Brief
Middle East power map reshaped after October 7 attacks, says Al Jazeera analysis
Three years on, the October 7 attacks have altered alliances, intensified conflict and shifted U.S. policy across the Middle East.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Al Jazeera says the October 7 attacks and Israel’s ensuing war on Gaza have, over the past three years, redrawn the Middle East’s political and security landscape.
What happened
Following the attacks, Israel expanded its military operations beyond Gaza, striking targets in Qatar in 2025 and repeatedly hitting sites across the region. The war has resulted in more than 74,000 Palestinian deaths in Gaza and extensive destruction of the enclave.
Key regional actors have been directly affected: several senior leaders of Hezbollah and Hamas have been killed, and Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was assassinated in February, according to the report.
What the reports add
Al Jazeera notes that Iran’s once‑dominant alliance network has been severely weakened, with the Houthi rebels in Yemen remaining a notable exception. The outlet cites Royal United Services Institute analyst HA Hellyer, who argues that before October 7 the United States pursued normalisation of Israel through the Abraham Accords, but Israel’s response to the attacks “ended that” and pushed the U.S. into a de‑facto war with Iran.
Hellyer adds that U.S. credibility as a security guarantor has eroded, prompting regional states to explore alternative security arrangements, such as the Mecca security pact signed in August by Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan.
What was said
HA Hellyer told Al Jazeera, “There’s been a loss of faith in the US as a singularly sufficient security guarantor,” and explained that countries are now looking to other external actors while deepening some U.S. ties.
How it came about
The shift follows the October 7 attacks that triggered Israel’s large‑scale offensive in Gaza and subsequent regional escalations, including Houthi missile and drone strikes on Qatar’s Ras Laffan gas hub, Dubai airport and Fujairah oil facilities. The Houthis also seized Yemen’s Mocha port and tightened control of the Bab al‑Mandeb strait, a vital trade route.
These developments have contributed to a broader realignment, with the United States moving from a policy of Israeli‑centric normalisation to a more confrontational stance toward Iran, while regional powers seek new security pacts to offset perceived gaps in U.S. protection.
Key facts
- The October 7 attacks led to Israel’s expanded military operations across the region, including a 2025 strike on Doha. (aljazeera.com)
- More than 74,000 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the war began. (aljazeera.com)
- Iran’s alliance network has been severely weakened, with Houthi rebels as a notable exception. (aljazeera.com)
- U.S. analyst HA Hellyer says the attacks ended the U.S. policy of normalising Israel through the Abraham Accords. (aljazeera.com)
- Regional states signed the Mecca security pact in August, linking Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan. (aljazeera.com)
Sources
- [1] aljazeera.com — originally reported as “How October 7 redrew the map of the Middle East”
