From the war on terror to networked security
From the war on terror to networked security newspress_en Tue, 09/08/2026 - 04:32 Politics The 9/11 attacks of 2001 ushered in a security paradigm centred on identifying and defeating a particular enemy: transnational terrorism. Twenty-five years later, security is better understood as protecting interconnected systems against multiple, overlapping forms of disruption. September 11 transformed…
In the quarter-century since the 9/11 attacks, security has evolved from a focus on transnational terrorism to a broader concept encompassing interconnected systems. The "war on terror" paradigm, which shaped US foreign policy and Western security thinking, is no longer the dominant organising framework for understanding today's security landscape.
Three emerging issues now take precedence when considering security: hybrid warfare, resilience and deterrence, and networked security. Hybrid warfare has become a routine instrument of geopolitical competition, with states employing asymmetric instruments such as cyber operations, sabotage, information warfare, and covert action.
Non-state actors now possess capabilities once associated with states, including precision missiles, sophisticated drones, surveillance technology, and electronic warfare. Consequently, security policy must adapt to this hybrid nature of threats.
The concept of power in the twenty-first century extends beyond military capability to include control and resilience within technological, economic, and informational systems. This shift is exemplified by the Iran conflict, where AI, cyber capabilities, drones, satellites, and advanced surveillance have become crucial factors in determining a state's ability to compete and defend itself.
The vulnerability of national security has expanded beyond physical borders to encompass digital platforms, telecommunications infrastructure, and cloud computing.
As the Middle East enters a new security era, the Iran war deepens cracks in America's alliances. Supply chains, formerly viewed through the lens of efficiency, are now assessed for resilience. Economic disruption, such as attempts to close the Strait of Hormuz or attack shipping in the Red Sea, is increasingly employed as part of hybrid warfare.
In response, the US is using economic coercion to counter Iran's destabilisation. This demonstrates the growing merger between economic policy and security policy, as national security increasingly relies on maintaining essential systems' functionality.
Written by urgent.news from Al Majalla English's reporting — not their text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
