Uploaded February 2026 | Updated September 2026, 3 weeks ago
Saudi Arabia’s posture is shifting, and the ripple effects are hitting every major file in the region: Israel, Iran, the Gulf, and Washington’s credibility.
In this month’s Forum Roundtable, Lauri Regan is joined by Hussain Abdul-Hussain of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Victoria Coates of The Heritage Foundation, and Hussein A. Mansour of the Middle East Forum to examine why Riyadh appears to be moving away from a pro-Western trajectory and toward a more confrontational, hedging strategy. That shift includes sharper rhetoric, intensifying competition with the United Arab Emirates, and new signaling toward Turkey and Qatar.
The panel breaks down the domestic and economic pressures driving the change, what Iran’s weakening means for Gulf threat perceptions, and why Saudi demands on the Palestinian issue are increasingly shaping the normalization debate. They also assess what this realignment could mean for U.S. national security, Israel’s regional posture, and the future of regional blocs in a more transactional global environment.
Featuring: Lauri Regan; Hussain Abdul-Hussain; Victoria Coates; Hussein A. Mansour
Saudi Arabia’s posture is shifting, and the ripple effects are hitting every major file in the region: Israel, Iran, the Gulf, and Washington’s credibility.
In this month’s Forum Roundtable, Lauri Regan is joined by Hussain Abdul-Hussain of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies, Victoria Coates of The Heritage Foundation, and Hussein A. Mansour of the Middle East Forum to examine why Riyadh appears to be moving away from a pro-Western trajectory and toward a more confrontational, hedging strategy. That shift includes sharper rhetoric, intensifying competition with the United Arab Emirates, and new signaling toward Turkey and Qatar.
The panel breaks down the domestic and economic pressures driving the change, what Iran’s weakening means for Gulf threat perceptions, and why Saudi demands on the Palestinian issue are increasingly shaping the normalization debate. They also assess what this realignment could mean for U.S. national security, Israel’s regional posture, and the future of regional blocs in a more transactional global environment.
Featuring: Lauri Regan; Hussain Abdul-Hussain; Victoria Coates; Hussein A. Mansour
