U.S. Moving Big Guns to the Middle East to Deter, Protect and Defend
EXPERT Q&A — The U.S. began moving additional military assets to the Middle East in anticipation of a direct attack on Israel after the assassination […] More
Iran
Spoilers that could Ignite ‘Tinder Box’ in the Middle East
SUBSCRIBER+EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW – Since the killing of Hamas political leader Ismail Haniyeh in Tehran nearly two weeks ago, world leaders are urging calm while waiting […] More
EXPERT INTERVIEW: Pezeshkian Celebrates a Win in Iran but What Can He Really Do?
SUBSCRIBER+EXCLUSIVE EXPERT INTERVIEW — Iran’s incoming president Masoud Pezeshkian is promising to be a leader for “all Iranians” after a weekend election victory that followed […] More
What the Death of Iran’s President Could Mean for Tehran and the Region
EXCLUSIVE SUBSCRIBER+EXPERT INTERVIEW – Iran’s state media said Monday that President Ebrahim Raisi had died in a helicopter crash that also took the lives of […] More
The Latest
Israel’s Actions in Lebanon offer a Warning for Tehran and Moscow
OPINION / EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — Following the October 7, 2023 Hamas terrorist attacks on Israel, many commentators in the West were quick to cite the […] More
Enabled by Iran: Houthis Push Forward with Attacks in the Red Sea
SUBSCRIBER+EXCLUSIVE REPORTING – Despite warnings from multiple countries, the Iranian-backed, Yemen-based Houthi militia are continuing attacks on vessels in the Red Sea, adding a new […] More
A Psychiatrist’s Take on Those Holding Global Power in 2024
OPINION — As President Joseph Biden enters a key election year in which many national polls show him trailing former President Donald Trump – his […] More
Calculating the Impact of the Drone Strike that Killed Saleh Al-Arouri
SUBSCRIBER+EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW – A drone strike that killed the deputy chief of Hamas’s political arm, Saleh Al-Arouri and five others in southern Beirut on Tuesday […] More
How the Captagon Trade is Bolstering Iran and its Web of Militias
SUBSCRIBER+EXCLUSIVE REPORTING — In the days after Hamas fighters launched a terrorist attack in Israel in October, an illicit amphetamine known as Captagon was reportedly found in […] More
A Look Inside Hamas’s Weapons Arsenal
SUBSCRIBER+EXCLUSIVE REPORTING — While hardly a match for the overwhelmingly cutting-edge and highly trained Israeli forces, Hamas’s competency on the battlefield lies not in weapons […] More
A former CIA Officer’s take on War in the Middle East and the Growing Global Challenge
The Cipher Brief recently hosted a Subscriber+Members briefing with former Senior CIA Officer Glenn Corn, who served as the president’s senior representative on Intelligence and […] More
How Iran is Reshaping the Middle East
OPINION — The October 7th terrorist attack on Israelis and its devastating aftermath for Palestinian civilians should be a wake-up call that extends beyond these […] More
The ‘Axis of Resistance’ Media Machine is far-reaching in the Middle East
OPINION — Saudi Arabia suffered a painful defeat in the information war against the Houthis. The Houthis’ media strategy was effective in painting Saudi Arabia […] More
What Happens if Hezbollah Makes Good on its Vow to Escalate Violence in the Middle East?
CIPHER BRIEF REPORTING – As supporters of Lebanon’s Shiite Muslim political party Hezbollah bury dozens of militants killed in small-scale clashes with Israeli soldiers since […] More
Why Did Hamas Conduct a Terrorist Attack on Israel and Why Now?
OPINION — On October 7th, the day after the 50th anniversary of the Yom Kippur War, Hamas launched its deadliest terrorist, military, and hostage-taking attack […] More
What an Emboldened Iran Means for the World
OPINION — Hamas’s terrorist attack on Israel that killed more than 1,400 Israelis and foreigners and injured thousands, with over 200 hostages, was aided by […] More
Is Iran’s ‘Ring of Fire’ Strategy Heating Up?
CIPHER BRIEF REPORTING – A second aid convoy arrived in Gaza as Israel continued striking targets in the region ahead of an expected ground operation […] More
What are the Implications of the Growing Alliance Between Russia, China, Iran, and North Korea?
SUBSCRIBER+REPORTING — North Korean leader Kim Jong-un made a rare trip out of the hermit country last month, to meet Russian President Vladimir Putin and pledge […] More
Hezbollah is Operating in Latin America. What does that mean for the U.S.?
SUBSCRIBER+REPORTING — The United States this month, announced a fresh slate of sanctions on a family nexus of seven Hezbollah operatives and bankrollers spanning Lebanon to Latin […] More