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

Saudi Arabia cover image

Saudi Arabia

November 7, 2026

Riyadh 9:19 am

28°C

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses Turkish members of parliament during the opening of the parliamentary session at the Grand National Assembly of Turkey in Ankara, on Oct. 1, 2026.

Turkey’s parliament ratifies Mecca pact in boost to Saudi Arabia

Turkey will now decide the scope of military support for Saudi Arabia amid ongoing Iran-backed Houthi attacks on the kingdom.

Cristiano Ronaldo

Culture

What’s next for Cristiano Ronaldo after retirement from Portugal team?

The Portuguese superstar is signed to the Saudi side Al Nassr until 2027, but the Yemen war is impacting the sport in the kingdom.

Latest News

Aramco begins expansion of oil export route bypassing Hormuz

AFP via Getty Images

Oil tops $114 as traders brace for Iran escalation after US midterms

Traders work on the floor of the New York Stock Exchange at the opening bell, New York City, Sept. 28, 2026.

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

U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo greets Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir after arriving in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, October 16, 2018. REUTERS/Leah Millis/Pool - RC1B676FE300

Pompeo heads to Turkey as Saudis change Khashoggi tune

US Secretary of State Mike Pompeo is headed for Ankara, where he will likely brief Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on his talks with Saudi leaders on the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi.

Pictures of Saudi journalist Khashoggi are placed on security barriers during a protest outside the Saudi Consulate in Istanbul, Turkey October 8, 2018. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC1FD8B03460

Turkish-Saudi team begins Khashoggi investigation

The joint Turkish-Saudi investigation into the disappearance of dissident Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi seems to have started, though details are elusive and doubts about its seriousness persist.

A Turkish police officer who stands guard at the Saudi Arabia's consulate is seen at the entrance, in Istanbul, Turkey October 10, 2018. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - RC133B501BB0

Intel: How Trump is walking back threats to retaliate against Saudi Arabia

Participants, including Russian President Vladimir Putin (4th R) and Saudi Arabian Energy Minister Khalid al-Falih (3rd L), attend a session of the Russian Energy Week international forum in Moscow, Russia October 3, 2018. Sputnik/Alexei Druzhinin/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC111436C470

Saudis skeptical about Russia's oil production prospects

Saudi Arabia's projection that Russian oil production will dwindle significantly triggered a backlash in Moscow, which says it has options up its sleeve that will prove Riyadh wrong.

Bahrain opposition calls for boycott of upcoming elections

November elections may do little to end the standoff between Bahrain's Sunni-led government and leaders of the country's Shiite majority.

Turkish-Saudi rift could hinge on US reaction to missing journalist

The disappearance of Jamal Khashoggi, a Saudi dissident journalist and Washington Post contributor, has created a triangle of fault lines between Saudi Arabia, Turkey and the United States.

U.S. President Donald Trump shakes hands with Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in the Oval Office at the White House in Washington, U.S. March 20, 2018. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC16218400E0

Commentary: Saudi First foreign policy comes back to bite Trump

US alignment with Riyadh’s worldview is under scrutiny after the disappearance of journalist and regime critic Jamal Khashoggi.

White House senior advisor Jared Kushner (C) arrives to join U.S. President Donald Trump and the rest of the U.S. delegation to meet with Saudi Arabia's King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud at the Royal Court in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia May 20, 2017. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst - RC161444CEB0

Democrats’ promised Trump probes threaten to sweep up Mideast allies

Key US allies could be caught in the crosshairs as Democrats plan extensive investigations into President Donald Trump’s policies and business dealings should they win in November.

U.S. President Donald Trump speaks about Hurricane Michael prior to signing the "Save Our Seas Act of 2018" at the White House in Washington, U.S., October 11, 2018. REUTERS/Kevvin Lamarque - RC14F2A7E6E0

Trump weighs Saudi Arabia’s fate in Khashoggi affair

The US president said “a lot of work” is being done on the disappearance of Saudi journalist Jamal Khashoggi and promised “there'll be something that has to take place.”

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and King Salman of Saudi Arabia (L) are pictured during a family photo session at the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) Istanbul Summit in Istanbul, Turkey April 14, 2016. REUTERS/Murad Sezer - GF10000382307

Iranian media see Saudi-Turkey rift in Khashoggi case

While some Iranian media see the possibility of tension between Iran and Turkey over the case of Jamal Khashoggi, one analyst in particular warns that such an atmosphere is not conducive to resolving differences.

ISTANBUL, TURKEY - OCTOBER 10: A police officer providing security waits at the front door of Saudi Arabia's consulate on October 10, 2018 in Istanbul, Turkey. Fears are growing over the fate of missing journalist Jamal Khashoggi after Turkish officials said they believe he was murdered inside the Saudi consulate. Saudi consulate officials have said that missing writer and Saudi critic Jamal Khashoggi went missing after leaving the consulate, however the statement directly contradicts other sources includ

Congress orders federal probe into Khashoggi’s disappearance

Bipartisan calls for a federal probe and possible sanctions against Saudi Arabia indicate that Congress has lost confidence in Riyadh.

A Saudi Arabian flag flies over as CCTV camera is seen the Saudi Arabian consulate in Istanbul on October 10, 2018. - Jamal Khashoggi, a veteran Saudi journalist who has been critical towards the Saudi government has gone missing after visiting the kingdom's consulate in Istanbul on October 2, 2018, the Washington Post reported. Saudi Arabia agreed to let Turkish authorities search its Istanbul consulate as part of the investigation into the disappearance of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, as his fiancee asked

Intel: Why Turkey outed an alleged Saudi 'hit squad'