
Another Inauguration – in Lebanon – Offers Hope for the Middle East
OPINION — If 2024 ended with “cautious optimism” about Syria, in the wake of that country’s ouster of the Assad regime, 2025 may be beginning with a […] More
OPINION — If 2024 ended with “cautious optimism” about Syria, in the wake of that country’s ouster of the Assad regime, 2025 may be beginning with a […] More
EXPERT INTERVIEW — Lebanon’s parliament elected Joseph Aoun, the commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces, as the country’s new president on January 9, ending a deadlock […] More
DEEP DIVE — It may be the most consequential change to the Middle East since the October 7, 2023 Hamas attacks against Israel, and the wars […] More
OPINION — On 29 September, Lebanese caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati announced that his country was “committed to Resolution 1701” – a 2006 U.N. ceasefire plan […] More
EXPERT ANALYSIS — Israel’s campaign against Hezbollah — which has included a stunning pager and walkie-talkie sabotage attack, and airstrikes that have taken out a significant […] More
EXPERT ANALYSIS — Since the October 7 Hamas massacre in southern Israel, and the Israeli war on Hamas that followed, the U.S. and other countries […] More
EXPERT INTERVIEW — Even by the standards of Mideast intrigue and covert operations, what happened Tuesday afternoon in Lebanon was startling: for roughly an hour, beginning […] More
Cipher Brief Expert Emile Nakhleh is a retired CIA Senior Intelligence Service Officer and founding director of the CIA’s Political Islam Strategic Analysis Program Office. […] More
Gary Grappo is a former U.S. ambassador who held senior positions including Minister Counselor for Political Affairs at the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad; U.S. Ambassador […] More
Emile Nakhleh is a retired CIA Senior Intelligence Service Officer and founding director of the CIA’s Political Islam Strategic Analysis Program Office. Nakhleh is currently […] More
Bottom Line up Front Iran is pursuing a variety of methods in an effort to preserve its influence in Iraq and Lebanon in the […] More
Bottom Line Up Front Iran is working with key allies in Iraq and Lebanon to forestall political change in the face of significant protests […] More
The Cipher Brief’s Expert Take column highlights the thinking of our experts based on their areas of expertise. Emile Nakhleh is a former member of […] More
Protesters came out in support of Lebanese President Michel Aoun on Sunday but they were followed by anti-government protesters who have been calling for a […] More
Bottom Line Up Front On October 29, Lebanese Prime Minister Saad Hariri announced he and his government would resign, amid massive protests. Although the […] More
The demise of Osama bin Laden in 2011 did not end al-Qaeda. Nor will the apparent demise of Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi end the terror of […] More
Bottom Line Up Front Late last week, Lebanon erupted in protests in response to the government’s attempt to impose a tax on the popular […] More
Bottom Line Up Front Hezbollah’s emergence as Iran’s key regional proxy has prompted additional U.S. efforts to choke off the terror group’s finances. Sanctions […] More
The Head of Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization is putting the IAEA on notice that Tehran is likely to begin producing centrifuges that are used to […] More
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