CIA

Pakistan tightens security in Islamabad ahead of US-Iran negotiations

According to security sources, a US Air Force C-130 aircraft carrying an advance security and tactical team landed at Nur Khan Air Base on Thursday afternoon. 

|ByARSHAD MEHMOOD/THE MEDIA LINE
Army soldiers sit in a truck, as Pakistan prepares to host the US and Iran for peace talks, in Islamabad, Pakistan, April 10, 2026.
Members of the US Air Force Pararescue, April 5, 2026; illustrative.

Behind the US Air Force unit that spearheaded the mission to rescue downed airman

The concept of a dedicated pararescue force traces its roots back to the end of World War II. Becoming a PJ is widely considered one of the most grueling undertakings in the military.

|ByAMICHAI STEIN
US MC-130J planes, blown up by US forces before evacuating Iranian territory following the successful rescue operation of a US downed airman. April, 5, 2026.

How US fooled Iran to rescue downed F-15 airman stranded in a mountain crevice

A US airman stranded in Iran's mountains for 36 hours was rescued thanks to a CIA-led deception campaign and a daring military operation that thwarted Iranian efforts to locate him.

|BySHOSHANA BAKER, MIRIAM SELA-EITAM
A general view of Riyadh city during the early hour of evening at Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 28, 2025.

Iranian drone attack on US embassy in Riyadh more destructive than initially revealed - report

A recent Iranian drone strike on the US embassy in Saudi Arabia caused more damage than initially reported, potentially putting hundreds at risk, according to a Wall Street Journal report.

|BySHOSHANA BAKER

CIA chief and Middle East envoy to visit region to push for hostage deal - report

Burns and McGurk's trip is part of a US move to "press on" to bring about a breakthrough in the hostage deal, the sources said. 

JUNE 4, 2024ByWALLA!
People hold banners as they take part in a rally calling for the release of hostages kidnapped in the deadly October 7 attack on Israel by the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas from Gaza and for support from the U.S., outside the U.S. Embassy in Tel Aviv, Israel March 10, 2024.

CIA chief heads to Qatar, Israel to salvage Gaza hostage deal

Burns’s emergency meeting with Qatari Prime Minister Mohammed Al-Thani in Doha is “aimed at exerting maximum pressure on Israel and Hamas to continue negotiating," an official briefed on the talks.

MAY 5, 2024ByTOVAH LAZAROFF
Director of the Central Intelligence Agency William Burns testifies at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats to American security, on Capitol Hill in Washington, U.S., March 11, 2024.

'Determined to secure an agreement': Hamas says in a statement regarding ceasefire proposal

Hamas sends delegates to Cairo for ceasefire talks amid CIA Director's visit. Egypt mediates discussions, seeking truce amid escalating tensions in Gaza.

MAY 3, 2024ByREUTERS
Hamas parade in Gaza

Iran informed Turkey in advance of its operation against Israel - Turkish source

Iran informed Turkey in advance of its planned operation against Israel, conveyed through diplomatic channels, aiming to limit escalation in the Middle East.

APRIL 14, 2024ByREUTERS
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech during a protest against the recent killings of Palestinian protesters on the Gaza-Israel border and the U.S. embassy move to Jerusalem, in Istanbul, Turkey May 18, 2018.

Gaza ceasefire could be reached in days, Arab media says

Various sources have claimed that a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas could be reached within days, as the Israeli hostage negotiation team headed to Cairo to renew talks.

APRIL 7, 2024ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
People walk by pphotographs of Israelis still held hostage by Hamas terrorists in Gaza, at "Hostage Square" in Tel Aviv. March 10, 2024.

US spy agencies say country faces 'increasingly fragile world order'

The report largely focused on threats from China and Russia, as well as noting the risks of broader conflict related to Israel's campaign against Hamas in Gaza since the October 7 attacks.

MARCH 11, 2024ByREUTERS
US Senator Mark Warner (D-VA) speaks at a Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on worldwide threats to American security, on Capitol Hill in Washington, US, March 11, 2024.

Mossad: Hamas wants to ignite region on Ramadan more than it wants a hostage deal

The Mossad charged that Hamas is seeking to escalate tensions ahead of Ramadan at the expense of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip.

MARCH 9, 2024ByREUTERS, TOVAH LAZAROFF
YAHYA SINWAR, leader of Hamas in Gaza, attends a rally in Gaza City marking the terror organization's 35th anniversary last December. Sinwar has once again aimed the arrow at Israel's Achilles' heel, argues the writer.

Ex-CIA chief: To defeat Hamas, Israel must get Gaza running again

The former CIA chief stated Israel cannot “stop until Hamas has been destroyed and cannot be reconstituted.”

MARCH 7, 2024ByYONAH JEREMY BOB
Then US Army Gen. David Petraeus at an event in the White House, April, 2011

Blinken says hostage deal still possible, Burns meets Netanyahu in Israel

High on the list of topics discussed by the agencies included speculation over whether or not hostages have received their medications.

FEBRUARY 15, 2024ByTOVAH LAZAROFF
William Burns, Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) director, attends his Senate Intelligence Committee hearing on Capitol Hill in Washington, February 24, 2021.

Israel close to reaching a new ceasefire deal with Hamas - WSJ

CIA chief and Qatari Prime Minister along with Israeli and Egyptian intelligence officials, are set to convene in Paris on Sunday

JANUARY 28, 2024ByJERUSALEM POST STAFF
Staff and volunteers of Amnesty International USA, MoveOn, Oxfam America and Win Without War hold a vigil outside the White House calling for a ceasefire in the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Palestinian Islamist group Hamas, in Washington, U.S., December 18, 2023.