Escalation or off-Ramp in the Gulf? And What Hope for a Ceasefire in Lebanon?

Escalation or off-Ramp in the Gulf? And What Hope for a Ceasefire in Lebanon? hschaub Sat, 03/14/2026 - 14:58 Latest Updates Africa Asia-Pacific

International Crisis Group
75
2 min read
0 views

Escalation or off-Ramp in the Gulf? And What Hope for a Ceasefire in Lebanon?

hschaub

Sat, 03/14/2026 - 14:58

Latest Updates

Africa Asia-Pacific Europe & Central Asia Latin America & Caribbean Middle East & North Africa United States Gender & Conflict Future of Conflict Global Issues Visual Explainers

My Reading List

Podcast / Middle East & North Africa 14 March 2026 1 minute

Escalation or off-Ramp in the Gulf? And What Hope for a Ceasefire in Lebanon?

This week on Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group’s former President Robert Malley about the U.S.-Israeli war on Iran, whether U.S. President Donald Trump will escalate or seek an off-ramp and what Iran might do. He also talks to Crisis Group’s Lebanon expert David Wood about the latest Israel-Hezbollah war.

Share BlueSky Email Facebook Linkedin Twitter Whatsapp Save Print

Related Tags Iran

Lebanon

In this episode of Hold Your Fire!, Richard speaks with Crisis Group’s Lebanon expert David Wood and former Crisis Group President Rob Malley. Richard first talks with David about the escalating conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, why Hezbollah decided to launch attacks after the U.S.-Israel war on Iran began, Israel’s war aims in Lebanon and prospects for a ceasefire. Richard then turns to Rob to discuss the U.S.-Israel campaign against Iran, how closely Washington and Israel are aligned in their objectives, whether Iran is pacing itself for a drawn-out conflict, and how Gulf states are reacting as they look for ways to bring the war to an end. They also discuss the danger of further escalation, possible pathways out of the conflict and lessons from years of failed diplomacy with Iran.

Click here to listen on Apple Podcasts or Spotify.For more, check out Rob’s article in The New York Times, “Of Course Trump Bombed Iran”, our commentary “A Sprawling Middle East War Explodes” and our Middle East page. 

Related Tags

More for you

Commentary / Middle East & North Africa Conflict and Consequences: The Global Impact of the New Middle East War

Op-Ed / Middle East & North Africa Any Way You Look at It, Netanyahu Wins

Originally published in The New York Times

Share this article

Related Articles

The Danger of Vibe Patriotism in Defense Tech
📊Analysis & Opinion
War on the Rocks

The Danger of Vibe Patriotism in Defense Tech

At conferences, in pitch decks, and increasingly in public writing, “service” is increasingly being used to describe the work of startup founders, employees, and venture capital investors in defense technology. The claim, sometimes explicit, more often implied, is that building defense t

vor etwa 10 Stunden9 min
Don’t Count Launches: Misreading Iran’s Drone Capacity
📊Analysis & Opinion
War on the Rocks

Don’t Count Launches: Misreading Iran’s Drone Capacity

After the Gulf War’s air campaign concluded in February 1991, U.S. commanders were confident that airpower had destroyed the bulk of Iraq’s Republican Guard before the ground offensive ever began. A subsequent General Accounting Office review found they were wrong and identified why. The

vor etwa 10 Stunden10 min
The Navy’s Latest Is Not a Plan, Not a Strategy, and Not Fighting Instructions
📊Analysis & Opinion
War on the Rocks

The Navy’s Latest Is Not a Plan, Not a Strategy, and Not Fighting Instructions

Churchill once demanded, “Take this pudding away — it has no theme!” U.S. Chief of Naval Operations Adm. Daryl Caudle’s new Fighting Instructions presents a similar sort of dish.In November 2024, I argued in War on the Rocks that successive chiefs of naval operations develope

vor etwa 10 Stunden18 min
From Vietnam to Iran, War Is the Reason Americans Don’t Trust Their Government
📊Analysis & Opinion
Foreign Policy

From Vietnam to Iran, War Is the Reason Americans Don’t Trust Their Government

Presidents cannot ignore the long-term costs of dismissing the truth in pursuit of national security.

vor etwa 14 Stunden9 min