War has now reached the heart of the Gulf. The ongoing conflict in the Middle East is not just an episodic military escalation. It represents the collapse of the entire regional security paradigm on which the Gulf states have relied. For decades, Gulf states seemed to be living in a state of strategic exception.

By Omar Al Qasim

Numerous reports suggest that General Dan Keane, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, warned in internal deliberations about the dangers of launching a major military operation against Iran. Chief among them is the risk that an attack extends into a long-term conflict that would be difficult to contain.

By Omar Al Qasim

Iran is entering a fundamentally new phase of tension. Despite the regime’s ability to contain the intensity of protests through a harsh security crackdown, the Iranian system now stands at a historic crossroads. Protest discourse is no longer confined to economic or livelihood demands; it has now expanded to the regime’s very legitimacy.

By Omar Al Qasim

Last week, Saudi forces seized control of Mukalla City, a key port of Hadramout province. Beyond its military value, the port carries deeper historical significance. In its modern form, Mukalla was financed and constructed by the South Yemeni state as part of a broader project to integrate eastern regions into a unified maritime political economy.

By Omar Al Qasim, Jonathan Sherry

Sources familiar with the developments taking place on the ground in Gaza say the militant group Hamas has already begun restructuring its organization from an armed faction into a political entity. The group now recognizes that the emerging political reality leaves no room for its current model of governance to survive in its former shape.

By Omar Al Qasim

Once again, Israel’s far right openly challenges Washington’s pursuit of peace. This time, it strikes at the core of President Donald Trump’s Middle East vision. While President Trump declares his plan to halt the Gaza war “may bring eternal peace to the Middle East,” the Knesset plants a time bomb in the region’s heart.

By Omar Al Qasim

While US President Donald Trump spoke about how “everyone wants peace in the Middle East” after Hamas accepted a plan to end the war in Gaza, what sprang to mind was the image of Clinton, Rabin, and Arafat clasping hands on September 13, 1993, announcing a new era of peace, prosperity in the Middle East.

By Omar Al Qasim

The Israeli strike on the Qatari capital, Doha, was not just a passing military operation but a moment that shattered the sense of immunity Gulf states had long believed was guaranteed under the American security umbrella.

By Omar Al Qasim

In just 12 days, Ahmed al-Sharaa underwent a life-changing transformation from leading a banned jihadist organization to becoming the president of a state whose future trajectory directly impacts the overall stability of the Middle East. This meteoric ascent was utterly unforeseen; it blindsided all actors without exception.

By Omar Al Qasim

If former US President Harry Truman were to see the image of European leaders gathered anxiously and warily before Trump at the White House after his summit with Putin in Alaska, he would realize that the doctrine he founded, and the international order built on it eight decades ago has vanished beyond return.

By Omar Al Qasim

AR

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Omar Al Qasim

The End of the Gulf’s Illusion of Security

Disaster Scenario: U.S.-Iran Escalation Trap

Iran: Same Mistakes, Different Leaders

South Yemen and the Limits of Unity

Hamas Caught Between Ideology and Survival

Mr. Trump, Protect Your Legacy

Trump’s Plan: Reproducing the Failure of Peace

The Arab Gulf States: After the Shock

Al-Sharaa’s Pragmatism: Tactic or Enduring Adaptation?

From Truman to Trump: Where is American Leadership Headed?

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