S2 Underground

//The Wire//2300Z May 27, 2026//
 //ROUTINE//
 //BLUF: GANG WAR CONTINUES IN GRENOBLE. WAR IN LEBANON EXPANDS AS DRONE ATTACKS INTENSIFY. CONFLICT MOUNTS IN CONGO AS EBOLA CRISIS WORSENS. PROBABLE CHINESE AGENTS DETAINED WHILE ATTEMPTING TO INFILTRATE SOUTHERN US BORDER.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-International Events-

Middle East: Israeli attacks in Lebanon have increased over the past few days, with more significant bombings taking place in Beirut. FPV drone attacks by Hezbollah have continued to devastate Israeli forces, as most of the IDF is not equipped or prepared to handle the threats that drones bring to modern warfare. As a result, the fighting has become much more intense, which in turn has increased the efforts to expand the Israeli bombing campaign.

France: Last night a small arms attack was reported in Grenoble, as a war between rival gangs of migrants has broken out. One engagement was reported in the Mistral neighborhood overnight, with several people being gunned down on the street. One person was killed, and three others wounded during this attack, which locals sources claim was a targeted assassination. Three days ago, another assassination was reported, with a Cartel-style video being posted online before a body was found in a vehicle in the Échirolles community.

-HomeFront-

New Jersey: Protests at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility have continued, which have mostly transitioned into more of a long-term protest site once again. A few local politicians have made appearances over the past few days, but apart from occasional flare-ups and riots, the weekday attendance at this facility has remained fairly regular.

Texas: Overnight a group of Chinese nationals were arrested after attempting to illegally cross the southern US border in the vicinity of Eagle Pass. US Border Patrol trackers located the group of individuals who had crossed the border illegally and were concealing themselves on a private ranch. Among this group were a total of 6x Chinese citizens, who federal authorities have classified as Special Interest Aliens (SIAs) for reasons that have not been disclosed. In the photos of the group provided by Customs and Border Patrol, one of the Chinese individuals has a military-style haircut, and another individual is wearing military-style combat boots. All are wearing civilian-style camouflage jackets and pants, all of the same type and construction.

Analyst Comment: Most coyotes illegally smuggling people over the border have either required or furnished themselves camouflage "uniforms" for the illegals to don, in order to cross the border as covertly as possible. As a result, these individuals being detained while wearing camouflage is very normal these days. Illegal border crossings still take place along the vast wilderness areas which comprise most of the border, but it's become a lot harder to make the crossing and also much more expensive to do so. For Chinese immigrants, it's never been easier to get legal paperwork and enter the US at an official port of entry, so the fact that these individuals made the crossing illegally indicates that they were up to no good.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: In the Congo, the situation regarding the current Ebola outbreak has become increasingly more serious over the past few days, as the current civil war is impacting efforts to control the disease. Separately, social tensions flared up overnight, after a domestic situation spiraled out of control at a treatment center. Last night, police fired warning shots at the perimeter of Rwampara Hospital, as a crowd of people attempted to breach the facility to recover the bodies of relatives who had died from Ebola. Upon being told that they can't have the remains of their family members due to fears of the disease spreading, the crowd promptly set a tent on fire at the compound and a state of pandemonium erupted. During the fray, a handful of Ebola-positive patients fled from the facility and are currently unaccounted for.

Around the continent, nations bordering the Congo have begun to close the border checkpoints to those fleeing both the simmering civil war, and also the spread of Ebola. Uganda closed their borders this morning, and several other nations have implemented travel controls to restrict travel out of the hardest-hit areas.

Analyst: S2A1
 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT//

//The Wire//2300Z May 26, 2026//
 //ROUTINE//
 //BLUF: UNITED STATES STRIKES FASTBOATS IN STRAIT OF HORMUZ, IRAN RESPONDS BY DOWNING AMERICAN DRONES. MASS SHOOTING REPORTED IN MISSOURI. COUNTER-ICE RIOTS CONTINUE IN NEW JERSEY. CHEMICAL EXPLOSION REPORTED IN WASHINGTON.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-International Events-

Middle East: Overnight the United States conducted strikes within Iran and the Strait of Hormuz. CENTCOM stated that one SAM site was destroyed in the vicinity of Bandar Abbas, along with several minelaying vessels allegedly attempting to lay mines in the Strait. In response, the Iranians claim to have shot down two drones, an MQ-9 Reaper and an MQ-4C Triton. The Iranians also claim to have engaged an F-35, but did not claim to have shot it down.

-HomeFront-

New Jersey: Counter-ICE demonstrations and unrest continue at the Delaney Hall Detention Facility. Rioters have clashed with ICE agents several times over the weekend, at times gaining the upper hand as federal forces remain spread thin. Throughout Monday afternoon, into this morning, various stages of kinectivity have been reported, ranging from full-blown riots, to the more standard noise-making protests observed so far during this conflict.

Analyst Comment: This afternoon, several detainees were released from the compound to the cheers of the crowds, but the context for these releases has not been made clear. Either way, the crowd is interpreting these releases as a victory.

Missouri: Yesterday evening a mass shooting was reported at a grocery store in Pleasant Hill. Local authorities state that one suspect entered the parking lot of the store, exited his vehicle, and began firing on shoppers in the parking lot. One citizen was killed exiting the store, and one employee of the store was wounded while moving carts back inside the store. The suspect has been identified as Allen Prince, who attempted to take his own life at the scene, but failed and is expected to survive. 

Analyst Comment: So far, there is no clear understanding of why this individual chose to conduct this attack, nor why this venue was selected as the target. More details are expected as the investigation continues.

Washington: This morning a major explosion and subsequent fire was reported at the Nippon Dynawave Packaging Company in Longview. Local authorities state that a chemical-based implosion took place after a large tank ruptured and collapsed in on itself this morning. Following the initial event, a major fire broke out at the facility which destroyed much of the compound. Concerning casualties, several employees were killed during the blast, and around a dozen others experienced severe chemical burns. The number of fatalities resulting from this incident has not yet been confirmed by authorities.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: So far this week, the situation in the Middle East remains as clear as mud, as what's happening in the Strait remains hard to confirm. This morning, claims circulated on social media by various media outlets stating that during the night the United States attempted to restart Project Freedom under the cover of darkness. Throughout the afternoon, other claims emerged stating the opposite, that the US has not re-ignited Project Freedom.

Regardless of how it is defined or labeled, evidence does indicate that one Greek-owned supertanker transited the Strait overnight. However, a few hours later, the UKMTO reported that a vessel had been struck with an unknown munition in the Gulf of Oman. Right now it's not clear as to if this is the same vessel that transited, or if this was a different ship. It is also not clear as to if this Greek supertanker was actually escorted by the United States, or merely guided over the radio (after paying the Iranian toll), or if the US was involved in this saga at all. These details might not ever be known with any certainty, but the situation remains tense all around as diplomatic efforts look less and less likely to come about anytime soon.

The United States might indeed have attempted to sneak out a tanker or two once again, to have some justification for saying that the Iranians don't have control over the Strait...even if these vessels that have been "helped" by the US Navy might have actually been granted permission by the Iranians. This detail is not known, but it would be imperative to figure out as the distribution of power in the Middle East hangs in the balance.

More practically for the American people and western Europe, the global fuel crisis continues as before. Following the truth coming out of no peace deal being on the table (along with the kinetic targeting overnight) oil prices rose to above $100 per barrel once again this morning. As we approach the end of May, it is important to remember that the high gas prices that are observed today...are actually artificially low. The United States has been draining the Strategic Petroleum Reserve (SPR) at an increasing rate since mid-March. This month, the US drained an additional 29 million barrels, which comes after draining another 20 million barrels in April. Similarly, China is also draining their own strategic oil reserves, and has cut their import of petroleum sharply with some estimates suggesting China has cut their imports by about 20% over the past few weeks. Now that the US and others are dipping into their strategic reserves at an increasing rate just to keep oil at roughly $100 per barrel, it's not clear when that supply will eventually dwindle enough to not be able to cover the true impacts the war is having on the energy sector.

Analyst: S2A1
 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT//

//The Wire//2300Z May 25, 2026//
 //ROUTINE//
 //BLUF: WEEKEND RHETORIC OF POTENTIAL PEACE DEAL IN MIDDLE EAST GIVES WAY TO RENEWED EFFORTS TO REIGNITE THE WAR IN IRAN. MULTIPLE INDUSTRIAL INCIDENTS REPORTED IN LOS ANGELES. PEPPER SPRAY INCIDENTS CONTINUE IN JAPAN. SHOOTING REPORTED AT WHITE HOUSE.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

-International Events-

Japan: This morning a chemical incident was reported at Ginza Six Mall in Tokyo. One individual reportedly sprayed an unidentified noxious substance at one of the entrances to the mall, which resulted in many people becoming ill. 12x individuals reported throat pain, and a total of 25x people sought medical treatment after the substance was released.

Analyst Comment: When it comes to chemical incidents involving unknown materials in public places, the potential explanations vary widely. In this case, the origin appears to be pepper spray, with some locals claiming that an argument between two foreign men devolved into one of the two pepper spraying the other. Officially, no statements by authorities have confirmed what happened. As always, incidents like this occurring in Japan are extremely rare as pepper spray is heavily regulated and illegal to carry throughout the country. Consequently, incidents which wouldn't be worth mentioning in the western world result in overwhelming responses in Japan, and in this case this is the second such incident this month. Two weeks ago, someone deployed pepper spray on a train at Kawasaki Station, which occurred without much media attention. 

-HomeFront-

California: Multiple major industrial incidents have taken place in Los Angeles over the past few days. Several days ago, a chemical incident was reported at the GKN Aerospace facility in Garden Grove. The incident involved a cooling system failing inside a large tank holding about 7,000 gallons of methyl methacrylate (UN: 1247), a Toxic Industrial Compound (TIC) used in the manufacture of epoxies and resins. This is a highly unstable compound if not handled appropriately, which can result in chemical reactions taking place inside the tank if certain conditions are met. Over the weekend, these conditions resulted in the evacuation of roughly 50,000 people, with local authorities being concerned that the tank might explode. As of this morning, a crack had formed in the tank, relieving the pressure and reducing the risk of an explosion.

Separately, a large fire was reported in South Gate, as an automotive facility burned Sunday afternoon. A shelter-in-place order was issued for the local area due to the smoke and the close proximity of the fire to residential communities. Localized power outages were also reported in the neighborhood, but power was restored after the fire was knocked down throughout the evening.

In East Los Angeles, a spill of crude oil was reported after a telecoms crew installing fiber optic lines accidentally hit a petroleum pipeline, causing a rupture. This pipeline break resulted in a few thousand gallons of crude entering the storm drains in the vicinity of the intersection of Caesar Chavez and Eastern Avenue.

Washington D.C. - Over the weekend, a small arms engagement was reported at the White House, after a man approached the perimeter fence with a handgun. Authorities state that one individual approached a Secret Service checkpoint and drew a firearm from a bag, before engaging the agents at the checkpoint at the corner of 17th Street and Pennsylvania Avenue. Secret Service personnel engaged the shooter, ending the incident. One bystander was wounded during the incident.

Analyst Comment: The suspect has been identified as Nasire Best, who had a long history of presenting security threats to the White House. Best had previously attempted to breach the compound in the past, and had also made verbal threats toward Secret Service personnel. In June of last year, Best was arrested after blocking a traffic lane entering the White House compound, and subsequently committed to a mental institution. 

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: Over the weekend, several developments have taken place with regards to diplomacy in the Middle East. On Saturday, President Trump announced that a peace deal with Iran was "largely negotiated", subject to the final details being worked out. Almost immediately following this announcement, Iranian state media refuted these claims as not being true, or being different from what has been discussed so far during the negotiations. On Sunday, President Trump reversed his stance on the immediacy of the deal being reached, stating that he has instructed his staff to take their time regarding the details of a deal. This morning, the Iranian Foreign Ministry stated that no deal is on the table, and the deadlock continues.

As it stands, it's possible that the weekend shenanigans are the result of a few different theories. For one, the rhetoric from the White House could be the standard effort to calm economic markets. Normally, these "good news" social media posts are issued on Monday mornings shortly before the opening bell on Wall Street, but lately have also been taking place late in the week. Conversely, the confusing messaging regarding a potential peace deal could me more organic...it's not the first time that peace talks have collapsed at the eleventh hour all on their own, or from actions by parties around the region objecting to the deal in some manner.

It's also possible that this is a repeat of the now long-forgotten final days before this war began, most notably what transpired in the 72 hours leading up to the February 28th attacks. In retrospect, history indicates that even as the last-minute negotiations were taking place, the decision to use military force had been made many days before the war officially began. Likewise, a similar situation might be getting set up right now; it is possible that the US is transitioning into a renewed targeting effort. Until something happens either way, the three main possibilities remain, just as they have since the start of the ceasefire: Either a deal is reached and everything returns to normal as best it can, or the U.S. returns to bombing and the war resumes, or the stalemate continues as before with no real change to any of the points of deadlock. Time will tell what happens next, but for now nothing is signed and the "pause" to the war continues.

Analyst: S2A1
 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT//

Research Notes/Bibliography can be found here: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground 

Common Intelligence Picture: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=204a59b01f4443cd96718796fd102c00 

Border Crisis Map: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=7f13eda1f301431e98a7ac0393b0e6b0 

TOC Dashboard: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ebe374c40c1a4231a06075155b0e8cb9/ 

00:00 - Global Strategic Concerns 

01:29 - Strategic Movement 

06:05 - Conflict Tracker 

07:00 - Kinetic Activities 

08:49 - The YooKay 

12:05- Middle East 

21:10 - GhostNet Reports 

Download the GhostNet plan here! https://github.com/s2underground/GhostNet The text version of the Wire can be found on Twitter: https://twitter.com/s2_underground And on our Wire Telegram page here: https://t.me/S2undergroundWire If you would like to support us, we're on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=30479515 Disclaimer: No company sponsored this video. In fact, we have ZERO sponsors. We are funded 100% by you, the viewer. All of our funding comes from direct support from platforms like Patreon, or from ad revenue on YouTube. Without your support, I simply could not do this work at all, so to those of you who chose to support my efforts, I am eternally thankful. Odysee: https://odysee.com/@S2Underground:7 Gab: https://gab.com/S2underground Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/S2Underground BitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/P2NMGFdt3gf3/ Just a few reminders for everyone who's just become aware of us, in order to keep these briefings from being several hours long, I can't cover everything. I'm probably covering 1% of the world events when we conduct these briefings, so please remember that if I left it out, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's unimportant. Also, remember that I do these briefings quite often, so I might have covered an issue previously that you might not see if you are only watching our most recent videos. I'm also doing this in my spare time, so again I fully admit that these briefings aren't even close to being perfect; I'm going for a healthy blend of speed and quality. If I were to wait and only post a brief when it's "perfect" I would never post anything at all. So expect some minor errors here and there. If there is a major error or correction that needs to be made, I will post it here in the description, and verbally address it in the next briefing. Also, thanks for reading this far. It is always surprising the number of people that don't actually read the description box to find more information. This content is purely educational and does not advocate for violating any laws. Do not violate any laws or regulations. This is not legal advice. Consult with your attorney. Our Reading List! https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/133747963-s2-actual The War Kitchen Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYmtpjXT22tAWGIlg_xDDPA 

//The Wire//2300Z May 22, 2026//
 //ROUTINE//
 //BLUF: EXPLOSION STRIKES HUNGARIAN PETROCHEMICAL REFINERY. W.H.O. WARNS OF EBOLA OUTBREAK IN THE CONGO. RUMORS OF POTENTIAL PEACE DEAL CONTINUE TO CIRCULATE IN THE MIDDLE EAST.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

 
 -International Events-

Hungary: This morning an explosion was reported at the MOL petrochemical facility in Tiszaújváros. Hungarian officials claim that the explosion took place as the Olefin-1 unit was being brought online, and a compressor exploded at the plant. One worker was killed during the explosion.

Analyst Comment: While this refinery was first build decades ago, most of the facility is comparatively new, with the main installation undergoing major overhaul and expansion operations being completed in 2024. The main product produced by this installation is polyol, a precursor for the production of plastics.

Africa: Concerns have been growing over the past few days regarding an outbreak of Ebola in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. A total of 82 cases have been confirmed so far in the Congo, and around 750 more suspected cases are being monitored. The WHO has also elevated the risk level to "VERY HIGH" regarding this disease within the Congo.

Analyst Comment: It's too soon to tell if this is going to be another big crisis, however the WHO is pushing in hard, and the United States has implemented travel controls for commercial aviation coming from the region. Ebola crises normally come and go in Africa, and it's always challenging to determine if the next one will be a more widespread concern, especially when public distrust of medical agencies is already high in the wake of the COVID era.

-HomeFront-

Indiana: This morning a shooting was reported inside Franciscan Health Hospital in Michigan City. The incident began after Deputy Jon Samuelson of the LaPorte County Sheriff's Office stopped to render aid to a disabled vehicle near Westville. The inhabitant of the vehicle requested to be taken to the hospital for an unknown injury, which the officer did. After delivering the individual to the hospital, authorities made the connection that the individual was actually a suspect in an undisclosed crime last night, prompting Deputy Samuelson to re-enter the hospital to make contact with the suspect. Upon doing so, the individual produced a firearm inside the Emergency department, and shot the officer three times, before fleeing into a wooded area outside the facility. The suspect has been identified as Sharod Grafton, Jr. and was apprehended shortly after the shooting.

Washington D.C. - This afternoon Director of National Intelligence Tulsi Gabbard resigned from her position. Her resignation letter indicated that this departure is due to her husband's recent cancer diagnosis, and that this resignation is effective as of June 30th.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: In the Middle East, reports are widely contradictory regarding recent leaks of a potential peace agreement draft. Saudi sources have leaked what they claim is a rough draft of the peace agreement, which includes a list of very tentative points. In summary, the alleged draft as leaked is basically a stalemate. The US lifts sanctions on Iran, and Iran opens the Strait, while all sides agree to not invade or target each other anymore. As a result, many view this leak rather dubiously as this is a far cry from what the United States has said was acceptable in the past.

Regarding this war, one's watch can nearly be set by the timing and nature of the rhetoric that emerges. Reports of peace agreements have arrived like clockwork on Friday's and Monday's nearly every week since the start of the war, and time and time again have proven to not be serious attempts at peace but rather attempts to calm the markets. However, despite this clear pattern every claim is a fake until it isn't, and eventually something will have to be agreed upon to open the Strait. As it stands, opening the Strait in exchange for lifting sanctions is probably the simplest trade that can actually be agreed upon, especially since this would require the Iranians to give up their only bargaining chip at the moment (which on a strategic level they are probably okay with since they know that they can always close the Strait if attacked again). Time will tell how this works out, but as it stands nothing has been signed, and it's not over until the fat lady sings.

Analyst: S2A1
 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT//

//The Wire//2300Z May 21, 2026//
 //ROUTINE//
 //BLUF: VIKRAM DIGWA TRIAL CONTINUES IN UNITED KINGDOM. PARIS TERRORIST TO BE RELEASED FROM PRISON FOR GOOD BEHAVIOR. HAZMAT SITUATION REPORTED IN NEW MEXICO. ALLEGED "IED" ATTACK REPORTED IN PENNSYLVANIA.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

 
 -International Events-

United Kingdom: Societal anger is growing as the details of the murder of Henry Nowak come to light as the trial of Vikram Digwa continues. The court has observed the audio/video recordings of the police response, which confirm that Nowak told the responding officer that he had been stabbed, but the officer denied this even though Nowak was actively bleeding. The evidence also indicated that Digwa's entire extended family arrived on scene to defend the murderer, and that Digwa confessed to stabbing Nowak while speaking to his brother after the truth had come out and he had been detained in the back of a police vehicle.

Analyst Comment: Today, one Member of Parliament (Robert Jenrick) commented on the trial, specifically with regards to the two-tier policing system. So far the words of this one MP have been the only statement by the British government acknowledging the case.

France: One of the masterminds for the 2015 Paris terror attacks has been granted conditional release from prison. Mohamed Bakkali, one of the logistical coordinators and planners for the attacks was originally sentenced to 25 years in a Belgian prison for his role in the attacks, however he has been granted several 36-hour vacation breaks from prison, which he can use to depart prison grounds during his sentence.

Analyst Comment: The coordinated terror attacks conducted throughout Europe on November 13th, 2015 were the most coordinated and deadly attacks in recent memory. These attacks took the form of multiple small arms engagements and bombings throughout Paris, with the most notable attack occurring at the Bataclan Theatre. A total of 130 people were killed at this venue, and 416 others were wounded by small arms and shrapnel. Since the attack at this venue took several hours, many victims were found mutilated, dismembered, and tortured to death. Most of the attackers were killed that night, however the planning coordinators escaped before being detained later on. Bakkali was one of these individuals, and Belgian authorities are seeking to permanently release him from prison, purely because he seems nice.

-HomeFront-

New Mexico: Last night a HAZMAT situation was reported in the town of Mountainair following the discovery of a possible narcotics lab. Local authorities responded to a residence on Hanlon Avenue, where they discovered four unresponsive individuals, three of which later died of overdose at a hospital. During the response to the residence, a total of 18x first responders were exposed to an unidentified Toxic Industrial Compound (TIC) inside the structure, which required hospitalization. All have been discharged from the hospital except for 3x responders, who require further medical treatment.

Analyst Comment: The substance has not yet been identified and samples are under investigation to determine what it was. This residence was possibly serving as a meth lab or fentanyl production facility, so there's no telling what kind of chemicals were being used inside.

Pennsylvania: Yesterday two men were arrested in conjunction with a suspected IED attack which was conducted in Catasauqua two days ago. On Tuesday, an incident was reported at the Salem United Church of Christ on 3rd Street, which was serving as a polling place for Pennsylvania's 7th Congressional District at the time of the incident. Matthew and Jack Pletz were arrested after surveillance footage from the Church identified the suspects throwing an explosive device out of the window of their truck, before driving back to their residence adjacent to the polling place, at the corner of 3rd and Pine Street.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: Media is reporting the Pennsylvania incident to be a full-blown IED attack, but this may have been a situation of a couple of idiots throwing fireworks and engaging in public tomfoolery. Reading between the lines of the media reporting, it sounds like two brothers threw an M-80 firework at the church, before arriving at their own residence half a block away. Once the police arrived, they got a warrant to search the truck and found a box of illegal fireworks (some of which appeared to be homemade) and at least one item that authorities are classifying as a destructive device. This device is specifically described as being encased in plastic, which is an odd detail to focus on if these were high-grade devices. The detail of the suspects literally conducting an IED attack at their own residence would be rather dumb if the suspects intended to cause mass death and destruction. These idiots probably saw people lining up at the polling place, and wanted to engage in a bit of public nuisance as they were arriving home that day. It's still an illegal act, but not exactly the complex IED attack it was made out to be based on the information that has been made public.

Analyst: S2A1
 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT//

//The Wire//2300Z May 20, 2026//
 //ROUTINE//
 //BLUF: POTENTIAL FOR WAR TO RESUME IN MIDDLE EAST REMAINS ELEVATED. VIOLENT ATTACKS, STREET TAKEOVERS, AND MOB ACTIVITY REMAINS PARAMOUNT IN UNITED STATES. U.S. TENSIONS WITH CUBA CONTINUE TO ESCALATE.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

 
 -International Events-

Middle East: This morning CENTCOM announced the boarding and seizure of the M/T CELESTIAL SEA in the Gulf of Oman. This vessel was attempting to run the American blockade to onload cargo within Iran.

Analyst Comment: Otherwise the grand question of further military action remains. Regional aversion to a resumption of the conflict is understandably high, however military measures to prepare for a resumption of the war are ongoing. Both the Iranians and the United States have conducted substantial resupply and rearming campaigns during the ceasefire, and the Israelis have reached a point of semi-stability regarding their ground invasion of Lebanon. The Emirates and Saudis have likewise been the main belligerents actually conducting targeting efforts during the ceasefire, so they're also ready to go at a moment's notice. All diplomacy has failed so far, and all drafts of any sort of peace settlement provided indicate that all parties are probably further from a peace agreement right now, than when the war first began. All things considered, nothing might happen, or the war might kick off again soon, with President Trump himself indicating that the war might begin again this weekend.

-HomeFront-

Washington D.C. - This afternoon, the DoJ announced the indictment of Raul Castro on charges of conspiring to kill Americans, which is linked to the downing of two American planes in 1996.

Analyst Comment: American aspirations for control of Cuba have become increasingly more serious over the past few weeks, with various tactics being used to apply pressure on the Cuban government. Of note, Castro is not physically located in the United States...he's in Cuba. As a result, this indictment could be laying the groundwork for a Maduro-style operation to snatch him, while simultaneously expanding the American foothold on the island.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: Around the nation, various instances of civil crime and unrest have resulted in localized states of chaos in various locations. Street takeovers have become common in most major cities, and mass fights/mobs/riots have become a routine threat as well. In Rhode Island, a mass fight resulted in 3x people being stabbed at Narragansett Town Beach. The same day, a riot of 400-500 people was dispersed by police in Rochester, NY after a meetup turned into a mass fight in Ontario Beach Park. In Washington D.C. local authorities are still seeking information on the suspects who caused a mob attack at the Navy Yard Chipotle over the weekend. In Long Branch, New Jersey a mass riot broke out after mobs began attacking cars in Pier Village. This devolved into a full-blown riot, with a state of emergency being declared, a curfew being implemented, and riot police dispersing the crowds.

In all of these cases, there was no reason for the unrest and destruction...this is just now routine behavior in many cities. As summertime arrives, the standard and routine behavioral/cultural considerations which make all major US cities very low-trust environments get dialed up to eleven, and street takeovers and flash mobs are very likely. From a threat assessment perspective, these types of incidents strike without cause or much warning, and take place purely due to the degradation of societal norms of accountability. As a result, there is no "trigger" to watch out for, and the only indicator of impending violence is the gathering of large crowds of people who are likely to engage in such behavior. Most of these riots are conducted purely for the enjoyment of violence, and consequently there's not much that can be done to mitigate these types of incidents, with the exception of avoiding large crowds which are likely to devolve into chaos. These riots are occurring during the middle of the day, on a weekday. And with Memorial Day weekend coming up in a few days, the potential for civil unrest is high.

Analyst: S2A1
 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT//

//The Wire//2300Z May 19, 2026//
 //ROUTINE//
 //BLUF: DETAILS EMERGE REGARDING YESTERDAYS SHOOTING IN CALIFORNIA. TENSIONS INCREASE IN IRELAND FOLLOWING DEATH OF CONGOLESE NATIONAL. WAR POTENTIAL IN MIDDLE EAST REMAINS AS ALL PARTIES CONTINUE PREPARING FOR CONFLICT.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

 
 -International Events-

Ireland: Tensions have increased sharply following the death of a Congolese man on Friday. Yves Sakila died while resisting arrest, after he shoplifted from a local store and broke an elderly man's leg. This death has resulted in a mobilization of the Congolese population of Dublin, with mass protests planned for tonight and the next few days.

Analyst Comment: It's too soon to tell, but many locals are saying this is Dublin's version of George Floyd in terms of civil unrest and the large Congolese population in Ireland. Roving bands of Congolese gangs commonly cause problems within Dublin, and since local tensions were already boiling before this, clashes are likely if the Congolese decide to escalate the situation.

Middle East: The potential for a resumption of the war remains on the table, as rhetoric on all sides continues to escalate. The creation and streamlining of the Persian Gulf Strait Authority (the Iranian organization that has claimed administrative control of the Strait) has continued to be of cause for concern for western-aligned vessels. The handful of ships that are transiting the Strait are sailing with their transponders turned off, and so far all vessels have transited with Iranian approval. This afternoon, President Trump stated that he was only one hour away from ordering the resumption of the fighting yesterday. He also stated that the fighting may resume in a few days regardless, and all parties around the region remain ready for the ceasefire to come to an end.

-HomeFront-

Alabama: Yesterday a suspect was arrested in conjunction with a missing person investigation in Northport. Two weeks ago, Karen Deann Hollis was reported missing, after concerned family members failed to locate her. On Saturday, her remains were located at an undisclosed location in Greene County. At the scene, authorities arrested Randall Lendell Dejourney on charges of abusing human remains for 8 days. He is being held in jail on a $15,000 cash bond and no murder charges have been filed.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: Few details have come to light regarding yesterday's shooting at the San Diego Islamic Center, however the suspects have been identified as Cain Clark and Caleb Vazquez. The two shooters attempted to conduct a mass shooting at the facility, and began the attack by killing the security guard at the front entry point of the building. After making entrance to the facility, the suspects killed two more people, before re-entering their vehicle and driving a short distance from the facility. Both suspects were found deceased inside the vehicle with self-inflicted gunshot wounds.

Concerning the suspects themselves, the very few details that have emerged indicate this was very likely the standard transgender shooting. Both suspects were of questionable status, though both appear to have been born male. Slogans and statements were written on the firearms with a white paint pen, which has become a staggeringly common calling card of most trans-affiliated mass shootings (as the shooters often try to copy previous attacks). Both attackers appear to have been Hispanic, but also used symbols from political movements that would not have approved of their lifestyle choices, which is another hallmark of such attacks as well.

No official link to the Order of Nine Angles (O9A) or the 764 Network has been made, however this would be wise to investigate as this shooting is nearly identical to all prior O9A/764 mass murders from years past. The attackers also allegedly livestreaming the attack fits with many other similar attacks as well.

Of note, another bit of amplifying information might be helpful for factoring in to risk assessments. Five days ago, a nationwide shortage of Progesterone was reported. Among many other more traditional uses, this medication is used by transgender individuals to level out mood changes during their process. More strategically, this could be nothing or it could be something. There's no indication at all that the two shooters in California were affected by this drug, and there is no evidence linking this attack to any drug shortage as drug shortages happen all of the time for varying reasons. However, copycat incidents are an extreme risk in the wake of attacks like this, and a drug which is intended to affect mood changes among this population is in short supply. Again, this might be a loose correlation at best, but it's worth being aware of when trying to calculate the risk of future copycat attacks.

Analyst: S2A1
 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT//

//The Wire//2300Z May 18, 2026//
 //ROUTINE//
 //BLUF: CRIME AND SHOOTING SPREES RUN RAMPANT IN UNITED STATES. VEHICLE RAMMING ATTACK REPORTED IN ITALY. WAR IN MIDDLE EAST CONTINUES AS STRIKES REPORTED AT EMIRATI NUCLEAR FACILITY. U.S. STRIKES ISIS LEADERSHIP IN NIGERIA. FUEL CRISIS RESULTS IN SHARP INCREASE IN SHIPPING PRICES WORLDWIDE.//

 -----BEGIN TEARLINE-----

 
 -International Events-

Middle East: The situation remains as before, with most of the focus remaining on the restriction of travel through the Strait of Hormuz. As of this morning, all diplomatic efforts between the United States and Iran have failed to open the Strait, and traffic remains stagnant through the waterway. A handful of tankers have transited out of the Strait via the Iranian route, but Project Freedom has not resulted in any western-aligned merchants transiting the Strait since the initial skirmishes on it's first day.

Around the region, limited targeting efforts continue to take place. Yesterday, the UAE reported drone strikes at the Barakah Nuclear Power Plant in Al Dhafra. Three drones were detected and two were shot down, but one drone successfully stuck the compound. None of the reactors at the facility were breached, and no release of radiological material was reported.

Nigeria: Hostilities have increased sharply over the past few days, with the United States conducting several airstrikes targeting ISIS facilities. President Trump himself announced the completion of a raid targeting Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, a senior commander within the Islamic State West African Province (ISWAP) insurgent group.

Analyst Comment: Prior to a few days ago, the United States was only supporting Nigeria with intelligence and surveillance assets, and not openly engaging in the war themselves, at least as far as the public is concerned. The weekend raid on an ISIS stronghold is a major escalation of US involvement in the war, even though the mission may have initially been to capture al-Minuki.

A good bit of reading between the lines is needed (along with a bit of speculation) to interpret what happened, as this announcement is different than other targeting efforts throughout the continent. The wording of all official reports implies that this was a ground operation to capture the leadership who had congregated together inside a compound. At some point, this ground operation transitioned to airstrikes taking out the target, with the High-Value Targets (HVTs) being killed during the strike. Speculating a bit, it's possible that when the ground force experienced significant resistance and everyone scattered from the meeting site on motorcycles, the US bombed the building and got al-Minuki by happenstance. This is a tale as old as time in the targeting world (especially in Africa), and aligns with the previous strikes within Sokoto, which targeted senior ISIS leadership in the same area back in December.

Italy: Over the weekend a vehicle ramming attack was reported in Modena, as a terrorist rammed his vehicle into a crowd of people on Via Emilia Centro, a historic street in the center of town. A total of 10x people were wounded during the attack, with 4x victims remaining hospitalized in critical condition. The assailant has been identified as Salim El Koudri, and local authorities have not commented on motive.

-HomeFront-

Texas: Over the weekend a shooting spree was reported in Austin, as three suspects conducted approximately 12x small arms attacks around the city. The incident began Saturday with the theft of firearms from a local store, and also the theft of a vehicle from an apartment complex in north Austin. From there, the suspects conducted a joyride around the city, shooting at random citizens. One of the first targets was Fire Station 26 on Wentworth Drive, along with Fire Station 32 near Rollingwood. Throughout the city, over 20x different shooting calls were reported, with over 12x different shooting victims resulting from the shooting spree.

At some point during the series of attacks from Saturday afternoon until Sunday morning, police made the connection that all of these attacks were related and involved the same suspects. A BOLO notice was put out by Austin PD, which was picked up by Manor Police Department, with one patrol officer visually observing the vehicle as the BOLO was put out on the radio. This immediately turned into a pursuit, with the suspects eventually crashing in a muddy field on state road 973, near a residential area in Manor. After the pursuit ended, the occupants of the vehicle scattered, and a large shelter-in-place order was issued while the manhunt was conducted to find the suspects. Two of the suspected shooters were captured immediately, a 17 year old and a 15 year old, both of which have long criminal records. A third suspect remained at large until nightfall, when he was discovered and arrested.

California: This afternoon, an active shooter incident was reported at the Islamic Center of San Diego.

Analyst Comment: No word yet on casualties or any other details yet as this is a developing situation. However, a media helicopter captured a video of a very clearly deceased individual located at the front entrance to the facility, so at least one person (possibly the shooter) was killed during the attack.

-----END TEARLINE-----

Analyst Comments: Around the world, fuel prices remain a growing concern. Over the past few days, sharp increases in the price of freight has been observed as the cost of diesel makes it more expensive to move cargo within the homeland. At the national level, the LMI Transportation index indicates that freight costs are the highest in recent memory, with the latest numbers for April being released and confirming what we already know...moving cargo is now extremely expensive.

At the more operational level, this sharp increase in shipping costs can be seen with the price of moving a standard Twenty-Foot Equivalent Unit (TEU) shipping container. Before the war began, this container (on average) cost $980 to ship from China, to the Middle East (via the Red Sea route, not through the Strait of Hormuz). Right now, this same container costs about $4,131 to ship along the same route. During the COVID era, the maximum price observed was about $3,900 so as it stands, the oil shock has already impacted shipping costs more than COVID did. These costs are being observed right now within the United States both in terms of goods rising in price, but also availability.

Throughout the Middle East, lots of talk continues and there isn't really any indicator for when this crisis might end. This afternoon, President Trump stated that the large-scale bombing of Iran was scheduled to continue tomorrow, but he has decided to hold off on the resumption of the war while a negotiated settlement is allegedly imminent. At the moment, it's not clear as to if this is just diplomatic posturing, or a genuine diplomatic effort. This exact situation was also alleged during the halt to Project Freedom, which stopped after one day due to a settlement that never came. In this case, this could be a negotiating tactic, but overall the war is certainly not over, and the effects of the war (i.e. the global petroleum crisis) remain largely unmitigated.

Analyst: S2A1
 Research: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground
Disclaimer: No LLMs were used in the writing of this report.
//END REPORT//

Research Notes/Bibliography can be found here: https://publish.obsidian.md/s2underground 

Common Intelligence Picture: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=204a59b01f4443cd96718796fd102c00 

Border Crisis Map: https://www.arcgis.com/home/item.html?id=7f13eda1f301431e98a7ac0393b0e6b0 

TOC Dashboard: https://experience.arcgis.com/experience/ebe374c40c1a4231a06075155b0e8cb9/ 

00:00 - Global Strategic Concerns 

01:01 - Strategic Movement 

02:21 - Dalton Eatherly Incident 

06:19 - Decarlos Brown Jr. 

08:30 - Karmelo Anthony 

10:15 - Perfect Storm 

14:27 - Oil Shock 

15:50 - Cuba 

18:20 - Henry Nowak 

33:27 - Strategic Ambiguity 

40:54 - GhostNet Reports 

Download the GhostNet plan here! https://github.com/s2underground/GhostNet The text version of the Wire can be found on Twitter: https://twitter.com/s2_underground And on our Wire Telegram page here: https://t.me/S2undergroundWire If you would like to support us, we're on Patreon! https://www.patreon.com/user?u=30479515 Disclaimer: No company sponsored this video. In fact, we have ZERO sponsors. We are funded 100% by you, the viewer. All of our funding comes from direct support from platforms like Patreon, or from ad revenue on YouTube. Without your support, I simply could not do this work at all, so to those of you who chose to support my efforts, I am eternally thankful. Odysee: https://odysee.com/@S2Underground:7 Gab: https://gab.com/S2underground Rumble: https://rumble.com/c/S2Underground BitChute: https://www.bitchute.com/channel/P2NMGFdt3gf3/ Just a few reminders for everyone who's just become aware of us, in order to keep these briefings from being several hours long, I can't cover everything. I'm probably covering 1% of the world events when we conduct these briefings, so please remember that if I left it out, it doesn't necessarily mean that it's unimportant. Also, remember that I do these briefings quite often, so I might have covered an issue previously that you might not see if you are only watching our most recent videos. I'm also doing this in my spare time, so again I fully admit that these briefings aren't even close to being perfect; I'm going for a healthy blend of speed and quality. If I were to wait and only post a brief when it's "perfect" I would never post anything at all. So expect some minor errors here and there. If there is a major error or correction that needs to be made, I will post it here in the description, and verbally address it in the next briefing. Also, thanks for reading this far. It is always surprising the number of people that don't actually read the description box to find more information. This content is purely educational and does not advocate for violating any laws. Do not violate any laws or regulations. This is not legal advice. Consult with your attorney. Our Reading List! https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/133747963-s2-actual The War Kitchen Channel! https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCYmtpjXT22tAWGIlg_xDDPA