Israel

Palestinian Territories

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Military & Security

Politics

Israel's Cabinet preliminarily approved the deployment of around 200 troops from "friendly countries" to Rafah in the Gaza Strip on July 26, the first time the government has approved the International Stabilization Force that is meant to govern Gaza under the plan promoted by the U.S.-backed Board of Peace, The Times of Israel reported on July 27.

Israel, Gaza: Minor International Force Approved for Gaza

United States

Saudi Arabia

Energy

In a July 23 Truth Social post, U.S. President Donald Trump declared that the United States' civil nuclear deal with Saudi Arabia would be contingent on the country joining the Abraham Accords and would not allow Saudi Arabia to enrich uranium.

U.S., Saudi Arabia: Trump Announces Apparent Changes to Civilian Nuclear Deal

Iran

Lebanon

The Lebanese Armed Forces began deploying to Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh in southern Lebanon on July 21 following Israel's withdrawal from the town as part of a U.S.-brokered "pilot zone program," Axios reported the same day.

Lebanon: U.S.-Brokered Deal Yields Partial Israeli Withdrawal From Southern Lebanon

The Gaza-based Palestinian militant group Hamas released a statement saying it had elected Khalil al-Hayya, a longtime Hamas insider and one of the group's leading diplomats, as its new leader, Al Jazeera reported on July 20.

Gaza: Hamas Names Khalil al-Haya as New Leader

Israel's Knesset voted to dissolve itself on July 16, with the body now in recess until the next parliament is appointed after the scheduled election set for Oct. 27, The Times of Israel reported on July 17.

Israel: Election Season Begins as Knesset Dissolves

On July 15, the Israeli Supreme Court froze the implementation of a law passed on July 14 that banned the arrest of ultra-Orthodox draft dodgers and suspended criminal proceedings against those already arrested until January 2027, The Times of Israel reported the same day.

Israel: Supreme Court Freezes Ultra-Orthodox Draft Exemption Law After Passage

Middle East and North Africa

U.S.-Iran Relations

U.S.-Iran technical negotiations are set to continue despite both sides trading fire on July 8-9, Bloomberg reported on July 10, citing an unnamed U.S. official.

U.S., Iran: U.S. Official Claims Iran Negotiations Will Continue Despite Renewed Clashes

The Palestinian militant group Hamas dissolved its administrative body responsible for governing the Gaza Strip in order to enable the technocratic, U.S.-backed National Committee for the Administration of Gaza (NCAG) to take control, AP reported on July 6.

Palestinian Territories, Israel: Hamas Dissolves Gaza Administrative Body

Assessments

Peru

United Kingdom

Ukraine

Russia

A couple rides past Iranian-made Zolfaghar missiles displayed at Azadi Square in Tehran on July 24.

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: A Likely U.S. Escalation in Iran, Zelensky Travels to Washington

Snapshots

Yemen

Yemeni protesters take part in a demonstration held to send a message of defiance against the continued siege and any military escalation involving Saudi forces against Houthi-controlled northern Yemen on July 17. 

Economics

Forced to bypass the disrupted Strait of Hormuz, Saudi Arabia's increased reliance on alternative routes leaves its critical oil shipments vulnerable to Houthi attacks.


Yemen's Houthis Threaten Saudi Oil Exports With Red Sea Blockade

People gather by the rubble of destroyed buildings following an Israeli strike on an industrial area in Gaza City on July 12.

Hamas will likely continue to reject full disarmament in the hope that a more moderate Israeli government will come to power following elections in the fall.


Unfeasible Plans for Gaza Governance Hinder Progress of U.S-Backed Ceasefire 

Indonesia

Myanmar

Philippines

Singapore

Thailand

Europe

France

ASEAN leaders hold hands for a group photo during the opening ceremony of the 48th ASEAN summit in Cebu, central Philippines on May 8, 2026. 

The Weekly Rundown: U.S.-Iran Tensions Remain High, ASEAN Foreign Ministers Meet With Myanmar

People pass a large banner depicting U.S. President Donald Trump with a target on his head, during funeral ceremonies for Iran's slain Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, at the Grand Mosalla on July 5 in Tehran, Iran. 

Global Trade

Recent tit-for-tat strikes between the United States and Iran signal the rising risk of a return to high-intensity regional conflict following the June 17 memorandum of understanding.


U.S.-Iran Truce at Risk of Collapse Over Hormuz Control Dispute

Oman

Maps4media-processed Sentinel-2 satellite imagery shows a broad overview of the Strait of Hormuz on June 16, 2026.

U.S.-Iran talks will face increasingly large obstacles as negotiators approach more contentious topics, namely Iran's nuclear program.

For the U.S. and Iran, the Hardest Negotiations Lie Ahead

Bahrain

Kuwait

Qatar

United Arab Emirates

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio (C, top) meets with GCC foreign ministers during his visit to the Middle East to discuss with Arab Gulf allies the interim deal between the U.S. and Iran on June 25 in Manama.

While Qatar and Saudi Arabia explore restoring trade ties with Iran, the United Arab Emirates is aligning its security with Israel and the United States.

Divergent Approaches to Iran Expose Gulf Arab Splits

U.S. President Donald Trump holds a press conference with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at his Mar-a-Lago club on Dec. 29, 2025, in Palm Beach, Florida. 

Declining public approval and notable primary losses for traditional pro-Israel lawmakers suggest that a future U.S. Congress will increasingly push for military assistance to be conditioned.

U.S.-Israeli Ties Likely To Continue Cooling as Public Opinion Sours

Columns

On Geopolitics

A 3D satellite-style visualization of the Strait of Hormuz in the Persian Gulf.

As the Iran war drags on, the Strait of Hormuz is increasingly likely to remain closed for an extended period.

Will the Strait of Hormuz Remain Closed Until 2027?

People pass by a building in Ramat Gan, Israel, that was destroyed by an Iranian ballistic missile on May 5, 2026. 

Recent direct strikes between Israel and Iran did not immediately collapse the regional truce, but recurrent tit-for-tat escalations would reduce the chance of an agreement between Washington and Tehran.

Iran-Israel Escalation Threatens Negotiations To End Iran War

China

North Korea

Armenia

A banner depicting the closure of the Strait of Hormuz on June 3 in Tehran. There will be an elevated risk of sporadic U.S.-Iran clashes over the next week, as no signs of a diplomatic breakthrough in U.S.-Iran negotiations on a memorandum of understanding have emerged.

The Weekly Rundown: Armenian Elections, Xi Goes to North Korea

Smoke rises following Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon as seen from a position across the border in the Upper Galilee in northern Israel on May 31, 2026.

Should Israel-Lebanon talks stall, the U.S. would be more likely to greenlight a broader campaign against Hezbollah, though it could also pressure Israel into a more comprehensive truce if Trump deems it necessary for an Iran deal.

U.S. Mediation Unlikely To Lead to Lasting Israel-Hezbollah Ceasefire

Israel lives under difficult geopolitical circumstances. A small country with limited resources and surrounded by potentially hostile neighbors, Israel survives by allying with powers that do have the resources to manage the balance of power in the Middle East — namely, the United States. Its geographic position also means that Israel must manage complex relations with its Muslim neighbors by quiet collaboration, by exploiting divisions, and by parlaying its technological and economic advantages into create strategic dependencies. To navigate all the challenges presented by the Middle East, Israel will remain agile in its diplomacy and, when the situation warrants, steadfast in its pre-emptive strikes, its covert activities and its economic relationships.

SITUATION REPORTS

Israel, Gaza: Minor International Force Approved for Gaza

U.S., Saudi Arabia: Trump Announces Apparent Changes to Civilian Nuclear Deal

Lebanon: U.S.-Brokered Deal Yields Partial Israeli Withdrawal From Southern Lebanon

Gaza: Hamas Names Khalil al-Haya as New Leader

Israel: Election Season Begins as Knesset Dissolves

Israel: Supreme Court Freezes Ultra-Orthodox Draft Exemption Law After Passage

U.S., Iran: U.S. Official Claims Iran Negotiations Will Continue Despite Renewed Clashes

Palestinian Territories, Israel: Hamas Dissolves Gaza Administrative Body

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