
Fromer-Wexler Fellow & Director Reinhard Counterterrorism Program, @WashInstitute; @Georgetown; @PepperdineSPP; Former @FBI, @USTreasury, etc.
Washington, DC
Joined February 2013
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Lots to unpack when it comes to #Hezbollah, so I'm thrilled to announce the latest edition of my @Georgetown_UP book is now with a new chapter on LH regional activities and its role in the road to Oct 7 and actions since.
Get yours here: amazon.com/Hezbollah-Global-…
Matthew Levitt retweeted
Israel's Channel 12 Reporting (English translation of their report:)
Breaking news in this edition
An unprecedented confrontation between the Chief of Staff and the Prime Minister has reached a critical—or perhaps disastrous—turning point over the last 24 hours.
At the heart of the matter: the Iranian issue.
There is concern on the part of [Chief of Staff] Zamir that Netanyahu and the political leadership might trigger a scenario of miscalculation vis-à-vis Iran, just ahead of the elections.
A defense official states that the action in question could lead to a rapid confrontation with Iran at a highly sensitive and dramatic moment, potentially resulting in a miscalculation.
Sources familiar with the details indicate that the military leadership fears an attempt to exploit the Iranian issue for political gain—a claim that political figures deny, labeling it an outright lie.
Regardless, two sources tell me that the situation has escalated to the point where, during a visit to the Palmachim Airbase today, the atmosphere in the discussion was extremely tense.
In recent days, Zamir received a directive from the political leadership but requested an in-depth discussion before taking any action.
He also demanded formal, signed legal authorization from the political echelon for the proposed move.
A senior defense official remarked: "History will not forget the role Zamir has played here over the last few days."
In short: an exceptionally intense confrontation between Zamir and Netanyahu regarding the Iranian issue, occurring just before the elections.
It should be noted: all details in this report have been approved by the Military Censor.
Yaron Avraham
Matthew Levitt retweeted
New: Sources from three countries confirm that the Trump Administration has advocated Viktor Orbán for UN Secretary-General.
The US has encouraged Orbán to enter the race, even bringing him the initial idea of a joint U.S.-Russia-China candidacy.
WSJ:
wsj.com/opinion/viktor-orban…
Matthew Levitt retweeted
How does a government that includes these people call itself “Zionist”?
Matthew Levitt retweeted
This is one of the most antisemitic things I've ever seen in a political ad, and it's for Abdul El-Sayed. The message: your life is hard, groceries are expensive, and the Jewish state is why. Total madness!
This is one of the most comical ads this election cycle. Yes, Americans are chatting at the grocery store about how they can’t buy groceries because their tax dollars “go to Israel” 🙄 😂 nevermind the fact that Israel has invested 100% of military aid in the U.S. economy since Oct 7, and has also purchased over $1 billion *additional* in arms, according to DoD. Federal military aid is also prohibited from being spent on anything other than U.S. arms, so the line about healthcare is even more comical. El Sayed and his Islamist fans like Cenk Uygur want and expect American voters to be so stupid they never check.
Not only is this ad insane, conspiratorial, and antisemitic — it is also flat out false. El Sayed isn’t for the people of Michigan, he isn’t even for America. He is for the Muslim Brotherhood.
In U.S. Gas Talks With Kremlin, Hidden Financing for Alaska Project Emerges.
Interviews and documents show a Russian energy giant secretly funded a U.S. firm. The deal has been discussed in talks to end the war in Ukraine.
nytimes.com/2026/10/23/us/po…
Iran Is Now Losing Overland Trade Routes to U.S. Pressure
wsj.com/world/middle-east/ir…
Will Iran turn to terrorism? Recent reporting suggests it has plans to do just that
With its leadership badly damaged and its security establishment humiliated by deep intelligence infiltration, the desperate regime likely sees little downside in setting caution aside and greenlighting a wide variety of international attacks.
washingtoninstitute.org/poli…
Matthew Levitt retweeted
“Some of the people being hanged in Iran on accusations of being Mossad agents — I have to ask who they are,” Barnea said. “They tell me, ‘Listen, we don’t know either.’”
"Barnea claimed that 99.9% of Mossad agents had never been exposed. He said operatives who participated in the campaign continued to live in Tehran, despite their involvement in the Israeli operation."
“I can’t tell you they’re here with us, but they’re there in Tehran, still living their good lives, knowing in their hearts that they served a noble purpose — not for the State of Israel, but for themselves,” he said.
ynetnews.com/article/sjkraj5…
FBI Explores Espionage Case Against Saudi OpenAI Suspect wsj.com/us-news/law/fbi-expl…
Intelligence memo warns Iran is plotting to kill Americans in Middle East ft.com/content/e2e82393-c7ca…
U.S. Evacuates Mideast Outposts After Suspected Iranian Plot to Target Americans wsj.com/world/middle-east/u-…
Matthew Levitt retweeted
A State Department official confirmed that a statement posted by Kristi Noem to her official envoy account and personal X account was created using fabricated State Department letterhead and was not an official department press release; first reported by Politico
Matthew Levitt retweeted
Deployment of any international force in South #Lebanon only provides an excuse not to fulfill commitments in the US-#Lebanon-#Israel Framework Agreement.
Better for @UNIFIL_ to leave, leaving #Lebanese armed forces with sole responsibility to fill the vacuum and to coordinate with Israel to disarm and dismantle #Hezbollah, their common adversary.
Euros and others can support, train and supply #LAF but it’s a mistake to create alternative to it.
today.lorientlejour.com/arti…
Matthew Levitt retweeted
#Spain’s Interior Ministry (via its Cybersecurity Coordination Office / OCC) detected messages on a public website linked to #ISIS calling for attacks on police officers and protesters during ongoing mass demonstrations in Spain, #France, #Italy, and #Portugal.
- The call urges militants to exploit large crowds and street clashes.
- It specifically notes the high numbers in France (around 800,000) as a “rare and valuable opportunity” and says police become “easy prey” during scuffles.
- Suggested methods include:
- Explosives (with calls for “martyrdom”/suicide attacks)
- Knives (advice on blade length, target body areas for maximum harm, and concealing the weapon)
- Vehicle rammings (suggested by some users in comments)
- The OCC alert (which includes a screenshot of the English-language message and the site URL) was found during routine monitoring of potentially dangerous websites. It contains no specific operational plans, dates, or locations for an attack in Spain or elsewhere.
- Spain remains at terrorism alert level 4 (“high risk,” on a 5-level scale)
- In 2026 so far, Spanish security forces have arrested 91 people for alleged jihadist activities (100 in all of 2025).
elpais.com/espana/2026-10-23…
Gunman Kills One Near Paris in Suspected Attack on Immigrant Communities
wsj.com/world/europe/gunman-…
Benjamin Netanyahu said he's exploring the use of cryptocurrency to circumvent potential financial sanctions on Israel, drawing criticism from opposition figures who said it would turn the Jewish state into an economic pariah like Iran. bloomberg.com/news/articles/…
Get these terrorists behind bars!
Settler suspected in diplomats attack filmed last year running over Palestinian
haaretz.com/west-bank/2026-1…
Utah man found with pipe bombs charged with threat to ‘blow up’ synagogue
timesofisrael.com/utah-man-f…
Prosecutor said the men were allegedly seen by police taking photos and video of Jewish sites in Manchester, on the eve of Yom Kippur, the holiest day in the Jewish calendar, adding "this was reconnaissance in preparation for an act of terrorism, an attack on the Jewish community in Manchester"
Iranian men to go on trial next year over alleged plot to target UK Jewish community
reuters.com/world/middle-eas…
















