Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program

The Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program (WITT) focuses on the activities and capabilities of countries like China, Russia, and Iran as well as the threat and evolution of paramilitary groups and terrorist networks

Led by Dr. Daniel Byman, the Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program (formerly known as the Transnational Threats Project) conducts research and analysis on irregular and hybrid warfare, terrorism, and military operations. The program examines Chinese, Russian, and Iranian irregular and hybrid warfare activities, such as covert action, economic warfare, support to non-state partners, cyber operations, disinformation, political warfare, and espionage. It also assesses terrorist and paramilitary activities by such organizations as Lebanese Hezbollah, Shia militias, the Houthi movement (or Ansar Allah), the Islamic State, al Qaeda, and far-right and far-left extremist networks. Finally, the program researches the military capabilities of China, Russia, and other U.S. adversaries and examines how the United States and its allies can best respond.

The Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program conducts fieldwork overseas, builds and analyzes data sets, and utilizes satellite imagery and other types of qualitative and quantitative analysis. It also draws from an extensive network of policy experts from the U.S. and partner governments, Congress, academia, nongovernmental organizations (NGOs), and the private sector. In partnership with CSIS’s Andreas C. Dracopoulos iDeas Lab, the program translates its research into high-quality videos, podcasts, reports, visualizations, and other products designed to engage audiences and inform policy discussions through objective analysis. The Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program's work is highly valued by government officials, corporate executives, and other influential leaders seeking to understand, prevent, and counter transnational threats.

Contact Information

Media Queries

Featured Analysis

Photo: Wojciech Grzedzinski/Anadolu via Getty Images

Photo: Wojciech Grzedzinski/Anadolu via Getty Images

Russia’s Battlefield Woes in Ukraine

Russia has performed poorly on the battlefield in Ukraine and will likely hit the 1 million casualty mark in the summer of 2025. New CSIS data details Russia's slow rate of advance, heavy losses of equipment, and significant casualties.

Listen to Audio Brief

Brief by Seth G. Jones and Riley McCabe — June 3, 2025

Related

Latest Analysis

Photo: MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images

Photo: MENAHEM KAHANA/AFP via Getty Images

What to Know About the Israeli Strike on Iran

Israel’s military strikes on are likely to set back Iran’s nuclear program, but much of the program will remain. Tehran retaliation options are weaker than before the October 7, 2023 terrorist attacks on Israel. The instability may suck in the United States despite the Trump administration’s desire to remain uninvolved.

listen to article

Commentary by Daniel Byman — June 13, 2025

Related

All Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program Content

Filter by

71 - 80 of 285 results

NATO and Countering Hybrid Warfare

In the future, NATO countries must step up their efforts to protect against Russian-backed extremists as well as Russian hybrid warfare.

Commentary by Daniel Byman — July 12, 2024

Audio Briefs

Can Iran’s New President Change the Regime’s Confrontational Foreign Policy?

An audio version of “Can Iran’s New President Change the Regime’s Confrontational Foreign Policy?,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Daniel Byman and Katherine Trauger. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Daniel Byman and Katherine Trauger — July 9, 2024

Audio Briefs

Unpacking China’s Naval Buildup

Already the world's largest navy, the People's Liberation Army Navy is positioned to overtake the U.S. Navy in several indicators of naval power within ten years.

Commentary by Alexander Palmer, Henry H. Carroll, and Nicholas Velazquez — June 5, 2024

Audio Briefs

Unpacking China’s Naval Buildup

An audio version of “Unpacking China’s Naval Buildup,” a new commentary by CSIS’s Alexander Palmer, Henry Carroll, Nicholas Velazquez. This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Alexander Palmer, Henry H. Carroll, and Nicholas Velazquez — June 5, 2024

Audio Briefs

Assessing Israel’s Strike on Iran

In its April 19 attack on Iran, Israel avoided further escalation, while also threatening Iran's most sensitive locations. New CSIS analysis shows how it walked the tightrope.

Commentary by Alexander Palmer, Daniel Byman, Seth G. Jones, and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. — May 3, 2024

Audio Briefs

Assessing Israel’s Strike on Iran

An audio summary of CSIS’s Alexander Palmer, Daniel Byman, Seth G. Jones, and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr.’s new commentary, “Assessing Israel’s Strike on Iran.” This audio was generated with text-to-speech by Eleven Labs. 

Podcast Episode by Alexander Palmer, Daniel Byman, Seth G. Jones, and Joseph S. Bermudez Jr. — May 3, 2024

Audio Briefs

How Might Israel Strike Back?

Israel has vowed to retaliate for Iran's drone and missile attack. The government needs to restore deterrence and satisfy its own population, but all its options have costs and risks.

Commentary by Daniel Byman — April 16, 2024

The Islamic State in Khorasan Province: Exploiting a Counterterrorism Gap

The attack on Crocus City Hall in Moscow in March 2024 demonstrates that not only is the Islamic State in Khorasan Province the Islamic State's most dangerous affiliate, but also that it has effectively exploited gaps in current international counterterrorism efforts.

Commentary by Tricia Bacon — April 11, 2024