Saudi defense chief meets Khamenei in historic Iran visit: What to know Prince Khalid’s visit marks a further step in Iran and Saudi Arabia’s political reconciliation, but it comes at a tense time in the region, with the second round of US-Iran nuclear negotiations just two days away. Saudi Arabia
US approves $400M deal to upgrade Kuwait’s Patriot air defenses The planned recertification marks Washington’s latest show of military support for Gulf Arab states, as the US prepares for a potential confrontation with Iran over its nuclear enrichment program. United States
Top US general calls out Houthi-Shabaab ties across Yemen-Somalia strait The Pentagon has opened the aperture on al-Shabaab in recent months, allowing AFRICOM to ramp up strikes on the al-Qaeda offshoot in the Horn of Africa. By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
US sanctions Russia-based network for aiding Houthis as strikes continue The sanctions target several individuals based in Russia accused of assisting Houthi official Sa’id al-Jamal, who has been under US sanctions since 2021. Yemen
Analysis Can US halt Houthi attacks without getting embroiled in Gaza, Yemen wars? By Jared Szuba In Washington, DC, reporting on defense, national security, military
Analysis Wary of Houthis, Gulf states fear blowback of US escalation in Yemen By Jennifer Gnana In Dubai, reporting on Gulf energy policy and politics
Egypt fears for Red Sea security as Yemen cease-fire teeters Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi received Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council President Rashad al-Alimi as part of his first foreign tour since his inauguration, amid efforts to consolidate the cease-fire and reach a solution that ends the crisis in the war-torn country. Egypt
Yemen truce brings relief but no path to lasting peace Yemen's UN-sponsored truce is a priceless relief for civilians and a diplomatic success for the UN envoy for Yemen. But because the root causes remain unsolved, a permanent peace is still doubtful. Gulf
US envoy urges funding for Yemen’s ‘ticking time bomb’ Envoy Tim Lenderking called on donor governments and the private sector to help prevent a dilapidated tanker in the Red Sea from spilling its cargo of oil. Yemen
US welcomes 2-month extension of Yemen truce Secretary of State Antony Blinken urged Yemen's warring parties to "seize this pivotal moment." Yemen
Analysis The Takeaway: Iran hoped to close nuclear deal before economic reforms, says expert Israeli exodus from Turkey over Iranian threat; Turkey takes aim at Syrian towns; Manbij residents brace for Turkish attack; desperation in Yemen’s displacement camps; Egyptian dance music livens up "Moon Knight." By Elizabeth Hagedorn , Andrew Parasiliti
Displaced Yemenis grow desperate in camps Humanitarian organizations are struggling to meet the needs of millions of internally displaced Yemenis amid the ongoing war. Yemen
Yemen's Presidential Leadership Council resists Houthi supremacy The formation of the new Presidential Leadership Council is a remarkable revival of Yemen's General People's Congress (GPC) and a prologue to ending fighting in Yemen's south. This could throw the Houthis into confusion in the months to come. Gulf
US welcomes Sanaa's first commercial flight in six years The Jordan-bound flight on Monday came as part of a UN-brokered truce struck in April. Yemen
Harris stresses US-Emirati partnership after MBZ meeting The visit by Vice President Kamala Harris and other US officials come as relations between Washington and Abu Dhabi hit a rough patch. United Arab Emirates
Iran engages neighbors as nuclear talks falter As Iran and Saudi Arabia work to resolve disputes, Iran's president spoke with the Kuwait emir and expressed his desire for a return to "previous friendly relations.” Iran
Analysis US committed to UN truce and ‘better future’ for Yemen, says US envoy In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Tim Lenderking, US special envoy for Yemen, says the United States can be counted on to continue its strong diplomatic effort in Yemen, but the core responsibilities for peace lie with the parties themselves. By Week in Review
Women in Yemen trapped by war, abuse Eight years have passed since the war in Yemen began, and women there continue to exist in dire situations in which they are faced not only with the hardships of displacement but also with threats, persecution, imprisonment and banishment from exercising their political rights. Gulf
