Gulf States

Saudi normalization with Israel: Is it farther than ever? - opinion

Riyadh calculates that public alignment with Israel, especially after years of inflammatory imagery from Gaza, is no longer urgent.

 US President Donald Trump and Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed Bin Salman shake hands during a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) signing ceremony at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 13, 2025.
Yemeni children play soccer at a displaced persons camp in Marib, Yemen, October 29, 2024.

Yemen’s fractured power struggle deepens its humanitarian, political crisis - opinion

 Damaged military vehicles, reportedly sent by the United Arab Emirates to support Southern Transitional Council (STC) separatist forces, following an air strike carried out by the Saudi-led coalition in the port of Mukalla, southern Yemen, on December 30, 2025.

Gulf alliance tested as Saudi Arabia pushes back against UAE role in Yemen - analysis

 Smoke rises from an explosion after a projectile hit a group of buildings at an undisclosed location, after US President Donald Trump launched military strikes against Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthis on Saturday over the group's attacks against Red Sea shipping, in this screengrab obtained from a ha

Red Sea conflict boosts Israel‑Gulf‑India defense innovation - opinion


Axis of the weak: Iran's proxy network has been severely damaged - opinion

Iran’s axis of proxies has taken a serious hit and has become an axis of the weak.

 DEMONSTRATORS HOLD a banner that reads: ‘Save the hostages, end the war,’ in Tel Aviv earlier this month. It’s against a relatively small organization – Hamas – that Israel is struggling, says the writer.

Gulf states seeking stability, hope US strikes on Iran will not spark wider conflict - analysis

Most of these countries have already dealt with the 624 days of crisis that Hamas's October 7 massacre caused. They want regional stability and peace. 

 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.

From the Basij to Balochistan: How Iran has encircled the Arab world - opinion

Iran’s peripheral militias and quiet encirclement of the Arab world.

 MEMBERS OF Iran’s Basij militia force attend an anti-Israel march in Tehran last week before Israel launched its attacks. It’s a quiet war of encirclement, exemplified by the Islamic Republic of Iran’s patience, theological certainty, and strategic depth, says the writer.

How the keffiyeh has been co-opted and weaponized - opinion

The keffiyeh is now worn as a symbol of violence, terror, incitement, and antisemitism.

 A STATUE of George Washington is tied with a Palestinian flag and keffiyeh at George Washington University in Washington last year. The keffiyeh is consistently employed as a symbol of revolt, incitement, and terror, says the writer.

Understanding Pakistan’s risky alignment with Iran - opinion

Pakistan’s tilt toward Iran may carry significant costs. Washington has warned that countries doing business with Tehran could face secondary sanctions.

 PAKISTAN’S PRIME MINISTER Shehbaz Sharif meets with Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Tehran last month. They stressed the need for collective action against Israel’s actions in Gaza, says the writer.

Behind the Gulf’s condemnations: A strategic interest in Israel's strikes on Iran - opinion

Despite the public discourse, Israel's strikes on Iran align with the strategic interests of the Gulf states.

 US PRESIDENT Donald Trump stands with Omani Deputy Prime Minister Asa’ad bin Tariq at a GCC summit in Riyadh last month. With a real possibility that the US will join Israel’s campaign against Iran, Gulf states have an opportunity to reshape the region, says the writer.

Public condemnation, private interest: Arab world response to Israel's Iran strikes - opinion

Almost all Arab states that have signed peace or normalization agreements with Israel issued statements of condemnation against the attack.

 IRAN’S PRESIDENT Masoud Pezeshkian meets with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman in Tehran in April. Most Arab rulers oppose Iran’s turning into a nuclear power, the writer states.

Trump lays out new Middle East vision, from ceasefires to regional partners - analysis

President Trump’s evolving Middle East policy, highlighting a strategic shift from traditional Western intervention toward fostering regional partnerships, diplomacy, and sustainable peace.

US President Donald Trump walks near a drone and a U.S. flag, for an address to troops, during a visit to Al Udeid Air Base in Doha, Qatar, May 15, 2025.

Senate Democrats warn against AI chip deals with Gulf states

The appeal comes after President Donald Trump’s recent visit to the Gulf, during which he announced plans for American companies to supply tens of thousands of high-end AI chips to the region.

 US President Donald Trump gestures, while he boards Air Force One, in Abu Dhabi, United Arab Emirates, May 16, 2025.

Israel is at risk of being outbid in Trump’s Middle East marketplace - analysis

Israel must rethink asserting its value to Washington: not through nostalgia or goodwill, but through enhanced defense and intelligence cooperation that benefits the US economy.

 US PRESIDENT Donald Trump looks on as he makes remarks outside the West Wing of the White House last week. His recent moves in the Middle East are raising serious questions about his priorities when it comes to Israel, says the writer.