Middle East

Iraq Declares Its Territory Off-Limits for Mideast Hostilities

Iraq said Wednesday it would not allow its territory to be used for attacks related to conflict in the Middle East, with Iran threatening retaliation for an Israeli missile attack. After a National Security Council meeting, a statement called reports suggesting Iraqi territory might be used as a launch point "pretexts aiming to excuse ...

Le Drian and Hochstein in Lebanon after November 5

In a scenario similar to the negotiations on Gaza, all of which were dismissed by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu due to his impossible conditions, Netanyahu has rejected the settlement plan brought by US envoy Amos Hochstein. This proposal, presented by Speaker of the House Nabih Berri, called for a ceasefire and the full implementation ...

US Presidential Vote Unlikely to Revitalize Ties with Turkey

The outcome of Tuesday's knife-edge US election is unlikely to have much of an impact on the tepid ties between Washington and Ankara, although presidential chemistry might help, experts say. Long gone is the closeness of the 1990s when the United States and Turkey saw each other as indispensable allies. Following an extended period of soul ...

The Failure of a Project, Not of a Community

Accountability is seldom found in Lebanese political life, and this is largely understandable. The societal dynamics that shape Lebanon’s social fabric—specifically the entrenched communal, regional, familial, tribal, feudal and partisan loyalties—have consistently influenced the daily lives of its people. Consequently, it is extremely ...

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 ...