Seth J. Frantzman

Rhetoric is one thing. Action is another. The bombing of Syria is not entirely new. Israel carried out thousands of airstrikes before the fall of the Assad regime in December 2024.

The US has slammed European allies and allies such as South Korea. Threats to Oman show that the White House is willing to threaten partners and friends of the US.

Iran’s drone strike on the Kurdistan Region may showcase new capabilities while warning Erbil and Washington that Tehran is willing to redraw regional red lines.

Two drones launched from Iran targeted offices linked to KRG Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and a senior security official, with no casualties reported.

This is the second time that Trump has threatened Oman. It has not appeared fazed by these threats. It knows that it has to navigate a changed regional and international landscape.

Nechirvan Barzani’s ties with Washington, Tehran and regional Kurdish actors have positioned Iraqi Kurdistan as a key diplomatic bridge.

Three drones were intercepted over Erbil, the capital of Iraq’s Kurdistan Region, as Baghdad seeks to bring armed groups under state control and rein in Iran-backed militias.

Syria is expanding its airline network, adding flights from numerous countries over the past year as Damascus seeks to reconnect with the region and Europe.

Iraq’s militias have threatened US forces and Israel in the past. They have kidnapped journalists and carried out hundreds of attacks on the Kurdistan Region of northern Iraq.

The new emergence of an alliance between what may be termed “middle powers” in the region illustrates how countries want to work closely together amid growing uncertainty over the future of the world