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The 12-day war between Israel and Iran had the potential to enflame the region and stretch into a prolonged conflict, but each party carried strategic concerns that necessarily drove the cessation of open warfare.

RUSI analysts have applied tests to every major strategic paper published by the UK in recent years, and now look at how the Strategic Defence Review published in June 2025 satisfies close examination.

The Speer Group ventures into the small world of German defence private equity. RUSI's Jonathan Eyal and Linus Terhorst interviewed its founders.

Military strikes on Iran's nuclear facilities and Tehran's criticism of the IAEA threaten to undermine the credibility and effectiveness of the Agency's work, with implications for non-proliferation beyond the Iran nuclear file.

The government’s recently published sanctions strategy under-promises, overdelivers and sets a vision for the future use of sanctions. Now the work begins.

EU financing of defence procurement is sensible. But excluding non-EU European industry risks delays and reliance on bond markets limits long-term, strategic security.

The AI arms race is definitely ‘gathering speed’. What about the information wars? ‘Countries that are very good at AI could gain significant leverage in international relations through influence operations’, says the Military Review in its March-April 2025 issue. It is, therefore, necessary to consider the threats Russia has presented and could present in the future with AI-powered information operations.

When export controls are seen as a tool to limit competitors’ technology advancements, they can have unintended consequences. Such is the case for quantum technologies, where export controls accelerate a localized quantum supply chain in China.

At this year’s NATO Summit, Donald Trump won, Ukraine lost, Europe rolled out the red carpet and exposed the total psychological dependency on the US.

The release of the National Security Strategy lays out a troubling picture of the UK's place in an increasingly hostile and volatile world. RUSI experts offer their reaction to the major strategic document, and the light it sheds on the Britain's response.

NATO allies increasingly view cloud as an operational imperative. But realising its benefits – from information advantage to strategic resilience – means navigating a complex landscape of sovereignty, regulation and interoperability.

The global effort to disrupt proliferation financing is becalmed. A new body responsible for monitoring North Korea’s nuclear ambition reveals why this needs to change.

NATO’s summit in the Hague will set an historic target of 5% of GDP on defence. Allies hope this can buy enough time to fill current capability gaps, deter an aggressive Russia, and keep Donald Trump committed to the transatlantic alliance and the defence of Europe.

Gulf States reacting to the attacks on Iran have been outspoken but not unguarded, as statesmen and diplomats consider the road ahead. The affront is balanced against the existing relationships with Iran and the US - with some regard for how to manage an exodus of refugees in the event of a deeper conflict.

Our experts comment on the US strikes of three Iranian nuclear facilities at Isfahan, Natanz and Fordow.

The recent conflict between India and Pakistan was another instance of cyber warfare in parallel with kinetic attacks, with increased activity in the information space.

After the UK’s newly published Strategic Defence Review took aim at Russia, Moscow’s response showed that their understanding of us has some way to go.

Canada will be spending 2% of its gross domestic product on defence within the next fiscal year. This is long overdue. Despite pledging to reach the 2% target in 2014, Canada has avoided making the necessary investments to meet its alliance obligations, but there is now reason to hope that Canada will finally meet them.

Geopolitical shocks continue to impact the oil market as prices spike in response to the Israel-Iran conflict. With the US mulling an attack on Iranian nuclear enrichment facilities in Fordow, the Strait of Hormuz is one of Iran’s few remaining deterrents.

The SDR has re-emphasised the centrality of space to the country and UK Armed Forces. But the UK’s nascent military space programme will be under increased pressure to play its role in the military’s transformation. If the UK wants to use and protect truly sovereign capabilities it will need sustained and probably increased investment to succeed.