Middle East
Regional politics, escalation risk, energy pressure, and security decisions across the Middle East.
19 Reports
Everyone's Ignoring the West Bank: Settlers, Raids, and a Collapsing Authority
Since October 7th the West Bank has been squeezed from every side: armed settlers, mass military raids, and a Palestinian Authority that can no longer govern.
Israel's Secret Nuclear Program: How a Hidden Arsenal Hides in Plain Sight
Israel has held nuclear weapons since the 1960s, yet refuses to admit it. Here is how deliberate ambiguity became a survival strategy.
Who Will Replace Iran's Supreme Leader? The Race to Succeed Khamenei
With Ayatollah Khamenei killed and Iran at war, a tangled succession fight pits hardliners, reformists, and the Larijani brothers for the top job.
Qatar: How a Tiny Gulf State Became the World's Indispensable Mediator
Qatar hosts Hamas, sheltered the Taliban, and paid ransoms to al-Qaeda — yet bombing its capital only proved how dependent the world has become on it.
Syria Is a Narco-State: Inside the Captagon Empire and How to Dismantle It
For half a century Syria ran a state-protected drug empire built on Captagon. With Assad gone, the labs survive. Here is what it takes to flush them out.
Whatever Happened to Trump the Isolationist? The Limits of American Retreat
Trump campaigned on ending forever wars, then bombed Iran and armed Ukraine. The reversal reveals why true isolationism may be impossible for any US president.
Germany Opened Its Doors to a Million Refugees: How Society Changed
A decade after Merkel's open-door decision, Germany's economy, public safety, and politics still bear the imprint of a million refugees arriving.