Saudi Arabia - AL-MONITOR: The Middle Eastʼs leading independent news source since 2012

Saudi Arabia cover image

Saudi Arabia

September 23, 2026

Riyadh 7:51 am

29°C

red carpet at the Red Sea International Film Festival

Saudi Arabia pauses star-studded Red Sea film festival as Houthis hit kingdom

The postponement arrives as attacks by Yemen’s Houthi militants are increasingly disrupting the kingdom’s economy and could also impact other high-profile international events.

Gargash

UAE's Gargash expects 'prolonged' war, calls for Iran-Gulf security talks

"We need a new mindset that these sort of discussions ... can happen at an Iranian-American level, it should also take place at an Iranian-Arab level," Gargash told Al-Monitor.

United Arab Emirates

Latest News

Explainer

After $5B in Saudi backing, what’s next for bankrupt LIV Golf?

LIV Golf

Analysis

Despite Mecca pact, Turkey rules out direct military role in Yemen

Saudi-backed Yemeni government fighters

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Explainer

From Maysan to Saudi Arabia, drone attack puts Iraqi province under scrutiny

A man uses a pole to navigate a boat

Analysis

Houthi attacks pressure Saudi Arabia’s splashy economic overhaul

Saudi Arabia's Minister of Energy Prince Abdulaziz Bin Salman

Samuel Wendel

By Samuel Wendel

In Washington, DC, reporting on regional business and tech

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

Guests attend a policy dialogue on Embracing Emerging Opportunities in times of Economic Uncertainty during the 10th Belt and Road Summit in Hong Kong, China, Sept. 10, 2025.

Hong Kong inks agreements with Gulf partners at BRI Summit

Some 36 business agreements covering finance, technology, logistics, professional services and education were set to be signed at the event.

A worker fits solar panels onto frames during construction at South Africa's first municipally owned solar plant, during International World Environment Day, on June 5, 2025, in Atlantis near Cape Town.

Saudi firm to pump $700M into economic zone developer in Africa

The kingdom's Vision Invest will invest in pan-African developer Arise Integrated Industrial Platforms, which will use the funds to expand across the continent and develop green industrial ecosystems.

An MQ-9 Reaper remotely piloted aircraft (RPA) is parked in an aircraft shelter at Creech Air Force Base on November 17, 2015 in Indian Springs, Nevada.

Trump aims to crack Gulf's armed drone market with looser export restrictions

Washington's latest reinterpretation of the 35-nation MTCR agreement is expected to open the door for a potential major sale of advanced aerial weaponry to Saudi Arabia.

KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images

Saudi Arabia, UAE firms sign $18.5B tourism megaproject for Egypt

The new deal forms part of Egypt’s Vision 2030 agenda as the government aims to secure $42 billion in foreign direct investment this year.

Saudi naval ship

Analysis

Beyond war games: Egypt-Saudi naval deal targets Red Sea, Mediterranean threats

A new naval protocol and joint drills underscore Cairo and Riyadh’s bid to institutionalize military coordination amid mounting threats in the Red Sea, Gulf and Mediterranean.

Francesco Schiavi

By Francesco Schiavi

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

WANG ZHAO/AFP via Getty Images

Qataris hail Chinese robotaxis as Gulf embraces driverless cars

Three Chinese companies have publicly announced plans to roll out the autonomous vehicles in the Gulf.

MOHAMMED HUWAIS/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Inside Israel's Yemen operation that decapitated Houthi leadership

Since Israel's intelligence began focusing on the Houthi threat in July, efforts to quell the threat from Yemen have grown much more precise.

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

Italian designer Giorgio Armani acknowledges the audience during One Night Only series in Dubai on October 26, 2021.

From Milan to Dubai: Giorgio Armani's sprawling Middle East legacy

The Italian designer's eponymous brand has luxury real estate in the Gulf, as well as North Africa.

United Arab Emirates

Saudi Commerce Minister Majid al-Kassabi and Business and Trade Secretary Jonathan Reynolds at the Great Futures summit, London, Sept. 3.

Saudi Arabia, UK announce over $445M in investments: What to know

The agreements aim to boost bilateral trade and will also support Saudi Vision 2030 reforms to diversify the economy away from reliance on oil by the end of the decade.