China, UAE to hold third air force drills as defense ties warm: What we know China and the United Arab Emirates are further deepening their defense and military ties with a third round of aerial exercises. United Arab Emirates
Meloni to attend GCC summit in Bahrain as Italy deepens Gulf ties The summit is expected to focus on economic integration in the Gulf, but regional issues will likely loom just as large, including post-war Gaza and the conflict in Sudan. Bahrain
Analysis F-35s, chips but no security guarantees: What MBS achieved — and didn’t — in Washington A Saudi-US defense deal signed by Trump and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at the White House fell short of the de facto Saudi leader's ambitions for a US defense guarantee, but neither side appears in much of a hurry since the US military knocked out Iran's nuclear enrichment in June. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Gulf AI ambitions get boost with US approval of advanced chip exports Washington has been cautious about sending sensitive advanced microchips to Middle East countries with close ties to China, fearing that the technology could end up in Beijing’s hands. Saudi Arabia
Analysis UK chases elusive GCC trade deal that could boost exports, economic links By Samuel Wendel In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech
Has Kushner given Riyadh carte blanche? Diplomats and military chiefs worry Jared Kushner's peace play could be giving Saudis and Emiratis a sense of entitlement to take overreaching, hard-line actions that could destabilize the region. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia seeks to turn back clock on Iran The debacle surrounding the resignation of Lebanon’s prime minister amid growing Saudi hostility toward Iran suggests a coming showdown in the region. Saudi Arabia
Can Lebanon handle truth about Hariri, Saudi Arabia? Saad Hariri faces his own court of conscience; US-Iran relations revert to axis of evil days. Saudi Arabia
US support for Saudi war in Yemen soars under Trump The Defense Department more than doubled US refueling support for Saudi Arabia’s campaign against the Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen over the past year amid rising congressional opposition. Saudi Arabia
Iran: Hariri sought to mediate between Tehran, Riyadh Iran’s president strongly criticized Saudi Arabia over its reported role in the Lebanese prime minister’s resignation. Saudi Arabia
Iran, Turkey divide Saudi-led bloc Egyptian President Abdel Fatah al-Sisi is opposed to plans by the other members of the Anti-Terror Quartet to confront Iran and Hezbollah in the Levant, to maintain Lebanon's relatively stable position. Saudi Arabia
Is US counseling restraint to Saudi crown prince? Saudi Arabia claims two "acts of war" in one week; Israel and Syria both back the Druze. Saudi Arabia
Turkey’s misguided Middle East policy: From Syria, Iraq to the Gulf Turkey’s misguided foreign policy has increasingly become apparent in three main spheres: Syria, Iraq and the Gulf region. Saudi Arabia
Russia, Oman size each other up as potential Mideast allies Despite a challenging history, Russia finds common ground with Oman, which sometimes seems the "odd man out" in the Gulf. Oman
Controversy in Iran over headline targeting Dubai A headline perceived as belligerent sparks a broad backlash against the hard-line Iranian daily Kayhan. Saudi Arabia
Middle East developments rattle sidelined Ankara Some argue that Ankara has to return to its former position of active neutrality if it is to regain lost influence in the region and contribute to stability. Saudi Arabia
Saudi crown prince rattles Turkish Islamists Supporters of Turkey’s Islamist government claim Mohammed bin Salman’s aim to push for moderate Islam in Saudi Arabia is motivated by US imperial designs against Muslims. Saudi Arabia
