TURKEY'S INTERNAL CHALLENGES AND EXTERNAL INFLUENCE HEADLINE 1: Israel’s defense exports increased 13 percent in 2024. HEADLINE 2: Israel is arming jihadi criminals in Gaza. HEADLINE 3: The Syrian government agreed to give the International Atomic Energy Agency access to former Assad regime nuclear sites. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer deli…

For malign actors seeking to undermine U.S. global leadership and economic prosperity, AI is the latest battleground. To learn how U.S. adversaries leverage AI to advance their military, cyber, and malign influence capabilities, join RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI); Matt Potting…

QATAR'S MALIGN INFLUENCE AND ANTI-ISRAEL PROPAGANDA HEADLINE 1: The Trump administration okay-ed the integration of foreign fighters into the Syrian army. HEADLINE 2: Rumors are swirling about who will replace Muhammed Sinwar as Hamas’s commander-in-chief. OK, maybe not swirling. We think we know who it is. HEADLINE 3: Chaos is festering on the Gaz…

GAZA AID, HAMAS, AND THE 'DAY AFTER' HEADLINE 1: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam is talking about normalization with Israel. HEADLINE 2: The United States, Britain, France, and Germany, are planning to submit a resolution to the International Atomic Energy Agency board declaring Iran non-compliant with its non-proliferation obligations. Because…

U.S.-ISRAEL TIES, INTERNAL ISRAELI POLITICS, AND THE HOSTAGE NEGOTIATIONS HEADLINE 1: The IDF announced that it has successfully used lasers to shoot down enemy projectiles. HEADLINE 2: The Lebanese Armed Forces reportedly dismantled most of Hezbollah’s infrastructure in south Lebanon. HEADLINE 3: After 13 years, the stars and stripes are flying ag…

WHAT'S THE STORY WITH HUMANITARIAN AID TO GAZA? HEADLINE 1: Israel and Syria are holding direct talks. HEADLINE 2: Germany is starting to change its tone on Israel. HEADLINE 3: The Palestinian flag is about to fly at the World Health Organization. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely updates and sharp analysis, followed by a conve…

FOREIGN INFLUENCE IN K-12 SCHOOLS AND BEYOND HEADLINE 1: Israel and Turkey reportedly established a new mechanism to help prevent unwanted military incidents in Syria. HEADLINE 2: Two more Houthi missile attacks were recorded. HEADLINE 3: France is working with Saudi Arabia on a proposal for Gaza that would require Hamas to disarm. -- FDD Executive…

EGYPT, CHINA, AND THE HORN OF AFRICA HEADLINE 1: The Israeli cabinet approved plans to build a security barrier along Israel’s border with Jordan. HEADLINE 2: Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas is traveling to Lebanon this week. And the corrupt alta cocker might actually notch a legitimate win. HEADLINE 3: The U.S. State Department annou…

IS SYRIA'S NEW REGIME MALIGN OR MODERATE? HEADLINE 1: Israel is working on a plan to relocate civilians in Gaza if a ceasefire doesn’t materialize soon. HEADLINE 2: It’s official: Hamas’s October 7th attack was designed to derail Saudi-Israel normalization. HEADLINE 3: Another day, another Israeli caught spying for Iran. -- FDD Executive Director J…

TRUMP'S GULF TRIP AND THE IMPLICATIONS FOR THE REGION HEADLINE 1: President Trump’s whirlwind Middle East tour was rife with record-breaking deals. HEADLINE 2: Congressional Republicans have reiterated their support for full Iranian nuclear dismantlement. HEADLINE 3: Trump’s sharp policy reversal on U.S. sanctions against Syria during his Gulf tour…

THE REGIONAL RAMIFICATIONS OF U.S.-SAUDI NUCLEAR COOPERATION HEADLINE 1: Tehran’s oil-for-missiles pipeline to Beijing just got sanctioned. HEADLINE 2: Israel targeted Muhammad Sinwar in a strike yesterday HEADLINE 3: Yesterday, President Trump announced that he’s lifting sanctions on Syria to — quote — “give them a chance at greatness” — end quote…

NUCLEAR TALKS, CONGRESS, AND MAXIMUM SUPPORT FOR THE IRANIAN PEOPLE HEADLINE 1: The IDF is closing in on victory in the Hamas stronghold of Rafah in southern Gaza, with heavy fighting now focused on the neighborhood of Janina. HEADLINE 2: After 43 years, Israel brought home the body of a fallen soldier—Sgt. First Class Zvi Feldman—from deep inside …

IRAN, SYRIA, THE HOUTHIS ... AND MORE HEADLINE 1: The United States dropped the demand for normalization with Israel as a condition for advancing civil nuclear cooperation discussions with Saudi Arabia. HEADLINE 2: A mob at Columbia University disseminated pamphlets praising a Palestinian terrorist. There’s a reason people call this school Birzeit …

HOUTHIS, HAMAS, AND THE HOSTAGES HEADLINE 1: Israel prepares for “Operation Gideon’s Chariots” — a new, expanded ground offensive in Gaza. HEADLINE 2: The United States and Iran are set to resume nuclear talks. HEADLINE 3: Things are heating up a little in Lebanon. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analy…

DOCUMENTING THE TRUTH ABOUT THE OCTOBER 7 MASSACRE HEADLINE 1: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu called on Qatar to stop playing games. HEADLINE 2: The UK arrested 8 men on suspected terror offenses. HEADLINE 3: Israel carried out a strike near the presidential palace in Damascus, Syria. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timel…

THE IMPACT OF FOREIGN FUNDING TO AMERICAN UNIVERSITIES HEADLINE 1: On Wednesday, two Israeli reservists were wounded in a roadside bomb attack in the northern West Bank. HEADLINE 2: Seven Iranian entities were slapped with U.S. sanctions on Wednesday. HEADLINE 3: Reuters published details from a 33-page document its reporters found in Damascus afte…

ABRAHAM ACCORDS, TWO-STATE PARADIGM, AND U.S.-IRAN NUCLEAR TALKS HEADLINE 1: The Navy lost a $60 million fighter jet because of a Houthi missile attack. HEADLINE 2: An Israeli district court sentenced an Israeli citizen to 10 years in prison for treason. HEADLINE 3: Sectarian clashes broke out near Damascus in what people are still calling the new …

TARIFFS, TRUMP DOCTRINE, AND WHITE HOUSE DIVISIONS HEADLINE 1: The Palestinian Liberation Organization has a new vice president. HEADLINE 2: The Houthis launched yet another ballistic missile at Israel on Saturday morning. HEADLINE 3: Qatar and Saudi Arabia are settling Syria’s debt to the World Bank. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers…

SOCIOECONOMIC AND POLITICAL REALITIES IN ISRAEL POST-OCTOBER 7 HEADLINE 1: The Palestinian Liberation Organization Central Council held a two-day meeting this week. HEADLINE 2: Iran may be operating a new, deeply buried tunnel and an expanded security perimeter near the Natanz nuclear site. HEADLINE 3: Interim Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa says …

SANCTIONS, ILLICIT FINANCE, AND THE IRANIAN PEOPLE HEADLINE 1: Egypt and Qatar reportedly tabled a new ceasefire proposal. HEADLINE 2: Another day, another round of Iran sanctions. HEADLINE 3: Egypt and China kicked off their first-ever joint air force exercise. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis…

To help protect the United States and its allies from the rising threat of missile and drone attacks, FDD is excited to inaugurate its new Air and Missile Defense Program, housed within the Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP). This state-of-the-art program conducts rigorous, timely research regarding the air and missile defense capabiliti…

The current economic “moment” is seeing a generational re-ordering of global trade, alliances, and capital. The Trump Administration is unleashing an unprecedented and muscular use of economic power, with tariffs on historical allies and adversaries alike, ramped up sanctions on Iran and Venezuela, new investment incentives and reviews, and willing…

SANCTIONS, TARIFFS, AND MORE HEADLINE 1: Turkish Intelligence Chief Ibrahim Kalin met with Hamas leaders over the weekend. HEADLINE 2: The U.S. and Iran held a second round of nuclear talks in Rome. HEADLINE 3: Hamas launched a deadly attack against Israeli troops in northern Gaza. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely updates and …

MORAL COURAGE IN THE WAKE OF OCTOBER 7 HEADLINE 1: Qatar Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani arrived in Moscow yesterday for talks with Russian President Vladimir Putin. HEADLINE 2: Hamas is on the verge of bankruptcy. HEADLINE 3: The U.S. Treasury sanctioned the International Bank of Yemen. HEADLINE 4: Lebanese forces detained multiple people who…

The U.S. military has a vested interest in the security of the nation’s critical transportation infrastructure. During a conflict, America’s adversaries are likely to attack U.S. critical infrastructure in an attempt to constrain Washington’s policy options, including its capacity to mobilize the armed forces. Over the past year, the intelligence c…

CAN THE UNITED STATES SUSTAIN SIMULTANEOUS MILITARY SUPPORT FOR ISRAEL, UKRAINE, AND TAIWAN? HEADLINE 1: Jordan arrested 16 people linked to the Muslim Brotherhood who were involved in a plot to undermine Jordan with targeted attacks. HEADLINE 2: The European Union announced a new aid package for the Palestinian Authority. HEADLINE 3: Lebanese Pres…

IRAN, OMAN, AND THE UNITED STATES HEADLINE 1: The IDF struck a Hamas command center inside Gaza’s al-Ahli hospital. HEADLINE 2: Syrian President Abu Mohammed Al-Jolani was on a charm offensive this weekend. Yes, I still called him by the name he used when he was openly leading an Al-Qaeda affiliate group. HEADLINE 3: The U.S. and Saudi Arabia are r…

LEBANON, ISRAEL, AND THE FUTURE OF THE MIDDLE EAST HEADLINE 1: The Trump administration rolled out another round of Iran sanctions. HEADLINE 2: Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei is a wanted man in Argentina. HEADLINE 3: Israeli and Turkish officials met in Azerbaijan to discuss Syria. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers time…

JERUSALEM, ANKARA, AND WASHINGTON HEADLINE 1: Hezbollah may be using maritime routes to smuggle weapons into Lebanon. HEADLINE 2: Iran has been recruiting Swedish criminal gangs to target Jews and Israelis. HEADLINE 3: Protests erupted in Egypt against President Trump’s plan to relocate Palestinians from Gaza. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer…

Iran’s nuclear program is escalating, its economy is worsening, and Tehran’s terror-regime ties with other authoritarians are tightening. As a result, the United States has an unparalleled opportunity to operationalize alternative policy options that marry maximum support for the Iranian people with maximum pressure against the Iranian regime. To a…

A VISION FOR YEMEN'S FUTURE HEADLINE 1: In June 2021, Hamas asked Iran for $500 million to help fund the destruction of Israel. HEADLINE 2: On Saturday, The Washington Post reported that the regime in Iran hired a Georgian drug trafficker to assassinate a rabbi in Azerbaijan. HEADLINE 3: The United States has sent another THAAD air defense system t…

MAXIMUM PRESSURE ON THE REGIME IN IRAN + MAXIMUM SUPPORT FOR THE IRANIAN PEOPLE HEADLINE 1: On Wednesday, the IDF struck what it described as “remaining military capabilities” that belonged to the former Bashar al-Assad regime. HEADLINE 2: The IDF is establishing a new security corridor in southern Gaza. HEADLINE 3: Russia and Iran’s deputy foreign…

Israel’s tech ecosystem plays a pivotal role in strengthening US-Israel relations, particularly collaborative innovations, economic partnerships, and geopolitical ties. These dynamics, notably in defense technology, align with U.S. national security interests and foster normalization with Gulf states by enhancing regional stability and economic res…

ISRAEL, QATAR, AND TURKEY HEADLINE 1: Israel eliminated a top Hezbollah terrorist in Beirut. HEADLINE 2: Israeli security forces foiled a terror cell in the West Bank city of Nablus. HEADLINE 3: The Houthis said they shot down an American MQ-9 Reaper drone. -- FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow provides timely situational updates and analys…

TURKEY, GAZA, AND IRAQ HEADLINE 1: Erdogan’s Hamas clients are also dealing with popular unrest. HEADLINE 2: The regime in Iran replied to President Trump’s letter to Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. HEADLINE 3: The United States military continues to hammer the Houthis. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updat…

U.S. INVOLVEMENT IN MOUNTING GLOBAL THREATS HEADLINE 1: Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps unveiled another so-called missile city. HEADLINE 2: Those Houthi ballistic missile attacks keep on coming. HEADLINE 3: The U.S. Justice Department filed a lawsuit for the forfeiture of $47 million in proceeds from the sale of Iranian oil. -- FDD Senior…

EXPOSING TWO-FACED QATAR HEADLINE 1: The U.S. Treasury Department issued another round of Iran sanctions. HEADLINE 2: The Trump administration handed Syria’s new rulers a list of conditions they must meet to finally see some of those sanctions lifted. HEADLINE 3: Anti-Hamas protests erupted in Gaza yesterday. -- FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie …

TURKEY: AUTHORITARIANS, BAD ACTORS, AND PROTESTS HEADLINE 1: The U.S. military is beefing up its naval presence in the Middle East. HEADLINE 2: The debate over the credibility of the Lebanese government is heating up again. AND HEADLINE 3: Protests are still raging in Turkey following the arrest of Istanbul’s mayor last week – Turkey’s top oppositi…

REVERSING KISSINGER HEADLINE 1: The Trump administration issued a new round of Iran-related sanctions yesterday. HEADLINE 2: Hamas popped off a handful of rockets at Israel yesterday. HEADLINE 3: Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Khamenei delivered a speech yesterday to mark the start of the Iranian New Year, Nowruz. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Sc…

THE SHIFTING DYNAMICS OF THE MIDDLE EAST: A SPECIAL SITREP EPISODE -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer is joined by former IDF International Spokesperson Jonathan Conricus and U.S. Middle East policy expert John Hannah for a special edition of the FDD Morning Brief. The two will provide Middle East situational updates and analyze the U.S. respon…

CHINA, RUSSIA, AND THE MIDDLE EAST HEADLINE 1: The Shin Bet and Israel police foiled a plot to carry out a terrorist attack in Jerusalem. HEADLINE 2: A former Islamic Revolutionary Guard from Iran gave a rare interview with Israeli media. HEADLINE 3: Former Israeli hostage Tal Shoham gave an exclusive interview to Fox News. BONUS HEADLINE 4: A Syri…

LEBANON, ISRAEL, AND THE GULF HEADLINE 1: The IDF carried out a strike in Damascus yesterday. HEADLINE 2: Qatar is preparing to supply natural gas to Syria. HEADLINE 3: The United Nations published a report accusing Israel of perpetrating “genocidal acts” in Gaza. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analys…

Cyber threats are evolving – but U.S. cyber policy coordination is still lagging behind. Four years after the establishment of the Office of the National Cyber Director, the Trump administration has a unique opportunity to establish stronger central coordination and drive meaningful improvements in how the federal government secures and defends cyb…

A SECURE FUTURE FOR THE MIDDLE EAST HEADLINE 1: The IDF conducted a series of strikes in Syria. HEADLINE 2: The IDF has been busy dismantling terrorist infrastructure in the West Bank city of Jenin. HEADLINE 3: Iran, Russia, and China conducted joint naval exercises. HEADLINE 4: Israel and Lebanon are launching a series of talks to resolve outstand…

THE REVERBERATING IMPACT OF THE 1929 HEBRON MASSACRE HEADLINE 1: Israel will allow Syrian Druze, along with Circassians – another ethnic minority in Syria – to work in the Israeli Golan Heights. HEADLINE 2: Recent meetings in Qatar between top Hamas terrorists and Adam Boehler, the U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs, are focused th…

WHO ARE THE KURDS, AND HOW DO THEY FIT INTO THE MIDDLE EAST PUZZLE? HEADLINE 1: The U.S. Air Force conducted a joint exercise with the Israeli Air Force on Tuesday. HEADLINE 2: Clashes broke out in Syria between Assad loyalists and the new government’s security forces. HEADLINE 3: The Trump administration is getting creative with its maximum pressu…

CAMPUS ANTISEMITISM POST-OCTOBER 7 HEADLINE 1: The State Department designated the Houthis as a Foreign Terrorist Organization. HEADLINE 2: Russian missile experts travelled to Iran twice last year. HEADLINE 3: Turkey and Iran are at loggerheads. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely updates and analysis, followed by a conversation…

Nations pursue access to reliable, sustainable, and affordable energy that will sustain their national security objectives. While the China-Russia led alliance continues to rely largely on fossil fuels, Western countries increasingly seek to replace these traditional energy sources with renewable offerings, leading to less reliable and more expensi…

TURKEY'S TIES TO SYRIA AND ERDOGAN'S DYNAMIC WITH TRUMP HEADLINE 1: The IDF says it is ready to defend an endangered Druze community in Syria. HEADLINE 2: Lebanese authorities detained a man at the airport in Beirut on Friday. HEADLINE 3: The Trump administration is expediting the delivery of some $4 billion in military aid to Israel. -- FDD Execut…

THE U.S.-ISRAEL RELATIONSHIP FROM A DEFENSE PERSPECTIVE HEADLINE 1: The Iran sanctions keep on coming. HEADLINE 2: Israeli authorities arrested yet another Israeli citizen accused of spying for Iran. HEADLINE 3: A car-ramming attack unfolded at a bus stop near the Israeli city of Caesarea yesterday. -- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers t…