After the Strikes
A strategic assessment of three months of war in the Middle East and its lasting consequences for the global order.
Foreign Affairs Newsletter
Written by Luca Salvemini
No. 167 - June 21, 2026
To start off, as always, I have two announcements—one of them is truly important and marks the next step in the evolution of my project.
On June 30, the fourth issue of Strategic Atlas will be published and will be dedicated to Israel.
We will attempt to capture its current state and its future projections following the conflicts in Iran and Lebanon, as well as its strained yet still solid relations with the United States.
Given the volume of requests and the strong interest generated by the Strategic Brief format, I am formalising a dedicated advisory offering.
I provide bespoke geopolitical and strategic intelligence reports, designed for decision-makers who require clarity on specific countries, sectors, or geopolitical risk scenarios.
My work already supports companies, analysts, and researchers through tailored briefings that translate complex geopolitical dynamics into actionable insight.
For confidential or tailored requests write me to lucasalvemini1989@gmail.com
On February 28th, the United States and Israel launched a joint military operation against Iran, killing Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei along with dozens of senior Iranian officials and significantly degrading Iran’s nuclear programme.
The opening weeks of the war were swift and overwhelming — what followed was anything but.
The agreement reached at Versailles opens the path to negotiations on Iran’s nuclear programme, with sanctions relief and billions in frozen assets on the table. What comes next remains profoundly uncertain.
The only objective Washington managed to achieve was ending the war. But at what cost?
In today’s analysis, we examine how the United States, Iran, and Israel emerge from more than three months of conflict: their stated objectives, the extent to which these were achieved, their current condition, and their strategic postures. We also assess China’s role and the broader reverberations across the global economy.