https://www.rferl.org/z/23337 RFE/RL's latest news, features, commentary, and multimedia content on Lebanon, Israel, Hezbollah, Syria, and Iraq. https://www.rferl.org/Content/responsive/RFE/en-US/img/logo.png https://www.rferl.org/z/23337 en Copyright 2026 - RFE/RL, Inc. 60 Sun, 02 Aug 2026 04:46:14 +0200 Pangea CMS – RFE/RL The United Arab Emirates is trying to keep channels open with Tehran while strengthening its military ties with Washington and Israel, a delicate balancing act shaped by security concerns and deep economic links with Iran. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-uae-war-usa-israel-sheikh-mohamed-bin-zayed-al-nahyan/33819782.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-uae-war-usa-israel-sheikh-mohamed-bin-zayed-al-nahyan/33819782.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 22:01:28 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East A renewed exchange of military strikes and threats between the US and Iran has raised fresh fears of a wider Middle East war. But Jacob Stoil, research professor of Middle East security studies at the US Army War College, argues the more important story may be what has not happened. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-stoil-army-war-college-interview/33819707.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-stoil-army-war-college-interview/33819707.html Sat, 01 Aug 2026 10:25:00 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East Former Trump White House official Allison Minor says Iran's latest attacks exposed the limits of the traditional US security guarantee in the Gulf. She argues Washington should shift toward a regional security model built on shared capabilities, integration, and stronger partnerships. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-gulf-security-us-role-allison-minor-interview/33818576.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-gulf-security-us-role-allison-minor-interview/33818576.html Thu, 30 Jul 2026 20:08:49 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East The emerging partnerships between Pakistan and Middle Eastern countries are also reshaping the region's security dynamics, which analysts believe may add new strains to relations among states. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-security-dynamics-middle-east-pakistan/33816861.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-war-security-dynamics-middle-east-pakistan/33816861.html Wed, 29 Jul 2026 21:22:51 +0200 News AnalysisIranPakistanThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East For years, policymakers in Washington have viewed Asia primarily through the lens of Taiwan, the South China Sea and China's military rise. Russia's invasion of Ukraine only reinforced that perspective, cementing Europe and East Asia as the principal arenas of geopolitical competition. https://www.rferl.org/a/us-iran-hormuz-russia-china/33808969.html https://www.rferl.org/a/us-iran-hormuz-russia-china/33808969.html Tue, 21 Jul 2026 14:39:50 +0200 News AnalysisFeaturesIranRussiaMiddle EastChina Some blame Tehran. Others blame Washington. But pretty much everyone on Iran's southern coast can agree on one thing: The renewal of air strikes between the United States and Iran is hitting hard, bringing a summer without electricity, fuel, or a way to make a living. https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-south-war-voices-impact/33807475.html https://www.rferl.org/a/iran-us-south-war-voices-impact/33807475.html Tue, 21 Jul 2026 11:09:35 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown HeadlineMiddle East Air raid sirens blared in Bahrain and other Gulf states as the struggle for control of the Strait of Hormuz continued after US forces conducted a ninth day of air strikes on targets around Iran. https://www.rferl.org/a/centcom-deaths-iraq-jordan-remains-attacks/33806990.html https://www.rferl.org/a/centcom-deaths-iraq-jordan-remains-attacks/33806990.html Mon, 20 Jul 2026 00:00:16 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East The US military suffered its first combat fatalities since March in the Iran war, with the Pentagon saying two service members were killed and another was missing during defensive operations in Jordan, as hostilities ramped up in the region and further endangered a fragile cease-fire. https://www.rferl.org/a/centcom-soldiers-killed-jordan-iran-missile-attack/33806519.html https://www.rferl.org/a/centcom-soldiers-killed-jordan-iran-missile-attack/33806519.html Sun, 19 Jul 2026 00:00:40 +0200 IranNewsThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East As Washington debates whether the recent cease-fire with Iran reflects strategic restraint or strategic drift, retired US Colonel David Des Roches says the broader trajectory of the conflict tells a different story. https://www.rferl.org/a/david-des-roches-iran-us-war-hormuz/33795511.html https://www.rferl.org/a/david-des-roches-iran-us-war-hormuz/33795511.html Fri, 03 Jul 2026 13:13:55 +0200 IranFeaturesThe Rundown StoriesMiddle East