The Middle East faces profound instability, characterized by the Houthi threat in Yemen, shifting Israeli political dynamics, and the challenge of containing Iran. The Houthi problem, fueled by Iranian-supplied ballistic missiles, defies simple military solutions and necessitates a more cohesive, collective diplomatic effort from the United States and its regional partners. While a potential transition in Israeli leadership from Benjamin Netanyahu to Gadi Eisenkot could shift domestic policy regarding the West Bank, Israel’s fundamental security doctrine toward Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran remains largely unchanged. Meanwhile, the United States must navigate the tension between maintaining economic pressure on Iran to build negotiation leverage and the risk of military escalation. Brett McGurk, a veteran Middle East policy expert and author of *Brink*, emphasizes that the US must remain diplomatically engaged to prevent power vacuums that invite further regional volatility.
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