As Iran batters the Gulf states, Trump’s course is beyond clear
President Donald Trump says he has “plenty of time” for talks with Iran. That works because Washington, DC, is 7,000 miles away from the Strait of Hormuz. But if you are in Dubai,...
Abu Dhabi
Ankara’s Charm Offensive Should Not Buy Back the F-35
The choreography in Ankara last week was impressive, even by Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s standards. Cannons fired, mounted honor guards paraded, and jets flew overhead trailing red, white, and blue smoke...
Op-eds
Selling the S-400 to Qatar or the UAE Solves Turkey’s Problem, Not Washington’s
Turkey’s decade-long standoff with Washington over the S-400 may finally be nearing an inflection point, though not in the tidy way Ankara once imagined, and not without a fresh dose of frustration...
Insights
US kills Islamic State senior leader in Syria, Damascus rejects Lebanon intervention
On June 19, US Central Command (CENTCOM) carried out an airstrike targeting a senior leader of the Islamic State in Syria as the US maintains its decade-long campaign against the jihadist...
Op-eds
Saudi Arabia and UAE say drone attacks were launched from Iraq
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates said that recent drone attacks against their countries originated from Iraq. “The United Arab Emirates said on Tuesday that six drones had been launched...
Op-eds
UAE sanctions Hezbollah-linked financial network, reflecting US designations
On May 12, the United Arab Emirates’ official news agency, Emirates News Agency, announced that Abu Dhabi had designated 16 Lebanese nationals and five Lebanon-based entities to its terrorism...
Op-eds
This Economic Weapon Is Worth Congress’s Attention
Currency swap lines are useful foreign-policy tools, but current law limits their availability.
Op-eds
Saudi Arabia’s strange war: Appease Iran, rebuff Israel
Riyadh’s muted response to Iranian aggression reveals a leadership driven more by fear and domestic troubles than coherent regional strategy
Op-eds
Turkey’s corridor dream won’t beat IMEC – but it could still reshape Eurasian trade
War has a way of redrawing maps – not just political ones, but commercial ones as well. The outbreak of conflict with Iran has disrupted longstanding trade arteries linking Asia to Europe, from Persian...
Op-eds
Iran Attacks U.S. Navy Vessels Transiting Strait of Hormuz
Iran Attacks U.S. Vessels: U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) confirmed on May 7 that “U.S. forces intercepted unprovoked Iranian attacks and responded with self-defense strikes as U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz to the Gulf of Oman.” The statement noted that “Iranian forces launched multiple missiles, drones and small boats as USS Truxtun (DDG 103), USS Rafael Peralta (DDG 115), and USS Mason (DDG 87) transited the international sea passage. No U.S. assets were struck.” CENTCOM added that it had “eliminated inbound threats and targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking U.S. forces including missile and drone launch sites; command and control locations; and intelligence, surveillance and reconnaissance nodes.”
Flash Briefs
Europe is writing itself out of the Middle East
The case for suspending the EU-Israel Association Agreement on grounds of human rights is a powerful argument – as long as one doesn't look at what else Europe is doing in the region
Op-eds
Iran Strikes UAE, International Ships as Ceasefire Teeters
Iran Renews Attacks on the UAE: The United Arab Emirates condemned what it called “renewed terrorist, unprovoked Iranian attacks targeting civilian sites and facilities in the...
Flash Briefs
Data Centers, Telecommunications Networks, and Space-Based Systems
Modernizing DHS’s SRMA Role for the Communications and IT Sectors
Legislative Testimonies
Emirati Crown Prince’s Trip to China Underscores Importance of Petrodollar Dominance
Gulf energy exports have largely ground to a standstill, but the United Arab Emirates (UAE) remains open for business. Emirati Crown Prince Khaled Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan concluded a three-day visit...
Policy Briefs
Iran at a crossroads: Australia’s opportunities and pitfalls
Over the last few weeks, the Islamist regime in Tehran has expanded the scope of its hostage-taking operation. Not satisfied with only taking Western citizens hostage and then extorting their governments,...
Op-eds
How the UAE Is Cracking Down on Illicit Iranian Finance
Iran’s attacks on the Gulf state have created an opportunity to starve Iran’s proxy network of funds.
Op-eds
The Islamic Republic of Iran Attacks U.S. and Allied Critical Infrastructure
Iranian hackers are targeting industrial equipment and causing operational disruptions to multiple types of critical infrastructure, warned the U.S. government on April 7. Despite the ceasefire announced...
Insights
Despite ceasefire, Iran and its militias continue attacking regional states (April 2–8 updates)
Iran and its allied militias launched numerous drones and missiles against regional countries between April 2 and April 8, continuing attacks even after a ceasefire agreement between Iran and the United...
Op-eds
Iran and proxies fire fewer total projectiles, increase accuracy in attacks on region (March 28–April 1 updates)
Iran and its allied militias continued launching drones, missiles, and rockets against regional countries between March 28 and April 1. There were nearly 90 incidents in this period, including distinct...
Op-eds
Has Al Jazeera Changed Its Editorial Direction?
Veteran Al Jazeera analyst Leqaa Makki threw viewers a curveball during a recent news segment. He advocated for an escalation against Iran. A familiar face on the network since 2003, Makki argued...