Welcome to The Times of Israel’s Lazar Focus. Each Friday, join host diplomatic correspondent Lazar Berman for a deep dive into what’s behind the news that spins the globe.

Two weeks into the war against Iran, the Islamic Republic has made good on its threats and attacked all the Gulf Arab states. But while the focus on reporting has been on those countries, players on Iran’s northern border are also under fire.

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Iran has fired two missiles at Turkey, a major regional power, and has hit targets in Azerbaijan, continues to pound Iraqi Kurdistan, and Iran’s proxy Hezbollah even attacked British zones in Cyprus.

The northern theater should not be overlooked.

Each of these actors has a complex relationship not only with Iran, but also with Israel. Some, like Cyprus and Azerbaijan, are close allies, while Turkey has turned into a leading adversary and a backer of Hamas.

Gallia Lindenstrauss, a leading Turkey expert, examines how each is reacting to the outbreak of war, and what might lie ahead in their ties with Israel.

Lazar Focus can be found on all podcast platforms. This episode was produced by Gabriella Jacobs and video edited by Ari Schlacht.

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