Strategic Assessment

In the Red Sea region, significant geo-strategic processes have unfolded over the past decade, manifested in political, security, economic, and technological shifts. This area—stretching between the Middle East in the north, the Arabian Peninsula to the east, the Horn of Africa to the south, and East Africa to the west—has become a focal point of both global and regional power struggles. At the same time, it has also generated opportunities for complex civilian and security cooperation. These developments present Israel with a significant opportunity to leverage its geo-strategic assets in order to strengthen its status and expand its influence on its surroundings. In recent years, there has been a global resurgence of attention to maritime domains, which have once again taken center stage due to their centrality in major conflicts now unfolding around the world. This renewed focus highlights the vital importance of the maritime sphere to the global economy and its role as an arena where the ability to operate effectively is essential to the great powers, nations, and organizations. Israel is currently facing the need to formulate a security concept that takes into account the transformations and shifts shaping the entire region in the wake of the Hamas’s attack on October 7, 2023, and the ongoing multi-arena campaign. As part of this effort, Israel should also address the maritime domain. This memorandum offers insights and ideas aimed at broadening the understanding of the opportunities and challenges of the Red Sea region and assisting in incorporating this arena into Israel’s updated national security concept.

The solution to the crisis surrounding the Iranian nuclear program is nowhere in sight, and the ticking clock is forcing Tehran to make fateful decisions