FDD Morning Brief

HEADLINE 1: The U.N. Security Council blessed Trump’s 20-point plan for Gaza.HEADLINE 2: Syria opened its first trial over the mass killings of Alawite minorities last spring.HEADLINE 3: Yee Haw! The State of Texas designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Eran Lahav, the head of the Middle East Department at the David Institute for Policy & Research of IDSF.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Maritime Protection of Taiwan’s Energy Vulnerability" - FDD Memo"US Military Dominance Is the Backbone of Prosperity" - Saeed Ghasseminejad, The National Interest"What Washington Should Demand From Riyadh Before Providing the F-35" - Bradley Bowman and Justin Leopold-Cohen, Real Clear Defense

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ahmed Fouad Alkhatib, a Gaza native who serves as the founder and director of the Realign for Palestine project at the Atlantic Council.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

WHAT HAPPENS WHEN MBS COMES TO TOWN?HEADLINE 1: The U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on over two dozen targets that support Iran’s ballistic missile and drone production networks.HEADLINE 2: U.S. Central Command provided an update on operational activity in Syria.HEADLINE 3: Israeli forces dismantled a Hamas network in the West Bank.--FDD Senior Research Analyst Natalie Ecanow, filling in for Jonathan Schanzer, provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Atlantic Council Nonresident Senior Fellow Sarah Zaaimi.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces: "Previewing the Trump-MBS Meeting" - Jonathan Schanzer, Edmund Fitton-Brown, and Bradley Bowman, FDD"With voting in Iraq complete, government formation begins" - Bridget Toomey, FDD's Long War Journal "The war against Christians" - Clifford D. May, The Washington Times

HEADLINE 1: French President Emmanuel Macron hosted Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas.HEADLINE 2: The Houthis might be hitting pause on their attacks against Israel and Red Sea shipping.HEADLINE 3: Iran said it dismantled a spy network linked to Israel and the United States.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Adjunct Fellow Seth Frantzman, who serves as senior Middle East correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces"Tehran’s Crisis is Iran’s Reckoning" - Janatan Sayeh, Real Clear World"Fifty Years of Gaslighting Israel at the U.N." - David May and Ben Cohen, National Review"Erhurman’s election a step towards peace, but beware of Ankara’s appetite" - Sinan Ciddi and William Doran, Kathimerini

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ilan Berman, Senior Vice President of the American Foreign Policy Council.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

WHAT HISTORICAL LESSONS MUST SHAPE GAZA'S FUTURE? HEADLINE 1: Israel is at its wit’s end with the porous Egyptian border.HEADLINE 2: Israel and Greece wrapped up joint military exercises this week. HEADLINE 3: Turkey held a terrorist summit in Istanbul on Wednesday.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Hebrew University Professor Netta Barak-Corren.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Pieces:"Learning the Right Lessons From ‘A House of Dynamite’" - Bradley Bowman and David Adesnik, Real Clear Defense"Iranians Challenge the Regime by Celebrating Cyrus the Great" - Janatan Sayeh and Behnam Ben Taleblu, FDD"The US must not endorse Russia and China’s vision for cybersecurity" - John Yoo and Ivana Stradner, The Hill

HEADLINE 1: Oman’s foreign minister called on countries in the Gulf to engage with…wait for it… Iran.HEADLINE 2: The U.S. sent a draft resolution to the UN Security Council calling for the implementation of an International Stabilization Force, or “ISF,” which would operate in Gaza until 2027.HEADLINE 3: On Monday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said that Beirut has no choice but to sit down and talk with Israel.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Research Analyst Mariam Wahba, whose work focuses on Egypt and minority communities in the Middle East.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--Featured FDD Pieces:"Israel 2040: Benny Gantz’s Vision for Security and Cooperation" - FDD Event"How the U.S. Can Stay Ahead of China in Space" - Jack Burnham and Sophie McDowall, The Cipher Brief"Aoun’s Push for Talks with Israel Must Overcome Hezbollah’s Ploys" - Hussain Abdul-Hussain, This is Beirut

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Research Manager David May.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

HAMAS IS TESTING THE WATERS --FDD Senior Fellow Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Gadi Ezra, former director of Israel's National Public Diplomacy Unit.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Is Trump Getting Played by Xi?" - Matt Pottinger, The Free Press"Trump rallies the allies to break China’s dangerous mineral, rare earths monopoly" - Elaine Dezenski, New York Post"How Turkish Arms End Up in African Conflicts" - Sinan Ciddi and William Doran, Foreign Policy

HEADLINE 1: Israeli forces eliminated three terrorists during a counterterrorism operation in a village called Kafr Qud.HEADLINE 2: The Trump administration announced a new aid package for minorities in Syria.HEADLINE 3: Turkish prosecutors filed new charges against Istanbul’s mayor.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Joseph Braude, president of the Center for Peace Communications.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Patient Extremism: The Many Faces of the Muslim Brotherhood" - FDD Memo"Qatar’s Calculated Bet on the Islamic Republic" - Saeed Ghasseminejad, RealClearWorld"Iraqi polls grapple with Israeli and Iranian relations as country prepares to vote" - Hussain Abdul-Hussain, New York Post

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Robert Satloff, the Segal Executive Director of The Washington Institute for Near East Policy.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/

WITH FRIENDS LIKE QATAR, WHO NEEDS ENEMIES?HEADLINE 1: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan wrapped up his tour of the Gulf with a trip to Oman.HEADLINE 2: The warring Hamas and Fatah factions convened for discussions in Egypt yesterday to talk unity.HEADLINE 3: Back to Turkey, where the country has renewed military deployment mandates for Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq. --FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with writer and Middle East analyst Eitan Fischberger.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"Georgian Dream’s Power Grab Sets Stage to Outlaw Opposition" - Keti Korkiya, FDD Policy Brief"The UN Cybercrime Treaty: A Trojan Horse for Suppressing Dissent" - Ivana Stradner and Emily Hester, FDD Memo"To Preserve the Gaza Deal, Keep Qatar at Arm’s Length" - Natalie Ecanow, FDD Policy Brief

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Ghaith Al-Omari, senior fellow at the Washington Institute for Near East Policy who previously held various positions within the Palestinian Authority.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief/--HEADLINE 1: Hamas’s base of operations in Turkey is reportedly growing.HEADLINE 2: Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani slammed Israel for committing genocide and violating the ceasefire in Gaza. Did he mention Hamas’s October 7 massacre? Nope.HEADLINE 3: The new Syrian regime seized a massive haul of captagon pills.BONUS HEADLINE 4: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu hosted Egyptian intelligence chief Hassan Rashad yesterday.--Featured FDD Pieces:"5 Ways the United States and Europe Must Help Ukraine Now" - RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, FDD Insight"How the Muslim Brotherhood Built a Media Empire" - Mariam Wahba, The Free Press"The New Middle East and the Challenges to Israel" - Jonathan Schanzer, Commentary

WHAT ARE THE TALKING POINTS OF THE NEW REGIME IN SYRIA?FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer provides timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Michael Rubin, senior fellow at the American Enterprise Institute and director of policy analysis at the Middle East Forum.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

DO THE HOUTHIS STILL POSE A CONSIDERABLE THREAT TO ISRAEL AND THE REGION?HEADLINE 1: The Houthis announced the untimely passing of their military chief of staff, Muhammed al-Ghamari.HEADLINE 2: Iranian oil tankers briefly came back online this week.HEADLINE 3: Iran convicted two French citizens of espionage.--FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with FDD Research Analyst Bridget Toomey, whose research focuses on the Houthis and Iran-backed militias in Iraq.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief--Featured FDD Pieces:"50 Years of Anti-Zionist Propaganda: Why the UN’s ‘Committee on the Exercise of the Inalienable Rights of the Palestinian People’ Must Be Dismantled" - Ben Cohen and David May, FDD Memo"The news from Gaza" - Cliff May, The Washington Times"Buying the Hatchet" - Ahmad Sharawi, Foreign Policy