Author: Steven Sahiounie

By: Steven Sahiounie journalist and political commentator Rising geopolitical tensions across the Middle East are pushing critical maritime chokepoints—particularly the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait—toward a potential crisis that could trigger one of the most severe global energy shocks since the 1970s. Recent statements attributed to a senior leader of Yemen’s Houthi movement underscore the seriousness of the situation. Speaking to Reuters, the official stated, “We are at full military readiness with all options available. The timing of any action is left to leadership. We are closely monitoring developments and know when action is required.” Strategic Chokepoints…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator According to unnamed sources reported by the Times of Israel, senior officials from multiple Gulf capitals have said a significant shift is underway in regional strategy. Some key states, according the Israeli media, are in favor of continuing the Israeli-U.S. war on Iran in order to substantially degrade Iran’s military capabilities According to four high-ranking officials speaking on condition of anonymity, countries such as United Arab Emirates, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Bahrain are increasingly aligned on the need to ensure that Iran emerges from the war significantly weakened and unable to pose a continued…

By: Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Egypt has issued a strong condemnation of Israel’s ground incursion into southern Lebanon, describing it as a “flagrant violation of Lebanese sovereignty” and a serious breach of international law and the United Nations Charter. In an official statement, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed full solidarity with Lebanon, stressing its firm rejection of any infringement on its sovereignty or territorial integrity. Cairo called for the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces and urged full implementation of United Nations Security Council Resolution 1701, emphasizing the importance of enabling Lebanese institutions, particularly the army, to maintain…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator The geopolitical landscape of the Middle East began a profound transformation beginning with the ‘Arab Spring’ in 2011. The current US-Israeli war on Iran is the latest link in the chain of events shaping the region. In the decades after 1948, the Middle Eastern conflict was perceived to be a Palestinian-Israeli conflict over land, human rights and freedom. However, the US and Israel have been successful in the last few decades in shifting the focus away from the Palestinian issue to a fragmented Sunni-Shia divide. Proponents of this view argue that this transformation did…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentatorTurkey is increasingly finding itself involved in a widening regional crisis as tensions linked to the ongoing conflict between Iran, the United States, and Israel continue to escalate. On Friday, March 13, the Turkish Ministry of Defense announced that NATO air defenses stationed in the Eastern Mediterranean intercepted a ballistic missile launched from Iran toward Turkish territory. The ministry demanded an explanation from Tehran, marking the third such missile incident since early March.However, the Iranian Embassy in Ankara stated on X, that no projectile had been launched from Iran towards Turkey.NATO later confirmed that its…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator On March 8, Iran’s Assembly of Experts announced that Ayatollah Mojtaba Hosseini Khamenei has been elected as the new Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, succeeding his father Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was assassinated by a joint U.S.–Israeli military strike on Tehran on February 28. Mojtaba Khamenei, 56, assumes the country’s highest authority at a critical moment for Iran. His predecessor and father, Ali Khamenei, led the country for more than three decades after assuming the role in 1989. The elder Khamenei was killed at the age of 86 in Tehran at…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Lebanon has been thrust into the epicenter of a widening regional war begun by the unprovoked attack on Iran carried out by Israel and Iran resulting in the death of Iran’s Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, on February 28. Hezbollah, a Lebanese resistance group supported by Iran, began a series of cross-border exchanges, which quickly transformed into a high-stakes military confrontation, marked by Israeli ground incursions, intensive aerial bombardments, and a landmark—yet controversial—decision by the Lebanese government to ban Hezbollah’s military activities. The current wave of Israeli attacks surged after Hezbollah launched a high-profile missile…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator On March 3, the American Embassy in Riyadh, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, was hit by a drone, not fired from Iran, but fired from Iraq. Previously, Iraqi militias aligned with Iran had claimed 16 operations using military drones aimed at hitting enemy targets both inside Iraq and beyond. These Iraqi militias follow hardline positions against American allies in the Middle East. The Iraqi militias are standing with their ally Iran, after the unprovoked February 28 attack by the US and Israel on Iran that resulted in the killing of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator Saudi Arabia has planned to designate Syria as the primary transit country for the East-to-Mediterranean Data Corridor (EMC), a major fiber-optic cable project linking the Kingdom to Greece and Europe. This marks a significant shift from the original route, which was planned to pass through Israel. The EMC project was announced in 2022 as a partnership involving Saudi Telecom Company (STC), Greece’s Public Power Corporation (PPC), Greek telecommunications firms, and satellite applications companies. Originally, the cable route was designed to pass through Saudi Arabia, Jordan, and Israel before reaching Greece. However, normalization talks between…

Steven Sahiounie, journalist and political commentator On February 13, dozens of Palestinians were injured as Israeli settlers carried out attacks across the occupied West Bank, destroying olive trees and vandalizing property. The Israeli military protected the settlers as they wounded about 54 Palestinians in attacks in several towns and villages. Near Talfit, Palestinian farmers were attacked by Israeli settlers south of Nablus in the West Bank. Israeli troops attacked Palestinians with tear gas and live ammunition after some had come to the aid of the farmers. Homes in the village were left with broken windows and cars were left with…