middle east

The Crumbling Geopolitics of Iranian Expansionism

The mutating objectives of the Israeli counteroffensive have evolved from border sanctuarization to the deliberate changing of the strategic and political dynamics in the Middle East and the questioning of the political and military hegemony of Iranian imperialism. The strategy has moved from defensive goals to an overt offensive strategy to upend ...

America Deploys B-52 Bombers to Middle East

American B-52 bombers have arrived in the Middle East, the US military said on Saturday, a day after Washington announced their deployment in a warning to Iran. "B-52 Stratofortress strategic bombers from Minot Air Force Base's 5th Bomb Wing arrived in the US Central Command area of responsibility," the military command for the Middle East and ...

What Naim Qassem Still Hasn’t Grasped

It is a fact: naivety, egocentrism and various underestimations are among the unpredictable elements that shape the course of history. A clear example of this can be seen in the speech delivered this week by the new Secretary General of Hezbollah. What Naim Qassem has yet to grasp is that he is not alone in Lebanon, and many Lebanese do not share ...

Drones in the Spotlight at Euronaval Despite Geopolitical Tensions

Combat drones, sea surveillance drones, seabed drones: used in current conflicts, they'll be all over the stands at next week's Euronaval international defense show near Paris. The biennial exhibition will host 500 exhibitors from November 4 to 7 in Villepinte, north of the French capital, amid a tense geopolitical climate where the industry is ...

How Credible Is Iran-Israel's War of Words?

Listening to the reverberating rhetoric between the key players in the Middle Eastern conflict feels akin to witnessing a trivial quarrel. However, when words become the currency of fools, how can we gauge the credibility of the threats exchanged between Iran and Israel? A Volatile Rhetoric In the aftermath of the attack launched by Israel last ...

Qatar’s Diplomacy: Strengths and Limitations

For over a year now, Qatar has been acting as the principal mediator, alongside the United States and Egypt, in negotiations for a ceasefire in Gaza. The ongoing war between Israel and Hamas began on October 7, 2023. However, this is not the first time this oil-rich Gulf emirate has emerged on the international stage. Qatar has established itself ...

Operation Days of Repentance: Israel's Strike on Iran

According to the Israeli army, this attack involved no less than a hundred aircraft, including F-15s, F-16s and stealth F-35s. Drones were also employed in the offensive. Jordanian Reservations The scale of the resources deployed highlights the complexity of the operation, which was made even more challenging by the distance between Israel and ...

Middle East at 'Most Dangerous Juncture' in Decades

The UN's special coordinator for Middle East peace, Tor Wennesland; warned Tuesday that the region was at its "most dangerous juncture" in decades, as the war between Israel and Iran-backed groups risked spiraling into a broader conflict. "We have now entered the second year of this horrific conflict, and the region is on the verge of yet ...

Iran Moves to Triple Military Budget Amid Israel Tensions

Iran's government has proposed to triple its military budget, its spokeswoman said Tuesday, as tensions with arch-rival Israel rise following recent tit-for-tat missile strikes. Government spokeswoman Fatemeh Mohajerani outlined the move that would see "a significant increase of more than 200 percent in the country's military budget" at a news ...

Saudi ‘Davos in the Desert’ Opens With Region on War Footing

Global business leaders gathered in Saudi Arabia on Tuesday for a glitzy investor forum as conflict shakes the region and scepticism mounts over the Gulf kingdom's most ambitious development projects. The Future Investment Initiative (FII) debuted in 2017 as a showcase for de facto ruler Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's dream of diversifying ...

Hochstein Set to Present a New Proposal for a Solution in Lebanon

The US envoy for the Middle East, Amos Hochstein, is reportedly set to present a detailed proposal to Tel Aviv aimed at resolving the conflict with Hezbollah, as reported by multiple media sources. Hochstein, who is expected in Israel, is pursuing his diplomatic efforts focused on securing a ceasefire and implementing UN Security Council ...

Middle East Aid Workers Say Rules of War Being Flouted

Flagrant violations of the laws of war in the escalating conflict in the Middle East are setting a dangerous precedent, aid workers in the region warn. Since Hamas's deadly October 7 attack on Israel from Gaza last year, humanitarians say the warring parties are flouting international humanitarian law (IHL). "The rules of war are being broken in ...