Good Evening,
It's Monday, June 23rd. |
Iran Fires Missiles at U.S. Base in Qatar
Iran on Monday launched a military attack on an American base in Qatar, the largest American military installation in the Middle East, in retaliation for U.S. strikes on three critical nuclear sites. The Defense Department said there were no reports of U.S. casualties at the base, Al Udeid, as the NYT reports.
Dive Deeper: “How Will Iran and the Middle East Respond to U.S. Strikes?” by CSIS's Mona Yacoubian. |
Israel Seeks to Wrap Up Fighting With Iran
Israel is looking to wrap up its war with Iran soon, Israeli and Arab officials said, capitalizing on the unprecedented U.S. attack on key Iranian nuclear sites to accelerate an end to the fighting that is stretching its troops, munitions, and coffers. And as the WSJ reports, Israel expects to complete strikes on its list of top military targets in Iran in the coming days, which Israeli officials said would provide a window to stop the fighting. |
The 6 Miles of Water Keeping Global Markets on Edge
Iranian lawmakers on Sunday reportedly threatened a closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a strip of water connecting the energy-rich Persian Gulf to global markets, after the U.S. joined Israeli strikes on Tehran’s nuclear facilities. Roughly 20% of the world’s petroleum passes through the 20-mile-wide strait, where dozens of skyscraper-size tankers each day funnel into a pair of 2-mile-wide traffic lanes separated by a 2-mile-wide buffer. The transit through that 6-mile strip within the strait includes a similarly huge share of the world’s liquefied natural gas, as the WSJ reports.
Dive Deeper: “How War with Iran Could Disrupt Energy Exports at the Strait of Hormuz” by CSIS’s Clayton Seigle. |
New Details on Ukrainian Spiderweb Drone Operation
For one year, six months and nine days, Ukraine’s intelligence service carefully plotted, designed, and built special drones, concealed in prefabricated mobile homes that were then transported across borders to strike a surprising blow thousands of miles away against Russia’s strategic bomber fleet, as The Washington Post reports. |
Executive Education
Looking for the tools to navigate times of uncertainty and significant change with minimum disruption? The CSIS Global Strategy Lab combines virtual and in-person experiences to deliver the strategic insight, global perspective, and communication tools required to drive success in times of change. Register by August 29 to join a community of seasoned leaders from across the private sector, government, and nonprofits. |
Audio Briefs
CSIS now offers audio versions of our latest analysis. Listen to the latest Critical Questions by CSIS's Heather Williams, "Options for Targeting Iran’s Fordow Nuclear Facility." |
In That Number
20%
There is considerable speculation that Iran might retaliate for the U.S.'s strikes on its nuclear facilities by closing the world's busiest oil shipping channel, the Strait of Hormuz. About 20% of global oil and gas flows through this narrow shipping lane in the Gulf and blocking it would have profound consequences for the global economy.
Source: BBC |
Critical Quote
"Given the explosive payload utilized and the extreme(ly) vibration-sensitive nature of centrifuges, very significant damage is expected to have occurred."
—UN IAEA chief Rafael Grossi |
iDeas Lab
Activities in proximity to South Korea’s designated maritime zones have raised new concerns over China’s intentions and the possibility of a creeping jurisdictional presence under the guise of civilian or fishing activity, consistent with broader patterns of Chinese gray zone tactics observed elsewhere in the region. Read the full report here.
The Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab at CSIS enhances our research with the latest in cutting-edge web technologies, design, and multimedia.![]() ![]() ![]() |
Optics
(Photo credit: Satellite image 2025 Maxar Technologies/Getty Images.) Satellite imagery collected June 22, 2025, shows damage at the Fordow underground complex in Iran. |
Recommended Reading
“Inside Trump’s Strike on Iran’s Nuclear Program” by CSIS’s Emily Harding. |
This Town Upcoming
Tomorrow, at 10:00 a.m., Brookings unpacks the roots of the Israel-Iran war, where it might go from here, and the key questions facing U.S. policymakers
Then, on Thursday, at 9:00 a.m., the CSIS Aerospace Security Project hosts a discussion on the future of NATO defense.
Later, on Friday, at 11:00 a.m., the CSIS Defense and Security Department welcomes General Ronald Clark, Commanding General, U.S. Army Pacific, to discuss the role of landpower in the Indo-Pacific. |
Video
This morning, the CSIS Energy Security and Climate Change Program hosted a discussion on the state of energy security amid the war between Israel and Iran. Watch the full video here. |
Podcasts
CSIS’s Norm Roule, a former senior U.S. intelligence officer for the Middle East, joins the podcast to discuss how conflict with Iran might end, what regime change could look like, the wider implications for the United States and the region, and more.
Listen on Spotify & Apple Podcasts. |
Smiles
One of the best concerts to ever take place in Maryland, or the DC metropolitan region for that matter, was the Eagles performance at the Capital Centre in 1977. I was too young to go, but I was already an Eagles fan—my parents had their records. Every time I got into the car with my mom I would hear the radio advertising the Eagles show, as if they weren’t sold out! This show is famous because most if it was captured on video. The live versions of “Hotel California” and “Take it to the Limit” are legendary. Somehow, I have never seen this video of “One of These Nights” from the Cap Centre show. It’s now been remastered and the band released it almost two weeks ago. The clip underscores the Eagles greatness, and in particular, their
signature harmonies. |
| I invite you to email me at [email protected] and follow me on Twitter @handrewschwartz |
