... the entire region.
Debate over the causes of the new military phase of the YC spans a broad spectrum of interpretations: from assertions that Houthi actions pose threats to maritime security in the Red Sea and that the “Axis of Resistance” led by Iran endangers Israel’s security, to the opposite accusations directed at the United States and Israel, of aggressive policies and the obstruction of a lawful settlement in Gaza. For the purposes of studying the anatomy of the Yemeni crisis, it is important to emphasize ...
... security landscape. The attacks have called into question the fundamental strategic presumptions that have served as the foundation for Gulf Arab state security doctrines for the past fifty years. With unpredicted consequences, such as divergent views of Israel and Iran, this is also compelling introspection at a challenging moment for the larger region.
Entanglement or Empowerment? New Security Paradigm for Gulf States
Extra-Regional Actors in the Middle East. RIAC Report
For decades, the fundamental strategic ...
...
Yet, political divergence has consistently surfaced. Azerbaijan’s secular, nationalist orientation, closely aligned with the West and Turkey, contrasts sharply with Iran’s religious governance model and its anti-Western stance. As tensions between Iran and Israel escalated, Tehran grew increasingly wary of Baku’s deepening ties with Tel Aviv, particularly in the defense and intelligence sectors.
From an Iranian perspective, Azerbaijan is no longer just a neighbor—it has become what some in Tehran describe ...
... Israel to missile attacks (Operation Truthful Promise 3). On the night of June 22, the United States supported Israel by striking Iranian nuclear facilities, likely destroying them completely by using GBU-57 MOP bombs weighing 13.6 tons each. On June 24, Iran and Israel agreed to a ceasefire.
Israel's attack was preceded by the IAEA's May 31, 2025 quarterly report, “Verification and Monitoring in the Islamic Republic of Iran in Light of Security Council Resolution 2231 (2015),” and the June 12, 2025 Resolution ...
... Ukraine and the West. As a result, the European alliances that developed following the Israeli strike on Iran seem to be comparable to those that developed on October 7, 2023, and the Russia-Ukraine conflict. By establishing a front with a shared enemy, Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu was able to partially mend fences with his friends in European nations and prevent European pressure on Israel to halt the assault in Gaza. It is obvious that an Israeli attack on Iran may devalue humanitarian ...
... decisive operations with far-reaching, long-term consequences. In contrast, the Ukraine-Russia conflict increasingly resembles a drawn-out war of attrition, with no clear end in sight.
2. Technology and Tactics
Basel Haj Jasem:
No Peace, Just Pause: Iran and Israel's Fragile Standoff
Iran’s use of precision-guided missiles, suicide drones, and coordinated cyberattacks positioned the conflict firmly within the realm of modern hybrid warfare. This stands in contrast to the Gaza wars, where unguided rockets ...
... capable of intercepting practically all types of air targets, including even the most modern hyper-sonic missiles.
If Iran were to acquire S-500 together with accompanying weapons (like, or instance, Su-35 fighters), that would be a game changer in the Iran-Israel standoff - Israel would be in no position to conduct its air raids against the Islamic Republic with impunity or with very limited losses. However, it is clear that any sophisticated military hardware deliveries to Iran would require a lot of time ...
A moment of “mutual deterrence” within a fragile balance
Following President Donald Trump's announcement of a ceasefire agreement between Iran and Israel, many questions remain about the durability of such an arrangement after years of proxy conflict—culminating recently in a direct 12-day aerial exchange of fire.
The nature of the agreement itself remains shrouded in ambiguity. Trump has yet ...
... the early stages of the Iran-Iraq War, Saddam Hussein seemingly expected internal unrest in Iran. Instead, the population rallied around the regime, solidifying its power.
Finally, the strikes on nuclear facilities, along with the assassinations of Iranian scientists by Israeli operatives, may delay the progress of Iran’s nuclear program. However, considering recent developments, Tehran, which has consistently maintained that its nuclear activities are purely peaceful, may come to the conclusion that only the acquisition ...
... itself as the victim. Russia’s deputy UN envoy Dmitry Polyansky brusquely described Israel’s claims that it was only acting in
“self-defense”
as
“very perverted logic.”
But such perversion runs deep in the policies and pathologies of the Israeli state.
As key Iranian infrastructure is bombed to ruins, and as Netanyahu urges Iranians to overthrow what he calls “
an evil and oppressive regime
,” many Iranians are calling, ironically and defiantly, for their government to
acquire nuclear weapons
as the only ...
