Persian Pressure: Tehran’s Options for Payback
Iran rarely declares war. It retaliates in the shadows—proxies, cyber strikes, and deniable attacks that remind the homeland it isn’t beyond reach. Don’t expect Iran’s retaliation to look like war. Expect proxies, hacks, intimidation, and strikes designed to haunt the homeland.
Situation Report: Cartel Violence in Mexico (Cutoff: 1200 ET, 24 Feb 2026)
The reported killing of CJNG leader Nemesio Rubén Oseguera Cervantes (“El Mencho”) in a Mexican special forces operation in Jalisco on 22 Feb 2026 triggered a rapid, coordinated retaliation pattern—narco-bloqueos (road blockades with burned vehicles), armed attacks on security forces, and localized clashes—with the epicenter in Jalisco and spillover effects into neighboring states; near-term risk is elevated for highways, security installations, and symbolic targets, with intermittent transport disruption and a credible possibility of follow-on reprisals as CJNG manages succession and signals capability.