Syria, under Ahmed al-Sharaa’s leadership, is not a direct party to the war between the United States and Israel on the one hand and Iran on the other. At the same time, it is neither neutral nor passive. Although Syria is not directly involved in the fighting, Damascus has demonstrated extensive diplomatic activity as it seeks to exploit the regional crisis to distance itself from the Iranian axis, reintegrate into the regional system, and present itself as a constructive and valuable actor. At the same time, Syria is reinforcing...
Over the past several decades, China has established itself as a global power in the political, economic, and military arenas, while advancing a broad strategic vision and its own set of global interests. The expansion of its international influence and its strategic development plans has increased both its security needs and its defense capabilities. Accordingly, recent years have seen a steady rise in China’s defense budget alongside significant military development. One of the central tools through which China promotes its force...
Israel, since October 7, has been trapped in a conception of “absolute security” that drives it toward continuous war. If security is defined as the complete removal of every threat already in its earliest stages of emergence, and even more so when it is clear and tangible—rather than its reduction or the construction of a stabilizing political framework—then almost any other outcome of conflict will be perceived as insufficient, any arrangement as surrender, and any achievement as partial and therefore a failure.
Against this...
The developing crisis in the Strait of Hormuz positions the strait as one of the central arenas of friction in the current conflict and as a focal point of a crisis with global implications. A sustained disruption of traffic in the strait, even without a full closure, is not merely a tactical move but a broader blow to the international order. Its strategic importance and unique status expand the arena of friction beyond the direct parties to the current conflict. This means that the struggle over freedom of passage in the strait is...
The war with Iran has intensified debate in the United States over Israel’s role in American foreign policy and the future of the US–Israel relationship. While the conflict is unlikely to fundamentally transform Israel’s standing in the United States, it appears poised to accelerate trends already underway: growing partisan polarization, declining support for Israel among Democrats and younger Americans, and the emergence of dissenting voices within the Republican coalition. These dynamics risk shifting the US–Israel relationship...
Hezbollah’s decision to open an additional front against Israel after the attack on Iran was meant not only to relieve the military pressure on Iran but also to strengthen the organization’s own standing at a time when it has been weakened militarily and politically and is facing growing criticism at home and abroad. Hezbollah is now waging a war of survival, seeking to shift the balance of power with the IDF and improve its position within Lebanon. It is doing so by employing its full arsenal of missiles, rockets, and UAVs and by...
Iran’s strategic communications effort in Operation Roaring Lion reflects an integrated strategy of military action, information warfare, and advanced technologies aimed at influencing domestic, regional, and international audiences. The current campaign reflects an advanced stage in the evolution of Iranian doctrine, which has shifted from religious-ideological propaganda to operational, multidimensional information warfare. This article examines Iran’s main patterns of operation, including the use of missiles and UAVs as a...
In recent years, the integration of artificial intelligence into defense systems has evolved from a decision-support tool into a strategic infrastructure shaping the conduct of war. Within this trend, the Pentagon’s adoption of the AI-First doctrine marks a significant conceptual shift from the limited integration of artificial intelligence systems to a systemic approach in which AI becomes a foundational component in the chain of command, in intelligence collection and analysis, and in the planning of multi-theater operations. This...
The war with Iran has placed the Gulf states, against their will, at the heart of the confrontation. Iran identified the Gulf states as an “underbelly” and potential lever of pressure on the United States to shorten the duration of the campaign. Nevertheless, despite the Iranian attacks on their territory, they have thus far refrained from openly joining the campaign and have preferred a cautious policy: allowing other forces to operate from their territory while undertaking limited offensive actions with plausible deniability. This...
Operation Roaring Lion—the war with Iran—is being waged during a low point in Israel–Jordan relations and sharpens the importance of peace as a strategic asset for both countries. Despite the rupture between the leaders of the two countries and the tension in the Palestinian arena, military coordination between the IDF and the Jordanian Armed Forces has continued. The war has led Jordan to adopt a declared policy of “positive neutrality,” namely, intercepting Iranian missiles in its sovereign airspace on their way to Israel and...
The military campaign launched by the United States and Israel against Iran at the end of February 2026 confronts Moscow with a new strategic reality. Iran constitutes an important partner for Russia, even if it cannot be considered an ally in the full sense of the term. This article examines how Moscow interprets the campaign, what lessons it derives from it, and what consequences Russia is likely to face as an aftermath of the war.
China’s response to the war with Iran appears to be one of non-intervention. Although one might have expected Beijing to stand more firmly by its partner Tehran, China’s response thus far has been relatively restrained. This article offers several explanations for this, including China’s domestic priorities, its desire to avoid further friction with the United States, Beijing’s balancing policy among all actors in the Middle East, and uncertainty about the future of the Iranian regime. At the same time, China is looking ahead to the...
