Middle Orient

With the new year less than two weeks away, a range of geopolitical and security trends demand close attention. From the potential resumption of war between Israel and Iran to evolving dynamics in multiple hotspots, a host of unresolved variables is poised to shape the Middle East’s trajectory in 2026. …

With the deadline for the March 10 agreement expiring at the end of 2025, its provisions remain on hold. Neither side has implemented any of them, and both have traded accusations over delays and obstruction in recent months, without reaching concrete steps to move the agreement forward Despite repeated meetings …

Toplines The rate and geographic scope of protests in Iran increased on January 1 and 2. ISW-CTP recorded 56 protests on January 1 and 70 protests on January 2, compared to 31 protests on December 31.[1] Protests took place in 17 out of Iran’s 31 provinces between December 28 and …

The Israeli army announced today, Thursday 1 January, the deployment of forces from the “Hasmonean Brigade” in the security zone in southern Syria, marking the first time the brigade has been stationed in the area. The Israeli army said the brigade’s infantry forces carried out field activities after a series …

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The Sunni militant group Jaish al-Adl says it has joined forces with several smaller Baluch paramilitary groups to form a new coalition targeting Iran’s clerical establishment.​ In a video statement released on social media platforms, an unidentified spokesman said the new group would be called the Popular Resistance Front and …

Iranians took to the streets for a fourth day to voice their anger over the state of the reeling economy, with the currency in a free fall and the threat of a new round of military strikes hanging over the country. Demonstrations were reported in several cities, with many markets …

J’ai toujours pensé que le monde se divisait en deux camps, qui recoupent grosso modo les deux camps de la lutte des classes, le camp des bellicistes et celui des pacifistes. Il est facile de comprendre pourquoi ces deux camps se recoupent : ceux qui veulent faire la guerre ne …

Iran’s probing of Israeli society for vulnerabilities is expanding beyond the Jewish population. Israeli NGO “FakeReporter” uncovered a multipronged influence operation targeting Israel’s Arab population on December 19. The suspected Iranian operation, which operated in Arabic, shared politically contentious content intended to stoke tensions in Israel’s Arab community. Through a …

Report says second candidate is terror group’s former head Mashaal, who is said to favor diplomacy on Gaza whereas frontrunner backs ‘armed conflict’ Hamas is expected to elect a new leader within days or a few weeks, Saudi outlet Asharq reported Saturday, citing sources close to the Palestinian terror group’s …