struck central Tel Aviv, killing at least one person and wounding 10 others. This marks the group’s first lethal attack against Israel. Since the outbreak of the war in the Gaza Strip, the Houthis have launched dozens, if not hundreds, of missiles and drones towards Israel. However, almost all have either fallen harmlessly or were intercepted by Israeli forces. Although unprecedented, the incident appears to have been the result of a rare combination of technical and human errors, and is unlikely to broaden the conflict.

Former Ukrainian Law Maker Assassinated in Lviv, Ukraine

An unidentified suspect opened fire on former Ukrainian lawmaker Iryna Farion, who later died of her injuries. The assassination took place on a street in the city of Lviv, located in the western part of the country. Farion had been known to make controversial statements surrounding the use of the Russian language in Ukrainian society, last year saying that she would not describe Ukrainian soldiers as "Ukrainian" if they spoke Russian. Police say they are currently investigating to identify a suspect.