THE FRONTLINE REPORT

It's Wednesday, November 26th. November 25, 2025 witnessed one of the war's largest aerial exchanges as Russia launched 22 missiles and 460-plus drones at Ukraine, killing seven in Kyiv and leaving over 100,000 without power, while Ukrainian counterstrikes killed three in Russia's Rostov region. Alleged Pakistani airstrikes on Afghanistan's Khost Province killed 10 civilians including nine children, according to Taliban authorities, though Pakistan denied conducting the strikes. Israeli forces returned hostage remains to the Red Cross in Gaza while continuing military operations that killed six Palestinians across the Strip and West Bank. Sudan's Rapid Support Forces abducted more than 150 men and children from South Kordofan's al-Zallataya Mine hours after declaring a humanitarian truce. The Philippine Navy reported 30 Chinese military and coast guard vessels at disputed South China Sea features in one of Beijing's largest maritime deployments in contested waters. China unveiled its YKJ-1000 hypersonic missile system claiming 10 percent of traditional costs and mass production capability.

• Hamas and PIJ returned remains of Israeli hostage Dror Or to Red Cross in Deir al-Balah
• IDF Nahal Brigade killed five Hamas operatives emerging from tunnels in eastern Rafah
• 188th Armored Brigade shot dead one person crossing yellow line demarcation near troops
• Israeli forces killed Sultan al-Ghani south of Jenin; wanted for August 2024 guard killing
• IDF operation in Nablus killed one person accused of May 2024 vehicle-ramming attack
• Syrian Army bombarded SDF positions along Ghanem al-Ali axis and Madan line in Raqqa
• SDF deployed military reinforcements to Conoco gas plant base in northern Deir ez-Zor
• Unknown assailants attacked SDF position in Dhiban with RPGs and machine guns
• Protests erupted in Alawite areas demanding decentralization; gunfire in Homs al-Zira'a
• Israeli forces advanced into Zubayda al-Gharbiya village expanding Golan buffer zone
• Iraqi airstrike southwest of Kirkuk killed four suspected ISIS militants
• UN called for Lebanon strike investigation; Israel killed 127 civilians since ceasefire

Israeli hostage remains returned amid continued Gaza operations

Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad transferred the remains of Israeli hostage Dror Or to the International Committee of the Red Cross at 4:00 p.m. local time in Deir al-Balah, Gaza Strip. Or, a 49-year-old member of Kibbutz Be'eri's security team, was killed by Palestinian Islamic Jihad terrorists and abducted from his home during the October 7, 2023 attacks. His remains were discovered in Nuseirat refugee camp during earlier Israeli operations and officially identified on November 26, 2025.

Despite the October 2025 ceasefire framework, Israeli military operations continued across Gaza. IDF Nahal Brigade troops killed five armed Hamas operatives who emerged from tunnel shafts in eastern Rafah, publishing images of recovered Kalashnikov rifles, magazines, and grenades. Separately, 188th Armored Brigade soldiers shot dead one person who crossed the yellow line demarcation zone and approached their position in what the military described as an immediate threat.

West Bank operations kill two wanted Palestinians

Israeli security forces conducted two operations targeting individuals accused of previous attacks. South of Jenin, forces killed Sultan al-Ghani in an exchange of fire. Al-Ghani had been wanted since August 2024 for killing Israeli security guard Gideon Peri at the Salem crossing. In a separate operation in Nablus, Israeli forces killed one person accused of conducting a vehicle-ramming attack against Israeli troops in May 2024.

Syrian internal tensions escalate amid territorial expansions

Syria experienced multiple flashpoints on November 25. The Syrian Army launched heavy weapons bombardments against Syrian Democratic Forces positions along the Ghanem al-Ali axis in Raqqa countryside and the Madan line east of Raqqa. The SDF responded by deploying massive military reinforcements to the Conoco gas plant base in northern Deir ez-Zor. Unknown assailants attacked an SDF position in Dhiban with rocket-propelled grenades and machine guns.

Protests erupted in Alawite-majority areas across Latakia, Tartous, and Homs provinces, with demonstrators demanding decentralization of governance. Syrian security forces dispersed protesters who attacked the Interior Ministry spokesman. Gunfire was reported from the al-Zira'a neighborhood in Homs as tensions over resource allocation and regional autonomy intensified.

Israeli forces advanced into Zubayda al-Gharbiya village in central Quneitra countryside, expanding the buffer zone along the Golan Heights border established following the fall of the Assad government. The move represents Israel's continued territorial expansion into Syrian-controlled areas adjacent to the 1974 separation line.

• Russia launched 22 missiles and 460-plus drones at Ukraine; 13 killed total across both countries
• Kinzhal hypersonics, Iskander ballistics struck Kyiv districts killing seven, injuring 20-plus
• Russian strikes destroyed Novus logistics center killing four drivers; over 100,000 without power
• Zaporizhzhia glide bombs killed five civilians; Bila Tserkva one dead, eight wounded
• Ukrainian forces launched 249 drones at Russia in fourth-largest attack of entire war
• Taganrog strikes killed three, wounded eight-plus; hit Beriev Aircraft airfield
• Krasnodar Governor called it one of longest, most massive attacks; six injured, 20-plus homes damaged
• Russian drones penetrated 100-plus kilometers into Romania in deepest NATO incursion yet
• German Eurofighters and Romanian F-16s scrambled; first daytime NATO airspace violation
• Six Russian drones entered Moldova; one crashed in Cuhurestii de Jos prompting evacuations

Russia launches war's largest combined strike exchange

November 25 marked Day 1,370 of the Russia-Ukraine war with one of the conflict's most intensive aerial exchanges. Russia deployed 22 missiles including Kinzhal hypersonic weapons, Iskander ballistic missiles, and Kalibr cruise missiles alongside more than 460 drones across Ukrainian territory. Ukraine responded with 249 drones targeting Russian infrastructure—the fourth-largest Ukrainian drone operation of the entire war.

Kyiv absorbed the heaviest bombardment, with strikes killing seven people and injuring at least 20, including one child. Missiles impacted the Dniprovskyi, Sviatoshynsky, Pecherskyi, and Darnytskyi districts throughout the early morning hours. A Novus logistics center was destroyed, killing four drivers. Stage designer Vadym Tupchii was among the confirmed dead. Energy facilities CHPP-5, CHPP-6, and the Kyiv Hydroelectric Power Plant sustained damage, leaving more than 40,000 residents without power.

In Zaporizhzhia, Russian UMPC glide bombs struck an apartment building, killing five civilians and injuring three. Bila Tserkva in Kyiv Oblast saw one death and eight injuries with four houses completely destroyed. Odesa's port and energy infrastructure were hit, injuring six including two children. Power outages affected an additional 20,000 in Odesa and 8,000 in Kharkiv. Total power disruptions across Ukraine exceeded 100,000 consumers.

Ukrainian counterstrikes target Russian military-industrial complex

Ukraine's 249-drone strike represented a strategic escalation targeting Russia's defense industrial base. In Taganrog, Rostov Oblast, the assault killed three people and wounded at least eight. Ukrainian forces struck the Beriev Aircraft Company airfield, which manufactures A-50 spy planes. Reports indicated the Atlant-Aero drone manufacturing plant was also hit, though this could not be independently verified.

Krasnodar Krai Governor Veniamin Kondratyev described November 25 as one of the longest and most massive attacks of the war. Six people were injured across Novorossiysk, Tuapse, and Gelendzhik, with at least 20 residential buildings damaged. Strikes reportedly targeted the Caspian Pipeline Consortium control building and Tuapse oil refinery, though damage assessments remained incomplete.

Russian drones violate NATO airspace in deepest incursion

Russian drones penetrated more than 100 kilometers into Romanian airspace on November 25 in what Romanian defense officials characterized as the deepest violation since February 2022. The incursion marked the first daytime airspace breach, with German Eurofighter Typhoons and Romanian F-16 fighters scrambling to track the weapons.

Six Russian drones entered Moldova during the same attack wave. A Gerbera-model drone crashed onto a private building in Cuhurestii de Jos village, prompting civilian evacuations and deployment of explosives specialists. Moldova summoned Russia's ambassador to protest the 13th airspace violation by Russian military drones since the war began.

• Alleged Pakistani airstrikes struck Khost Province killing 10 civilians including nine children
• Taliban stated strikes hit civilian home in Gurbuz district around midnight November 24-25
• Additional strikes on Kunar and Paktika injured four; Taliban vowed necessary response
• Pakistan denied involvement; spokesman stated Pakistan acknowledges all strikes it conducts
• Pakistan announced killing 22 militants in separate Bannu district operation
• October Qatar-Turkey ceasefire remained in effect; 70 killed in prior border clashes

Afghanistan accuses Pakistan of airstrikes killing nine children

Taliban authorities accused Pakistan of conducting overnight airstrikes on Afghanistan's Khost Province that killed 10 civilians, including nine children and one woman. Taliban spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid stated that Pakistani forces bombed the home of civilian Waliat Khan in Gurbuz district around midnight on November 24-25. The victims included five boys, four girls, and one adult woman, according to Taliban statements.

Additional strikes were reported in Kunar and Paktika provinces, injuring four more civilians. The Taliban condemned the attacks as atrocities and violations of Afghanistan's sovereignty, vowing a necessary response at the appropriate time. Taliban Interior Ministry spokesman Abdul Matin Qani stated that Afghanistan reserves the right to defend its territory against aggression.

Pakistan's military denied conducting the strikes. Director General of Inter-Services Public Relations Ahmad Sharif Chaudhry stated that Pakistan announces and acknowledges whenever it carries out such operations. In a separate development, Pakistan announced killing 22 militants in an intelligence-based operation in Bannu district, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, referring to targets as Khawarij—Islamabad's term for militants it accuses of operating from Afghan territory.

Regional tensions threaten fragile October ceasefire

The alleged strikes occurred against the backdrop of deteriorating Pakistan-Afghanistan relations despite a Qatar-Turkey brokered ceasefire established in October 2025. That truce followed border clashes that killed approximately 70 people. Two rounds of follow-up negotiations in Istanbul collapsed over Pakistan's demand for written guarantees that Tehrik-e-Taliban Pakistan fighters would not operate from Afghan soil—guarantees the Taliban government refused to provide.

The November 25 incident followed a November 24 suicide bombing on Pakistan's Federal Constabulary headquarters in Peshawar that killed three officers and wounded 11. Jamaat-ul-Ahrar, a TTP faction, claimed responsibility for that attack. Pakistan-Afghanistan border crossings have remained closed since October 2025 amid mutual accusations of harboring militant groups.

• Philippine Navy reported 30 Chinese vessels at Philippine-claimed South China Sea features
• Scarborough: Four PLA Navy, eight Coast Guard; Second Thomas: One Navy, six Coast Guard
• Thitu: Five Coast Guard; Sabina: One Navy, five Coast Guard vessels deployed
• Philippine admiral characterized deployment as increasingly coercive Chinese posture
• USS George Washington maintained South China Sea presence
• Japan scrambled F-15Js after Chinese drone flew between Taiwan and Yonaguni
• Myanmar junta airstrikes on Sagaing Region killed eight civilians on November 25
• Resistance claimed Bago attack killed 10 junta operatives and militia members
• U.S. terminated Myanmar TPS for 4,000 nationals effective January 26, 2026
• North Korea test-fired 10 artillery rounds toward western seas on November 24

China deploys 30 vessels at contested Philippine features

The Philippine Navy reported one of China's largest maritime deployments in contested South China Sea waters on November 25, with 30 military and coast guard vessels positioned at four Philippine-claimed features. The deployment included four PLA Navy ships and eight Coast Guard vessels at Scarborough Shoal, one PLA Navy ship and six Coast Guard vessels at Second Thomas Shoal, five Coast Guard ships at Thitu Island, and one PLA Navy ship with five Coast Guard vessels at Sabina Shoal.

Philippine Rear Admiral Roy Vincent Trinidad characterized the deployment as part of China's increasingly coercive posture in disputed waters. The concentration of forces represented one of the most significant Chinese maritime shows of force in 2025. The USS George Washington carrier strike group maintained its presence in the South China Sea as part of the extended U.S. naval deployment in the region.

Myanmar civil war casualties mount as U.S. ends protections

Myanmar's military junta conducted airstrikes on Taze and Pale Townships in Sagaing Region on November 25, killing eight civilians as part of ongoing aerial bombardment campaigns against resistance-controlled areas. Resistance forces claimed responsibility for an attack in Bago Region that killed 10 people, including seven junta counterterrorism operatives and Pyu Saw Htee militia members. A November 24 junta airstrike on western Demoso Township in Karenni State killed five civilians.

The U.S. Department of Homeland Security announced on November 24 the termination of Temporary Protected Status for approximately 4,000 Myanmar nationals, effective January 26, 2026. Human Rights Watch condemned the decision, stating it contradicts the reality of ongoing junta atrocities against civilians. The civil war has killed thousands since the February 2021 military coup, with resistance forces controlling significant territory across northern and eastern regions.

Regional tensions persist across Northeast Asia

North Korea test-fired approximately 10 rounds of artillery toward its western seas on November 24, marking the second such firing in recent days. Japan scrambled F-15J fighters on November 24 after detecting a Chinese drone flying through international airspace between Taiwan and Japan's Yonaguni Island, amid escalating China-Japan tensions over Taiwan following Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's statement that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger Japanese military response.

• RSF abducted 150-plus men and children from al-Zallataya Mine hours after truce declaration
• Amnesty International documented RSF war crimes in El Fasher: executions, rapes, hostage-taking
• Amnesty collected testimonies from 28 survivors detailing systematic atrocities
• RSF announced three-month truce; SAF rejected separate ceasefire proposal
• Sudan conflict killed 150,000-plus since April 2023; displaced 12-plus million

RSF abductions violate hours-old humanitarian truce

The Rapid Support Forces abducted more than 150 men and children from the al-Zallataya Mine in South Kordofan on November 25, marking the first major violation of the RSF's self-declared humanitarian truce announced hours earlier. The Sudan Doctors Network condemned the action as a heinous crime and blatant violation of the truce that RSF leader Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo had pledged in response to Trump-led international mediation efforts.

The incident occurred as Amnesty International published a report documenting systematic RSF war crimes in El Fasher, including summary executions, mass rapes, and hostage-taking of civilians following the RSF's late October capture of the city—the last Sudanese Armed Forces stronghold in Darfur. Amnesty researchers collected testimonies from 28 survivors detailing atrocities committed during and after the battle.

Sudan's Army chief Gen. Abdel Fattah al-Burhan rejected a separate ceasefire proposal from U.S., Saudi, Egyptian, and UAE mediators. The Sudan conflict has killed over 150,000 people since April 2023 and displaced more than 12 million people in what the United Nations characterizes as the world's largest displacement crisis. The humanitarian situation remains catastrophic across Darfur, Kordofan, and Khartoum regions.

• Gen. Dan Caine visited Trinidad and Tobago amid largest Caribbean deployment in decades
• Approximately 15,000 U.S. personnel deployed including USS Gerald R. Ford strike group
• U.S. sanctioned Fritz Alphonse Jean, Haitian council member, for supporting terrorist gangs
• Jean accused of ties with Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif designated terrorist organizations
• Over 4,300 killed in Haiti January-September; gangs control 90 percent of capital
• Sunrise Airways suspended all Haiti flights November 23 due to gang violence
• Cuba condemned aggressive U.S. posture; Petro said pressure about oil, not drugs
• Venezuela deployed military to eastern border; Maduro stated readiness to defend sovereignty

U.S. Caribbean deployment continues as regional tensions escalate

Joint Chiefs Chairman General Dan Caine visited Trinidad and Tobago on November 25, continuing his Caribbean tour amid the largest U.S. naval deployment in the region in decades. Approximately 15,000 military personnel are now positioned throughout the Caribbean, including the USS Gerald R. Ford carrier strike group. Caine's November 24 stop in Puerto Rico preceded the Trinidad visit as part of consultations with regional partners.

The buildup accompanies Operation Southern Spear, the counter-narcotics campaign that has conducted 21 strikes on vessels since September, killing at least 83 people. The U.S. designated Cartel de los Soles as a Foreign Terrorist Organization on November 24. Cuba condemned the U.S. military posture on November 25, characterizing it as aggressive toward Venezuela. Colombia's President Gustavo Petro stated to CNN that U.S. pressure on Venezuela is about oil rather than drug trafficking.

U.S. sanctions Haitian official for gang support

The U.S. State Department imposed visa restrictions on Fritz Alphonse Jean, a member of Haiti's transitional presidential council, accusing him of supporting gangs designated as Foreign Terrorist Organizations. The action specifically cited Jean's ties to Viv Ansanm and Gran Grif, armed groups controlling significant portions of Haiti's capital.

Over 4,300 people have been killed in Haiti from January through September 2025, according to UN figures. Gangs control approximately 90 percent of Port-au-Prince, with violence forcing Sunrise Airways to suspend all flights on November 23. The U.S. action represents the first visa restriction imposed on a member of the transitional council established to guide Haiti toward elections.

Venezuela mobilizes forces amid Caribbean tensions

Venezuela deployed military forces to eastern border regions on November 25 as President Nicolás Maduro stated the armed forces were ready to defend national sovereignty. The mobilization came as Cuba condemned what it characterized as an aggressive U.S. stance toward Venezuela, warning of potential military intervention. The U.S. has maintained that its Caribbean deployment focuses on counter-narcotics operations rather than Venezuela specifically.

• China unveiled YKJ-1000 hypersonic claiming 10 percent traditional costs, mass production ready
• YKJ-1000: 500-1,300 km range, Mach 5-7 speed, container-disguised launch vehicle
• Promotional video showed missiles targeting Japan amid escalating tensions
• Russia launched Angara-1.2 with military satellites from Plesetsk at 16:42 Moscow time
• Pakistan test-fired SMASH ship-launched missile reaching Mach-8 from Type 054A/P frigate
• SMASH extends naval strike range to 700-850 km with hypersonic terminal phase
• INC Ransom group's CodeRED attack continued disrupting U.S. emergency notifications

China unveils low-cost hypersonic missile system

Chinese private defense manufacturer Lingkong Tianxing Technology announced on November 25 the mass production of the YKJ-1000 hypersonic missile system, claiming production costs at just 10 percent of traditional missile systems. The company characterized the development as a breakthrough in affordable precision strike capability, with promotional materials showing launch vehicles disguised as standard shipping containers.

The YKJ-1000 specifications include a range of 500 to 1,300 kilometers and speeds between Mach 5 and Mach 7. Lingkong Tianxing's promotional video depicted missiles targeting Japan, released amid escalating China-Japan tensions following Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi's statement that a Chinese attack on Taiwan could trigger Japanese military response. The containerized launch system provides strategic mobility and concealment advantages.

Russia and Pakistan advance space and hypersonic capabilities

Russia's Space Forces launched an Angara-1.2 light launch vehicle from Plesetsk Cosmodrome at 16:42 Moscow time on November 25, carrying military satellites into orbit. The Angara family represents Russia's efforts to develop domestically-produced space launch vehicles independent of Soviet-era infrastructure concentrated in Kazakhstan.

Pakistan successfully test-fired the SMASH ship-launched anti-ship ballistic missile from a Type 054A/P frigate, reaching Mach-8 hypersonic speeds. The system extends Pakistan's naval strike range to 700-850 kilometers with hypersonic terminal phase capability, significantly enhancing the Pakistan Navy's anti-access/area-denial capabilities in the Arabian Sea and northern Indian Ocean.

U.S. emergency notification system remains disrupted

The OnSolve CodeRED ransomware attack continued disrupting emergency notifications for hundreds of U.S. municipalities on November 25. The INC Ransom group crippled the platform used by local governments for tornado warnings, evacuation notices, and other critical alerts. OnSolve announced the permanent decommissioning of CodeRED, forcing affected jurisdictions to transition to alternative emergency notification systems.