Hi, welcome back to my blog! I’m making a timeline of conflicts in the Middle East to answer the question: Why is there conflict in the Middle East, and how did it get that way? By looking at major historical events and what’s happening now, I hope to understand the roots of these conflicts and what impact they might continue to have in the future.
In my first round of research I looked at early history in the middle east and the main causes of the conflicts of the era. I went through how the ruling has changed and what land had been conquered by who. I saw how the having constantly changing rulers and the influence of different religions and cultures have shaped the culture to what we see today. There were local village and tribal warfare, city‑state rivalries, civil wars and rebellions, regional invasions, empire‑wide conquest campaigns. Most were caused by the competition for resources, trade, political power, survival, religion and the whole Holy land issue.
In my last post (round 2 of research) I looked at conflicts in the 20th century and found that they were caused by: Constantly changing rulers and empires, Religious and cultural differences, Competition for trade routes and resources, Fall of the Ottoman Empire, Poorly drawn borders after WW1, European colonial control, Rise of nationalism, Economic decline, famine, and displacement, Armenian Genocide, foreign interest in ressources, Spread of fascism, nationalism, communist and anti‑colonial ideas, Creation of Israel and Palestinian displacement, Cold War influence.
On September 11, 2001, suicide attackers seized US passenger jets and crashed them into two New York skyscrapers, killing thousands of people.(9/11) (1) After these attacks the United States became focused on preventing future attacks. The United States governement accused Saddam Hussei, Iraqs leader of supporting terrorist groups and having weapons of mass destruction. WMDs such as chemical or nuclear weapons. Iraq denied the claims made, and UN weapons inspectors did not find any WMDs. However in March 2003, the United States and allies/UK invaded Iraq and removed Saddam Hussein from power. After Hussein’s gouvernment fell In Iraq there was insurgency (violent, armed rebellion by small, lightly armed bands who practice guerrilla warfare against a larger authority. (2) ) and sectarian violence (religious violence inspired by sectarianism, that is, discrimination, hatred or prejudice between different sects of a particular mode of an ideology or different sects of a religion within a nation or community. (3) ) between Sunni and Shia groups.(4)
People often debate on why the war started but the main reasons include : security concerns, counterterrorism, political and strategic goals, economic and regional purposes (oil). This wars biggest effects on the middle east are:
- Instability in Iraq – The gouvernement collapse created weak institutions and continued violence and iraq struggled to rebuild
- Rise of extremist gorups – The vacum of power left behind by the governement collapsing helps groups like ISIS to emerge later
- Regional power shifts – The balace of power in the middle east shifted and Iran had more influence on Iraq
- Secretarian tensions – Conflicts between Sunni and Shia got worse
- Human and economic costs – Hundered of thusands died, millions were displaced, war is expensive (5)
Another major conflict is the Yemeni Civil War, which began in 2014 when Houthi rebel groups took control of the capital, Sana’a, and forced the government to collapse. In 2015, a Saudi‑led coalition stepped in to try to restore the government, which made the conflict much larger and more complex. This war is often seen as a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran, because Saudi Arabia supports the Yemeni government while Iran has supported the Houthi rebels. This shows how conflicts in the Middle East are often not just local but involve bigger regional powers competing for influence. The war has caused massive humanitarian issues, including famine, disease, and millions of displaced people.(6)
From 2023 to present, the Israel‑Hamas war has been a major conflict. The war started on October 7, 2023 when Hamas launched a large attack on Israel. Israel then declared war and began major military operations in Gaza. This conflict has caused tens of thousands of deaths and widespread destruction. At the same time, Hezbollah (a group in Lebanon) began attacking Israel from the north in support of Hamas, which led to ongoing fighting between Israel and Hezbollah. Iran is also involved indirectly, since it supports groups like Hamas and Hezbollah, leading to rising tensions between Iran and Israel. This shows how one conflict can quickly spread and involve many different countries and groups, increasing instability in the region. (7)
I can also connect this conflict to many of the causes I talked about earlier in my timeline. The Israel‑Hamas war is directly linked to the creation of Israel and the displacement of Palestinians after World War I and World War II, which I mentioned in my second round of research. It is also connected to religious importance of the land, especially because the area is considered holy by different groups, which has been a cause of conflict since early history. The involvement of groups like Hamas and Hezbollah also links back to the rise of nationalism, political ideologies, and extremist groups in the 20th century. In addition, the role of Iran and other countries shows how foreign involvement and competition for power is still a major cause of conflict today, just like it was during the Cold War. This is a very good example for showing how past conflicts like religion, land disputes, colonial borders, and outside influence, still shape our world and how the root causes of these conflicts still linger.
The theme of foreign intervention has showed up alot while i made this time line. A major power that is currently intervening in the middle east is the United States, through Trump’s administration. The U.S. stayed very involved in the Middle East, it supports their allies like Israel and works with countries like Saudi Arabia. As well as being strongly against Iran, the U.S. has used things like sanctions and military pressure to try to weaken its influence. Even though sometimes people in the region wanted change or help from outside, foreign intervention often made things worse by increasing conflict instead of solving it.
There is also debate about why the U.S. got involved in certain situations. In some cases, even when people needed help earlier, the U.S. didn’t always act until it benefited them more. Many people believe that decisions were influenced by things like power, strategy, and resources such as oil, not just helping people. This shows that foreign countries can have their own reasons for getting involved, and those reasons don’t always match what is best for the region or people living there. The results of actions matter more than the intentions. Even when intervention means to help in some ways, it often added to instability and made conflicts harder to fix in the long term. (8)
Looking at all of these events together helps answer the question of why there is conflict in the Middle East and what it means for the future. Many of the same causes keep appearing, such as competition for power, religious differences, and outside influence. Today, conflicts are becoming more complex because they involve multiple countries, proxy wars, and non‑state groups like militias and terrorist organizations. Experts warn that conflicts in the region can easily spread and grow larger when global and regional powers get involved. This means that without long‑term solutions, the Middle East will continue to face instability and continuse conflict. (9)
- 9/11: What happened and how many people died in September 11 attacks?
- Insurgency – Wikipedia
- Sectarian violence – Wikipedia
- Iraq War | Summary, Causes, Dates, Combatants, Casualties, & Facts | Britannica
- The Iraq War (2003-2011): Unveiling Causes, Controversies & Lasting Outcome
- Yemeni Civil War | Map, Houthi, History, Saudi Arabia, & Israel | Britannica
- Israel-Hamas War (Gaza Conflict) | Explanation, Summary, Ceasefire, Casualties, & Map | Britannica
- Israel-Hezbollah war (2023– ) | Map, Explained, Iran, Ceasefire, & Facts | Britannica
- The Trump Administration’s Middle East Policy: Shaping an Emerging Regional Order
- The Middle East Conflict and the Future of the Region’s Political Order – Australian Institute of International Affairs
