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Yemen

October 23, 2026

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Aramco evacuates staff as Saudi Arabia braces for potential Houthi escalation: What to know

The repeated and escalating Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia’s energy facilities and airports United States ordered the departure of non-essential government employees and their families from the kingdom, with oil giant Aramco reportedly evacuating its headquarters.

Benoit Tessier / AFP via Getty Images

France’s Macron first Western leader to visit Saudi Arabia since Houthi escalation

French President Emmanuel Macron met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during a surprise stop in Saudi Arabia.

Yemenis line up to refill gas bottles at a refilling station in Taiz, on Oct. 19, 2026.

Yemen displacement tops 250K as Houthis tighten siege on Taiz: What to know

The Houthis are looking to completely seize Taiz city, with clashes escalating in other parts of the south as well.

Internally displaced Yemenis queue at a water tank dispenser

Feature

US aid runs dry as new fighting razes Yemen

Sweeping funding cuts and the Houthis' targeting of aid workers have hobbled relief efforts in war-torn Yemen.

Elizabeth Hagedorn

By Elizabeth Hagedorn

In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights

Latest News

Saudi Arabia postpones 'Davos in the Desert' until 2027 amid Houthi attacks

FAYEZ NURELDINE/AFP via Getty Images

Analysis

Turkey turns to Iran to contain Houthis as Saudi defense commitments grow

Turkey's Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan (L) and Iran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi holds a press conference in Tehran on November 30, 2025.

Barin Kayaoglu

By Barin Kayaoglu

In Ankara, reporting on geopolitics and national security

Houthis strike Yemeni government’s presidential palace in Aden: What to know

Fighters loyal to Yemen's exiled President Abedrabbo Mansour Hadi pose for a picture near the presidential palace (unseen R) following clashes in Aden's Maashiq neighborhood on July 22, 2015.

Yemen forces clash with Houthis around Taiz as humanitarian situation worsens

a member of the Saudi-backed Yemeni government forces firing a machine gun mounted on a pick-up truck

What to expect from Putin's visit to Saudi Arabia

Russian President Vladimir Putin is set to visit Saudi Arabia on Oct. 14 with a set of economic and security issues on the agenda.

Newly recruited troops of the UAE-backed separatist Southern Transitional Council are seen on a vehicle during their graduation in Aden, Yemen July 23, 2019. REUTERS/Fawaz Salman - RC1A52E65510

Divisions restrict Southern Transitional Council, UAE ambitions in Yemen

Although the UAE-backed Southern Transitional Council is fighting for the independence of southern Yemen, their ambitions as well as the UAE’s risk deepening divisions in the area.

United Arab Emirates

Abbas Araqchi, Iranian deputy foreign minister for political affairs (R), Behrouz Kamalvandi, Iran's Atomic Energy Organization spokesman (L) and Iran's government spokesman Ali Rabiei attend a news conferenece in Tehran, Iran July 7, 2019. Tasnim News Agency/Handout via REUTERS. THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC188882BBC0

Iran welcomes Saudi signals for de-escalation

Archenemies Iran and Saudi Arabia appear to be closer to de-escalating tensions that have recently risen to all-time highs.

Dragon tree of Socotra (Dracaena cinnabari), Diksam, Socotra Island (Unesco World Heritage List, 2008), Yemen.

Island sheikh talks sovereignty in Yemen's war

The chief sheikh of the Yemeni island of Socotra spoke to Al-Monitor about growing foreign interference on the island, which has been so far spared from the fallout of the Yemeni war.

NEW YORK, NEW YORK - SEPTEMBER 24: Lolwah Rashid Al-Khater, Spokesperson of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar, speaks at the APCO backstage studio during the 2019 Concordia Annual Summit - Day 2 at Grand Hyatt New York on September 24, 2019 in New York City. (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images for Concordia Summit)

Interview

Qatar spokesperson: Blockade 'existential threat' to GCC

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Qatar’s Foreign Ministry spokesperson remains optimistic that diplomacy in Afghanistan remains possible.

Oman's Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Yousuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah meets with Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif (not pictured) in Tehran, Iran July 27, 2019. Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS. ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC19F47221C0

Interview

Oman minister describes role as 'facilitator' of diplomacy in turbulent region

In an exclusive interview with Al-Monitor, Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah, Oman’s minister responsible for foreign affairs, describes his country's role as facilitator, not mediator, to resolve the region's conflicts, including Iran, the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, Yemen, and the embargo of Qatar.

Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah

Yusuf bin Alawi bin Abdullah

Minister of Foreign Affairs of Oman

Will Houthis follow up on their threats to hit UAE targets?

The Houthis announced a halt in hostilities against Saudi Arabia but said nothing about the United Arab Emirates, raising questions about how serious the group is about carrying out threats to target the UAE.

French President Emmanuel Macron shakes hands with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani during their meeting on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly in New York, U.S., September 23, 2019. REUTERS/John Irish - RC1C497E08B0

Rouhani dismisses European statement on Iran role in Saudi attacks

The Iranian president is in New York with a "peace initiative" meant to resolve regional tensions at a time when pressure is building on Tehran over its alleged involvement in attacks on Saudi oil facilities.

What is happening behind the scenes in the Yemen talks?

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are trying to consolidate their military influence in Yemen through talks in Jeddah.

Iran's Foreign Minister Mohammad Javad Zarif speaks during a news conference in Tehran, Iran August 5, 2019. Nazanin Tabatabaee/WANA (West Asia News Agency) via REUTERS. ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE HAS BEEN SUPPLIED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC1725B039F0

Iran defends strikes on Saudi oil facility but denies role

While flatly denying any role in the twin strikes on Saudi oil facilities, Iran finds no drawback in firmly standing by the Shiite Houthi rebels for what it views as their exercise of the right to retaliate against Saudi attacks.

Iran's Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei delivers a speech during a ceremony marking the death anniversary of the founder of the Islamic Republic Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, in Tehran, Iran, June 4, 2017. TIMA via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. FOR EDITORIAL USE ONLY. - RC16ADBF0A50

Iran's supreme leader says no talks with US 'at any level'

Iran's supreme leader has dismissed talks with the United States, saying Washington is bound to proving the success of its "maximum pressure" policy by pushing Tehran to the negotiating table.

Russian President Vladimir Putin is seen during trilateral talks with his counterparts Hassan Rouhani of Iran and Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey in Ankara, Turkey September 16, 2019. Sputnik/Valery Melnikov/Kremlin via REUTERS ATTENTION EDITORS - THIS IMAGE WAS PROVIDED BY A THIRD PARTY. - RC1A1133AD90

Intel: What’s behind Putin’s arms sale proposal to Saudis

Putin's offer of defense missile systems for the Saudis was political but there's more to this in the runup to his visit to Riyadh.