ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - August 15, 2024

ZeroFox Physical Security Intelligence Daily Brief - August 15, 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

• African Union Declares Mpox Health Emergency on August
• China Reportedly "Destroyed" Taiwan Intelligence Networks
• Lebanese Prime Minister States His Government is Determined to Prevent a War as Israel-Hezbollah Hostilities Continue

African Union Declares Mpox Health Emergency on August

On August 14, the African Union Center for Disease Control (CDC) declared a public health emergency over the growing mpox outbreak across Africa. According to CDC data, as of August 4, there were 38,465 cases of mumps and 1,456 deaths in Africa since January 2022. The biggest outbreak is in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), but cases have recently been observed in Kenya, Rwanda, Burundi, and the Central African Republic. Mpox spreads from animals to humans and between people through close contact with an infected individual, including skin-to-skin contact and talking or breathing close to another person. The public health emergency declaration will help governments coordinate their response and increase the flow of medical supplies, but it also indicates that mpox could spread further.

China Reportedly "Destroyed" Taiwan Intelligence Networks

China’s Ministry of State Security (MSS) has said it uncovered more than 1,000 cases of Taiwanese espionage and "destroyed" a large number of intelligence networks during a crackdown on pro-independence activists from Taiwan. These cases reportedly involved espionage and the theft of state secrets, and multiple political activists were detained over suspicion of engaging in separatist activities and endangering national security. Mainland China sees Taiwanese leader Lai Chin-te as a separatist and actively tried to prevent his election in early 2024. In June, China introduced new judicial guidelines targeting supporters of Taiwan independence, which gives the Chinese government greater power to try Taiwan independence separatists in absentia, and those Taiwanese activists detained in China could face secession charges. Taiwan has since raised the alert level for Taiwanese to not travel to China.

Lebanese Prime Minister States His Government is Determined to Prevent a War as Israel-Hezbollah Hostilities Continue

On August 14, Lebanese prime minister Najib Mikati reaffirmed that he was committed to averting a war between Israel and Hezbollah. Mikati stressed further that his government intended to hold to U.N. resolution 1701, adopted by the U.N. Security Council in 2006, to cease hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Israel and Hezbollah continue to exchange missile and artillery fire. On August 14, Hezbollah announced that it had fired missiles and struck a gathering of Israeli soldiers near Shtula in northern Israel.