<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

Mali

Anti-riot police officers on April 8 in front of the Algerian Embassy in Bamako, Mali. While a full-scale military conflict remains very unlikely, Mali's legal challenge against Algeria ensures that diplomatic and security friction will define the relationship for the foreseeable future.

Military & Security

Politics

While a full-scale military conflict remains very unlikely, Mali's legal challenge against Algeria ensures that diplomatic and security friction will define the relationship for the foreseeable future.

Mali's ICJ Case Against Algeria Will Deepen Diplomatic Standoff in the Sahel

Columns

On Geopolitics

A mosque in March 2025 in Herat, Afghanistan. Whether Islamism revives as in the Levant, evolves pragmatically through parties with Islamic values as in Turkey, or changes beyond all recognition remains up in the air.

Israel-Hamas Conflict

Whether Islamism revives as in the Levant, evolves pragmatically through parties with Islamic values as in Turkey, or changes beyond all recognition remains up in the air.

The Future of Islamism in the Middle East

Chile

United States

Europe

United Kingdom

Russia

Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman al-Thani addresses a press conference following Israeli strikes in Doha on Sept. 9, 2025. 

Economics

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

The Weekly Rundown: Qatar Hosts an Arab-Islamic Summit, EU Announces New Sanctions on Russia

U.S.-China Relations

A picture taken from a distance shows the damaged building (L) in the Qatari compound housing members of Hamas' political bureau on Sept. 10, 2025. Israel targeted the building the previous day in a strike in Qatar's capital, Doha. 

Israel's Sept. 9 airstrikes in Qatar will likely harden the stances of Iranian-backed groups, keep normalization with Saudi Arabia off the table and drive more assertive postures from other regional states.

The Regional Implications of Israel's Strikes in Qatar

A vehicle in a U.S. military convoy drives in Arbil, the capital of Iraqi Kurdistan.

The U.S. drawdown from Iraq will weaken Washington's direct influence while creating more space for Turkey to expand economically and Iran to gradually reassert itself through political and militia networks. 

Iraq's Shifting Power Dynamics After U.S. Withdrawal

Snapshots

Smoke billows after explosions in Qatar's capital of Doha on Sept. 9. The attack will reduce the odds of a ceasefire in Gaza as Qatar walks back from its role as mediator and reassesses its regional diplomatic and security strategy.

The attack will reduce the odds of a ceasefire in Gaza as Qatar walks back from its role as mediator and reassesses its regional diplomatic and security strategy.

Israel's Attack on Hamas' Political Leadership Scrambles Qatar's Regional Role

Ethiopia

Brazil

Japan

France

French Prime Minister Francois Bayrou leaves after the weekly cabinet meeting at the Elysee Palace in Paris, France, on Aug. 27, 2025.

The Weekly Rundown: France's Bayrou Faces a Confidence Vote, Ethiopia Inaugurates Its Mega-Dam

Sub-Saharan Africa

Americas

Asia-Pacific

Eurasia

South Asia

The Geopolitics of Trade

Energy

Environment, Science & Technology

Global Trade

Geopolitical, security and environmental risks threaten to disrupt trade through crucial waterways, including the Bab el-Mandeb strait, the Suez Canal, the Danish and Turkish straits, and the Panama Canal.

The Geopolitics of Trade: Threats to Maritime Chokepoints Endanger Global Trade, Part 2

Diverse security risks threaten maritime chokepoints around the world, presenting unique challenges to international trade.

The Geopolitics of Trade: Threats to Maritime Chokepoints Endanger Global Trade, Part 1

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan speaks after the Presidential Cabinet meeting on May 12, 2025, in Istanbul, Turkey.

The process remains fragile amid the risk of stalled progress on the PKK's disarmament, the lingering threat of Kurdish militant attacks, and the potential for empty government promises.

Threats to the Turkish-Kurdish Peace Process

Israel reportedly presented Syria with a proposal for a security agreement with a map that includes demilitarized zones south of Damascus up to the border with Israel, Axios reported on Sept. 16. 

Israel, Syria: Israel Presents Syria With Maximalist Proposal for Security Agreement

A spokesperson for the Israeli military announced that the Israel Defense Forces, or IDF, had launched a ground offensive in Gaza City, The New York Times reported on Sept. 16.

Israel, Palestinian Territories: Israel Launches Ground Operations in Gaza City

Members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and the Arab League met in Doha, Qatar, to condemn Israel's recent airstrike on the country, but little concrete action emerged from the summit due to significant disagreements between attendees, AP reported on Sept. 15. 

Qatar, Israel: Doha Summit Condemns Israel's Attack on Qatar but Produces Little Concrete Action

Sudan

Sudan's Sovereignty Council, the governing body backed by the Sudanese Armed Forces, or SAF, rejected a Sept. 12 proposal by the United States, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates for a three-month humanitarian truce with the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, or RSF, after the RSF launched drone strikes on critical infrastructure in White Nile state, Sudan Tribune reported on Sept. 14.

Sudan: SAF Rejects Truce Proposals From U.S.-Led Quartet

A Turkish court announced that it would delay ruling until Oct. 24 on the contentious case which could oust Ozgur Ozel, the leader of the main opposition party, the Republican People's Party or CHP, Reuters reported Sept. 15.

Turkey: Court Delays Ruling on Main Opposition Leader's Case

Canada

South Korea

EU ambassadors discussed whether the bloc’s 150 billion euro ($176 billion) Security Action for Europe (SAFE) loan facility for defense investments and joint procurement could be used to finance arms purchases from the United Kingdom and Canada, with France pushing to cap such purchases at 50% of their value to prioritize EU-based defense manufacturers, Euractiv reported on Sept. 12.

EU: Member States Debate Third-Country Participation in SAFE Defense Joint Procurement Initiative

Somalia

Egypt is reportedly set to deploy troops to Somalia under the African Union Support and Stabilization Mission (AUSSOM) to counter the al Qaeda-affiliated militia al Shabaab, which maintains strongholds in central and southern Somalia, Garowe Online reported on Sept. 9.

Somalia, Egypt: Cairo Prepares To Deploy Troops in Somalia, Identifies Key Military Bases

Following Israel's strike on Doha, Qatar, on Sept. 9, the European Union, the United States, the Gulf Cooperation Council, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, Kuwait, Jordan, Iran, Egypt, Iraq and others criticized the attack, Al Jazeera reported the same day.

Israel: International Condemnation Follows Israeli Airstrike on Qatar

Middle East and North Africa

SITUATION REPORTS

Israel, Syria: Israel Presents Syria With Maximalist Proposal for Security Agreement

Israel, Palestinian Territories: Israel Launches Ground Operations in Gaza City

Qatar, Israel: Doha Summit Condemns Israel's Attack on Qatar but Produces Little Concrete Action

Sudan: SAF Rejects Truce Proposals From U.S.-Led Quartet

Turkey: Court Delays Ruling on Main Opposition Leader's Case

EU: Member States Debate Third-Country Participation in SAFE Defense Joint Procurement Initiative

Somalia, Egypt: Cairo Prepares To Deploy Troops in Somalia, Identifies Key Military Bases

Israel: International Condemnation Follows Israeli Airstrike on Qatar

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