Middle East

Lebanon’s Tourism: The Endless Summer That Fails to Deliver

Since June 13, the travel sector in the Middle East has faced severe turbulence following clashes between Iran and Israel. And as always, Lebanon — true to its role as the region’s perennial bystander in the wrong place at the wrong time — ends up paying the price, once again caught in the center of the storm. “The sector has suffered ...

Tehran’s Shadow Arsenal: Chemical, Biological and Radiological Threats

Despite Iran’s largely nominal commitments to international treaties, mounting evidence suggests the existence of an active or developing chemical, biological and radiological weapons program. Long-sidelined concerns are resurfacing as regional tensions escalate, and a Damoclean sword hangs over the mullah’s regime. On one side, Israel claims ...

US Bases in the Middle East

The United States has thousands of troops deployed on bases across the Middle East, a region in which Washington's forces have carried out repeated military operations in recent decades. Israel launched an unprecedented air campaign against Iran last week, and US President Donald Trump has said he is weighing whether to join Israel in the ...

Gulf States on Iran's Doorstep Scramble for End of War

As Iran and Israel trade strikes and the US weighs joining in, wealthy Gulf states on the conflict's doorstep are engaged in frantic diplomacy to halt the war -- but solutions remain elusive. A spillover of the conflict or the Iranian government's collapse are both worrying outcomes for the energy-rich region, which hosts several major US ...

Netanyahu: The Opportunist Who Rode America’s Wars to Redraw the Middle East

For over three decades, Benjamin Netanyahu has stood at the intersection of Israeli ambition and American power, a figure as enduring as the conflicts that define the Middle East. Since the early 1990s, Netanyahu has not merely responded to the region’s shifting sands—he has, in the eyes of critics and admirers alike, helped shape them. From ...

Caught Between Missiles and Militias: Iraq Struggles Under Regional Strain

As Israeli airstrikes and Iranian missile launches intensify across the Middle East, Iraq finds itself trapped in a precarious position amid a mounting diplomatic and military storm. Still fragile after decades of conflict, the country’s geographic and strategic location leaves it exposed to the escalating rivalry between two powerful regional ...

Inside Israel’s Missile Shield: The Secret Architecture of Interception

Six days into open war between Iran and Israel, the Hebrew State operates one of the most advanced air defense systems in the world, intercepting Iranian missiles over a vast arc spanning Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. Behind this technological feat lies an intricate network of radars, artificial intelligence and international military cooperation. How ...

Is Trump's Posture in the Israel-Iran Conflict a Calculated Gambit?

As tensions escalate in the Middle East, a significant shift in US foreign policy under President Trump appears to be underway. Amid the growing tensions between Israel and Iran, particularly following Israel's aggressive military campaign against its adversary, President Trump faces a complex decision: to engage militarily in an already volatile ...

The Bunker Buster: Inside the Bomb That Could Shatter Iran’s Nuclear Core

A powerful American bunker-busting bomb is the only weapon capable of destroying Iran's deeply buried nuclear facilities, making it President Donald Trump's weapon of choice if he chooses to militarily back Israel. The GBU-57, a 30,000-pound (13,607 kg) warhead capable of penetrating 200 feet (61 meters) underground before exploding, is missing ...

When the Skies Close In: The Impact on Flights, Passengers and Airlines

Each time tensions flare in the Middle East, airspace closures thrust airlines, travel agencies and passengers into a frantic race against time. Flights are rerouted, layovers stretch and last-minute decisions become the norm… A behind-the-scenes look at a sky turned unpredictable, where everyone struggles to navigate the chaos. Following last ...