Middle Orient

US President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about a potential Syrian role in addressing the “Hezbollah file” in Lebanon have reopened one of the most sensitive chapters in the shared political memory of both countries. The question extends far beyond whether Damascus can—or should—intervene militarily against Hezbollah. It raises a deeper …

The U.S. military launched a second round of airstrikes Saturday targeting Iran at President Donald Trump’s direction as Tehran hit both Bahrain and Kuwait, underscoring rising tensions that threaten the interim deal between the two nations to stop the war. The attack on Kuwait early Sunday was the first since …

Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa has effectively ended weeks of speculation over whether Damascus might deploy troops to Lebanon, following repeated public calls by U.S. President Donald Trump urging Syria to “resolve the Hezbollah issue.” The proposal had stirred widespread political unease in Lebanon, reviving memories of Syria’s decades-long military presence. …

The Iranian regime’s strategy is clear: survive the pressure of President Donald J. Trump’s second term by any means necessary, secure breathing room through negotiations, and position itself for a far more aggressive posture once his administration is over. Iranian Parliament Speaker and chief negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf — Tehran’s …

Key Takeaways Iran is using force in an attempt to maintain its control over the Strait of Hormuz in the immediate future. Iran is likely attempting to prevent vessels from using non-Iranian shipping channels with force in the immediate term as it continues negotiations with the Gulf Arab states to …

On February 28, 2026, American and Israeli forces launched Operation Epic Fury. The country they targeted was already in economic crisis: inflation had topped 50%, the currency was in free fall, merchants had shuttered their shops in protest, a major private bank had just collapsed. When the bombs began to …

Damascus, Syria – US President Donald Trump declared the memorandum of understanding that would end months of war between the US and Iran “all signed” last week. Those in Syria have been onlookers to the war, often literally, with Iranian missiles targeting Israel frequently visible in the night sky over …

Less than 48 hours after Iran and the United States reached a deal to end the war and begin negotiations on a durable peace, Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon killed at least four people, and Hezbollah carried out two operations against Israeli forces trying to infiltrate deeper into Lebanese territory. …

As negotiations with Iran and Lebanon continue, chaos is at the heart of the Netanyahu government’s calculations. Israel is pursuing its annihilatory campaign in Lebanon under the guise of enhancing its security. However, it has long dawned upon most people in the Middle East (and not a few outside) that …

Although claimed compromises by some of Iran’s proxies are unlikely to result in actual disarmament anytime soon, Washington can still erode Tehran’s illicit financial networks by carefully exploiting the militias’ desire to be treated as normal political actors. Since December, various Iraqi officials—including Supreme Judicial Council chief Faeq Zaidan—have reportedly …