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Saudi Arabia

September 28, 2026

Riyadh 11:17 pm

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Shipping giants sail cautiously back into Red Sea despite Houthi threats

Hapag-Lloyd and Maersk announced earlier this month that three services under their shipping partnership would shift from the Cape of Good Hope route back to the Red Sea.

UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan (R) received His Excellency Hakan Fidan, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey (L), in Abu Dhabi on Sept. 28, 2026.

Turkey's FM in UAE to discuss Yemen war, Hormuz closure: What to know

The top Turkish diplomat was set to stress Ankara's support for a peaceful and “united Yemen” amid renewed Houthi advances.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud shakes hands with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio as they pose for photos before a meeting at the US State Department on Sept. 28, 2026 in Washington, DC.

Rubio meets Saudi FM as fight against Yemen's Houthis intensifies

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan's visit comes two days after Saudi Arabia said it intercepted multiple Houthi drones and ballistic missiles.

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

Latest News

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

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.

Explainer

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

A shipping vessel transits the Strait of Hormuz

Analysis

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

ANGELA WEISS / AFP via Getty Images

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

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

German FM: Iran, Saudi tensions strengthen terrorists

Germany's foreign minister encourages Ayatollah Ali Akbar Hashemi Rafsanjani to work to reduce Iran-Saudi tensions.

The rise of Persian-Arab racial tensions

The recent spate of deadly incidents involving Iranians during the hajj leads to ballooning Persian-Arab racism on the Web.

Zarif calls for talks with Saudi Arabia

Speaking with Arab media, Iranian Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif said that Iran and Saudi Arabia have the same interests and challenges and should work together.

Jordan's King Abdullah (2nd R) walks to welcome Saudi Arabia's Deputy Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman upon his arrival at the Royal Palace in Amman, Jordan, August 4, 2015. REUTERS/Muhammad Hamed - RTX1N1AN

Jordanian palace silent on Russian intervention in Syria

Some commentators argue that Jordan's lack of comment on Russia's involvement in Syria is related to the kingdom's acceptance of Moscow's position that Syrian president Bashar al-Assad be part of a postwar transitional phase.

Iran's Navy commander Habibollah Sayyari (C) points while standing on a naval ship during Velayat-90 war game on Sea of Oman near the Strait of Hormuz in southern Iran January 1, 2012. Iran test-fired a new medium-range missile, designed to evade radars, on Sunday during the last days of its naval drill in the Gulf, the official IRNA news agency quoted a military official as saying. REUTERS/Fars News/Hamed Jafarnejad (IRAN - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY) THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. IT IS DISTR

What could 'harsh' Iranian reaction to Riyadh constitute?

Amid increasingly heated rhetoric between Iran and Saudi Arabia, the question arises of what a "harsh" reaction that Tehran has warned of may actually entail.

Could Saudi-Iraqi ties be key to defeating Islamic State?

As both Iraq and Saudi Arabia are threatened by the same enemy — that is, extremist groups — the two countries ought to build positive relations for the good of the region.

Police vehicles drive past pilgrims on a road in Mina, near the holy city of Mecca September 24, 2015. At least 310 pilgrims were killed on Thursday in a crush at Mina, outside the Muslim holy city of Mecca, where some two million people are performing the annual Haj pilgrimage, Saudi authorities said. REUTERS/Ahmad Masood - RTX1S7WW

Were missing Iranians arrested in Saudi Arabia?

Some Iranian officials are speculating that the Iranians still missing after the hajj disaster may have been arrested as Iran continues to watch the Saudi investigation with distrust.

Muslim pilgrims circle the Kaaba at the Grand mosque during the annual Haj pilgrimage, in the holy city of Mecca October 17, 2013. Muslims around the world celebrate Eid al-Adha to mark the end of the Haj by slaughtering sheep, goats, cows and camels to commemorate Prophet Abraham's willingness to sacrifice his son Ismail on God's command. REUTERS/Ibraheem Abu Mustafa (SAUDI ARABIA - Tags: RELIGION) - RTX14EKI

Will Saudi Arabia give up hajj management?

The harsh criticism by various Muslim countries and other parties of Saudi Arabia over the most recent hajj tragedy may prompt the kingdom to take drastic steps to protect its reputation.

Saudi religious scholars enraged over Moscow's recent Syria strikes

Saudi ulama would rather see action against Assad than against the Islamic State, but could their stance be seen as a call to jihad?

A Saudi military cargo plane is seen at the international airport of Yemen's southern port city of Aden July 22, 2015. A Saudi military plane loaded with arms for fighters loyal to Yemen's deposed president landed at Aden airport on Wednesday, an airport official said, the first flight to reach the embattled port city in four months. REUTERS/Stringer - RTX1LEI9

Senate Democrats hold up arms sales for Saudi war in Yemen

The State Department request for a bombs resupply has hit a snag amid a rising death toll.

Jordan's Prince Prince Faisal bin al-Hussein (R) and former Commander of Royal Saudi Navy Special Forces Prince Sultan bin Khalid Al-Faisal attend the opening ceremony of the Middle East Special Operations Commanders Conference (MESOC) in Amman May 5, 2014. REUTERS/Majed Jaber (JORDAN - Tags: POLITICS MILITARY ROYALS) - RTR3NT7M

Saudi prince alleges capture of Iranian military, Hezbollah in Yemen

A grandson of the late Saudi King Faisal and former senior military officer says the time has come for Saudi Arabians “to take care of ourselves” and “lead” the Middle East against regional threats.

Egypt's secular culture minister ruffles Salafi feathers

Comments by new Egyptian Culture Minister Hilmi al-Namnam have sparked criticism from local Salafis as well as Saudi Wahhabis.