Al Jazeera's analysis indicates that the past three years, following the October 7 attacks, have seen the Middle East's power balance significantly altered. The US influence has weakened, and Iran's network of alliances has been severely hit, with Yemen's Houthi rebels remaining a notable exception. Meanwhile, Israel has made gains, including the assassination of Iran's Supreme Leader in February and the occupation of most of Gaza. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has trimmed its 2026 global growth forecast slightly to 3.1% from 3.3%, and significantly cut forecasts for Gulf exporters like Saudi Arabia (from 4.5% to 3.1%) and Qatar (from 6.1% growth to 8.6% contraction).