On the night of July 28, Saudi Arabian and American warplanes struck positions of Iraq’s Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)—an umbrella organization of mostly Shia paramilitary groups—across seven provinces, from Nineveh to Basra. At least 20 fighters were killed, among them at least five Iranians, and 32 were wounded. Riyadh said the strikes were an answer to… Continue reading The End of Saudi Restraint in Iraq

In the United States, electoral primaries—where political parties decide who will run in general elections for political office—are rarely referendums on the country’s foreign policy. Yet the 2026 Democratic Party primary cycle was different, as a growing number of congressional districts became battlegrounds for issues including the U.S.-Israel relationship, the genocide in Gaza, and foreign… Continue reading Will AIPAC’s Declining Electoral Influence Shift U.S. Foreign Policy?

The significance of the third Hili Forum—convening in Abu Dhabi on September 7-8 under the theme “Gulf at Crossroads: Conflict, Consequences and Course Correction”—stems from the exceptional timing of the event. The region remains mired in one of its most strategically ambiguous moments in decades, amid rapid transformations. The U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran remains unresolved—politically… Continue reading Hili Forum 2026: Shaping the Post-War Gulf