Middle Orient

For the past several years, Hamas has often been overlooked in discussions regarding the top global terrorist threats. The Islamic State and its worldwide network of affiliates occupy much of the counterterrorism bandwidth, along with al-Qaeda affiliates such as al-Shabaab in Somalia. Even Lebanese Hezbollah has ranked higher on the …

It is carnage in Gaza. Over 5,700 Palestinian civilians are currently estimated to have been murdered by the relentless Israeli assault, 2,055 are children. More than 15,000 people have been injured, including 5,364 children. In the West Bank around 100 have been killed and at least 1,650 injured. The Israeli …

The US carried out airstrikes targeting two facilities linked to Iranian-backed militias in eastern Syria on Thursday, according to a statement from Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin, following a series of drone and rocket attacks against US forces in the region. The US assessed that the airstrikes against the facilities linked …

A fixation on technology created an illusion of safety—and an excuse to avoid hard choices. We are still in the early phase of Operation Swords of Iron, the name of the Israeli military response to the horrific Hamas-led massacre of more than 1,400 Israelis on Oct. 7. Israeli Defense Minister …

With the conflict ignited by the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel still ablaze, it is difficult to predict what decisions the players will make tomorrow—let alone in a week or a month. That makes it challenging for other nations impacted by the conflict to craft their foreign policy. What …

Le seul pays qui pourrait détourner l’Occident de l’Ukraine est Israël. Mais les États-Unis et leurs alliés tombent dans un piège existentiel s’ils pensent qu’une victoire au Proche-Orient sera plus facile à remporter qu’une victoire en Europe. Le partenariat stratégique entre la Russie et l’Iran – avec la Chine dans …

The atrocities witnessed today in Palestine are the consequence of decades of violent events, tragedies, unfulfilled promises, mushrooming illegal settlements and victimhood. Some acts that were committed contradict our Arab culture, as well as Islamic beliefs and values, and resulted in an escalation of violence and misery that brings no …

While there is a consensus among all Lebanese parties to avert a leadership vacuum in the military, which would occur with the retirement of Army Commander General Joseph Aoun on January 10, there is a divergence of opinions regarding the best approach to dealing with the issue. The raging conflict …

Gaza-based Qassam Brigades has been waging an armed resistance against Israeli occupation since its founding in 1992. Hamas has been in the spotlight since October 7, when its military wing, the Qassam Brigades, launched an attack on Israeli territory, killing about 1,400 people and taking more than 200 people captives. …

The current ominous lull might be an indication of a standoff between Israel’s civilian leadership and the military. Nearly three weeks after the Hamas attacks in southern Israel, Israel has not yet responded with its promised ground invasion. Initial moves after the October 7 attacks conformed to political and military …