FDD Events Podcast

WHAT CRIMINAL NETWORKS ARE DOING IRANS BIDDING? HEADLINE 1: German authorities arrested three suspected Hamas operatives one day before Yom Kippur.HEADLINE 2: Israeli forces dismantled a large rocket cache in the West Bank. HEADLINE 3: Israel's Navy intercepted the flotilla attempting to break the so-called blockade on Gaza. Except, guess what? The navy reports that a bunch of boats didn't have any aid all.HEADLINE 4: The U.S. Treasury Department slapped sanctions on 21 entities and 17 individuals involved in Iranian weapons procurement networks supporting the regime's ballistic missile and military aircraft programs. --FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Amotz Eyal, founder and CEO of the Israeli newswire Tazpit Press Service (TPS).Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"The Quiet Return of Hezbollah's Smuggling Network in Syria" - Ahmad Sharawi, FDD"Trump Administration Plan for Gaza Puts Unprecedented and Unified Pressure on Hamas" - Aaron Goren, FDD"8 UN Failures in Yemen" - Bridget Toomey, FDD"Iran on Your Soil: Tehran's Global Crime Network Exposed" - The Press Service of Israel

HOW IS QATAR GROWING ITS INFLUENCE IN THE U.S.? HEADLINE 1: The IDF took out two Hezbollah operatives in Lebanon.HEADLINE 2: Israeli authorities thwarted an ISIS-linked bomb plot.HEADLINE 3: The Houthis attacked a Dutch-flagged cargo ship in the Gulf of Aden.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with journalist Frannie Block of The Free Press.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Hidden Huaweis" - Nathan Picarsic and Emily de La Bruyère, Real Clear Defense"The Chance to Save Myanmar" - Dan Swift and Sean Turnell, Foreign Affairs "FAQ: 5 Things to Know About Israel's Gaza City Offensive" - Joe Truzman, FDD"The Middle Kingdom Meets Higher Education" - Craig Singleton, FDD

WHAT IS WRONG WITH THE UNITED NATIONS? HEADLINE 1: U.S. ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee will travel to Egypt soon.HEADLINE 2: The mayor of Gaza City reportedly sent a letter to President Trump.HEADLINE 3: Another Houthi missile fired at Israel out of Yemen. Another Israeli interception.--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--Featured FDD Pieces: "5 Recent Instances of Foreign Malign Influence Threatening U.S. National Security" - Mark Montgomery and Max Lesser, FDD"When Erdoğan Shifted Focus to the Kurds in Syria" - Sinan Ciddi and Ahmad Sharawi, The Jerusalam Strategic Tribune "Qatar Is Knocking on Canada's Door" - Natalie Ecanow, FDD

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN ERDOGAN COMES TO VISIT? HEADLINE 1: Italy and Spain deployed navy ships to escort the flotilla attempting to break Israel's blockade on Gaza.HEADLINE 2: Iran says it obtained a trove of documents about sensitive Israeli sites and nuclear facilities.HEADLINE 3: Russia and Iran signed a memorandum of understanding for the construction of nuclear power plants in Iran.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Council on Foreign Relations Adjunct Senior Fellow Henri Barkey.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces: "China Has Weaponized Battery Production Against the United States" - Elaine Dezenski and Josh Birenbaum, The National Interest "The United Nations is falling apart" - Edmund Fitton-Brown, The Spectator "Qatar is no Arab Switzerland" - Cliff May, The Washington Times

HOW DID ARAB CITIZENS OF ISRAEL EXPERIENCE THE OCT. 7TH HAMAS MASSACRE? HEADLINE 1: If you weren't already worried about the rise of thinking machines, you definitely want to think twice about getting your news from AI chatbots. HEADLINE 2: Israel will close the Allenby crossing between the West Bank and Jordan indefinitely.HEADLINE 3: Hamas-led authorities in the Gaza Strip executed three alleged “collaborators” as they face rising pushback from militias. --FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Arab-Israeli journalist and social activist Yoseph Haddad.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces: "Will Israel stop the carnage? A brutal occupation won't work" - Reuel Marc Gerecht, UnHerd"A Surge in Islamism Widens Rift Between Sudanese Army and Its Regional Allies" - Hussain Abdul-Hussain, FDD"Palestine recognition would reward terrorism and contradict international law" - Irwin Cotler and Orde Kittrie, National Post

ARE TENSIONS RISING IN THE SINAI? HEADLINE 1: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu wants Washington's help diffusing tensions with Egypt. And man, is that overdue.HEADLINE 2: Qatar is still making a stink about Israel's strike in Doha.HEADLINE 3: As the Gaza City offensive ramps up, Gaza-based terrorists fired two rockets at the southern Israeli city of Ashdod yesterday.-- FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Steven Cook, the Eni Enrico Mattei Senior Fellow for MENA at the Council on Foreign Relations.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Pieces:"As Beijing beckons, is Washington sleepwalking on Egypt?" - Mariam Wahba and Ryan Brobst, Breaking Defense"Africa's debt collector: China's shifting role offers US a golden opportunity" - Daniel Swift, The Hill"'Scientific Malpractice': Israel Publishes 58-Page Report Dissecting Claims of Famine in Gaza" - David Adesnik, FDD

WHAT HISTORICAL LESSONS FROM PREVIOUS WARS CAN BE APPLIED TO ISRAEL'S CURRENT CONFLICT WITH HAMAS?HEADLINE 1: Israel's anti-missile laser system is nearly operational.HEADLINE 2: Two Israeli soldiers were killed in an attack at the Allenby border crossing between Jordan and the West Bank.HEADLINE 3: A Houthi drone evaded Israeli air defenses and slammed into a hotel in Eilat.--FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow, filling in for Jonathan Schanzer, provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Executive Director of the Hudson Institute's Public Interest Fellowship Garrett Exner.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"The United States Should be Prudent Regarding al-Sharaa's Turn" - Jonathan Schanzer and Ahmad Sharawi, The National Interest"Human Rights Are the Key to a Free Iran" - Janatan Sayeh, RealClearWorld"US designates 4 Iran-backed Iraqi militias as Foreign Terrorist Organizations" - Bridget Toomey, FDD's Long War Journal

HOW ACCURATE ARE THE CLAIMS OF FAMINE IN GAZA? HEADLINE 1: The Treasury Department rolled out a fresh batch of Iran sanctions.HEADLINE 2: In response to Israel's strike against Hamas leaders in Doha, representatives from nearly 60 Arab and Islamic countries convened in Qatar to lash out at Israel.HEADLINE 3: Israel carried out strikes against Yemen's Hodeidah Port.--FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow, filling in for Jonathan Schanzer, provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Vice President of Research David Adesnik.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces: "The Saudi-Qatari Competition for Influence in Syria" - Ahmad Sharawi and Natalie Ecanow, The Jerusalem Strategic Tribune"Three years later, Iran's freedom martyr Mahsa Amini inspires demands for change" - Rich Goldberg and Benham Ben Taleblu, New York Post"President Trump, Don't Settle for Empty Promises on Reindustrialization" - Emily de La Bruyere and Nathan Picarsic, NewsweekFor COGAT statistics on humanitarian aid in Gaza: https://gaza-aid-data.gov.il/mainhome#AidData

WHAT LESSONS HAS THE INTERNATIONAL COMMITTEE OF THE RED CROSS LEARNED FROM TWO YEARS OF WAR BETWEEN ISRAEL AND HAMAS?HEADLINE 1: Yesterday, the IDF issued evacuation orders for at least three high-rise buildings in Gaza City, including a tower at the Islamic University.HEADLINE 2: Another Israeli citizen was caught spying for Iran.HEADLINE 3: Arab countries are considering establishing a joint military force.--FDD Senior Fellow Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Shane O'Connor, a humanitarian advisor to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).Learn more at: https://fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD pieces:"Wasn't Hell Supposed to Break Loose if the U.S. Struck Iran?" - Reuel Marc Gerecht and CFR's Ray Takeyh, The Wall Street Journal"Lessons from Doha: Eject Hamas now" - Ahmad Sharawi, The Hill"המבצע הבא בעזה חייב להתחיל במסיבת עיתונאים" - Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus, Israel's N12 News"The art of lying about Israel" - Cliff May, The Washington Times

WILL ISRAEL'S STRIKE ON HAMAS IN DOHA AFFECT THE ABRAHAM PEACE ACCORDS?HEADLINE 1: The Pentagon approved a new security assistance package for Lebanon.HEADLINE 2: Speaking of Hezbollah, guess who busted a Hezbollah cell? The Syrian army.HEADLINE 3: The Treasury Department rolled out fresh sanctions targeting Houthi financial networks.--FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow, filling in for Jonathan Schanzer, provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Hussain Abdul-Hussain, an FDD research fellow who specializes in the Gulf region and Yemen. Learn more at: https://fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Articles:"Turkey Could Be Next in Israel's Cross-hairs After Qatar. The Consequences? Catastrophic" - Sinan Ciddi, Haaretz"Baghdad Has an Opportunity To Counter Illicit Iranian Activity in Iraq. Will the Government Take It?" - Bridget Toomey, FDD Policy Brief"From Playground to Classroom: The Spread of Antisemitism in K-12 Schools" - Brandy Shufutinsky, Congressional Testimony

WHAT LIES AHEAD FOR LEBANON?HEADLINE 1: Qatar isn't the only target for the Israel in the last 48 hours — Syria was hit, too. HEADLINE 2: Israel ordered the full evacuation of Gaza City.HEADLINE 3: Tensions are soaring between Israel and Spain.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ambassador Edward Gabriel, president and CEO of the American Task Force on Lebanon.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Articles:"Building the Future U.S. Cyber Force" - RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and Dr. Erica Lonergan, FDD Monograph"China's money launderers are bankrolling America's fentanyl epidemic" - Max Meizlish and Elaine Dezenski, The Hill"Why Israel Shouldn't Celebrate Lebanon's Promise to Disarm Hezbollah Just Yet" - David Daoud, Haaretz"Hamas' Chief Negotiator Is a Terrorist, Not a Peacemaker" - Jonathan Schanzer and Ahmad Sharawi, The Dispatch

IS GAZA ISRAEL'S VIETNAM? HEADLINE 1: Some major weekend action from the Houthis. Yesterday, the Iran-backed terrorists launched an explosive drone at Israel, and it made impact.HEADLINE 2: In some more Houthi news, the government in Southern Yemen accused Iran of helping their enemies in the north of Yemen, the Houthis, produce chemical weapons.HEADLINE 3: Saudi Arabia is expanding its role in post-Assad Syria.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Aaron MacLean, an FDD Senior Advisor and host of the "School of War" podcast. --Featured FDD Articles:"China Won't Get Addicted to America's Chips" - Craig Singleton, The Wall Street Journal"How the U.N. Became Hamas's Partner" - Cliff May and Richard Goldberg, FDD's Foreign Podicy"FDD's Trump Administration Foreign Policy Tracker: September" - John Hardie

IS IRAN'S "RING OF FIRE" STRATEGY BURNING BRIGHT — OR BURNING OUT?HEADLINE 1: Israel launched a satellite into space.HEADLINE 2: Apparently, Tehran had increased its stockpile of enriched uranium in the weeks before Israel launched its first preemptive strike on the program in June.HEADLINE 3: The Shin Bet thwarted a plot to assassinate Israeli National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Emily Schrader, an Israeli journalist, author, and activist who serves as a news anchor at ILTV News Israel.--Featured FDD Articles:"Turkey's Quiet Relationship with ISIS" — Sinan Ciddi in The Jerusalem Strategic Tribune"Xi's military parade showed just how dangerous China has become" — Bradley Bowman in The New York Post"10 Takeaways From Simulated Attacks on Taiwan's Energy Sector" — RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Craig Singleton, Johanna Yang, and Jack Burnham, FDD Insight

WHAT LESSONS CAN BE LEARNED FROM ISRAELI INTELLIGENCE FAILURES ON OCTOBER 7?HEADLINE 1: The Trump administration dialed up the pressure on Iran.HEADLINE 2: The Houthis took a beating. And then they raided UN offices in Yemen over the weekend.HEADLINE 3: Another European country plans to recognize a state of Palestine.BONUS HEADLINE 4: Purported environmentalist Greta Thunberg is trying to send another flotilla to Gaza.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with Yaakov Katz, former editor-in-chief of The Jerusalem Post.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Articles:"What if Israel Was Right and the Arabs Were Wrong?" — Hussain Abdul-Hussain, This Is Beirut"By Tying Ukraine's Hands, the Pentagon Undermines Trump" — RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and John Hardie, The Wall Street Journal"The Shadows Moscow Casts Over Historian Mark Galeotti" — Cliff May and Mark Galeotti, FDD's Foreign Podicy

WHAT CAN BE DONE TO EMPOWER JEWISH STUDENTS FACING ANTISEMITISM ON CAMPUS?HEADLINE 1: It's official. France, Britain, and Germany are planning to reimpose sanctions on Iran.HEADLINE 2: UNIFIL's days are officially numbered. HEADLINE 3: Israeli officials issued an arrest warrant for an American who was lobbying for Qatar in the country.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with Jacob Baime, CEO of the Israel on Campus Coalition (ICC).Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Articles:"5 Urgent Tasks for the New National Cyber Director" — RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and Annie Fixler, FDD Insight"A Year of Meming Dangerously: Iranian Influence Operations Targeting Israel Since October 7" — Ari Ben Am, FDD Memo"Qatar's growing footprint in Africa" — Natalie Ecanow, FDD's Long War Journal

WHAT LESSONS CAN BE LEARNED FROM PAST MIDDLE EAST PEACE EFFORTS? HEADLINE 1: Australia and Iran are engaged in a heavyweight diplomatic spat.HEADLINE 2: The IDF conducted a rare daytime raid in Ramallah yesterday.HEADLINE 3: Officials from France, Britain, and Germany met with an Iranian delegation in Geneva yesterday to discuss the looming snapback sanctions.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with Ambassador Dennis Ross, The Washington Institute's William Davidson Distinguished Fellow and a former Israeli-Palestinian peace process negotiator under Presidents H. W. Bush and Clinton.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Articles: "Iran faces a perfect storm of domestic failures" - Janatan Sayeh and Navid Mohebbi, JNS"Oil holds the key to Ukraine war's end — if Trump plays hardball" - Rich Goldberg and John Hardie, New York Post"Reexamining the U.S.-South Africa Relationship" - FDD Virtual Event

WHY IS ISRAEL INVESTED IN THE FATE OF SYRIA'S DRUZE? HEADLINE 1: Iran just might limit its uranium enrichment to avoid further punishment from Israel and the West.HEADLINE 2: Egypt is reportedly bolstering its military presence along the border with Gaza.HEADLINE 3: U.S. envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack and deputy special envoy Morgan Ortagus arrived in Israel yesterday.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with Jonathan Hessen, nonresident senior fellow at the Hudson Institute's Center for Peace and Security in the Middle East.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Articles:"For the First Time in 25 Years, Syria Acknowledges Direct Talks With Israel" - Ahmad Sharawi, FDD Policy Brief"Behind Khamenei's post-war shake up: Salvaging the remains of the 'Axis of Resistance'" - Saeed Ghasseminejad, The Jerusalem Post "Exodus or Endurance: The Plight of Egypt's Christians" - Cliff May and Mariam Wahba, FDD's Foreign Podicy

QATAR, TURKEY, IRAN, AND GAZAHEADLINE 1: The Trump administration just went scorched earth on the International Criminal Court with fresh sanctions.HEADLINE 2: An Israeli imprisoned in Lebanon for over a year has quietly been freed — no prisoner swap needed.HEADLINE 3: Tensions are running high in the West Bank.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with Rep. Greg Landsman (D-OH). Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Articles:"The single negotiation goal with Iran should be complete dismantlement of nuclear program" - Mark Dubowitz and Brig. Gen. (Res.) Jacob Nagel "Israeli operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah: August 4–17, 2025" - David Daoud "The Iran Breakdown: American Economic and Financial Power and the Iran File" - Mark Dubowitz and Juan Zarate

WHY ARE LEGACY MEDIA OUTLETS AMPLIFYING HAMAS' NARRATIVE? HEADLINE 1: Hamas has possibly agreed to a 60-day ceasefire with Israel. But don't hold your breath. The terms are 10 living hostages and 18 bodies in exchange for 150 Palestinian prisoners serving life sentences. HEADLINE 2: Yesterday, the families of the “Beautiful Six” commemorated one year since Hamas murdered their loved ones in cold blood. HEADLINE 3: Israel and Australia are locking horns — and things are only getting worse.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with Jonas Du, a fellow at The Free Press. Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Articles: "Donald Trump Set a Nuclear Precedent. Now He Must Enforce It" - Andrea Stricker and Henry Sokolski in The National Interest"The urgent need to procure more THAAD interceptors" - Bradley Bowman and Ryan Brobst in Defense News"Top US teachers' union supports Palestinian counterpart with terror-linked leader" - Brandy Shufutinsky in JNS

HOW IS ENERGY RELATED TO U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY? HEADLINE 1: The family of Israeli hostage Matan Zangauker released a new video of him in Hamas captivity.HEADLINE 2: Israel is preparing a full-scale offensive in Gaza City. HEADLINE 3: Israel struck the Houthis where it hurts — again.--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 articles:"Nvidia⁩ Games: China v. the US in AI Arms Race" — FDD's Foreign Podicy with Cliff May"Egypt Inks Multi-Billion Dollar Energy Deal With Israel Despite Gaza Tensions" — FDD Policy Brief by Mariam Wahba"China Has Most To Gain From Trump-Putin Talks in Alaska" — Craig Singleton

HOW DID ORDINARY IRANIANS RESPOND TO ISRAEL'S 12-DAY WAR AGAINST THE REGIME'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM?HEADLINE 1: Israel is reportedly in talks with several countries to take in Palestinians from Gaza.HEADLINE 2: Ali Larijani, the secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council, visited Beirut this week.HEADLINE 3: Turkey and Syria signed a defense cooperation agreement.BONUS HEADLINE 4: France, Germany, and the UK may reimpose sanctions on Iran.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with FDD Research Analyst Janatan Sayeh, who specializes in Iranian domestic affairs and the regime's malign influence in the region.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD articles:"The Houthis and the U.N.'s Ship of Fools" by Max Meizlish and Bridget Toomey"Ukraine peace is in reach — if Trump meets Putin's demands with US vigor" by RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery and John Hardie"America's fair-weather friends" by Cliff May

IS SYRIA'S NEW STRONGMAN UP TO THE TASK? HEADLINE 1: Iran reported a new statistic about last month's 12-day war. Between June 13 and 24: Iranian police arrested 21,000 people.HEADLINE 2: The evidence against Hamas's claim of starvation in Gaza is mounting, even as the accusations against Israel continue to fly.HEADLINE 3: The IDF eliminated five armed terrorists masquerading as World Central Kitchen workers.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with FDD Research Analyst Ahmad Sharawi, who specializes in the Levant.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD articles: "Analysis: Armenia–Azerbaijan deal worries Iran" by Janatan Sayeh"U.S. and Partners Conclude Month of Military Exercises in the Pacific While Eyeing China" by Cameron McMillan and Roc Iore"Mapping a Shadow War: Explosions Across Iran After the 12-Day War" by FDD Visuals Team and NUFDI

ISRAELI MOSSAD OPERATIVES ARE SPYING IN IRAN WHILE SOME ORDINARY ISRAELIS ARE SPYING FOR IRAN.HEADLINE 1: Iran has sent its surviving nuclear scientists into hiding.HEADLINE 2: The IDF foiled another attempt to smuggle weapons from Egypt into Israel.HEADLINE 3: White House envoy Steve Witkoff met with Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al-Thani in Ibiza, Spain over the weekend.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with journalist Dan Raviv, host of “The Mossad Files” podcast.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

HOW DO TRUMP VOTERS VIEW U.S. NATIONAL SECURITY ISSUES?HEADLINE 1: The United Nations has finally engaged with the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation, or “GHF.”HEADLINE 2: The Lebanese government approved a U.S. proposal to disarm Hezbollah by the end of 2025. HEADLINE 3: Israel signed a major energy export deal with Egypt.--FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Carrie Filipetti, executive director of The Vandenberg Coalition.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

WHAT IS THE ISRAELI PUBLIC OPINION ON THE WAR IN GAZA?HEADLINE 1: A group of Iranian scientists secretly visited Russian nuclear facilities last year.HEADLINE 2: Israel is snarling at the United Nations, and it's high drama.HEADLINE 3: The multi-front war in the Middle East continues on, uh, multiple fronts.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Haviv Rettig Gur, host of the Ask Haviv Anything podcast and Middle East analyst at The Free Press.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

WHAT'S THE ON-THE-GROUND REALITY IN GAZA?HEADLINE 1: Turkey hosted a senior Hamas delegation this weekend.HEADLINE 2: White House envoy Steve Witkoff and U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee visited Gaza on Friday.HEADLINE 3: The United Nations Relief and Works Agency, or “UNRWA,” is feeling the heat here in the United States.--FDD Executive Director President Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Major (Ret.) Andrew Fox, a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

HOW ISOLATED IS ISRAEL RIGHT NOW?HEADLINE 1: The Trump administration is forging ahead with its maximum pressure campaign.HEADLINE 2: In more sanctions news, the Trump administration sanctioned the Palestine Liberation Organization and Palestinian Authority.HEADLINE 3: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun intensified his call for Hezbollah to disarm.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with former Israeli Ambassador to the United States Michael Oren.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

GAZA FAMINE CLAIMS AND ISRAEL'S INTERNATIONAL ISOLATIONHEADLINE 1: Syrian refugees displaced during the country's civil war are starting to return home.HEADLINE 2: The IDF has released an assessment of its Fall 2024 campaign against Hezbollah.HEADLINE 3: The Houthis have again threatened to escalate attacks against international shipping.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Nadav Eyal, an award-winning Israeli journalist affiliated with Yedioth Ahronoth and Ynetnews.Learn more at: https://fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

JORDAN'S DELICATE BALANCING ACTHEADLINE 1: Israel has taken a good first step by implementing daily tactical pauses in Gaza.HEADLINE 2: As if to underscore the need for a pause, two more Israelis were killed in action.HEADLINE 3: As if we didn't have enough Gaza news to cover today, President Trump is reportedly rethinking his Gaza strategy.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Aaron Magid, former Amman-based journalist and author of a biography of Jordan's King Abdullah.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

IS LEBANON'S FUTURE BRIGHT OR BLEAK?HEADLINE 1: Saudi Arabia announced $6.4 billion worth of investments in Syria.HEADLINE 2: Another country is poised to join South Africa's genocide case against Israel at the International Court of Justice.HEADLINE 3: 8 Israeli soldiers were injured yesterday.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with David Daoud, FDD Senior Fellow and expert on Lebanon and Hezbollah.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

IRAN, ISRAEL, AND THE UNITED STATESHEADLINE 1: The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned a petroleum smuggling and sanctions evasion network that generates cash for the Houthis.HEADLINE 2: A round of nuclear talks is scheduled to take place on Friday between Iran, Britain, France, and Germany – the E3.HEADLINE 3: The U.S. pulled out of the United Nations Educational, Scientific, and Cultural Organization.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Rep. Josh Gottheimer (D-NJ).Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

GAZA, SYRIA, AND THE ISRAELI PEOPLEHEADLINE 1: The Israeli army is moving into Deir al-Balah in central Gaza.HEADLINE 2: Hostage families slammed IDF's Deir al-Balah ground op — fearing for their loved ones' lives.HEADLINE 3: More allegations of Israeli brutality in Gaza. And more denials from Israel.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Einat Wilf, author, former Israeli Knesset member, and foreign policy advisor to the late Shimon Peres.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

THE UN ISN'T JUST A FEW BAD APPLES — IT'S ROTTEN TO THE COREHEADLINE 1: Israel launched a national awareness campaign warning Israelis of Iranian recruitment attempts.HEADLINE 2: The Yemeni National Resistance Forces intercepted a shipment of Iranian weapons.HEADLINE 3: President Trump met with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani at the White House on Wednesday.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with UN Watch Executive Director Hillel Neuer. Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

WHAT'S HAPPENING WITH HUMANITARIAN AID IN GAZA?HEADLINE 1: Lebanon's central bank banned banks from interacting with a Hezbollah-linked financial institution called Al-Qard Al-Hassan.HEADLINE 2: Sectarian clashes erupted between Sunni Bedouin tribes and Druze militias in Syria.HEADLINE 3: The UN Human Rights Council is imploding.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Reverend Johnnie Moore, chairman of the Gaza Humanitarian Foundation.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

ISRAEL, GAZA, IRAN ... AND MOREHEADLINE 1: The IDF's Gaza war tempo is picking up.HEADLINE 2: Russian President Vladimir Putin reportedly supports a potential nuclear deal that prevents Iran from enriching uranium.HEADLINE 3: New details are emerging about the 12-day war between Iran and Israel.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Adjunct Fellow Seth J. Frantzman, who serves as a senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

WHAT'S GOING ON INSIDE IRAN RIGHT NOW?HEADLINE 1: The Trump administration continues to escalate its maximum pressure campaign against Iran.HEADLINE 2: Francesca Albanese got sanctioned.HEADLINE 3: Hamas tried to abduct an Israeli soldier.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely updates and expert analysis, followed by a conversation with Meir Javedanfar, an Iranian-born Israeli lecturer, author, and expert on Iranian politics. Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

HAMAS, HEZBOLLAH, AND HTSHEADLINE 1: The Houthis are have resumed attacking ships in the Red Sea.HEADLINE 2: The Trump administration revoked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham's designation as a Foreign Terrorist Organization.HEADLINE 3: Five Israeli soldiers were killed and 14 more were wounded in an ambush in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza. --FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely updates and expert analysis, followed by a conversation with Roi Kais, Arab affairs correspondent for Israel's Channel 11.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely updates and expert analysis, followed by a conversation with Col. Richard Kemp, a retired British Army officer who has been on the ground in Israel and Gaza following the Hamas-led atrocities of October 7, 2023.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

THE IRANIAN PEOPLE VERSUS THE REGIMEHEADLINE 1: President Trump signed an executive order lifting sanctions on Syria.HEADLINE 2: Iranian threats against Donald Trump and his administration keep on coming.HEADLINE 3: While we're on the topic of suspicious Iranian activity…Danish authorities arrested a man suspected of collecting intel on Jewish targets in Germany.--FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation between Jonathan Schanzer and award-winning investigative journalist Lisa Daftari, who serves as the editor-in-chief for The Foreign Desk.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

THE STATE OF IRAN'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM, THE WAR IN GAZA, AND THE AXIS OF AGGRESSORSHEADLINE 1: Hamas issued fresh threats against aid workers in Gaza.HEADLINE 2: Over the last three months, the Shin Bet has arrested over 60 Hamas operatives in the West Bank.HEADLINE 3: Ireland is weighing legislation to ban imports from Israeli communities in the West Bank.BONUS HEADLINE 4: Iran's Grand Ayatollah Makarem Shirazi issued a fatwa against President Donald Trump.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Jonathan Panikoff, who directs the Atlantic Council's Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

IRAN, GAZA, AND THE HOSTAGESFDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Brigadier General (Res.) Professor Jacob Nagel, FDD senior fellow and former Israeli national security advisor.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Join our community to receive 24/7 updates on new and original insights into the latest developments and breaking news on national security and foreign policy.Subscribe now to @FDD on YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC92qc2WwrEdmJ7ThqGR9yfw?sub_confirmation=1Follow FDD on Twitter: https://twitter.com/FDDFollow FDD on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/816544/Follow FDD on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/followFDD/FDD Website - https://www.fdd.org/The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD) is a Washington, DC-based nonpartisan 501(c)(3) research institute focusing on national security and foreign policy. FDD does not accept donations from any foreign governments.FDD conducts in-depth research, produces accurate and timely analyses, identifies illicit activities, and provides policy options – all with the aim of strengthening U.S. national security and reducing or eliminating threats posed by adversaries and enemies of the United States and other free nations.Founded shortly after the attacks of September 11, 2001, FDD conducts actionable research, prepared by experts and scholars from a variety of backgrounds – including government, intelligence, military, private sector, academia, and journalism. It brings proficiency in foreign languages, law, finance, technology, and other skills to its work.FDD regularly provides open-source research and analyses to policymakers and the media. Since its founding, FDD has shared its expertise with the Bush, Obama, Trump, and Biden administrations and congressional offices on a bipartisan basis.In addition to its in-house experts, FDD proudly collaborates with and seeks counsel from a range of distinguished advisors. FDD houses three centers on American power, which include FDD's Center on Military and Political Power, FDD's Center on Economic and Financial Power, and FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation.FDD Experts: https://www.fdd.org/team/fdd-teamFDD Advisors: https://www.fdd.org/team/advisorsFDD Centers on American Power: https://www.fdd.org/fdd-centers-on-american-power/

On this special SITREP episode of the FDD Morning Brief, Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer is joined by FDD Senior Fellow Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus and FDD CMPP Senior Director Bradley Bowman to assess the fallout from Israeli and U.S. strikes on Iran with a ceasefire now in effect — and evaluate the current status of Tehran's nuclear ambitions.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Tune in to the FDD Morning Brief for a special SITREP assessing the damage from the U.S. strikes on Iran's nuclear sites. FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer is joined by RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Senior Director of FDD's Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation; Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD's Center on Military and Political Power; and Behnam Ben Taleblu, Senior Director of FDD's Iran Program for a comprehensive analysis.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

After days and weeks of uncertainty, the United States struck Iran's most fortified nuclear site — the crown jewel, Fordow — along with Natanz and Esfahan. The attack capped a week of Israeli operations that shattered key components of Iran's nuclear program and eliminated top IRGC commanders and nuclear scientists. Are we witnessing the final chapter of the Islamic Republic's nuclear program unfold before our eyes?Tune in to FDD's Emergency SITREP with Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer, CEO Mark Dubowitz, Deputy Director for Nonproliferation and Biodefense Andrea Stricker, and Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation Senior Director RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery for real-time analysis of the fallout.For more, check out: https://www.fdd.org/events/2025/06/21/fdd-sitrep-us-bombs-iran-nuclear-sites/

ISRAEL'S SUCCESSES AND IRAN'S STRATEGYHEADLINE 1: Hackers stole approximately $90 million from Iran's largest cryptocurrency exchange.HEADLINE 2: Iran and Israel are slugging it out like two boxers in the 10th round of a heavyweight bout.HEADLINE 3: As Trump considers what to do next, polls are shedding light about what Americans think about Iran.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Chief Executive Mark Dubowitz, who hosts FDD's new podcast, The Iran Breakdown.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

THE REGIME IN IRAN'S ARSENAL, ISRAEL'S SUCCESSES AND SETBACKS, AND THE IRANIAN PEOPLEHEADLINE 1: 20 Arab and Islamic countries signed a statement calling on Israel to stop striking Iran.HEADLINE 2: The IDF took out Iranian Maj. Gen. Ali Shamdani.HEADLINE 3: Two Israeli soldiers were killed in Gaza.--FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, delivering timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with Behnam Ben Taleblu, senior director of FDD's Iran Program.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

ISRAEL, THE ISLAMIC REPUBLIC, AND THE IRANIAN PEOPLE--As tensions escalate following Israel's strike on Iran, FDD's Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus offers timely analysis and is joined by Iran expert Beni Sabti of The Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) to assess the fallout.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Israel has launched precision strikes against nuclear and military facilities in Iran — just days after the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) formally declared Iran in violation of its nuclear nonproliferation commitments for the first time since 2005.The Islamic Republic — closer than ever to acquiring a nuclear weapon — had dismissed U.S. diplomatic overtures and accelerated its nuclear program in ways that clearly exceed any plausible civilian use.What are the implications for regional security and America's allies? How will these developments affect Iran's nuclear trajectory? And how might continued escalation shift the strategic balance across the Middle East and beyond?To deconstruct, Jonathan Schanzer hosts an all-star lineup of experts: RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus, Eyal Hulata, and Mark Dubowitz.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

TURKEY'S NEO-OTTOMAN VISIONHEADLINE 1: The U.S. Treasury imposed sanctions on a network of sham charities that fund Hamas and the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine, or “PFLP.”HEADLINE 2: Israel carried out strikes against Yemen's Hodeida port.HEADLINE 3: The IDF took out two Hezbollah operatives in southern Lebanon. --FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Dr. Hay Eytan Cohen Yanarocak — author, researcher, and one of the world's foremost experts on Turkey — from the Moshe Dayan Center for Middle Eastern and African Studies at Tel Aviv University.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

RUSSIA, UKRAINE, AND ... GRETA THUNBERG? HEADLINE 1: Iranian intelligence agencies say they've acquired a cache of sensitive Israeli documents.HEADLINE 2: Al Qaeda in Yemen is back in the spotlight.HEADLINE 3: The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon may soon be a thing of the past.--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/

TURKEY'S INTERNAL CHALLENGES AND EXTERNAL INFLUENCEHEADLINE 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 delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Sinan Ciddi, director of FDD's Turkey Program.Learn more at: www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/