Russia's credibility in the region was diminished by its backing of the Syrian regime, so it has limited cards to play. But Moscow stands to benefit from Western distraction in its war on Ukraine.

While a mass exodus of Palestinians from Gaza would be a dream for Israel, Egyptians worry this could effectively end the dream of a Palestinian state.

Hamas's surprise offensive has hit Israel with its third great surprise of a long-running conflict, and political change will follow, just like after the October War and the Intifada.

Kyiv now controls state-of-the-art armour. Its strategies will determine if the hardware can help change a complex war under skies it does not control, or if the arrival is just symbolic.

Reconciliation with Iran should be viewed with great caution as the Gaza war offers a snapshot of the dangers of peace. The US can do more to assure Gulf allies in this evolving regional landscape.

Egypt makes contacts to broker a cessation of hostilities between Gaza and Israel, amid fears of spillover effects of the war.

The new book by Rory Stewart, an erstwhile member of parliament, is quite a hefty tome. At well over 400 pages, it would have benefited from some judicious editing.

There are several reasons why Hamas attacked Israel, including restoring its dwindling credibility. But it is crucial to acknowledge Israel's antagonising behaviour as one of the key motivations.

Will an expanded BRICS challenge the US-led Western order? The answer: unlikely in the foreseeable future.

The scale of Israel's escalation — and whether or not Hezbollah will become directly engaged in the battle — will be the first and most critical field test of the "unity of arenas" doctrine.