Leonardo Jacopo Maria Mazzucco is a PhD candidate in Institutions and Policies at the Catholic University of Milan, Italy. His research interests revolve around the foreign policy and security affairs of the Gulf region. He tweets at @mazz_Leonardo.
Yemen’s Emerging Role in the Red Sea
Defense & SecurityOn August 4, 2026, the Yemeni Coast Guard (YCG) rescued the 14-member crew of the...
The Iran Blockade: Leverage and Limits of U.S. Naval Power
U.S. – Gulf PolicyOn April 13, the U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) launched a naval blockade preventing inbound and...
Trump’s Blockade of Iranian Ports Raises the Stakes of the War
U.S. – Gulf PolicyAfter the collapse of U.S.–Iran negotiations in Islamabad over the weekend, President Donald Trump inaugurated...
Iran’s Asymmetric Naval Threat Debilitated, Not Annihilated
Defense & SecurityThis is the second of a two-part series examining Iran’s naval power during Operation Epic...
Operation Epic Fury and the Collapse of Iran’s Layered Naval Defense
Defense & SecurityThis is the first of a two-part series examining Iran’s naval power during Operation Epic...
The Winter Olympics and Deepening Italy–Qatar Defense Diplomacy
GeopoliticsAs the Milano-Cortina 2026 Winter Olympic Games commenced at the beginning of the month, Qatar’s...
A New Posture: How Saudi Arabia is Reshaping its Military Readiness
Defense & SecurityOn November 9, Yemen’s militant Ansar Allah group, widely known as the Houthis, publicly released...
Guarding the Gulf: EU-GCC Efforts to Strengthen Nuclear Preparedness
Defense & SecurityAt the 29th Joint Council and Ministerial Meeting held in Kuwait in October, the European...
The Istanbul Cooperation Initiative Twenty Years On: Assessing NATO-GCC Coo...
GeopoliticsJune 2025 marked the 20th anniversary of the United Arab Emirates’ (UAE) entry into the...
Snapback to Reality: The E3’s Nuclear Diplomacy Amidst Tensions with Tehr...
Defense & SecurityOn August 28, France, Germany, and the United Kingdom—the diplomatic bloc known as the E3—submitted...
Yemen’s Breakthrough against Iran’s Arms Smuggling to the Houthis
Defense & SecurityOn July 16, 2025, the Yemeni National Resistance Forces (NRF), a coalition of anti-Houthi forces...
The UAE and Qatar Pivot to Unmanned Systems to Bolster Maritime Security
Defense & SecurityAutonomous systems are transforming the character of naval warfare. In the Black Sea, Ukrainian uncrewed...