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A satellite view of the Persian Gulf - source: NASA

UNDERSTAND EVERY FRONT
OF THE IRAN WAR

News headlines on Gaza war, emphasis on use of anonymous sources by Washington Post

How to Prevent a Repeat of the Gaza Narrative in Lebanon

As seen with Hamas during the Gaza war, media outlets and international officials are spreading untruths about Israel’s latest campaign against Hezbollah; thankfully, the playbook for countering them is clear this time.

Apr 2, 2026

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Robert Satloff

The Middle East After the Iran War: Lessons and Outcomes

However the conflict ends, it has already delivered pivotal lessons on U.S. military innovation and political strategy, the continued dominance of hydrocarbons, the future posture of regional and external powers, and more.

Mar 2026

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James Jeffrey

How Tehran’s Proxy Network Could Outlast the Iranian Regime

Even if Washington somehow convinces Iran to cut off support for groups like Hezbollah, Hamas, and the Houthis, this would not eliminate the threat they pose.

Apr 2, 2026

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Michael Jacobson
Matthew Levitt

The Houthis Join the War

Why did the group strike now, what might they do next, and how could it affect the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran?

Apr 1, 2026

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April Longley Alley

The Iran War’s Reverberations in North Africa

The crisis will challenge economic and political stability in the Maghreb countries, but they will also have opportunities—with Washington’s help—to fortify their prewar progress by filling gaps in global energy markets and other key sectors affected by the war.

Mar 31, 2026

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Sabina Henneberg

Military Options for Reopening the Strait of Hormuz: Limitations and Imperatives

Loosening Tehran’s grip on the strait and its disruption of the global economy would entail not only reducing threats to navigation, but also increasing pressure on the Iranian economy in order to deter further attacks and create leverage for diplomacy.

Mar 23, 2026

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Michael Eisenstadt
Assaf Orion

Zolghadr at the Top of Iranian Security

His appointment as SNSC secretary shows that the regime is relying on a veteran hardliner to manage the crisis and preserve control.

Mar 26, 2026

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Farzin Nadimi

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Institute Expertise on All Aspects of the Iran War

Holly Dagres

A widely cited scholar, Institute Libitzky Family Senior Fellow Holly Dagres has published groundbreaking scholarship on social media use by young Iranians. Curator of The Iranist Substack newsletter, she has been featured in interviews across radio, television, and print, including the Associated Press, BBC News, CNN, NPR, Fox News, and The New York Times.

Noam Raydan

Noam Raydan is a Senior Fellow at The Washington Institute for Near East Policy who studies topics related to energy and maritime risk in the Middle East. She is a co-creator of the Institute's interactive map of maritime attacks in the Middle East since 2017.

Dennis Ross

Ambassador Dennis Ross, the Institute's Counselor and William Davidson Distinguished Fellow, played a leading role shaping U.S. Middle East policy in the George H.W. Bush, Clinton, and Obama administrations.

Dana Stroul

Formerly the top civilian official responsible for the Middle East at the Pentagon under President Biden, Dana Stroul is Director of Research and Michael Kassen Senior Fellow at the Institute.

Interactive Map: Maritime Attacks in the MENA Region

Explore this new interactive tool to shed light on the actions of actors such as Iran and Yemen's Houthis that have threatened and attacked commercial shipping in the waters off the Middle East and North Africa.

Access the map.

Recent Institute Analysis

Syrian Army recruits attend their graduation ceremony from special forces training - source: Reuters

Syria Is Not Ready to Wage War Beyond Its Borders

The U.S. metric for effective cooperation shouldn’t be whether Syria is willing to fight Iran’s proxies in Lebanon or Iraq, but whether it continues advancing regional stability by securing its borders, limiting the flow of Iranian weapons and fighters, and coordinating politically with neighbors.

Mar 24, 2026

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Andrew J. Tabler

Can Hezbollah Be Dismantled?

Renewed warfare with Israel aside, Hezbollah will not be permanently undone unless one of two scenarios occurs: regime change in Iran, or the complete dismantlement of the group’s domestic financial system and political power.

Mar 17, 2026

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Hanin Ghaddar

How Russia Benefits from Oil Disruption in the Gulf

The de facto halt to Gulf oil shipments has already helped Moscow win back India as a major oil customer, while the rise in global prices could greatly refresh its depleted Ukraine war budget.

Mar 11, 2026

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Noam Raydan
Anna Borshchevskaya

Keeping Iran’s Proxies on Their Back Feet

Even as the war proceeds, much more must be done to identify how Tehran and its terrorist partners are adapting their procurement and fundraising networks to evolving conditions in the Middle East.

Spring 2026

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Matthew Levitt
Michael Jacobson

Photo showing Ukraine's President Zelensky greeting Saudi officials on the tarmac.

Washington Should Jump on Ukraine’s Outreach to the Middle East

By offering military expertise and technology to the Gulf states, Kyiv has given the U.S. government a unique opportunity to counter Iran and Russia while boosting the security of American partners and forces in the region.

Mar 13, 2026

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Anna Borshchevskaya
Matt Tavares

Study: Russia in the Middle East

Montage: Presidents Sisi (Egypt) and Putin (Russia) at the 2024 BRICS summit; a woman holds a Russian flag in Istanbul; a Russia House cultural center in Syria; a map image superimposing Russian flag over Africa/Middle East.

Maps & Graphics

After Ukraine:

Prospects for a Russian Resurgence in the Middle East

Moscow has cultivated ties with U.S. adversaries and allies alike, and Washington must respond by advancing a holistic policy that empowers Ukrainian commercial interests and addresses deficits in sanctions policy.

Jan 23, 2026

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Anna Borshchevskaya
Matt Tavares

Interactive Maps

Screen shot of the Maritime Attacks in the MENA Region interactive map

Maritime Attacks in the MENA Region (Since 2017)

Shed light on the actions of actors such as Iran and Yemen's Houthis that have threatened and attacked commercial shipping in the waters off the Middle East and North Africa.

Screenshot of the Hezbollah External Operations Interactive Map

Lebanese Hezbollah Select Worldwide Activity

Access this interactive map to explore an open-source database of Hezbollah global operations and break through the terrorist organization's "Golden Rule" of secrecy.

Screenshot of the Islamic State Worldwide Activity interactive map

The Islamic State Select Worldwide Activity

Explore the most comprehensive public archive of Islamic State attack data, media output, government designations, and legal cases to understand the organization’s global reach,