Middle Orient

Kurdish autonomous regions in Iraq and Syria are increasingly coming under threat by regional powers, namely Iran and Turkey. They are also increasingly becoming vulnerable to internal challenges posed by the central governments in Baghdad and Damascus. The United States, at different stages, played a central role in the establishment …

The combat arena: The IDF forces continued the integrated ground maneuver in the Gaza Strip, with fighting in Jabalia, Shejaiya and Beit Hanoun in the northern Gaza Strip; there was also activity in Gaza City. In the southern Gaza Strip IDF forces continued taking control of Khan Yunis. Palestinian sources …

The Islamic Revolution Guards Corps Navy has established a popular unit consisting of voluntary local sailors that can carry out operations in oceans with their vessels armed with rockets, a top commander said. Addressing a conference on Tuesday, IRGC Navy Commander Rear Admiral Ali Reza Tangsiri said the naval Basij …

Introduction Nearly 20,000 Gazans dead, including 10,000 children; 288 Palestinians killed in the West Bank; 1200 Israelis murdered, 150 held hostage by Hamas and 3 killed by IDF soldiers; ambulances blocked, hospitals destroyed, 90% going hungry in Gaza; and 1000 complaints of repression of pro-Palestinian speech in the US (Palestinelegal.org). …

The Israeli military on Wednesday said it had uncovered a major Hamas command center in the heart of Gaza City, inflicting what it described as a serious blow to the Islamic militant group as pressure grows on Israel to scale back its devastating military offensive in the coastal enclave. The …

The U.S. is mustering an international armada to deter Iranian-backed Houthi militias from Yemen from attacking shipping in the Red Sea, one of the world’s most important waterways for global trade, including energy cargos. The Houthis’ drone and missile attacks are ostensibly a response to the war between Israel and …

Following is the November 2023 installment of “ISIS Redux: The Central Syria Insurgency,” a monthly chronicle of attacks by the terrorist group ISIS in central Syria. A review of developments throughout 2022 and 2021 can be found here and here. The January 2023 edition of ISIS Redux can be found …

Low-cost and high-performing, Turkish-made armed drones are capturing an increasing share of the global market. This success comes with risks, including escalation of conflict and reputational damage, but there are several ways for Ankara to manage them. As drones change the face of modern warfare, their price sinks and their …

The combat arena: The IDF forces continued their integrated ground maneuver in thenorthern and southern Gaza Strip, attacking more than 300 targets. The ground forces, airforce and navy carried out simultaneous attacks, and according to reports gained control ofthe Jabaliya area in the northern Gaza Strip. The Palestinians reported heavy …

The leader of Yemen’s Houthis warned on Wednesday they would strike U.S. warships if the Iranian-backed militia was targeted by Washington, which this week set up a multinational force to counter Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in the Red Sea, Reuters reported. The Houthis, which control vast amounts of territory …