Oil prices rose Tuesday on worries over escalating Mideast tensions after the U.S

Forces loyal to Yemens internationally recognised government pledge to seize the capital Sanaa as battles rage.

Watch: Russia calls for Iran to be included in the Mecca Agreement Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov has called for Iran to be included in the Mecca Agreement, a trilateral mutual defence pact signed by Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan last month

Houthi attacks cause fires at Saudi energy facilities, operations disrupted Several energy facilities and utilities in Saudia Arabia's southern region has beenattacked by Yemen's Houthis, sparking fires at a number of sites and temporarily halting some operations,the Kingdom'senergy ministry said on Tuesday.

Saudi-led coalition in Yemen says 73 people wounded in Houthi attacks, vows firm response The spokesperson of the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen announced that 73 people,including women and children, were wounded after Houthis launched attacks in the cities of Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jazan and Najran In a statement posted on X, Turki al-Maliki vowed that the coalition will respond firmly to the assaults

Spokesperson for Saudi-led coalition says Houthis have hit civilian sites in Abha, Khamis Mushait, Jizan and Najran.

Houthi-run media outlet released footage of destruction after alleged Saudi air strike on al-Hazm prison.

The kingdom, seeking to rebrand as a culinary juggernaut, has bankrolled new restaurants and conscripted big-name chefs

The US has lost 18 military personnel since it launched the war. "I don't think we are ever going to move back into those bases in Bahrain and Qatar, in Kuwait, in eastern Saudi Arabia," Harrison Mann, a former US Defense Intelligence Agency officer, told a panel hosted by Democracy in the Arab World Now (Dawn) on Thursday

Regional neighbours condemn attack this week that killed two crew members from the Philippines.

Officials from Turkiye, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan meet to discuss implementing the pact.

Foreign, defence ministers and military chiefs from three countries to meet for first time since signing Mecca pact.

Mecca pact's first trilateral meeting to be held in Istanbul on Monday The first meeting under the defence pact signed by Turkey , Saudi Arabia and Pakistan , known as the Mecca Agreement, will be held in Istanbul on Monday, according to the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Jackson arrives as a replacement for Ollie Watkins, whose move to Saudi Arabian side Al Hilal is being finalised.

Iran ready for regional cooperation, Pezeshkian says Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Iran was ready for cooperation and understanding with regional countries, including Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates

Yemeni forces say fighter killed on Taiz front lines against Houthis Yemens Saudi-backed government said on Thursday a fighter with one of its factions was killed on the al-Ahtoub front lines in the western countryside of Taiz governorate fighting against the Houthis, according to Yemens army media centre

UAE president's letter to elderly Saudi king seen as jab at Crown Prince Submitted by Sean Mathews on Wed, 08/26/2026 - 14:18 Handwritten letter viewed as attempt to bypass powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed al-Nahyan (R) meeting with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman at Qasr al-Rawdha in Abu Dhabi on 1 December 2024 (AFP) Off UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed's direct outreach to Saudi Arabia's elderly King Salman has been viewed by US and Arab diplomats as an effort to bypass the kingdom's powerful Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman

Bangladesh could join Mecca pact, official suggests Submitted by MEE staff on Tue, 08/25/2026 - 17:03 According to Reuters, the consideration follows an invitation from Saudi Arabia The military gathers as part of preparations for the election, at the National Stadium in Dhaka, Bangladesh on 5 February 2026 (AFP) Off Bangladesh may be joining the defence agreement signed by Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan earlier this month

French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman agree on a $7 bn investment in the anime theme park.

Saudi Arabia, France reaffirm support for Palestinian statehood Saudi Arabia and France restated their backing for Palestinian statehood and called for an end to Israels settlement policy and settler violence

France and Saudi Arabia plan to invest $7bn in three amusement parks near Paris, including one based on Japanese manga.

Theme park project is among a raft of deals spanning energy, defence, AI and tourism signed during MBS's visit to Paris.

Fabinho joined Saudi Arabia's Al-Ittihad in 2023, where he won the league after his five-year stint at Liverpool.

Saudi shipping company Bahri confirmed its vessel was struck, all crew members safe.

Morning update Good morning Middle East Eye readers, Here are the latest developments: Iraq has called for creating a joint security council between Iran and Saudi Arabia, citing a "crisis of trust" between the two countries, a senior Iraqi official told state broadcaster Iraqiya TV

Iraq calls for joint security council between Saudi Arabia and Iran Iraq has called for creating a joint security council between Iran and Saudi Arabia, citing a "crisis of trust" between the two countries,a senior Iraqi official told state broadcaster Iraqiya TV

A Chinese team, All Gamers, on Sunday beat double-champions Team Falcons from Saudi Arabia to win the video-gaming Esports World Cup (EWC) held Sunday in Paris.

Energy, regional conflicts, and bilateral cooperation to dominate Emmanuel Macron and Mohammed bin Salman's discussions.

Gov't forces carried out 81 attacks in the last 24 hours as Houthis claim to have hit two targets in Saudi Arabia.

BWET, an Exchange Traded Fund (ETF) that allows investors to bet on the shipping rates, has soared 98 percent over the past month. Asked about rising energy prices, Bessent said, We have asymmetric information, and I'm not sure why oil has popped up on this." Iran has continued attacking vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, while its partner in Yemen, the Houthis, has imposed a maritime blockade against Saudi Arabia in the Red Sea

He singles out Andy Burnham, expressing hope that the prime minister of Britain will be willing to challenge the relationship between Britain and the UAE. "We could be friends," Altikriti says, "but friends do not come without conditions." Saudi Arabia tightens rules on financial transfers to UAE Read More Those conditions, he argues, should be simple: the UAE should respect British freedoms and citizens and refrain from interfering with their rights

Yemens Houthis have restarted attacking vessels in the Red Sea. To avoid the Bab el-Mandeb chokepoint, Saudi Arabia has had to send oil via the Sumed Pipeline to the Mediterranean, where it is loaded onto VLCC tankers

One of the targets was Yemeni MP Anssaf Ali Mayo, whose office was targeted with explosives. Mayo has since said he suffers "psychological and emotional trauma" from the assassination attempt, and now lives in exile in Saudi Arabia

Mecca agreement: Why Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan teamed up Submitted by Ahmed Altuwaijri on Mon, 08/17/2026 - 19:34 The best defence alliance is not one that makes a state dependent on its allies forever, but one that makes it more capable of relying on itself The signing of the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement by Saudi Arabia , Pakistan and Turkey this month was not the product of Riyadhs reaction to a specific, immediate threat, as many have assumed

Houthi ballistic missile hits house near Yemens Taiz A ballistic missile launched by Yemens Houthis hit a house in al-Akmah village in the Maqbanah district, west of Taiz, according to the media centre connected to the countrys Saudi-backed government

Erdogan says Mecca agreement open to Egypt Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the Mecca Agreement between Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan is also open to other countries such as Egypt

Erdogan urges Trump to continue talks with Iran, offers support Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan held a call with US President Donald Trump to urge the US to continue talks with Iran and de-escalate tensions, offering Ankara's support in peace efforts, according to the Turkish presidency. In a statement, the presidency said Erdogan and Trump also discussed the war in Gaza, a defence pact signed between Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan, and bilateral ties, adding that Erdogan told Trump that Israel's attacks on Palestinians in Gaza had increased during the second phase of Trump's peace plan

US envoy backs Yemen governments fight against Houthis Neil Hope, the Charg dAffaires of the US embassy in Yemen, signalled his support for the Saudi-backed Yemeni governments fight against the Houthis in a meeting with the vice president of the Presidential Leadership Council, Abdulrahman al-Mahrami, in Saudi Arabias capital, Riyadh, on Monday

Houthis say they targeted Saudi military ship in Red Sea Yemens Iran-aligned Houthis said on Monday that they had targeted a Saudi military vessel and four escort ships in the Red Sea with missiles

Since then, Mocha has served as the headquarters of the Republican Guard. Drawn by the higher salaries paid in Saudi Riyals, many Yemenis fleeing Houthi-controlled areas have joined the Republican Guard in Mocha

Donald Trump's son-in-law and envoy also held a rare meeting with Hamas' political chief, Khalil al-Hayya. Trump said in a post on Truth Social that he is, "Very happy to see that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have recently, and finally, signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement." He said the deal shows how the Middle East is coming together", adding that they will be able to have better solutions to defend themselves

Yemeni government claims attacks on Houthis Yemen'sinternationally recognised government said it launched artillery attacks against the Houthis in the northern al-Jawf Governorate. In a post on X, the Yemeni Saudi-backed forces said theytargeted "gatherings and dens" belonging toHouthis in the area

Trump hails Saudi-Turkiye-Pakistan defence pact US President Trump said in a post onTruth Social thathe is "Very happy to see that Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan have recently, and finally, signed the Mecca Joint Defence Agreement." He said the deal shows how the Middle East is coming together, and how Countries will finally be able to defend themselves in a more meaningful way

Emirati academic's barbed tweet on Pakistan exposes UAE unease over Mecca pact Submitted by MEE staff on Sun, 08/16/2026 - 06:02 Disparaging remarks by Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a former aide to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, on Pakistan's poverty, illiteracy and nuclear arsenal spark online backlash. Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan shakes hands with Pakistans Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif as Saudi Arabias Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman looks on after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, on 7 August 2026 (Handout/Turkish presidency's press office/AFP) Off Abdulkhaleq Abdulla, a prominent Emirati political analyst and former aide to UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed, has mocked Pakistan for its poor economic and social indicators and yet opportunistically posturing itself to defend a country among the 20 largest economies in the world

Yemeni government forces, backed by Saudi Arabia, have struck back after a new Houthi offensive in areas it controls.

Today, a third pole could be emerging: an increasingly institutionalised Sunni axis anchored in Riyadh, Ankara and Islamabad - with Doha, Cairo, and to a lesser extent Abu Dhabi at its edges. Read more: How a pragmatic axis could reshape the Middle East Opinion by Marco Carnelos Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomes Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Riyadh, on 17 September 2025 (Saudi Press Agency/AFP)

Turkish president tells Al Jazeera that the recently signed agreement is open to new members as he pledges continued support.

How a pragmatic axis could reshape the Middle East Submitted by Marco Carnelos on Tue, 08/11/2026 - 16:51 The Mecca agreement could do more to determine the region's trajectory than anything decided in Washington, Tel Aviv or Tehran Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman welcomes Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to Riyadh, on 17 September 2025 (Saudi Press Agency/AFP) On Nearly three years after the 7 October Hamas attack shattered the illusion of a manageable status quo - one serving US - Israeli interests, while harming Palestinian rights - and midway through President Donald Trumps second term, the Middle East no longer maps neatly onto the two axes that have defined it for decades

Houthi spokesman says 'Saudi warships and mercenaries' targeted Houthi military spokespersonYahya Saree has said the rebels targeted concentrations and weapons belonging to the Saudi enemy

Saudi Arabia condemns attack on UAE tankers in Hormuz Saudi Arabia's foreign ministry has strongly condemned an attack on two tankers belonging to the UAEs oil giant ADNOC while transiting the Strait of Hormuz

Iraq rejects sovereignty violations during security talks in Riyadh Director of the office of Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi hasaffirmed Baghdad's rejection of any infringement of its sovereignty during high-level security talks with Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman

The announcement of a new naval blockade threatens to restart full-scale war between Yemen's Houthis and Saudi Arabia

Oil exports from Egypt's Mediterranean port of Sidi Kerir have more than doubled. The crude is mostly from Saudi Arabia, according to Kpler.