The United States launched stepped-up air and naval operations on Friday, March 20, to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, and two Marine Expeditionary Units are reportedly en route to the Gulf. Meanwhile, the US-Israeli air campaign over Iran proceeds apace, though the two allies’ goals appear to be diverging, and the objective of regime change looks increasingly out of reach. As the Iran war enters its fourth week, spillover from the conflict continues to ripple outward, with Iranian retaliatory strikes causing havoc to oil markets and Arab Gulf economies, the Tehran-backed Houthis threatening to restart their attacks on Red Sea shipping, and Israel pushing further north in Lebanon to neutralize Hizballah.
The Middle East Institute invites you to a conversation to assess the escalating military operations in the region and the broader effects on the Middle East and beyond. We will be joined by MEI Senior Fellow Colby Connelly and Distinguished Military Fellow Lieutenant General Sam Mundy, USMC (Ret.). This discussion will be moderated by Dr. Ken Pollack, Vice President for Policy at MEI.
Speakers
Lieutenant General Sam Mundy, USMC (Ret.) is a Distinguished Military Fellow at the Middle East Institute. He retired after 38 years in the Marine Corps and currently serves as President of Once a Marine LLC. Before retiring LTG Mundy served as the Commander, Marine Corps Forces Central Command (MARCENT), responsible for the employment of Marines in the Middle East. Concurrently, from 2019-20, he established the US Central Command (Forward) Headquarters in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, and served as its first Director after the attacks on ARAMCO facilities at Abqaiq and Khurais.
Colby Connelly is a Senior Fellow at the Middle East Institute, focusing on oil and gas markets, liquified natural gas (LNG), aboveground risk, corporate strategy, and the impact of the energy transition on oil- and gas-producing states. He is also the head of Middle East content and senior analyst at Energy Intelligence, where he works with the firm’s research and advisory practices.
Dr. Kenneth M. Pollack (Moderator) is Vice President for Policy at the Middle East Institute. Dr. Pollack began his career as a Persian Gulf military analyst at the CIA and served twice on the National Security Council, first as Director for Near East and South Asian affairs and then as Director for Persian Gulf affairs.
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