Houthis seize Red Sea city, tighten grip near strategic Bab al-Mandeb: What to know Taking control of the towns bordering the Bab al-Mandeb Strait deals a significant blow to Saudi Arabia, which has relied heavily on the key waterway to keep its exports afloat. Yemen
Analysis How Saudi Arabia seeks to contain Yemen's Houthis without provoking Iran Riyadh is balancing pressure on the Houthis with efforts to keep Iran from widening the conflict, as attacks threaten Saudi energy exports through the Red Sea. By Amberin Zaman Reporting on geopolitics, minorities, human rights, culture
Iran's IRGC set to declare new ‘sanctions zone’ beyond Hormuz: What to know The latest Iranian effort to assert control over waterways in the region follows heavy US strikes targeting oil tankers. Iran
Turkey and Greece's intelligence chiefs hold rare talks: What to know The meeting comes after Turkey recently warned Greece over what it called an arms race in the Eastern Mediterranean. Turkey
Egypt to deepen, widen Suez Canal after blockage Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi has approved a project to widen and deepen the southern stretch of the Suez Canal, where a giant vessel blocked the strategic maritime artery for nearly a week in March. Egypt
Egypt's Sisi approves plan to widen, deepen Suez Canal after stuck ship The plan includes widening and deepening the area where Ever Given got stuck in March. News Brief
Iran denies US Navy’s account of run-in in Persian Gulf Iran has accused the US Navy of “false narratives” and “unprofessional behavior” in the latest run-in with the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps. Iran
Libyan conflict stands out as key to Turkey-Egypt normalization Turkey appears reluctant to back down from its military posture in Libya, even as its normalization bid with Egypt depends greatly on whether the two sides find common ground in the Libyan conflict. Turkey
Russian ship gets stuck near Caspian en route to Iran The cargo vessel got stuck in a canal north of the Caspian Sea while bringing goods to Iran. Russia and Iran have lobbied for an alternative to the Suez Canal through their countries recently. News Brief
US Navy seizes massive shipment of weapons in Arabian Sea A video released by the Navy onboard the USS Monterey showed a massive cache of arms seized from a stateless vessel in the Arabian Sea. Legacy: Gulf
Turkey sees turning point in failed Cyprus summit Turkey hopes for British support as it takes on a more hawkish posture on the Cyprus conflict, risking fresh tensions with the European Union. Turkey
US Navy fires warning shots in encounter with Iranian patrol boats A US Navy patrol ship fired warning shots to ward off Iranian boats in the Persian Gulf on Monday, marking the second run-in between the two countries’ naval forces this month. Iran
Erdogan furious as his Islamic ambitions stumble in Turkish Cyprus A Turkish Cypriot court ruling that reins back on Quranic courses comes as a poignant message to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that Cypriot Turks are unwilling to sign up to his quest to raise “devout generations.” Turkey
Egypt joins Gulf region’s Combined Maritime Forces led by US Egypt's participation in the task force comes as Russia seeks closer defense ties with Cairo and Sudan. Legacy: Gulf
Turkey's efforts to woo rivals yield mixed results Diplomatically isolated and economically weak, Turkey is seeking to repair relations with its regional foes. But it's no easy task. Turkey
Turkish court releases detained admirals The 10 admirals were arrested last week after criticizing the possible Turkish withdrawal from the Montreux Convention, which regulates maritime traffic through the strategic Bosporus Strait. News Brief
