Internal Security Forces

February 19, 2026 | David Daoud |

Israeli operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah: February 9–15, 2026

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted numerous operations throughout Lebanon against Hezbollah between February 9 and February 15, 2026. Israeli activities last week maintained the reduced intensity...

January 9, 2026 | Ahmad Sharawi |

Syria Risks a New War as Damascus Moves Against the Kurdish-Led SDF

War looms amid intensifying clashes between government troops and the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) in the country’s second-largest city, Aleppo. On January 7, Syrian army units encircled...

December 19, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

US highlights anti-Islamic State operations after soldiers killed in Syria

On December 17, US Central Command (CENTCOM) provided new information on operations against the Islamic State (IS) in Syria. “US and partner forces in Syria have conducted nearly 80 operations since...

December 15, 2025 | |

2 Of 3 Americans Killed in Syria by ISIS Terrorist Were Members of Iowa National Guard

U.S. Force Supported Anti-ISIS Coalition: The Iowa National Guard released the names of the two soldiers on December 15 who were killed in a lone terrorist ambush in the area of...

December 13, 2025 | Ahmad Sharawi |

3 Americans killed, 3 injured in Islamic State ambush attack in Palmyra, Syria

US Central Command (CENTCOM) announced that “two U.S. service members and one U.S. civilian were killed, and three service members were injured, as a result of an ambush by a lone ISIS [Islamic...

October 22, 2025 | |

Syrian Government Launches Operation to Apprehend Wanted French Jihadist Fugitives 

Clashes Erupt Near Idlib: Syrian government forces surrounded a camp near Idlib on October 21, launching a large-scale operation to apprehend French jihadist fighters wanted by...

October 17, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

SDF moves forward with integration into new Syrian security forces

The US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) based in eastern Syria are taking steps to integrate into the security forces led by the Syrian transitional government in Damascus. “The Syrian government...

October 3, 2025 | |

U.S. Approves $230 Million Package to Lebanese Security Forces After Pledge To Disarm Hezbollah

The United States reportedly approved a $230 million aid package for Lebanon’s security forces after the state vowed to disarm nonstate armed groups, including the Iran-backed Hezbollah terrorist organization. Sources told Reutersthat the funding was split between the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), with $190 million, and the Internal Security Forces (ISF), with $40 million.

June 21, 2025 | |

European Effort to Halt Israel-Iran Conflict Falters

Latest Developments No Breakthrough In Talks: Iran rejected an effort by European foreign ministers to coax it back into negotiations for a nuclear deal and de-escalate the war between Iran and Israel....

June 21, 2025 | |

‘Blood of Thousands of Israelis is on His Hands’: IRGC Commander Who Backed October 7 Massacre Among Key Leaders Eliminated in IDF Precision Strikes

Latest Developments Iranian ‘Palestine Corps’ Commander Killed: The IDF eliminated an Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force (IRGC-QF) commander described as a key orchestrator of Hamas’s...

June 20, 2025 | |

Israel Eliminates Additional Nuclear Weapons Facilities, Internal Security Forces in Iran

Nuclear-Related Facilities Destroyed: The IDF reported striking Iran’s SPND headquarters in Tehran for a second time this week in addition to sites related to Iran’s production...

June 19, 2025 | Janatan Sayeh |

Israel targets nuclear sites, Iran appoints new officials (June 19 updates)

Israel has expanded its military campaign against Iran with targeted strikes on nuclear facilities, missile infrastructure, and security institutions. Leadership changes within Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary...

April 13, 2025 | David Daoud |

Naim Qassem explains Hezbollah’s vision for the future in first long-form interview

On March 09, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem gave his first lengthy interview to Manar Sabbagh from Al Manar, Hezbollah’s satellite TV station, after assuming his post. Qassem’s predecessor,...

March 31, 2025 | David Daoud |

Israeli operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah: March 24–March 31

The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted numerous activities and operations throughout Lebanon against Hezbollah between March 24 and 30, 2025. On Friday, unknown actors again fired rockets at northern...

February 13, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

US pushes countries to repatriate nationals in Syria’s displaced-persons camps

The US is urging countries to repatriate their nationals who reside in displaced-persons camps in eastern Syria. The potential change comes at a critical juncture in Syria after the fall of the Bashar...

July 11, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

IDF releases its first probe into October 7 failures as the Shejaiya raid ends

The Israel Defense Forces IDF) released the first of what is expected to be numerous inquiries into specific battles and operational failures that took place during the Hamas attack on October 7, 2023....

October 18, 2023 | Tony Badran |

Eyeless in Gaza

How the U.S. blinded Israeli intelligence gathering efforts on Hamas and other Palestinian groups inside Lebanon

July 20, 2023 | Natalie Ecanow, Matthew Zweig

Washington’s four-point plan to take down the Syrian narco-trade

That the Biden administration delivered a strategy for countering the Syrian narco-trade is a welcome development. But absent due pressure on Damascus, the strategy will unlikely have any real effect.

June 2, 2023 | Natalie Ecanow |

Meet the U.S.-Funded Force Behind Lebanon’s Refugee Crackdown

The Biden administration’s Lebanon policy ends up propping up the very order it claims to oppose.

December 16, 2022 | David Adesnik, John Hardie

FDD’s Biden Administration Foreign Policy Tracker: The Year in Review