
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.
Who is behind the mysterious drone attack targets Kurdish region in Iraq? - analysis
Russia and China's influence wanes in the Middle East after 12-Day War – analysis
Houthis vow to continue attacking Israel, boast 'hypersonic' missiles - analysis
Did Iran order rocket, drone strikes on an Iraqi airport in Kirkuk? - analysis
A rare rocket attack targeted Kirkuk in northern Iraq, injuring one. Officials suspect militias or ISIS amid growing regional tensions.
Trump administration lifts key sanctions on Syria, backs new government
US President Donald Trump moves forward with an executive order that provides sanctions relief for Syria by the US Department of State and Treasury.
Three cartoonists arrested in Turkey over alleged Prophet Muhammad drawing
LeMan, one of Turkey’s oldest satirical publications, has continued to operate despite a wave of shutdowns targeting media critical of Turkish President Erdogan.
Is West Bank terror threat reduced or concealed? - analysis
The main challenge for the IDF in the West Bank is whether it's maintaining peace by preventing Israeli extremist attacks on Palestinians, or if the terror threat has just been hidden.
The growing ties between Israel, Syria, its possible spread into the Middle East - analysis
Al-Ain speculates that Trump might encourage a meeting between Israel’s Prime Minister and the new Syrian president. It is clear that many voices on both sides of the ocean see Syria-Israel ties as
US, Iran have a long road to a nuclear deal - analysis
Trump appears to be asserting that the US strikes on Iran have destroyed the Iranian nuclear program, making it less urgent for the US to reach a deal.
Israel's offensive on Hamas is stalled in the sands of Gaza - what's next for the IDF? - analysis
Operation “Gideon’s Chariots” was meant to decisively conquer Gaza, but months into the campaign, challenges remain as Hamas still holds control over the territory.
Putting on a brave face: Hezbollah is at a crossroads, and a turning point may be coming - analysis
Hezbollah was always able to get around these calls over the years by claiming it was “resisting” Israel, but with Iran's "axis of resistance" broken, the Shia group is weakened.
The 12-day gamble: How the Israel-Iran war unfolded
Israel’s 12-day war was a gamble, and it was made possible by a unique set of circumstances. Much remains to be seen if it was the game changer that some people think it was.
Key Druze leader Walid Jumblatt calls on Hezbollah to turn over weapons
“Weapons should only be in the hands of the Lebanese state,” Jumblatt said.