Policy Analysis

Crude flows have been recovering, but the story for LNG and refined oil products is less positive and could worsen, especially if Iran’s partners in Yemen and Iraq rejoin the fray.

Although Israeli authorities have silently and capably dealt with an uptick in IS plots since October 7, the threat continues to grow.

The Saied government seems intent on just hanging on until the next presidential election, but the current situation is politically and economically unsustainable unless Washington lends a hand.

Watch experts discuss the preliminary results of Israel’s landmark election, including possible coalition scenarios and their impact on relations with the United States.

As crises in the Strait of Hormuz and Red Sea become more linked, a single, sustained multinational effort to secure both waterways is needed, combining American military capabilities with the imprimatur of an Asian, European, and Middle Eastern coalition.

The administration’s deliberately disconnected bilateral deals could end up fueling regional rivalries that undermine U.S. interests and the president’s own policy goals.

By tapping into the $300 million that Congress has earmarked to bolster CT capabilities abroad, the Trump administration can help partners disrupt Iranian and Hezbollah financing schemes in Iraq, Syria, Yemen, West Africa, South America, and other locales.

If the Iran war proves inconclusive and allies ease their pressure on the Shia regime’s ingrained expansionism, they may inadvertently fuel the Sunni extremist strands that gave rise to the Islamic State in the first place.

Because both U.S. plans in Gaza and the stability of the West Bank depend on a legitimate, reformed Palestinian Authority and a credible alternative to Hamas governance, national elections are essential—leaving the international community with little choice but to redouble its efforts and prepare for the rescheduled vote in 2027.

The recent rebound in crude exports is welcome but only partial, and officials have yet to find answers for the wider fiscal, management, and security problems impeding Iraq’s energy sector.

Both Israel and Iran have developed, adopted, and adapted drones and other technologies in innovative ways to yield success on the battlefield, but the broader strategic utility of these efforts remains uncertain.

If a bloc of major countries imposed the full range of sanctions suggested by the UK foreign secretary's statement, the consequences for Israel—and the peace process—could be catastrophic.

If the transition is to succeed, the Quad and Quintet must begin now rather than later, setting a short timeframe for the initial phases and preventing armed factions from once again translating military influence into political power.

Their mutual trauma won’t go away any time soon, but practical improvements, U.S. pressure, and greater Arab involvement can help show both populations that incremental change is possible.

A sharp break with the UAE underscores Algeria’s ambitions to reassert its presence on the international stage after decades on the periphery, potentially affecting diplomacy over Western Sahara, among other issues.

A panel of top Israeli pollsters, journalists, and political analysts previews the historic October 27 vote, including its prospects for changing Jerusalem’s approach to the Palestinians and reversing the plummet in U.S. public sentiment.

Although recent elections in the long-disputed territory delivered a resounding message of support for Moroccan dominion, Algeria still seems bent on imposing independence.

Beirut can’t just deploy troops and call it a day—it must give them the legal cover they need to actually dismantle the military capabilities that Hezbollah hides behind misused “private property” protections.

The Houthis’ ambitions, the regional stakes, and the strains on Yemen’s population have all intensified, setting the stage for a potential quagmire unless Washington, Riyadh, and their allies can pair military pressure with diplomatic off-ramps and a much-needed political vision.

Four scholars discuss how to improve the increasingly polarized field twenty-five years after the publication of Martin Kramer’s groundbreaking critique.