"Targeting Iran and Redrawing the Map of Influence in the Middle East"

The Middle East is witnessing today the birth of a new American strategy, completely different from the old calculations that were based on protecting Israel's security alone to ensure influence in the region. What is particularly striking is the American policy towards Syria, where Washington allowed legitimacy to reunify the country despite Israel's historical opposition, and abandoned the Kurds and Druze who were seen as allies. This step is not random, but part of a more ambitious American vision aimed at transforming Syria from an open conflict zone into a player that can be integrated into the network of Arab alliances, a محور capable of confronting Iranian influence and managing tensions in a precise manner.

Iraq represents a strategic gateway that prevents Iran from using its territory as a pressure tool against this axis, while Jordan provides a base of stability and a geographical and political link between the Gulf states and the Levant. As for the Gulf states, they form the beating heart of this trend due to their economic, geopolitical, and military power, in addition to their ability to exert direct pressure on Iran and monitor the Strait of Hormuz and vital supply lines. In this context, it is noted that the Trump administration gave Arab countries a greater role in regional talks, with Turkey actively involved in some files, in a clear indication of Washington's endeavor to distribute influence and empower regional allies to play direct roles in crisis management, away from the traditional approach that placed Israel at the center of all equations.

What distinguishes American policy today is that the threat of using force against Iran is not seen as an end in itself, but as a pressure tool within an undeclared strategy aimed at gradually removing Iran from the Arab scene and imposing new balances without being drawn into a comprehensive confrontation. At the same time, Washington sends a clear message to its Arab allies that it is capable of protecting their interests and ensuring regional stability. The American move towards Iran is no longer presented as a direct service to Israel as before, but comes within a broader vision that includes energy security, regional influence, and strategic stability in the Middle East, a vision that is gaining increasing acceptance within the American street, where the idea of fighting costly wars in defense of Israel has become widely questioned.

This shift is also reflected in the Israeli discourse itself, as Benjamin Netanyahu announced that Israel will seek in the future to rely more on itself, and reduce its military dependence on the United States in protecting its security. This statement cannot be separated from the changes in American policy, nor from the escalation of calls within the United States not to supply Israel with weapons used to kill civilians, which reflects a tangible change in the American political and popular mood towards the nature of the unconditional support that Israel enjoyed for decades.

Despite all this, Arab-American relations have not been affected over the decades, even in the most intense moments of tension, such as the United States' support for Israel in its wars against Lebanon, the occupation of Palestinian territories, and the Gaza wars. These relations have remained relatively stable, which reflects the ability of Arab countries to separate their political differences with Israel from their strategic interests with Washington. The Abraham Accords were a first attempt to translate this trend into practical reality, but they are not the only condition, as the United States can manage the new scene and integrate the Palestinian issue into a diplomatic path that reduces historical tensions without harming broader strategic partnerships.

With this approach, old challenges turn into opportunities to redraw the map of influence in the Middle East. American policy is no longer just a deterrent to Iran or a protective umbrella for Israel, but a project to build an integrated Arab network capable of achieving stability and engaging in long-term economic and political partnerships, with careful management of chronic conflicts. Allowing the reunification of Syria, and integrating Iraq, Jordan, and the Gulf states into a cohesive Arab axis, along with using military and political pressure on Iran, reflects Washington's ability to maintain its central role as a guarantor of regional balance, while achieving broader strategic goals that include reducing Iranian influence, and reshaping the relationship between Arabs and Israel within a more pragmatic and less costly framework.

In conclusion, this American strategy represents a structural shift in the approach to the Middle East: from almost complete reliance on Israel to building a broader regional balance, in which roles are distributed among Arab allies and Turkey, and threats are managed instead of being drawn into open wars. This approach not only reflects an evolution in Washington's understanding of its interests, but also a response to internal American shifts that reject costly wars and unconditional support, and seek a more rational policy that achieves stability, protects American interests, and gives the region a real opportunity to escape the cycle of continuous conflicts.