Policy Analysis

U.S. officials should remind their partners abroad that Beijing’s support for Tehran is jeopardizing regional stability.

A newer unit of Arab militiamen in Syria, raised by pro-Assad figure Ibrahim al-Hifl to form an unbroken corridor of Iran-backed tribal fighters between Deir al-Zour and Aleppo.

A Syrian Arab tribal militia directly operated by Iran's IRGC and tasked with fighting the Kurdish-led SDF east of the Euphrates.

The U.S.-designated terrorist group is the most significant player in the Popular Mobilization Forces, which is supposed to be under the command of Prime Minister Sudani—a fact that U.S. officials sometimes forget.

IRI is making up for its inability to strike U.S. sites by making louder claims of more sophisticated attacks on Israel, and Sabereen News seems freer to amplify these claims.

To move beyond the years-long focus on Iran and the Islamic State, both leaders must commit to actions that set the table for a mutually beneficial relationship and convince skeptical domestic constituencies.

The remarkable precision of Israeli attacks on Iranian and Hezbollah operatives in Syria has raised anxiety in Damascus and abroad.

Abu Fadak laid bare the limited extent to which his organization is under Prime Minister Sudani's sovereign control, instead identifying Iran's Ayatollah Khamenei as his commander-in-chief.

Turkey's intertwining of its mega project and its anti-PKK operation improves the chances of success for both elements. But this interconnection can be a double-edged sword—if one element fails, it may potentially hinder the success of the other.

Officials are having to balance military realities, allied concerns, domestic public sentiment, and the calculations of Hamas, whose own leaders are fine with certain kinds of “defeat” so long as they can still influence Gaza.

The Kremlin’s legacy of ties to Hezbollah, the Taliban, and other terrorist actors should disabuse Washington of any hope for common cause.

Without active and continuous deterrence, ISIS forces may look to take advantage of the deteriorating security and governance situation in areas formerly under their control.

Diplomatic efforts to resolve the conflict are being challenged by U.S. partners and adversaries alike, including key Middle East players.

Alliance management in wartime is never easy, but bilateral disagreements over how to address humanitarian and postwar issues risk becoming an enduring feature of the relationship if left unresolved.

By sharing very specific concerns directly with the United Arab Emirates, the White House and Congress were rewarded with tangible action on a key company’s ties to Beijing—though more such engagement is needed to keep regional partners aware of U.S. risk tolerance.

Nujaba is signaling that it was the key player in nearly twenty strikes on Israel after the "resistance" halted attacks on U.S. bases in February.

With Nujaba seemingly leading on Israel strikes, Kataib Hezbollah is signaling its intended leadership of destabilizing activities in Jordan, an increasingly important base for U.S. forces.

Washington and allies should find ways to increase the cost to Iraqi politicians of normalizing the militias’ role and the subordination of the Iraqi state to Tehran’s rulers.

China is increasingly backing up its narrative of good governance by providing governance training to foreign officials in an attempt to develop the Chinese brand in the Middle East.

Two nascent sea corridors could augment land routes and help Gaza return to or even exceed prewar aid levels—though internal distribution challenges still need to be resolved.