Donald Trump

Al Majalla publishes the US president's plan for a phased hostage/prisoner release over 60 days during a temporary end to the bombing that gives both sides time to negotiate a permanent agreement.

The notion of the US as an honest broker was always a dubious one, particularly given its largely unquestioning support for Israel, but its recent actions towards Iran shatter the concept completely

The US security umbrella will focus on Iran's direct threats, but regional states should deal with Tehran's residual proxy groups in the region

Determined to show that Saddam Hussein possessed WMDs to justify the US invasion of Iraq, George W. Bush prioritised intel that supported his preferred outcome

Keen to keep the US president in their good graces, member states agree to contribute more to the alliance's budget, but fail to secure firm pledges on supporting Ukraine in its war with Russia

Israel sees an opportunity to eliminate a strategic regional rival, but the future course of events primarily hinges on what Trump decides to do next

Years of painstaking intelligence work went into the operation that activated vast networks of operatives and involved multiple layers of subterfuge

De-escalation is in the overwhelming interest of most countries in the region and the world, and we could see many extend a hand to help bring the conflict to an end