Global Faultlines is a deep-dive international affairs podcast that goes beyond breaking news to uncover the roots of global conflicts. From shifting borders to power struggles, it explores the forces that shape international events. With expert voices and sharp analysis, the show offers depth and clarity on the stories shaping our world.
Latest episodes
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39 min
Pakistan, Turkey face tough choices in Saudi Arabia
In this episode of Global Faultlines, we answer your questions on the conflicts, political rivalries and historical developments shaping international affairs. From the origins of…
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47 min
What’s next for Iran after U.S. withdrawal from Iraq?
In this episode, we examine Iraq’s uncertain future after the U.S. withdrawal, Iran’s deepening influence and the role of Iran-backed militias, and ask whether Baghdad can assert i…
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57 min
Can Saudi Arabia beat the Houthis?
Saudi Arabia has spent the past few years trying to reshape its role in West Asia, moving away from confrontation with Iran, and seeking an end to the war in Yemen. However, the Ir…
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57 min
How the UAE projects power across the Gulf and beyond
The UAE has emerged as one of the most influential powers in West Asia, using diplomacy, trade, investment and strategic partnerships to extend its influence far beyond the Gulf. B…
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43 min
Is Israel winning?
Israel has fought multiple wars and military campaigns since October 7, in Gaza, Lebanon and Iran, while expanding its military and intelligence operations across the region. But m…
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50 min
Yemen explained: How the Houthis shook the U.S.-Saudi axis
Yemen is no longer just the site of a devastating civil war. The Houthis have emerged as a powerful regional actor, capable of threatening Saudi Arabia, Israel and one of the world…
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47 min
Is Jordan caught in the middle of Iran war?
Jordan rarely dominates the headlines, yet it sits at the heart of some of West Asia's biggest geopolitical faultlines. Bordering Israel and the occupied West Bank, Syria, Iraq and…
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37 min
How the war on Iran changed the Gulf security order
The war on Iran may be over, but its consequences are only beginning to reshape the Persian Gulf. For decades, Gulf monarchies have balanced security partnerships with the United S…
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41 min
Did India read the war on Iran wrong?
Since October 7, West Asia has witnessed a cascade of crises, from the war in Gaza, attacks on Red Sea shipping, to the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and direct military confr…
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43 min
Iran, Israel and the U.S.: How the war changed West Asia
The Iran-Israel-U.S. war may have ended with a ceasefire, but many of the questions that drove the conflict remain unresolved. After months of direct confrontation involving Iran,…
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41 min
Has Israel’s bid to reshape West Asia hit a road block?
The October 7 attacks triggered a wave of changes across West Asia, transforming conflicts, alliances, and the balance of power in the region. What began as a war in Gaza soon expa…
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42 min
Lebanon part 2: Why Lebanon remains in perpetual crisis
Lebanon’s civil war ended in 1990, but many of the country’s deeper fault lines remained unresolved. In the decades that followed, Lebanon rebuilt its cities and economy, yet secta…
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38 min
Lebanon part 1: How did a fragile state become a battlefield for regional powers?
Lebanon was once seen as a rare success story in West Asia, a country that appeared stable on the surface. However, beneath that image lay deep structural fault lines. In Part 1 of…
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57 min
Who won the U.S.-Israel war on Iran?
As tensions in West Asia spiral into one of the most dangerous confrontations in recent years, this episode of Global Faultlines breaks down the 2026 Iran–Israel–U.S. war, starting…
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46 min
Part 2: From the invasion of Iraq to the war on Iran
The 2003 U.S.-led invasion of Iraq marked a decisive break in the country’s modern history. It removed the regime of Saddam Hussein, but also dismantled the institutions that had h…
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46 min
Iraq Part 1: How was the modern Iraqi state created?
Modern Iraq was not born in 2003. Its origins lie in the aftermath of the First World War, when the collapse of the Ottoman Empire led Britain to assemble a new state. The borders…
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51 min
Iran Crisis Explained: Will the Islamic Republic survive U.S. pressure and regional escalation?
In late December 2025, Iran was hit by a nationwide uprising triggered by the collapse of the Rial and deepening economic distress. What began as anger over inflation and currency…
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52 min
Saudi Arabia explained: Why is the kingdom changing its strategy in West Asia?
Saudi Arabia is recalibrating its role in a region defined by protracted wars, shifting alliances, and declining faith in military solutions. After years of assertive intervention,…
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54 min
Saudi Arabia explained: How did the country become a regional power in West Asia?
Saudi Arabia emerged from the collapse of the Ottoman Empire not as a colonial creation, but through conquest and consolidation, anchored in an alliance between political power and…
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58 min
ISIS explained: How the Islamic State rose, ruled, and evolved
The Islamic State emerged from years of war, political collapse, and sectarian violence in Iraq and Syria. Shaped by the aftermath of the U.S. invasion of Iraq and the chaos of the…