Renewed military strikes in the Middle East have forced universities to reassess operations, partnerships, and international campuses. American University of Beirut’s Olayan School kept instruction running despite missile strikes and casualties, invoking long‑standing continuity plans. Separately, analysts warn that regional instability could chill further internationalization efforts and slow branch‑campus expansion in the Gulf, where Western institutions have invested heavily. Universities with branch campuses, research partnerships, or recruited students from the region are now weighing safety, reputational and financial risks. Administrators report short‑term shifts to remote instruction, emergency planning activations, and longer‑term reconsideration of campus commitments as insurers, funders, and partner governments reassess risk profiles.