Skip to content
Search

Latest Stories

cipherbrief

Welcome! Log in to stay connected and make the most of your experience.

Input clean

Middle East

A drone flies in front of an Iranian flag in southern Tehran, Iran, on December 29, 2024.

Tehran’s Espionage Network in the U.S. Is Bigger and Bolder Than You Think

DEEP DIVE — Front companies, campus networks, diaspora recruits — Tehran’s espionage push on U.S. soil is bigger, bolder, and harder to track than [...] More

AmericasIranMiddle EastEspionage

The Latest

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

Iran is a Terrorist State

Ambassador Joseph DeTrani

Iran is a Terrorist State

OPINION — Since 1984, Iran has been designated a state sponsor of terrorism. The designation is justified, given Iran’s continued support of proxies [...] More

Middle EastAmbassador Joseph DeTrani
Former CIA Director on the Priority Intelligence Requirement in Iran

Former CIA Director on the Priority Intelligence Requirement in Iran

EXPERT INTERVIEW – Tehran’s response on Monday to U.S. attacks against its nuclear facilities over the weekend was measured and possibly calibrated [...] More

IranNuclearIntelligenceIsraelMiddle Eastmilitary