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The Cipher Brief: National Security news, analysis and expert commentary.

Endless Warfare – Part II: Countering Endless Warfare and its Networks

Winning tomorrow’s conflicts means countering the persistent networks, cognitive warfare, and gray-zone strategies already targeting America today.

U.S. Military Launches Operation Epic Fury Attacking Iran

Author’s Note: This article is not about ‘endless wars’ as a critique of U.S. military interventions — that debate belongs elsewhere. It examines a [...] More

United States Americas Dave Pitts North America
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The Open Source Report

TOPSHOT-IRAN-US-ISRAEL-WAR-FUNERAL TOPSHOT - Mourners gather in the street ahead of the funeral of Iran's slain supreme leader Ali Khamenei and members of his family at the Shrine of Imam Reza, Iran's most revered place of worship, in Mashhad on July 9, 2026. A plane carrying the coffin of late Iranian supreme leader Ali Khamenei landed in the eastern holy city of Mashhad on July 9, ahead of his burial, state media reported. (Photo by ATTA KENARE / AFP via Getty Images) /

Global Intelligence Report for Thursday, July 9, 2026

U.S. military carries out second day of strikes as Iran retaliates in Qatar, Kuwait and Bahrain

Trump grants Ukraine greenlight to produce Patriot missile interceptors

NATO allies take Trump’s bluster in stride as summit ends on positive note

Ukraine's top prosecutor says no signs of Kyiv being behind Nord Stream blasts


Access Today’s Report

Expert Insights

Cipher Brief Experts bring context to today’s global events

Opinion

An Outlook for What’s Next in Iran War

Norman T. Roule

With tensions rising all week, the U.S. has launched a new round of strikes against Iranian military targets and maritime assets. The strikes follow an announcement made by President Donald Trump just hours earlier, [...] More

Expert View
Opinion

The Succession Question Haunting the Kremlin

Mark Kelton

The late-June 2026 death of Sergei B. Ivanov - the man once thought the most likely successor to Vladimir Putin - as well as the Russian President’s age, his rumored health problems, and the discontent over the economic [...] More

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News & Analysis

TURKEY-NATO-SUMMIT-DIPLOMACY

What's at Stake as NATO Meets in Ankara

As NATO leaders gather in Ankara this week, the alliance faces a myriad of security challenges unlike anything it has confronted in decades.With [...] More

International NATO

Opinion

Beyond Evo: Bolivia and the Erosion of State Authority in Latin America

Steven E. Hendrix

Beyond Evo: Bolivia and the Erosion of State Authority in Latin America

In recent days, an unusual consensus has begun to emerge among some of Bolivia's most prominent public intellectuals, economists, diplomats, and [...] More

Alternative Perspectives

What’s on The Cipher Brief’s Digital Channel

Book Reviews

Cole's Digital Danger Is A Useful Guide For The Wrong Audience
Cole's Digital Danger Is A Useful Guide For The Wrong Audience

The Nord Stream Sabotage: Mystery Attacks Explained
The Nord Stream Sabotage: Mystery Attacks Explained

Transparency Matters: Inside Canada's UFO Files
Transparency Matters: Inside Canada's UFO Files

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The Best National Security Gossip

AIR FORCE 1(A): President Trump's brand-new, Qatari-gifted Air Force One apparently wasn't quite ready for prime time. According to ABC News, after the NATO summit, the President flew from Ankara on the older presidential aircraft after security officials reportedly advised that the newly retrofitted 747 had not yet been equipped with the full suite of defensive systems carried by the other (older) Air Force One. ABC also reported that passengers aboard the older aircraft were instructed to keep their window shades down and that its flight tracker remained dark until the plane was over the Black Sea. The President [...] More

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Events

Live Events

2026 Threat Conference

2026 Threat Conference

The Cipher Brief Threat Conference is the nation’s premier forum for non-partisan discussion of global threats and solutions as well as high-level [...] More

Upcoming: 25 October, 2026

The Cipher Brief 2027 HONORS Awards

The Cipher Brief 2027 HONORS Awards

Join us for the third annual Cipher Brief Honors Dinner, the evening of April 9, 2027. This Black-Tie event is invite-only. Please apply here for a [...] More

Upcoming: 09 April, 2027

Podcasts

State Secrets

The battlefield is changing faster than most governments can adapt.

In this episode of State Secrets, Cipher Brief CEO Suzanne Kelly sits down with retired General Phil Breedlove, former Supreme Allied Commander Europe, to examine how drones, artificial intelligence and autonomous systems are transforming modern warfare—and what that means for U.S. national security.

Drawing on lessons from Ukraine, the Middle East and NATO's eastern flank, General Breedlove explains why drones are only one piece of a much larger revolution in military power. He discusses why America must rethink defense acquisition, how adversaries are exploiting gray zone warfare, why protecting critical infrastructure is becoming increasingly difficult, and why the West can no longer afford to fight tomorrow's wars with yesterday's assumptions.

From the future of air superiority to cyber conflict, autonomous weapons and the growing threat to the homeland, this is a conversation about the wars of the future—and whether the United States is prepared for them.