This article is being written just hours after Iran launched a missile attack (January 8) against two military bases in Iraq. The targets were the Ein al-Assad base in western Iraq and the Harir base located some 70 miles west of the Iran-Iraq border. These bases host United States Forces, as well as International Coalition Forces that are fighting ISIS…

The Middle East is a chain of links. Everything is connected. Understanding the links is critical to developing an accurate picture of reality. I wanted to take the opportunity to provide a contextualized snapshot of the region along with my predictions of what we can expect in the short term. I hope you find this brief overview helpful.   Lebanon…

In Part 1 of my three-part analysis, “Alarms on the Lebanese – Israel Border might be Last Wake-up Call for Western Leaders” (September 11, 2019), I explained and contextualized the events of September 1, 2019, on the Israeli Lebanese border. In Part 2,  “Alarms on the Lebanese – Israeli Border (Part 2) Iran’s Hegemonic Modus Operandi” (September 13, 2019) I…

Over the past week, mass protests and riots have spread throughout Iraq’s major cities. Reportedly, more than 100 protestors have been killed, and more than 6,000 have been injured.  This is not the first time such protests have broken out in Iraq – particularly in Baghdad and southern Iraq. And like before, most of the protesters are Shi’ites. However, there…

Will Iran increase and perhaps escalate their attacks on U.S. assets in Iraq? Or does the Iranian compromise signal that they are interested in calming tensions with the US and that they will stop using their proxies in Iraq to provoke the U.S?

FEBRUARY 12, 2019 Poland Summit Strives for Stability in the Middle East (as published in The Atlantic Council IranSource) BY AVI MELAMED US and Poland flags (US State Department) The Trump administration accurately identified the Iranian threat and has, on some significant issues, acted accordingly—including the US withdrawal from the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA) and the application of…

This is a recording of a conference call briefing I held on Sunday, December 23, 2018 in which I provided my immediate analysis of the ramifications of US President, Donald Trump’s decision to withdraw United States forces from Syria.   For Related Articles & Podcasts: Zoom In ~ Zoom Out | Lebanon & Iran My Enemy is My Best Asset…

What is the war in Yemen about? Why is it so important? Why is it relevant to the United States? The Saudi’s must curb the Iranian aggressive expansion throughout the Middle East – because what happens in the Middle East does not stay in the Middle East.  

Below please see my article  Iran Can’t Fulfill Its Hopes of a Shia Corridor Without Iraq, published by The Atlantic Council  on October 12, 2018 Iran Can’t Fulfill Its Hopes of a Shia Corridor Without Iraq BY AVI MELAMED Iranian and Iraqi flag (moqavemati) Since the Iranian regime seized power in 1979, its goal has been for Iran to become a…

Why does Hezbollah want to head the Ministry of Health in the next Lebanese government?

Join the discussion about the situation in Syria since the downing of the Syrian jet

On Sunday, May 13, 2018 I held a Conference Call Briefing. On the call I provided up to date information and analysis regarding unfolding events in the region including: The US withdrawal from the JCPOA The unfolding events in Syria & on Israel’s northern border The upcoming US Embassy move The March of Return in Gaza Below is a link…

July 2, 2017   In this video Avi Melamed analyses the latest US moves in the Middle East  

A New Middle East Requires a New Understanding. Events of an historic scale are rocking the Middle East. I have spent many years of my life in the streets of the Arab world.  I have watched the Arab Awakening evolve and erupt from the inside. The Middle East in changing before our very eyes, the landscape is shifting and changing every day, and can drastically change any minute now. My upcoming US lecture tour will help you understand the present and navigate the future. Egypt, the biggest and most important Arab State, is embroiled a fierce battle over its identity. Iraq, Libya, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen are disintegrating in a bloody and violent process. Lebanon, once known as the Paris…