Middle East

The Middle East is undergoing a transformative moment where the old order is vanishing and a new one is beginning to take shape. Wars in Gaza and Iran, the evolution of terrorist groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, and the fall of Bashar al Assad have dramatically changed the region, leading to unprecedented conflict and alliances in the midst of changing economies and energy flows. CSIS experts grapple with these fast-moving developments and explore questions surrounding issues such as geopolitics and geostrategy, governance, counterterrorism, economics, and water security.

Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

Photo: BRENDAN SMIALOWSKI/AFP via Getty Images

MBS in Washington: What’s Next for U.S.–Saudi Relations?

CSIS experts Mona Yacoubian and Michael Ratney, the former U.S. ambassador to Saudi Arabia, unpack Mohammed bin Salman’s upcoming visit to Washington and what it means for U.S.-Saudi relations moving forward.

Transcript — November 6, 2025

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Jon Alterman

Jon B. Alterman

Zbigniew Brzezinski Chair in Global Security and Geostrategy
Seth G. Jones

Seth G. Jones

President, Defense and Security Department; Harold Brown Chair
Daniel Byman

Daniel Byman

Director, Warfare, Irregular Threats, and Terrorism Program
Will Todman

Will Todman

Chief of Staff, Geopolitics and Foreign Policy Department; and Senior Fellow, Middle East Program

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What Comes Next for Israel-Hamas Ceasefire?

On October 8, President Donald Trump announced that Israel and Hamas had agreed to the first phase of his peace deal for Gaza. Mona Yacoubian and Will Todman unpack the agreement’s timing, Trump’s role, remaining challenges, and regional ramifications.

Critical Questions by Mona Yacoubian and Will Todman — October 9, 2025

Responding to Trump’s New Foreign Policy Paradigm

Please join the CSIS Geopolitics and Foreign Policy (GFP) Department for a discussion of the ways in which U.S. allies and partners around the world are navigating the Trump administration’s policies.

Event — October 6, 2025