Seth J. Frantzman

Seth J. Frantzman is the senior Middle East Correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post . He has covered the war against Islamic State, several Gaza wars, the conflict in Ukraine, refugee crises in Eastern Europe, and also reported from Iraq, Turkey, Jordan, Egypt, Senegal, the UAE, Ukraine, and Russia since 2011. He is the author of three books: The October 7 War: Israel's Battle for Security in Gaza (2024), Drone Wars: Pioneers, Killing Machines, Artificial Intelligence, and the Battle for the Future (2021), and After ISIS: America, Iran and the Struggle for the Middle East (2019). He is an adjunct fellow at The Foundation for Defense of Democracies (FDD). Born in Maine, he received his Ph.D from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem in 2010. He previously served as a research associate at the Rubin Center for Research in International Affairs at the Interdisciplinary Center, Herzliya and a lecturer in American Studies at Al-Quds University. He is Executive Director of The Middle East Center for Reporting and Analysis and was a Ginsburg/Milstein Writing Fellow at the Middle East Forum. Frantzman has conducted research and worked for the JDC, The Shalem Center, the Jerusalem Institute for Market Studies, and as a Post-Doctoral at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem. He was a Congressional intern for Congressman Jim Kolbe while studying at The University of Arizona. He is a public speaker and frequent guest on various media as well as a contributor to Defense News , The Hill , The Spectator , and The National Interest, among other publications. His current interests include regional security and geopolitics.

 Direction and distance sign for the Syrian capital of Damascus at Mount Bental Israeli military outpost on the Syrian border

UAE deepens economic ties with Damascus, eyes major investment in Syria's postwar reconstruction

A member of Iraq's Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) rides in a military vehicle next to a flag during a parade marking the eighth anniversary of defeating Islamic State militants, in Baghdad, Iraq December 10, 2025.

Iraq downplays reports of ‘secret’ Israeli base, while sending troops to find it - analysis

Iranian Kurdish fighters from the Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) take part in a training session at a base on the outskirts of Erbil, Iraq February 12, 2026.

Donald Trump 'very disappointed' with Kurdish opposition groups following US backing - analysis


Iranian-backed militias search Iraq for 'Zionist-American' base in show of force - analysis

Reports of a secret Israeli base in Iraq have now led Baghdad to feel it must do something and stage a show of force, resulting in Iranian-backed militias sending forces to southern Iraq.

Members of the Popular Mobilization Forces stand guard at a military base near the Iraqi-Syrian border in Al-Qaim, west of Iraq on January 23, 2026.

Houthis still using Iranian components in missiles, expanding arsenal

Anti-ship, surface-to-air, and ballistic missiles are among these weapons, demonstrating that the Houthis now possess a range of advanced offensive capabilities.

MEMBERS OF Houthi military forces parade in the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, Yemen. Threatening to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait could end up strengthening Washington, the writer says.

Turkey’s changing regional policy is a sign of stability, but Israel is wary - analysis

Today, Ankara appears to have changed course. It backs the new Syrian government and has appeared to support the Syrian Democratic Forces’ integration into the new Syrian security forces.

Turkey's President Tayyip Erdogan meets with Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa on the sidelines of Antalya Diplomacy Forum in Antalya, Turkey, April 17, 2026.

Can FPV drone threat encourage Israel-Ukraine cooperation? - analysis

As Israel has established a buffer zone inside Lebanon, the Iranian-backed terrorist group has shifted to using relatively small quadcopter-type drones that are attached to a fiber-optic cable.

A person holds a Sting interceptor drone by the Ukrainian company Wild Hornets at an undisclosed location in Ukraine, March 16, 2026

Iraqi media shocked by reports of secret Israeli base as Baghdad hits critical juncture - analysis

Reports that Iraq’s sovereignty may have been undermined by a foreign force operating in the desert will cause controversy in Baghdad.

An aerial view shows camels wondering in the Samawa desert, midway between the Iraqi capital Baghdad and the southern city of Basra on February 14, 2026.

Syria appoints new cabinet as government settles into power

The reshuffle, announced by Syrian state media, included the appointment of new governors for several key provinces.

Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa looks on as he arrives for a working session of the European Council and regional partners during an informal meeting in Nicosia on April 24, 2026.

Petty clashes over a sign in Syria risk snowballing into real conflict

Protesters in Hasakah and also in Qamishli object to the removal of Kurdish from official signs on government buildings.

The debris of a destroyed building and a motorbike litters the ground following a Jordanian strike on reported drugs and weapons storage facilities in the village of Arman, in the southern Druze-majority province of Sweida, of which many parts are outside the control of Damascus on May 3, 2026.

Reporters Notebook: Israel’s northern border amid peace and war

Despite ongoing tensions, Israel's northern border shows signs of quiet resilience as local communities resume life amid rising security threats.

Northern Israel registers peace amid the ceasefire with Hezbollah.

Israel needs long-term Iran strategy before US nuclear deal holds it back for good - analysis

Talk of remaking the region requires a vision that goes beyond more war on multiple fronts. If Israel can’t get to the next stage, then the years of war may have been wasted. 

A symbolic mockup of an Iranian missile is displayed, amid a ceasefire between U.S. and Iran, in Tehran, Iran, April 27, 2026.

Kurdish leaders in Iraq seek stability and influence under Zaidi government - analysis

Iraqi Kurdish leaders are seeking greater influence in Baghdad as Prime Minister Ali al Zaidi forms a new government amid rising regional tensions.

The Democratic Party of Iranian Kurdistan (PDKI) members pose for the camera as they celebrate Nowruz at the Jezhnikan Village around Baharka, Iraq, on March 18, 2025.