Disarmament

Disarming Hamas Is Easier Said Than Done

In fits and starts, President Donald Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza is progressing. After months of inertia over Hamas’s refusal to disarm, the White House announced a breakthrough on July...

Board of Peace announces Hamas disarmament agreement, IDF reports 32 Gaza ceasefire violations July 10–31

US President Donald Trump announced that the American-led Board of Peace (BoP) had reached a “historic agreement” for the phased disarmament of Hamas on July 30. The BoP outlined a...

We paid $3 billion for Lebanon’s army to make excuses for Hezbollah

This week, the president of Lebanon met at the White House with President Donald Trump to discuss the June security framework intended to systematically address Hezbollah’s military...

Mr. Aoun Came To Washington. Lebanon Now Owes Results.

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun’s July 21 meeting with President Donald Trump clarified the terms of the U.S.-Lebanese relationship but did not resolve Lebanon’s central problem: Hezbollah’s weapons...

Election of Pro-Iran Hardliner as Hamas Leader Along With Refusal To Disarm Raises Specter of New Gaza War

The election of Khalil al-Hayya as the head of Hamas’s political bureau is the clearest signal yet that the Iran-backed terror group will persist with its refusal to disarm — a stance that may well...

The Israel-Lebanon framework agreement explained

On June 26, Israel and Lebanon signed the Trilateral Framework Between the United States, Israel, and Lebanon, whose goal is to end the conflict between Israel and Lebanon, secure both countries’ sovereignty...

Hamas announces intent to dissolve Gaza government as disarmament questions remain

Hamas claimed on July 6 it was ready to transfer authority and dissolve its government in Gaza. The announcement appeared to be in line with the US-brokered ceasefire that envisions...

Hamas Dissolved Its Government on Paper but Still Rules in Practice

Two decades after the curtain rose on Hamas’s reign in Gaza, the terrorist group would have us believe that it has taken its final bow. On July 6, Hamas said that it had dissolved its “Emergency...

Hezbollah’s Moment of Truth

The Israel-Lebanon Framework Agreement Will Only Succeed if Washington Enforces It

The Pentagon may have missed a significant deadline on Lebanon. Congress, in the 2026 National Defense Authorization Act, gave the secretary of defense until June 30 to report on how to assess Lebanese...

Iraq launches corruption crackdown, sets deadline for militia weapons handover

Iraq launched a series of raids targeting corrupt politicians and officials on June 28. “Elite Counter Terrorism Service units raided homes inside Baghdad’s heavily fortified ‌Green Zone...

A Deal with Teeth: Lebanon Agrees to Disarm Hezbollah or Lose Territory

Lebanon can either disarm Hezbollah or lose its depopulated southern border region to Israeli control.

Israel’s Offer to Lebanon: Land for Hezbollah’s Disarmament

The interests of Lebanon and Israel align on the core issue of disarming Hezbollah.

Gaza peace plan sees slow progress after Hamas meets in Cairo

The US-backed peace plan for Gaza has continued to progress slowly, though ceasefire talks held in Cairo in the first week and a half of June appeared to stall over the issue of Hamas’s disarmament,...

Washington Wants a Relationship With Iraq Focused On Business, but Security Can’t Be Ignored

Amid a tense regional situation, Iraq’s new government is engaged in a high-stakes balancing act. Tom Barrack, the U.S. special presidential envoy for Iraq and Syria, met with Iraq’s new prime minister,...

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi meets US envoy amid militia pressure

US Envoy to Iraq and Syria Tom Barrack met with Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi on June 15 to discuss strengthening ties between Baghdad and Washington. The meeting comes as the US continues...

Iraq’s prime minister prepares US visit amid Iran threats and militia focus

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi is preparing for an upcoming trip to Washington, DC, Iraqi media outlets recently reported. The prime minister has been working since his May appointment...

IDF targets Hamas middle managers, reports 15 strikes and ceasefire violations May 29–June 10

After eliminating two successive heads of Hamas’s military wing in roughly two weeks, the Israel Defense Forces has turned its attention to the commanders, specialists, financiers, and cell...

Several Iranian-backed militias in Iraq say they accept state control of weapons

On June 3 in Baghdad, Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi met with delegations from Asaib Ahl al Haq and Kataib Imam Ali, two Iranian-backed Iraqi militias. He thanked the group’s leadership for supporting...

Voluntary Militia Disarmament in Iraq Sounds Too Good to Be True, and It Likely Is

Promises from Iran-backed militias in Iraq can never be taken at face value. Asaib Ahl al-Haq (AAH), an Iran-backed militia in Iraq designated by Washington as a Foreign Terrorist Organization (FTO)...