Violence in Gaza: “An Ugly Witch’s Brew”
Since the United States declared the opening of its new embassy in Jerusalem, violence has broken out along the border between Israel and the Gaza […] More
Middle East
An Israeli View on Trump’s JCPOA Withdrawal: “Hope Is Not a Strategy”
The White House is correct in pointing out the weaknesses of the JCPOA, some of which have even been candidly acknowledged by former U.S. officials […] More
President Trump Announces Withdrawal from the Iran Nuclear Deal
President Donald Trump announced Tuesday afternoon that the United States would withdraw from the Iran nuclear deal, or JCPOA, and re-impose harsh sanctions on Iran—including […] More
Syria’s Reality: A View from Amman
With increasingly confusing statements and actions from the White House and the Pentagon on U.S. policy toward Syria, The Cipher Brief presented a live briefing […] More
The New Risks, Realities and Opportunities in the Middle East
As Iran and Israel trade accusations over Iran’s nuclear program, and the U.S. sends indicators that it may pull out of the JCPOA agreement, The […] More
Can Trump Legally Withdraw from the Iran Deal?
President Donald Trump has repeatedly voiced his belief that the Iran nuclear deal is flawed and if it is not amended to cure those flaws, […] More
The Strategic Risks of Inaction on Syria’s Chemical Weapons
Bottom Line: Syria’s chemical weapons program not only contributes to a tragic humanitarian situation, but its uninhibited use and maintenance creates strategic implications for the […] More
One-Off Strikes Accomplish Nothing. Assad Must Go.
The American strikes last week on Syrian chemical production, storage and delivery facilities amounted to no more than another pinprick and a slap on Syrian leader Bashar […] More
Turkey’s Greenlight in Syria Detracts from ISIS Fight
Bottom Line: The U.S. teamed with Kurdish forces to oust ISIS from its self-declared caliphate in Syria in Iraq, but now Washington’s continued support for […] More
Trump Hits Assad Regime Over Suspected Chemical Attack
After days threatening to take action, President Donald Trump announced Friday evening that he’d ordered “precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities,” […] More
Trump’s “Red Line” Moment in Syria?
Bottom Line: U.S. President Donald Trump has threatened to rain missiles on forces loyal to Syrian Bashar al-Assad, one week after they allegedly conducted a […] More
In or Out? Mixed Signals from Trump Administration on Syria
The commander-in-chief and his national security team are sending mixed signals on U.S. policy in Syria. President Donald Trump on Tuesday said: “The primary mission […] More
Israel’s Intel Ministry: One Eye on Tehran, the Other on the Future
BRUSSELS – Director of Israel’s Ministry of Intelligence Chagai Tzuriel came to this European city to get the word out that if Iran tries to […] More
Are Israel and Iran Stuck on a Collision Course?
Just last month, the long-simmering Israeli-Iranian conflict came out of the shadows when Iran sent a drone across the Jordanian border into Israel, and Israel […] More
Iranian Hackers Indicted and Sanctioned for State-Sponsored IP Theft
Today, the U.S. Department of Justice revealed indictments for nine Iranian hackers and the U.S. Treasury sanctioned these same individuals as well as one entity, […] More
The Saudi Crown Prince’s American Charm Offensive
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman has won over the American president. He now has a simple message for the American people: we’re the modern […] More
15 Years After Invading Iraq: Winning the War, But Still Fighting for Peace
Monday marks 15 years since President George W. Bush announced the start of the Iraq war, followed by a ‘decapitation’ air strike on Baghdad meant […] More
Forget the Ultimate Deal: Trump and Netanyahu Should Save Gaza For Now
When Prime Minister Binyamin Netanyahu visits President Donald Trump at the White House on Monday, they might commiserate over the domestic investigations each are facing as […] More