Iraq faces mounting pressure to rein in the militias while balancing tensions with neighboring countries, the US, and Iran. The Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq has come under nearly 1,000 drone and missile attacks by Iran and its proxies since late February, underscoring the growing threat posed by Tehran's network of militias. Read more →
US President Donald Trump announced a 15-point Board of Peace roadmap transferring Gaza’s governance and security responsibilities. The plan links verified Hamas disarmament to phased Israeli withdrawal, but sequencing remains disputed. Read more →
Three anti-Taliban resistance groups launched separate operations across Badakhshan province, Afghanistan, over a two-week period, temporarily overrunning a district center and attacking Taliban positions in multiple districts. While there is no evidence of direct coordination among the resistance groups, there are signs cooperation may be increasing. Read more →
Israel accused Hezbollah of launching an explosive-laden drone at its positions in the Ali Al Taher Ridge on July 29, despite a ceasefire that went into effect on June 19. Hezbollah has not claimed the attack or issued a denial of the Israeli claims. Read more →
Former Israeli Prime Minister Naftali Bennett vowed to declare Qatar an “enemy state” if reelected to lead the government. Among the reasons he cited was Qatar’s alleged funding of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Read more →
Lebanese security forces conducted a raid on a home in Beirut over a family dispute. During the operation, they reportedly discovered a large weapons cache, and subsequent interrogation allegedly uncovered that the cache’s owner was a “member of Hezbollah.” Read more →
A 21-year-old German who had reportedly previously attempted to join the Islamic State allegedly carried out the deadly vehicle-ramming attack at Berlin's Pride festival, killing one person and injuring 29 others. Read more →
Former Marine and New York Times journalist Thomas Gibbons-Neff recently returned to Afghanistan to find accountability and closure, specifically seeking out a Taliban commander he had battled in 2010. Bill Roggio and Will Selber break down the merits of Gibbons-Neff’s recent tour in country and whether this type of article will skew a full understanding of the Afghan War as the 25th anniversary of 9/11 nears. Read more →
Iranian-backed militias in Iraq escalated attacks on Saudi Arabia and the Kurdistan Region in late July, prompting US and Saudi airstrikes against militia logistics and weapons sites across Iraq. The escalation comes as Washington pressures Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi to disarm Iran-aligned militias and bring their weapons under state control. Read more →
Israel has approved the future deployment of the International Stabilization Force (ISF) in Gaza, a significant step in implementing the US-backed peace plan. The planned multinational force is expected to support humanitarian efforts, stabilization, and a transition toward new Palestinian governance as Israel continues operations against terrorist groups in Gaza. Read more →
Russia continues to provide intelligence to help Iran strike American forces, Kyiv alleged over the weekend. Ukraine is also attempting to interdict the transportation of military goods between the two authoritarian powers. Read more →
On July 23, the US Treasury Department's Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC) designated a Turkey-based Hamas money exchange and a senior Muslim Brotherhood official, the third round of sanctions against Hamas's Turkish financial network in less than two years. US lawmakers have introduced measures that would condition future F-35 sales to Turkey on certification that Turkey has severed its ties to Hamas. Read more →
In part two of their conversation, Generation Jihad’s Bill Roggio, FDD CMPP Senior Director Bradley Bowman, and FDD Senior Analyst Cameron McMillan ask a tough question following months of kinetic warfare with Iran: What’s the Pentagon’s readiness for the next battle? Read more →
Syria is expanding energy and infrastructure cooperation as it seeks economic recovery and greater regional relevance. Damascus is also rebuilding state institutions, including graduating 1,000 new air force cadets. Read more →
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy’s short-sighted decision to fire his popular defense minister may ultimately redound to Ukraine’s benefit, as the firestorm it unleashed has forced Zelenskyy to install a widely respected, new-school officer as Ukraine’s top general. Read more →