My latest commentary for the IAI – Istituto Affari Internazionali — written with observations from Dubai — examines the two gambles at the heart of the US-Israel military campaign against Iran. Both gamles carry consequences far beyond the region. This is a war of choice built on miscalculation, not imminent threat. Iran is retaliating without…

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Wrote on the Gulf’s drive for omniconnectivity for this year’s Raisina Edits — a product of the forum. Unfortunately, owing to the ongoing crisis, I could not make it to Delhi. What is unfolding in the Middle East right now — with various disruption across aviation, maritime, and energy sectors — reflects how important the…

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Told Edwin Ong at Singapore’s local Chinese Media Lianhe Zaobao 联合早报 that China’s immediate concerns revolve around the energy imports from the Middle East. Considering the Iranian regime’s resilience in the last decades, the Trump administration’s objective of regime change is more complex than envisaged. Full article can be found here:

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Joined a familiar face in Steve Lai at BBC News earlier this morning to share my thoughts on the evolving crisis in the Middle East. I explained how: (1) Air defence systems have performed commendably across the Gulf, but the targeting of civilian infrastructure risks crossing a red line for Gulf leaderships — one that…

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Spoke with Malaysian radio station, BFM 89.9 Business, on the evolving and widening crisis in the region. In conversation with the presenter, we addressed the question of why this campaign represents an existential threat to Iran. Listen to the programme HERE.

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My comments for Tom Hussain’s report on SCMP. “Connectivity has been established as a major component of the UAE’s economic toolkit for several years now,” said Clemens Chay, a senior fellow at the Observer Research Foundation Middle East think tank in Dubai, adding that deploying economic statecraft is both a “government priority and a guiding…

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In this latest piece for the Middle East Institute at NUS, I argue that Trump’s Board of Peace and the prospective transition into Phase II for Gaza’s reconstruction constitute a repackaged “Gaza Riviera” vision first introduced last March. At that time, the idea was heavily criticised, but it has now appeared in a different form.…

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American air and naval assets are moving rapidly into the Middle East, what President Trump describes as an “armada”towards Iran “just in case”. My latest piece for Observer Research Foundation Middle East argues that the immediate region would be better off with a calculable — and now weakened — Iran. Read HERE.

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In my debut piece for ORF Middle East, I argue that there are many parallels between the US capture of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro and the 2003 Iraq war, although Trump is still mulling over long-term governance. What the latest Latin American episode has demonstrated is America’s intent to govern the world “by force” without…

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Quoted in Singapore’s Chinese media outlet, Lianhe Zaobao, on Gaza’s road to peace, as of 19 October, 2025. Highlights of my comments are as follows: (1): At the moment, it seems that the first phase of Gaza deal will hold — with US President Donald Trump playing a crucial role in keeping it intact. His…

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I joined two morning segments of BBC Newsday on 13 October, 2025, ahead of the hostage release/prisoner exchange and US President Donald Trump’s visit to the Middle East. In the studio, I discussed with Steve Lai how the ceasefire deal represents a momentous breakthrough, but major sticking points remain. Watch HERE.

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After the brazen Israeli strikes in Qatar, I waited to see what the response was. Not just Doha’s, but also the GCC’s, its Arab neighbours’, and most of all, Washington’s. Then I collected my thoughts and wrote this piece in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia. As I pieced the jigsaws together, the Gaza City offensive was launched,…

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Positions may shift, for instance from the demands for a partial deal to a comprehensive agreement, but one trend persists: Israel sees no red lines in exercising its military power — as demonstrated by their latest operation in Qatar. Worse, all signs are pointing to Israel’s intention of shredding the idea and practicality of a…

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I was on set on the morning of 9 September, 2025 (SGT) with Steve Lai at BBC News discussing the latest developments in Gaza, the shootings in East Jerusalem, and how these will frame the proceedings at the UN General Assembly later today. Watch HERE.

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