Regional Security

Israel's chief of staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir, warned both civilians and soldiers that the conflict with Iran is ongoing. In a video address, he stressed the need for readiness for a long campaign, eight days after Israel began striking Iranian targets. Despite noting major successes, Zamir highlighted that challenging times are ahead as Israel aims to stop Tehran's suspected nuclear weapons plans.

Since Friday, Israeli air and missile strikes have targeted dozens of sites across Iran, including senior military installations, missile-production facilities and several locations linked to its nuclear program. Among the most high-profile blows was the reported killing of over a dozen top nuclear scientists and significant damage to the Natanz enrichment site. Yet, military commanders and nuclear proliferation experts now agree these attacks have not decisively set back Tehran’s atomic ambitions.

As Israel’s air strikes on Iran intensify and Iran’s retaliatory missile launches continue, ordinary Iranians find themselves caught between fear for their safety and cautious hope for political change. From gridlocked highways leading out of Tehran to shuttered marketplaces and hushed whispers of regime collapse, citizens across Iran are navigating unprecedented turmoil. This article explores the lived experiences, anxieties, and aspirations of Iranians in Tehran, Ahvaz, Khuzestan, Isfahan, and beyond.

On the third consecutive day of open conflict, Israel and Iran expanded their military operations against each other, resulting in hundreds of casualties on both sides. President Donald Trump has publicly called for an end to hostilities, warning Iran not to target U.S. assets in the region. As G7 leaders prepare to convene in Canada, Washington’s ability to restrain its closest ally appears increasingly limited, even as attempts at high-level mediation continue.

A new report from the Inter-Parliamentary Union (IPU) has laid bare the disturbing reality faced by women in politics across the Asia-Pacific region. Interviews with female Members of Parliament (MPs) and staff from 33 countries—including Australia, China, Indonesia, Thailand, India, and the Philippines—reveal that gender-based violence, harassment, and abuse have become all too common in parliamentary workplaces. The findings underscore an urgent need for reform to protect the women who serve in these democratic institutions and to ensure that parliaments remain safe havens for robust debate and law-making.

Three Chinese warships, fresh from live-fire drills in the Tasman Sea, have re-entered Australia’s Exclusive Economic Zone (EEZ) and are now being tracked east of Hobart. The Australian Defence Department has confirmed that the People's Liberation Army-Navy (PLA-N) flotilla is moving closer to Tasmania, prompting coordinated monitoring efforts with New Zealand’s military.