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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
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The Latest

Lessons from Israel's Tale of Two Fronts

Emily Harding

Lessons from Israel's Tale of Two Fronts

OPINION — On Oct 6th, Hamas was ready to launch an audacious attack. It was complex, involved thousands of fighters, and aimed to kill, capture, and [...] More

IntelligenceEmily HardingIsrael

Global Challenges for 47th President: Two Major Wars, and Avoiding Conflict With China

John McLaughlin

Global Challenges for 47th President: Two Major Wars, and Avoiding Conflict With China

EXPERT OPINION — As Americans vote, and an anxious nation awaits the results, we turned to a member of our expert network with extensive global [...] More

ChinaRussiaIranUkraineIsraelnational security
Why the ‘Philadelphi Corridor’ May Derail a Gaza Deal
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deep dive

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

IsraelMiddle EastReporting
Assessing the 'Last Opportunity' for a Gaza Ceasefire Deal
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expert interviews

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. [...] More

IranIsraelMiddle EastReporting
What Happened to Iran’s Promised Revenge Against Israel?
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expert analysis

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 [...] More

IranIsraelMiddle EastReporting

War, Legitimacy and Context in the Middle East

Geoffrey Corn

War, Legitimacy and Context in the Middle East

Lt. Gen. David A. Deptula (Ret.)

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 [...] More

IsraelGeoffrey CornIsraeli War
NatSecEdge

U.S. Moving Big Guns to the Middle East to Deter, Protect and Defend

Vice Adm. Kevin Donegan

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

IranCipher Brief Expert ViewIsraelMiddle East
Spoilers that could Ignite 'Tinder Box' in the Middle East
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exclusive interview

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 [...] More

IranMiddle EastIsrael

Israel's Internal Division are Opportunities for its Adversaries

Beth Sanner

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 [...] More

IsraelBeth Sanner

The Last Ten Yards of Hostage Negotiations

Walter Pincus

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 to [...] More

IsraelWalter PincusFine Print
Israel, the U.S. and the Politics of 2,000-Pound Bombs 
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deep dive

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 [...] More

IsraelMiddle EastReporting

Israel's Fragile North and the Art of 'Intelligence' Diplomacy

Ralph Goff

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 [...] More

CIARalph GoffIsraelExpert View