In recent months, the Trump administration has intensified its campaign against proponents of political Islam. This effort has been reflected in state-level proclamations by the governors of Texas and Florida, designating the Muslim Brotherhood and the Council on American–Islamic Relations (CAIR) as “foreign terrorist organizations,” as well as in a presidential order stating that branches of the Muslim Brotherhood in Egypt, Jordan, and Lebanon should be considered “terrorist organizations.” These moves have reignited discussion in...
This interactive map highlights the deployment of U.S. military assets and other relevant actors in the region. The current U.S. posture signals deterrence and readiness for offensive military operations, while reflecting a strong preference to avoid a protracted conflict. Combined with intensified ISR activity and diplomatic signaling, this configuration supports coercive diplomacy but also increases the risk of escalation through miscalculation in an already volatile theater. The map is updated regularly and as accurately as...
US military aid to Israel has, for decades, constituted a central pillar of the strategic relationship between the two countries and a foundational component of Israel’s national security concept. Beyond its financial scope, this aid serves as an institutional, political, and symbolic anchor of the alliance between Jerusalem and Washington, embodying the United States’ commitment to preserving Israel’s qualitative military edge in a challenging regional environment. The current multiyear agreement (2019–2028), signed in 2016, sets...
Tensions between Iran and the United States, which escalated following an American military buildup several days after the outbreak of protests across Iran, are currently in a temporary lull. This pause comes amid plans to hold a meeting between the two countries on February 6 in Oman (after a last-minute crisis that put the talks at risk was likely resolved). President Trump is aware of the risk to the credibility of US deterrence should no meaningful achievement vis-à-vis Iran be attained, given the expectations created by the...
The Board of Peace was initially conceived as a focused initiative intended to support the stabilization and reconstruction process in the Gaza Strip, as part of President Trump’s 20-Point Plan, which was anchored in the UN Security Council Resolution 2803. However, a review of its charter indicates a substantial deviation from its original purpose: the board is now defined as a global conflict-resolution mechanism outside the UN framework, with no reference to Gaza and no limitation to the Israeli–Palestinian conflict. This gap...
This article examines the document that Hamas published in December 2025 summarizing the war and, in particular, the intensifying battle of narratives between Hamas and Israel. Hamas addresses three target audiences: the Palestinian and Arab public, Israel, and the international community. The article focuses especially on Hamas’s appeal to Western audiences, primarily in English, and its use of Western concepts, such as referring to Hamas terrorists as “freedom fighters.” Hamas also employs gaslighting tactics and makes...
Three weeks after the outbreak of a wave of unrest across Iran—which has claimed thousands of lives and led to the arrest of thousands more—the US administration faces a series of operational decisions in light of threats issued by President Trump toward the regime in Tehran. The president’s threats began with a public statement that the United States would come “to rescue” the protesters if the regime continued to employ lethal violence against them. This escalated with an additional tweet on January 13 in which he wrote that “help...
On January 15, 2021, the Pentagon announced the transfer of Israel from the area of responsibility of the US European Command (EUCOM) to that of the US Central Command (CENTCOM). This move marked a substantive shift in the security perception of both the United States and Israel regarding the Middle East. Five years after the transfer, and in the shadow of the October 7 war, this article examines the move through the prism of regional security doctrine and concludes that Israel’s integration into CENTCOM has been demonstrated to be a...
International experience shows that deploying a stabilizing force as proposed in President Trump’s 20-point plan for the Gaza Strip requires a clear mandate, dedicated training, and close coordination among all the actors involved, while contending with complex cultural and operational challenges—especially in a densely populated, hostile, and violent civilian environment. Mission success depends on a strong mandate under Chapter VII of the UN Charter or similar to, comprehensive force training, and limiting the number of...
The liberal world order faces a dual challenge: The risk of high-intensity interstate war has increased, while the US security umbrella over its allies has been undermined. For Israel, the implications of these changes are particularly evident, as they intensify the threats facing it. At the same time, they could also potentially reduce these threats. The same logic applies to capabilities: Transformations in the world order challenge Israel’s capabilities, but some could also strengthen them. Increased threats are reflected in the...
The Trump administration’s National Security Strategy (NSS), released on December 4, 2025, reshapes the “America First” doctrine in ways that undermine the traditional conception of US hegemony. Rather than value-based leadership of the democratic-liberal camp, it emphasizes recognition of states’ nationalism and non-interference in their internal affairs.
Israel has recently emerged as a major flash point within the Republican coalition, which has otherwise been relatively unified behind President Trump. Increasingly, voices within the party are questioning whether continued support for Israel is compatible with an “America First” foreign policy. In some prominent cases, the argument over United States policy toward Israel has intersected with old-school antisemitic tropes and religious trends in the Christian right, increasing concerns among American Jews. President Trump’s dominance...
