In Arab Digest Podcasts: Red Sea Reckoning
Coates Ulrichsen speaks with Arab Digest on the cycle of violence in the Red Sea shipping lanes, a result of the spreading violence stemming from the Gaza war.
In Explainer: Why Bahrain Supported US Strikes on Yemen’s Houthis
Bahrain was the only Arab country that supported the American and British strikes on Yemen’s Houthis. Bahrain “likely sees any action against Iran-aligned groups in the region through the prism of its close security and defense ties with Washington and its tense relationship with Tehran,” said Coates Ulrichsen.
In Breaking Defense: US, UK Strikes in Yemen Not Designed to Escalate Conflict
“There remains no regional appetite, on either side of the Gulf, for an escalation of the Israel-Hamas conflict, and the strikes in Yemen go against the de-escalatory dynamics that have been so evident since 2022,” said Coates Ulrichsen. “Much may depend on whether the strikes were a one-off or will be part of a larger campaign, and of how and where the Houthis respond.”
In The National: Plan to Boost Emirati Families Key as Expat Population Surges
Responding to Dubai’s efforts to increase the number of Emirati families, Coates Ulrichsen said, “If the initiative is to succeed it will have to be wrapped within a broader package of support and targeted assistance to Emirati households to enable them to juggle the burdens of work-life balance.”
In NYT: Qatar Trades Its Riches for Clout
The rift between Saudi Arabia and Qatar has been gradually repaired, but Qatar still focuses on network building to protect its interests. When the rift began, “the perception in Doha was that Saudi and Emirati officials had invested heavily in building relationships not only with members of the Trump administration but also in their lobbying activities in the United States, and that Qatar needed to do the same,” said Coates Ulrichsen.