The Jerusalem Post

June 17, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

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...

June 11, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

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...

June 3, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

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...

June 2, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

US Syria Envoy Barrack tapped for Syria and Iraq role

On May 31, President Donald Trump said he was naming US Ambassador Tom Barrack as special presidential envoy to Syria and Iraq. The announcement came a day after it had appeared that Barrack’s role as...

June 2, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Israel Risks Another “Managed” Conflict in Lebanon

Arecent flurry of diplomatic activity suggests Israel is restricted to a managed conflict, echoing previous inconclusive rounds of fighting. A new or partial ceasefire could give Hezbollah a morale boost...

May 30, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Syria holds elections in Kurdish-majority areas, finds Assad-era chemical weapons

Syria held elections in Kurdish-majority areas of the country on May 24, with some politicians and commentators criticizing them for not being representative. Days after the local elections,...

May 27, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran conducts new attacks on Kurdish opposition groups in northern Iraq

Iran carried out a new attack on a Kurdish Iranian opposition group in northern Iraq on the evening of May 25, one of several over the past weeks that Kurdish groups have blamed on Iran. Despite...

May 22, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Amid security threats, Syria attempts to cement stability, international ties

On May 19, a car bomb exploded near a Ministry of Defense building in central Damascus’s Bab Sharqi area. One Syrian soldier was killed, and 23 civilians were wounded, the official Syrian Arab...

May 20, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Saudi Arabia and UAE say drone attacks were launched from Iraq

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said that recent drone attacks against their countries originated from Iraq. “The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday that six drones had been launched...

May 15, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Hezbollah Is Using FPV Drones Attached to Fiber Optic Cables That Are Impossible to Jam to Attack Israeli Soldiers

The Israeli Air Force struck a Hezbollah drone launch position in Lebanon on May 9. Hezbollah is using First Person View (FPV) drones attached to fiber optic cables to attack Israeli soldiers. Fiber-optic...

May 14, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Israel trains new civilian security squads for 67 Gaza border communities

In early May, in the Nir Oz community on the Gaza border, members of a new civilian volunteer security team completed their second of eight training sessions conducted as part of a new program. Magen 48,...

May 12, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iraqi security forces and politicians react to reports of ‘secret’ Israeli base

Iraqi politicians and security forces have responded to a May 9 report in The Wall Street Journal claiming that “Israel built and defended a secret Iran war base in Iraq.” The news provoked...

May 11, 2026 | Sophie McDowall, Ahmad Sharawi, Stefan Videnovic

Time to Stop the Music: How Terrorists Exploit Music Streaming Platforms

May 8, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Protests in Syria’s Kurdish region highlight demand for rights

Protesters in Hasaka in eastern Syria tore down a government billboard at the Justice Palace on May 7. The protests by local Kurdish residents came after the Syrian government changed the...

May 6, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran targets Kurdish Iranian opposition groups in northern Iraq

Two Kurdish Iranian opposition groups claimed they were targeted by Iranian attacks on May 5 and 6. The Komala of the Toilers of Kurdistan and the Kurdistan Democratic Party of Iran...

May 1, 2026 | Joe Truzman |

Using Facial Recognition Tools To Identify October 7 Perpetrators

May 1, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

US offers rewards for 3 Iraqi militia leaders

On April 27, the US State Department’s Rewards for Justice program offered a $10 million reward for information on Haydar Muzhir Malak al Saidi, the leader of Harakat Ansar Allah al Awfiya,...

April 27, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Kosovo military team evaluates Gaza deployment amid continuing ceasefire violations

The Kosovo Security Force (KSF) announced on April 26 that it had sent a team to Gaza to examine an area where its troops may operate in the future. “During this visit, the team will conduct a preliminary...

April 24, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Syria thwarts Hezbollah plot, vows at UN to fight terrorist groups

The Syrian Interior Ministry and General Intelligence Service thwarted a plot by a Hezbollah cell, Syrian state media reported on April 19. Four days later, Syria’s permanent representative...

April 21, 2026 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iraq aims to select new PM as US warns of Iran-backed threats, IRGC-QF head visits

Iraqi Shiite political parties are seeking to appoint a new prime minister amid significant internal and external pressures. The Coordination Framework (CF), a coalition of Iraqi Shiite parties, was working...