The rapid takeover of Yemen’s entire western coast and major islands in a matter of days by Ansar Allah, widely known as the Houthis, is an alarming though not surprising development. Its most consequential implication is that Iran and its regional allies have strengthened their hold over the Middle East’s two most strategic maritime chokepoints,… Continue reading Bab al-Mandab and Yemen’s Dangerous Moment

Six months of war have left Iran economically battered, its society exhausted, and its politics more conflicted than before. But the country is neither on the verge of collapse, as repeatedly predicted by its adversaries, nor the bastion of unity and stability portrayed by the Islamic Republic itself. The political, economic and social picture inside… Continue reading Iran Is Battered, but Not on the Brink of Collapse

Gulf security has entered a new era that has exposed the fragility of traditional arrangements and external guarantees. Today’s security calculus involves a combination of pragmatic hedging, localized capabilities and diplomatic channels to manage escalation. Iran’s attacks on the GCC states have demonstrated that regional security can no longer be outsourced, that missiles and drones… Continue reading The Gulf’s New, Evolving Layers of Security