Iran threatens Europe as France, Germany, and UK weigh snapback options

As France, Germany, and the UK weigh triggering snapback sanctions, Tehran has escalated its threats against Europe both rhetorically and operationally. Mohammad Javad Larijani, a senior advisor to the Supreme Leader, warned that Europeans “can no longer move about comfortably,” pointing to Iran’s growing drone capabilities as a tool of deterrence. From supplying Russia with drones for use in Ukraine to cultivating organized crime networks across Europe, the Islamic Republic is leveraging multiple pressure points to dissuade the E3 from restoring UN sanctions under Resolution 2231. Read more →

Generation Jihad | Loose ceasefires sink ships

The Houthis are back at it—sinking ships, killing civilians, and holding crews hostage in the Red Sea. Bill is joined by his FDD colleagues Bridget Toomey and Bradley Bowman to unpack the details and discuss why Iran-backed proxies keep getting away with it—including how the U.S. “ceasefire” deal may have emboldened them. Also: Where’s Europe? And why does everyone seem more afraid of offending Tehran than protecting global shipping and freedom of navigation? Read more →

Generation Jihad | Does helping Ukraine help us?

Does arming Ukraine come at the expense of our military readiness—or is it an investment in it? Bill asks his FDD colleague and military expert Bradley Bowman to set the record straight on what it really takes for the US to defeat its enemies in the long war — and why deterring China, Russia, and Iran simultaneously is essential for American national security. From munitions math and Pentagon priorities to strained stockpiles, weapons we’re sending, and weapons we’re not making fast enough, Brad covers the bases to illustrate why helping our democratic partners do damage to our enemies now is an investment in saving American lives later. Read more →

Kurdish government blames Iranian-backed PMF for drone attacks targeting Iraqi Kurdistan

On July 5, northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Regional Government blamed the Iraqi federal government’s Iranian-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) for drone attacks impacting Iraqi Kurdistan. An Iraqi official rejected the accusations. Since June 30, there have been numerous drone attacks targeting the autonomous Kurdistan Region in northern Iraq. The PMF and Iran have been behind attacks in the area over the past several years, including targeting US forces and Iranian dissident groups. Read more →

Taliban denounces International Criminal Court warrant for emir, chief justice

After the International Criminal Court issued arrest warrants for Taliban Emir Mullah Haibatullah Akhundzada and Chief Justice Abdul Hakim Haqqani for human rights abuses, the Taliban rejected the legitimacy of the court and described the action as an attack against Islam. Akhundzada and Haqqani have served in the Taliban’s harsh judicial system for four decades and are significantly responsible for the group’s extreme policies. Read more →

5 IDF soldiers killed in northern Gaza ambush

Five IDF soldiers were killed and 12 were wounded in an ambush in Gaza on July 7. The soldiers were part of two units operating in Beit Hanoun in northern Gaza, attempting to clear this area near the Israeli border. An IDF spokesperson said that the town is “a fortified target that currently contains dozens more terrorists and numerous underground tunnels that must be dismantled.” The battle took place as Israel and Hamas continue ceasefire talks. Read more →

Israeli forces raid Iran-backed cell in Syria for second time

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) apprehended members of a cell in Syria who were working on behalf of the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps-Qods Force, the IDF said on July 7. It was the second operation in two weeks in which the IDF targeted suspects linked to Iran’s IRGC-QF in southern Syria. Israeli units of the 210th Division continue to carry out operations in Syria, including on Mount Hermon and along the Golan border. Read more →

Generation Jihad | A word with the last Afghan general

Nearly four years after Kabul fell, the Taliban remain entrenched—and the resistance is fragmented, under-resourced, and increasingly demoralized. General Hibatullah Alizai, the last Chief of General Staff of the Afghan army, joins Bill Roggio and Will Selber to discuss the anti-Taliban fight, internal Taliban rifts, and why the US and its allies risk repeating their worst mistakes. Read more →

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