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.

 Iranian flags fly as fire and smoke from an Israeli attack on Sharan Oil depot rise, following Israeli strikes on Iran, in Tehran, Iran, June 15, 2025.

After US midterms, is there a time limit on the Iran war? - analysis

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa ​meets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, November 4, 2026.

Syria expands ties with Saudi Arabia, Europe and China as it seeks a new regional role - analysis

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

Iran steps up attacks on Kurdish opposition groups in northern Iraq


Reporter's notebook: Even in rural Maine, Israel and Iran were central issues in the US midterms

The general consensus was that Israel’s current prime minister, Benjamin Netanyahu, is viewed negatively. He’s a polarizing figure and, in many areas, is rarely seen positively.

US Senator Susan Collins (R-ME), Republican candidate for re-election, interacts with supporters at a watch party during the US midterm elections, at the Hilton Garden Inn, in Bangor, Maine, US, November 3, 2026.

Inside Syria's campaign against Hezbollah: How Damascus is countering Iran’s proxy - analysis

Recent incidents illustrate how the collapse of the Assad regime has disrupted Hezbollah’s former Syrian operations and weapons corridors.

A military police officer stands on a road following an explosion at a weapons depot in the Al-Eis area, in the southern countryside of Aleppo, Syria, September 21, 2026.

What is the importance of Qeshm Island to Iran, why does the US keep targeting it? - explainer

The island is both a threat and a vulnerability for the Iranian regime; the same geography that allows Iran to threaten shipping in Hormuz also exposes its military infrastructure to US strikes.

An aerial view of the island of Qeshm, separated from the Iranian mainland by the Clarence Strait, December 10, 2023.

Does Iraq's rerouting of oil exports make Turkey a big winner of the Iran war? - analysis

Turkey has already made use of its position to work with Saudi Arabia and Pakistan. The increase in oil exports from Iraq appears symbolic.

Oil trucks arriving from Iraq at the Baniyas oil terminal, in Baniyas, Syria, May 14, 2026.

Retired US Air Force officer Rick Francona discusses Kurds, Iranian threat with 'Post' - interview

As a new conflict with Iran looms, the Kurds in northern Iraq and their autonomous region could face conflict as they navigate the complex arena.

Rick Francona.

Jordan and Syria tout close ties, but border smuggling and strikes tell another story – analysis

A church attack in Karak, a Jordanian strike in southern Syria and a foiled 2 million-pill smuggling run have raised tensions in a region that also borders Israel’s Golan.

Mourners attend the funeral of four members of the same family, including three children, who were killed in a reported Jordanian airstrike in the town of Al-Mismiyah, in Syria's southern Daraa province, October 27, 2026.

UAE hopes to avert new Iran conflict, prepares for worst-case scenario

At a Bahrain security summit, UAE adviser Anwar Gargash called for diplomacy with Iran while warning that Gulf states remain prepared for more conflict.

King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, King of Bahrain receives Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, before a meeting with HH Sheikh Mohamed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, UAE Vice President, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, in this undated picture obtained by Reuters.

Could Israel's elections lead to a breakthrough with the Palestinians? Abbas says it can - analysis

“For many years now, we have been extending a hand to the Israeli side in order to achieve peace with them, so that Israel and Palestine may live in security, stability, and peace,” Abbas said.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas speaks during the foundation stone ceremony of the Innovation and Excellence Compound in the West Bank city of Ramallah on September 9, 2026; illustrative

Houthis continue to engage in ‘fierce battles’ in mountains near Aden, Taiz - report

The war for Yemen could also affect talks in Tehran, with any talks with Iran taking the Houthis into account.

HOUTHI TERRORISTS carry weapons as they stand near the site of Israeli airstrikes in Sanaa, Yemen, in September. Iran has reportedly lost control of the Houthis, the writer notes.

French jihadists clashes with Syrian authorities show Al-Sharaa's struggle for control - analysis

“For three months now, you have besieged us, imposing an embargo and stepping up surveillance. We have committed no act to justify such hostility,” the jihadist group said in a statement on Telegram.

 Rebel fighters walk near a military vehicle in Maarat al-Numan in Idlib province, Syria December 1, 2024.