Latest Articles about Middle East
Calibrated Escalation: The Yemen-based Houthis’ Threats Against Israel and Red Sea Shipping
Since the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel, the Houthis have launched volleys of cruise missiles and armed drones toward Israel (Middle East Monitor, December 7). Thus far, however, none of the missiles or drones have evaded Israeli and/or other countries’ regional air defenses. The... MORE
Increased Russian-Iranian Defense Cooperation Poses Threat to Ukraine and the West
On November 28, Iranian state media reported that Tehran had finalized a long-awaited deal with Russia to procure Sukhoi Su-35 fighters jets, attack helicopters, and military trainer aircraft. Although some sources dubbed the announcement as another round of government speculation, Iranian Deputy Defense Minister General... MORE
Mousa Abu Marzouk: Hamas’s Top Spokesman, Diplomat, and Financier
Mousa Abu Marzouk is a founding member of Hamas, and is now one of its top diplomats and media personalities, though he was once a contender for the organization’s highest political office (Middle East Online, November 15, 2016; Al Jazeera, November 22). He is also... MORE
Abu Abaydah al-Qassam and His Peers: A Look at Palestinian Armed Groups’ Military Spokesmen
On October 7, Hamas’ military wing, the Izz al-Din al-Qassam Brigades, launched the “Al-Aqsa Flood” military operation. They did this in coordination with other Palestinian armed factions based in the Gaza Strip, which together belong to the “Palestinian Joint Operations Room (JOR).” [1] It was... MORE
Brief: Attacks on Israelis Abroad Spike After Start of War in Gaza
Since the launch of Israel’s invasion of Gaza after Hamas’s massacre of Israelis living in nearby towns on October 7, various Muslim and pro-Palestinian left-wing groups have rallied to support the Palestinian side. These rallies have seen some clashes with police and property damage alongside... MORE
Brief: Rising Risk of Radicalization in Indonesia Following Outbreak of Israel-Hamas War
In January 2016, then-vice president of Indonesia, Jusuf Kalla, held a press conference in Jakarta to announce the opening of the Indonesian Hospital in Gaza. The hospital was intended to be a symbol of “Muslim unity” between the world’s most populous Muslim country, Indonesia, and... MORE
Kidnapping of Elizabeth Tsurkov Opens Window into Iraqi Shia Militia Politics
Months after she was kidnapped in Baghdad, Russian-Israeli researcher and activist Elizabeth Tsurkov appeared in a video released on Iranian-backed Iraqi Shia militias’ media platforms. In the video she spoke in Hebrew and stated she was an agent of both the US’s Central Intelligence Agency... MORE
Hezbollah’s Balancing Act: Between Hamas’s Ambitions and Strategic Reality
Hamas has claimed responsibility for two rocket attacks on northern Israel from Lebanon this year, one of which occurred after the group’s massacre of Israelis on October 7. These were launched from bases in southern Lebanon under the control of Iranian-backed militant group Hezbollah (Anadolu... MORE
Expiration of UN Missile Sanctions Has Limited Effect on Iran’s Arms Trade
While much of the world’s attention was focused on the outbreak of the Israel-Hamas war, the UN Security Council’s sanctions on the development and export of Iranian missiles quietly expired on October 18 (Amwaj.media, October 22). The sanctions were part of UN Security Council Resolution... MORE
Russian Influence Diminished in Remaking the Middle East
The Kremlin has welcomed the Israel-Hamas truce in Gaza that began on November 24. The pause, however, does not fit into Russia’s larger designs for the Middle East. From Moscow's perspective, further escalation would have been a much better option in disrupting the US-led world... MORE