Iron Dome intercepts cruise missiles for first time

MoD: System can intercept a variety of threats, including UAVs and cruise missiles

The Israel Missile Defense Organization has successfully completed a series of live-fire intercept tests of the Iron Dome and David’s Sling weapon systems against threat-representative cruise and ballistic missiles, the Defense Ministry said Tuesday. It is the first time the the Iron Dome system intercepted a cruse missile.

Kurdish Families Pay Islamic State Ransom to Free Loved Ones

For more than six months, a frightening thought often kept Kurdish farmer Mofaq Haji Rashid up at night: he might never see his 23-year-old son again.

The nightmare begun during the Muslim holiday of Eid in late May when Islamic State (IS) militants kidnapped Dilan Mofaq Rashid, and his 22-year-old colleague, Issa Taha, while they were on duty as federal security guards for electricity pylons in the northern oil-rich province of Kirkuk.

Terrorists’ Use of Cryptocurrency

Documented examples of terrorist acquisition of cryptocurrency have been relatively infrequent, especially compared to criminal use. Yet, over the past year, terrorist groups have pivoted to acquiring and storing wealth in virtual currencies like Bitcoin.

The future of the Middle East will be shaped in the next few weeks

Members of the Iran-backed Iraqi militia Hashd al-Shaabi at a graduation ceremony in the central Iraqi city of Karbala

We are entering a period of immense complexity for the Middle East. What happens in the next few months will set the tone in our region for years. If managed correctly, there is the possibility of building a more peaceful political situation. If mismanaged, the consequences could be dire.