Listen in on FDD Events featuring discussions on today’s most pressing national security and foreign policy challenges and opportunities with top policymakers and leading experts. Webpage: https://www.fdd.org/events/
FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Robert Satloff, the Segal Executive Director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/
WITH FRIENDS LIKE QATAR, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?HEADLINE 1: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrapped up his tour of the Gulf with a trip to Oman.HEADLINE 2: The warring Hamas and Fatah factions convened for discussions in Egypt yesterday to talk unity.HEADLINE 3: Back to Turkey, where the country has renewed military deployment mandates for Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. --FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with writer and Middle East analyst Eitan Fischberger.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Georgian Dream's Power Grab Sets Stage to Outlaw Opposition" - Keti Korkiya, FDD Policy Brief"The UN Cybercrime Treaty: A Trojan Horse for Suppressing Dissent" - Ivana Stradner and Emily Hester, FDD Memo"To Preserve the Gaza Deal, Keep Qatar at Arm's Length" - Natalie Ecanow, FDD Policy Brief
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 for Near East Policy who previously held various positions within the Palestinian Authority.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--HEADLINE 1: Hamas's base of operations in Turkey is reportedly growing.HEADLINE 2: Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani slammed Israel for committing genocide and violating the ceasefire in Gaza. Did he mention Hamas's October 7 massacre? Nope.HEADLINE 3: The new Syrian regime seized a massive haul of captagon pills.BONUS HEADLINE 4: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosted Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad yesterday.--Featured FDD Pieces:"5 Ways the United States and Europe Must Help Ukraine Now" - RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, FDD Insight"How the Muslim Brotherhood Built a Media Empire" - Mariam Wahba, The Free Press"The New Middle East and the Challenges to Israel" - Jonathan Schanzer, Commentary
WHAT ARE THE TALKING POINTS OF THE NEW REGIME IN SYRIA?FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Michael Rubin, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
DO THE HOUTHIS STILL POSE A CONSIDERABLE THREAT TO ISRAEL AND THE REGION?HEADLINE 1: The Houthis announced the untimely passing of their military chief of staff, Muhammed al-Ghamari.HEADLINE 2: Iranian oil tankers briefly came back online this week.HEADLINE 3: Iran convicted two French citizens of espionage.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Research Analyst Bridget Toomey, whose research focuses on the Houthis and Iran-backed militias in Iraq.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"50 Years of Anti-Zionist Propaganda: Why the UN's ‘Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People' Must Be Dismantled" - Ben Cohen and David May, FDD Memo"The news from Gaza" - Cliff May, The Washington Times"Buying the Hatchet" - Ahmad Sharawi, Foreign Policy
IS THE GAZA WAR OVER? --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: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
THE HOSTAGES ARE HOME. --FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus, FDD senior fellow and former IDF international spokesperson, and Ariel Oseran, senior Middle East correspondent for i24 News English.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
A CONVERSATION WITH HOSTAGE FAMILIES AT THE SUKKAH OF HOPEFDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer sits down with the families of hostages held in Gaza for a conversation recorded at the Kennedy Center on October 8, 2025 — just hours before details of the hostage deal began to emerge.Recording credit: Production Management One (https://www.instagram.com/pm1pro/)Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief
A DEAL HAS BEEN MADE. NOW WHAT? HEADLINE 1: The Treasury Department rolled out a fresh round of Iran sanctions. HEADLINE 2: The U.S. Department of Commerce added over a dozen Chinese companies to a restricted trade list. HEADLINE 3: Israel disrupted a major arms smuggling operation into the West Bank. --FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with former Israeli National Security Advisor Eyal Hulata.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Israel Moves To Counter Drone Threat on Egyptian Border" - Mariam Wahba, FDD"Hamasniks in fox holes" - Cliff May, The Washington Times"Recipe for Success: Guidance Based on the Experience of the Cyberspace Solarium Commission" - Sophie McDowall, FDD
HOW HAS THE WAR RESHAPED THE MIDDLE EAST TWO YEARS AFTER OCTOBER 7? HEADLINE 1: A prisoner exchange deal between Iran and France is in the works.HEADLINE 2: Some interesting stuff coming out of Lebanon and Syria.HEADLINE 3: Speaking of Syria, Syria and Kurdish Forces in the country agreed to a ceasefire yesterday.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with New York Times bestselling author Yossi Klein Halevi.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces: "Combatting PRC Illegal, Coercive, Aggressive, and Deceptive Behavior in the Indo-Pacific" - Craig Singleton, Senate Foreign Relations Subcommittee "America must stop aiding our enemies by enabling the shadowy world of dirty cash" - Josh Birenbaum, New York Post"Is Qatar Finally Ready to Split With Hamas?" - Natalie Ecanow, Wall Street Journal
IS HAMAS SERIOUS ABOUT ENDING THE WAR?HEADLINE 1: The U.S. government approved a new aid package for Lebanese security forces.HEADLINE 2: Syria held elections for the first time since Bashar al-Assad's fall.HEADLINE 3: Israel intercepted all the boats and there was no violence or bloodshed. But poor Greta Thunberg was grumpy because she wasn't greeted with hugs and a dance party.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Council on Foreign Relations Senior Fellow The Honorable Elliott Abrams, who formerly served as U.S. Special Representative for Iran and Venezuela and Deputy National Security Advisor.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief-- Featured FDD Pieces"Trump will help Ukraine hit Putin where it hurts — to finally end his bloody war" - John Hardie, New York Post"5 Ways to Curb Iran's Oil Exports to China" - Saeed Ghasseminejad, The National Interest"Europe Should Support Moldova Against Russian Meddling" - Ivana Stradner and RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, Foreign Policy"Hamas Says 'Yes, But...'" - Elliott Abrams, The Free Press
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
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