The chiefs of staff of Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey held talks in Riyadh on Friday to discuss enhanced military coordination, intelligence sharing and implementation of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement. The meeting comes amid escalating Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia.
Ship-to-ship transfer operations in the Gulf of Oman have reached their operational limits after Saudi Arabia redirected crude oil exports away from the Red Sea through the Strait of Hormuz. The surge in Saudi exports, which have hit their highest levels since the Iran conflict began, is straining the existing transfer infrastructure used to move oil from inside the strait to tankers bound for international markets.
Saudi-led coalition forces intercepted six ballistic missiles fired by Yemen's Houthis targeting the Red Sea port of Yanbu and the city of Taif, with Saudi Arabia's Grand Mufti calling on troops to be ready to sacrifice their lives.
The foreign ministers of G7 nations issued a joint statement condemning Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia and calling on Iran to end its arming and support for the Yemen-based group. The statement comes ahead of the UN General Assembly and addresses concerns about maritime shipping attacks and regional escalation.
British Prime Minister Andy Burnham agreed to provide defensive air-to-air refueling for Saudi jets for a limited time period to help counter Iran-backed Houthi attacks, marking closer UK-Saudi military cooperation amid escalating regional tensions.
Houthi fighters are pushing to seize strategic heights in Yemen's Kahboub Mountains to cut off the Red Sea coast from Saudi-backed forces, following reports that President Trump called off American airstrikes at the last minute even as troops were loading bombs onto aircraft.
President Trump reversed a decision to launch airstrikes against Houthi targets in Yemen at the last minute after Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman urged restraint, according to reports. Target lists had been approved and bombs were being loaded onto warplanes.
President Donald Trump decided on Sunday not to join Saudi Arabia in joint military strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, after two weeks of deliberation over the kingdom's plea for military assistance. The decision comes as Trump balances the request against his need for Saudi cooperation in his broader conflict with Iran.
Explosions and smoke were reported near Riyadh's international airport following emergency alerts warning of a 'hostile aerial threat.' The incident marks the first such alert for the Saudi capital since the latest escalation with Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi group began in July.
Saudi Arabia issued rare air raid alerts for Riyadh and other cities after intercepting a Houthi drone, with debris killing one Yemeni resident. Smoke and flames were visible near Riyadh's international airport following the attack.
The State Department has approved a potential $24 billion sale of F-35 fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, marking a significant expansion of the US-Saudi defense partnership. US intelligence officials have raised concerns that the deal could enable China to acquire sensitive F-35 technology through Saudi Arabia.
Pakistan's military spokesperson said the country will go 'to any extent' to defend Saudi Arabia, citing the Mecca defense pact, as Houthi drone attacks on the kingdom intensify. One Yemeni resident was killed by debris from an intercepted drone in Taif.
The US State Department approved the potential sale of up to 48 Lockheed Martin F-35 Lightning II fighter jets to Saudi Arabia, marking the first time the kingdom would receive the advanced stealth aircraft as it faces escalating threats from Houthi rebels.
Saudi Arabia accused Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels of attempting to attack Mecca, Islam's holiest city, prompting regional condemnation but no military support. The Houthis have denied responsibility for the alleged attack.
Saudi Arabia conducted hundreds of airstrikes against Houthi positions in Yemen after Iran-backed rebels launched drones and missiles at Saudi cities, including an alleged attack near Mecca that the Houthis deny. The escalation marks a significant widening of the broader Middle East conflict that began in February.
Yemen's Houthis launched over 50 strikes on Saudi Arabia in 24 hours, targeting military bases and civilian areas, injuring at least 13 civilians. Gulf Arab states postponed a planned meeting with Iran to discuss the Strait of Hormuz as fighting intensified.
Saudi Arabia is confronting a multi-front security crisis as Houthi rebels advance toward Red Sea shipping routes, Iraqi militias force the closure of a major oil pipeline through drone attacks, and Iran continues disrupting the Strait of Hormuz. The escalation is testing the kingdom's national security and economic resilience.
Pakistan delivered a Saudi warning to Iran to control its Yemeni Houthi allies after major attacks on Saudi Arabia wounded 73 people, as the newly formed Makkah Defence Alliance between Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey could be activated if attacks continue.
Yemen's Houthi rebels launched a wave of attacks on Saudi Arabia, wounding 73 people and igniting fires at multiple oil facilities including Saudi Aramco sites. The strikes hit civilian and energy infrastructure in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan, and Najran, with the Saudi-led coalition vowing to respond.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels launched attacks on civilian sites and energy facilities across southern Saudi Arabia, wounding 73 people including women and children, according to the Saudi-led coalition. The strikes hit cities including Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran, causing fires at energy facilities and marking a major escalation.
Saudi Arabia and the United States conducted joint strikes against Iran-backed militias in Iraq in July after drone attacks on Saudi oil facilities, which were claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels. Officials warn that Iran is forging a new network of proxy forces to threaten US allies in the Gulf region.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militants attacked Saudi Aramco's oil refinery in Jazan with two drones on Thursday, marking the second assault on the Red Sea coastal facility within a week. The attack caused negligible damage to a tank at the refinery, which has a processing capacity of approximately 400,000 barrels per day.
Saudi crude oil tankers are switching off tracking signals to avoid attacks by Yemen's Houthis, with all recent Yanbu loadings conducted without transponders. The escalation follows a Houthi strike that killed six people on a Red Sea ship and fresh missile attacks on Yemeni provinces.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels claimed responsibility for a drone attack on Saudi Aramco's oil refinery facility in Jazan, southwestern Saudi Arabia, on Sunday morning. The attack caused a fire that was subsequently extinguished with no reported injuries.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi forces launched deadly missile and drone strikes on the city of Marib, killing at least 30 government soldiers and civilians, prompting UN warnings that Yemen is at its greatest risk of renewed major conflict since the 2022 ceasefire. The escalation comes as Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, and Turkey signed a NATO-style mutual defense pact in response to regional threats.
The three nations signed the 'Mecca Joint Defence Agreement' establishing that an armed attack on one signatory would be considered an attack on all, as regional tensions intensify with the ongoing US-Iran war. Turkey clarified the pact does not contradict its NATO commitments.
Saudi officials report intelligence indicating multiple coordinated attacks could occur within 48 hours from both Yemeni Houthis and Iraqi militia groups, targeting civilian infrastructure including ports, airports, and energy facilities. At least 11 civilians have already been wounded in a Houthi attack.
As the Iran conflict enters its sixth month with potential for regional expansion, President Trump held separate meetings with Saudi Arabia's defense minister and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who presented three military options for the ongoing war.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi forces attacked Saudi Arabia from Iraqi territory this week in coordination with Iraqi armed groups, according to Saudi and regional officials. The development signals increased operational coordination among Iran-aligned militias across the region.
Saudi Arabia is working to form an international coalition to safeguard shipping in the Red Sea as Houthi strikes on energy tankers intensify, driving oil prices higher and threatening critical maritime trade routes.
Yemen's Houthi group is weighing the implementation of fees on commercial vessels transiting the southern Red Sea, according to regional sources, coming one week after the group declared a naval blockade on Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia has publicly entered the U.S.-Iran conflict by conducting strikes against Tehran-backed proxies in Iraq, abandoning months of efforts to remain neutral despite Iranian drone attacks on its oil infrastructure. The move represents a significant escalation and shift in Saudi strategy as the kingdom struggles to balance its Vision 2030 economic development plans with regional security pressures.
The United States and Saudi Arabia carried out coordinated military strikes against Iran-aligned militia positions in Iraq, killing at least 8-10 members of the Popular Mobilisation Forces. The strikes followed Saudi interception of drones targeting oil facilities in eastern Saudi Arabia.
Saudi Arabia conducted airstrikes on the strategic Yemeni port city of Hodeida, prompting Iran-backed Houthi rebels to retaliate with missiles and drones targeting Saudi territory, including reported strikes on Aramco facilities. The escalation comes amid broader tensions over vital shipping routes in the Red Sea and Strait of Hormuz.
For the first time since July 13, the Pentagon did not report conducting airstrikes against Iran, while Houthi rebels escalated attacks on Saudi oil facilities and claimed missile strikes on southern Saudi Arabia.
President Donald Trump said Thursday that the newly signed civilian nuclear cooperation deal with Saudi Arabia would take effect only if the kingdom joined the Abraham Accords and normalized relations with Israel, a step Riyadh has said it will not take without a clear pathway to Palestinian statehood. Trump also said there would be no uranium enrichment, although that statement appeared to contradict descriptions of the signed agreement, which allows enrichment and includes a two-year feasibility study.
President Donald Trump vowed major retaliation against Iran and the Houthis after the group said it had attacked two Saudi oil tankers in the Red Sea, threatening to extend the Middle East conflict to another critical shipping chokepoint. Oil prices surged above $100 per barrel amid fears of wider shipping disruption, while the U.S. military carried out another round of strikes on Iran.
The United States and Pakistan separately condemned Yemen's Houthi rebels for threatening commercial shipping in the Red Sea after the group announced a naval blockade against Saudi Arabia. Pakistan warned it could use force to protect its maritime interests if its vessels come under attack.
Trump's administration is preparing to submit to Congress a 30-year "123 Agreement" with Saudi Arabia that omits both the IAEA's Additional Protocol and the "gold standard" bar on uranium enrichment, while making no mention of Saudi normalization with Israel.
Yemen's Iran-aligned Houthi militia sent emails to shipping companies warning them not to load or discharge cargo at Saudi Arabian ports or risk being targeted "in any location." The warning follows a maritime embargo announced against Saudi Arabia in retaliation for what the Houthis described as a blockade on Yemen and a Saudi attack on Sanaa International Airport.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels declared a maritime embargo against Saudi Arabia, causing at least two oil tankers carrying Saudi crude to China and India to make U-turns in the Red Sea. The move opens a new front in the escalating U.S.-Iran conflict and threatens shipping through critical energy chokepoints.
A leading Houthi official warned of potential attacks on Saudi Arabia following an incident at Sanaa International Airport involving an Iranian Mahan Air flight. Yemen's UN-recognized government condemned Iranian flights to Yemen as violations of sovereignty, raising fears of renewed conflict.
Yemen's Iran-backed Houthi rebels accused Saudi Arabia of striking Sanaa International Airport on Monday in a dispute over an Iranian plane attempting to land, prompting the Houthis to launch retaliatory missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport in a sharp escalation of hostilities.
Iran-backed Houthi rebels fired missiles and drones at Saudi Arabia's Abha International Airport in retaliation for airstrikes they attributed to the kingdom on Sana'a airport, breaking a four-year period of calm between the two sides. Saudi Arabia intercepted the attacks with no reported casualties.
The United States threatened to withhold interceptor systems from Saudi Arabia after the kingdom refused to allow US forces to use its bases and airspace for escort missions in the Strait of Hormuz during the ongoing US-Israel war on Iran that began in late February 2026.
The Trump administration has reached a breakthrough agreement with Iran to end hostilities, drawing praise from Gulf states including Saudi Arabia, UAE, and Qatar, but facing criticism from Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. Vice President JD Vance publicly rebuked Israeli critics of the deal, causing divisions among Republicans.
Saudi Arabia announced the end of a roughly five-year ban on imports from Lebanon, marking a significant step toward rebuilding ties between Lebanon and Gulf countries and offering potential relief to Lebanese businesses affected by years of conflict involving Hezbollah and Israel.
Russia and Saudi Arabia, which together control over 20% of global oil production at 9-10 million barrels per day each, are drawing closer as OPEC faces internal turmoil. Their combined production capacity gives them significant leverage over global oil supply.
The U.S. military carried out strikes against Iranian positions, including missile launch sites, even as President Trump announced that negotiations for an Iran deal are progressing. Trump is demanding that multiple countries, including Saudi Arabia and Turkey, normalize relations with Israel through the Abraham Accords as a condition of any agreement, drawing criticism from pro-Israel hawks and GOP lawmakers concerned about concessions to Iran.
The annual Hajj pilgrimage officially began in Saudi Arabia with over 1.5 million foreign pilgrims gathering in Makkah, facing temperatures reaching 45°C and heightened security concerns linked to ongoing war involving Iran.
A French judge has opened an investigation into complaints filed against Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman over the 2018 killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, marking a significant legal development in the case.
The United Arab Emirates unsuccessfully lobbied Gulf nations including Saudi Arabia and Qatar to join a coordinated military response against Iran following Tehran's attacks on Gulf infrastructure. Saudi Arabia and other states declined to participate in offensive operations.
Saudi Aramco reported first-quarter net profit of $32.5 billion, a 25.5% increase, as the company benefits from soaring oil prices driven by the Strait of Hormuz crisis. CEO Amin Nasser stated the world lost approximately one billion barrels of oil supply over two months.
Foreign ministers from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Egypt met in Islamabad to prepare diplomatic groundwork for de-escalation between the US and Iran, as Pakistan positions itself as a potential mediator in the month-long conflict.
