A privately funded, non-partisan think tank on the Persian Gulf
Since late July, US and Iranian forces have resumed strikes across the Middle East after a brief pause. The US and Saudi Arabia have carried out airstrikes on pro‑Iran militias in Iraq; Iran has launched ballistic missiles and drones at US forces and commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz; regional actors including the Houthis are expanding pressure on Red Sea routes. Diplomatic talks remain fragmented.
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan have signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement, establishing a mutual defence framework. The pact treats an armed attack on any member as an attack on all, while stopping short of detailing automatic troop deployment. It builds on prior defense ties and signals a move toward a more regionally driven security order amid heightened Gulf tensions and Iran-Israel dynamics.
The balance of power in the Middle East remains centered on Iran and regional deterrence. Analysts say Israel’s security doctrine rests on breaking Iran, holding buffer zones, and using force to deter enemies, with no prospect of a broad shift toward Palestinian diplomacy after the election.