<p>The Middle East and North Africa is the world&#39;s crossroads. It encompasses the Arabian Peninsula, the mountains of Iran, the plains of Turkey, the deserts of the Levant, the lands north of the Sahara and all coasts in between. The story of the region, as is so often the case of places stuck between foreign players, is the story of trade, exchange and conflict. The traditional powers of the region are Turkey and Iran &mdash; Saudi Arabia and Egypt are the current Arab powers &mdash; and their competition for influence over the region&#39;s weaker states makes the Middle East and North Africa an arena of violence and instability.</p>

The Middle East and North Africa encompasses the Arabian Peninsula, the mountains of Iran, the plains of Turkey, the deserts of the Levant, the lands north of the Sahara and all coasts in between.

Middle East and North Africa

Algeria

Bahrain

Egypt

Iran

Iraq

Israel

Jordan

Kuwait

Lebanon

Libya

Morocco

Oman

Palestinian Territories

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

Syria

Tunisia

Turkey

United Arab Emirates

Western Sahara

Yemen

The Syrian Civil War

The Yemen Civil War

The Libyan Civil War

The Fight Against the Islamic State

The Saudi Survival Strategy

The Kurdish Struggle

Iran's Arc of Influence

Israel's Survival Strategy

The Difficulties of North African Reform

Egypt's Uphill Battle

The Battle for Mosul

Assessments

Smoke plumes rise above a village in southern Lebanon following Israeli airstrikes on March 16, 2026.

Military & Security

Politics

Even if it engages in direct talks with Lebanon, Israel is unlikely to de-escalate its military operations in the country without major concessions on border security and Hezbollah's disarmament.

Hezbollah-Israel War Set To Intensify, Despite Lebanon's Diplomatic Push

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

South Asia

The Geopolitics of Demographics

Economics

Environment, Science & Technology

Social Issues

Demographics may not be destiny, but it does play a major role in questions of national power.

The Geopolitics of Demographics: An Introduction

United States

China

Japan

Ukraine

A large plume of smoke rises March 7 over Tehran after explosions were reported in the Iranian capital during the night.

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: The Iran War Continues, Takaichi Meets With Trump

U.S.-Iran Relations

Media

Podcasts

What will happen to U.S. interest rates if the war continues?

The Decision Advantage: Economic Impacts of the War on Iran

Pakistan

A digital illustration of Pakistan and Saudi Arabia’s national flags.

Energy

Despite having a mutual defense pact with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan will likely only provide the kingdom with low-level defensive and technical support, rather than direct military intervention against Iran, due to various constraints.

In a War With Iran, the Pakistani-Saudi Defense Pact Has Limits 

Smoke and flames rise at the site of airstrikes on an oil depot in Tehran, Iran, on March 7, 2026.

Limited commando raids are Trump's most viable option, as larger ground incursions in Iran would face severe logistical, political and strategic risks and remain unlikely without a major shift in regional and U.S. domestic support.

Strategic Risks and Political Hurdles for a U.S. Ground War in Iran

People attend the funeral of a person killed during an Iranian drone attack on a high-rise apartment building in Bahrain's capital, Manama, on March 10, 2026.

A sharp rise in domestic sectarian issues and disruptions to key exports through the Strait of Hormuz are converging to threaten the political and economic stability of the kingdom.

Iran War Exposes Bahrain to Fiscal Risks, Sectarian Tensions

Snapshots

Demonstrators wave Iranian national flags and hold pictures of the country's new supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, at Enghelab Square in central Tehran on March 9, 2026.

The selection of hard-line cleric Mojtaba Khamenei to succeed his slain father will entrench Tehran's resolve to continue the war and preserve its ballistic missile and nuclear programs.

Iran's New Supreme Leader Will Strengthen Hard-Liner Influence

Jordanian Armed Forces, U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps forces and other international forces conduct a combined Arms Live Fire Exercise on May 23, 2024 in the desert near Azraq, Jordan. 

As the United States prepares to withdraw its final troops from Syria, Amman will likely expand cross-border security operations to counter Islamic State and disrupt drug smuggling networks.

Jordan Likely To Step Up Anti-Islamic State, Countersmuggling Operations in Syria

Chile

Colombia

Germany

Greece

France

United Kingdom

Cyprus

Netherlands

Spain

Italy

Plumes of smoke rise following reported explosions in Tehran on March 2, 2026, after U.S. and Israeli strikes on Iran on Feb. 28 killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and other top military leaders, prompting a new wave of Iranian retaliatory missile attacks across the region. 

The Weekly Rundown: War in the Middle East, U.S.-China Trade Talks

South Korea

U.S. President Donald Trump demanded that countries like China, Japan and South Korea participate in a naval escort mission to ensure the safe passage of oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, Reuters reported on March 15.

Northeast Asia: China, South Korea, Japan Demur Over Trump Demand for Strait of Hormuz Escort Mission

U.S.-China Relations

EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said she had discussed with the United Nations the possibility of a Black Sea grain deal-type agreement to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and would discuss the possibility of expanding the mandate of the European Union's Red Sea naval mission to protect vessels transiting the strait, Reuters reported on March 16.

MENA: Plans Emerge To Try To Open the Strait of Hormuz

India

India's government is negotiating with Iran to ensure the safe transit of six liquefied petroleum gas tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, Bloomberg reported on March 16. 

India: Government Negotiates With Iran To Prioritize the Transit of Six LPG Tankers

U.S. Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth ordered the deployment of the USS Tripoli, an America-class landing helicopter amphibious assault ship, and its attached 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, which is comprised of about 2,200 marines, to the Middle East, Axios reported on March 13.

U.S.: Pentagon Orders USS Tripoli, Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East

Russia

The U.S. Department of the Treasury issued a 30-day license authorizing the delivery and sale of Russian crude oil and petroleum products loaded onto vessels on or before March 12 and currently at sea, Reuters reported on March 13.

Russia: U.S. Waiver Will Ease Near-Term Oil Tightness but Complicate Russia Sanctions Strategy

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that Israel could destroy Lebanese national infrastructure allegedly used by Hezbollah if the group is not disarmed, The Times of Israel reported on March 13.

Israel, Lebanon: War Expands as Israel Strikes Bridges in Southern Lebanon

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on March 12 that Israel would create the "optimal conditions" for Iran's regime to fall, though he acknowledged that he was uncertain that Iranians would overthrow the government, the Times of Israel reported March 13. 

MENA: Netanyahu Seeks To Create "Optimal Conditions" for Iran Regime Collapse

Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned that if Lebanon does not prevent Hezbollah from attacking Israel, Israel "will take the territory and do it ourselves," and Katz, along with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, ordered the Israeli military to prepare for an expanded operation, Reuters reported on March 12.

MENA: Israel Is Poised To Escalate Against Lebanon as Strikes on Iran Continue

Middle East and North Africa

SITUATION REPORTS

Northeast Asia: China, South Korea, Japan Demur Over Trump Demand for Strait of Hormuz Escort Mission

MENA: Plans Emerge To Try To Open the Strait of Hormuz

India: Government Negotiates With Iran To Prioritize the Transit of Six LPG Tankers

U.S.: Pentagon Orders USS Tripoli, Marine Expeditionary Unit to the Middle East

Russia: U.S. Waiver Will Ease Near-Term Oil Tightness but Complicate Russia Sanctions Strategy

Israel, Lebanon: War Expands as Israel Strikes Bridges in Southern Lebanon

MENA: Netanyahu Seeks To Create "Optimal Conditions" for Iran Regime Collapse

MENA: Israel Is Poised To Escalate Against Lebanon as Strikes on Iran Continue

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