Maritime strategy

GIUSEPPE CACACE/AFP via Getty Images

Iran accused of seizing vessel in Strait of Hormuz diverted from UAE

An oil tanker sailing under the flag of the Marshall Islands through the Strait of Hormuz was diverted into Iranian territorial waters on Friday, amid suspicions that it was intercepted by Iran.

An employee wearing a face mask against the coronavirus, is pictured at the port of Jebel Ali, operated by the Dubai-based giant ports operator DP World, in the southern outskirts of the Gulf emirate of Dubai, on June 18, 2020.

UAE’s DP World to invest $5B in India's infrastructure: What to know

The Dubai-headquartered logistics firm has already invested $3 billion into the South Asian nation over three decades.

United Arab Emirates

A picture taken on Sept. 24, 2020, shows a partial view of the Brega oil port some 270 kilometers west of Libya's eastern city of Benghazi.

Turkey seeks to bolster Eastern Med foothold in new Libya energy talks

The talks between the Turkish ambassador in Libya and the Tripoli government’s energy minister come as Turkey seeks to reduce dependence on energy imports and bolster its energy security.

A Saudi navy ship is pictured docked at King Faisal navy base in Jeddah before the departure of a team to Port Sudan to help with the evacuation efforts of people fleeing Sudan, on April 29, 2023. - Warplanes on bombing raids drew heavy anti-aircraft fire over Khartoum as fierce fighting between Sudan's army and paramilitaries entered a third week, despite a renewed truce. (Photo by Fayez NURELDINE / AFP) (Photo by FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images)

Analysis

Saudi Arabia diversifies with new China naval drills, but military remains Western-centric

Expanding Saudi-Chinese defense cooperation mirrors the broader deepening of Saudi-Chinese diplomatic and economic relations.

Francesco Schiavi

By Francesco Schiavi

In Bologna, reporting on security, defense, economy, governance

Latest News

Somaliland leader courts Ethiopia in recognition push: What to know

Wadani party presidential candidate Abdirahman Mohamed Abdullahi, also known as Irro, speaks during a press conference on November 10, 2024, ahead of the 2024 Somaliland presidential election.

Iran, Russia, Central Asia states ink Caspian Sea pact, plan naval drills

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov chairs the annual meeting of the Caspian Sea littoral states foreign ministers, known as the Caspian Five, in Moscow, on Dec. 5, 2023.

Dutch-flagged cargo ship struck off Yemen in latest attack

Images of a fireball exploding on a cargo ship are shown on a giant screen during a protest called for by Yemen's rebel Houthi movement in Sanaa on March 17, 2025.

Sudan, Russia sign trade deals as Khartoum seeks funds, Moscow eyes Red Sea port

MAXIM SHEMETOV/AFP via Getty Images

Eastern Mediterranean may be scene of first conflict of 2018

Developments warn of growing tension between Turkey and the Greek Cypriots over newly discovered hydrocarbon reserves in the eastern Mediterranean.

US and Qatari navy vessels are seen during a joint military exercise between Qatar and the US navy, in Doha, on June 16, 2017.
The United States agreed a $12-billion warplane sale to Qatar and began manoeuvres with its military on June 15, re-affirming support for the emirate in the throes of a diplomatic crisis with its neighbours. / AFP PHOTO / KARIM JAAFAR (Photo credit should read KARIM JAAFAR/AFP/Getty Images)

Crashes force US Navy to review Gulf operations

A string of deadly accidents in the Asia-Pacific Theater could have major impacts on US Navy operations in the Persian Gulf.

Iran, Iraq seek to send a message with joint naval exercises

In a clear message to the Gulf countries of the Iranian influence, Iraqi forces with Iranian support are conducting military maneuvers in the Persian Gulf and the Iraqi land border with the Saudi.

New marine force in Gaza has Israel on guard

Hamas' Interior Ministry in the Gaza Strip has announced the formation of new marine force tasked with protecting Gaza’s shores from smuggling operations, but Israel views the new military branch as part of the resistance.

FILE PHOTO - The U.S. Navy guided-missile destroyer USS Mason conducts divisional tactic maneuvers as part of a Commander, Task Force 55, exercise in the Gulf of Oman September 10, 2016. U.S. Navy/Mass Communication Specialist 1st Class Blake Midnight/Handout via REUTERS/File PhotoTHIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTRIBUTED, EXACTLY AS RECEIVED BY REUTERS, AS A SERVICE TO CLIENTS. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. NOT FOR SALE FOR MARKETING OR ADVERTISING CAMPAIGNS. TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - R

Will tension at sea lead to endless war in Yemen?

The Yemeni war reached the sea after being confined to the mainland for 19 months, with international and regional players heading to the most important maritime route in the world.