Yemen’s Houthi rebels announced that a Saudi-led coalition airstrike on a prison in Al-Hazm, Al-Jawf province, killed nine detainees. The incident coincided with an escalation in hostilities, including reports of separate airstrikes in Mocha and Houthi cross-border drone and missile operations.


Houthis: Saudi Arabia Attack on Yemen prison kills nine

Yemen’s Houthi rebels have reportedly seized the strategic Red Sea port of Mocha, raising concerns over control of the Bab al-Mandeb strait. The group has also carried out attacks on Saudi Arabia, with around 70 people reportedly wounded. The escalating threats to Saudi energy, civilian and defence infrastructure are raising questions over the possible operationalisation of the Mecca Pact involving Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan.

Will the Houthi attacks activate the Mecca pact?

Black smoke and flames were seen near Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, with residents reporting explosions in the Saudi capital. An Aramco fuel tank near the airport was later reported on fire, while flight cancellations and delays were reported at the airport.

 'Major Problems' reported, flights disrupted at Riyadh airport after overnight air raid alert

Massive crowds gathered in Yemen’s capital Sanaa on September 18 for a Million-Man Rally. Protesters rejected Saudi claims that Houthi forces targeted Mecca and called for an end to the ongoing blockade.

Thousands rally in Sanaa against blockade and Mecca claims

US President Donald Trump says he is approaching a “big decision” over the next phase of the Iran war. Trump has indicated he is weighing whether to resume large-scale military action against Iran. His remarks come ahead of planned talks with leaders from six Gulf nations on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly. Trump has also said Iran wants a deal, but that Tehran is not yet ready. The latest developments come as Washington weighs military action alongside diplomatic efforts to end the conflict.


Houthis and Saudi Arabia trade fresh attacks as Trump weighs next big decision on Iran

As fighting between Saudi Arabia and Houthis escalated, the credibility of the Mecca pact is again at stake. Pakistan's defence minister Khawaja Asif has now hinted at the possibility of his country joining Saudi Arabia in the battle against Houthis.


Pakistan threatens to join war against Iran ally as Houthis attack Saudi

In a major escalation, Saudi Arabia has vowed retaliation after Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthis launched a wave of attacks on Saudi Arabia, leaving more than 70 people injured and setting oil facilities ablaze.

 Saudi Arabia vows retaliation as Houthi attacks set oil facilities ablaze, Yemen clashes kill 300

Saudi Aramco is assessing damage after a reported fresh strike on its Jizan oil complex near the Yemen border. The extent of damage and impact on production remain unclear, with no group claiming responsibility so far.


Houthis launch missile Salvo on Saudi Arabia, Aramco oil facilities hit

Oil, war and rising deficits are forcing Riyadh to rethink Saudi Arabia’s economic and strategic future. As regional conflict disrupts trade and energy routes, the kingdom faces growing pressure to protect its oil revenues while continuing its ambitious Vision 2030 transformation. 

Saudi seeks billions in loans as economic pressures mount 

US President Donald Trump has praised the new defence pact between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan, calling it a “BIG, BOLD, IMPORTANT FIRST STEP.” Signed on August 7, the three-way agreement comes amid escalating regional tensions and a wider rethink of Middle East security arrangements.

US president lauds Pak, Turkiye & Saudi Arabia for inking new pact 

Houthi militants have struck a cargo ship in the Red Sea with missiles, killing at least six people, according to Yemen’s government. The attack marks a fresh escalation in the region’s shipping crisis, raising concerns over maritime security and disruptions to vital trade routes.

Red Sea War: Six killed in deadly Houthi strikes on Red Sea vessel 

Pakistan has refused to intervene militarily following recent Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia, exposing immediate cracks in a newly formed trilateral alliance. Despite signing a landmark Mecca joint defence agreement alongside Saudi Arabia and Turkey just days ago—which includes a NATO-style collective defence clause—Islamabad has refrained from deploying its army into active combat against the Yemeni rebel group.

Pak runs away from Houthi battlefield, refrains from deploying army against Houthis 

US President Donald Trump has once again paused planned military strikes on Iran, and mentioned new set of talks are about to start. However, Iran has firmly rejected Trump's claims that it requested Washington to halt military action, calling the allegations false.

In this report, we examine the latest developments in the escalating US-Iran crisis, the role of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries in preventing a wider regional war, and whether diplomacy can still succeed after months of conflict.


Trump playbook: Threaten massive strikes & then call them off

US President Donald Trump has once again paused planned military strikes on Iran, and mentioned new set of talks are about to start. However, Iran has firmly rejected Trump's claims that it requested Washington to halt military action, calling the allegations false.

In this report, we examine the latest developments in the escalating US-Iran crisis, the role of Saudi Arabia and other Gulf countries in preventing a wider regional war, and whether diplomacy can still succeed after months of conflict.

US-Iran War: Trump says new talks will begin on Monday, Iran denies

US-Iran War: Trump says Iran asked to call off strike, Tehran denies claim

The Iran-backed Houthis say they have targeted a Saudi oil tanker in the Red Sea, reinforcing a maritime blockade strategy that echoes Iran's pressure tactics in the Strait of Hormuz. The attack signals a widening threat to regional shipping and energy routes amid escalating tensions in West Asia.

Red Sea blockade raises fears for global energy, trade routes

On July 30, 2026, Saudi Arabia and 13 other nations officially announced the creation of the Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance to safeguard critical international shipping corridors. The coalition was formed to defend freedom of navigation, secure international trade routes, and protect vital global energy supply lines. 


Saudi Arabia unveils new Multinational Maritime Defense Alliance

Saudi Arabia said its air defenses intercepted and destroyed several drones that attempted to target oil facilities in the Eastern Province and Riyadh, blaming Iran-backed militias operating from Iraq for the attacks.

Ministry of Defense spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki Al-Maliki said on Monday the attempted attacks took place over the past several hours and described them as terrorist acts launched from Iraqi territory.

Saudi Arabia: Iran-backed militias attempted to target oil facilities

Donald Trump wants more Muslim nations including Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and even Iran to normalise ties with Israel under an expanded Abraham Accords framework. But with the Gaza war raging and anger against Israel rising across the Muslim world, can “Abraham Accords 2.0” really succeed? Is this a peace push, a diplomatic diversion, or part of a larger Netanyahu strategy? 

US-Saudi Deal: Trump says Saudi should join Abraham Accords

The United States and Saudi Arabia are reportedly moving closer to a landmark civil nuclear cooperation agreement. If finalised, the proposed deal would pave the way for civilian nuclear collaboration between the two countries, marking a major step in their strategic partnership.

US-Saudi Deal: Proposed nuke-deal would open path for civil nuclear cooperation 

As tensions between the U.S. and Iran continue to escalate, questions are mounting over whether Pakistan could be drawn into the conflict. While Islamabad has tried to position itself as a regional mediator, its longstanding strategic ties with Saudi Arabia could complicate that balancing act and test its policy of neutrality.


Amnesty: Pak strike must be probed as war crime

US-Iran War: Pakistan backs Saudi, condemns Houthi threats

Yemen's Houthi rebels launched missiles targeting Saudi Arabia's Abha airport after accusing Riyadh of striking the runway at Sanaa International Airport. Saudi air defences intercepted the missiles with no casualties reported. The exchange marks one of the most significant escalations between the Houthis and Saudi Arabia since an informal truce began four years ago.

Yemen claims attack on Sanaa airport

The Pakistan Cricket Board on Thursday inked an agreement with Saudi Arabia to build a modern cricket stadium in Jeddah. The agreement was signed by the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) chairman Mohsin Naqvi and Saudi Arabian Cricket Federation (SACF) chief Saud bin Mishal bin Mohammad Al Saud.

Saudi Arabia and Pakistan sign major cricket deal 

A helicopter belonging to Saudi ​oil giant Aramco (2222.SE), opens new tab crashed on Sunday ‌in Ras Tanura on Saudi Arabia's eastern coast on the Gulf, west of the Strait of ​Hormuz, killing 14 nationals, the state ​news agency reported, adding that the ⁠cause was unknown.
Aramco had resumed crude oil loadings ​on Friday at its Ras Tanura terminal ​in the Gulf after they were halted for nearly four months.

Saudi Arabia: Deadly Aramco helicopter crash kills 14, probe underway 

As heatwaves intensify worldwide, Gulf nations are adapting with innovative solutions. From Saudi Arabia's Green Riyadh project and summer work bans to the UAE's cooling infrastructure, here's how the region is learning to live with extreme temperatures.

Europe's Heatwave Sparks Interest in Gulf Cooling Measures

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia&#39;s powerful&nbsp;Crown&nbsp;Prince&nbsp;called the Supreme&nbsp;Leader&nbsp;of&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;&quot;the new Hitler of the Middle East&quot; in an interview with the New York Times published on Thursday, sharply escalating the war of words between the arch-rivals.

The Sunni Muslim kingdom of&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabia and Shi&#39;ite&nbsp;Iran&nbsp;back rival sides in wars and political crises throughout the region.

Mohammed bin Salman, who is also&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;defence minister in the US-allied oil giant kingdom, suggested the Islamic Republic&#39;s alleged expansion under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei needed to be confronted.

&quot;But we learned from Europe that appeasement doesn&#39;t work. We don&#39;t want the new Hitler in&nbsp;Iran to repeat what happened in Europe in the Middle East,&quot; the paper quoted him as saying.

Tensions soared this month when Lebanon&#39;s&nbsp;Saudi-allied Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned in a television broadcast from Riyadh, citing the influence of&nbsp;Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and risks to his life.

Hezbollah called the move an act of war engineered by&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;authorities, an accusation they denied.

Hariri has since suspended his resignation.

Saudi&nbsp;Arabia has launched thousands of air strikes in a 2-1/2-year-old war in neighbouring Yemen to defeat the&nbsp;Iranian-aligned Houthi movement that seized broad swaths of the country.

Salman told the Times that the war was going in its favour and that its allies controlled 85 percent of Yemen&#39;s territory.

The Houthis, however, still retain the main population centres despite the war effort by a&nbsp;Saudi-led military coalition which receives intelligence and refuelling for its warplanes by the United States. Some 10,000 people have died in the conflict.

The group launched a ballistic missile toward Riyadh&#39;s main airport on Nov. 4, which&nbsp;Saudi&nbsp;Arabis decried as an act of war by Tehran.

Bin Salman said in May that the kingdom would make sure any future struggle between the two countries &quot;is waged in&nbsp;Iran&quot;.

For his part, Khamenei has referred to the House of Saud as an &quot;accursed tree&quot;, and&nbsp;Iranian officials have accused the kingdom of spreading terrorism.

Saudi?Arabia's powerful?Crown?Prince?called the Supreme?Leader?of?Iran?"the new Hitler of the Middle East" in an interview with the New York Times published on Thursday, sharply escalating the war of words between the arch-rivals

Saudi Arabia's powerful Crown Prince called the Supreme Leader of Iran "the new Hitler of the Middle East" in an interview with the New York Times published on Thursday, sharply escalating the war of words between the arch-rivals. The Sunni Muslim kingdom of Saudi Arabia and Shi'ite Iran back rival sides in wars and political crises throughout the region. Mohammed bin Salman, who is also Saudi defence minister in the US-allied oil giant kingdom, suggested the Islamic Republic's alleged expansion under Ayatollah Ali Khamenei needed to be confronted. "But we learned from Europe that appeasement doesn't work. We don't want the new Hitler in Iran to repeat what happened in Europe in the Middle East," the paper quoted him as saying. Tensions soared this month when Lebanon's Saudi-allied Prime Minister Saad Hariri resigned in a television broadcast from Riyadh, citing the influence of Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon and risks to his life. Hezbollah called the move an act of war engineered by Saudi authorities, an accusation they denied. Hariri has since suspended his resignation. Saudi Arabia has launched thousands of air strikes in a 2-1/2-year-old war in neighbouring Yemen to defeat the Iranian-aligned Houthi movement that seized broad swaths of the country. Salman told the Times that the war was going in its favour and that its allies controlled 85 percent of Yemen's territory. The Houthis, however, still retain the main population centres despite the war effort by a Saudi-led military coalition which receives intelligence and refuelling for its warplanes by the United States. Some 10,000 people have died in the conflict. The group launched a ballistic missile toward Riyadh's main airport on Nov. 4, which Saudi Arabis decried as an act of war by Tehran. Bin Salman said in May that the kingdom would make sure any future struggle between the two countries "is waged in Iran". For his part, Khamenei has referred to the House of Saud as an "accursed tree", and Iranian officials have accused the kingdom of spreading terrorism.

'New Hitler' in Iran should not repeat what happened in Europe: Saudi?Crown?Prince Salman

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