Policy Analysis

The March kidnapping has been widely attributed to Kataib Hezbollah, while most militia commentators link the incident to supposed Israeli spying.

To restore security and expand the Abraham Accords, Washington and its allies must take urgent steps to keep the PA from collapsing, such as organizing donor pressure to appoint a reformist prime minister and increasing employment opportunities for younger Palestinians who no longer see a reason to refrain from violence.

Iran's senior Revolutionary Guard operator in Kirkuk and religious-political leader Ammar al-Hakim were recently brought in to mediate between feuding state-paid militias.

Russia’s domestic military crisis could hold significant consequences for its regional operations, from heightening the risk of clashes with U.S. forces in Syria to putting a public face on its destabilizing activities in Libya.

For nationals on both sides of the fight, the Ukraine war has transformed Turkey from a popular summer destination to a longer-term safe haven or permanent home on the Mediterranean.

Iranian officials are keenly aware that Putin’s crisis parallels their own vulnerabilities, so they will likely step up their efforts to cement the bilateral security relationship and obtain Russian weapons and technology.

The United Arab Emirates has much to offer if it chooses deeper military involvement in the fight against al-Shabab, but it would need to coordinate closely with other actors, especially the United States, to optimize its contribution.

By involving Algiers in enhanced multilateral efforts, Washington can nudge it toward more effective strategies abroad while simultaneously improving Tunisia’s political and economic situation.

From potential SDF trials to Assad’s steady normalization, the widening number of “known unknowns” has increased the urgency of taking action on Islamic State detainees.

Washington can still avoid war, but not unless it balances blandishments and rewards with credible threats.

The West Bank is rapidly becoming Israel’s most active front, with terrorist incidents increasing, extremist settler groups rampaging in response to the murder of Jews, and near-daily clashes becoming more intense as Israeli forces arrest armed youths planning further attacks.

With no end in sight, the Sudan conflict will put significant pressure on Egypt's economic, political, and security infrastructure.

The Lebanese economy requires an urgent overhaul, and the international community must press for deep reforms.

New polling results from Lebanon emphasize ways in which the country’s public is frustrated domestically and at key Hezbollah ally Iran, while expressing mixed views of other powers.

Washington has done much to advocate and fund the crucial salvage operation, but now it needs to make sure the combatants do not turn the replacement vessel into another political tool.

Oil is flowing and warring factions are not actively warring, but this illusion of stability can disappear at any time unless further steps are taken to produce a legitimate government.

The head of the country’s largest parliamentary bloc discusses the ongoing political crisis, the role of U.S. sanctions, how a new president could limit Hezbollah’s domestic hegemony, and more.

The headline sports deal holds wider implications for normalization with Israel, nuclear proliferation, and Saudi modernization, among other pressing bilateral issues.

The landmark legislation has played a critical role in the evolution of American sanctions, and follow-on congressional restrictions will largely prevent any efforts to bring Assad back into the economic fold.

Iraq's Federal Commission on Integrity, taken over during a critical period by a Sudani-appointed Badr judge, has been used to block investigations of corruption undertaken by Coordination Framework factions.