2024: 10 Events That Changed The World
SPECIAL REPORT — As we look back at the major national and global security events of 2024, it’s tempting to overuse certain words: stunning; staggering; […] More
Syria’s Political Earthquake – and What Comes Next
DEEP DIVE – The Assad family – Hafez al-Assad and then his son Bashar – ruled Syria for 53 years. Their regimes were known for […] More
How Trump 2.0 May Deal With Global Flashpoints
DEEP DIVE – As Donald Trump prepares to return to the White House, the U.S. faces an unusually broad set of global security challenges: wars […] More
On Election Day, Bomb Threats and Fake Videos Tied To Russia
DEEP DIVE — In at least five battleground states Tuesday, polling places were targeted by bomb threats, “many of which appear to originate from Russian […] More
The Latest
CIA Director: ‘Very Real Danger’ of Wider Mideast War
EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW – CIA Director William Burns warned Monday of “the very real danger” of a wider war in the Middle East, and urged Israel […] More
Top Counterterrorism Official: Gaza War Has Inspired Dozens of Terror Plots
EXCLUSIVE — The acting Director of the U.S. National Counterterrorism Center (NCTC) Brett Holmgren told The Cipher Brief’s 2024 Threat Conference Sunday that Israel’s war […] More
After Nasrallah Assassination, Hezbollah and Israel Face Uncharted Territory
DEEP DIVE – Hezbollah has lost an experienced, deeply committed leader – and a lot more. Access all of The Cipher Brief’s national security-focused expert […] More
When Spymasters Talk: CIA and MI6 Chiefs On ‘Bully’ Putin and ‘Audacious’ Ukraine Raid
Spymasters rarely say much in public, and when they do, it’s usually a tightly scripted affair. That made this weekend’s joint appearance by CIA Director […] More
How Russia’s Military Went From Feared Power to Failing Force
EXPERT INTERVIEW – Ukraine’s invasion of the Kursk region has stunned many people – in Russia and beyond – for its success in capturing Russian […] More
White House Says Gaza Deal ‘Closer Than We’ve Been’
SUBSCRIBER+ EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW – With talks on a ceasefire deal for the war in Gaza in what U.S. officials have called an “endgame,” phase and […] More
How Harris and Walz Would Deal With Global Hot Zones
SUBSCRIBER+ EXCLUSIVE REPORTING – In the tumultuous and often unpredictable 2024 U.S. presidential campaign, this much is clear: the next occupant of the White House […] More
Ukraine’s Bold Invasion Raises Fears in Russia, and Questions About the War
SUBSCRIBER+ EXCLUSIVE REPORTING – The scenes are stunning. Access all of The Cipher Brief’s national security-focused expert insight by becoming a Cipher Brief Subscriber+ Member. […] More
U.S. and Allies Warn Veteran Pilots: China Is Trying to Recruit You
SUBSCRIBER+ EXCLUSIVE REPORTING — The U.S. and its allies in the “Five Eyes” intelligence-sharing community – Britain, Australia, Canada and New Zealand – warned Wednesday […] More
How Biden’s Reversal Could Change the War in Ukraine
SUBSCRIBER+ EXCLUSIVE – It may be President Biden’s most consequential decision about the Ukraine war since Russia’s February 2022 invasion: allowing Ukraine to strike Russian […] More
Understanding China’s Growing Nuclear Arsenal
SUBSCRIBER+ EXCLUSIVE REPORTING — As the United States mulls deploying nuclear-armed, sea-launched missiles as a deterrent to its adversaries, China is building and modernizing its […] More
A Russian Gas Pipeline, and a $6 Billion Question For Ukraine
SUBSCRIBER+ EXCLUSIVE REPORTING — It’s one of the stranger economic realities of the war in Ukraine: Ukraine is still earning $800 million a year shipping […] More
Iran’s Nuclear Program: Back to the Brink?
SUBSCRIBER+ EXCLUSIVE REPORTING — An old Iran problem has landed back on the front burner, thanks to a report this week that says the Iranian […] More
China’s Taiwan Plan Might Involve a Blockade – Not an Invasion
SUBSCRIBER+ EXCLUSIVE REPORTING — Taiwan’s new president Lai Ching-te, in his inaugural address last week, called on the People’s Republic of China (PRC) to “cease […] More
Olympic Dreams Bring Security Nightmares to Paris
SUBSCRIBER+ EXCLUSIVE REPORTING — The Olympic torch has landed in France, and begun its 69-day journey to Paris. It’s a milestone for the 33rd Olympiad, […] More