In this desert, a convoy consisting of about a dozen fully armed military Humvees is racing along the desert highway.
However, in the next second, the weather changes dramatically.
Sand and stones are flying, a yellow sandstorm mixed with visible ice and snow rages, and the entire convoy is completely unresponsive, with no means to counteract it.
When everything finally subsides, the entire convoy has been thoroughly buried under the yellow sand.
"This footage was captured by the Starlink satellite array in the Middle Eastern desert. It shows an Alpha Special Operations Unit on a mission in the Middle East, when they suddenly encountered this strange phenomenon. Later, the military sent personnel to excavate the site and found the bodies and the vehicles," Natasha explained.
Tony, watching the holographic projection in front of him, stroked his chin: "This doesn't look like a natural weather phenomenon. It's too coincidental."
Such phenomena do occur in the Middle East, but the strange mix of sandstorm and snow is unprecedented. Moreover, it happened right when Alpha Special Operations Team 003 was on their way.
The team was completely wiped out.
The probability of this happening by chance is less than one in ten thousand.
So Tony had basically concluded that this was not a coincidence but rather someone's deliberate action.
"Any leads?"
Natasha did not answer directly. Instead, she provided information about another terrorist organization: "Two years ago, a terrorist organization called the Ten Rings emerged in the Middle East. They rallied a group of terrorists and went on a rampage, killing and looting. Their targets were not only local residents but also military bases in the Middle East."
"Three bases were attacked, one was breached, 500 soldiers were killed, and a large amount of weapons and equipment worth up to 20 billion dollars was lost."
"The President's office was furious. S.H.I.E.L.D. sent many elite agents to investigate, but only one returned alive. The rest were controlled with psychic powers and had bombs implanted in them. If it weren't for S.H.I.E.L.D.'s proper detection, the losses would have been even greater."
"This Alpha Special Operations Unit was sent to combat the Ten Rings but was taken out before reaching the base."
"Ten Rings, attacking military bases, psychic powers?"
Tony's face immediately turned serious. This was clearly not something an ordinary terrorist organization could achieve.
Especially considering the Alpha Special Operations Team, such high-level units undertake the most confidential missions. These special forces are not just elite soldiers; their tasks are covert, involving assassination, stealth, and sabotage.
They are often referred to as ghosts, meant to carry out missions without being detected.
If they were exposed, the terrorists could easily bombard them into oblivion with heavy artillery.
Contrary to the cinematic depiction of special forces soldiers single-handedly taking down enemies with rifles and grenades, the reality is that in warfare, whether large-scale or small-scale, the first round of attack is often a barrage of artillery, leaving special forces no chance for close combat.
This is the harsh reality: special warfare relies on stealth, assassination, and information asymmetry.
Now, despite the stringent confidentiality measures, the Alpha Special Operations Team was ambushed and destroyed before even reaching the base in the Middle East.
This is a significant loss, especially for the renowned Alpha Special Operations Team, one of the strongest in the U.S.
The troubling question is: how was the information leaked?
Seeing Tony's questioning gaze, Natasha understood and shook her head: "The military is troubled by this incident and has begun a thorough investigation."
"But the current military..."
Natasha sneered.
The Gulf War showcased the formidable military power of the United States to the world. However, over the years, under this peak momentum, darkness has grown.
Corruption and infighting have become inevitable. The military has gone too far in this regard, spending six million dollars on purchasing a Hydra, with war costs exceeding a trillion dollars. Where do you think that money goes?
The United States has countless bad debts, with the money lining the pockets of certain individuals.
If the military power continues to improve, it would be surprising.
Now, with the Alpha Special Operations Team's information leak, it's hard to believe there were no military insiders involved. Natasha wouldn't believe it for a second. Those involved were likely at high levels, given the limited access to the Alpha Team's transport routes.
It could be someone within the Alpha Team, or a superior. Regardless, it's a messy situation.
Tony knew what Natasha left unsaid, but he couldn't care less about the military's internal issues.
As a billionaire with a colonel friend, he was well aware of the military's situation.
Despite recent improvements due to major incidents, the military still struggled with corruption, preventing any substantial enhancement in strength.
This is an unsolvable problem.
Even if a miraculous hero appeared, it wouldn't help.
Accountants investigating military funds often ended up in mysterious plane crashes, their bodies never found. Every president has wanted to solve this military issue, but it's futile. The military operates outside the government's control.
The military fights, Congress funds, and the whereabouts of the money remain a mystery to the government.
Tony understood this and thus focused on improving the Avengers and the Starlink project. When a real crisis hits, the military would only handle superficial tasks, while real problem-solving wouldn't depend on them.