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Middle East

What to Watch for in Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Visit to Washington

What to Watch for in Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman’s Visit to Washington

EXPERT INTERVIEW — President Trump is welcoming Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the White House today with an announcement that he plans to [...] More

Saudi ArabiaMiddle East

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Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian (R) speaks during a press conference after arriving at Mehrabad Airport in Tehran, Iran on September 27, 2025

Defiance Meets Desperation as Iran Faces Fresh UN Sanctions

EXPERT INTERVIEW – The United Nations has reimposed sweeping economic and military sanctions on Iran, ten years after lifting them under the 2015 [...] More

Middle EastIranInternational

Rising Lion Shows the U.S. Needs More Allies Like Israel

General Charles “Chuck” Wald, USAF (Ret.)

Rising Lion Shows the U.S. Needs More Allies Like Israel

OPINION — Israel’s Operation Rising Lion will go down as among the most impressive military campaigns in history. Military academies, military [...] More

Vice Admiral Mark Fox, USN (Ret.)General Charles “Chuck” Wald, USAF (Ret.)IsraelMiddle East
Israeli Strike in Doha Shakes Regional Order

Israeli Strike in Doha Shakes Regional Order

EXPERT INTERVIEW – The military operation dubbed ‘Summit of Fire’ by Israel Defense Forces targeting a Hamas delegation meeting in Doha, Qatar this [...] More

Middle EastIsrael

Ex-NATO Commander Warns Western Inaction Built “Sanctuary” for Russia

General Philip M. Breedlove

Ex-NATO Commander Warns Western Inaction Built “Sanctuary” for Russia

EXPERT Q&A — Russia’s massive drone attack overnight on six Ukrainian regions, which hit energy and gas transport infrastructure and cut off power to [...] More

RussiaChinaUkraineMiddle EastEuropeAsia

Spy Versus Spy: Iran’s Playbook for Espionage in Israel

Matthew Levitt

Spy Versus Spy: Iran’s Playbook for Espionage in Israel

OPINION — Israel’s intelligence penetration of Iran played out in dramatic form over the course of the 12-day war this summer, but Iran is running an [...] More

IranIntelligenceMiddle EastAlternative Perspectives
Saudi Crown Prince Prepares for a Washington Reset — With Trillions at Stake

Saudi Crown Prince Prepares for a Washington Reset — With Trillions at Stake

EXCLUSIVE EXPERT INTERVIEW -- Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is expected to visit Washington this November according to sources cited by [...] More

Middle EastSaudi Arabia
The Middle East is Reshuffling the Deck. Is the U.S. Ready to Play a New Hand?

The Middle East is Reshuffling the Deck. Is the U.S. Ready to Play a New Hand?

EXPERT INTERVIEW – The past year has brought a whirlwind of dramatic developments in the Middle East, reshaping long-held assumptions about the [...] More

IranIsraelSaudi ArabiaMiddle EastSyria

Regime Change in Iran: Complexities and Limits

Sami Omari

Regime Change in Iran: Complexities and Limits

OPINION — Iran and Israel have been at odds since the Islamic Revolution in 1979, when the new Islamic Republic declared Israel to be illegitimate [...] More

IranMiddle EastAlternative Perspectives

Expert Q&A: What to Watch for at the Trump-Netanyahu Meeting

Ambassador Gary Grappo

Expert Q&A: What to Watch for at the Trump-Netanyahu Meeting

EXPERT Q&A — Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington D.C. on Monday to meet with President Donald Trump at the White House — [...] More

Middle East
Can President Trump Get a "Big, Beautiful" Deal in the Middle East?

Can President Trump Get a "Big, Beautiful" Deal in the Middle East?

CIPHER BRIEF REPORTING – When Benjamin Netanyahu and Donald Trump meet at the White House Monday, they will bring different ideas for resolving two [...] More

Middle EastIranIsraeli War

Expert Q&A: Former CENTCOM Commander on U.S. Troops in the Middle East

General Frank McKenzie (Ret.)

Expert Q&A: Former CENTCOM Commander on U.S. Troops in the Middle East

EXPERT Q&A — The American force posture in the Middle East — some 40,000 troops spread across the region — came into focus following the 12-day war [...] More

IranMiddle East
The U.S. Has 40,000 Troops in the Middle East

The U.S. Has 40,000 Troops in the Middle East

CIPHER BRIEF REPORTING -- Recent U.S. strikes against Iran’s nuclear facilities propelled the 40,000 American forces in the region into the spotlight [...] More

Middle EastDoDnational securitymilitary