Amidst Morocco's rising influence bolstered by alliances with the United States and Israel, Spanish defense circles express growing concern over the strategic vulnerabilities of Ceuta and Melilla. A comprehensive report by the Spanish Institute for Strategic Studies warns of hybrid warfare threats, urging Spain to bolster security and infrastructure to counter Morocco's assertive stance in the Strait of Gibraltar.
Amid heightened diplomatic activity ahead of a key United Nations Security Council juncture, Algeria is stepping up its engagement with the United States in a bid to influence its position on the Western Sahara issue, leveraging its natural resources to strengthen its negotiating hand.