Lebanon

Serious change is required to avoid decisions that accommodate Hezbollah’s ends, ways, and means, and a vital first step is to look at current policy mechanics with a clear eye.

If hostilities break out with the United States, Tehran may try to minimize risk to its most important assets in the Middle East by drawing on black ops units further abroad instead.

On the anniversary of the 2006 conflict, a former IDF chief of staff assesses current power dynamics, risks, and opportunities along Israel’s northern borders.

The slow but steady progress in developing offshore gas fields is transforming local economies and could underpin U.S. peace plans.

The Taif Accord, which ended Lebanon’s civil war almost three decades ago, stipulated that the country’s president be Christian, the prime minister be Sunni, and the parliament speaker be Shia. Today, two of these figures—President Michel Aoun and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri—are in their eighties, and both demonstrate sympathy for Hezbollah, the Shia militia and party that serves as a national power broker.

U.S. rivals are diversifying their support for the Maduro government in familiar fashion, whether to parry the United States, exploit the crisis for profit, or both.

A February visit to Tehran by Syrian president Bashar al-Assad showcased just how close the Qods Force-Hezbollah alliance is when it comes to acquiring weapons.

The latest success will encourage more exploration in the area, but probably more regional rivalry as well.

Apart from its military intervention, Tehran has pursued a wide range of economic and social tactics for increasing its sway in Syria, but Washington can still push back with targeted assistance, innovative sanctions, and strategic messaging.