Middle Orient

Abstract: The spectre of a U.S.-Iran war is haunting the world. However, it is still less likely than many think. For its part, Tehran is aware that it lacks the military capabilities and financial resources to endure a direct military confrontation with the United States. Engaging in a full-scale war …

Key Takeaways: Northern Gaza Strip: The IDF Air Force struck Palestinian fighters and militia infrastructure in the northern Gaza Strip.Southern Gaza Strip: Israeli forces continued to conduct clearing operations in western and northern Khan Younis.West Bank: Israeli forces have engaged Palestinian fighters in at least three locations in the West …

The Syrian Salvation Government (SSG) in Idlib is working on establishing a security court that allows the families of detainees to follow up on their cases and appoint lawyers to defend them, following a series of promises and measures implemented by the Salvation Government in response to demonstrations in the …

Lebanese Hezbollah is the lynchpin of Iran’s “Axis of Resistance” and the cornerstone of its effort to forge a “unity of fronts” against Israel. Hezbollah not only directly challenges Israel across the Lebanon border but also advises and supports other Iranian allies, including the Houthi movement in Yemen and Iran-backed …

Syrians in Germany are forced to go back to the government that imprisoned or tortured them to get a new passport. Activists say the money they pay for passports funds a regime sanctioned by the German government. Even in high school, Adam Yasmin was political. When pro-democracy protests began in …

Offshore companies owned by the governor of the Central Bank of Lebanon have quietly invested in overseas assets worth nearly US$100 million in recent years, even as he has encouraged others to invest in his economically devastated country. Rumors of Central Bank Governor Riad Salame’s offshore wealth have swirled around …

In recent months, the smuggling of advanced weapons from Iran to Judea and Samaria was thwarted by the Israeli security forces. The Special Operations Directorate of the IRGC’s intelligence organization and the Qods Force Special Operations Unit in Syria were responsible for those smuggling attempts. Those attempts provide further evidence …

Oil revenue is a lifeline for the Iranian and Russian economies, but Western sanctions have jeopardized both countries’ ability to ship oil and receive payments. In response, Iran and Russia have redirected oil shipments to China—the world’s largest importer of crude oil. In 2023, China saved a reported ten billion …

Latest Developments Israel killed Hezbollah’s deputy rocketry chief in Lebanon on March 29 and was accused by Syria of carrying out a separate airstrike against the Iranian-backed terrorist group near Aleppo. Ali Abed Akhsan Naim, deputy commander of the Hezbollah Rocket and Missile Unit, was targeted in a car in …

On March 12, the United States Department of the Treasury sanctioned four individuals for supporting the Iran-linked al-Ashtar Brigades in Bahrain. The four Bahrainis apparently live in Iran and allegedly support the al-Ashtar militant group via financial, technical, and other kinds of assistance. Given Washington’s close security cooperation with Manama, …