Middle Orient

Ever since oil was first found in Persia (now Iran) in 1908, and later in Saudi Arabia (1938), the US has steadily increased its interest and presence in the region, even after the US has become energy independent. Now, despite its presidents’ statements — “US first” and “Asia first” — …

U.S. bombers struck dozens of sites across Iraq and Syria on Feb. 2, 2024, to avenge a drone attack that killed three American service members just days earlier. The retaliatory strikes were the first following a deadly assault on a U.S. base in Jordan that U.S. officials blamed on Iranian-backed …

Shared thoughts, arising from deep concerns over the UK Government response to Israel’s ongoing genocide of Gaza. As a young adult I read Kafka’s novel, ‘The Castle’. In trying to get himself heard, the protagonist is repeatedly blocked by layers of impotent clerks and ministers, as he attempts the impossible …

And How It Can Prevent Its Fight With the Group From Escalating Since the Houthis launched their assault on global shipping in November, the United States and its partners have scrambled for ways to restore calm and commerce to the Red Sea. First, on December 18, Washington assembled a maritime …

Despite the horrific war in Gaza and the unprecedented number of casualties, millions of Palestinians in the Middle East and around the world took a brief respite from their collective pain to watch their national football team make history in Doha. The Palestinian team, also known as Fada’ii – the …

Latest Developments Iran used two banks in the United Kingdom to evade U.S. sanctions via front companies secretly owned by Iran’s Petrochemical Commercial Company (PCC), the Financial Times reported on February 4. The report claims that PCC’s UK division (PCC UK) owns front companies called Pisco UK and Aria Associates …

Since the start of Operation Iron Swords (October 7, 2023), the Houthi campaign in the RedSea area has escalated and drawn in many participants, the most important of which are theUnited States, Britain and Iran, whose involvement has increased. Initially the Houthislaunched missiles and UAVs at Israel, but their tactics …

Hamas has deployed officers and made salary payments to civil servants in Gaza City in recent days Hamas is resurging in Gaza City and the northern Gaza Strip, AP reported on 3 February, following repeated claims by Israel’s army that its military wing has been dismantled there. Israel has withdrawn …

The oil theft and smuggling operation comes two days after a brutal US attack on Syria and Iraq US occupation troops in Syria’s northeastern Jazira region looted 60 tankers of crude oil and transported it through an illegal border crossing into its military bases in Iraq, Syrian state media reported …

Hezbollah’s launch of the Iranian-made Almas missile — reverse-engineered from the Israeli ATGM, Spike — is a major military development in the northern battlefield, and a dismaying surprise for Tel Aviv. On 25 January, the Lebanese resistance movement Hezbollah orchestrated a bold strike against Israel’s strategic Jal al-Alam site, using …