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.

Conoco gas plant after it came under the control of the Syrian government following the withdrawal of the US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), in the countryside of Deir al-Zor, Syria, January 19, 2026.

Syrian Petroleum Company signs new gas deal with US energy companies ConocoPhillips and Novaterra

Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi meets with US Special Presidential Envoy Tom Barrack in Baghdad, Iraq, June 16, 2026.

US envoy Barrack meets Iraq PM, pushes new direction in bilateral ties

 US President Donald Trump points his finger towards Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu as they shake hands during a press conference after meeting at Trump’s Mar-a-Lago club in Palm Beach, Florida, US, December 29, 2025.

Trump says Israel 'fighting Hezbollah too long' as Lebanon war drags on - analysis


Why Iran favors prolonged diplomacy in US preliminary deal talks - analysis

Questions remain over a US-Iran preliminary deal as Tehran favors a prolonged diplomatic process that adds complexity and delay.

A woman holds an Iranian flag near an anti-US billboard depicting US President Donald Trump and the Strait of Hormuz, in Tehran, Iran, May 25, 2026.

'We are all shocked’ by deal, worry that regime will feel it ‘won,' Iranian source tells 'Post'

Iranian source: 'We are all shocked...They can’t believe they made the deal' • Concern that Islamic regime and its proxies see US deal as a victory, source stresses

An anti-Iranian regime protester holds an Iranian flags before the 1979 revolution with the Lion and Sun emblem at a protest, outside the Iranian Embassy in central London on March 20, 2026.

What if US-Iran deal is too good to be true? Potential options for Middle East's future - analysis

The US and Iran appear poised to agree on a path forward toward some kind of deal. It is not entirely clear what is being agreed upon or what may emerge in the coming days.

US and Iranian flags are seen in this illustration taken March 23, 2026.

Operation Rising Lion: One year later, was it as historic as it seemed? - analysis

Rising Lion was a curtain raiser to what might come next. History will judge whether it was particularly important or a step on the road to a broader strategy. 

Israeli Air Force fighter jets seen ahead of Operation Rising Lion in Iran, June 13, 2025

Middle East holds its breath as US, Iran near potential deal signing 'within 24 hours' - analysis

As talks of yet another US deal with Iran progress, countries in the Middle East are left to wait and see if regional stability will materialize.

Chief of Defence Forces of Pakistan, Field Marshal Asim Munir is welcomed by Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni, upon his arrival, as a part of the ongoing mediation efforts between the U.S. and Iran, in Tehran, Iran, May 22, 2026.

Syria, Iraq hope for meetings in Washington, seek coordinated visit with US envoy

While al-Sharaa's meeting is unconfirmed, it could still happen. The Trump administration will want to end the Iran conflict and get a deal while trying to show it can stabilize Iraq and Syria.

New Iraqi Prime Minister designate Ali al-Zaidi, uses a phone at his office in Baghdad, Iraq, April 28, 2026.

Unmanned naval drones gain importance on the battlefield, rescue of US troops proves it - analysis

From infantry forces using quadcopters to large surveillance drones and the new US LUCAS system of one-way attack drones, drone warfare is increasing exponentially.

Saronic's Corsair USV is described as “capable of operating at ranges over 1,000 nautical miles and can support 1,000-pound payloads."

Drone attack reported in Iraq's Kurdistan region, as US-Iran tensions grow

The attack “caused extensive damage to the building, but no casualties were reported. No party has claimed responsibility so far,” local media reported.

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.

As Iran weakens, Gulf states are looking beyond the Strait of Hormuz - analysis

The big question in the Gulf is whether Iran will continue to carry out missile and drone attacks on Gulf countries. This includes threats to all the countries Iran has hit.

Kuwaiti officials inspect damage inside a terminal at Kuwait International Airport following a drone and missile attack, in Kuwait City, Kuwait, June 3, 2026.

Could a war of words between Turkey and Israel escalate toward a new crisis? - analysis

Turkey and Israel are trading heated rhetoric over Jerusalem and regional influence, raising concerns that verbal clashes could escalate into broader tensions in Syria and the Eastern Mediterranean.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan delivers a speech during the opening ceremony of male and female dormitories at Bogazici University, in Istanbul, Turkey, February 13, 2026.