Hakan Fidan

Force in Play

Leading diplomatic response to missile incidents and mediating broader conflict

For the third time in ten days, a ballistic missile fired from Iran crossed into Turkish airspace before NATO defenses destroyed it. The March 13 interception over eastern Turkey followed similar shootdowns on March 4 and March 9 — a pattern that has turned a NATO ally's skies into an unwanted proving ground for the alliance's missile shield. Turkey summoned Iran's ambassador and demanded an explanation; Iran, as it has after each incident, denied deliberately targeting its neighbor.

Updated 5 days ago

Force in Play

Emerging as a key regional broker, pressing for sequencing that prioritises Palestinian governance and policing before Hamas disarmament; simultaneously negotiating CAATSA sanctions relief with Washington

After more than two years of devastating war triggered by Hamas's attacks on Israel on October 7, 2023, a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that began on October 10, 2025 has paused large-scale hostilities in Gaza but remains deeply fragile, with at least 460 Palestinians killed and over 1,200 injured since the truce took effect. On January 14, 2026, Trump envoy Steve Witkoff announced the launch of phase two of the President's 20‑point peace plan, establishing a 15‑member Palestinian technocratic committee led by Ali Shaath, a former Palestinian Authority deputy minister, to assume day-to-day governance of Gaza. Nickolay Mladenov, former UN Middle East envoy, was appointed director-general of the Board of Peace, the international transitional authority mandated by the UN Security Council to oversee Gaza's demilitarization, reconstruction and political transition. On January 21, the Board announced a concrete 3-5 month timeline for disarmament, with Hamas expected to receive an ultimatum demanding surrender of all weapons. Hamas announced on January 12 that it will dissolve its government once the new Palestinian body takes over, calling the decision 'clear and final,' but has refused to surrender its small arms, stating it will only fully disarm once a Palestinian state is established.

Updated Jan 26