Policy Analysis

The regime has been able to drive economic growth, stifle mass protests, and expand its infiltration of neighboring countries, but lingering existential concerns could spur it toward even bolder courses of action—including potential nuclear breakout.

Abu Hussein has unveiled a dramatic gambit to sidestep Washington's threatened response to the killing of three U.S. soldiers.

The latest attack will hopefully be an aberration in Ankara’s otherwise strong record of disrupting terrorist plots at home, though policymakers should not be lulled into complacency given the group’s proven record of evading elimination.

Biden now has a hard choice to make: push Israel into a Gaza ceasefire or risk sustained Iran-backed escalation in the region.

AAH conspired with a politicized judiciary to remove the speaker but failed to coordinate the replacement with Badr.

The real threat to U.S. interests in the region isn’t rising Chinese influence, but the erosion of Washington's influence.

Despite economic losses, Egypt is still hesitant to participate in any direct military operations to deter the Houthis. Cairo believes that it is more appropriate to work towards ending the military operations in the Gaza Strip and launching a political process, rather than opening a new front to expand the conflict in the Middle East.

With support from Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, this regiment aims to create a more cohesive force capable of opposing the U.S.-backed SDF on the eastern banks of Syria's Euphrates River.

Despite the welcome news on Sweden, the old Turkey is not coming back, but Erdogan’s apparent shift to legacy-building mode will give Washington opportunities to leverage his influence abroad.

Until Twitter’s moderation policies are strictly enforced and moderation loopholes addressed, coordinated efforts will continue to target independent anti-Hezbollah and anti-Hamas voices on X/Twitter while effectively sharing their own messaging, thus ensuring that in the Middle East, Iran-backed actors maintain their grip on the site.

International media and NGOs have repeated the group's figures without caveats, giving credence to suspicions of Israeli misconduct and fueling accusations of war crimes and even genocide.

The senior terrorist figure Abu Ala al-Walai is seemingly answering Iran's call for a maritime blockade on Israel, but is this a real threat or just a desperate effort to claim strategic influence before the Gaza war ends?

Prices are set by multiple factors in today’s oil markets, so predicting shocks based on Middle East crises is not a sure bet.

Two decades after a landmark study on the group, it is clear that Hamas leaders never truly strayed from their core principle of prioritizing Israel’s destruction over the well-being of fellow Palestinians.

The Israeli cabinet’s internal differences over war priorities, the PA’s role, and Arab diplomacy are affecting relations with the White House.

Tehran has previously been able to conduct a “hidden-hand operation” via the Houthis at a very low cost, but that price may now be set to rise if allied counter-strikes continue.

The effectiveness of the joint operation is not year clear, but either way it almost certainly wasn’t the concluding episode in Iran’s long-running game of Gulf proxy warfare.

If Kyiv does not receive military assistance soon, it may find itself in something worse than a stalemate—the scales would tip decisively in Russia’s favor.

David’s endless optimism, insightful and entertaining anecdotes, and thoughtful comments on his colleagues’ work were all defining features of his time at The Washington Institute. His mentorship will undoubtedly continue to inspire the dozens of young professionals who worked with him, continuing his legacy.

The militia's Abu Hussein wing continues to throw shade at other "resistance" groups and is now threatening U.S. bases in the United Arab Emirates, Bahrain, and even Saudi Arabia.