Iran warning near Hormuz collides with Red Sea shipping comeback Armed boats attempted to intercept a vessel near the Strait of Hormuz on Tuesday, the same day that major container lines also announced the resumption of limited transits through the Suez Canal. Iran
Analysis Why Trump’s Venezuela playbook could face hard reality in Iran On Wednesday, Trump said an armada larger than the one sent to Venezuela is heading toward Iran and “like with Venezuela,” it is ready to employ force if necessary. By Rosaleen Carroll In Washington, DC, US, reporting on the Middle East
Analysis Turkey casts Israel’s Somaliland move as overreach, but Somalia’s fragility poses risks Israel’s recognition of Somaliland is widely dismissed in Ankara as a strategic overreach, but it is nevertheless exposing the limits of Turkey’s influence in Somalia. By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Turkey eyes offshore energy pact with Syria in 2026 amid East Med isolation Turkish Energy Minister Alparslan Bayraktar has offered up details on a deal with Syria that could unsettle regional rivals in the gas-rich Eastern Mediterranean. Turkey
Analysis As Turkey’s East Med isolation deepens, will Ankara seek maritime Syria deal? By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Analysis Turkey moves into Somalia’s untapped oil, raises stakes in Horn of Africa By Barin Kayaoglu In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security
Egypt, Greece, Cyprus edge closer militarily, but may be risking face-off with Turkey Egypt advances cooperation with Greece and Cyprus in the Eastern Mediterranean despite Turkey’s rapprochement attempts. Egypt
Who benefits if Erdogan scraps key maritime treaty? A warning by more than 100 retired Turkish admirals against scrapping an 85-year-old maritime treaty restricting foreign military presence in the Black Sea coincides with rising tensions between Russia and Western-backed Ukraine in the region. Turkey
Turkey’s talk of pulling out of the Montreux Convention part diversion, part 'Ataturk envy' It's unclear if talk of Turkey pulling out the 1936 maritime treaty will be followed by any action, but the discussion should not be taken lightly. Turkey
Russia, Iran propose alternative maritime routes amid Suez Canal blockage Russia and Iran have called for the need to find alternative maritime shipping routes after a giant vessel was stuck in Egypt’s Suez Canal, blocking maritime traffic for days before it was freed. Egypt
Egypt to open new naval base, shield itself against Libya Egypt is close to opening a new naval base on Egypt's Mediterranean coast, near its border with Libya. Egypt
Turkey and Egypt make first diplomatic contact since 2013 The two countries were at odds over the 2013 coup in Egypt that brought Abdel Fattah al-Sisi to power. Egypt
Is Turkey-Egypt maritime agreement dead in the water? Turkey's efforts to secure a demarcation agreement with Egypt in the eastern Mediterranean seem fruitless as Cairo remains indifferent to Ankara's signals. Egypt
Mixed signals over Israel-Turkey relations An article published in the Tel Aviv University Turkeyscope review might suggest that Ankara wants to rehabilitate its relations with Jerusalem. Israel
Egypt, Saudi Arabia accuse Qatar of undermining Gulf security As Saudi Arabia seeks to thaw relations with Qatar, it called for a meeting with Egyptian officials, during which the two countries condemned Qatar’s interception of two Bahraini coastguard vessels in the Arabian Sea. Egypt
Egypt seeks alliance with Sudan, Israel to counter Turkish influence in Somalia Egypt is reportedly seeking an alliance with Sudan and Israel to counter Turkish moves in the Red Sea. Egypt
Russia to establish naval base in Sudan The combat capability of the Russian navy in the Red Sea and the Indian Ocean would be significantly increased with a military base on Sudan’s Red Sea coast. Russia
Erdogan's call for two-state solution in Cyprus dims hopes for Turkish 'reset' with West Speaking during a visit to Northern Cyprus, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Turkey would continue drilling in contested waters around Cyprus and the Greek islands “until a fair settlement” was reached. Turkey
