Seth J. Frantzman

March 4, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Israel conducts 1,600 strikes on Iran in 4 days of war, weathers Iranian missile and drones

Israel has carried out 1,600 “strike sorties” against Iran since the joint US-Israeli military operation began on the morning of February 28, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said on March...

March 2, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Life Under Iran’s Rockets

“A short while ago, the IDF identified missiles launched from Iran toward the territory of the State of Israel,” the Israeli military said on Monday afternoon, three days into a new war with the Islamic...

March 2, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Kurdish Iranian opposition groups say Iran targeted them in northern Iraq, claim operations in Iran

Kurdish Iranian opposition groups said on March 1 that they have been targeted by drone and missile attacks in the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq. The attacks took place after the...

January 11, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

The Middle East’s Top Challenges in 2026

The collapse of Iran’s regional influence in 2025 has opened up a new spectrum of potential conflicts in Syria, Yemen, and Lebanon that will define 2026.

November 14, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

The Re-Americanization of the Middle East

The Trump administration is playing a key role in winding down conflicts throughout the Middle East. However, high-level engagement is also fraught with risks.

September 26, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

How a New Arab Regional Order Is Taking Shape

A more integrated Middle East is also a Middle East more open to connections with neighboring regional powers.

September 9, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

What Lebanon’s Hezbollah Disarmament Campaign Means for Gaza

If Lebanon successfully disarms non-state actors in its territory, its operations could serve as a template for regional stability.

August 4, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Can Iraq Stop the Iranian-Backed Drone Attacks?

Recent drone attacks in Kurdistan are once again bringing the issue of Iraq’s Iran-backed militias to the fore.

July 2, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

What the Mar Elias Church Bombing Means for Syria’s Future

The June 22 attack on the Mar Elias Church in Damascus underscores the threat of extremism in Syria even after the fall of Assad. The new government must demonstrate control and protect minorities.

June 19, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Have Iran’s kamikaze drones become redundant?

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May 22, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Has the Era of Extremism Ended in the Middle East?

On May 20, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio spoke about the U.S. decision to engage with the new Syrian government in Damascus. Rubio said that an unstable Syria has historically...

May 7, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Why Can’t Anyone Stop Yemen’s Houthi Rebels?

On May 6, United States President Donald Trump said the US would stop its attacks on the Iran-backed Houthi rebel group. The US had launched a campaign of airstrikes on the Houthis in Yemen starting on March 15. Oman, a neighbor of Yemen, said that it had helped mediate an end to the conflict between the US and the Houthis.

January 30, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Elbit to supply Israel with $80 million in EW and protection suites for F-16s

The procurement of the new systems for the F-16s is part of a much larger process the Ministry of Defense has embarked upon since the Oct. 7 attack on Israel by Hamas.

January 28, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Uneasy Truce: Israel’s Fragile Ceasefires with Hamas and Hezbollah

For fifteen months, Israel fought a difficult and complex war on multiple fronts. It was the costliest war in Israel’s history in terms of civilians killed and hostages taken, with more...

December 5, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Israeli defense officials meet as Syrian regime loses ground to rebels

Israel is closely monitoring developments in Syria as Syrian Army forces loyal to President Bashar al-Assad retreated from Hama, the second city the regime has lost to opposition forces in a week. Israeli...

October 18, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Israel must finish Hamas off

The death of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar in a clash with Israeli troops could help transform Israel’s war efforts against Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah in Lebanon.

October 4, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Israel presses on in Lebanon as Hezbollah rocket barrages rain down

It’s a snapshot of a war that is only getting bigger: Thirty minutes after sunrise on Friday, tens of thousands of Israelis were forced to run to bomb shelters in the bay of Haifa as Hezbollah militants...

October 1, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

What it was like on the ground during Iran’s attack on Israel

Breaking Defense's Seth Frantzman gives a sense of what it was like to watch Iran's ballistic missile attack on Israel.

September 17, 2024 | |

IDF Eliminates Palestinian Islamic Jihad Rocket Commander

Israel eliminated a Palestinian Islamic Jihad (PIJ) commander while he was “embedded and operating inside the Humanitarian Area in Khan Yunis,” according to a statement issued...

April 15, 2024 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran’s Cheap ‘Kamikaze’ Drones Are Actually a Global Threat

The unprecedented attack on Israel was foiled by an international force, but Iran proved it can still cause chaos with these disposable flying weapons.