CTP’s Threat Update series is a weekly update and assessment of Iran and the al Qaeda network. CTP’s Iran team follows developments on the internal politics, nuclear negotiations, and regional conflicts closely. The al Qaeda network update includes detailed assessments of al Qaeda’s affiliates in Yemen, the Horn of Africa, and the Maghreb and Sahel. Below are the top three takeaways from the week: 1. The direct talks between the al Houthis and U.S. officials in Oman may indicate a shift in the al Houthis’ position. The group previously refused to open a direct line of communication with the U.S. and may now be more open to a U.S. role in ongoing Yemeni political negotiations. It is not clear yet whether the U.S.-al Houthi talks are solely focused on the status of three remaining U.S. citizens detained by the group in Yemen’s capital, Sana’a, or whether the talks include the ongoing political crisis in the country. 2. The Islamic State in Iraq and al Sham (ISIS) may be expanding its presence in Algeria and Tunisia. A Tunisian soldier opened fire on his colleagues in Tunisia, with pro-ISIS fighters claiming to have radicalized the assailant. Local reports from Algerian prisons also indicate that AQIM members are shifting their allegiances to ISIS, while Syria-based ISIS Wilayat Damascus released a message targeting Algerian supporters. 3. Al Shabaab may be attempting to position itself for future operations, indicated by an attack on military bases in Kaxda district on the outskirts of Mogadishu. The group also reportedly controlled a Kenyan border town for two days, continuing a shift in al Shabaab’s activities in northern Kenya from conducting attacks to attempting to control territory.