Al Monitor

How might the recent attacks on tankers in the Red Sea impact peace efforts in the Middle East?

What should be the best approach for the US in dealing with tensions in the Strait of Hormuz?

U.S. forces carried out a multiround strike against Iran on Tuesday after Iran targeted three commercial shipping vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, with U.S. Central Command saying it hit over 80 targets total, including over 60 Iranian small boats. “U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) forces completed a new round of offensive strikes against Iran, July […]

How should countries respond to threats in important shipping routes like the Bab al-Mandeb Strait?

Yemen's pro-Iranian Houthi rebels have claimed attacks in the Red Sea on two Saudi oil tankers and say they will blockade the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a crucial passage into the Red Sea, as part of a maritime blockade of Saudi Arabia. - Gateway to the Red Sea - Known as the "Gate of Tears" in Arabic, the Bab al-Mandeb strait sits at the southern tip of the Red Sea, connecting it with the Gulf of Aden in the Indian Ocean

What are the different views on increasing military funding for the conflict with Iran?

The Pentagon seeks an additional $80 billion to cover the costs of the conflict and replenish depleted weapons stocks

What are the benefits and risks of allowing Ukraine to produce its own Patriot missiles?

By Gram Slattery and Humeyra Pamuk ANKARA, July 8 (Reuters) - President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that the United States would grant Ukraine a license to manufacture Patriot missile interceptors, a huge boost for Kyiv, which has long sought permission to produce the defensive weapons. "We're going to give a license to you to make Patriots. That's pretty cool. This way, you can't complain that we're not giving 'em enough," Trump said at a meeting with Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskiy at the NATO summit in Ankara

How should countries respond when they feel a leader has broken promises in international agreements?

July 18 (Reuters) - Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written statement on Saturday that repeated U.S. breaches of a memorandum of understanding signed by the presidents of Iran and the United States had shown that President Donald Trump's signature was "utterly worthless and devoid of credibility." Washington and Tehran have exchanged strikes after a ceasefire agreement fell apart last week, raising fears of a return to all-out war

What should our government consider when responding to conflicts with other countries like Iran?

Iran's president said his country is fighting a "full-scale war" with the United States, as Washington expanded its strikes across the Islamic republic and Tehran hit Gulf states. Iran in 'full-scale war' with US Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country was in a "full-scale war" with the United States and that Tehran should "accept the natural consequences of this resistance"

What are the possible effects of US military actions on peace and safety in the region?

The US has launched a new wave of strikes on Iran after two American soldiers were killed by Iranian strikes in Jordan

What are the different ways people view Ali Khamenei's leadership and its impact on Iran's future?

Iran's former supreme leader Ali Khamenei, who was killed in US-Israeli attacks in late February, is due to be buried on July 9 in the northeastern city of Mashhad. During nearly 36 years as Iran's supreme leader, Khamenei oversaw some of the most significant moments in the history of the Islamic republic. Here are key milestones in his life and leadership: - Early life - Khamenei was born on April 19, 1939, in the shrine city of Mashhad, where he later requested to be buried

How might Lebanon's relationship with the U.S. affect peace efforts in the region?

By Maya Gebeily and Tom Perry BEIRUT, July 19 (Reuters) - Lebanese President Joseph Aoun will make his first trip to the White House this week to present a plan to U.S. President Donald Trump on how to disarm Iran-backed militant group Hezbollah and secure Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon. Aoun, who served as the commander of Lebanon's U.S.-backed army before being elected president last year, is the first Lebanese head of state in nearly 20 years to visit the White House, where he will meet Trump face-to-face for the first time