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At the Center of the World’s Most Dangerous Chokepoint

STRAIT OF HORMUZ - 17 JANUARY 2026
EXPERT INTERVIEW – Amid escalating tensions in the Middle East and growing concerns about the security of global energy supplies, the Strait of Hormuz is perhaps the world’s most consequential [...] More

Inside the High-Stakes U.S. Pressure Campaign on Iran

Inside the High-Stakes U.S. Pressure Campaign on Iran
EXPERT INTERVIEW – U.S. officials say a second aircraft carrier will be deployed to the Middle East amid the administration’s efforts to pressure Iran to agree to restrictions on its nuclear program. [...] More

More from Suzanne Kelly

The Former Head of NSA on the Future of U.S. Cybersecurity

The Former Head of NSA on the Future of U.S. Cybersecurity

An interview with General Paul Nakasone (ret.) on Cyber Warfare, AI, and America’s Digital Front Lines [...] More
The Country’s First ‘Cognitive Advantage’ Chief: Influence Is the New Battlefield

The Country’s First ‘Cognitive Advantage’ Chief: Influence Is the New Battlefield

Inside America’s New Cognitive War and how the U.S. Is Getting Into the Minds of Our Adversaries [...] More
After Maduro’s Removal, the U.S. Faces Its Hardest Test Yet in Venezuela

After Maduro’s Removal, the U.S. Faces Its Hardest Test Yet in Venezuela

Former CIA station chief David Fitzgerald talks to The Cipher Brief about the risks of “running” Venezuela [...] More
Winter is Coming to Ukraine as it Faces a New Kind of War and Uncertainty About a Key Ally

Winter is Coming to Ukraine as it Faces a New Kind of War and Uncertainty About a Key Ally

From nightly air raids to political uncertainty, former senior CIA officers report a resilient population amid an unsettled strategic future [...] More

The Cipher Brief's Recommended Reads for the Holidays

BOOK REVIEWS & RECOMMENDATIONS -- Welcome to our annual holiday book review and recommendations list, where we highlight some of the terrific books [...] More
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

The White House visit could transform the relationship with a key Gulf ally [...] More
Former CIA Station Chief on the Trump Administration’s Caribbean Strategy

Former CIA Station Chief on the Trump Administration’s Caribbean Strategy

What the growing U.S. military footprint in Latin America and escalating strikes on drug cartels tells us about the administration’s plans [...] More
Witness to a Sea Change in the Middle East: Jack Keane Says Israel Has a Window to Break Iran’s Proxies

Witness to a Sea Change in the Middle East: Jack Keane Says Israel Has a Window to Break Iran’s Proxies

Retired general warns that Washington and its allies must maintain economic and diplomatic pressure [...] More
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

A Cipher Brief Expert Interview as allies warn Tehran is boxed in, reliant on China and Russia to skirt enforcement [...] More