GIORGIA VALENTE/THE MEDIA LINE

Giorgia Valente is a recent graduate of Ca’ Foscari University of Venice and an intern in The Media Line’s Press and Policy Student Program.

US President Donald Trump inspects an honour guard during a welcome ceremony with Chinese President Xi Jinping at the Great Hall of the People in Beijing, China, May 14, 2026.

Trump-Xi Beijing summit tests leverage on trade, Taiwan, Iran - analysis

 An illustrative image of the silhouettes of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu set to a backdrop of their respective countries' flags.

Are there any winners in unfinished Iran war? - analysis

Participants clash during the 79th anniversary of the Liberation Day that commemorates the victory of the Italian resistance movement against Nazi Germany and the Italian Social Republic, in Milan, Italy, April 25, 2024.

A 'general aversion to anything Jewish' reported in Italy after Milan clash and Rome shooting


Iran war opens new rifts between Washington, Europe, the Vatican, and Israel

Disputes over Iran, Lebanon, NATO, and diplomatic legitimacy are testing the cohesion of the Western alliance.

US President Donald Trump attends a bilateral meeting with NATO Secretary General Mark Rutte on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum (WEF) Annual Meeting on January 21, 2026 in Davos, Switzerland.

Iran war pushes Israel-Turkey rift into more dangerous phase - analysis

Competing claims over deterrence, restraint, and regional credibility are turning an already damaged relationship into a sharper strategic confrontation.

Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian meets with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on the sidelines of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) summit in Tianjin, China, September 1, 2025.

Gulf states seek to balance diplomacy with deterrence policies as Iran war threatens region

Israeli and US actions against Iran, including strikes on key facilities such as Kharg Island, which hosts a large portion of Iran’s oil exports, have widened the confrontation.

 Emir of Qatar Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, US President Donald Trump, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed Bin Salman and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa attend a group photo session with Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) leaders in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 14, 2025.

Iranian war ripples across Arab states as Jordan intercepts missiles, Egypt feels economic shock

Jordan and Saudi Arabia confront direct security threats while Egypt faces financial pressure from disrupted trade, tourism, and energy markets.

"Disaster-driven litigation is a testament to the Gulf Coast's resilience and its demand for accountability."

Iran war shifts Middle East dynamics, leaving Palestinian issues sidelined - analysis

The war with Iran dominates the regional agenda, but Palestinians face growing crises, including insecurity, violence, and a sidelined political authority with an uncertain future.

 A Palestinian man stands next to a burnt car after an attack by Israeli settlers in Kafr Malik, in the West Bank, June 26, 2025.

Buffer zones and collapse fears: Israeli and Lebanese analysts assess a war with no clear endgame

Across the border, two analysts describe a situation shaped not only by military maneuvers, but also by eroding trust, weak institutions, and a profound uncertainty about what comes next.

Smoke rises after an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, following an escalation between Hezbollah and Israel amid the US-Israeli conflict with Iran, Lebanon, March 2, 2026.

Arab media split as Gulf states condemn Iran while Iran-aligned actors denounce US-Israel strikes

Gulf governments emphasize sovereignty and civilian protection as Iran-aligned actors frame the confrontation as external aggression

Various Arab news paper on sale at Bin Dawood supermarket in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, December 2016; illustrative.

‘Signal of command and control’: New ISIS audio shows consolidation, not comeback, analysts say

Leadership messaging points to internal discipline and network survival rather than renewed territorial expansion.

 Illustration of ISIS terrorists.

Authority in Board of Peace is structured around Trump, not its members, legal experts say

This institutional design may explain why several European governments have stayed out. The United Kingdom, France, and Germany have declined to participate. The Vatican has formally refused. 

World leaders gather during a charter announcement for US President Donald Trump's Board of Peace, in Davos, Switzerland, January 22, 2026

Yemeni experts support allegations of secret UAE prisons, despite Emirati denial

After STC setbacks in the east, Saudi Arabia corrals southern factions into talks while allegations of secret prisons run by UAE forces in Yemen regain attention.

Police troopers patrol a street after in Aden, Yemen, January 7, 2026