Colombia

Mexico

United States

Military & Security

Politics

The White House announced on May 6 that U.S. President Donald Trump had signed the new United States Counterterrorism Strategy on May 5.

U.S.: President Trump Signs New Counterterrorism Strategy

Iran

United Arab Emirates

On May 7, senior U.S. officials told a Fox News reporter that the United States had struck Iran's Qeshm island and Bandar Abbas, though they added that this was not a resumption of the war, and the strikes appear to be limited in scope.

U.S., Iran: U.S. Launches Military Strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas

U.S.-Iran Relations

Algeria

Morocco

The Polisario Front claimed responsibility for a May 5 projectile attack in Smara, a city in the Moroccan-controlled part of Western Sahara, targeting areas near the city prison and cemetery and resulting in one injury, according to Moroccan authorities, Hespress reported on May 7.

Morocco, Western Sahara: Polisario Front Claims Responsibility for Smara Attack

Somalia

Israel

Turkey

India

Turkey is looking to test its Yildirimhan intercontinental ballistic missile, which has a range of 6,000 kilometers (3,728 miles), and its medium-range ballistic missile Tayfun-4, which has a range of over 2,000 kilometers, from its spaceport in Somalia, potentially as early as this year, Bloomberg reported on May 6, quoting people familiar with the matter.

Turkey: Ankara Reportedly Eyes ICBM Launch From Somali Spaceport

Democratic Republic of the Congo

Congolese President Felix Tshisekedi said he would be ready for a third term if the Congolese people so decide, while warning that the 2028 elections may not be possible unless insecurity in the eastern region is resolved, RFI reported on May 6.

Congo: President Hints at Possible Third Term and Election Delay Beyond 2028, Citing Insecurity in the East

Cambodia

Philippines

Thailand

Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul and Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet met on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit in Cebu, Philippines, and agreed to rebuild trust, normalize relations and pursue peace after deadly border clashes in 2025, Bloomberg reported on May 7.

Thailand, Cambodia: Leaders Pledge To Rebuild Ties After 2025 Border Clashes

Oman

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia suspended U.S. rights to use Prince Sultan Air Base and Saudi airspace to support President Donald Trump's short-lived Project Freedom guiding mission in the Strait of Hormuz, NBC News reported on May 6.

U.S., Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Effectively Vetoed the U.S.' Project Freedom

Ukraine

Russia

Russia-Ukraine Conflict

The U.S. Department of State approved a foreign military sale to Ukraine of up to $374 million worth of extended-range Joint Direct Attack Munition kits and related equipment, Bloomberg reported on May 5. 

U.S., Ukraine: Washington Approves Guided Bomb Kit Sale To Sustain Ukraine's Precision-Strike Capacity

The world is connected, but even the broadest topics deserve an individual look. Below are our latest and most relevant military analyses. 

Below are our latest and most relevant military analyses. 

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Europe

Eurasia

Middle East and North Africa

South Asia

The Syrian Civil War

The Yemen Civil War

The Libyan Civil War

The Fight Against the Islamic State

The Nagorno-Karabakh Conflict

The India-Pakistan Rivalry

Cyber

The Ukraine Conflict

Tracking U.S. Naval Power

The Battle for Mosul

Rebalancing Power in the Middle East

Coping With a Nuclear North Korea

The Jihadist Wars

Echoes of the Cold War

Instability in Central Asia

South Asian Militancy

Pakistan: A Military With a Country

Snapshots

Russian officers patrol central Moscow on May 5, 2026, in front of the Kremlin, a few days ahead of the Victory Day military parade, to be held at Red Square on May 9. 

While Ukraine is unlikely to attack Moscow during the May 9 parade, its expanding long-range strike capabilities will steadily increase the war's political, economic and psychological toll on Russia ahead of the September elections.

Ukrainian Strikes Put Russia on Edge Ahead of Victory Day Parade

Assessments

Lebanon

People gather at the site of an Israeli airstrike that targeted Beirut's southern suburbs on May 6, 2026.

Israel's May 6 airstrike, which killed a top Hezbollah commander, will weaken the already tenuous April ceasefire and diminish prospects for U.S.-backed mediation, raising the risk of a return to a wider war.

Beirut Attack Further Dims Prospects for Lebanon-Israel Peace Talks

An Emirates Boeing 777 aircraft prepares for landing as a smoke plume rises from an ongoing fire near Dubai International Airport in Dubai on March 16.

A military response from the United States aiming to compel Iranian concessions without committing to ground operations could trigger a prolonged cycle of retaliatory attacks between U.S. allies and Iran.


Iran, U.S. Ceasefire at Elevated Risk of Collapse After Iran Attacks UAE

United Kingdom

While a Ukraine loan scheme will offer opportunities for British companies, it will not reintegrate the United Kingdom into EU defense structures.

A Small Step for EU-British Defense Cooperation

Media

Rwanda

Podcasts

Why is the United States involved in the mediation process? 

The Decision Advantage: Key Drivers of the Congo-Rwanda Conflict

Australia

Japan

An oil products tanker at Muscat Anchorage on March 21, 2026 at Sultan Qaboos Port in Muscat, Oman. 

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

The Weekly Rundown: U.K. Elections, Iran War Resumption Risk

What are the key domestic pressures impacting U.S. strategy?

The Decision Advantage: The Outlook for U.S.-Iran Negotiations

Iraq

A member of the Iraqi security forces stands guard next to a national flag as pilgrims march from the center of Baghdad toward the shrine of Imam Moussa al-Kadhim, the seventh of 12 revered imams in Shiite Islam, during an annual religious commemoration on Feb. 16, 2023.

Ali al-Zaidi's lack of experience and ties to a U.S.-sanctioned bank will complicate his attempts to form a government by the constitutional deadline.

Iraq's Prime Minister-Designate Likely To Struggle To Form Government

Mali

A digital illustration of Mali’s flag.

Recent attacks by al Qaeda affiliate JNIM pose a significant challenge to the junta's legitimacy, elevating the immediate threat of another military coup and signaling a progressive fragmentation of state authority as the jihadist group expands its reach.

Jihadist Onslaught Puts Mali on the Brink of Spiraling Chaos

Bahrain

Kuwait

Qatar

The city skyline in Dubai is seen at sunset.

Although Gulf capitals are increasingly investing in mid-tier autonomy and offensive capabilities, achieving total strategic independence remains constrained by their enduring need for high-end American systems.

The Future of GCC Defense and Security Strategies in a Changing Middle East

South Korea

Vietnam

Employees walk at the construction site of a gas metering station, part of the pipeline link between Bulgaria and Greece near the village of Malko Kadievo, on March 18, 2022. 

Economics

Energy

The Weekly Rundown: No U.S.-Iran Breakthrough, EU Ban on Spot Market Russian LNG

Social Issues

The Geopolitics of Demographics

Flatlining population growth will leave the Gulf Arab states reliant on specialized, high-tech militaries that are supplanted by foreign forces, exposing them to various long-term security vulnerabilities.

The Demographic Drag on Gulf States' Military Strength

Military & Security

SITUATION REPORTS

U.S.: President Trump Signs New Counterterrorism Strategy

U.S., Iran: U.S. Launches Military Strikes on Iran's Qeshm Island, Bandar Abbas

Morocco, Western Sahara: Polisario Front Claims Responsibility for Smara Attack

Turkey: Ankara Reportedly Eyes ICBM Launch From Somali Spaceport

Congo: President Hints at Possible Third Term and Election Delay Beyond 2028, Citing Insecurity in the East

Thailand, Cambodia: Leaders Pledge To Rebuild Ties After 2025 Border Clashes

U.S., Saudi Arabia: Riyadh Effectively Vetoed the U.S.' Project Freedom

U.S., Ukraine: Washington Approves Guided Bomb Kit Sale To Sustain Ukraine's Precision-Strike Capacity

Forecasts

ANALYSES

SECTIONS

Explore

Subscribe

Help & Support