Mark Lynch

A screenshot from a video released by four Bahraini men calling on their Sunni countrymen to take up arms against the country's ruling family and Shiite majority.

ISIS looks to spread its recruiting and violence to the Persian Gulf

Conflict

A recent video from ISIS targeting recruits from Bahrain is part of an apparent new surge in calls for recruits from the Gulf states, where many observers think governments have turned a blind eye to extremism. And these new efforts are calling for people to take up arms at home, not just in Iraq or Syria.

President Obama speaks on the phone Tuesday with Saudi Arabia's King Abdullah from the Oval Office. The administration says it’s building a coalition to fight the Islamic State movement.

Obama will outline his strategy for fighting the Islamic State movement

Conflict