Analysis Deadly attacks in Lebanon and Iran strain conflict containment in the Middle East A drone/UAV attack in Beirut, Lebanon killed Hamas official Saleh al-Arouri. A day later two explosions in Kerman, Iran killed at least 95 people at a high profile-event. Military retaliations will be balanced with counter-escalatory moves by all parties in a region already under considerable strain. Read More link icon
Analysis Israel-Hamas conflict to heighten cyber espionage and disruptive cyber threats Cyber operations motivated by the Israel – Hamas conflict are likely to present a growing threat to organisations in the region, and potentially globally, as the conflict progresses. Read More link icon
Analysis Gulf Arab states go full speed ahead in sports investment The Qatar boycott of 2017-21 might be over, but competition between Gulf Arab states is hotting up again – this time in the sporting arena. The UAE, Qatar and Saudi Arabia have made several high-profile investments in international sports in recent months. We explore the drivers of and outlook for these strategies. Read More link icon
Analysis Chinese dragon and Saudi camel: primarily an economic match Saudi Arabia’s King Salman bin Abd al-Aziz Al Saud on 29 March approved a Memorandum of Understanding for the country to become a diplomatic partner of the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO), a China-led regional trade and security alliance. This followed Xi Jinping’s state visit to Saudi Arabia in December 2022, his first to Riyadh since 2016. We take a look at how this new phase in the Sino-Saudi relationship is likely to evolve. Read More link icon
Newsletter Saudi Arabia - The ambition versus the reality of Vision 2030 After a year marked by a massive oil windfall and major project announcements, the progress of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman (MbS)’s flagship development plan, Vision 2030, can be seen in the data and on the ground. Our analysts look at how Vision 2030 is – and is not – changing life and business in Saudi Arabia. Read More link icon