Author: Jennylyn Gleave
Jennylyn Gleave
Jennylyn Gleave is a veteran U.S.-based journalist. The views expressed here are her own and do not necessarily reflect the official point of view of The Islamabad Telegraph.
Iran attacks US targets to make Washington’s blockade of Iranian oil exports increasingly costly and difficult to sustain. Tehran is exploiting the Strait of Hormuz to pressure U.S. military forces, regional allies and global energy markets. Trump’s ability to win the midterms has become strategically important to America’s credibility and influence in the Middle East. Iran’s decision to intensify attacks against U.S. military targets at sea and across the Middle East marks a dangerous new phase in the conflict. Tehran is no longer simply retaliating against American strikes or trying to protect its shrinking oil exports. It is testing whether…
Middle East Security: Qatar’s warning signals a growing Gulf desire for security self-sufficiency beyond exclusive reliance on the United States. Pakistan, Türkiye and Saudi Arabia are institutionalising a defence partnership that combines military, technological, economic and strategic strengths. The Makkah Defence Pact could become the foundation of a broader regional security architecture linking the Gulf, Türkiye and South Asia. ABU DHABI/ISTANBUL — The Middle East is entering a new security era, and perhaps the clearest sign of the change came not from Washington, Riyadh or Ankara, but from Doha. Qatar, one of America’s closest military partners in the Gulf and…
AfD’s Historic Victory: The AfD’s breakthrough in Saxony-Anhalt could produce Germany’s first far-right state government since World War II, challenging the long-standing Brandmauer against the party. Migration, policing and education could change: An AfD-led state government would have meaningful authority over migration enforcement at the state level, policing, schools and cultural policy, potentially bringing the party’s controversial agenda from opposition rhetoric into government. The impact would extend beyond Saxony-Anhalt: Even without controlling Berlin, an AfD government would reshape Germany’s political debate, intensify pressure on Friedrich Merz and raise questions about Germany’s approach to Russia, Ukraine, immigration and the country’s post-war…
The US-Iran conflict is escalating at sea, with Washington targeting Iranian oil tankers and Tehran retaliating against American military assets around the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s economy is under mounting pressure as sanctions, disrupted oil exports, currency weakness and restricted access to foreign currency squeeze Tehran. The financial war has a surprising vulnerability: billions of dollars linked to Iranian networks have continued moving through international banks and U.S. correspondent accounts despite sanctions. The Iran war is far from over. The conflict is entering a dangerous phase in which missiles, oil tankers, financial sanctions and Hormuz are interconnected weapons. On Saturday,…
Strait of Hormuz: Iran’s Hormuz strategy is facing growing international opposition as Gulf states and major energy-importing nations demand freedom of navigation. The Strait remains strategically vital, carrying a major share of global oil and LNG supplies despite efforts to develop alternative routes. Tehran retains significant asymmetric capabilities, but prolonged disruption risks strengthening international cooperation against Iran. The Strait of Hormuz has become more than a battlefield in the U.S.-Iran confrontation: it is a test of whether any state can use a global maritime chokepoint as a political weapon. Six months into the conflict, evidence increasingly suggests that Tehran’s attempt…
China-Japan tensions are intensifying as Chinese warships increasingly operate near Japan’s southwestern islands, particularly around Amami-Oshima and the First Island Chain. Japan is rapidly expanding its defence capabilities, with record military spending focused on long-range missiles, drones, AI, missile defence and maritime surveillance. China retains a major economic and military advantage, making Taiwan, the Senkaku/Diaoyu Islands and maritime encounters potential flashpoints for a wider East Asian crisis. The waters between China and Japan are becoming increasingly dangerous. Chinese warships are sailing with growing frequency through maritime passages close to Japan’s southwestern islands, while Tokyo is responding with missiles, drones, radar,…
Dan Driscoll resignation: The Army secretary’s departure follows months of reported friction with Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth and comes during an active US war with Iran. Iran war: The continuing American campaign against Tehran is placing extraordinary demands on US forces, missile defence, logistics and military leadership across the Middle East. Pentagon shake-up: Driscoll’s exit follows other senior military leadership changes, raising questions about institutional stability while Washington remains engaged in a major conflict. WASHINGTON — The resignation of Army Secretary Dan Driscoll has opened a new question inside Washington’s national-security establishment: is the latest Pentagon shake-up merely the culmination…
SCO Summit 2026 brings major Eurasian powers together in Bishkek as the organization gains influence in global diplomacy and geopolitics. SCO geopolitics is increasingly shaped by China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, India and Central Asian states, with Türkiye also seeking deeper engagement. Strait of Hormuz tensions and the Middle East war have elevated energy security, trade routes and regional stability on the SCO agenda. BISHKEK — The Shanghai Cooperation Organization has entered what could increasingly be described as the “SCO moment” in global politics, as the leaders of China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan, India, Türkiye and Central Asian states converged in Kyrgyzstan…
Trump Venezuela oil reserves: Washington says it has secured majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of proven Venezuelan oil reserves. The agreement could shift Venezuela’s energy sector away from China and place American companies at the center of its future investment and production. Maduro’s removal has cleared a major political obstacle, allowing Washington to reshape Venezuela’s oil industry while simultaneously pressuring Iran’s oil exports to China. Donald Trump’s announcement that the United States has secured majority control over more than 65 billion barrels of Venezuela’s proven oil reserves is much more than an energy agreement. It could mark…
China replacing Russia in Central Asia is becoming increasingly visible as Beijing expands its military sales across the region. China is particularly significant in fighters, missiles, drones and advanced air-defence systems. China replacing Russia in Central Asia could mark the end of Moscow’s decades-long monopoly over regional defence procurement. For three decades after the Soviet collapse, Russia enjoyed an almost unchallenged position as Central Asia’s principal military supplier. Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Turkmenistan inherited Soviet aircraft, tanks, artillery, air-defence systems, maintenance networks and military training structures. Buying Russian equipment therefore meant upgrading an existing ecosystem rather than rebuilding an…