Join Brigadier General (Ret.) Amir Avivi, founder of the Israel Defense and Security Forum, as he discusses the recent Israel-Hamas ceasefire deal alongside former IDF spokesperson Lt. Col. Jonathan Conricus. They delve into the intricacies of hostage negotiations and the potential impact on regional stability, including relations with Saudi Arabia. The conversation also covers ongoing military operations in the region, the role of the Palestinian Authority, and the political implications for Israeli society in light of these developments.

China has prepositioned destructive cyber capabilities in U.S. energy and transportation infrastructure. Russia has capabilities to disrupt undersea cables and industrial control systems. Iran has exploited unprotected networks to deface machines monitoring water systems. The Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) at the Department of Homeland Security is charged with collaborating with the private sector to secure critical systems. Since its creation in 2018, CISA has led federal efforts to understand and mitigate systemic cyber risk. How vulnerable is America in cyberspace? How has public-private cyber collaboration changed over the past six years? And, as U.S. adversaries become more aggressive in cyberspace, how can CISA bolster national cyber resilience?FDD’s Center on Cyber and Technology Innovation hosts a fireside chat with CISA Director Jen Easterly on protecting critical infrastructure in the cyber age. The conversation will be moderated by RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, CCTI senior director and former executive director of the congressionally mandated Cyberspace Solarium Commission.For more, check out: https://www.fdd.org/events/2024/01/15/infrastructure-security-in-the-cyber-age-a-conversation-with-cisa-director-jen-easterly/

FDD Research Analyst Mariam Wahba fills in for Jon Schanzer on the FDD Morning Brief. She delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Middle East scholar and author Samuel Tadros. The pair will be traveling west of Israel to analyze the latest news relating to Egypt.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

The character of war is constantly evolving. Those changes are happening not just on land, at sea, and in air – but also in the subterranean realm. The combatant that best understands these ongoing changes and adapts the most effectively is more likely to be successful in future wars.Few modern militaries know subterranean warfare better than Israel. That’s because terrorist groups such has Hamas and Hezbollah have for years attempted to use tunnels to infiltrate Israel and conduct attacks there. Following the October 7 terror attack on Israel, Hamas and Hezbollah used tunnels in Gaza and Lebanon, respectively, to protect terrorist forces and their arsenals from counterattack, imprison hostages, extend the conflicts, and further political warfare strategies. In response, Israel has developed world-class technologies, capabilities, and tactics to detect and destroy tunnels.What is the nature of subterranean warfare, how was it used in Gaza and Lebanon, and was this an anomaly peculiar to those wars and places or rather a sign of things to come elsewhere? What lessons should be learned, and how should Israel, the United States, and its allies respond?To discuss these questions and more, FDD hosts MAJ (Ret.) John Spencer, Chair of Urban Warfare Studies at the Modern War Institute at West Point, Daphné Richemond-Barak, Assistant Professor in the Lauder School of Government, Diplomacy, and Strategy at Reichman University in Israel, and Lt. Col. (Ret.) Jonathan Conricus, Senior Fellow at FDD. The conversation is moderated by Bradley Bowman, Senior Director of FDD’s Center on Military and Political Power with introductory remarks by FDD Executive Director Jonathan Schanzer.For more, check out: https://www.fdd.org/events/2025/01/13/tunnel-vision-us-israel-cooperation-and-thefuture-of-underground-warfare/

RADM (Ret.) Mark Montgomery, senior director of FDD's Center on Cyber Technology and Innovation (CCTI), fills in for Jon Schanzer on the FDD Morning Brief. He delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Isaac 'Ike' Harris, adjunct fellow at CCTI and retired commander in the U.S. Navy.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Bonnie Glick, FDD adjunct senior fellow and former deputy administrator of the United States Agency for International Development (USAID).Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Brigadier General (Res.) Professor Jacob Nagel, FDD senior fellow and former head of Israel's National Security Council.Learn more at: https://www.fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Harry Coker, Jr. serves as the National Cyber Director, the president's key advisor on cybersecurity. He discusses the development of a national cybersecurity strategy and its execution against rising threats from adversaries like China and Russia. Coker highlights the importance of federal resource alignment, enhancing public-private partnerships, and building a skilled cybersecurity workforce. He also emphasizes the critical need for trust within federal leadership to improve operational efficiency and strengthen the nation's cyber resilience.

FDD Executive Director Jon Schanzer delivers timely situational updates and analysis, followed by a conversation with Dr. Kenneth Stein, founding president of the Atlanta-based Center for Israel Education and former director of the Institute for the Study of Modern Israel at Emory University.Learn more at: fdd.org/fddmorningbrief

Andrew Fox, a research fellow at the Henry Jackson Society and former British military officer, shares insights into the intricate geopolitics of the Middle East. He discusses Iran’s influence in Syria and Turkey’s support for Hamas, highlighting critical military actions. Fox also delves into his report 'Questionable Counting,' revealing discrepancies in casualty figures from both IDF and Hamas, and critiques the media's role in shaping these narratives. Lastly, he addresses the challenges in Syria and the implications for UK political dynamics.