Why the ‘Philadelphi Corridor’ May Derail a Gaza Deal
DEEP DIVE — A small sliver of territory lies at the heart of the desperate international effort to free Hamas’ remaining hostages, and bring at least […] More
Israel
Assessing the ‘Last Opportunity’ for a Gaza Ceasefire Deal
EXPERT INTERVIEWS— In the last-gasp negotiations for a Gaza ceasefire underway in Cairo, the negotiating teams reflect the high stakes of the moment. CIA Director […] More
What Happened to Iran’s Promised Revenge Against Israel?
BOTTOM LINE UP FRONT — Cipher Brief Experts suggest a range of possible explanations for Iran’s delay in delivering promised retaliation toward Israel after the killing […] More
War, Legitimacy and Context in the Middle East
OPINION — Gaza. The word immediately evokes images of wartime carnage. For us, however, it represents something else: an example of the danger inherent in […] More
The Latest
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
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
Israel’s Internal Division are Opportunities for its Adversaries
OPINION — Before Hamas’ attack on October 7, Israel’s security leaders issued multiple warnings that internal strife – then mainly over Netanyahu’s pursuit of judicial […] More
The Last Ten Yards of Hostage Negotiations
OPINION — “Based on everything we’ve been doing for these last now really six months – because starting in January, we believed and we continue […] More
Israel, the U.S. and the Politics of 2,000-Pound Bombs
SUBSCRIBER+ EXCLUSIVE REPORTING — While the public focus of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s visit to Washington this week has been on his speech to […] More
Israel’s Fragile North and the Art of ‘Intelligence’ Diplomacy
EXPERT Q&A – Tensions along Israel’s northern border have been increasing over the past several weeks with Iranian-backed Hezbollah firing more than 200 military rockets […] More
How Hezbollah Fundraises Through Crime
OPINION — Hours after Hamas massacred 1,200 Israelis on October 7, Hezbollah opened a second front against Israel on its northern border, re-igniting a conflict […] More
Why Israel’s Hostage Rescue May Set Back Push for Peace
SUBSCRIBER+EXCLUSIVE REPORTING — Saturday’s raid that freed four hostages brought Israel a rare moment to celebrate—for families that had lost faith that the captives would […] More
Is Issuing an Arrest Warrant for Israeli Officials a Sound Decision?
OPINION — On June 4, 42 House Democrats crossed party lines to pass a Bill sanctioning the International Criminal Court (ICC) in response to the […] More
After Resignation of Israel’s Intelligence Chief, Will Other Heads Roll?
OPINION — The resignation on Monday of Major General Aharon Haliva, head of the Military Intelligence Directorate of the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF), marked the […] More
This Is What Happens When the Basic Rules of War Are Ignored
EXPERT PERSPECTIVE / OPINION — Single incidents of error in battle can and often do have a defining effect on how the public perceives the […] More
The Controversy Surrounding Israel’s Use of U.S. Weapons – in Gaza and Beyond
OPINION — “With respect to some of the reporting that we’ve seen over the past few weeks about arms transfers or potential arms transfers to […] More
In Israel, Resilience Is Now a National Security Issue
OPINION — Six months after “Black Sabbath,” the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the streets of Tel Aviv are as busy as ever, filled […] More
Genocide Ruling and Engaging Enemies Who Use Human Shields
This piece was first published in Just Security OPINION — The International Court of Justice recently ordered provisional measures against Israel in response to a complaint brought by South […] More
After Gaza: A Political and Economic Path Forward
OPINION / EXPERT PERSPECTIVE — As the Gaza war enters its fourth month, it’s become abundantly clear that Israel’s massive military response and the assassinations […] More