Clionadh Raleigh

Clionadh Raleigh, CEO of ACLED and conflict-data expert, unpacks how the Iran war is spreading across the region. She discusses risks of great-power entanglement with Russia and China, the scale and tempo of strikes, Kurdish forces on the Iraqi border, and scenarios that could reshape Iran’s future. Short, sharp, and data-driven insights on a fast-moving conflict.

Today, Britain’s MI6 chief delivered a chilling message: the frontline is now everywhere.Look around the world and the evidence is overwhelming. From Ukraine to Gaza to Sudan, violence is spreading fast and growing more lethal by the month. New data from ACLED shows that Europe is now the most intense conflict zone on the planet - a fact that should shock anyone in the West still clinging to the idea that war happens elsewhere. Plus, with drone strikes now accounting for more than a quarter of all attacks worldwide, war is only a short flight away. This is not a bad patch, this is a dangerous new era. And next year will be even bloodier still. The warning signs are screaming at us. The Armed Conflict Location and Event Data organisation, known as ACLED, has been tracking all of this data and more. Venetia speaks to their CEO Clionadh Raleigh to find out more.Read ACLED's report: https://acleddata.com/conflict-index-2026-watchlistProducer: Peter ShevlinExecutive Producer: Louisa Wells► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditorContact us with feedback or ideas:battlelines@telegraph.co.uk @venetiarainey@RolandOliphant Hosted on Acast. See acast.com/privacy for more information.