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Russia launched over 1,800 drones on Ukraine in one week, Zelensky says
July 13, 2025 1:37 pm
Russia launched over long-range 1,800 drones, over 1,200 glide bombs and 83 missiles of various types on Ukraine in the past week, President Volodymyr Zelensky said on July 13.
The week saw a record Russian attack for the entire full-scale war in terms of drones launched on Ukrainian cities on July 9, when Russian forces deployed 728 Shahed-type attack drones and decoys, as well as seven Kh-101 or Iskander-K cruise missiles and six Kinzhal air-launched ballistic missiles.
The escalation in mass use of the drones aims to overwhelm Ukrainian air defense around key cities, especially Kyiv.
"The Russians are intensifying terror against cities and communities to further intimidate our people," Zelensky said in a statement posted on social media.
The president highlighted the "good results" of Ukrainian air defense in repelling the increased attacks, particularly those from interceptor drones.
"(Thanks to) interceptor drones, there are hundreds of downed Russian-Iranian 'Shaheds' this week," Zelensky wrote.
Zelensky has been in talks Ukraine's partners about scaling up the interceptors' production and technological potential at every meeting over the past week, and is counting on "strong decisions" by the United States, Europe, the G7 and other partners, the president added.
Zelensky's statement comes as U.S. President Donald Trump promised to make a 'major statement' on Russia on Monday, next week. "I'm disappointed in Russia," Trump told NBC News.
Ukrainian authorities warn that Russia's drastic escalation of its drone attacks across Ukraine could bring their number to over 1,000 drones per day.
https://kyivindependent.com/russia-launched-over-1800-drones-on-ukraine-in-one-week-zelensky-says/
https://t.me/V_Zelenskiy_official/15101
Robot Dogfight: Ukrainian Interceptor Drone Downs Russian ZALA Recon UAV
July 13, 2025, 8:10 am
On the Toretsk front, troops from the Khyzhak (Predator) brigade of the Ukrainian Patrol Police Department destroyed a Russian ZALA reconnaissance drone system using an interceptor UAV.
According to Ukrinform, this was reported by Deputy Head of the Patrol Police Department Oleksii Biloshytskyi on Telegram, where he also published the video footage.
“FPV air defense operators from the Khyzhak brigade destroyed a Russian ZALA drone — an expensive reconnaissance system the enemy used to coordinate attacks.
But this time, it failed. A single precise detonation by an FPV drone — and the enemy device goes down,” the video caption states.
Biloshytskyi noted that intercepting a reconnaissance drone is no easy task. It requires precise coordination, the right launch timing, altitude buffer, and skilled operators.
He emphasized that FPV air defense represents a new era in the battle for the skies. Unlike traditional anti-aircraft systems, interceptor drones are significantly cheaper, capable of patrolling designated areas, and in the future, could become reusable.
https://www.kyivpost.com/post/56202
https://t.me/OBiloshytskiy/1779
IDF says 150 terror targets struck over past day; Hamas-run health ministry says 139 Gazans killed
July 13, 2025 1:33 pm
More than 150 terror targets were struck by the Israeli Air Force in the Gaza Strip in the past day, the military says.
The IDF says the targets included operatives, booby-trapped buildings, weapon depots, anti-tank launch posts, and other terror infrastructure.
At least 139 Palestinians were killed in Gaza over the past 24 hours, according to statistics published by the Hamas-run health ministry.
The strikes come as five IDF divisions, made up of tens of thousands of troops, continue to operate across Gaza.
The military says in northern Gaza’s Beit Hanoun, troops of the 162nd and 99th divisions killed several operatives and destroyed terror infrastructure, including tunnels.
Other operatives were killed elsewhere in Gaza by the troops, including by calling in airstrikes, the IDF adds.
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-says-150-terror-targets-struck-over-past-day-hamas-run-health-ministry-says-139-gazans-killed/
IDF troops raid Assad regime sites in south Syria, find tons of weapons, says military
July 13, 2025 6:01 pm
Israeli troops recently raided several military facilities belonging to the former Syrian regime, locating numerous weapons, the IDF says.
The IDF says that in the past week, reservists of the 810th Mountain Regional Brigade located at the peak of Mount Hermon raided several “key headquarters” belonging to the commando forces of the Bashar al-Assad Regime.
At the sites, the military says, the forces found over three tons of weapons, including anti-tank mines, explosive devices and rockets.
The IDF says its operations in the area are intended to prevent weapons smuggling into Lebanon from Syria.
The IDF has been deployed to nine posts inside southern Syria since the fall of the Assad regime in December, mostly within a UN-patrolled buffer zone on the border between the countries.
Troops have been operating in areas up to around 15 kilometers deep into Syria, aiming to capture weapons that Israel says could pose a threat to the country if they fall into the hands of “hostile forces.”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-troops-raid-assad-regime-sites-in-south-syria-find-tons-of-weapons-says-military/
IDF to warn earthquake monitor in advance of major pre-planned explosions to avoid setting off alerts
Today, 5:25 pm
The Israel Geological Survey and the Energy Ministry reveal that the TRUAA system, connected to the Home Front Command in 2022 to give early earthquake warnings to the public, was activated for the first time by the IDF exploding a Hezbollah tunnel, and will work to avoid such scenarios in the future.
The army used 370 tons of explosives to destroy the tunnel near Kafr Kila in southern Lebanon on October 26, 2024.
TRUAA picked it up, kicking off sirens and warnings on online applications, and causing confusion and panic among the public, the Energy Ministry says.
The system operated as it should have, according to a Geological Survey investigation.
But to prevent false alarms in future, the Survey and the IDF Home Front Command have formulated special procedures for preemptive explosions.
The new protocol includes the IDF reporting to the Survey in advance about planned activities to destroy tunnels.
“The event illustrated the special challenges of the State of Israel, in a security environment where unusual premeditated explosions occur from time to time, such as those the IDF is currently carrying out in various sectors,” says Dr. Ittai Kurzon, director of the Seismology Division at the Geological Survey.
“This uniqueness also requires preparation for unusual operational scenarios.
We learned and drew lessons from the event and have already been able to apply them in similar events, so that false alarms were not spread.”
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/idf-explosion-of-hezbollah-tunnel-in-october-2024-set-off-earthquake-warning-reveals-ministry/
https://www.timesofisrael.com/liveblog_entry/footage-shows-massive-idf-explosion-which-triggered-earthquake-alerts-across-northern-israel-this-morning/
https://x.com/N12News/status/1850099926971138150
IDF missile misfire kills six children, injures 17 at aid site in Gaza Strip - report
Updated: JULY 13, 2025 17:57
At least eight Palestinians, most of them children, were killed and more than a dozen others were wounded in central Gaza on Sunday, Hamas-affiliated officials said, in an Israeli missile strike which the military said missed its intended target.
The IDF said it had intended to hit a Palestinian Islamic Jihad militant in the area but that a malfunction had caused the missile to fall "dozens of meters from the target."
"The IDF regrets any harm to uninvolved civilians," it said in a statement, adding that the incident was under review.
The strike hit a water distribution point in Nuseirat refugee camp, killing six children and injuring 17 others, said Ahmed Abu Saifan, an emergency physician at Al-Awda Hospital.
IDF misfire kills eight people in Gaza Strip
Water shortages in Gaza have worsened sharply in recent weeks, with fuel shortages forcing the closure of desalination and sanitation facilities, leaving people reliant on collection centers where they can fill their plastic containers.
In another attack, Palestinian media reported that a prominent hospital consultant was among 12 people killed by an Israeli strike mid-morning on a busy market in Gaza City.
The Hamas health ministry said on Sunday that more than 58,000 people had been killed since the start of the war between Israel and Hamas in October 2023, with 139 people added to the death toll over the past 24 hours.
Talks aimed at securing a ceasefire appeared to be deadlocked, with the two sides divided over the extent of an eventual Israeli withdrawal from the Gaza Strip, Palestinian and Israeli sources said at the weekend.
The indirect talks over a US proposal for a 60-day ceasefire were continuing in Doha, but optimism that surfaced last week of a possible deal has largely faded, with both sides accusing each other of intransigence.
https://www.jpost.com/middle-east/article-860900
Massive drone strike sets Russia's Kstovo oil refinery ablaze, city faces blackout
Sun, July 13, 2025 - 16:37
On the night of July 13, the Russian city of Kstovo was hit by drone strikes. The target was a local oil refinery, reports Russian Telegram channels.
Residents of Kstovo reported thick black smoke rising above the refinery. The fire at the plant was still burning by morning.
It is also known that part of the city lost power due to the strikes.
Explosions were heard in nearby settlements. Residents of Volodarsk, Reshetikha, and Dzerzhinsk said they heard what sounded like air defense systems operating.
At the same time, local authorities tried to downplay the incident. Governor Gleb Nikitin claimed the attack was successfully repelled. He added there were no casualties.
Meanwhile, the Russian Ministry of Defense reported intercepting and destroying 36 Ukrainian drones overnight Sunday in several regions:
26 over Belgorod;
4 over Voronezh;
3 over Lipetsk;
3 over the Nizhny Novgorod region.
Last month, a large fire broke out at a factory in Kstovo, Nizhny Novgorod region. The blaze started shortly after a drone attack.
Shortly before that, reports emerged of strikes on several important military targets in Russia. These included an oil depot in Engels, the Dyagilevo airfield, and the Progress weapons factory in Michurinsk.
A few days earlier, residents of Bryansk complained of a series of powerful explosions over the city. They also reported a fire near the local airfield.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/massive-drone-strike-sets-russia-s-kstovo-1752413723.html
https://t.me/kstovo_1957/2113
Massive strikes on Ukraine may signal Russia preparing for ‘decisive battle’
July 13, 2025, 06:56 AM
Russia’s recent wave of combined missile and drone strikes on Ukraine could point to preparations for a major offensive this summer, military analysts told Deutsche Welle on July 12 in a report analyzing the uptick in Russian attacks.
German political scientist Andreas Heinemann-Grüder said Moscow’s goal is to degrade Ukraine’s air defenses to the point that Western allies can no longer replenish them quickly enough.
He also warned these strikes may signal that Russia is gearing up for a “decisive battle.”
Heinemann-Grüder didn’t rule out the possibility that by the end of 2025, the aggressor state could pressure Ukraine into accepting the Kremlin’s demands.
Austrian army colonel and military analyst Markus Reisner argued that Russian dictator Vladimir Putin is pursuing two strategic goals with these coordinated strikes: destroying Ukraine’s military-industrial complex and demoralizing the civilian population.
The Kremlin, he said, is using these attacks as indirect pressure on Ukraine’s government.
Reisner added that Russia wouldn’t be capable of launching such massive attacks without assistance from countries like China and North Korea.
Experts interviewed by DW called on the West to act more decisively. Reisner stressed that Ukraine urgently needs support from allies, particularly in the form of specialized air defense systems such as Patriot missiles.
Heinemann-Grüder, meanwhile, argued the West must stop fearing that weapons supplied to Ukraine might fall into Russian hands.
On July 10, Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Russia plans to launch 700 to 1,000 drones per day.
However, he added that Ukraine had found a solution that would allow it to shoot down “if not all, then nearly all” of them — referring to newly developed interceptor drones.
Zelenskyy said Ukraine is ready to mass-produce these drones but needs sufficient funding to do so.
On July 13, Zelenskyy reported that in the past seven days alone, Russia had used more than 1,800 drones, over 1,200 guided bombs, and 83 missiles of various types in its air campaign.
“Russia is escalating terror against our cities and communities to frighten our people even more,” he said. “But despite Moscow’s plans, our air defense forces are delivering strong results.
Interceptor drones are performing especially well — hundreds of Russian-Iranian Shahed drones were downed this week.”
https://english.nv.ua/nation/experts-warn-russia-may-be-preparing-for-decisive-battle-as-drone-strikes-escalate-50529494.html
https://www.ynetnews.com/article/r1v2je11ixg
IDF holds massive Golan drill simulating multi-front terrorist invasion
July 13, 2025 06:45
In a large-scale military drill simulating one of Israel’s worst-case scenarios—a sudden, multi-front invasion by Hezbollah and pro-Iranian terrorists—the IDF Northern Command concluded its largest exercise in the Golan Heights since the October 7 war.
The two-day simulation, which ended Thursday, aimed to test the army’s readiness for a surprise ground invasion by thousands of armed terrorists breaching Israel’s northern border from Syria.
The scenario assumed no prior intelligence warning, mirroring fears that in a future war with Iran, Israel could face simultaneous assaults from all directions—including mass rocket fire and coordinated ground infiltrations.
According to IDF assessments, tens of thousands of armed operatives from Iranian-backed groups are currently stationed across Syria and Iraq.
They could reach the Golan border within hours in pickup trucks. The drill examined whether the new defense infrastructure in the region could hold off such a force long enough for reinforcements to arrive.
Central to the exercise was the role of nine new IDF company outposts built in recent months just across the Syrian border, each manned by hundreds of soldiers.
These outposts carry significant political weight: the new Syrian regime has demanded Israel withdraw from them as a precondition for restoring the 1975 ceasefire agreement that collapsed during Syria’s civil war.
While talks are ongoing, no progress has been made.
Throughout the drill, Northern Command officers evaluated whether these outposts could buy the military crucial time in the event of a mass invasion.
The conclusion was clear: “The forces stationed at these new outposts on the Syrian side give us several hours to deploy reinforcements, activate local emergency squads, bolster the border defenses, and increase airpower to intercept the incursion,” senior IDF officers said.
The shifting dynamics in the Middle East also led to unprecedented moments during the exercise.
Makeshift IDF liaison officers maintained direct contact with Syrian village leaders near the outposts to reassure them that aircraft noise and controlled explosions were part of a drill, not real combat.
The IDF also simulated scenarios in which Syrian civilians caught between the Israeli positions could be injured in the crossfire and would receive medical aid and evacuation by Israeli forces.
Coordination also took place with UNDOF, the international peacekeeping force expected to help restore calm should a future agreement be reached.
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The simulated incursion took place along a 65-kilometer stretch of the border—roughly 20 kilometers longer than the Gaza boundary—and envisioned multiple infiltration points where terrorists broke through the Israeli outposts after heavy fighting.
Soldiers from the 210th Division practiced extreme scenarios, including the abduction of Israeli civilians into Syrian territory.
These scenarios involved air support, rapid pursuit, and the deployment of new emergency rescue units established by the air force following the lessons of October 7.
Northern Command emphasized that the "red zone" inside Syrian territory proved to be a critical buffer, allowing most of the invading forces to be neutralized before crossing into Israel.
In only a few instances did terrorists manage to infiltrate and take hostages, triggering the activation of a special rescue protocol known as “Army of the Skies,” which deployed intervention teams to extract captives still within Israeli territory.
In a significant policy shift, the IDF has also begun training regular infantry battalions—not just elite special forces—for hostage scenarios inside civilian communities.
The exercise primarily focused on the southern Golan, a region where natural terrain, such as riverbeds, makes detecting infiltrations more challenging than in the open plains of the northern plateau.
Still, breaches were also simulated in Golan north, including near the Druze village of Khader, across from Majdal Shams. The village is under IDF protection due to threats from extremist militias targeting Syria’s Druze minority.
The focus on the southern Golan also stems from its volatile population. Hundreds of residents in the area have ties to al-Qaeda and previously hosted ISIS-affiliated groups.
Unlike villagers in central and northern Syria who have surrendered their weapons to the IDF, residents in the south have recently refused to disarm.
In the past two weeks, the 210th Division identified an uptick in Iranian-backed terror cells in the area and conducted two unusual arrest operations inside Syrian territory, capturing suspected militants without resistance and bringing them to Israel for interrogation.
“We also drilled scenarios involving mass casualties and missing persons with our division’s medical teams, using new protocols shaped by October 7,” said an officer from Northern Command.
“We rehearsed how to communicate with the Syrian regime to avoid miscalculations or escalation. There’s still no dedicated coordination unit in the Golan like there is in the West Bank, so most of these efforts are handled at the command and diplomatic level.”
The IDF concluded that it now operates under a multi-layered defense strategy designed to gradually halt multi-pronged attacks in line with a new combat doctrine.
“As long as no policy says otherwise, anyone armed in this sector is a potential threat,” said a senior officer. “And we treat them accordingly. Everyone is in our sights.”
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ULFA claims 3 members killed in drone attack, Army denies
Updated: July 13, 2025 19:50 IST
Proscribed militant group ULFA(I) has claimed that at least three of its senior leaders were killed in drone attacks by the Indian Army on its camps in Myanmar in the early hours of Sunday, with the Army denying knowledge of any such operation.
A statement purportedly issued by the ULFA(I) claimed that that attacks took place at several camps along the Indo-Myanmar border between 2 am and 4 am on Sunday, and that its “lieutenant general” Nayan Medhi alias Nayan Asom was killed in these and that another 19 were injured.
It claimed that another two senior functionaries, “brigadier” Ganesh Asom and “colonel” Pradeep Asom were killed subsequently in a missile attack while Nayan Asom’s final rites were being carried out.
A statement purportedly issued through a self-styled second lieutenant Ishan Asom warned of retaliation. “The occupational forces are continuing the attacks in the areas using fighter jets.
We inform the indigenous people of Assam that we are determined to take revenge for this brutal attack by the colonial nation,” it stated.
When contacted, defence spokesperson Lt. Col. Mahendra Rawat, who is based in Guwahati, said: “No inputs with Indian Army on such operation.”
Assam Chief Minister Himanta Biswa Sarma, too, denied having information on such an operation when asked about it by reporters in Golaghat.
“The Assam police are not involved in this and no operation was carried out from Assam’s soil. Usually when such incidents take place, there is a statement from the Indian Army but they have not issued it yet.
Maybe there will be more clarity on this later,” he said.
The ULFA (I) headed by Paresh Baruah is known to have its camps in Myanmar and has resisted coming to the table for talks without discussing sovereignty for Assam.
A pro-talks faction of the ULFA had signed a tripartite peace pact with the Union and state government in December 2023.
https://indianexpress.com/article/world/ulfa-claims-3-members-killed-drone-attack-army-denies-10124148/
It behooves anons to be aware of all news coming through the wire
Drone debris found on crowded Romanian beach
Sun, July 13, 2025 - 12:35
A suspected drone fragment was found on the beach of the Eforie Sud resort in Romania, according to the Romanian newspaper Adevărul.
The unidentified metal object on the beach was discovered by a fisherman. He immediately reported the find to the authorities. Tourists claim it was a drone wing.
Counterterrorism unit officers were sent to the scene of the incident.
The Ministry of Defense of Romania was also informed about the discovery. Authorities are conducting an investigation to accurately determine the nature of the unidentified object.
The newspaper notes that the beaches at the Eforie Sud resort are currently crowded with tourists.
Russian drones flying over Romania
It is worth recalling that Russian strike drones have repeatedly entered Romanian airspace.
After such incursions, fragments of Russian Shaheds have been found on Romanian territory.
The Romanian authorities’ response has been limited to strong condemnation. Only in May of this year did Bucharest authorize shooting down unidentified drones over Romania.
https://newsukraine.rbc.ua/news/drone-debris-found-on-crowded-romanian-beach-1752398079.html
Drones could soon strike a European city, Iranian official warns
Updated 9:15 AM
Five drones could strike a European city in the near future, a former senior Iranian official warned on Saturday, saying Western countries should no longer feel secure following Iran’s recent conflict with Israel.
“Europeans can no longer move about comfortably in their own countries,” Mohammad Javad Larijani, a former senior judiciary official who also served as a top adviser to the Supreme Leader, warned in comments broadcast on state television.
“It’s entirely possible that in the near future, five drones could strike a European city.”
The statement comes as the Islamic Republic faces renewed international pressure over its nuclear program. Britain, France and Germany, three signatories to the 2015 nuclear agreement, are considering the option of triggering a snapback of United Nations sanctions if Iran is deemed non-compliant.
This month, Iran expelled the International Atomic Energy Agency's inspectors, accusing them of being a political tool and having given intelligence to aid the attacks made by Israel and the US on Iran's nuclear facilities last month.
Last week, the UK Parliament’s Intelligence and Security Committee (ISC) released a report warning that Iran poses one of the most severe state-based threats to British national security, on par with adversaries like Russia and China.
And last year, the European Parliament also issued warnings about the threat posed by Iran. A statement said: "The Iranian regime’s use of criminal networks as terrorist proxies in Europe poses a grave threat to our internal security."
Larijani's warning to Europe comes just days after he suggested US President Donald Trump could be assassinated by a drone strike while vacationing in Florida.
“Trump has done something [in supporting Israel's war on Iran] so that he can no longer sunbathe in Mar-a-Lago,” he said. “As he lies there with his stomach to the sun, a small drone might hit him in the navel. It’s very simple.”
'Israel, US may attack Iran again'
Larijani said that it is possible that Israel and the United States will seek to launch another attack on Iran.
“The United States and Israel know that if they strike again, our response will be heavier and more unexpected. America is calculating carefully."
Speaking of last month's war with Israel, sparked by surprise attacks on Iran on June 13, Larijani said: “The war began with us being surprised. We did not expect such technologies to be used in the attack.
They had inserted and stationed many operatives inside Iran," over 700 Iranians arrested in the wake of the war accused of supporting Israel.
“The enemy can no longer rely on its old methods. This time, we will not be surprised," he added.
https://www.iranintl.com/en/202507134712
Legendary Rock Band Forces the U.S. Department of Defense to Remove Drone Video Due to Unauthorized Use of Song
July 13, 2025 | 9:26 a.m. CDT
The U.S. Department of Defense was forced to pull and repost a social media video promoting drone warfare after a legendary rock band stepped in over the unauthorized use of its song.
A representative of Metallica confirmed to Rolling Stone that the rock band’s hit track “Enter Sandman” was used for the Department of Defense video without authorization.
After pulling the original video and reposting it without the music, the Pentagon released a statement about the switch.
“This afternoon, representatives from X reached out to DoD regarding a video posted to our social media and asked that the video be removed due to a copyright issue with the song ‘Enter Sandman’ by Metallica,” the statement reads.
“The video has been taken down, corrected, and re-uploaded to our page.”
In the video, Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth spoke about the Trump Administration’s increasing use of drone warfare.
“We were brought here to rebuild the military,” he stated. “Match capabilities to the threats of today.
So while our adversaries have produced millions of cheap drones before us, we were mired in bureaucratic red tape. Not anymore.”
Hegseth then announced that President Trump issued an executive order last month “unleashing American drone dominance” to bolster the drone industry and arm “our war fighters.” “Because that’s what we’re all about,” he declared.
During the clip, a quadcopter was seen holding what appeared to be a blank piece of paper above Hegseth’s head. Towards the end of the clip, he reached up and grabbed the paper.
“Here’s the memo we’re signing today,” he added. “Delivered via drone.”
Organizers of President Trump’s Military Parade Received Cease-and-Desist Letter For Unauthorized Use of Song
This isn’t the first time a rock band has been forced to call out the Trump administration for unauthorized music use.
Rolling Stone reported that last month, the organizers of President Trump’s military parade received a cease-and-desist letter for “illegally” playing “He Ain’t Heavy, He’s My Brother” by The Hollies.
The letter was issued by Amber Scott, the daughter of the deceased Bobby Scott, who co-wrote the song.
The letter pointed out that the parade organizers failed to request Scott’s permission to use the song. They were eventually denied in writing by Wise Music Group, which represents the interests of the song’s co-writer Bob Russell.
“On June 14, 2025, the work was performed twice,” the letter reads. “Without a license – during the finale of America250’s event on the National Mall.
This event was nationally televised, globally streamed, and posted on social media. Under 17 U.S.C. §106, your firm and/or your client(s) committed at least two separate violations.
The letter further pointed out, “1) you never sought required permissions from Amber Leigh Music; and (2) after you contacted Wise Music Group (representatives for the lyricist’s share) you received Wise’s explicit written denial on June 10, 2025 at 9:18AM PDT and then acknowledged that denial hours later, at 5:11PM PDT.”
https://www.suggest.com/legendary-rock-band-department-of-defense-drone-video-unauthorized-song/2881476/
https://twitter.com/SecDef/status/1943748870993064004
https://x.com/ktoropin/status/1943784467132559528
'It wasn’t a bird': Did a UFO just ram into a $70 million F-16? Here's what the Pentagon knows
July 13, 2025
In a bizarre incident reported by Fox News, a U.S. Air Force F-16 Viper fighter jet was allegedly struck by an unidentified flying object (UFO) during a training exercise over Gila Bend, Arizona, in January 2023.
The aircraft's instructor pilot, seated in the rear, first spotted the mysterious object before it hit the jet’s clear canopy. Despite the impact, the $70 million aircraft sustained no visible damage, and officials initially ruled out a bird strike.
Eventually, authorities concluded the jet had been hit by a drone. However, the drone’s origin and operator remain unknown.
The incident was just the beginning.
FAA documents obtained by The War Zone revealed that it was the first of four reported encounters with unidentified anomalous phenomena (UAPs) in that region within a day.
These events add to the growing number of UAP incidents documented by the U.S. Department of Defense.
757 UAP Incidents in a Year
According to an unclassified report from the All-Domain Anomaly Resolution Office (AARO), 757 UAP encounters occurred between May 1, 2023, and June 1, 2024.
Of these, 708 took place in the air, with only 49 cases officially closed. Notably, 18 of these incidents were reported near sensitive nuclear sites, missile launch facilities, or strategic weapons locations.
The report stated that none of the resolved cases indicated advanced technology from foreign adversaries or breakthrough aerospace developments.
'Nothing New'
James Fox, a filmmaker and long-time UFO researcher, weighed in, telling Fox News Digital that he wasn’t surprised by the F-16 incident.
According to Fox, U.S. military personnel have reported seeing craft loitering over the East Coast with no visible propulsion systems — some dating back nearly a century.
“There are documented sightings from the 1930s and 1940s,” Fox said, describing glowing orb-like objects that outmaneuvered World War II aircraft.
He added that some of these crafts exhibit capabilities like remaining stationary in high winds and emitting no heat signature.
Fox believes either humanity has been tracking the same unknown intelligence since the 1940s, or someone has successfully replicated and reverse-engineered such technology.
A Task Force for the Unknown
In 2020, the U.S. Department of Defense launched the Unidentified Aerial Phenomena Task Force (UAPTF) to study these sightings and assess their potential threats to national security.
Fox noted that enhanced radar systems have contributed to the recent surge in reports by detecting smaller objects that previously went unnoticed.
https://www.msn.com/en-in/money/topstories/it-wasn-t-a-bird-did-a-ufo-just-ram-into-a-70-million-f-16-here-s-what-the-pentagon-knows/ar-AA1IvCm7
Laprade and Phillips: What happened to Ottawa's first UFO research station?
Jul 13, 2025
During the summer, we’ll carry occasional excerpts from Ottawa Made, a recently published compendium of stories about curious inventions, people and places in the national capital.
Today: the search for flying saucers.
The truth is in Ottawa. Maybe.
Fans of the television show X-Files — where the expression ‘the truth is out there” first entered popular culture and lexicon — may be surprised to learn that the world’s first UFO research facility was not in the United States, nor anywhere near Area 51.
It was on Carling Avenue.
The facility opened in 1952, a joint research project of the National Research Council (NRC), the Defence Research Board (DRB), and the Department of Transportation (DOT).
The scientist leading the project worked for DOT: Wilbert Smith, senior radio engineer for the department’s Broadcast and Measurements Section.
Smith had begun researching UFOs two years earlier, as the lead scientist on Project Magnet, a DOT research study trying to determine not only if alien spaceships existed, but if so, what powered them?
One theory was that UFOs used the Earth’s magnetic field as a source of propulsion.
Smith’s geo-magnetic studies seemed promising and in 1952 Project Magnet moved to Shirleys Bay, approximately 15 km west of Ottawa, on what was then a seldom used stretch of Carling Avenue.
Smith unpacked his gamma-ray counter, magnetometer, radio receiver and recording gravimeter and set them up in a small building DOT built by the banks of the Ottawa River.
This building became the world’s first government sanctioned UFO research facility (that we know about. The truth is … well, you know).
After two years of radio silence, at 3:01 p.m. on August 8, 1954, something finally happened. The gravimeter at the Shirley’s Bay installation “went wild,” to use Smith’s own words.
He rushed outside to see what was causing the anomaly but there was nothing in the sky. The clouds were too thick.
Two days later, the federal government abruptly shut down the research facility.
People have speculated for years about possible reasons for the sudden closure, the most popular being … you can probably guess: Smith had detected an alien aircraft and other people — senior and secretive people — would finish the research project.
(Interestingly, the CIA was a partner in Project Magnet. The agency was told about the unusual gravimeter reading the day it happened.)
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Smith continued to work at Shirley’s Bay (though no longer conducting UFO research) and in 1959 claimed to have developed a breakthrough anti-gravity device. In his research notes, he said:
“We have conducted experiments that show that it is possible to create artificial gravity (not Centrifugal force) and to alter the gravitational field of the Earth.
This we have done. It is Fact. The next step is to learn the rules and do the engineering necessary to convert the principle into workable hardware.”
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Unfortunately, Smith never had a chance to do the “necessary” engineering. That same year, he was diagnosed with cancer. He would pass away, at the age of 52, on December 27, 1962.
The building that Smith worked in — the world’s first UFO research facility — became part of the sprawling DND complex at Shirley’s Bay. In 2011, the building was demolished.
https://ottawacitizen.com/opinion/ottawas-first-ufo-research-station
After 'drone invasion', New Jersey US Senators oppose new FAA administrator
Jul 12, 2025
Sens. Andy Kim & Cory Booker — New Jersey, Democrats
*Ask a Pol Twofer: As Sen. Andy Kim was entering the Senate chamber to vote New Jersey’s other Senator, Cory Booker, was leaving.
Ask a Pol asks:
Were you ever able to ask the FAA nominee about the New Jersey ‘drones’?*
*Ask a Pol caught both of New Jersey’s US Senators on Wednesday, just ahead of senators voting 53-43 — with both Kim and Booker opposed — to confirm Bryan Bedford as the Federal Aviation Administration’s 20th Administorator.
Key Kim:
“I did — well, I didn’t ask specifically what had happened,” Sen. Andy Kim exclusively told Ask a Pol. “But I asked, ‘can we work on this going forward in terms of how to better detect?’”
Key Booker:
“Let me [get] you what I can say and not say,” Sen. Cory Booker exclusively told Ask a Pol. “I need to be careful here, because some of this stuff was part of a briefing — a classified briefing.”
Caught our ear:
“Regardless of whether I trust them or not, I’m going to stay vigilant,” Booker told us.
https://www.askapoluaps.com/p/new-jersey-senators-oppose-new-faa-chief
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bZF3VCIdT_k
HOLY SH*t…! EX-CIA Officer Confirms NORDICS and ALIEN HYBRIDS Exist
Jul 12, 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S0D4QB7GEOw
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nS_Insp7i_Y (Ex-CIA Officer Confirms Alien Hybrids Exist - John Ramirez - DEBRIEFED ep. 42 Jun 20, 2025)
MARS PROGRAMS | CHACO CANYON - SIPAPU PORTALS | WINGMAKERS | JOURNEY TO TRUTH EP 376
Jul 4, 2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y6KT_JJslQY
https://www.journeytotruth.online/
https://projectcamelotportal.com/
https://exopolitics.org/?s=basiago
https://www.wingmakers.us/
Leaked Pentagon Doc Exposes Cloaking, Fusion & Antigravity
Jul 12, 2025
In 2009, a confidential defense briefing prepared for Bigelow Aerospace and the U.S. government described advanced propulsion concepts that most people have never heard of.
This included fusion systems, electromagnetic cloaking, inertial confinement, and energy recovery technologies far beyond mainstream awareness. The document — labeled DIRD #16 — was kept classified until 2017.
In this clip, Ashton Forbes walks through what that document contained, who wrote it, and why it matters. He connects the science to existing plasma physics, black-budget research, and the ongoing suppression of disruptive technologies.
The implications of what’s been hidden for years may explain the true capabilities of unidentified aerial phenomena — and why certain breakthroughs were never shared with the public.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Vx62RL2dLw
https://www.metabunk.org/f/BAASS_TEN_MONTH_REPORT_2009.pdf
The Black Vault's Week in Review
July 12, 2025
Join me LIVE as I break down some of the stories I posted this week on The Black Vault.
I will touch on the December 2024 Wright Patterson Air Force Base drone sightings and new videos that surfaced this week, drone incursions at he Pantex Nuclear Facility including never-before-seen reports, the Navy withholding nearly 500 pages on the decision for them to release three key UAP videos, and footage surfaced of the "Mosul Orb".
Although the last one isn't my request, I'll break down what it means.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHpS_DQ7qsU
https://www.theblackvault.com/documentarchive/
Comic-Con 2025 Schedule: ‘Star Trek,’ ‘Alien: Earth,’ ‘Project Hail Mary’ and George Lucas’ First-Ever Appearance
July 13, 2025
San Diego Comic-Con is rolling out its schedule for the 2025 convention this week, which runs from July 24–27.
It will likely be a quieter convention this year, since neither Marvel Studios nor DC Studios are planning a major panel covering their upcoming projects.
But for the first time in its history, “Star Wars” creator George Lucas will appear in person at the largest annual fan gathering in North America, to give a first look at the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art, which is expected to open in Los Angeles in 2026.
He’ll be joined in Hall H by director Guillermo del Toro, visual designer Doug Chiang and moderator Queen Latifah.
“We are beyond thrilled to welcome George Lucas to Comic-Con for the very first time,” said Comic-Con’s chief of communications and strategy David Glanzer in a statement.
“Nearly five decades ago, ‘Star Wars’ made one of its earliest public appearances at our convention, along with a booth featuring Howard Chaykin’s now legendary ‘Star Wars’ poster as a promotional item.
Now, to have Mr. Lucas return — this time to debut the Lucas Museum of Narrative Art — is a true full-circle moment.
His lifelong dedication to visual storytelling and world-building resonates deeply with us and our community, and the museum’s mission to celebrate narrative art in all its forms perfectly reflects what Comic-Con has championed from the very beginning.”
On the feature film side, other major panels will include first looks at “Tron: Ares,” “Project Hail Mary,” “Predator: Badlands,” “Five Nights at Freddy’s 2,” the Stephen King adaptation “The Long Walk,” the reimagined “The Toxic Avenger,” and the Looney Tunes film “Coyote vs. Acme,” which was rescued by Ketchup Entertainment after Warner Bros. Discovery shelved the film.
In TV, highlights include previews of the new FX series “Alien: Earth,” the new “Star Trek” series “Starfleet Academy,” the updated animated series “King of the Hill” and the new seasons of “Peacemaker,” “Star Trek: Strange New Worlds,” “Anne Rice’s Interview With the Vampire,” “Abbott Elementary” “The Walking Dead: Daryl Dixon,” “Resident Alien,” and “Twisted Metal.”
Here are all the highlights of the full convention, with descriptions from SDCC and/or the panel sponsors. All times are Pacific Daylight.
cont.
https://www.naturahoy.com/2025/07/13/comic-con-2025-schedule-star-trek-alien-earth-project-hail-mary-and-george-lucas-first-ever-appearance/
https://www.comic-con.org/cc/