Opinion

The release of the 86 detainees is, without doubt, welcome news for their families. But the legally questionable means used to secure the exchange should not be overlooked.

European leaders find themselves in the awkward position of either infuriating the US if they don't join the war or provoking Iran if they do.

Israel's latest war on Hezbollah is amplifying existing sectarian divisions and increasing the prospect of civil strife

Wars are not always waged as an instrument of expansion; sometimes they are an attempt to slow down decline

If Iran's regime isn't defeated or severely weakened, it will continue to be able to strong-arm countries across the region, threatening their security, and hold the global economy hostage.

It suggests that Syria's new rulers may be narrowing the space for diversity even as they claim to be building a more inclusive order

Washington wants to strip Iran of its ability to develop a nuclear weapon arsenal, whereas Tel Aviv appears intent on regime change

By summoning Hezbollah to the battlefield, Iran is almost certainly sealing the Lebanese group's fate

The most important lesson of Syria's experience is not that hereditary republics necessarily fall quickly; it is that the contradiction they planted at the heart of the republic remains alive

The Lebanese government has effectively chosen war with Israel because of its unwillingness to risk civil war and take on Hezbollah

The Iranians are proving to be remarkably resilient despite suffering significant losses, and knock-on effects from the war are trickling down fast to consumers around the world

The Lebanese domestic front needs to be ripe before Israel can swoop in to deal Hezbollah the final death blow it hopes for