**London, England –** Chaos and uncertainty reign supreme within the covert operations unit known as G.I. Joe following a devastating and unexpected event that unfolded earlier this evening in a heavily secured warehouse district on the outskirts of London. High-ranking G.I. Joe operative, Major Duke Phillips, was fatally wounded during a dramatic confrontation with his former colleague, Baroness Isabella Rossellini, resulting in the apparent assassination of the Cobra Commander’s second-in-command, Zartan.

Initial reports indicate the incident began with a seemingly routine Cobra attack targeting a shipment of advanced weaponry. However, as G.I. Joe operatives, including Scarlett Reyes and Roadblock, responded to the situation, a series of coordinated maneuvers revealed a far more sinister plot. Zartan, previously believed to be a pawn in Cobra Commander’s schemes, was revealed to be orchestrating a global destabilization campaign, utilizing a network of sleeper agents and a revolutionary new neurotoxin.

“It was… unbelievable,” stated Sergeant First Class Roadblock in a brief statement released to the press. “We thought we were dealing with a standard Cobra assault, but Zartan… he wasn’t playing by the rules. He used the neurotoxin to incapacitate our team, and then, with a chilling precision, he took Duke down.”

The circumstances surrounding Duke’s death are particularly troubling. Witnesses report a fierce, personal struggle between the two former allies, culminating in a single, fatal shot. Sources within the G.I. Joe ranks suggest a long-standing, deeply buried conflict fueled by a shared past and a betrayal that has now come to a devastating head.

“Duke… he always carried the weight of the team on his shoulders,” commented Scarlett Reyes, visibly shaken. “He never wanted to hurt anyone, but Zartan… he exploited his trust. It’s a loss we won’t recover from quickly.”

The immediate aftermath has seen a swift reorganization of G.I. Joe’s leadership and a heightened state of alert across multiple international locations. Cobra forces, now emboldened by Zartan’s actions, have launched a series of targeted attacks, escalating the conflict and raising concerns about the potential for widespread civilian casualties. The full scope of Zartan’s plans, and the extent of the neurotoxin’s reach, remain unknown, but G.I. Joe operatives are working tirelessly to contain the damage and bring both Duke’s killer and Zartan to justice. The situation remains fluid, and further updates will be provided as they become available.