INSS Insight

The IMEC initiative reflects the shifting dynamics of the regional and international system, in which traditional and new players seek to reshape the map of transportation, economy, and geopolitical influence between Asia and Europe. The initiative highlights the economic potential of inter-regional connectivity and also the political complexity it entails—from geopolitical rivalries and infrastructure considerations to diplomatic constraints. Israel, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and other actors each seek to...

Hezbollah’s position has deteriorated following the war between Israel and Iran. The organization’s decision to refrain from opening an additional front against Israel—despite expectations—highlighted its weakness. The outcome of the war has further exacerbated the challenges it now faces: Iran currently lacks the attention and capabilities to support Hezbollah; the IDF continues to target its operatives and infrastructure; and Lebanon’s new leadership is taking action against the organization, particularly in hopes of disarming...

In light of the dramatic shift in the balance of power in the region following the confrontation between Israel and Iran—the restoration of Israeli deterrence; the open motivation of US President Donald Trump to bring an end to the war; the weakening of the resistance axis and its non-state actors; Hamas’s weakened and isolated state, dependent on the mercy of mediator states; the willingness of Arab states to engage and assist in stabilizing Gaza without Hamas rule—a window of opportunity has emerged to close the circle of war that...

The fragile ceasefire between Iran and Israel marks the end of the current—and thus far most severe—phase in the ongoing hostilities between the Islamic Republic and Israel. Israel can conclude this phase of the conflict with a degree of satisfaction: even if Iran still retains a stockpile of uranium enriched to 60%—which it possessed before the campaign and may have transferred to hidden locations—its nuclear program has been significantly set back. Conversely, Iran is expected to portray the battle as a success, regardless of its...

This article reframes the current global landscape: the United States faces not a regional conflict but a decisive struggle for its established world order. Five states—Russia, China, North Korea, Iran, and Qatar—are coordinately challenging American hegemony, using economic, cyber, and cognitive warfare, a dynamic the United States often struggles to fully grasp. Iran, the most vulnerable yet dangerous link, looms as a nuclear threat that would irreversibly shift global power and constrain US influence. With Europe largely...

Three days into the campaign between Israel and Iran, Tehran is approaching a crossroads regarding the continuation of hostilities, a potential exit strategy, and a possible post-conflict arrangement. For now, Iran remains focused on managing the war. However, as the campaign continues and the damage accumulates, Tehran will need to choose between maintaining the current level of confrontation, ending the fighting through a political arrangement, or escalating further—potentially by withdrawing from the Non-Proliferation Treaty...

During Israel’s ongoing war, the Arab peace states—especially Egypt, Jordan, and the United Arab Emirates—have expressed deep mistrust, frustration, and even bewilderment over Israel’s conduct. These sentiments have recently intensified and appear to have reached a peak. While these countries acknowledge Israel’s military achievements and recognize that they could have a positive impact on the Middle East, they are also profoundly disturbed by what they perceive as Israel’s rigid, one-dimensional militaristic approach—namely, the...

Under the leadership of Xi Jinping, China has promoted a series of global initiatives—the first of which was the Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), followed in recent years by the Global Development Initiative (GDI), the Global Security Initiative (GSI), and the Global Civilization Initiative (GCI). These initiatives, alongside the concept of a “community with a shared future for mankind,” are part of a broader strategy to reshape China’s international environment and advance a Chinese vision for the global order. For Israel, it is...

The International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) published two alarming reports regarding Iran’s nuclear program. One report addresses Iran’s past activities at sites not declared to the IAEA, for which Tehran has failed to provide satisfactory explanations. The second report concerns the current status of the program and indicates an acceleration in the accumulation of highly enriched uranium, enabling Iran to enrich to military grade for 10 nuclear bombs within days. Both reports are expected to be discussed at the upcoming IAEA Board...

In his book The Hi-Tech Army and the Cavalry Army: How Israel Abandoned the Ground Forces (Hebrew, 2024), written mostly before the war in Gaza, Brig. Gen. (res.) Guy Hazut sharply criticizes the steadily declining importance and chronic neglect of the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) ground forces over recent decades. He critiques the division of the IDF into an elite “hi-tech army,” relying on the air force, precision-guided munitions, and special forces, on the one hand, and, on the other, the supposedly outdated “cavalry army”—the...

The domestic American, regional, and global reality is currently undergoing dramatic changes. Will Israeli–US relations remain immune to these upheavals and their diverse consequences? Will the relations continue as they have (subject to circumstantial adjustments)? Will Israel’s value as an asset outweigh the burden it may pose for the United States? In answering these questions, the significant erosion in the pillars of the “special relationship”—the shared ethos and mutual interests, as well as cracks in the bridge connecting the...

In May, the IDF launched Operation “Gideon’s Chariots,” aimed at achieving the war’s objectives in the Gaza Strip: securing the return of the hostages and dismantling Hamas both militarily and politically. The full scope of the “Gideon’s Chariots” operational plan remains unclear, and contradictions have emerged between statements made by military officials and political leaders. It is also uncertain whether there is genuine intent to carry out all phases of the operation; some of the announcements may be...