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What Iran Is Learning from Russia’s War and Why the U.S. Should Be Concerned

KREMLIN FILES/COLUMN: The war in Ukraine is often framed by optimistic academics, and some policymakers as a cautionary tale—an example of how [...] More

Is the U.S. lagging when it comes to drone warfare superiority?

When Iranian Shahed drones began tearing through the Gulf in the opening hours of Operation Epic Fury on February 28, killing American service [...] More

U.S. Intel’s Sobering Assessment of Iran’s War Resilience

Six weeks into Operation Epic Fury, with airstrikes having killed a sitting supreme leader, wiped out scores of top military and intelligence [...] More

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

LUNCHEON DIPLOMACY: With a Trump-Xi summit set for Beijing May 14-15, The Wall Street Journal has a tasty story about the unseen theater of great-power diplomacy. It’s probably no surprise that menu items at high-level meetings like presidential summits are screened for poison. But it was a little odd when China’s President Xi lunched on herbed-ricotta ravioli at a San Francisco-area dinner in 2023, but only after his security team reportedly swooped in to spray his utensils with an unidentified liquid to prevent the foreign collection of presidential DNA. The behind-the-scenes savory details don’t stop with lunch. [...] More

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What does “success” look like in a conflict with Iran - and what comes next? In this in-depth conversation, General David Petraeus joins The Cipher Brief’s Suzanne Kelly to unpack the military and strategic realities shaping today’s most consequential conflicts. From the importance of reopening the Strait of Hormuz to the unresolved risks around Iran’s nuclear program, Petraeus explains what’s at stake not just for the U.S., but for the global economy. But the real story? Ukraine. Petraeus calls it the true test case for the future of war - where drones, autonomy, and rapid innovation are redefining the battlefield in real time.