Al Majalla’s cover story last week looked at the US naval blockade on Iranian oil exports. Alex Vatanka questions whether Washington can sustain the pressure at an acceptable cost, noting Iran’s willingness to endure and its proven track record of outlasting US pressure. For his part, Abdelrahman Ayas explains that even if Tehran can absorb the financial losses, when ships leaving Iranian ports are seized, oil buyers are hurt, as are all stakeholders in the chain, making countries more reluctant to do business with Tehran. And Marco Mossad pens a piece titled Iran’s 'mosquito fleet' presents a pesky problem. In it, he says, “The Strait of Hormuz is now poised to become the primary arena of confrontation, with Iran relying on speedboat-driven guerrilla warfare to confront the US navy.” Meanwhile, Brian Katulis explains why America’s Gulf partners should have a seat at the Iran negotiation table, asserting that a resolution will not last without input from Iran’s Arab neighbours. 

Switching gears, Ibrahim Hamidi pens a piece titled US call for UN "reform" reveals its China anxieties. "Recently published documents show a US no longer willing to finance an international system that doesn’t reflect its strategic priorities and allows its adversaries a seat at the table," he writes. And Houssam Itani comments on the polarised political landscape in Lebanon, asserting that attempts at finding a magical ‘middle ground’ that accommodates both supporters and detractors of Hezbollah are futile, especially given Israel’s maximalist demands. 

Meanwhile, Majed Kayali unpacks Israel’s turn towards savagery, explaining how Tel Aviv’s gloves-off approach since 2023 didn't emerge out of the blue and is deeply rooted in Zionist and Israeli military ideology. For his part, Asaad Ghanem turns our attention to Israel’s domestic scene following the Iran war, explaining how many in the country are not buying into Netanyahu’s claim that Israel won the war. Instead, many believe Israel actually lost the war and are accusing the Israeli prime minister of having led the country into "strategic collapse and diplomatic catastrophe”.

And moving to Europe, Khattar Abu Diab looks at the implications of Viktor Orbán’s defeat in Hungary polls last month. “After 16 years, there is finally a political transition in Budapest. This is an annoyance in Moscow and Washington, a relief in Brussels, and a warning to Europe’s populists.

And last but not least, in Culture, Ibrahim Adel looks at the Arab women raising the bar in international travel literature, while Turki Harbi reviews The witty Saudi dram-com topping Netflix charts.