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This week marks a gruesome milestone: 1,000 days will have passed since Hamas infiltrated southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking over 250 mostly civilian hostages. It also marks 1,000 days of war for Israel, on seven fronts, its longest war. In that time, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) has dismantled Hamas’ control of Gaza, returned the hostages home, severely degraded Hezbollah, contributed to the collapse of the Assad regime in Syria, and taken the fight, alongside the United States, directly to the regime in Iran. While Israel’s military maintains buffer zones in Gaza, southern Lebanon, and Syria, Iran and its proxy network remain poised to rebuild themselves and resume their aggression.

To discuss the dramatic changes in Israel and the rest of the Middle East over the 1,000 days since October 7, 2023, JINSA hosted a webinar featuring JINSA Distinguished Fellow and former National Security Advisor to Israel’s Prime Minister, IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, and JINSA’s Julian (z”l) and Jenny Josephson Senior Vice President for Israeli Affairs, IDF MG (ret.) Yaacov Ayish.

The discussion was moderated by JINSA VP for Policy Blaise Misztal.

IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror IDF Major General (ret.) Yaakov Amidror is a Gemunder Center for Defense and Strategy Distinguished Fellow. General Amidror was formerly the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel, as well as the head of the National Security Council, from 2011-2013. Click here to read full bio

IDF MG (ret.) Yaacov Ayish IDF MG (ret.) Yaacov Ayish is the Julian and Jenny Josephson Senior Vice President for Israeli Affairs at the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA). MG Ayish served in the IDF for 36 years and retired in 2016, concluding an accomplished career during which he attained the rank of Major General. In his last position, MG Ayish served for four years as Israel’s Defense and Armed Forces Attaché to the United States in Washington, D.C. Click here to read full bio

Blaise Misztal Blaise Misztal is the Vice President for Policy at JINSA. Misztal previously was a Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and has held roles as the Executive Director of the Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States and Director of the National Security Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Click here to read full bio

The post Watch Webinar – 1,000 Days of War appeared first on JINSA.

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In retaliation for Operation Epic Fury, Iranian forces launched thousands of missiles and drones at Gulf countries hosting U.S. military bases. These devastating attacks caused servicemember fatalities and injuries, destroyed aircraft, and took strategic radars offline, revealing the vulnerabilities of the broader U.S. military posture in the Middle East. 

Two years ago, JINSA Hertog Distinguished Fellow and former Commander of the United States Central Command General Frank McKenzie, USMC (ret.) sounded the alarm about the vulnerabilities of current U.S. basing posture in his report U.S. Bases in the Middle East: Overcoming the Tyranny of Geography where he notably warned that “the United States will not be able to maintain these bases in a full-throated conflict, because they will be rendered unusable by sustained Iranian attack.” While urging the United States to re-examine its basing posture, he also emphasized the critical need for U.S. basing in Israel.

JINSA hosted a webinar with General McKenzie to discuss U.S. basing posture in the Middle East and its status in the aftermath of the Iran War.

JINSA’s Fellow for American Strategy Jonathan Ruhe moderated the discussion.

Gen Frank McKenzie, USMC (ret.) Gen Frank McKenzie, USMC (ret.) is the Hertog Distinguished Fellow at JINSA and also oversees national security research at the University of South Florida. He previously served as Commander, U.S. Central Command, and, prior to that, served as Commander, U.S. Marine Forces Central Command. He also spent several years serving as the Director for Strategic Planning and Policy at the Pentagon. Click here to read full bio

Jonathan Ruhe Jonathan Ruhe is Fellow for American Strategy at JINSA. Before joining JINSA, he held positions as Senior Policy Analyst at the Bipartisan Policy Center’s National Security Program and as Research Associate at the Hudson Institute. He has been cited in Congressional testimony and his commentary has appeared in The Wall Street Journal, The Washington Post, and many other leading media outlets. Click here to read full bio

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The post Webinar – U.S. Basing Posture in the Wake of Epic Fury appeared first on JINSA.

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The United States and Iran have reached a deal. Nearly 70 days after a temporary ceasefire halted full-scale war, President Donald Trump announced in a June 14 Truth Social post that “the Deal with the Islamic Republic of Iran is now complete,” with formal signing slated for June 19. According to President Trump, the deal ends all maritime shipping restrictions and the U.S. blockade. It also reportedly extends the current ceasefire for 60 days, during which time negotiations will continue.

Beyond that, as a recent JINSA infographic highlighted, little is publicly known about the deal’s contents or implementation. Media reports vary widely, and U.S. and Iranian officials are publicly contradicting each other on critical issues like sanctions relief, the Iranian nuclear program, and the Lebanese front. But both what reportedly is in the deal—including limitations on U.S. regional force posture and Israel’s freedom of action against Hezbollah—and is not—constraints on Iran’s missile program and proxy funding—have raised concerns about the deal itself, and the state of U.S. leverage going forward.

To discuss the deal and what it portends for the future, JINSA held a webinar featuring JINSA Distinguished Fellow IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, former National Security Advisor to the Israeli Prime Minister; JINSA Iran Policy Project member Elliott Abrams, former U.S. Special Representative to Iran and former U.S. Deputy National Security Advisor; and JINSA’s Vice President for Policy Blaise Misztal.

JINSA’s Associate Director for Foreign Policy Ari Cicurel moderated the discussion.

IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror is a Distinguished Fellow at JINSA. Prior to joining JINSA, MG Amidror was the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel, as well as the head of Israel’s National Security Council. MG (ret.) Amidror also has served as Director of Israel’s Intelligence Analysis Division. Click here to read full bio

Elliott Abrams

Elliott Abrams a member of JINSA’s Iran Policy Project and the former U.S. Special Representative for Iran, as well as the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Organization Affairs.

Click here to read full bio

Blaise Misztal

Blaise Misztal is the Vice President for Policy at JINSA. Misztal previously was a Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and has held roles as the Executive Director of the Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States and Director of the National Security Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center.

Click here to read full bio

Ari Cicurel

Ari Cicurel has been Associate Director of Foreign Policy at JINSA since January 2025. His prior roles at JINSA include as Assistant Director of Foreign Policy from 2023-2025, Senior Policy Analyst from 2020-2023, and Policy Analyst from September 2018-January 2020.

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The post Webinar – U.S.-Iran Deal Reached appeared first on JINSA.

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Representative Elise Stefanik (NY-21) gained national attention for her questioning of Ivy League university presidents at a hearing on campus antisemitism. When Rep. Stefanik asked the presidents of Harvard University, the University of Pennsylvania, and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) whether calling for the genocide of Jews violated their schools’ codes of conduct, each refused to say yes. Harvard’s then-President Claudine Gay infamously claimed it “depends on the context.”

Rep. Stefanik has just released a new book, Poisoned Ivies: The Inside Account of the Academic and Moral Rot at America’s Elite Universities, examining in greater depth how university leaders’ “failure to address antisemitic conduct on campus” are an indication that “our institutions of higher education have fundamentally lost their way.” She details the main lessons from her time investigating campus antisemitism in Congress, including her insights into what has gone wrong at elite universities, and why—and what Americans and their political leaders can do to fix it.

Rep. Stefanik joined JINSA for an exclusive conversation about her new book and the future of U.S. higher education. Michael Makovsky, PhD, JINSA President and CEO, moderated the discussion.

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Rep. Elise Stefanik Rep. Elise Stefanik (NY-21) is a member of the House Armed Services Committee, House Committee on Education and the Workforce, and House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Click here to read full bio

Michael Makovsky, PhD Michael Makovsky, since 2013, has been President and CEO of the Jewish Institute for National Security of America (JINSA). Makovsky is a senior Pentagon official and a leading expert on U.S.-Israel defense ties, U.S. policy in the Middle East, and the role of energy in U.S. national security policy. Click here to read full bio

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The post Webinar – Poisoned Ivies: Book Talk With Rep. Elise Stefanik appeared first on JINSA.

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After weeks of near-constant Hezbollah drone and rocket attacks targeting northern Israeli communities, on June 7, the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) struck Hezbollah’s Dahiyeh stronghold outside Beirut. Iran, which had threatened that Israel striking Dahiyeh would trigger a response, then fired several ballistic missiles at Israel’s north. President Donald Trump condemned the attack on Israel, urging Iran to return to the negotiating table.

Not long after, Israel forcefully responded, striking Iranian missile production sites, air defenses, and petrochemical facilities. Iran once again retaliated, accompanied by a Houthi missile launch targeting Israel. President Trump announced that Iran and Israel would be moving towards deescalation, but with Iran vowing further strikes if Israel continues operating against Hezbollah in Lebanon—something Israel has already vowed to pursue—this seems in doubt.

To discuss the recent Middle East attacks, JINSA hosted a webinar featuring JINSA Distinguished Fellow IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, former National Security Advisor to Israel’s Prime Minister, and JINSA Distinguished Scholar Amb. Eric Edelman, former Ambassador to Turkey.

Blaise Misztal, JINSA’s Vice President for Policy, moderated the discussion.

IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror is a Distinguished Fellow at JINSA. Prior to joining JINSA, MG Amidror was the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel, as well as the head of Israel’s National Security Council. MG (ret.) Amidror also has served as Director of Israel’s Intelligence Analysis Division. Click here to read full bio

Amb. Eric Edelman Amb. Eric Edelman is a Distinguished Scholar at JINSA and the co-chair of JINSA’s Iran Policy Project. Amb. Edelman is the former U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy and a former member of the U.S. Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee. He also served as America’s ambassador to Finland and Turkey. Click here to read full bio

Blaise Misztal Blaise Misztal is the Vice President for Policy at JINSA. Misztal previously was a Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and has held roles as the Executive Director of the Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States and Director of the National Security Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Click here to read full bio

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The post Webinar – War Back On? appeared first on JINSA.

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Ceasefire agreements have not pacified the Iranian regime and its proxy Hezbollah. Since the temporary Lebanon ceasefire began less than 50 days ago, Hezbollah has ​launched over 1,100 drones and rockets — including several attacks following President Donald Trump’s June 1 claim that Hezbollah had pledged to “not attack Israel.” In recent days, the Iranian regime has attacked Bahrain, Iraq, Kuwait, and ships in international waters. Diplomatic progress is also in doubt, with Iranian state media giving conflicting reports about the regime’s willingness to continue talks.

In addition, Iran has linked the two fronts at the negotiating table, further complicating matters. Following Tehran’s insistence that Israeli operations against Hezbollah were impeding a deal, President Trump berated Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu in a tense June 1 call. Then, on June 3, Israel agreed to a full ceasefire with Lebanon and committed to withdraw its forces from certain geographic zones. However, there is no guarantee that Israel’s conditions for upholding the ceasefire—Lebanese forces filling the vacuum and Hezbollah halting its attacks—​will be met.

To discuss the latest developments and the potential path forward, JINSA hosted a webinar featuring JINSA Distinguished Fellow IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, former National Security Advisor to Israel’s Prime Minister.

Blaise Misztal, JINSA’s Vice President for Policy, moderated the discussion.

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IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror is a Distinguished Fellow at JINSA. Prior to joining JINSA, MG Amidror was the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel, as well as the head of Israel’s National Security Council. MG (ret.) Amidror also has served as Director of Israel’s Intelligence Analysis Division. Click here to read full bio

Blaise Misztal Blaise Misztal is the Vice President for Policy at JINSA. Misztal previously was a Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and has held roles as the Executive Director of the Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States and Director of the National Security Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Click here to read full bio

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The post Webinar – The Fog of Ceasefire: Escalation and the Uncertainty Ahead appeared first on JINSA.

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After six months of gridlock, Iraq’s parliament voted on May 14 to approve a new government led by Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi, a Shi’ite businessman. As usual, Iraq’s eastern neighbor looms large over the country’s internal situation. Of the 14 cabinet members that Iraqi lawmakers approved (out of 23 total), several have ties to Iranian-backed militia groups. And Shi’ite blocs backed by Iran are vying for the remaining cabinet slots, including defense minister and interior minister.

There are other worrying signs about Iraq’s future trajectory. For one, Zaidi’s past financial ties to Iran’s proxies have come under scrutiny. And while Washington is reportedly creating a roadmap to bring the Iran-backed Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) under centralized Iraqi control, that plan has drawn serious pushback from the Iranian proxy network.

Meanwhile, Iran and its proxies have launched over 800 drone and missile attacks against Iraq’s Kurdistan Region since March, a situation worsened by internal divisions and Baghdad’s inattentiveness.

To discuss what Iraq’s new government structure means for regional security and U.S. interests, JINSA hosted a webinar featuring Michael Knights, Chief Product Officer at Horizon Engage, and Joel Rayburn, Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute and former Senior Director for Iraq Policy on the U.S. National Security Council.

Blaise Misztal, JINSA’s Vice President for Policy, moderated the discussion.

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Michael Knights Michael Knights is the Chief Product Officer at Horizon Engage, where he is also Head of Middle East Research. Knights is the author of Back to Basics: U.S.-Iraq Security Cooperation in the Post-Combat Era, among other books about Iraq. He holds a PhD in War Studies from King’s College London. Click here to read full bio

Joel Rayburn Joel Rayburn is a Senior Fellow at the Hudson Institute. Rayburn is the former Senior Director for Iraq Policy at the U.S. National Security Council and former Strategic Intelligence Advisor to U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM), among other senior roles in government. Click here to read full bio

Blaise Misztal Blaise Misztal is the Vice President for Policy at JINSA. Misztal previously was a Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and has held roles as the Executive Director of the Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States and Director of the National Security Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Click here to read full bio

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The post Webinar – New Leadership in Baghdad: Implications for U.S. Interests and the Broader Middle East appeared first on JINSA.

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Washington and Tehran are reportedly on the precipice of reaching an interim deal to end hostilities. President Donald Trump announced on May 23 that “an Agreement has been largely negotiated, subject to finalization.”

The draft under discussion is reportedly a memorandum of understanding lacking concrete next steps, aside from further negotiations. However, it reportedly involves Iran opening the Strait of Hormuz, the United States ending its blockade, and both sides agreeing to a 60-day timeline for further negotiations, while also obliging Israel to end its conflict against Hezbollah.

Yet many details are unclear, particularly regarding the scope and timing of both Iranian concessions on its nuclear program and U.S. sanctions relief. And while President Trump is pledging that any agreement will be “the exact opposite” of the 2015 Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA), the United States appears to be giving away a great deal of leverage accumulated over 38 days of war and seven weeks of blockade while Iran appears to be keeping at least some of its nuclear program and giving away nothing on its ballistic missiles or proxies.

To discuss a potential deal and its impact on regional and global security, JINSA hosted a webinar featuring JINSA Distinguished Fellow IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror, former National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel, and JINSA Senior Advisor Stephen Rademaker, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Security & Nonproliferation.

The discussion was moderated by JINSA Vice President for Policy Blaise Misztal.

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IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror is a Distinguished Fellow at JINSA. Prior to joining JINSA, MG Amidror was the National Security Advisor to the Prime Minister of Israel, as well as the head of Israel’s National Security Council. MG (ret.) Amidror also has served as Director of Israel’s Intelligence Analysis Division. Click here to read full bio

Stephen Rademaker Stephen Rademaker is a Senior Advisor at JINSA. Rademaker is the former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for International Security and Nonproliferation. He has also previously served as Deputy Staff Director of the House Committee on Foreign Affairs and Deputy Legal Advisor to the National Security Council. Click here to read full bio

Blaise Misztal Blaise Misztal is the Vice President for Policy at JINSA. Misztal previously was a Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and has held roles as the Executive Director of the Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States and Director of the National Security Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Click here to read full bio

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The post Webinar – Bad Deal Rising appeared first on JINSA.

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Amid the fragile ceasefire between the United States and Iran, there are increasing reports of Tehran facing mounting internal tension. President Donald Trump has described the regime as “seriously fractured.” Emerging reports suggest Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei remains incapable of leading Iran alone after sustaining severe injuries during the war, prompting confusion regarding who’s really in charge of Tehran.

Without a unified government front, the Iranian regime’s stability lies in jeopardy.

To discuss the status of Iran’s regime and the prospects for its collapse, JINSA hosted a webinar featuring Council on Foreign Relations (CFR) Senior Fellow Dr. Ray Takeyh, and Iran International Executive Director Mehdi Parpanchi.

JINSA Vice President for Policy Blaise Misztal moderated the conversation.

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Mehdi Parpanchi Mehdi Parpanchi is the executive editor of Iran International, a 24-hour broadcast network that sheds light on the Iranian regime’s brutality. He is former Lead Presenter for BBC Persia and former Iran Service Director for Radio Farda. Click here to read full bio

Ray Takeyh Ray Takeyh is a member of JINSA’s Iran Policy Project and Hasib J. Sabbagh Senior Fellow for Middle East studies at the Council on Foreign Relations (CFR). He previously served as a senior advisor on Iran policy at the Department of State. Click here to read full bio

Blaise Misztal Blaise Misztal is the Vice President for Policy at JINSA. Misztal previously was a Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and has held roles as the Executive Director of the Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States and Director of the National Security Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Click here to read full bio

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The post Watch Webinar – Is the Iranian Regime Fracturing? appeared first on JINSA.

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On April 21, President Donald Trump indefinitely extended the ceasefire with Iran that was about to lapse, while keeping in place the U.S. naval blockade, citing the “fractured” nature of Iran’s regime and the need to provide it time to put together a “unified proposal.”

Iran, for its part, is doubling down on its belligerence—including firing at and reportedly seizing commercial vessels, and demanding exorbitant bribes in exchange for ships’ safety.

JINSA hosted a webinar breaking down the current situation, how long the ceasefire could remain in place, and what might come next.

The webinar featured JINSA Distinguished Fellow IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror,former Head of Israel’s National Security Council and former Director of the Israel Defense Forces’ Intelligence Analysis Division; JINSA Distinguished Scholar Amb. Eric Edelman, former U.S. Under Secretary of Defense for Policy; and JINSA Hertog Distinguished Fellow Gen Frank McKenzie, USMC (ret.), former Commander, U.S. Central Command.

JINSA Vice President for Policy Blaise Misztal moderated the conversation.

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IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror IDF MG (ret.) Yaakov Amidror is a Distinguished Fellow at JINSA. Before joining JINSA, MG (ret.) Amidror served as Head of Israel’s National Security Council. MG (ret.) Amidror also has served as Director of the IDF’s Intelligence Analysis Division. Click here to read full bio

Amb. Eric Edelman Amb. Eric Edelman is a Distinguished Scholar at JINSA and the co-chair of JINSA’s Iran Policy Project. Amb. Edelman is the former U.S. Undersecretary of Defense for Policy and a former member of the U.S. Defense Policy Board Advisory Committee. He also served as America’s ambassador to Finland and Turkey. Click here to read full bio

Gen Frank McKenzie, USMC (ret.) Gen Frank McKenzie, USMC (ret.) is Hertog Distinguished Fellow at JINSA and President of The Citadel Military College of South Carolina. During his distinguished military service, Gen (ret.) McKenzie led all U.S. armed forces in the Middle East as Commander, U.S. Central Command. Gen (ret.) McKenzie also served as Director for Strategic Planning at the Pentagon. Click here to read full bio

Blaise Misztal Blaise Misztal is the Vice President for Policy at JINSA. Misztal previously was a Fellow at the Hudson Institute, and has held roles as the Executive Director of the Task Force on Extremism in Fragile States and Director of the National Security Program at the Bipartisan Policy Center. Click here to read full bio

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The post Watch Webinar – What’s Next for Iran? appeared first on JINSA.