Maritime strategy

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan met with Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh of Libya on the sidelines of the 31st Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, in Antalya, Turkey, on Nov. 12, 2026.

Turkey hosts Libya’s Hifter, Erdogan meets Tripoli PM as unity push gains pace

Ankara is expanding ties with Libya’s eastern leadership while seeking to protect its agreements with Tripoli under a potential power-sharing arrangement.

Iranian motorists drive past a poster of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Mojtaba Khamenei in central Tehran on Nov. 1, 2026. I

Iran gives 2-day window for Hormuz deal as US mulls strikes: What to know

An Iranian spokesperson said on Monday that a revised proposal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz could take effect within two days if Washington meets its demands.

Turkish Navy sailors wave their caps from the flight deck

Explainer

After EU rebuff, how Turkey is courting Egypt for maritime deal

Turkey’s renewed push for a maritime deal with Egypt in a bid to ease Cairo’s objections to its maritime agreement with Libya, faces an uphill battle.

Vessels transit the Hormuz Strait

Limpet mine attack in Hormuz suggests Iran may be shifting tactics

UKMTO report of the first successful limpet mine attack on a commercial vessel in the Middle East since 2019 appeared to undermine the Pentagon's claims to have fully cleared and opened the Strait of Hormuz.

Latest News

Iran war has cost Pentagon more than $47B: What to know

Under Secretary of War Jules Hurst III (L) and Director of Force Structures Lt. Gen. Steven Whitney hold a press briefing to discuss the Department of War’s FY27 budget request at the Pentagon on April 21, 2026, in Arlington, Virginia.

Jared Szuba

In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military

Qatar locks in US LNG through 2054 as it looks beyond Hormuz

Qatar's Energy Minister and CEO of QatarEnergy Saad Sherida al-Kaabi speaks during a press conference in Doha, on June 22, 2026.

IRGC claims it downed US drone, set two tankers ablaze near Hormuz

Ships are anchored off the coast of Khasab in Oman's Musandam Governorate, near the Strait of Hormuz, on Oct. 2, 2026.

Analysis

What's at stake as Libya's eastern parliament approves Turkey maritime deal

Fidan

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

Turkish air force fighter jets perform a military parade over the Bosphorus as Camlica mosque is seen in the background to mark the 100th anniversary of Turkish Republic in Istanbul on Oct. 29, 2023.

As wars rage, Turkey's military industry sees boom in fighter jets, drone sectors

While the MMU Kaan that is slated to become Turkey’s first stealthy fifth-generation fighter is taking baby steps, other key Turkish military aviation projects have also begun attracting international attention.

An Iranian Navy vessel participates in Iran's elite Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps special forces military drill in the Gulf of Oman at an undisclosed location near Iranian southern port town of Bandar-e Jask on Thursday, April 6, 2006.

Iran conducts naval drills with missile-corvette amid Gulf maritime tensions

Several leading warships and speedboats were shown off in the Persian Gulf exercise, accompanied by fresh warning messages, only two weeks after the Islamic Republic directly targeted Israel with hundreds of drones and missiles.

In this handout photo provided by the U.S. Navy, suspected pirates indicate their surrender with a white cloth on the bow of the Japanese-owned commercial oil tanker M/V Guanabara March 6, 2011 in the Arabian Sea.

Analysis

Why Houthi Red Sea attacks could inspire more piracy in Indian Ocean

Since November, more than 20 pirate hijackings have taken place in the Gulf of Aden and Somali Basin, adding to the current financial burden on shipping companies.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Iranian Navy boats take part in maneuvers in the Strait of Hormuz, Jan. 3, 2012.

Are Iran-Russia-China naval drills 'symbolic' or security tilt to East?

While this marked the fifth consecutive year the three nations held joint naval exercises, current regional dynamics lent this edition "much deeper symbolism" than a routine drill.

Iran's elite Revolutionary Guard boats attack a naval vessel during a three-day military drill in the Gulf on April 22, 2010.

Iran, Russia, China conduct new military drills, defying Western pressure

The exercise brought together the three countries' lead warships for the stated purpose of bolstering maritime security, while Tehran-backed Yemeni rebels continued to target international navigation in the wake of the Gaza war.

The Military Sealift Command fleet replenishment oiler USNS Laramie (T-AO 203) and the amphibious assault ship USS Kearsarge (LHD 3) conduct a replenishment-at-sea.

US Navy plans for smaller fleet amid spending caps despite Middle East crisis

Facing budget caps and new procurement delays, the Navy is poised to reduce the overall size of its fleet even as attacks by Iran and its proxies in Yemen have led to unprecedented disruptions of commercial shipping in the Red Sea.

Washington Pulse

TOPSHOT - Reporters ask questions as Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov holds a press conference following his address to the 78th United Nations General Assembly at UN headquarters in New York City on September 23, 2023. Western powers through their support to Ukraine have effectively entered direct war against Moscow, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said Saturday. "You can call it anything you want, but they are fighting with us, they are straight-up fighting with us. We call it a hybrid war,

Lavrov to visit Turkey as Erdogan seeks new Black Sea mechanism with Russia

The Turkish president unveiled the efforts to set up a new safety regulation ahead of the top Russian diplomat’s visit.

Rear Adm. George M. Wikoff, commander, Task Force (CTF) 70, speaks to the crew over the 1MC aboard the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS McCampbell (DDG 85).

Interview

Yemen’s Houthis undeterred by strikes, senior US Navy commander says

In an exclusive interview, the US Navy’s top commander in the Middle East leveled with Al-Monitor about what the current campaign against the Houthis has achieved, saying diplomatic pressure could ultimately get the Iran-backed rebels to halt their brazen attacks on international commercial shipping.

George Wikoff

George Wikoff

Commander of the US Navy’s 5th Fleet

The Indian Navy frigate INS Satpura (F48) is underway with the Ticonderoga-class guided-missile cruiser USS Bunker Hill (CG 52) and the Arleigh Burke-class guided-missile destroyer USS Halsey (DDG 97) during Exercise Malabar 2012.

Iran participates in Indian naval drill amid Red Sea tensions

India recently deployed warships near the troubled body of water amid attacks by the Iran-backed Houthi rebels in Yemen on ships.

A ship transits the Suez Canal toward the Red Sea on Jan. 10, 2024, in Ismailia, Egypt.

Analysis

How Red Sea crisis is battering Egypt's manufacturing, textile industries

The Suez Canal is a cornerstone of the Egytian economy, providing a vital source of foreign currency for the cash-strapped country.

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Ed Ram/Getty Images

Turkey confirms Somalia maritime security deal amid Somaliland tensions

Somalia ratified a defense cooperation agreement signed with Turkey earlier this month that would see Ankara help Mogadishu secure its maritime interests.

Israeli navy ships maneuver at the military port of Ashdod, southern Israel, July 29, 2018.

Israel’s Ashdod port bounces back from Gaza war setback

Israel's Ashdod port is grappling with increased competition, threats from Yemen's Houthis and other regional challenges.