FDD Morning Brief

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

Headlines:

• Greece is planning to buy a multi-layer air defense system, drones, and other military aircraft from Israel. 
• Israel’s Minister of Diaspora Affairs is pushing to shutter the Turkish Consulate in Jerusalem.
• Iranian strikes on CIA facilities in the Gulf has intel folks wondering: is Russia helping the Islamic Republic target American facilities? 
• A congressional letter landed on Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s desk this week. The topic: Malaysia.

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FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with Ilan Berman, senior vice president of the American Foreign Policy Council.

Learn more at: https://fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Headlines:

• The Lebanese Armed Forces started deploying troops to areas in south Lebanon formerly held by the IDF.
• The Iran-backed Houthis sent an email blast to shipping companies warning them not to load or offload cargo at Saudi ports.
• Hamas announced the election of Khalil al-Hayya as its new leader, replacing the late Yahya Sinwar who was killed back in October 2024.
• The Wall Street Journal reports that Saudi Arabia has been granted approval by Donald Trump to begin operating a civilian nuclear reactor. 

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FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with Alexandria Paolozzi Moore, senior director of government relations at FDD Action.

Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Headlines:

• The Israelis were forced to activate their air defenses on Saturday night as an Iranian missile hurtled toward Aqaba, the southern Jordanian city that is nestled right next to the Israeli city of Eilat.
• Two Iranians were hanged over the weekend for anti-government protests and activities. 
• The Wall Street Journal reports that the ceasefire between the Islamic Republic and the United States enabled the regime to get a bunch of its oil out onto the open market. 

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FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with FDD Iran Program Senior Director Behnam Ben Taleblu.

Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Headlines:

• The U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned seven companies and individuals that are part of an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps’ weapons procurement network. 
• Iran instructed the Houthis in Yemen to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait if the U.S. strikes Iranian power infrastructure.
• Syrian authorities thwarted an attempt to smuggle arms from Iraq through Syria and onward to Hezbollah in Lebanon. 
• President Trump announced the release of a dual U.S.-Iranian citizen from the Islamic Republic almost two years after she was detained. 

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FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with former UK Commissioner for Countering Extremism Robin Simcox.

Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Headlines:

• The regime in Iran publicly hanged two people accused of membership to the Islamic State. Yes, you got that right. The world’s most prolific state sponsor of terrorism is punishing, uh, terrorists.
• President Donald Trump hosted Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House yesterday. 
• Lebanon and Israel have resumed talks over in Rome. This is the sixth round of direct talks, but the first since the two sides signed a framework agreement last month.

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FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer provides timely updates and in-depth analysis of the latest Middle East headlines, followed by a conversation with foreign policy expert and "Oh My World!" host Hagar Chemali.

Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Headlines:

• Sad news on Sunday morning. Senator Lindsey Graham of South Carolina passed away following a brief illness after returning from a trip to Ukraine.
• Iraqi prime minister Ali al-Zaidi is due in Washington today for high level talks with the Trump Administration.
• Channel 12 in Israel released the contents of a handwritten letter penned in 2022 by none other than Yahya Sinwar.

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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 Fellow Miad Maleki.

Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

FDD Senior Fellow Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with documentary filmmaker and "Operation Arnon" producer Hannah Puder.

Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Bradley Bowman, senior director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power (CMPP), fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with CMPP Senior Research Analyst Cam McMillan.

Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery,  senior director of FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation (CCTI), fills in for Jonathan Schanzer, providing timely situational updates and analysis ahead of a conversation with Celeste Wallander, former Assistant Secretary of Defense for International Security Affairs of the United States.

Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief