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Middle East Focus

by Middle East Institute
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Latest episodes

  • Bonus Episode: Previewing Israel's First Post-October 7 Election

    October 23, 2026 · 1 hr 3 min

    Israel is preparing to hold what may be its most consequential election in decades. On October 27, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will face his first electoral test since October 7, 2023. In this bonus episode of Middle East Focus, we…

  • Who's Calling the Shots in Tehran?

    October 22, 2026 · 38 min

    Washington says it doesn't know who runs Iran. Tehran insists its leadership is united. MEI Senior Fellow Alex Vatanka joins hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj to sort out where the truth lies. They look at the small circle of…

  • Deadlock in Gaza and the West Bank at a Breaking Point

    October 15, 2026 · 40 min

    A year after world leaders gathered in Sharm el-Sheikh to mark the end of the war in Gaza, Israel controls about 70% of the Strip, Hamas retains its arms, and reconstruction has yet to begin. Meanwhile, in the West Bank, record settler…

  • The Americans Are Gone. Will Iraq's Militias Disarm?

    October 8, 2026 · 33 min

    On September 30, the US completed its military withdrawal from Iraq, ending a 12-year-long mission to combat ISIS that began in 2014. The date was also meant to be the deadline for disarming the largely Iranian-backed militias known as the…

  • Special Episode: Saudi Oil After the East-West Pipeline Attack

    October 1, 2026 · 1 hr 1 min

    Saudi Arabia's East-West pipeline is back in operation after a drone attack from Iraq, blamed on Iran-backed militias, shut it down for nearly two weeks. The pipeline is the kingdom's main way to export oil while the Strait of Hormuz is…

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  • Old Rivals, New Alignments in North Africa

    September 24, 2026 · 33 min

    Algeria and Morocco have long been at odds, but recent diplomatic moves may signal a widening geopolitical split in North Africa. Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Senior Fellow Intissar Fakir to unpack Algeria's…

  • How Far Can the Houthis Go?

    September 17, 2026 · 31 min

    Over the past several weeks, the Houthis have seized the port city of Mokha, Yemen's western coastline, and several islands in the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, and they are now massing around Marib and Taiz in the first major frontline shift…

  • Syria: What You Missed

    September 10, 2026 · 45 min

    Though it has fallen out of the headlines because of the Iran war, Syria has had a dramatically consequential summer. Hosts Alistair Taylor and Matthew Czekaj are joined by MEI Senior Fellow Charles Lister to take stock of recent…

  • Regional Escalation and the Fight Over Hormuz

    July 30, 2026 · 39 min

    As the US-Israel-Iran war enters its sixth month, the conflict has taken a sharp turn. After a brief lull in the fighting, Iran launched a surprise ballistic missile attack on US forces on July 28, and the US and Saudi Arabia struck back…

  • Food Security in a Hotter, Drier North Africa

    July 23, 2026 · 33 min

    This summer, brutally hot temperatures, deepening water scarcity, and spiking fertilizer costs have put North Africa's agricultural sector under intense pressure. Host Alistair Taylor is joined by Mohammed Mahmoud, CEO and founder of the…

  • Inside the Ankara NATO Summit

    July 16, 2026 · 40 min

    At the recent NATO summit in Ankara, renewed US-Iran strikes and Turkey's push to rejoin the F-35 stealth fighter program overshadowed the Alliance's message of unity and a strong European pillar. MEI Senior Fellow Iulia Joja joins host…

  • Trump, Syria, and the Hizballah Question

    July 9, 2026 · 58 min

    US President Donald Trump recently proposed that Syria intervene militarily against Hizballah in Lebanon. Is that a good idea? This episode of Middle East Focus features a recent MEI Virtual Briefing. Director of Communications Zeina…

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About the show

Weekly discussion of Middle East policy, arts, and culture, featuring experts from the Middle East Institute in Washington, D.C.