The Middle East has entered another period of stressful intensity, wherein conflictsbecome more pronounced, risky events suggest war and leaders try to demonstratethat they are in control and are strong – even brazen. This time, the instability is increasing while the global pandemic is worsening, economies are faltering and elections signal increased domestic political instability. The combination of stress and instability has nurtured a back-and-forth of actions and reactions, mostly pitting Saudi Arabia and its realignment with Israel and Arab monarchies against Iran and its proxies in Lebanon, Yemen, Syria and Iraq. With the U.S. struggling to get past the final weeks of the Trump administration, worried observers suggest a war with Iran is imminent. It mostly seems like bluster, for now, but stressed leaders in unstable economies and election-era politics could yet fumble their way into a war.