The Third Current

The Middle East has a Yemen problem and its the elephant in the room. Although, in recent years Yemen associated with Iran backed Houthis and Saudi Arabia (KSA) backed Hadhramaut Tribal Alliance(HTA). But that map just got shredded as the UAE and its proxy, the Southern Transitional Council (STC) has shown as a wildcard. They launched “Operation Promising Future” and pulled off a shock move, recapturing strategic cities like Seiyun and Tarim. But the real escalation happened when they seized the PetroMasila oilfield. This forced a direct face-off between the UAE and its neighbor, Saudi Arabia. Since then, the stakes have skyrocketed: we’ve seen Saudi airstrikes hitting STC forces in the port of Mukalla and Riyadh issuing a blunt ultimatum for the UAE to withdraw its troops from Yemeni soil. This “brother-against-brother” tension between the two Gulf nations is exactly what’s fuelling rumours of a massive new alignment one that supposedly brings Egypt, Turkey, Iran, and Saudi Arabia tog...

The Escalation in Aleppo and the Ambiguity of the March 10 Accord Yesterday a military clashes broke out in Aleppo, the second largest city and commercial hub of Syria. The official belligerents are the Syrian central government and the Autonomous Administration of North and East Syria commonly known as the Rojava administration. The fighting is concentrated in the Sheikh Maqsoud and Ashrafiyeh neighborhoods. These districts are unique because both their military and civil administrations are tied to Rojava and Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF). Although they are predominantly Kurdish, they also host significant non-Muslim, Armenian and Assyrian, minority populations. Kurdish military presence in Ashrafiyah and Sheikh Maqsoud is actually far from being a threat to Syrian government. In fact, Kurdish Rojava administration has withdrawn its military forces as a goodwill gesture as per the March 10th Accord signed with Damascus. The both neighbourhoods are being   protected by the popula...

As many of you know, exactly one year ago today, the half-century-old Baathist regime was in the throes of collapse. Coincidentally, on the very day the regime fell, I was a guest on a friend’s channel to discuss Syria. During that broadcast, I predicted that the developments of December 2024 would escalate the conflict rather than bring it to a close. Unfortunately, these predictions came true. In the 2020 Tunisian elections, Ennahda, the party linked to the Muslim Brotherhood in Tunsia, gained a significant votes that its "legendary" leader Rached Ghannouchi took the role of Speaker of Parliament. Reminding, relationship between the Brotherhood and Turkey which is an open secret. Ghannouchi’s first visit, with the airs of a head of state, was to Turkey. This move ultimately precipitated the purge of both Ghannouchi and Ennahda. Turkey’s proxy operation, conducted with such haste and in such a brazenly visible manner, ultimately fell victim to its own impatience. We cite the...

  Hi everyone... They tell us there are two sides to every story. Two choices. Two outcomes. But I believe there is always a third way. The Third Current is a project dedicated to the untold and the overlooked. Expect original perspectives on conflict, politics, and the strategies that shape our world, perspectives you won't find on the scrolling news ticker. Please consider to visit my youtube channel:  https://www.youtube.com/@The3rdCurrent Best, Özcan