middle east

'Rising Lion' Operation: Could It Be the Middle East’s Final War?

Israel’s “Rising Lion” operation against Iran, which began at dawn on Friday, was not merely a security response, it marked a pivotal step in a broader campaign of direct US pressure on Tehran. Coinciding with the expiration of President Donald Trump’s 60-day deadline for Iran to respond to nuclear deal proposals, the strike represented a ...

The Resistance Axis: More Fragile Than It Seems

A few months ago, a political activist mockingly coined the term “Rice Pudding Axis” to describe the so-called obstructionist axis, after a major part of it collapsed in Lebanon following Hezbollah’s military failure and eventual capitulation. Unable to hold its ground, the group was forced to sign a humiliating agreement that effectively ...

The Revolutionary Guards: Inside the Force Targeted by Israel

As part of its “Rising Lion” operation aimed at dismantling Iran’s nuclear program, Israel has dealt a major blow to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), killing at least five senior officials, including the group’s top commander, General Hossein Salami. The operation also targeted Iran’s ballistic missile program, which is ...

Oil Prices fall Even as Israel-Iran Strikes Extend into Fourth Day

Oil prices retreated on Monday as fears of a wider Middle East conflict eased even as Israel and Iran pounded each other with missiles for a fourth day and threatened further attacks. Gold prices rose back towards a record high thanks to a rush into safe havens but equities were mixed amid hopes that the conflict does not spread. Investors were ...

Blow to the Mullahs’ Regime: Reaping the Whirlwind

Sooner or later, it was bound to happen. The leaders of the Islamic Republic of Iran had pushed too far — driven by a hunger for power, unchecked authoritarianism, and a deadly strategy of regional expansion. The late Qassem Soleimani, once the emblematic commander of the Quds Force — the elite branch of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps ...

‘Urgent Action’ Needed to Prevent Iran-Israel Conflict Spreading: Turkey

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said "urgent action" was needed to prevent the Iran-Israel conflict engulfing the Middle East, in a call with US counterpart Donald Trump on Sunday. "President Erdogan hailed the recent comments by US President Trump concerning a resolution of the conflict between Israel and Iran... and stressed that urgent ...

Macron Urges Tehran to Return to the Negotiating Table

France's President Emmanuel Macron urged his Iranian counterpart Masoud Pezeshkian to "quickly" resume negotiations over his country's nuclear programme, in talks Saturday as a conflict between Tehran and Israel escalated. Fresh US-Iranian talks on Tehran's nuclear programme that had been scheduled for Sunday were cancelled after Israel launched ...

Putin, Trump Discuss Middle East, Ukraine in Call

Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the conflict between Israel and Iran, as well as efforts towards a Ukraine settlement in a phone call with US counterpart Donald Trump, the Kremlin said Saturday. It was the fourth phone call between the two leaders under efforts to reset relations since Trump took office, in a stark pivot from the ...

Strikes, Drones, and Retaliation: Iran's Mullahs Now Fight for Survival, Not Victory

Once again, the Middle East has awoken to the metallic taste of war. But this time, it wasn’t merely a warning shot but rather a slap in the face. Israel launched its “Operation Rising Lion” against Iran, targeting nuclear sites, ballistic missile bases, military airports, and even high-ranking figures deep within the regime’s security ...

Who Is Mohammad Pakpour, Iran's New Commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps?

Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has appointed Mohammad Pakpour as the new commander of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), replacing Hossein Salami who was killed in targeted Israeli strikes on Friday. The decision underscores Pakpour’s entrenched role within the Iranian military establishment and his alignment with the ...