Global Conflict Reporting

Author: Scott Jackson

  • United States soldier charged for attempting to trade US military secrets for Russian Citizenship.

    SPC Taylor Adam Lee accused of trying to sell secrets Russia.

    By. Scott Jackson

    08/07/2025

    On Wednesday August 6th, the FBI reported the arrest of Spc. Taylor Adam Lee, an American soldier who is accused of allegedly trying to steal and share classified information with Russia. 

    Taylor Adam Lee is a 22 year old, active member of the US Army, most recently stationed at Fort Bliss In Texas as a tanker with the 1st Armored Division. According to prosecutors and the military he was arrested on Wednesday and charged under the Espionage Act with attempted transmission of national defense information to a foreign adversary. Additionally, he was charged under the Arms Export Control Act. The government has requested that Lee be held without bond.

    According to the US Justice Department, Lee “transmitted export-controlled technical information on the M1A2 Abrams Tank online and offered assistance to the Russian Federation.”  He was attempting to trade the information he possessed on the Abrams to get citizenship in the Russian Federation. It’s unclear how it was revealed to investigators that Lee was looking to trade US secrets on its tanks to Russia.

    The M1A2 Abrams Main Battle Tank.

    Writing earlier this year Lee said online that “the USA is not happy with me for trying to expose their weaknesses,” and, “At this point I’d even volunteer to assist the Russian federation when I’m there in any way.” (CBS News)

    During a meeting in July Spc. Lee met with somebody who he believed was a representative of the Russian federations intelligence services. At this meeting he handed over an SD card with technical data and other information regarding the Abrams Main Battle Tank. A discussion took place where Lee offered to give a physical piece of tech from the tank to the Russian “agent”. 

    After the meeting Lee messaged the agent “Mission accomplished.”
    He was later arrested by the FBI’s El Paso field office.

    Lee at the time held a Top-Secret security clearance. This would have given him access to sensitive information on many of the US military’s systems.

    GCR has reached out to the US Army and will update if a response is received. 

    The adversaries of the US regularly attempt to get active duty military members to share secrets, the widespread use of the internet has increased the risk of this happening greatly. In 2024 US officials warned that there was a large uptick in foreign spies targeting American’s through social media.

    Update

    As of this morning, I received back a response from the army as well as a statement from the first armored division. No new information but it helped me fill some things in

  • US Navy F-35C Crashes near Naval Air Station in California.

    By. Scott Jackson

    07/31/2025

    Early reports are coming out about a US Navy F-35C that has crashed in the area. The jet was out of Naval Air Station Lemoore in Central California and was apart of VFA-125, The ‘Rough Riders’. VFA-125 is a navy training squadron teaching pilots how to fly the F-35.

    Report from California Highway Patrol indicating the jet thag crashed was an F-35.

    Details are still coming in but CBS news reports that the crash happened sometimes around 6:30 PM in a small field near the NAS. Fire fighters announced later that 10 acres of grass had been burned because of a small fire caused by the crash.

    The area being reported as the site of the crash.

    We have no info on what caused the accident but we do know that the pilot safely ejected. The Navy will launch its investigation as soon as possible.

    Analysis

    The F-35 with all of its stealth and technical advancements is certainly a wonder of modern engineering. It’s basically a supercomputer that flys. That being said, it’s also highly distracting to fly, according to current and former pilots with experience with the airframe. The F-35 is capable of presenting a large amount of data to its operator. Pilots have reported that the overload of data can cause some distraction and a feeling of being overwhelmed. This is a completely personal opinion, but I’ve long pondered how much the F-35 would have benefited from being a two-seater and implementing a Weapons/Systems Officer to help with the workload.

    The multi-mission and networked super speed information transferring capabilities of the jet gives you so much data, that pilots can become distracted trying to take it all in. We don’t know that this is what’s happened, it probably wasn’t, but I wanted to mention it. More than that, the jet has also had mechanical and software problems that have contributed to issues in the past. I won’t try to say for sure what happened but keep it mind that, sometimes, student pilots crash airplanes. We will know more after the investigation.

    F-35 Cockpit

    Update

    “NAS Lemoore can confirm an aviation incident on the Operations side of the installation. At 1830, an F-35C attached to the VFA-125 “Rough Raiders” went
    down not far from NAS Lemoore. NAS Lemoore can confirm the pilot successfully ejected and is safe. There are no additional affected personnel.
    The cause of the incident is under investigation.”

    I know I’ve been radio silent  for a little while now. I’ve been filling for my boss at work as she recovers from a knee surgery so I haven’t had a lot of time during the day to write as I usually would.  But things are clearing up and you’ll be hearing more from me. 

    -Scott

  • F-35C crashes from Naval air station in California

    By. Scott Jackson

    07/31/2025

    Early reports are coming out about a US Navy F-35C that has crashed in the area. The jet was out of Naval Air Station Lemoore in Central California and was apart of VFA-125, The ‘Rough Riders’. VFA-125 is a training squadron.

    Details are still coming in but CBS news reports that the crash happened sometimes around 6:30 PM in a small field near West Cadillac and South Dickinson street. Fire fighters announced later that 10 acres of grass had been burned.

    We have no info on what caused the accident but we do know that the pilot safely ejected.

    More on this as updates as released.

  • Cambodia and Thailand forces exchange heavy cross border fire.

    By. Scott Jackson

    07/24/2025

    On Thursday, July 24th, 2025 cross border shelling and small-arms fire was exchanged between soldiers of the countries of Thailand and Cambodia.

    Diplomatic relations broke down between the two South Asian neighbors of Thailand and Cambodia after a border skirmish in May left one Cambodian troop killed. Tensions worsened on Wednesday (07/22/2025) when a Thai soldier lost a leg from a landmine that Thailand says was planted in a disputed territory. Thailand expelled Cambodia’s ambassador and recalled their own.

    Thursday, the situation escalated horribly. Armed clashes broke out between border forces. Small arms fire was exchanged in the area of the Ta Muen Thom Temple – which lies in disputed territory in the south of Thailand’s Surin province and in Cambodia’s northwest. Thailand claimed Cambodia had deployed a drone near the temple before sending in ground forces.A statement from the Thai military claims that Cambodia fired heavy weapons into the nearby Kap Choeng district. Videos circulating on social media correlate that statement by showing both a Russian-made BM-21 Grad Multi launch Rocket System (MLRS) and a Czechoslovak-made RM-70 GRAD 122mm rocket launchers being used by Cambodian forces. The rocket fire caused Thailand to order an evacuation of the area.

    Video shows a Russian-produced Grad launcher being used by Cambodian forces. We can’t see exactly who is firing this weapon however Thailand does not have this weapons system in its arsenal.
    Video shows Czechoslovak-made RM-70 GRAD 122mm rocket launcher in use by Cambodian forces.
    Video shows the aftermath of a Cambodian rocket attack which hit this PTT gas station in Ban Phue Sisaket Province.


    “The attack injured three civilians. Thai authorities have promptly evacuated residents from the area to ensure the safety of lives and property,” the Thai military said in a statement.

    “Cambodian forces acted strictly within the bounds of self-defence, responding to an unprovoked incursion by Thai troops that violated our territorial integrity,”Lieutenant General Maly Socheata, a cambodian defense ministry spokesperson said. 

    The US embassy put out a statement warning US citizens living or visiting Thailand “U.S. citizens living or traveling near the Thailand-Cambodia border should follow direction from Thai security services and consult local government authorities for the latest information”

    After the rocket attacks, which lit fires in the nearby Kap Choeng district, Thailand responded by launching F-16 fighter jets which Thailand’s second military command said struck two Cambodian regional military headquarters, destroying them.

    An F-16 in the service of the Royal Thai Air Force.


    Right now the fighting has remained centered around the border region, however the situation has the potential to escalate into a much wider regional conflict with the possibility of drawing in other world powers. Cambodia maintains a distinct military partnership with China, who helps fund their defense. They also have connections to the US, though not as strongly as Thailand, who operate many US weapons systems and participate in US military exercises .

    This is an ongoing story. Stay tuned for new updates. As of the latest info Cambodia is currently trying to deploy tanks into the Satta Som Mountain area in Ban Phumsarol. Thailand has deployed UAV’s and is claiming to have destroyed several armed vehicles.

  • Israel launches strike on Syrian Ministry of Defense HQ in Demarcus as atrocities occur in the south.

    By. Scott Jackson

    07/19/2025

    Three days ago the capital of Syria, Damascus, was rocked as Israeli fighter-bombers conducted strikes against the Syrian Ministry of Defense. Israel says these strikes were in defense of the Druze people, a religious minority who reside in areas of Syria like Sweida as well as in parts of Israel. The Druze have been fighting with the Sunni Muslim Bedouin tribes and militias connected to them. There are also rumors of government is backing those with involvement in the fighting against the Druze.

    Last Friday, renewed clashes ignited between the Druze and the Bedouins. Kidnappings and gun battles occurred throughout areas around the Sweida region in southern Syria. 
    Over the weekend Syrian government forces were dispatched to the area in response to the clashes but however, the Druze pushed back against the military forces and attempted to block them acess from the area. Israel carried out strikes on Syrian military targets on Tuesday. There are local reports of a Syrian military convoy being bombed by Israeli warplanes but so far they remain unconfirmed.

    “Israel is committed to preventing harm being inflicted on the Druze in Syria, owing to the deep covenant of blood with our Druze citizens in Israel and their historical and familial link to the Druze in Syria,”
    Statement from Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.

    “We are acting to prevent the Syrian regime from harming them, and to ensure the demilitarization of the region adjacent to our border with Syria.”

    Israel Katz, Israeli Minister of Defense.

    The Syrian government feels differently about the situation and claimed that Israel was purposely acting to destabilize the situation and the region further. President Ahmed al-Sharaa claimed that Israel had a “deliberate policy” to “Inflame tensions” and “spread chaos”.

    While Israel purposely destabilizing the region is up for debate one thing they have said publicly is that they would not allow a large Syrian military force to occupy territory in southern Syria for fears of them being used to push into the occupied Golan Heights.

    The main area of focus is the green territory in the south. Israel currently occupies most of the Quneitra region.

    On Wednesday July 16, the IDF carried out a strike on the Syrian Ministry of Defense building in Damascus. Multiple angles of footage are available of the strike.

    Since then several ceasefires have been agreed upon by the Druze and the Bedouin, two of which were almost immediately broken. Right now there is an anxious pause in the fighting and a ceasefire sponsored by the U.S. in place. Israel agreed to allow Syrian troops into the south and the fighting has started to die down.

    The President of Syria made this statement about the fighting and the ceasefire.

    “We have received international invitations to intervene in what is happening in Sweida and restore security to the country. “

    He continues,

    “The Syrian state alone is capable of preserving its prestige and sovereignty across all Syrian territories.”

    “We appreciate the role of the United States of America in reaffirming its stand with Syria and its unity,”

    “We thank the tribes for their heroic stances and call on them for a complete ceasefire.”

    And speaking on some

    “The honorable Druze community as a whole should not be judged for the actions of a very small minority.”

    He also added that,

    “Events have proven that the people of Sweida stand with the state, with the exception of a small segment.”

     “We disown all massacres and transgressions that occurred in Sweida province.”

    He finished strong with this statement

    “This sensitive circumstance requires the tribes and the Druze people to stand united.” Reaffirming Syria’s territorial integrity, he declared, “Syria is not a battlefield for secessionist projects.”

    Author’s note. 

    I usually prefer to have more visual information with my reports however the violence being carried out between the Druze and the Bedouins is some of the most horrific stuff I’ve ever gone through. People being stabbed to death and shot are the tame videos I’ve seen a videos of a Bedouin militia forcing Druze people to jump off a rooftop. As they prepare for what they are about to do ao and start climbing the railing they are shot anyway with rifles. 
    The Druze as well have been forcing Arabs out of the area and killing those who don’t comply. In the whole affair around 350 people have been killed. In the grand scheme of things that seems low but it could have been much worse and still has the potential to reignite.

    Sorry for the delay in writing this, I’ve been following the fighting but it took me a while to re-familiarize myself with some of the players here. 

    Thank you for the support. Without you, GCR does not exist. 

    -Scott

  • Images show the aftermath of the Iranian retaliation strike on U.S. Al Udeid airbase.

    By. Scott Jackson

    07/15/2025

    Recently released images show the damage after an Iranian attack on the U.S. Al Udeid airbase. The June 23rd ballistic missile attack was mostly intercepted, video of which can be seen here.

    Qatari residents watch as US air defenses take out incoming Iranian ballistic missiles.

    Al Udeid is a large military complex and is currently the forward operating base for US Central Command and the USAF Central Command and several air squadrons as well as one from the Royal Air Force. Al Udeid has been an important US instillations since after Desert Storm when a Defense Cooperation Agreement was signed and the base was built in 1996. The U.S. kept the base somewhat secret until the early 2000’s when it was used to launch missions into Afghanistan. Since then the base has remained an important strategical command post for US forces in the Middle East.

    The Iranian attack on June 22nd was being carried out for several reasons but mainly as retaliation for the U.S.’s strike on Iran’s nuclear sites several days earlier. On a deeper level the retaliation was planned because Iran needed to appear to remain strong in front of their allies and the rest of the world. Not striking back, for them, was not an option.

    Hours before the attack the US was made aware of the planned attack by the Qatari government who were told by Iranian officials. This gave the US enough warning that no lives were lost.

    Above shows a before image of the exact area that received damage. What you’re looking at is a satellite antenna for the Wideband Global SATCOM (WGS) network. It is not a radar as some have reported.

    Here is what it looks like on the inside.

    Inside the radar dome at Al-Udeid.

    Several days after the attacks this is what the same spot looked like.

    The back circle is the remains of the radar dome and dish.

    Looking closer with photos from the ground …

    We knew several days ago that the site had received damage but having pictures from the ground is always a bonus.

    Fixing the damage will be a high priority for the forces at the base. It’s a fairly new system made by L3Harris so it’s likely expensive. I’m the interim it’s possible a smaller version of the same model can be brought in to take care of their immediate communication needs.

  • Houthis back to business, sinking two cargo ships in two days. (Video included)

    By.Scott Jackson

    07/10/2025

    Right now 15 sailers are missing and presumed dead after Houthi forces carried out their second attack and subsequent sinking of a cargo ship in the Red Sea this week.

    Image taken of the Eternity C frim 2019.

    The Eternity C, a Greek-owned cargo vessel was attacked on Monday, one day after the attack on the ‘Magic Seas’, showing an increase in the Houthis willingness to attack shipping since the ceasefire with the U.S.

    The attacks main thrust , according to the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operation, started around 1703 (5:03PM) on Monday. At that time the company security officer reported that the ship had been hit with multiple Rocket propelled grenade rounds and was being approached by multiple small craft. They had been in and out of fights with this group of boats for the past day as they attempted to get through the Red Sea.

    10 minutes after the first UKMTO report Eternity C, reported that the vessel has sustained significant damage and has lost all propulsion. At this point the ship was surrounded and taking continuous fire from the small boats. The boat was completely overrun after that.

    The Europeans unions defensive operation in the region- Operation Aspides, rescued several of the crew of the Eternity C floated in the water for 24 hours before a rescue could be made. The Yemeni Navy also responded to rescue survivors.

    The Houthis claimed responsibility for the assault, releasing several videos. One I’ve included as they are both very similar The ship is filmed as it slowly sinks after being struck with a missile which caused damage to the deck but did not cause the sinking. Holes caused by off screen damage can be seen at the ships water line.

    The U.S. mission in government controlled parts of the Yemen, accused the Houthis of kidnapping many of the survivors of the ship who have yet to be found.

    Update-

    Of the crew, 10 were rescued, 3 were killed and 12 are suspected to have been kidnapped.