The Wire - January 10, 2024

RR The Wire 2230Z January 10, 2024PRECEDENCE: ROUTINE RRDTG: 223010Z JAN 24ICOD: 213010Z JAN 24CONTROLS: Public ReleaseQQQQBLUF: SITUATION IN ECUADOR REMAINS TENSE. ATTACKS CONTINUE IN RED SEA. TUNNEL SYSTEM DISCOVERED IN NEW YORK. -----BEGIN TEARLINE------International Events-South America: Situation in Ecuador remains tense as military forces begin mobilization in most major cities. The initial hostilities have subsided following this mobilization, but sporadic gunfire and explosions continue to be reported in most major cities.Europe: Farmer protests continue in Germany. As preliminary reports expected, this nationwide protest is one of the largest in Europe’s history, and has been met with widespread support from locals, despite causing significant transportation issues.Red Sea/HOA: Impacts to western shipping continue as before. Yesterday, Yemeni forces conducted a complex attack on US Naval vessels and commercial shipping, using 18x drones, 2 ASCMs, and one ballistic missile. All were intercepted by coalition Naval vessels in the area. -HomeFront-NY: Controversy emerges surrounding events at the Chabad Lubavitch World Headquarters in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Several days ago, viral content on social media emerged as unrest broke out upon city officials attempting to fill in a secret tunnel network beneath the facility. AC: As this is a highly controversial topic, accounts vary as to the origin, usage, contents, and extent of this tunnel system. However, most accounts so far suggest most of the digging was conducted relatively recently. Public works officials have not provided mapping data of how extensive the underground system is, but many local reports indicate structural integrity issues in the surrounding properties.NY: James Madison High School was evacuated of students in order to serve as housing for illegal immigrants. Students will reportedly be attending classes remotely while the facility is being used to house approximately 2,000 illegals. Authorities claim this move is temporary due to severe weather conditions.Washington D.C. – Correction to previous Wire: SECDEF Austin has prostate cancer, not pancreatic as previously reported. Further details released by Pentagon officials indicate Austin and his staff deliberately withheld most details surrounding his hospitalization. For instance, his Deputy was only told about his hospitalization two days after assuming command. White House staff were also not informed that Austin was undergoing a procedure that required general anesthesia, nor was the White House informed that the SECDEF had transferred command to his Deputy.Analyst Comments: As SECDEF Austin has not been seen by the public for over a week, doubts begin to emerge following the Pentagon’s conflicting reports on his status. Based on interactions with the press, the White House only learned of the incident through media coverage, indicating that the POTUS going 7 days without speaking to the SECDEF is culturally viewed as normal.-----END TEARLINE-----Analyst: S2AEND REPORTNNNN