Hezbollah's role in the Israel-Hamas conflict
This fact sheet, written last May, looks at the role played by the Lebanese Hezbollah, a local and regional player, in the current conflict in the Middle East. It briefly outlines the history of the organisation and its relatively cautious initial involvement in the Israel-Hamas war. However, the events of the last few days have raised fears of a major military escalation on the Israeli-Lebanese border.
The strategic importance of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait
This fact sheet highlights the strategic importance of the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. It describes the importance of this area, which is critical for world trade, analyses the way in which the Strait is currently being used at low cost by the Houthis in Yemen, and concludes with the prospects for developments in the situation, particularly in terms of intervention.
The Israeli missile defence shield
This fact sheet looks at the Israeli short-range missile defence system known as Iron Dome (Kippat Barzel in Hebrew). It describes the history and characteristics of the defence system, including its use in the current Israel-Hamas conflict, some of its limitations, and the prospects for its future development.
