MENASource brings you up-close to a region at the epicenter of geo-political headlines. It is the Atlantic Council’s hub for in-depth commentary about breaking news, key topics, and trends from our team of experts on the Middle East and North Africa.

The views expressed in MENASource are solely those of the authors and do not reflect the views of the Atlantic Council, its staff, or its supporters.

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The Rise of ISIS in Lebanon

MENASource
Jan 14, 2026

Voices from Iran: As rejection of government reaches all-time high, Iranians also wary of foreign intervention

If Trump is serious about peace, stability, and a lasting legacy, the path forward does not run through air strikes or transactional deals with a failing theocracy.

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The Rise of ISIS in Lebanon

MENASource
Jan 28, 2026

Trump’s National Security Strategy doesn’t downgrade the Middle East, it redefines it

By
Kristian Alexander

Trump’s strategy is a sophisticated refinement of “America First.” For the Gulf, the implications are significant, but manageable.

Middle East
National Security

The Rise of ISIS in Lebanon

MENASource
Jan 13, 2026

Eight questions (and expert answers) on the SDF’s withdrawal from Syria’s Aleppo

By
Atlantic Council experts

Our experts unpack why violence erupted, what it means for Kurdish safety and integration in Syria, and how Washington is engaging.

Civil Society
Conflict

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Content

MENASource

Dec 2, 2015

The Rise of ISIS in Lebanon

By Mona Alami

The Dahieh bomb blast on November 12 was the first to target Beirut’s southern suburbs since June 2014, when a suicide car bomb killed a General Security officer. In the period between July 2013 and February 2014, jihadist extremists targeted Hezbollah-dominated areas in nine separate attacks.

Middle East
Syria

MENASource

Dec 1, 2015

Sudanese Refugees on Egypt’s Border

By Tom Rollins

With 15 Sudanese refugees or migrants gunned down on Egypt’s border with Israel on November 15, and another five killed by Egyptian border guards a week later, Egypt is witnessing the worst case of violence against Sudanese refugees since 2005. At the time, police brutally dispersed a sit-in, where refugees were protesting UNHCR’s decision to […]

North Africa
Sudan

MENASource

Dec 1, 2015

Top News: Al-Qaeda Threatens Saudi Arabia Over Plan to Execute Prisoners

By MENASource

Al-Qaeda’s affiliate in Yemen threatened the Saudi government in a statement on social media over the government’s plan to carry out a mass execution of 50 prisoners, some of whom are al-Qaeda members. Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP) said it was aware of Saudi intentions to execute its members in Saudi prisons and pledged to carry […]

MENASource

Dec 1, 2015

Top News: Sisi for Climate Change Deal, but Demands Western Funding

By EgyptSource

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, representing African nations at a UN summit on climate change in Paris, said African countries are, compared to developed nations, less responsible for emissions of greenhouses gases that cause climate change.

MENASource

Dec 1, 2015

EconSource: Russia says Turkey Shot Down Russian plane to Defend Oil Supplies from ISIS

By EconSource

Russian President Vladimir Putin said yesterday that Turkey downed a Russian warplane on November 24 in order to protect oil supplies from the Islamic State (ISIS or ISIL).

MENASource

Dec 1, 2015

Migrants, Extremism, and US Policy

By MENASource

An interview with Ambassador R. Nicholas Burns Migrants fleeing conflicts across the Middle East have washed up on European shores, but the global response–particularly after the terrorist incidents that took place in Paris two weeks ago–has left these refugees with few options. Stemming from a fear of terrorist infiltration, many countries are either in the […]

Iraq
Syria

MENASource

Nov 30, 2015

EconSource: Russia Bans Imports From Turkey, Egypt Offers Replacement Goods

By MENASource

Russia’s government announced sanctions against Turkey on Monday, banning imports of fruit and vegetables, but warned that the scale of restrictions may increase. In the wake of the downing of a Russian jet that violated Turkish air space—Russia, one of Turkey’s largest markets for exports after Germany—has already halted most tourism to Turkey, which is […]

MENASource

Nov 30, 2015

Top News: Germany Considers Sending up to 1,200 Troops on Syria Mission

By MENASource

The German government is planning to send up to 1,200 troops to help in the fight against ISIS. Defense Ministry spokesman Jens Flosdorff said Monday that the figure would be an “upper limit” for the number of troops needed to provide support for and operate reconnaissance aircraft, tanker planes, and a warship.

MENASource

Nov 30, 2015

Top News: Ismailia Detainee Dies in Custody; Interior Ministry Will Not Tolerate Individual Police Violations

By EgyptSource

Two people died last weekend in police stations in Luxor and Ismailia, amid allegations of torture. In response to a backlash, the Ministry of Interior issued a statement Sunday saying said there is a no tolerance policy with regards to individual violations from policemen.

MENASource

Nov 25, 2015

Top News: Putin Sends Air Defense Missiles to Syria; Erdogan and Obama Seek to Ease Tensions

By MENASource

On Wednesday, Russian President Vladimir Putin ordered state-of-the art air defense missile systems to be deployed to a Russian airbase in Syria following the downing of a Russian warplane by Turkey on Tuesday. Despite the deployment, Russian FM Sergei Lavrov insisted it does not plan to wage war against Turkey.

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