“The Middle East in 2026” with Robert Silverman

Description

In this week’s Middle East Forum podcast, Lauri Regan speaks with Robert Silverman, a former U.S. diplomat with nearly three decades of experience across the Middle East, about the region’s shifting balance of power as it heads into 2026.

Silverman outlines why, despite persistent rivalries among Egypt, Israel, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Iran, a U.S.-anchored regional alignment is quietly taking shape. He explains why shared threat perceptions alone are insufficient to sustain cooperation, and why American leadership remains the “binding agent” holding disparate powers together.

The discussion examines the role of U.S. Central Command in integrating Israel into regional military coordination, the implications for Iran and Hezbollah, and how post-war Gaza could become an early test case for a broader civil-military stabilization framework. Silverman also assesses Trump-era diplomacy, including the Gaza framework, the return of hostages, and the limits of demilitarization versus disarmament.

A wide-ranging Q&A explores Israel’s qualitative military edge, potential F-35 sales in the region, Egypt’s expanding gas cooperation with Israel, and the risks posed by future U.S. policy reversals. Silverman concludes with a cautiously optimistic case for why 2026 may bring decisive shifts in Lebanon and Iran , and why realism, not naivety, is driving his outlook.