HEZBOLLAH
CSAG Information Paper: Hezbollah – IRGC’s Main Coordinating Tool in Middle East
Subject: Hezbollah – IRGC’s main coordinating tool in the Middle East. Purpose: This paper aims to present the results of the CSAG’s analysis of Hezbollah as the main coordinator for Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) actions in the ME. It highlights Hezbollah’s regional activities,...
CSAG Information Paper: "Hezbollah’s 'Financial Pyramid'”
Subject: Hezbollah’s “Financial Pyramid”. Purpose: This paper is the third in a series about Hezbollah. The aim is to present the results of the CSAG’s analysis of the principle of “following Hezbollah’s money”. It reveals Hezbollah’s financial activities in the region and...
CSAG Information Paper: "Capt. America vs Capt. Agon (The Billion-Dollar Bargaining Chip for the Syrian Republic of Captagon)"
Subject: Capt. America vs Capt. Agon (The Billion-Dollar Bargaining Chip for the Syrian Republic of Captagon) Purpose: This paper aims to present the CSAG’s analysis regarding how the Captagon drug industry in Syria affects the region and what the US/CENTCOM could do to consolidate its...
CSAG Strategy Paper: “The Hardest 'Soft' Approach on the Yemeni Crisis: An Opportunity to Retake the Initiative in the Middle East”
Overview: Armed conflicts, across human history, brought unquantifiable loss of fortune, lives, and cultural diversity, effectively stalling, nullifying, or even reversing civilization progress, in countless occasions. This paper aims to clear the “fog of war” that is covering Yemen and the...
CSAG Strategy Paper: "Lebanon: A Potential Game Changer in the CENTCOM AOR"
Overview: Years of political instability in combination with an ongoing economic crisis — exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic and the explosion in the Port of Beirut in August 2020 — have brought the country close to collapse. Moreover, the current institutional vacuum (with no president...
CSAG Strategy Paper: Understanding the Iranian Threat Network
Introduction: The Iranian Threat Network (ITN) has emerged as a complex and multifaceted challenge in the CENTCOM Area of Operations (AOR). This strategic paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of the ITN, its models, significance, and the nuanced threat perceptions it engenders...
Alumni Publication: "As Tensions Escalate in the North, Israel’s Hellenic Alignment Becomes Ever More Important" by Colonel (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman
On 9 August 2024, The Jerusalem Institute for Strategy and Security published NESA Center alum Colonel (res.) Dr. Eran Lerman's article titled "As Tensions Escalate in the North, Israel’s Hellenic Alignment Becomes Ever More Important." "Hassan Nasrallah's threats to broaden the scope of...
CSAG Strategy Paper: High Stakes on High Ground: The Golan Heights, a Zero-sum Game for Regional Dominance
Introduction: The Golan Heights, a hilly 460 square mile (1,200 square kilometer) strategically vital plateau, was seized by Israel from Syria during the 1967 Six-Day War. Despite Syria’s attempt to reclaim the territory in the 1973 conflict, Israel maintained control and unilaterally annexed it...
Faculty Publication: "The GCC States Must Turn Down the Temperature in the Middle East" by Dr. Gawdat Bahgat
On 9 December 2024, Gulf International Forum published NESA Center Professor Dr. Gawdat Bahgat's latest article, "The GCC States Must Turn Down the Temperature in the Middle East." "The GCC’s strategic diplomacy can reshape Middle East dynamics, balancing regional power and...
CSAG Strategy Paper: Ceasefire Part 2 – Regional Escalation
Introduction: Since the U.S., together with Egypt and Qatar, started pushing for a ceasefire deal in May 2024, there have been times when a comprehensive ceasefire deal appeared close. However, as the situation in the region has evolved, it is becoming clear that objective is likely far off....
CSAG Strategy Paper: Lebanon at a Crossroads: Geopolitical Shifts, Sectarian Realignments, and the Path to Stability in the Post-Assad Era
Introduction: The collapse of the Assad regime marked a critical juncture in the geopolitical dynamics of the Middle East, precipitating a profound transformation in the region’s strategic architecture, particularly in Lebanon. Syria has historically functioned as Lebanon’s geographic, political...
Iran’s Terrorism and Insurgency in the Indo-Pacific: Implications for the U.S. and Its Partners
Dr. Lumpy Lumbaca, a counterterrorism expert and faculty member at the Daniel K. Inouye Asia-Pacific Center for Security Studies, explores how Iran has quietly extended its terrorism and insurgency campaigns into the Indo-Pacific in a new Security Nexus article, Iran’s Terrorism and...