Al Habtoor Research Centre - En

03/04/2026

A disruption in the Strait of Hormuz could have far-reaching consequences beyond energy markets.

Semiconductor manufacturing hubs in Taiwan and South Korea; accounting for around 68% of global production—depend on LNG to sustain operations.

At the same time, disruptions in the supply of high-purity helium and bromine add further pressure on production capabilities.

Together, these challenges could reduce chip output and drive global price increases.

🔗 Read more:

The closure of the Strait of Hormuz has revealed a deep structural vulnerability in the global semiconductor industry.

02/04/2026

It is not merely a passing waterway, but a vital artery of global trade. Bab el-Mandeb connects not only oil to international markets, but also serves as a critical corridor for container shipping, food supplies, manufactured goods, and humanitarian aid moving between Asia, Europe, and Africa.

As regional tensions escalate, the Houthis possess the capability to influence maritime security, opening the door to scenarios that could reshape the balance of global trade.

For more details click the link

https://www.habtoorresearch.com/programmes/houthis-close-bab-el-mandeb/

01/04/2026

Is still just a regional conflict? Or is it becoming something far more significant?

This analysis looks beyond the surface, to examine how global powers are positioning themselves around the current war.

The is deeply engaged. is benefiting indirectly. is expanding influence without direct involvement.

This is not a great power war, but it may be the beginning of a new kind of competition.

Read the full study on our website.

01/04/2026

Resilience is often mistaken for surviving a crisis, but the UAE has redefined it as the structural capacity to operate, and even thrive, through disruption. From 26 billion litres of water stored beneath the Liwa desert to a $1.5 trillion sovereign asset base, the country has engineered layered safeguards across its most critical systems. These strategic redundancies are designed to ensure continuity even under severe global stress.

31/03/2026

As the war between the United States, Israel, and Iran escalates, the risk of it spilling over is no longer just a hypothesis… it’s becoming real!

What began as a regional conflict is now an opportunity for global powers like Russia and China to expand their influence, while the US faces strategic and economic pressures.

The question is: is this still a regional war, or the start of a new global shift?

https://www.habtoorresearch.com/programmes/iran-great-power-competition/

26/03/2026

While the world is preoccupied with conflicts, China is taking a different path: economic influence, technology, and long-term impact.

Do you think Beijing will be able to turn the crisis into an opportunity in the Middle East?

For more details on the topic, click the link.

https://www.habtoorresearch.com/programmes/china-us-israel-iran-war/

26/03/2026

Do geopolitical crises become a burden on those who are not party to them?
The closure of the Strait of Hormuz does not stop the conflict—it redistributes its cost globally, with developing countries bearing the heaviest burden through fuel shocks and rising food prices. In an interconnected world, you may not be at the center of the conflict… but you will not be far from its consequences.
So who really pays the price of these crises?

25/03/2026

If these predictions have come true, what lies ahead could be even more complex:
Continuation of a policy of “measured escalation” without triggering a full-scale war

A constant threat to trade and energy flows, especially in strategic corridors
Reshaping of regional alliances in line with the evolving crisis

Increasing global economic impacts, from energy prices to supply chains

Conclusion:
We are not approaching the end of the crisis, but rather entering a more sensitive and delicate phase.

https://www.habtoorresearch.com/publications/regional-nuclear-threats/

25/03/2026

The Strait of Hormuz is not just an oil artery—it is a critical food lifeline for Iran.
With any disruption to navigation, it is not only energy that is affected, but also the food supplies on which the domestic front depends.

As food reserves sharply decline, pressure shifts directly inward.

The question is no longer: who controls Hormuz?
But rather: what happens when food stops?

For more, please follow the link. https://www.habtoorresearch.com/programmes/the-strait-that-starves-irans-2026-food-shock/

24/03/2026

Al Habtoor Research Centre is republishing this study, originally issued in June 2025, which examined the resurgence of nuclear threats at a moment when global and regional instability is accelerating and flashpoints are becoming increasingly interconnected in unprecedented ways.

The study provided an in-depth analysis of the risks of a nuclear conflict, alongside the potential for nuclear incidents or radioactive leaks, with a particular focus on the countries most vulnerable in the Middle East—namely Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and Jordan.

At the time of its publication, the study also identified a number of concerning early warning indicators, including the erosion of nuclear norms and safeguards, the return of nuclear rhetoric to the forefront of international conflicts, and the growing linkage between regional tensions and nuclear risks. Today, many of these trends appear more entrenched and visible.

In this context, the study is being republished to support more in-depth, evidence-based discussions on the risks of nuclear armament, its implications for regional security, and the strategic challenges it may pose for the Middle East in the period ahead.

https://www.habtoorresearch.com/publications/regional-nuclear-threats/

13/03/2026

As the U.S.–Israel–Iran war reshapes the regional landscape, China is beginning to play a more visible role. Beijing has called for an immediate halt to the attacks and pledged to send a special envoy to the Middle East, signaling a growing interest in protecting its energy security, trade routes, and regional partnerships. The question now is whether this crisis will allow China to expand its influence in a rapidly shifting region.

https://www.habtoorresearch.com/programmes/china-us-israel-iran-war/

12/03/2026

The United States entered the second week of its joint military campaign against Iran on March 7, after launching Operation Epic Fury alongside Israel on February 28. Within days, the conflict had killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and triggered Iranian retaliatory strikes, as the scale of the war rapidly expanded beyond what President Donald Trump had initially imagined. What began as a targeted military operation has instead evolved into a widening regional confrontation. For the Republican Party, the war erupted at an already precarious political moment, shaped by the structural pressures of midterm elections, declining presidential approval, and a restless voter coalition. Rather than consolidating support, the onset of a costly and controversial conflict has amplified these vulnerabilities, leaving the GOP heading into November not with the question of whether losses will occur, but how extensive they will be.

With Trump's approval underwater, Democratic enthusiasm surging, and Operation Epic Fury dividing the MAGA base, the US-Israel-Iran war will define Republican prospects in the 2026 midterms and with it the rest of Trump’s presidency.