When Secretary of State Marco Rubio touched down in Abu Dhabi on June 23 for his first visit to the Gulf since the Iran war began, he offered a telling description of his purpose. “We want to make sure their views are…
Click here to read transcript. This week marks a gruesome milestone: 1,000 days will have passed since Hamas infiltrated southern Israel on October 7, 2023, killing approximately 1,200 people and taking over 250 mostly civilian hostages. It also marks 1,000…
A US-Iran memorandum of understanding has left Gulf Arab states in an uncertain “new normal”, forcing them to support diplomatic talks that could give Tehran major leverage over the Strait of Hormuz. … “What you want to do is you…
The United States is reportedly exploring the possibility of relocating some of its bases in the Middle East to Israel. The U.S.-Israel war against Iran and its aftermath may see Israel living up more than ever to its reputation, which…
When Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa officially assumed power after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in January 2025, he pledged to preserve “civil peace,” rebuild Syria’s military and security institutions, and restore state authority after years of fragmentation and civil war. It was an appealing proposition. Under Assad, weak…
The Israel-Lebanon agreement at the very least works against the equation established by the memorandum of understanding (MOU) between Iran and the U.S. As Hussein Aboubakr Mansour observes, this equation is as disturbing to Gulf governments as it is to Jerusalem: If…
Click here to read a transcript. In retaliation for Operation Epic Fury, Iranian forces launched thousands of missiles and drones at Gulf countries hosting U.S. military bases. These devastating attacks caused servicemember fatalities and injuries, destroyed aircraft, and took…
The extensive targeting of U.S. bases by Iran throughout the yet-unresolved conflict now in its fourth month is raising new doubts about the sustainability of maintaining large, fixed military installations near the Persian Gulf—and potentially elsewhere across the globe. Among the leading voices…
Former U.S. CENTCOM Commander Gen. Frank McKenzie on Monday voiced his support for the U.S. to shift its military footprint in the Middle East westward, including in Israel, to mitigate threats from Iran. Speaking on a Jewish Institute for National…
The war with Iran that President Donald Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu partnered on is now entering its fifth month. Iran is a wreck. But so is the relationship between America and Israel. … Michael Makovsky, CEO of the more hawkish Jewish Institute…