Gaza is a war without end. American interests must be reassessed.

MENASource Jun 24, 2025

Dispatch from the Gulf: Finding middle ground amid Israel-Iran war

By Allison Minor

Congressional delegation visit coincided with Israel and Iran squaring off in a direct military confrontation.
Iran Israel
Gaza is a war without end. American interests must be reassessed.

MENASource Jun 18, 2025

Dispatch from Jerusalem: Inside Israel’s bunkers as Iran war erupts

By Sarah Zaaimi

The stakes are higher as two opposing rhetorics about the region’s future are at play: Pan-Abrahamism and Revolutionary Islamism.
Civil Society Iran
Gaza is a war without end. American interests must be reassessed.

Inflection Points Jun 14, 2025

Israel’s Iran strike provides a historic chance for Middle East realignment

By Frederick Kempe

History will remember this moment less for the Israeli strikes themselves and more for what follows.
Iran Israel

Israel-Hamas war

Experts from across the Atlantic Council are providing insight and analysis at speed and in depth on the October 7, 2023 Hamas attack, Israel’s response, and how the emerging conflict is upending the Middle East and the world.

Programs

The N7 Initiative, a partnership between the Atlantic Council and the Jeffrey M. Talpins Foundation, seeks to broaden and deepen normalization between Israel and Arab and Muslim countries. It works with governments to produce actionable recommendations to deliver tangible benefits to their people.

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Content

MENASource

Oct 29, 2024

Gaza is a war without end. American interests must be reassessed.

By Frederic C. Hof

Israel’s appraisal of what it faces and its actions concerning civilians make it difficult for Washington to uphold a key strategic partnership without suffering severe diplomatic reversals in the region and around the world.

Conflict
Israel

Experts react

Oct 26, 2024

Experts react: Israel has hit back at Iran with airstrikes. Is this the road to war or an off-ramp?

By Atlantic Council experts

Our experts share their insights on what Israel’s retaliatory strikes against Iran could mean for the prospect of further Israeli-Iranian escalation.

Conflict
Crisis Management

New Atlanticist

Oct 25, 2024

Israel’s attack in Iran means full-scale war is closer than ever. Here’s what Iran is thinking now.

By Danny Citrinowicz  

Iran's leaders fear a full-scale war with Israel, but can they absorb this attack without retaliating and thus be exposed to future attacks?

Conflict
Iran

MENASource

Oct 24, 2024

Tragic death of aid worker underscores Gaza’s postwar challenge

By Alicia Nieves

The international community has long been criticized for its inaction as Hamas gradually tightened its control over NGOs and civil institutions.

Conflict
Israel

Report

Oct 22, 2024

The economic and social costs of the war in Gaza

By Perrihan Al-Riffai

After a year of war, Israel, the Palestinian territories, and neighboring countries need a permanent ceasefire. But with development gains erased, billions of dollars in infrastructure damaged, and skyrocketing unemployment, the Middle East also urgently needs a solid reconstruction plan.

Conflict
Israel

EnergySource

Oct 21, 2024

Despite panicked markets, Israel is unlikely to attack Iranian oil facilities

By Ellen Wald

Israeli officials have promised “significant retaliation” in response to Iran’s October 1 attack and have hinted that they could target Iran’s oil infrastructure. However, the likelihood of such an attack is quite low due to several technical, economic, and geopolitical factors.

Energy & Environment
Geopolitics & Energy Security

Fast Thinking

Oct 17, 2024

After Sinwar’s death, what’s next for Iran’s Axis of Resistance?

By Atlantic Council

Israel's killing of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar raises big questions about the future of Iran's proxy groups. Our experts answer them.

Conflict
Israel

New Atlanticist

Oct 17, 2024

Experts react: Yahya Sinwar is dead. Here’s what’s next for Hamas, Gaza, Israel, and the Middle East.

By Atlantic Council experts

Israel confirmed on Thursday that it had killed the Hamas leader. Atlantic Council experts share their insights on what this means for the immediate conflict and beyond.

Conflict
Israel

In the News

Oct 11, 2024

Marc Polymeropoulos analyzes recent Israeli intelligence successes in Foreign Policy

On October 10, Foreign Policy published an op-ed co-authored by Marc Polymeropoulos, nonresident senior fellow at Forward Defense, David V. Gioe, and Elena Grossfeld, about the renaissance of Israel’s intelligence after the failure of October 7.

Intelligence
Israel

In the News

Oct 11, 2024

Michael Groen shares his thoughts on Iran’s ballistic missile attack against Israel and the possibility of an Israeli response on Bloomberg Businessweek

On October 2, [Retired/Former] US Marine Corps Lieutenant General Michael Groen, nonresident senior fellow at Forward Defense, spoke with the Bloomberg Businessweek podcast regarding Iran’s missile attack against Israel and Israel’s possible response.

Israel
Lebanon
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Experts

Fellow

Jonathan R. Cohen

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Greece Iraq

Fellow

Ahmed F. Alkhatib

Resident Senior Fellow, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Arabic Conflict

Fellow

Jean-Loup Samaan

Nonresident Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Arabic Defense Policy

Fellow

Daniel B. Shapiro

Distinguished Fellow, Scowcroft Middle East Security Initiative

Conflict English

Fellow

Ali Faqeeh

Senior Fellow

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Energy & Environment Geopolitics & Energy Security

Staff

William F. Wechsler

Senior Director, Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

Rafik Hariri Center & Middle East programs

National Security Middle East
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