FDD Events Podcast

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with former U.S. Special Representative for Iran Brian Hook.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Adjunct Senior Fellow Peter Doran, who authored the FDD Monograph "Winning the Race of the Red Queen: How U.S. Sanctions Can Outpace Russia's Evasion."They discuss how Russia and Iran have adapted to U.S. sanctions, why economic pressure often falls short, and what it will take for Washington to regain the upper hand.Learn more: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Distinguished Fellow Lewis Libby.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ray Takeyh of the Council on Foreign Relations.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special FDD Morning Brief SITREP featuring FDD experts RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and Jonathan Hessen.They examine the tactical picture in Iran, the threat to the Strait of Hormuz, and what states could become key players in the conflict.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Einat Wilf, chair of the Knesset's Oz Party.They assess public sentiment in Israel, the danger of leaving the Islamic Republic weakened but intact, and why the fight against the regime's ideology could define the region's future.Learn more: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

THE WAR IN IRAN IS TESTING THE GULF---FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP episode of the FDD Morning Brief featuring Ebtesam AlKetbi of the Emirates Policy Center and FDD Senior International Fellow Eyal Hulata.They examine how Operation Epic Fury is impacting Gulf countries.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

THE MILITARY PARTNERSHIPS FUELING EPIC FURY---FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP featuring FDD experts Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus and Bradley Bowman. They examine the U.S.-Israel military synchronization powering Operation Epic Fury as it unfolds.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer hosts a special SITREP featuring FDD experts Janatan Sayeh and Cameron McMillan.They provide timely situational updates and analysis on the evolving war with Iran and the military dimensions of Operation Epic Fury.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Israeli journalist Nadav Eyal.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

ERDOGAN'S NEO-OTTOMAN AMBITIONSHEADLINE 1: The Palestinian Authority is still paying money to terrorists.HEADLINE 2: The Trump administration continues to heap financial pressure on Iran.HEADLINE 3: A construction project in Gaza seems to be in the works.---FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Turkey Program Senior Director Sinan Ciddi.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief---Featured FDD Pieces: "Georgia is becoming Iran's sanctions evasion hub" - Keti Korkiya, The Hill"The US should stop indulging Hungary and Slovakia" - Ivana Stradner and Dalibor Rohac, Washington Examiner "Saving the European-American marriage" - Clifford D. May, The Washington Times

HEADLINE 1: Iran wants to buy anti-ship missiles from China.HEADLINE 2: India's prime minister touched down in Israel today.HEADLINE 3: In case you missed it, Syria recently transferred thousands of ISIS prisoners to Iraq. --FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Erin Molan, former television presenter for Sky News Australia and host of The Erin Molan Show.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"What if the Iranian Regime Is Stronger Than Trump Thinks?" - Reuel Marc Gerecht and Ray Takeyh, The New York Times"How Did the United States End Up on the Same Side as the Muslim Brotherhood in Yemen?" - Bridget Toomey, FDD Insight"The Islamic Republic's Weaponization of Global Terror" - Mark Dubowitz and Edmund Fitton-Brown, The Iran Breakdown

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Chief Executive Mark Dubowitz.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

AN ANCIENT CITY'S MODERN DIVIDE HEADLINE 1: Iran and Russia held joint naval exercises in and around the Gulf of Oman.HEADLINE 2: The European Union officially designated the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps as a terrorist organization.HEADLINE 3: Israel carried out a large counterterrorism operation in the town of Hebron this week.---FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Yishai Fleisher, who serves as the international spokesperson for the Jewish Community of Hebron.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief---Featured FDD Pieces:"Europe Looks to Israeli Tech to Defend Tanks" - Brad Bowman and Justin Leopold-Cohen, Real Clear Defense"Free Jimmy Lai!" - Cliff May, The Washington Times"Ukraine, four years in" - LinkedIn Newsletter: This Week at FDD

HEADLINE 1: More countries are planning to contribute troops to the International Stabilization Force in Gaza.HEADLINE 2: The Lebanese government provided an update on disarming Hezbollah.HEADLINE 3: Qatar is taking some heat right now from an unlikely place: the Israeli left.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Andrew Tabler of The Washington Institute.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Allies, Adversaries, and the Axis" - Bradley Bowman and LTG (Ret.) H.R. McMaster, Foreign Podicy"Did Iran Use Chemical Weapons on Protesters?" - Andrea Stricker (writing with Gregory D. Koblentz), The National Interest"Trump could be missing the opportunity to rebuild the Navy efficiently and quickly" - RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, New York Post

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Steve Hayes, CEO and editor of The Dispatch.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

HEADLINE 1: The United States smuggled thousands of Starlink internet terminals into Iran.HEADLINE 2: Remember the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation? A security firm based in North Carolina called UG Solutions helped secure the group's aid distribution sites. Well, UG Solutions might be coming back.HEADLINE 3: Israel successfully completed new tests with its David's Sling missile defense system.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Gaza native who serves as the founder and director of the Realign for Palestine project at the Atlantic Council.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Egypt Tests Trump's Pledge to Defend Persecuted Christians" - Mariam Wahba, Newsweek"A few words of advice on Iran and Gaza" - Cliff May, The Washington Times"Al Jazeera Centre for Studies: Academic Veneer Normalizing Terrorism" - Toby Dershowitz and Qatar expert Eitan Fischberger, FDD Insight

HEADLINE 1: Turkish forces aren't leaving Syria anytime soon.HEADLINE 2: Israel indicted two more individuals for allegedly spying on behalf of Iran. HEADLINE 3: Indonesia is planning to participate in the International Stabilization Force in Gaza.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with FDD Senior Advisor Richard Goldberg.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Pieces:"Whither the Hamas solidarity movement?" - Ben Cohen, JNS"Everything You Always Wanted to Know About the Houthis But Were Afraid to Ask" - Cliff May and Edmund Fitton-Brown, Foreign Podicy"Weaponized Mass Migration" - RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, testifying before the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on Europe

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Reuel Marc Gerecht, a former CIA Iranian-targets officer and current FDD resident scholar.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

HEADLINE 1: Even with talks this weekend, Iran continues to escalate in the Middle East.HEADLINE 2: Israel continues to even the score from October 7.HEADLINE 3: And I really don't like this: Egypt and Turkey signed a military cooperation agreement in Cairo.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ghaith Al-Omari, senior fellow at The Washington Institute and former senior advisor to the Palestinian Authority.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Pieces:"Should Western Tech Giants Partner With Pro-Hamas Network Al Jazeera?" - Toby Dershowitz and Asher Boiskin, The Cipher Brief"Why Is the Trump Administration Wiring Venezuelan Oil Revenue to Qatar?" - Natalie Ecanow, The Dispatch"Sudanese Army Breaks Key Siege as U.S. Leads Humanitarian Aid Push" - Mariam Wahba, FDD Policy Brief

HEADLINE 1: UNRWA is back in the news. And that's generally not a good thing for the UN's most corrupt agency.HEADLINE 2: Earlier this week, the IDF dropped some sort of non-toxic chemical substance near the Blue Line. The Israelis have been consistently clearing greenery to ensure unhindered lines of sight. UNIFIL was outraged.HEADLINE 3: Lebanon's army chief headed to Florida this week for meetings with his American counterparts.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Israeli journalist and "The War of Return" co-author Adi Schwartz.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"After Erdogan: Who Will Control Turkey?" - Sinan Ciddi and William Doran, FDD Memo"Reimagining Mediterranean Security with Greek Minister for National Defense Nikos Dendias" - FDD Event"Trump Administration Foreign Policy Tracker: February" - FDD Experts

IS THIS THE END OF UNRWA? HEADLINE 1: The Islamic Republic of Iran has designated every European military as a terrorist organization. HEADLINE 2: Looks like the EU Commission has fired a senior official after a scandal involving Qatari influence and lavish gifts.HEADLINE 3: Hamas claims that it has killed several members of Israel-backed paramilitary groups operating in Gaza.HEADLINE 4: The Israelis have opened up the Rafah crossing in southern Gaza after a year of keeping it closed.HEADLINE 5: The government of South Africa and Israel are engaged in a nasty diplomatic spat right now. ---FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Asaf Romirowsky, executive director of Scholars for Peace in the Middle East (SPME) and the Association for the Study of the Middle East and Africa (ASMEA).Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

HEADLINE 1: Turkish authorities detained six people suspected of spying for Iran.HEADLINE 2: The Saudis are in town, led by the crown prince's brother.HEADLINE 3: South Africa reportedly is moving ahead with investigations into naval drills that took place in early January.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Senior Research Analyst Ahmad Sharawi.For all past episodes: https://bit.ly/3LENwPr--Featured FDD Pieces:"Iran Protests Highlight South Africa's Broken Moral Compass" - David May, The Algemeiner"Two Bad Apples Threaten to Spoil the Gaza Board of Peace" - Natalie Ecanow and Sinan Ciddi, National Review"In the Eye of the Storm" - Mark Dubowitz and Rich Goldberg, The Iran Breakdown

HEADLINE 1: A delegation of Hamas officials arrived on Monday in…wait for it…Turkey.HEADLINE 2: This is not a parody: Hamas wants to be part of Gaza's new government.HEADLINE 3: The USS Abraham Lincoln arrived in Middle Eastern waters yesterday.AND BONUS HEADLINE 4: The IDF is still hammering Hezbollah in Lebanon.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow Elliott Abrams, who formerly served as U.S. Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela.For all past episodes: https://bit.ly/3LENwPr--Featured FDD Pieces:"Israel's hostage agony finally ends — but its Gaza mission is far from over" - Mark Dubowitz, New York Post"Iranian Influence Operation Floods X With Anti-Protest Messaging" - Max Lesser and Maria Riofrio, FDD Policy Brief"Why Is Saudi Arabia Abandoning Peace?" - Hussain Abdul-Hussain, The National Interest

FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a pre-recorded conversation between Jonathan Schanzer and Michael Rubin, a senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum.For all episodes: https://bit.ly/4qHfzNp

IS VENEZUELA CHINA'S REALITY CHECK? HEADLINE 1: Israel banned 29 Turkish individuals from entering the country.HEADLINE 2: Iran is reportedly turning to cryptocurrency to resuscitate its economy.HEADLINE 3: The Treasury Department slapped sanctions on a network of nonprofits tied to Hamas.HEADLINE 4: Israel is still schwacking Hezbollah in Lebanon.-- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Craig Singleton, senior director of FDD's China Program.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief-- Featured FDD Pieces: "Over the Barrel of a Gun: Syria's Deal With the SDF" - Ahmad Sharawi, Real Clear World"The mission behind Trump's Board of Peace is simple — and critics keep getting it wrong" - Jonathan Schanzer, New York Post"Assessing the China-Russia Threat Nexus in Technology and Information Warfare" - Craig Singleton, David Shedd, Ivana Stradner, and William Evanina, FDD Event

HEADLINE 1: Israel began demolishing UNRWA's headquarters in East Jerusalem.HEADLINE 2:  U.S. Ambassador to Turkey Tom Barrack, who also serves as Trump's Syria envoy, thinks that things are going well in Damascus. HEADLINE 3: The IDF began a sweeping counterterrorism operation in the West Bank city of Hebron.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Israeli American journalist Emily Schrader.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Pieces:"Persian Puzzles" - FDD's Foreign Podicy"As Iran's uprising intensifies, Israel cannot afford to sit this one out" - Saeed Ghasseminejad and Navid Mohebbi, Ynetnews"Canada's Bet on Beijing Puts USMCA at Risk" - Elaine Dezenski and Susan Soh

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Steven A. Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for MENA at the Council on Foreign Relations.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

THE NEW SYRIA AND ISRAEL'S SECURITYHEADLINE 1: Argentina is going after the Muslim Brotherhood.HEADLINE 2: The U.S. Treasury Department rolled out a new sanctions package in support of the Iranian people. HEADLINE 3: It's official. Phase two of the Gaza ceasefire has begun.HEADLINE 4: Things are still going boom in Lebanon.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Senior Advisor Jonathan Hessen.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief-- FDD Featured Pieces: "The quiet way AI normalizes foreign influence" - Leah Siskind, Cyberscoop"Egypt Sentences Christian Researcher Under Blasphemy Law, Underscoring a Recurrent Breach in U.S.-Egypt Relations" - Mariam Wahba, FDD"Made in China, Paid by Seniors: Stopping the Surge of International Scams" - Nathan Picarsic, U.S. Senate Testimony

HEADLINE 1: The Trump administration designated three branches of the Muslim Brotherhood as terrorist organizations yesterday.HEADLINE 2: More than a year has passed since the assassination of Hamas mastermind Yahya Sinwar. You'll recall he was the man primarily responsible for the 10/7 slaughter.HEADLINE 3: The Kurdish National Army — which is the military wing of the Kurdistan Freedom Party — captured the IRGC headquarters in the western Iranian town of Kermanshah.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Founder and President Cliff May.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Pieces:"Trump Administration Foreign Policy Tracker: January" - FDD Experts"Southern Exposure: Trump's Arrest of Maduro Brings Opportunities and Dangers" - Cliff May feat. Carrie Filipetti, Foreign Podicy"Mark Dubowitz: The regime clings to its ninth life" - Bill Roggio and Mark Dubowitz, Generation Jihad"Don't make the mistake Obama did, Mr. President, enforce your Iran ‘red line'" - Ahmad Sharawi, New York Post

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of FDD's Iran Program.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

HOW ARE DOMESTIC POLITICS SHAPING ISRAEL'S NATIONAL SECURITY?HEADLINE 1: A big Gaza announcement is expected.HEADLINE 2: The Lebanese Armed Forces said it completed the first phase of its plan to deploy across south Lebanon and disarm non-state groups.HEADLINE 3: An Iranian hacking group claimed it identified an Israeli agent coordinating Mossad operations inside Iran.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Gadeer Kamal Mreeh, former member of Knesset (Israel's parliament) and founder and CEO of GKM Global Consulting LLC.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces: "Lebanon Must Become Independent of Saudi Arabia Too" - Hussain Abdul-Hussain, This is Beirut"Can Iran Hold the Line Against Its Protesters?" - Reuel Marc Gerecht and Ray Takeyh, The Wall Street Journal "How the UK Is Undermining US Indo-Pacific Security" - Alexander Gray and Cleo Paskal

HEADLINE 1: Five years after the Abraham Accords, Israel and Morocco are still going strong.HEADLINE 2: Over in Paris, Syria and Israel resumed security talks. And it looks like they might have made a breakthrough.HEADLINE 3: Gidon Saar has landed in Somaliland.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Carine Hajjar, an opinion journalist for The Washington Post.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Why These Iranian Protests Are Different" - Behnam Ben Taleblu, The Free Press"Recognizing Somaliland" - FDD's Foreign Podicy"Why Trump bared his teeth and nabbed Venezuela's Maduro — and it's not just drugs" - Jonathan Schanzer, New York Post

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director of FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI).Learn more at: https://fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ambassador Jeff Bartos, who serves as the U.S. Representative for UN Management and Reform.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

IS THE BONDI BEACH MASSACRE AUSTRALIA'S WAKE-UP CALL?HEADLINE 1: The United States just slapped new sanctions on Iran's shadow oil fleet. HEADLINE 2: Israel, Greece, and Cyprus are mulling a military coalition to deter the Turks.HEADLINE 3: U.S. MidEast envoy Steve Witkoff is heading to Gaza ceasefire talks…. In Miami. ---FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Joel Burnie, executive manager of the Australia/Israel & Jewish Affairs Council.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief---Featured FDD Pieces:"It's time for Brussels to designate Yemen's Houthis as a terrorist organization' - Behnam Ben Taleblu and Bridget Toomey, Euractiv"Mostly quiet on the Gazan front" - Clifford D. May, The Washington Times"How Turkey Props up Venezuela" - Sinan Ciddi and William Doran, The National Interest

HEADLINE 1: Qatar is once again pushing Washington to sell it F-35s.HEADLINE 2: Israel facilitated the exit of more than 200 Palestinians from Gaza.HEADLINE 3: Hamas is abusing Gazans. Again.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Miriam Haart, who starred in the hit Netflix TV series My Unorthodox Life.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Lebanon Must Pick the Abraham Accords over the Muslim Brotherhood" - Hussain Abdul-Hussain, This Is Beirut"How to Finish off the Muslim Brotherhood" - Ahmad Sharawi, The National Interest"Is Bondi Beach a sign that ISIS is making a comeback?" - Seth J. Frantzman, The Jerusalem Post

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with political satirist and "Oh My World" podcast host Hagar Chemali.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

SHOULD ISRAEL PARDON BIBI? HEADLINE 1: The United States seized an oil tanker off the coast of Venezuela.HEADLINE 2: Israeli and Taiwanese officials recently conducted a series of secret meetings. HEADLINE 3: The U.S. and Israel wrapped up joint naval exercises yesterday.-- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Aviva Klompas, co-founder and CEO of Boundless.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces: "Trojan Horse: China's Auto Threat to America" - Elaine Dezenski, Congressional Testimony "Fight To Keep China Out of U.S. K-12 Classrooms Comes to Congress" - Jennifer Richmond, FDD "A Free Venezuela Elevates U.S. Energy Security" - Saeed Ghasseminejad, RealClearWorld

HEADLINE 1: After taking a beating during the 12-day war, Iran is back to building up its ballistic missile arsenal.HEADLINE 2: Israeli authorities raided a vacant United Nations Relief and Works Agency facility in East Jerusalem.HEADLINE 3: The IDF discovered three crude rockets in the West Bank city of Tulkarem.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with activist, actress, and New York Times bestselling author Noa Tishby.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"The Widening Gulf Between Iran and the Gulf" - Behnam Ben Taleblu and Norman T. Roule, FDD's Foreign Podicy"Al Jazeera's Academic Arm Platforms Hamas Denialism and Anti-Israel Propaganda" - Toby Dershowitz, FDD Insight"Anti-Israeli Countries' Attempt To Ban Israel From Eurovision Song Contest Falls Flat — With Help From Germany, Austria" - David May, New York Sun

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Michal Cotler-Wunsch, CEO of The International Legal Forum (ILF) and former Member of Israel's Knesset (Parliament).Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

HEADLINE 1: Yesterday, Chinese President Xi Jinping said Beijing will provide $100 million to help with reconstruction and ease the humanitarian situation in Gaza.HEADLINE 2: The Pentagon deployed a new type of drone to the Middle East.HEADLINE 3: Iraq added Hezbollah and the Houthis to its asset freeze list.--FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow analyzes the latest headlines, followed by a pre-recorded conversation between Jon Schanzer and FDD Director of Impact and AI Research Fellow Leah Siskind.Learn more at: https://fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"America needs to stop being naive in Gaza" - Bonnie Glick, Washington Reporter"China's Influence Operation in US Education Was Supposed To Be Shut Down, But Did Closing the Confucius Institutes Only Make It Stronger?" - Jennifer Richmond, The Washington Free Beacon"Is Qatari Money Corrupting American Education?" - Natalie Ecanow, Townhall

WHAT'S HAPPENING IN SOUTHERN YEMEN?HEADLINE 1: Saudi Arabia is providing the Palestinian Authority with a $90 million grant.HEADLINE 2: Three Israeli soldiers were wounded in two separate attacks yesterday.HEADLINE 3: The IDF raided the offices in Ramallah and Hebron of an organization called the Union of Agricultural Work Committees.---FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow, filling in for Jonathan Schanzer, provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Southern Transition Council Special Representative Amr Al-Bidh.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief---Featured FDD Pieces: "Trump is right to crack down on the Muslim Brotherhood" - Edmund Fitton-Brown, The Spectator"Japan Has Changed How the World Must Think About Taiwan" - Craig Singleton, The New York Times"Africa 2025: Things Fall Apart" - Clifford D. May, Foreign Podicy

Bradley Bowman, senior director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power, provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Dana Stroul, who serves as Director of Research and Shelly and Michael Kassen Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

HEADLINE 1: Anyone heard of Binance? It's the world's largest cryptocurrency exchange — and it may well have facilitated $1 billion in transactions for Hamas, Hezbollah, and other terrorist organizations — that's billion with a “b.”HEADLINE 2: The Palestinian economy is on the brink of collapse.HEADLINE 3: The Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or “GHF,” is wrapping up its operations in Gaza. --FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Rep. Mario Díaz-Balart (R-FL).Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Iran Drops the Façade of Tolerance Toward Persian Jews" - Janatan Sayeh, National Review"Reconstructing Gaza: The devil is in the detail" - Ben Cohen, JNS"Oy, There's Too Much News" - The Commentary Magazine Podcast feat. Jonathan Schanzer

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with former UK Ambassador to Yemen and current FDD Senior Fellow Edmund Fitton-Brown.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

WHAT CAN ISRAEL EXPECT FROM ITS NEIGHBORS?HEADLINE 1: The IDF carried out strikes against several Hezbollah weapons storage facilities in south Lebanon.HEADLINE 2: Israeli prosecutors charged seven men suspected of smuggling arms from Syria into Israel.HEADLINE 3: Israeli prosecutors charged seven men suspected of smuggling arms from Syria into Israel.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with former Israeli acting National Security Advisor BG (Res.) Prof. Jacob Nagel. Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"New York, New York, it's a socialist town" - Clifford D. May, The Washington Times"Trump's Gaza peace plan is doomed — unless he shuts down terror-boosting UNRWA" - Enia Krivine and Richard Goldberg, New York Post"Is Iran Unraveling?" - Mark Dubowitz, The Iran Breakdown

HEADLINE 1: The U.N. Security Council blessed Trump's 20-point plan for Gaza.HEADLINE 2: Syria opened its first trial over the mass killings of Alawite minorities last spring.HEADLINE 3: Yee Haw! The State of Texas designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Eran Lahav, the head of the Middle East Department at the David Institute for Policy & Research of IDSF.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Maritime Protection of Taiwan's Energy Vulnerability" - FDD Memo"US Military Dominance Is the Backbone of Prosperity" - Saeed Ghasseminejad, The National Interest"What Washington Should Demand From Riyadh Before Providing the F-35" - Bradley Bowman and Justin Leopold-Cohen, Real Clear Defense

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Gaza native who serves as the founder and director of the Realign for Palestine project at the Atlantic Council.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MBS COMES TO TOWN?HEADLINE 1: The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on over two dozen targets that support Iran's ballistic missile and drone production networks.HEADLINE 2: U.S. Central Command provided an update on operational activity in Syria.HEADLINE 3: Israeli forces dismantled a Hamas network in the West Bank.--FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow, filling in for Jonathan Schanzer, provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Atlantic Council Nonresident Senior Fellow Sarah Zaaimi.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces: "Previewing the Trump-MBS Meeting" - Jonathan Schanzer, Edmund Fitton-Brown, and Bradley Bowman, FDD"With voting in Iraq complete, government formation begins" - Bridget Toomey, FDD's Long War Journal "The war against Christians" - Clifford D. May, The Washington Times

HEADLINE 1: French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.HEADLINE 2: The Houthis might be hitting pause on their attacks against Israel and Red Sea shipping.HEADLINE 3: Iran said it dismantled a spy network linked to Israel and the United States.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Adjunct Fellow Seth Frantzman, who serves as senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces"Tehran's Crisis is Iran's Reckoning" - Janatan Sayeh, Real Clear World"Fifty Years of Gaslighting Israel at the U.N." - David May and Ben Cohen, National Review"Erhurman's election a step towards peace, but beware of Ankara's appetite" - Sinan Ciddi and William Doran, Kathimerini