5:30 PM ET, Monday, November 20, 2023
The Cipher Brief curates open source information from around the world that impacts national security. Here's a look at today's headlines:
ISRAEL AND HAMAS WAR
Israeli Military Reportedly Surround Gaza’s Indonesia Hospital. Israeli tanks have reportedly surrounded the Indonesia Hospital in northern Gaza. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said militants fired on Israeli troops from within the hospital. The IDF said it “directly targeted the specific source of enemy fire” in response. Hospital officials said shelling hit the hospital, killing at least 10 people. Gaza’s Health Ministry said 12 people were killed in the strike. Israel says it did not fire shells towards the hospital. Hospital officials added that the hospital is currently hosting around 4,000 displaced people, 600 wounded, and 200 staff members. Fighting around the hospital comes as Israeli forces continue searching the al-Shifa Hospital, which has largely been evacuated. Once al-Shifa stopped functioning, many of the wounded there were transferred to the Indonesian Hospital.
Israel has suggested that Hamas may also be using the Indonesian Hospital, as it had claimed the militant group was using al-Shifa. On November 5, Israeli military spokesperson Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari showed images of Indonesia Hospital from 2010, before its construction, which showed cement arches that he said could only have been used for underground Hamas infrastructure. He also showed satellite imagery of a location 250 feet from the hospital that he said Hamas fired rockets from during its October 7 attacks. He additionally alleged that Hamas steals fuel from the hospital. Hamas and hospital officials deny that the militant group conceals infrastructure in the territory’s medical facilities. The Jakarta-based charity Medical Emergency Rescue Committee (MER-C), which funded and built the hospital in 2012 to 2015, likewise deny that Hamas uses the facility, but noted that hospital operations were given to the Gaza-run Health Ministry. Wall Street Journal Washington Post
Israel Recalls Ambassador to South Africa. Israel’s Foreign Ministry says Israel has recalled its ambassador to South Africa for consultations following the "latest statements from South Africa." The move is likely in response to South Africa's ruling African National Congress (ANC) party saying on Thursday that it would support a motion to close the Israeli embassy in South Africa. South Africa, which has been highly critical of Israel's campaign in Gaza against Hamas, has already recalled its diplomats from Israel. Reuters
BRICS to Hold Virtual Summit on Gaza. South Africa is hosting a virtual summit of BRICS leaders, including Russian President Vladimir Putin, on Tuesday to discuss the Israel-Hamas war. South African President Cyril Ramaphosa will lead the meeting. The leaders of Saudi Arabia, Argentina, Egypt, Ethiopia, Iran, and the United Arab Emirates — who have been invited to join BRICS in January 2024 — will attend the virtual gathering. The South African presidency said U.N. Secretary General Antonio Guterres will also participate. A joint statement specifically focused on Gaza is expected. Bloomberg Barron’s
Houthi-Seized Ship in Yemen, Ships Divert Course from Red Sea. Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis released footage of its seizure of the Galaxy Leader commercial vessel in the Red Sea. Galaxy Maritime Ltd, the owner of the vessel, confirmed that the ship was “illegally boarded by military personnel via a helicopter” and is now in the Hodeidah port area in Yemen. The company added that the hijacking of the vessel was a “gross violation of freedom of passage of the world fleet and a serious threat to international trade.” Japan also confirmed the seizure of the vessel, which is operated by Japanese firm Nippon Yusen, and said it is appealing to the Houthis and seeking assistance from Saudi Arabia, Oman, and Iran to secure the release of the ship and its crew. Two commercial ships have since diverted course in the Red Sea and Gulf of Aden after the incident, demonstrating concerns about further attacks against commercial vessels in the region. Reuters Reuters Wall Street Journal Bloomberg
THE UKRAINE UPDATE
U.S. Defense Secretary Announces More Ukraine Military Aid During Kyiv Trip. U.S. Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin announced $100 million in new military aid to Ukraine during an unannounced visit to Kyiv. The aid will include arms such as anti-tank weapons, air-defense interceptors and a new High Mobility Artillery Rocket System (HIMARS). Austin’s visit was aimed at showing support for Ukraine amid divisions in Washington about future aid for Kyiv. Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky told Austin that his trip sent a “very important signal” for Ukraine. Reuters New York Times Politico
NATO Close to Black Sea Mine-Sweeping Agreement. NATO members Bulgaria, Turkey, and Romania are reportedly close to reaching an agreement on the creation of a joint mine-clearing force to address mines that drift into their respective territorial waters in the Black Sea. The defense ministers from each country are expected to meet on November 22 to discuss the matter. The proposed mine clearing plan would be peaceful in nature and focus on eliminating mines that endanger shipping routes through the Black Sea. It would not be considered a NATO effort, though it would be the first joint action in the Black Sea since the beginning of Russia’s full scale invasion of Ukraine. Hundreds of seamines deployed by both Ukraine and Russia have spread throughout the Black Sea and on several occasions struck civilian and military ships of countries not involved in the Ukraine war. A Liberian-flagged oil tanker hit a mine on October 15 and a Turkish cargo ship suffered minor damage on October 5 off the Romanian coast. There is some opposition to the mine-clearing task force. Turkey’s Navy Chief Admiral Ercument Tatioglu has said that the presence of navy ships from other NATO countries in the Black Sea would possibly increase tensions. Kyiv Independent Bloomberg
THE CYBER AND TECH RUNDOWN
CISA Starts Program to Offer ‘Cutting Edge’ Services to Critical Infrastructure Organizations. CISA has launched a new voluntary pilot program to bring “cutting-edge cybersecurity shared services” to critical infrastructure organizations. The Cybersecurity Shared Services Pilot program focuses on bolstering cybersecurity of entities in the healthcare, water, and K-12 education sectors, further extending CISA’s services beyond federal civilian government entities to non-federal organizations. The first phase of the program will service up to 100 entities and then expand beyond the initial sectors. The Record
British Library Technology Outage Caused by Ransomware Attack. The British Library, one of the world’s largest libraries and the national library of the U.K., said that technological issues it has faced over the last few weeks were caused by a ransomware incident. The library said the ransomware gang behind the attack appears to have leaked data stolen from its human resources files. The Rhysida ransomware gang claimed responsibility for the attack on Monday and gave bidders seven days to spend at least 20 Bitcoin (around $750,000) to access stolen data. The library said it is working on restoring systems but warned that disruptions “may persist for longer.” The cyberattack against the British Library came days after an attack on Toronto Public Library, which BleepingComputer said the Black Basta ransomware gang was responsible for. Bloomberg The Record
ELSEWHERE IN THE WORLD
Asia and Oceania
China Denies Australian Claims Over Diver Incident. A spokesman for China’s Defense Ministry said Australia’s accusation that a Chinese warship injured Australian navy divers with its sonar as “completely inconsistent with the facts.” Canberra said Australian military divers removing fishing nets from the propellers of an Australian army frigate, HMAS Toowoomba, near Japan were hurt when a Chinese destroyer, Ningbo, approached them and used its hull-mounted sonar “in a manner that posed a risk to the safety of the Australian drivers who were then forced to exit the water.” The Chinese defense ministry spokesperson denied that this happened and urged Australia “to respect the facts (and) stop making reckless and irresponsible accusations against China.” He acknowledged that the Ningbo was tracking and surveilling the Toowoomba near the East China Sea, but said it maintained a safe distance from the Australian ship and followed international rules about maritime encounters. He did not say whether the Ningbo used its sonar in the encounter. Wall Street Journal
Taiwan F-16 Shipments at ‘High Risk’ of Delays. Two dozen Republican representatives sent a letter to Air Force Secretary Frank Kendall on Friday warning that two F-16 fighter jet programs for Taiwan are at “high risk” of failing further behind despite efforts to accelerate deliveries to the island. The two programs include a retrofit program for Taiwan’s 141 F-16 fighters and the delivery of 66 new F-16s. The lawmakers said in their letter that they appreciate the Biden administration’s efforts to facilitate transfers of military aid promised to Taiwan but expressed concern about continued delays from problems including a lack of spare parts and software development and integration issues. They called for Kendal to provide a report by December 18 on the status of the two Taiwan programs. Bloomberg
North Korea to Attempt Satellite Launch in Coming Days, Japan Says. Japan’s Coast Guard said that North Korea notified Tokyo that it plans to launch a rocket carrying a space satellite between November 22 and December 1 in the direction of the Yellow Sea and East China Sea. The launch would be North Korea’s third attempt this year to put a spy satellite into orbit and the first since North Korean leader Kim Jong Un’s trip to Russia, where Russian President Vladimir Putin promised to support Pyongyang’s satellite program. Regarding the launch, the Japanese Prime Minister’s office said on social media that Japan would work with the U.S. and South Korea to “strongly urge” North Korea to not go ahead with it. The U.S. and its allies have called North Korea’s satellite tests a clear violation of United Nations Security Council resolutions that prohibit the development of any technology applicable to the country’s ballistic missile programs. Separately, North Korea on Monday condemned the potential sale of hundreds of missiles to Japan and South Korea from the U.S. Reuters
South Korea’s Yoon Visits U.K. South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol traveled to Britain on Monday to discuss boosting economic ties and security partnerships. The British ambassador to South Korea Colin Crooks said the state visit is a “hugely significant” member in the two nations’ partnership and demonstrates close ties between London and Seoul. Yoon’s trip comes as North Korea appears to be preparing for another satellite launch attempt. Yoon added that the wars in Ukraine and Gaza, growing Russia-North Korea ties, and increasing tensions in the South China Sea have compelled him to seek “very close security cooperation” with the West. Yoon is set to hold talks with British Prime Minister Rishi Sunak on Wednesday and adopt an accord on expanding bilateral ties. Reuters
Philippines Appeals to Neighbors About South China Sea Code of Conduct. Philippine President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. said on Monday that the Philippines has approached its neighbors such as Malaysia and Vietnam to discuss a code of conduct regarding the South China Sea. His outreach comes as efforts to agree on a separate code of conduct with China have stalled. Marcos has focused on partnering with others, namely the U.S., to counter China’s “aggressive” behavior in the South China Sea. Speaking in Hawaii, Marcos said that he hopes a code of conduct developed between Manila and its neighbors will extend to other ASEAN countries. China’s foreign ministry said Beijing is committed to agreeing to a code of conduct but warned that actions that run “counter to the spirit of the declaration on the conduct of parties in the South China Sea is null and void.” Marcos’s remarks about a code with its neighbors comes after he met with Chinese President Xi Jinping Friday on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in San Francisco. Reuters
Europe
Russia Lodges Protest Over Finland Border Crossing Closures. Russia’s Foreign Ministry said on Monday that it had lodged a formal complaint over Finland closing four of its border crossings with Russia. The Russian Foreign Ministry said that the decision on the closures had been "rushed" and was made "without any consultations with the Russian side.” Finland closed the crossings to stem the flow of asylum seekers. Finnish authorities have claimed that migrants are being ushered to Finland by Russia, allegations Moscow has denied. Deutsche Welle
Germany, U.K. Discussing Potential North Sea Hydrogen Pipeline. Germany and the U.K. are in talks to build a 400-mile hydrogen pipeline under the North Sea to supply Germany with hydrogen as part of efforts to break its dependence on fossil fuels. Germany’s Green Vice Chancellor Robert Haberck reportedly introduced the idea at a meeting with U.K. business secretary Kemi Badenoch earlier this month. Germany is expected to be Europe's largest hydrogen importer in the coming decades, with plans to purchase approximately 70 percent of the hydrogen it needs to meet its net zero goals. The discussions come as the Russian invasion of Ukraine has raised new questions about Germany’s energy security and reliance on gas from the east. The proposals for the pipeline are currently in an early stage but envision the U.K. utilizing its vast offshore wind reserves to make the hydrogen and then pump the product under the North Sea to Germany. Politico
Hungary’s Orban Erects Billboards Critical of E.U.’s Von der Leyen. Hungarian Prime Minister Viktor Orban’s ruling Fidesz party on Monday revealed billboards criticizing European Commission President Ursula Von der Leyen. It is the first time it has made her a personal target in a political campaign. The billboards depict von der Leyen next to Alex Soros, son of financier George Soros, with a slogan reading “Lets not dance to their tunes”. European Commission spokesman Eric Mamer said that von der Leyen is “unfazed” by the billboards In 2019, Fidezs put up similar billboards criticizing von der Leyen’s predecessor, Jean-Claude Juncker, alongside George Soros. Fidesz took them down after the European Parliament’s center-right group (EPP) threatened to expel the Hungarian party. Fidesz has since left EPP. Hungary is expected to be a focus of the next E.U. summit in December as it is the member country most sympathetic to Russia and skeptical of plans to admit Ukraine to the bloc. Orban’s government has been pushing to unlock billions of euros in EU funds frozen in response to Fidesz’s policies. Reuters Euronews
The Americas
Milei Wins Argentina’s Presidential Election. Javier Milei, a far-right libertarian economist, won Argentina’s presidential election on Sunday. He received nearly 56 percent of the vote, achieving victory over Argentina’s economy minister, Sergio Massa. Milei will take office on December 10. He seeks to slim down Argentina’s government by shutting 10 of 18 federal ministries, abolish the country’s Central Bank and dollarize the economy, loosen gun restrictions, and allow the buying and selling of body organs. He has also said he wants to pull back on ties with Russia, China, and Brazil since he disagrees with some of their policies. Milei has expressed support for Ukraine and views the U.S. and Israel as Argentina’s main partners. Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said that the Kremlin has acknowledged his statements during his campaign but will ““judge him mainly by the statements he makes after the inauguration. Peskov added that Moscow still supports strong bilateral relations with Argentina. The outgoing Argentinian government strengthened relations with Russia, importing Russia’s Sputnik V Covid-19 vaccine and pushing to join BRICS. Reuters Wall Street Journal Politico Washington Post Bloomberg New York Times
The data cutoff for this product was 4:00p.m. E.T.
Ethan Masucol, Leighton Durham, and Ryan Simons contributed to this report.
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