US Foreign Policy Struggles in the Middle East

The panel on The Great Game discusses United States foreign policy challenges in the Middle East, characterizing President Donald Trump's diplomatic efforts as being stuck in 'Groundhog Day.' The analysts examine indirect US-Iran negotiations over reopening the Strait of Hormuz, noting Tehran's refusal to concede without changes in US policy. The conversation also covers Houthi strikes on Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea and their severe impact on global oil supplies. Finally, the experts analyze Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's rejection of a Trump-proposed peace plan for the Gaza Strip, concluding that these overlapping regional stalemates reflect a broader decline in Western geopolitical influence.

Yemen's Houthi movement claimed responsibility for firing multiple ballistic missiles at the Saudi oil tanker Wafa in the northern Red Sea. Vowing to continue strikes to enforce a maritime blockade, the group additionally asserted that it has hit a total of eight Saudi oil tankers and forced 29 to turn back.