Executive Summary

It's Tuesday, February 10th. At least 67 people were killed across seven active conflict zones on February 9, 2026, with the deadliest violence occurring in eastern Congo, Gaza, and Ukraine. Russian forces launched 11 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 149 drones at Ukraine overnight, killing at least 5 civilians including a mother and her 10-year-old son. In the Democratic Republic of Congo, an Islamic State-linked militia massacred at least 20 villagers in North Kivu, while Israeli forces killed 9 Palestinians in Gaza and 4 people in Lebanon — including a 3-year-old boy. The cyber domain saw a landmark disclosure: Singapore revealed that a Chinese state-sponsored group had penetrated all four of its major telecom operators, triggering the city-state's largest-ever cyber defense operation.

Israeli forces kill nine Palestinians in Gaza ceasefire violations

Israeli forces killed 9 Palestinians across the Gaza Strip on February 9 in what Palestinian officials characterized as ceasefire violations. The most significant engagement occurred in Rafah, where four Hamas gunmen emerged from an underground tunnel and opened fire on Israeli troops from the 7th Armored Brigade. All four were killed. The IDF called the attack a ceasefire violation. Separately, an Israeli airstrike on Al-Nasr Street in western Gaza City destroyed a residential apartment, killing three civilians in an area outside Israeli military deployment zones. In Beit Lahia, a 54-year-old Palestinian was shot dead near Abu Tammam School. In Deir al-Balah, a farmer was killed by Israeli forces in the east of the city. A fisherman was wounded by Israeli fire off the Khan Younis coast.

Israeli drone strike kills Hezbollah commander, three-year-old child in Tyre District

An Israeli drone struck a vehicle in Yanouh, Tyre District, southern Lebanon, killing Hezbollah artillery commander Ahmad Ali Salami, Lebanese Internal Security Forces member Hassan Jaber, and Jaber's 3-year-old son Ali. The IDF said Salami had advanced numerous rocket attacks on Israel and was working to restore Hezbollah's artillery infrastructure. Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hajjar condemned the strike. A separate shooting in Aita al-Shaab killed one additional civilian. Since the November 2024 ceasefire, Israel has killed over 330 people in Lebanon, with UNIFIL documenting more than 11,000 ceasefire violations.

Iraqi airstrikes kill four Islamic State militants in Nineveh

The Iraqi Air Force struck Islamic State hideouts near Hatra in Nineveh Governorate using F-16s, killing four militants and destroying logistical facilities. Separately, an IS suicide bomber detonated explosives during an attempted arrest in Al-Qa'im District, killing himself and injuring two security officers.

Three Syrian soldiers killed by landmine in eastern Aleppo

Three Syrian army soldiers were killed by a landmine left behind by the SDF in Sarrin, eastern Aleppo. Government Internal Security Forces began deploying into Hasakah and Kobani as part of the SDF integration agreement, while US forces were observed withdrawing from the Al-Shaddadi base in Hasakah, with C-17 aircraft departing and convoys transporting ISIS prisoners toward Iraq. An unidentified explosion was also reported in Qashla village near Manbij.

US drone strike reportedly kills three AQAP members in Yemen

A drone strike, likely conducted by US forces, killed 3 al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula members in Marib, Yemen. This event carries moderate confidence due to limited independent confirmation.

Sources

Middle East Monitor, Euronews, Al Jazeera, Reuters, AP News, BBC, Just Security, Liveuamap Syria, Wikipedia Current Events, Institute for Science and International Security

Russia launches 160-drone barrage killing five civilians across Ukraine

February 9 marked Day 1,446 of Russia's full-scale invasion. The overnight barrage included 11 Iskander-M ballistic missiles and 149 Shahed-type drones, of which Ukrainian air defenses intercepted 116. At least 23 drones and several missiles struck 15 locations across 11 oblasts. Five civilians were confirmed killed. In Bohodukhiv, Kharkiv Oblast, a Geran-2 kamikaze drone destroyed a house, killing a woman and her 10-year-old son and injuring three others. In Odesa, a drone struck a 24-story residential tower, killing a 35-year-old man and damaging 21 apartments. A 71-year-old man died in Novhorod-Siverskyi, Chernihiv Oblast, when drones hit while residents slept. One additional person died in a grenade explosion in Shakhtarske, Dnipropetrovsk Oblast, where drone strikes injured nine more people including a 13-year-old girl.

A strike on a high-voltage substation near Novovolynsk left over 80,000 consumers without power. Naftogaz facilities in Poltava Oblast were hit for the 19th time since the war began. Railway infrastructure in Sumy and Chernihiv oblasts was damaged, disrupting train service on the Sumy-Kyiv and Sumy-Kharkiv lines. Across Zaporizhzhia Oblast alone, Russian forces carried out 499 attacks on 24 settlements, including 11 airstrikes, 298 FPV drones, and 186 artillery strikes. Kherson Oblast saw widespread shelling across 26 settlements, damaging the Holy Spirit Cathedral, a hospital, and 54 private houses. In total, approximately 36-40 civilians were wounded across all oblasts.

Ukrainian forces record 159 combat engagements across front lines

The Ukrainian General Staff recorded 159 combat engagements on February 9. The Pokrovsk axis was the most active with 36 Russian attacks. Russian forces claimed to have captured the settlements of Petropavlivka and Stepova Novoselivka near Kupiansk, while Ukrainian forces said they cleared Chuhunivka in Kharkiv Oblast and Ternuvate in Zaporizhzhia Oblast and captured 11 Russian soldiers near Pavlivka. Ukraine's General Staff reported approximately 980-1,250 Russian personnel losses in the preceding 24-hour period, along with 2 tanks and 33 artillery systems destroyed.

Sources

Euronews, Al Jazeera, Ukrinform, RBC-Ukraine, Kyiv Independent, Global Security, Gwara Media, Liveuamap Ukraine, Odessa Journal, Mezha, Ukrainian General Staff

No significant conflict developments, military operations, terrorist attacks, or security incidents were documented in the Americas theater on February 9, 2026. The absence of immediate events during this reporting period reflects normal variance in daily conflict cycles rather than resolution of underlying security challenges affecting this region.

Islamic State-linked militia massacres at least 20 villagers in eastern Congo

The Allied Democratic Forces attacked a village in Lubero Territory, North Kivu, DRC, killing at least 20 people. The ADF, an Islamic State-linked Central African militia, has become one of the most violent insurgencies on the continent. Simultaneously, FARDC government forces clashed with M23-aligned Twirwaneho militia fighters around Minembwe in the Fizi highlands of South Kivu, with the army deploying attack drones to bomb villages including Rwitsankuku and Rugezi. Active combat was confirmed on both February 8 and 9 across multiple villages.

Nigerian forces kill senior Boko Haram commander in Borno State raid

Security forces killed senior Boko Haram commander Abu Khalid and 10 other fighters during a raid in Borno State. Abu Khalid was described as the group's deputy leader in Sambisa Forest. Separately, armed bandits killed one person in a shooting attack in Kwara State.

RSF drone attack kills 24 displaced civilians in North Kordofan

The devastating RSF drone attack on displaced families near Er Rahad on February 7 — which killed 24 people including 8 children — dominated reporting on February 9. The UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk addressed the Human Rights Council on February 9, documenting over 90 civilian deaths and 142 injuries from drone strikes by both the SAF and RSF from late January to February 6. A separate RSF drone strike on a WFP-contracted humanitarian convoy near El-Obeid on February 6 killed one person and wounded several.

Two customs officers killed in possible Islamic State attack in Niger

A possible IS-Sahel attack on a customs office in Kouré, 50 km southeast of Niamey, killed 2 customs officers with 2 personnel still missing. This event has a date discrepancy between sources.

All five occupants killed in Libyan military helicopter crash

A helicopter crash at Maaten al-Sarra Air Base in Libya killed all 5 occupants.

Sources

Critical Threats Congo War Security Review, Al Jazeera Sudan, Democracy Now, Military.com, UN News, Wikipedia Current Events, Liveuamap Sahel, Zagazola, Aviation Safety Network

Taiwan detects seven Chinese naval vessels around territorial waters

Taiwan's Ministry of National Defense detected 7 PLA Navy vessels operating around Taiwan as of 6:00 AM local time on February 9, though notably no PLA aircraft sorties were recorded — an unusual lull compared to the 6-8 daily incursions in preceding days. This ongoing naval presence reflects sustained Chinese pressure following the large-scale Justice Mission 2025 drills in late December 2025.

Myanmar junta forces recapture Banmauk as civil war continues

The most significant development near February 9 was the pro-junta recapture of Banmauk in Sagaing Region by forces including the Shanni Nationalities Army, reversing resistance gains from September 2025. Near Myawaddy on the Thai border, the junta's 22nd Military Division pressed attacks against KNU Brigade 6, with stray fire hitting 9 houses across the border in Thailand's Mae Sot district. The media blackout across Myanmar means specific February 9 casualties remain unquantified, though daily fighting, airstrikes, and deaths are virtually certain across at least five active fronts.

Sources

The Tribune India, The Diplomat, Wionews, Liveuamap Myanmar, Burma News International, The Irrawaddy, PBS

No new confirmed attacks occurred on February 9, 2026, but the security environment remained critically elevated. Pakistan was reeling from the February 6 Islamabad mosque bombing that killed 31-36 people and wounded 169, claimed by Islamic State – Pakistan Province. On February 9, President Zardari warned that the Taliban government had created conditions similar to or worse than the pre-9/11 era and accused India of assisting the Taliban regime. The death toll continued climbing as critically wounded victims died in hospital. In Kashmir, Indian forces continued Operation Trashi-I counter-terrorism sweeps in Kishtwar district, though no engagement was reported on February 9 specifically.

Sources

CBC News, Al Jazeera Pakistan, News Today, Just Security, News-Press NOW, TRT World, Washington Times, ANI News

Singapore discloses Chinese hackers penetrated all four major telecom operators

Singapore disclosed that Chinese state-sponsored group UNC3886 had compromised all four of its major telecom operators — Singtel, StarHub, M1, and Simba Telecom — using zero-day exploits, custom backdoors, and log tampering. The government launched Operation Cyber Guardian, its largest-ever national cyber defense response, deploying 100 defenders across 6 agencies over 11 months. No customer data was exfiltrated and no services were disrupted, but the breach of an entire nation's telecom infrastructure by a single APT group represents a landmark incident.

Pro-Russian hacktivists sustain DDoS attacks against Italian Olympic infrastructure

Pro-Russian hacktivist group NoName057(16) continued DDoS attacks against approximately 120 Italian websites connected to the 2026 Winter Olympics in Cortina d'Ampezzo, targeting the Foreign Ministry, hotels, and Olympics infrastructure. Italy deployed 6,000 police, 2,000 soldiers, and a 24/7 cybersecurity command center; most attacks were neutralized.

Critical zero-day vulnerabilities in Ivanti software exploited against European governments

Critical zero-day vulnerabilities in Ivanti Endpoint Manager Mobile (CVE-2026-1281 and CVE-2026-1340, both CVSS 9.8) were disclosed, having been exploited to breach the Dutch Data Protection Authority, the Dutch Council for the Judiciary, the European Commission's mobile device management systems, and Finnish government networks. Rapid7 honeypots recorded hundreds of exploitation attempts from 130 unique IPs within 24 hours.

Ransomware strikes US payment systems, Senegalese identity database

BridgePay Network Solutions, processing 40 million monthly transactions for U.S. local governments, suffered a ransomware attack that knocked out online billing for cities including Palm Bay, Florida. Senegal's national ID agency was hit by the newly emerged Green Blood Group, with 139 GB of citizen data — including biometric records for 19.5 million residents — allegedly exfiltrated. Romania's Conpet oil pipeline operator was claimed by the Qilin ransomware group. La Sapienza University in Rome remained offline for a seventh consecutive day after a BabLock ransomware attack.

Norway confirms Salt Typhoon targeting of critical infrastructure

Norway confirmed it had been targeted by Salt Typhoon (Chinese state-sponsored) in critical infrastructure espionage, calling the situation the most serious since WWII.

Sources

The Record, Barracuda Networks, The Cyber Express, Check Point Research, Cyware, Databreachtoday, Maritime Executive