The Jerusalem Post

February 6, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Syrian government forces enter Afrin, signaling a change in control

Forces from Syria’s General Security Department entered the northwestern Syrian city of Afrin on February 6, the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA) reported.

February 5, 2025 | |

Israel SitRep: February 5, 2025

February 5, 2025 | Israel at War Situation Report Israel SitRep: February 5, 2025 Today’s Issue: | IDF Eliminates 55 Terrorists and Arrests 380 in West Bank Operations in January; Operations Are...

February 4, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Drone attack targets gas field in northern Iraq

An unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) targeted the Khor Mor gas field in northern Iraq’s autonomous Kurdistan Region on February 2, 2025. It is the latest kamikaze drone attack on the gas field run by Dana Gas.

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 30, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Syria appoints new president amid widespread diplomatic engagement efforts

In a move that will have significant implications for Syria and its international relations, Ahmed Sharaa was named the country’s president on January 29. The appointment is expected to provide...

January 29, 2025 | Natalie Ecanow |

Qatar Seeks Nobel Peace Prize for Gaza Mediation Despite Enabling Hamas

A Qatari diplomat recently suggested that the emir of Qatar deserves the Nobel Peace Prize for his efforts to end the war in Gaza that Doha effectively abetted. In a statement to The Jerusalem Post, Qatar’s...

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...

January 28, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iranian-backed militias in Iraq face an uncertain future

Iraq’s pro-Iranian militias face an uncertain future after the December fall of the Bashar al Assad regime in Syria and amid pressure from Iraqi authorities for armed groups to be disbanded or incorporated...

January 26, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

The strategic Tishrin Dam has become a flashpoint in post-Assad Syria

The Tishrin Dam on the Euphrates River in Syria has become a key point of conflict in the country’s post-Assad era. Since the fall of dictator Bashar al Assad’s regime on December 8, the dam has been...

January 22, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

First hostages released, some IDF troops withdraw from Gaza as Israel-Hamas ceasefire begins

The Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal, which was hammered out in Qatar in the first two weeks of January, began on the morning of January 19. The Israeli government scrambled to approve the framework for the...

January 19, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Israel’s Dilemma in Lebanon

The 60-day ceasefire in Lebanon will end on January 26, six days after President Trump takes office. While Hizbullah suffered heavy losses during the two months of fighting from late September to...

January 17, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Israel moves forward with hostage deal

The Israeli government’s Security Cabinet voted on January 17 to approve a hostage and ceasefire deal that will lead to the release of hostages by Hamas. The agreement is widely expected...

January 16, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Israel prepares for hostage deal with Hamas

A year of talks designed to achieve a hostage and ceasefire deal between Israel and Hamas appears to have culminated in an agreement on January 16. The negotiations, backed by the United States, mostly...

January 15, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Israel strikes Hezbollah targets in Lebanon as ceasefire continues

On January 13, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducted multiple strikes on Hezbollah targets in Lebanon. The strikes appear to be some of the most extensive since a ceasefire between Israel and Lebanon...

January 15, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Trump Doctrine 2.0: What It Means for the Middle East

Countries across the Middle East are making moves and preparing for President Donald Trump’s incoming United States administration. Many of the region’s leaders were in power during the first...

January 13, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

IDF faces growing threat from IEDs in northern Gaza

Seven Israel Defense Forces (IDF) soldiers have been killed in two recent incidents in northern Gaza, illustrating the continued challenges Israeli troops face from terrorist cells and improvised explosive...

January 8, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Iran-Backed Militias Face Crisis After Assad’s Fall in Syria

Four years ago, in January 2020, a US drone carried out a strike in Iraq near Baghdad International Airport, killing Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps Quds Force leader Qasem...

January 7, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

In 2025, Israel’s Gaza Campaign Is Not Over

Despite multiple IDF campaigns, Hamas continues to recruit fighters.

January 3, 2025 | Behnam Ben Taleblu |

The Shadow War

A review of Yonah Jeremy Bob and Ilan Evyatar, “Target Tehran: How Israel Is Using Sabotage, Cyberwarfare, Assassination—and Secret Diplomacy—to Stop a Nuclear Iran and Create a New Middle East” (Simon & Schuster, 2023).

January 2, 2025 | Seth J. Frantzman |

Israel takes stock of military casualties over a year of war

A total of 363 Israeli soldiers were killed in 2024, according to Israel Defense Forces (IDF) data published at the end of the year. Overall, 891 IDF personnel have fallen, most of them in combat, since...