Abstract
This essay investigates the geopolitical shifts that unfolded in the Middle East from October 2023 to the end of 2025, stimulated by the surprise attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent events it triggered. These included military confrontations between Israel and each of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. The essay demonstrates that these developments have reshaped power positions and alliances in the Middle East, leading to a more complex and unpredictable geopolitical landscape. It sketches out the new regional balance of power, identifying ascending and descending powers–both states and non-state actors–as well as pertinent dynamics and their potential implications for stability. The essay, however, argues that while changes have occurred within the Middle Eastern system, they have not altered its core features.
Recommended Citation
Shama, Nael
(2026)
"Geopolitical Transformation in the Post-October 7 Middle East (2023–2025): Power Shifts vs. Structural Shifts,"
The Journal of Social Encounters:
Vol. 10:
Iss.
1, 40-52.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.69755/2995-2212.1395
Available at:
https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/social_encounters/vol10/iss1/4
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Home > Journals > The Journal of Social Encounters > Vol. 10 (2026) > Iss. 1
Geopolitical Transformation in the Post-October 7 Middle East (2023–2025): Power Shifts vs. Structural Shifts
Authors
Nael ShamaFollow
Abstract
This essay investigates the geopolitical shifts that unfolded in the Middle East from October 2023 to the end of 2025, stimulated by the surprise attack by Hamas on Israel on October 7, 2023, and the subsequent events it triggered. These included military confrontations between Israel and each of Hamas, Hezbollah and Iran, the fall of the Assad regime in Syria, and Houthi attacks in the Red Sea. The essay demonstrates that these developments have reshaped power positions and alliances in the Middle East, leading to a more complex and unpredictable geopolitical landscape. It sketches out the new regional balance of power, identifying ascending and descending powers–both states and non-state actors–as well as pertinent dynamics and their potential implications for stability. The essay, however, argues that while changes have occurred within the Middle Eastern system, they have not altered its core features.
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Recommended Citation
Shama, Nael (2026) "Geopolitical Transformation in the Post-October 7 Middle East (2023–2025): Power Shifts vs. Structural Shifts," The Journal of Social Encounters: Vol. 10: Iss. 1, 40-52.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.69755/2995-2212.1395
Available at: https://digitalcommons.csbsju.edu/social_encounters/vol10/iss1/4
DOWNLOADS
Since March 18, 2026
Included in
Anthropology Commons, Arabic Language and Literature Commons, Arabic Studies Commons, Feminist, Gender, and Sexuality Studies Commons, Inequality and Stratification Commons, International and Area Studies Commons, International Relations Commons, Islamic Studies Commons, Peace and Conflict Studies Commons, Politics and Social Change Commons, Race and Ethnicity Commons, Race, Ethnicity and Post-Colonial Studies Commons
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