Nancy Ezzeddine is ACLED’s Middle East Analyst, with a focus on conflict dynamics in Iraq and Syria. In this role, she leads data-driven analysis on political violence and security trends in both countries. Nancy brings broad expertise in conflict research, with a background spanning fieldwork, policy analysis, and academic inquiry. Prior to joining ACLED, she served as a Research Fellow at the Clingendael Institute’s Conflict Research Unit, where she led projects on governance, resilience, and regional security in fragile contexts. Nancy holds a Master’s degree in Development Studies from SOAS, University of London.
Spoken languages: English and Arabic Timezone: Central European Time - CET
In Gaza, lethal hostilities continued to subside, while Israel consolidated and expanded its control; protests rocked Iran; and Gulf proxy rivalries fuelled a political storm in southern Yemen.
Israeli strikes in the Golan, IS presence in the northeast, and challenges to consolidating security forces will also test President Sharaa.
November saw election-related tensions in Iraq; tensions between Saudi- and UAE-backed forces in Yemen; and sustained deadly Israeli operations across Lebanon, Gaza, the West Bank, and southern Syria.
The ceasefire in Gaza held in October as low-level violence continued, while the ceasefire in Lebanon approached one year under strain, and settler violence against olive harvesters in the West Bank reached a record high.
While violence in Iraq is at its lowest levels since the fall of Saddam Hussein in 2003, the relative stability ahead of the 11 November vote is the result of repression by political leaders whose legitimacy is eroding.
This Q&A explores the roots of the July 2025 escalation in southern Syria and Israel’s subsequent response to the violence.
ACLED's expert comments on intercommunal violence in Syria's south and how Israel has violently intervened to demand a complete demilitarization.
In this Q&A, ACLED Middle East Analyst Nancy Ezzeddine explains how this development compares to previous efforts, what motivates each side, and whether it marks the start of a sustainable peace process.
