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July 8, 2026

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Oil tankers and cargo vessels are anchored off the coast of Oman after being stranded for days as congestion at Port Sultan Qaboos has prevented them from docking on June 23, 2026 in Muscat, Oman. The Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route for the region's oil and gas, was effectively blockaded since the outbreak of war between the United States and Iran in late February. This week's provisional peace deal between the countries was meant to reopen the waterway to shipping traffic, but the pace of that reo

Oil prices ease as OPEC+ increases production, Hormuz traffic rebounds

Brent crude, the international benchmark, fell 0.15% to $71.87 a barrel as of 8:07 a.m. EDT after dropping as low as $71.09 earlier in the session, its lowest level since before the US-Israel-Iran war began on Feb. 28.

A man walks past the flags of the countries attending the Gulf Cooperation Council summit at Bayan palace in Kuwait City on Dec. 5, 2017.

Analysis

How Iran war shaped divergent paths to security among GCC states

The Iran war left the Gulf more fragmented than united, with competing security strategies replacing any prospect of a common regional defense.

Sabena Siddiqui

By Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Oil drilling near Dakhiliyah in the desert region of Hasakah, Syria, Jan. 25, 2026.

Syria launches gas project with Saudi firm in latest Gulf energy partnership

The project is the latest in a series of Gulf-backed investments aimed at rebuilding Syria's energy sector after the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024.

Crude oil tankers, bulk carriers and vessels sit anchored around Qaboos Port on June 22, 2026, in Muscat, Oman.

Oil falls below $71 as US-Iran talks continue, Gulf exports rebound

Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson said in an X post on Wednesday that Iran and the United States had made "positive progress."

Latest News

Explainer

Saudi FM concludes China visit amid Trump-MBS friction: What to know

China's Foreign Minister Wang Yi (R) shakes hands with Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud before a family photo for the attendees of a meeting of foreign ministers from Arab and Muslim-majority nations at the Diaoyutai State Guest House in Beijing on November 20, 2023. The international community must take urgent action to stop the "humanitarian disaster" unfolding in Gaza, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi told visiting diplomats from Arab and Muslim-majority nations on Novembe

Saudi Arabia's FM heads to China amid differences with US on Iran war

PEDRO PARDO/AFP via Getty Images

Samuel Wendel

Senior Market Research Analyst

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

Adam Lucente

News and Business Correspondent

In New York City, reporting on regional news, militancy, climate change

Jack Dutton

Chief Business Correspondent

In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech

Francesco Schiavi

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

Sabena Siddiqui

In Karachi, reporting on South Asia, Middle East, Iran

Vanessa Ghanem

In Dubai, reporting on business, energy and politics

Sudanese troops continue exit from war-stricken Yemen

Sudan's military contingent in Yemen has been reduced to a symbolic presence as the main players in the Saudi-led coalition scale back their fighting.

Visitors walk outside the tombs at the Madain Saleh antiquities site, al-Ula, Saudi Arabia February 10, 2019. Picture taken February 10, 2019. REUTERS/Stephen Kalin - RC1F3C4632C0

Intel: What’s behind Israel’s latest decision to allow travel to Saudi Arabia

Israeli citizens are now allowed to travel to Saudi Arabia for the first time in the country’s history.

CORRECTING BYLINE AND REMOVING RESTRICTIONS Yemen's political security chief, Ghaleb Alqamesh (R), commander of the Yemeni president's personal guard, Tareq Mohammed Abdullah Saleh (2-R), Tourism Minister Nabil Alfaqih (2-L) and deputy prime minister for security affairs, Rashad Alimi (L), attend the premier of the Yemeni film about terrorism "The Loser Bet" in Saana on August 24, 2008. The film was produced by the ministry of the interior as part of a media campaign against terrorism and was shown for the

Are Saudis readying Yemen's Tareq Saleh for Sanaa battle?

The situation in Yemen’s south is volatile and the north is still in the Houthis’ firm grip, so people's curiosity has been raised about the motives behind Brig. Gen. Tareq Saleh's recent trip to Saudi Arabia.

Amazon CEO Jeff Bezos shows off his company's new smartphone, the Fire Phone, at a news conference in Seattle, Washington June 18, 2014. REUTERS/Jason Redmond (UNITED STATES - Tags: SCIENCE TECHNOLOGY BUSINESS TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY) - GM1EA6J06CN02

UN fingers Israeli spyware firm in Bezos hack

UN investigators say Saudi use of NSO Group software was the “most likely explanation” for the hacking attack against the Amazon CEO.

Are we seeing the calm before the storm in the Gulf?

The Gulf states need calm for economic growth and security, but it all depends on what the United States and Iran do next.

OSAKA, JAPAN - JUNE 29: (RUSSIA OUT) Saudi Arabia's Prince and Defence Minister Mohammad bin Salman al Saud speeches during a bilateral talks at the G20 Osaka Summit 2019, on June 29, 2019 in Osaka, Japan. Vladimir Putin has arrived to Japan to partcipate the G20 Osaka Summit and to meet U.S.President Donald Trump. (Photo by Mikhail Svetlov/Getty Images)

How Soleimani’s slaying could affect Iran-Saudi ties

The US killing of Iran’s revered Quds Force commander Qasem Soleimani could pose serious security repercussions for Saudi Arabia.

Meet the dismissed sports host who challenged Iran’s state TV

Popular sports host Adel Ferdosipour, who recently witnessed his show being taken off the air by hardliners in the state TV, has now launched a new show on the internet.

Saudi Arabia Defense Attache Major General Fawaz Al Fawaz and his Embassy staff and other officials arrive to meet with the Saudi students who remain restricted to the Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola base by their Saudi commanding officer, in Pensacola, Florida, U.S. December 9, 2019. Picture taken December 9, 2019. FBI Jacksonville/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC2ISD9IDSIC

Pentagon set to ramp up student vetting after Pensacola shooting

Foreign military students in the United States will face new restrictions after the shooting at a Florida naval base in December.

Last Ottoman viceroy casts shadow on current Turco-Egyptian culture war

After the success of the series "Kingdoms of Fire,” Egyptian cinematographers may have found the next controversial figure that can be used to counter Turkey’s interpretation of Ottoman history on screen: Muhammad Ali Pasha.

U.S. soldiers inspect the site where an Iranian missile hit at Ain al-Asad air base in Anbar province, Iraq January 13, 2020. REUTERS/John Davison - RC24FE9RIQUT

Pentagon considering reinforcing missile defenses after Iranian strikes

After Iran's Jan. 8 ballistic missile attacks on an Iraqi air base housing US forces, the Pentagon is now challenged with preventing a repeat occurrence.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman attends a session of the Shura Council in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia November 20, 2019. Bandar Algaloud/Courtesy of Saudi Royal Court/Handout via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS PICTURE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC22FD9B6RI9

Reconciliation drive between Hamas, Saudis hits wall

Hamas wants to restore ties with Saudi Arabia, but mediation efforts were stymied by disagreements over the US "deal of the century," the Arab Peace Initiative and other issues.

Saudi Arabia Defense Attache Major General Fawaz Al Fawaz and his Embassy staff and other officials arrive to meet with the Saudi students who remain restricted to the Naval Air Station (NAS) Pensacola base by their Saudi commanding officer, in Pensacola, Florida, U.S. December 9, 2019. Picture taken December 9, 2019. FBI Jacksonville/Handout via REUTERS THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC2ISD9FA7KW

Intel: Why the US is expelling dozens of Saudi military trainees

Washington is expected to expel more than a dozen Saudi military trainees from the United States.