The wars in Iran, Lebanon, and Gaza have significantly upended the balance of power in the Middle East. Israel has strengthened its position as a regional power. Iran has taken heavy blows, but the regime remains firmly in power (and now controls the Strait of Hormuz). Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are meanwhile engaged in their own power struggle over who will become the leading power on the Arabian Peninsula.

Especially for the latter two countries, the Iran war may have major consequences. Now that Iranian missiles have threatened skyscrapers in Dubai and Riyadh, the illusion of a safe haven for investors and expats has been shattered, thereby severely endangering their economic model.

This program examines the new balance of power in the Middle East. Who will emerge stronger from the recent wars? And what does that mean for the proxy conflicts in places such as Sudan and Yemen?