Following a year of economic freefall and a sharp devaluation of the rial after the June 2025 conflict with Israel, massive protests erupted across all 31 Iranian provinces starting in late December. By mid-January 2026, the regime launched a brutal crackdown. While the U.S. initially threatened to intervene, the protests were largely suppressed by late January, leaving the regime in a fragile but intact state.

According to sources in Lebanon, Morgan Ortagus—currently the Counselor to the U.S. Mission to the UN with a focus on Lebanon—is reportedly involved in a romantic relationship with a wealthy Lebanese businessman. The report highlights concerns within the U.S. government regarding a potential conflict of interest, given her sensitive position, security clearance as a Navy Reserve Intelligence Officer, and the delicate nature of U.S. efforts to disarm Hezbollah. Ortagus previously served as a State Department spokesperson and briefly as a Deputy Special Presidential Envoy earlier in 2025.

As part of the second phase of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that began in October 2025, the Rafah crossing between Gaza and Egypt was partially reopened in early February 2026. While primarily for medical evacuations and humanitarian aid, the move is seen as a "pilot" test for the broader Trump-Netanyahu peace plan, though tensions remain high as Israeli forces continue to occupy half of the territory.

A year after the fall of Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s transitional government is struggling to consolidate power. In February 2026, government troops began moving into the northeastern city of Hasakah following a tense ceasefire agreement with the Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). The deployment highlights the ongoing power vacuum and the delicate balance between the new Damascus leadership and Kurdish groups.