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Saudi Arabia

September 28, 2026

Riyadh 1:08 pm

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Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (3rd R) with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al-Saud (R) and Pakistan Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar (2nd R), Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman (C), Turkish Chief of the General Staff General Selcuk Bayraktaroglu (L), Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Muhammad Asif (2nd R), Pakistani Chief of Defence Forces and Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir (3rd R) at the first meeting of the Strategic Political and Defence Committee in relation to the

Analysis

Why Turkey is drawing the line at defense in its support for Saudi Arabia

Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia are forcing Mecca pact signatories to quickly operationalize their agreement, but are unlikely to draw Turkey into direct action against the Iran-backed group.

Ezgi Akin

In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO

France s President Emmanuel Macron welcomes Saudi Arabia s Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as he arrives for a State diner in his honor at the Elysee Palace in Paris on Aug. 24, 2026.

What France’s military deployment means for Saudi Arabia’s fight against Houthis

New pledges of limited British and French military deployments fall short of what Riyadh would likely need to defend its skies should the Houthis escalate further.

A shipping vessel transits the Strait of Hormuz

Explainer

Saudi Arabia’s return to Hormuz puts oil transfer network to the test

For months, Saudi Arabia had been eschewing the Strait of Hormuz, but the kingdom has now resorted to ship-to-ship transfers through the vital waterway.

ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Can Netanyahu turn Israel's UN isolation into strength at home?

The absence of a Trump meeting would have been awkward for Netanyahu, who has long portrayed himself to Israeli voters as uniquely close to the US president.

In Tel Aviv, reporting on national security, Israeli politics, defense

Latest News

Samuel Wendel

Senior Analyst, Middle East Business & Tech

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

Why was hajj for Iranian pilgrims canceled this year?

After failing to resolve differences with Saudi Arabia, Iranians will be unable to attend the hajj pilgrimage this year.

Saudi Arabia's post-oil plan enters slippery slope

Saudi Arabia's Vision 2030 plan, which foresees a post-oil economy for the kingdom, contains many contradictions.

Is Saudi Arabia bringing sexy back?

The Saudi government's recent decision to open entertainment venues to promote internal tourism is drawing some solid applause, but critics say there are more pressing domestic issues to resolve.

Presidential candidate Hamdeen Sabahi (C) waits to cast his vote during the presidential election in Cairo, May 26, 2014. Egyptians began voting on Monday in a presidential election expected to sweep former army chief Abdel Fatah al-Sisi into office, reviving rule by strongman three years after Hosni Mubarak's downfall. Voters cast ballots at heavily guarded polling stations from 9.00 a.m. (0600 GMT). Sisi, who deposed the Muslim Brotherhood's Mohamed Mursi last July, faces only one challenger in the two-da

Two-time presidential candidate says Egypt losing its role in region

In an interview with Al-Monitor, Hamdeen Sabahi, a former presidential candidate and head of the Egyptian Popular Current, speaks about his decision to stage a sit-in and his views on the political situation in the country.

Has Iran-Saudi cyberwar already started?

After an Iranian website was hacked, some Iranian websites are speculating as to whether or not an Iranian-Saudi cyberwar has begun.

WASHINGTON, DC - AUGUST 01: U.S. Rep. Ted Poe (R-TX) (C), speaks about the sex slave industry while flanked by (L-R), U.S. Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) (R) and U.S. Rep. Kristi Noem (R-SD) during a news conference on Capitol Hill, August 1, 2013 in Washington, DC. The bi partisan members of Congress discussed a plan to end the sex trafficking trade in the United States. (Photo by Mark Wilson/Getty Images)

Saudi takes rare turn on congressional hot seat

Riyadh's support for extremist clerics is under scrutiny as Congress debates whether to allow terror victims to sue the kingdom.

Yemen peace talks stuck in stalemate

The Yemen peace talks have been hindered by the parties' unwillingness to compromise on several major issues.

Last year's disaster offers Saudis excuse to clamp down on hajj

The Saudi Interior Ministry is doing everything it can to keep this year's hajj season tragedy-free — including, conveniently, shutting out Iranian pilgrims over visa problems.

U.S. President Barack Obama speaks with Oman's Deputy Prime Minister Sayyid Fahd bin Mahmoud al Said (L), Saudi Arabia's King Salman (2nd R) and Bahrain's King Hamad bin Isa al-Khalifa (R) during the summit of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, April 21, 2016. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque TPX IMAGES OF THE DAY - RTX2AYPD

Congress rolls out red carpet in Washington for jilted GCC

The Senate is getting ready to extend diplomatic courtesies to the Gulf Cooperation Council as it prepares to open a Washington office.

Beware of the failure of Yemen’s central bank

The Central Bank of Yemen continues to set new policies to tackle the rising inflation and devaluation of the Yemeni rial, knowing its policies will not be effective as long as there is no political will to stabilize the situation.

Saudi king’s Cabinet reshuffle may 'rattle many royal spines'

Saudi Arabia's deputy crown prince is quickly accumulating power, responsibility — and risks — perhaps at the expense of his cousin, who is currently next in line for the throne.

Red Sea island transfer revives Egypt-Sudan border dispute

Hot on the heels of Egypt's recent ceding of Red Sea islands to Saudi Arabia, the country's row with Sudan over the Halayeb and Shalateen triangle has resurfaced.