Israel

Syria

Turkey

Military & Security

Politics

The Israel Defense Forces said it struck Syrian government forces in the southern part of the country, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz released a statement saying Israel would not allow Syrian forces to deploy south of Damascus or threaten the Druze community, AP reported on July 14.

Israel, Syria: IDF Hits Government Forces as Clashes Erupt in Syria's Sweida Province

Around 30 Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) fighters destroyed their weapons in a ceremony near Sulaymaniyah in Iraqi Kurdistan, marking the start of the PKK's disarmament process, The New York Times reported July 11.

Turkey: PKK Conducts Symbolic Disarmament Ceremony in Iraq

Eritrea

Ethiopia

Somalia

Egypt

Turkey-mediated technical talks between Ethiopia and Somalia over Ethiopia potentially securing maritime access to Somali ports have been suspended indefinitely, Africa Intelligence reported on July 9.

Ethiopia, Somalia: Turkey-Led Mediation Over Maritime Access Indefinitely Suspended

Iraq

Abdullah Ocalan, the imprisoned leader of the Kurdistan Workers' Party, or PKK, announced that the militant group's armed struggle against Turkey had ended and called for a transition to democratic politics in a video message, Reuters reported on July 9.

Turkey, Iraq: PKK Leader Announced End to Armed Struggle, Political Transition

United States

Libya

Greece

Energy

Egypt asked the United States to press Libyan National Army field marshal Khalifa Hifter and Libya's eastern parliament not to approve the 2019 Turkey-Libya agreement establishing their maritime border, Middle East Eye reported on July 2.

Libya: Egypt Pushes U.S. To Pressure Eastern Libya Not To Ratify 2019 Libya-Turkey Maritime Agreement

Turkey's Izmir prosecutor ordered the detention of 157 people, many of whom are members of the opposition Republican People's Party, or CHP, including a former mayor of Izmir, a CHP provincial chair and other former members of the city administration, Hurriyet reported on July 1.

Turkey: 157 Opposition Figures Arrested in Izmir Crackdown

Economics

In a break from routine, Turkey will not increase its minimum wage mid-year in a bid to further cool inflation and appease investors concerned about the country's economic strategy, Bloomberg reported on June 27.

Turkey: Ankara To Skip Mid-Year Minimum Wage Raise

Niger

China

France

Russia

Nigerien authorities announced that they would nationalize uranium mining company SOMAIR, a subsidiary of France's state-owned Orano that owns the country's only operating uranium mine, Reuters reported on June 20. 

Niger: Junta To Nationalize Subsidiary of France's Orano 

Columns

On Geopolitics

Bahrain

Iran

Oman

Qatar

Saudi Arabia

United Arab Emirates

Vehicles drive along a main thoroughfare past a billboard that reads in Farsi and Hebrew: "A severe blow... The vile and villainous Zionist regime (Israel) has made a grave mistake,” in central Tehran on June 24, 2025. 

Israel-Hamas Conflict

The war has weakened Iran, but has also shifted regional perceptions of Israel as a destabilizing force, prompting Gulf states to reassess alliances, Turkey to emerge as a rival, and raising the risk of nuclear proliferation in the Middle East.

Assessing the Regional Impact of the Israel-Iran War, Part 2

Palestinian Territories

Yemen

U.S. President Donald Trump (right) interacts with Oman Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Asaad (second from right) as they prepare to pose for photos with leaders during the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Leaders' Summit in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, on May 14, 2025.

Despite Trump's recent sharp words on his predecessor's "forever wars," U.S. trade and energy interests will keep him engaged in the region, though in ways that rely more on economic and diplomatic leverage, as opposed to military campaigns.

Is the Era of U.S. Interventionism in the Middle East Over?

Assessments

Europe

India

Pakistan

The Geopolitics of Trade

Global Trade

Turkey's export strategy necessitates trade partnerships with countries in many different spheres of influence, portending both risks and opportunities as Ankara attempts to maintain its neutral middle-power status.

The Geopolitics of Trade: Turkey's Export Strategy Hinges on Neutrality

Media

Podcasts

How does Turkey's political uncertainty affect its economic outlook?

Essential Geopolitics: Turkey's Current Political Environment

A Syrian Kurdish woman waves a flag bearing a picture of the founder of the Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK), Abdullah Ocalan, as people gather in the Kurdish-majority city of Qamishli in northeastern Syria to listen to a message from the jailed leader on Feb. 27, 2025. 

While the disbandment will reduce the near-term risk of Kurdish militant attacks, the peace process could still collapse, which would rob the government of the political support it needs to secure Erdogan's 2028 reelection bid.

What the PKK's Disbandment Means for Turkish Politics and Security

Fighters gather outside a building that was seized by jihadists in Syria's northern Aleppo province on Nov. 29, 2024, amid the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) offensive against government forces.

The two countries will seek to avoid direct conflict amid U.S. pressure to de-escalate tensions, but their competing military presence in Syria and elevated risk tolerances leave the door open to miscalculations and limited clashes.

Can Israel and Turkey Avoid a Conflict in Syria?

Philippe Lazzarini (C), the commissioner general for the U.N. Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East, attends a humanitarian conference for Gaza in Cairo, Egypt, on Dec. 2, 2024, amid the continuing Israel-Hamas war.

Egypt's economic limitations will continue to restrain its assertiveness in foreign policy, constraining its ability to project power in the region.

Egypt's Economic Priorities Sideline Assertive Foreign Policy

South Korea

Germany

United Kingdom

Ukraine

People wave flags and chant slogans during a protest in front of the municipality headquarters in support of arrested Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu on March 19, 2025, in Istanbul, Turkey. 

A look at what the coming week will bring -- and a list of recommended RANE articles from the week that was.

The Weekly Rundown: U.S. To Announce Tariffs, Protests in Turkey Rage On

Snapshots

People in Istanbul, Turkey, walk past a currency exchange board showing the Turkish lira, which fell to historic lows against the dollar upon the news of Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu's arrest on March 19, 2025. 

Extensive foreign exchange sales have so far kept the Turkish lira relatively stable, but this is a high-risk strategy as it could eventually force Ankara to allow for significant exchange rate depreciation.

Turkey's Efforts To Stabilize Markets Amid Protests May Not Be Sustainable

Escorted by riot police, students burn flares on March 24, 2025, as they march along the streets of Istanbul, Turkey, in support of the city's mayor after he was arrested on corruption charges. 

The protests will likely last for several more weeks following the arrest of Erdogan's top rival, but unless organizers can tap into other grievances, the movement eventually risks losing momentum.

Assessing the Pro-Democracy Protests in Turkey and Their Threat to Erdogan

People wave Turkish national flags as they protest in Istanbul on March 20, 2025, following Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu's detention over a corruption probe.

The charismatic Istanbul mayor's detention will likely trigger protests and further undermine his party's ability to challenge Erdogan and the AKP in the 2028 presidential election.

In Turkey, Imamoglu's Arrest Dims the Opposition's Presidential Prospects

Armenia

Azerbaijan

Georgia

Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev (4th from left) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (5th from left) attend a meeting in Moscow on April 22, 2024. 

Russia's influence in the South Caucasus is set to decline in the years ahead as countries adjust their foreign policies to balance global and regional powers, creating opportunities for China, Turkey and the West.

The Coming South Caucasus Realignment

<p>The Republic of Turkey straddles Europe and Asia, forming a land bridge that links the Levant, Iran and the Caucasus with Southeastern Europe. In stark contrast to its predecessor, the Ottoman Empire, modern Turkey is confined largely to the semi-arid, mountainous terrain of the Anatolian Peninsula and the capital-rich lands surrounding the Sea of Marmara. This low-lying region contains the large cities of Istanbul and Izmir and the two chokepoints linking the Black Sea to the Mediterranean &mdash; the Bosporus and the Dardanelles. This area is the core of Turkey&#39;s population and economy. Turkey&rsquo;s geographic challenge is expanding the economic stability and development of this core into the eastern region of the country. Anatolia&rsquo;s rugged geography and mountainous terrain make economic and infrastructure development difficult, but has historically helped to prevent land invasions from the east and south. Modern Turkey is working to integrate this largely rural, poorer hinterland into the political and economic mainstream in an attempt to link its current Islamist government to its neighbors in the broader Middle East. However, significant challenges remain. Turkey has fought a decades-long Kurdish insurgency in its southeastern regions, where the Taurus Mountains and the Eastern Anatolian plateau give sanctuary to Kurdish separatist militants. Turkey&rsquo;s position at the crossroads between East and West provides the country with several geopolitical possibilities. The country is working to serve as a transit state linking the exports of its energy-rich eastern neighbors to consumer markets in Europe. Its location also invites a series of constraints, as reflected by Turkey&rsquo;s position surrounded by Europe&rsquo;s economic decline, Iranian ambitions in Syria and Iraq, and Russian interests in the Caucasus.</p>

SITUATION REPORTS

Israel, Syria: IDF Hits Government Forces as Clashes Erupt in Syria's Sweida Province

Turkey: PKK Conducts Symbolic Disarmament Ceremony in Iraq

Ethiopia, Somalia: Turkey-Led Mediation Over Maritime Access Indefinitely Suspended

Turkey, Iraq: PKK Leader Announced End to Armed Struggle, Political Transition

Libya: Egypt Pushes U.S. To Pressure Eastern Libya Not To Ratify 2019 Libya-Turkey Maritime Agreement

Turkey: 157 Opposition Figures Arrested in Izmir Crackdown

Turkey: Ankara To Skip Mid-Year Minimum Wage Raise

Niger: Junta To Nationalize Subsidiary of France's Orano

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