Middle Orient

Russia’s Turkey policy to “drive a wedge between Turkey and its NATO allies” will not likely bear fruit when it comes to Ukraine. Turkey’s relationship with the United States is on the rocks, and the most immediate cause is Ankara’s refusal to get rid of its newly acquired, Russian-manufactured S-400 …

The Islamic State continues to cause trouble for the regime forces in large desert areas of central and eastern Syria. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported on March 31 that six Russian fighter jets launched 15 airstrikes against Islamic State positions in the Syrian desert near the Aleppo-Hama-Raqqa triangle. …

Iran on Sunday reported that an electrical failure had led to a sweeping power outage in its Natanz nuclear facility, less than one day after new uranium enrichment equipment was plugged in at the site. According to Iranian officials, the incident, which has shut down the complex’s new advanced centrifuges, …

Saudi Arabia on Saturday executed three of its soldiers for high treason after the three, who were employees in Riyadh’s defense ministry, were convicted of cooperating with enemy forces. Mohammed bin Ahmed, Shaher bin Issa and Hamoud bin Ibrahim were sentenced earlier this year by what Saudi officials said was …

In their book Blood and Oil, Bradley Hope and Justin Scheck reveal a side to Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman that loves all things American. From the popular video game Call of Duty, to Apple products, to an old-fashioned Big Mac burger from McDonald’s, he is known to have …

A new survey has found further evidence of waning support for Israel within the US with more Americans saying that they do not want the Zionist state to be a major recipient of US aid. The poll was conducted following the release of a report by Israeli human rights group …

The Institute for National Security Studies has speculated in a report entitled Nothing Remains the Same that Israel is assessing the possibility that major cities and strategic sites will be hard-hit by precision rockets from various fronts. Brigadier Major-General Udi Dekel, who prepared the report, has stated that the scenario …

The history of the Jewish State’s fight to prevent the Islamic Republic creating nuclear weapons. 2002 An Iranian opposition group, the National Council of Resistance of Iran, held a press conference and revealed the existence of an underground enrichment plant in Natanz. Built in a heavily fortified bunker, Natanz showed …

The revelation of this alleged Israeli involvement was unusual in that generally Israel prefers to keep a low profile if it undertakes such attacks. There were calls over the weekend by Israeli defense officials to probe the leak of an alleged sensitive IDF operation against Iran to foreign media.

There are indications that the disruptions in Natanz were the result of a cyberattack, and, as always, all eyes are on Israel when these things happen. There’s a negotiating strategy used in the Knesset during budget debates called “the goat,” which the Iranian regime seems to be very familiar with …