RUSI JournalVOLUME 171ISSUE 6

The Suez Crisis at 70: Its Renewed Relevance in 2026

Danny Steed
9 September 2026clock17 Minute Read
RFA Lyme Bay passes through the Suez Canal, on its way to help re-start shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, 18 June 2026. Courtesy of LPhoto Connor Kilbride/UK MOD/Crown copyright 2026

RFA Lyme Bay passes through the Suez Canal, on its way to help re-start shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, 18 June 2026. Courtesy of LPhoto Connor Kilbride/UK MOD/Crown copyright 2026

In this Research Article, the author reflects on the lessons of the 1956 Suez Crisis and, with the tables turned, how the US is facing support, media and market challenges today following its war with Iran.

The Suez Crisis continues to shape British thinking on the use of force in the Middle East. Danny Steed examines its enduring military and political lessons, including for expeditionary operations, media influence, allied support, market pressures and political objectives. By comparing Suez with the current Iran crisis, the article argues that Britain is experiencing a renewed ‘Suez Syndrome’, while the US is facing a similar set of challenges to those that Britain confronted 70 years ago.

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WRITTEN BY

Danny Steed

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