In early August, Iran’s Supreme National Security Council (SNSC) announced the establishment of the “Defense Council,” which will operate under Iran’s president and will be composed of the heads of the three branches of government, representatives of the supreme leader, and senior military officials. Just as this was announced, Iran’s Supreme Leader Khamenei appointed Ali Larijani as secretary of the SNSC and as his representative to this Council. These organizational changes underscore Tehran’s ongoing effort to draw lessons and...
The ISNAD campaign is a sophisticated foreign intervention effort, presented as a grassroots movement aligned with the Muslim Brotherhood. Its objective is to assist Hamas in its war against Israel in the Gaza Strip through extensive influence operations on social media. The campaign employs psychological warfare techniques and the use of fake Israeli profiles to create the impression of authentic internal criticism of the state and to undermine public legitimacy in Israel for the war. Following the outbreak of the war between Israel...
Israel did not make regime change a declared objective in its recent war with Iran; however, certain Israeli actions were clearly aimed at weakening the foundations of the Islamic Republic and encouraging the Iranian public to reignite their popular protest movement. As the dust settles, not only is there no evidence that Israel’s actions advanced this goal, but it seems that they may even have had the opposite effect (at least for the time being). Currently, several main scenarios could unfold in Iran’s domestic arena: the...
The war between Israel and Iran, known as Operation Rising Lion, significantly set back Iran’s nuclear program. Iran is no longer a nuclear threshold state as its status was prior to its war with Israel. It would take Iran at least one to two years to regain threshold status, assuming a decision by Supreme Leader Khamenei to pursue nuclear weapons. However, the war did not eliminate Iran’s nuclear capabilities entirely. Iran maintains residual capabilities that could eventually enable the rebuilding of its nuclear program and the...
As tensions in the Middle East escalated, China chose to remain on the sidelines. Yet, despite criticism of its public passivity and its lack of direct influence, China appears to have achieved much of what it wanted—without becoming entangled or paying a price, either economically or diplomatically. This article reviews Beijing’s interests in the context of the Israel–Iran war and the balance of gains and losses for China at the war’s conclusion.
Operation Rising Lion, carried out on Iranian soil was a highly significant campaign, showcasing operational artistry, excellence, and a sophisticated, complementary international diplomatic effort. Whereas gratification is in order, the campaign must be analyzed objectively and professionally. Were its goals truly achieved? Has an existential threat to the State of Israel been removed? Has Israel’s security situation improved meaningfully or is it caught in a vicious circle of tactical excellence and strategic failure?
Although it...
Since the outbreak of the Swords of Iron war, the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) has been regularly conducting public opinion surveys aimed at examining public attitudes toward key national security issues, as well as national resilience and public trust.[1]
Click here to view the trends among the Jewish public | Click here to view the trends among the Arab public
Following the first survey conducted by the Data Analytics Center after the launch of Operation Rising Lion against Iran’s nuclear and military...
The fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel marks the end of the current—and thus far most severe—phase in the ongoing hostilities between the Islamic Republic and Israel. Israel can conclude this phase of the conflict with a degree of satisfaction: even if Iran still retains a stockpile of uranium enriched to 60%—which it possessed before the campaign and may have transferred to hidden locations—its nuclear program has been significantly set back. Conversely, Iran is expected to portray the battle as a success, regardless of its...
Since the outbreak of direct hostilities between Israel and Iran on June 13, 2025, Israeli strikes have occurred at major nuclear facilities in Natanz, Isfahan, Parchin, Bonab, Tehran, and Arak. In addition, at least eleven or more leading Iranian nuclear scientists have reportedly been assassinated. This spotlight report assesses the IDF’s target set, the scope of the damage, and the initial implications for Iran’s nuclear program. Nuclear Sites That Have Been Struck
Core Assets in the Uranium Enrichment Sector: Isfahan...
Since the outbreak of the war in Gaza, the Institute for National Security Studies has been regularly conducting public opinion surveys to assess attitudes toward key national security issues, national resilience, and public trust.[1]
Click here to download the complete survey data | Click here to view the trends among the Jewish public | Click here to view the trends among the Arab public
Key Findings: A noticeable rise in public trust across both defense and political institutions has been observed since the launch of the...
Israel’s swift strike on Iran was marked by precision and maximum surprise. While it has secured significant gains including degrading Iran’s ballistic missile capabilities, Israel must remain focused on its primary objective: delivering a decisive blow to Iran’s critical nuclear infrastructure. To achieve this, Israel should leverage its military campaign—alongside the credible threat of American involvement—to pursue a sustainable diplomatic outcome that denies Iran the capacity to have a nuclear weapon for many years to come.
