Exclusive Senior Houthi official says Bab el Mandab closure an option if any Gulf states join war Houthi Deputy Information Minister Mohammed Mansour also said the strait could be closed “should the aggression against Iran and Lebanon escalate.” By Elizabeth Hagedorn In Washington, DC, reporting on diplomacy, regional politics, human rights
Analysis Alternative supply routes emerge as Iran war tests Gulf food security Roughly 61 million people in the Gulf rely on established food supply chains, many of which have been upended since the United States and Israel launched their attack against Iran on Feb. 28. By Jack Dutton In Bristol, reporting on regional business, climate change, AI, tech
Analysis In Saudi Arabia, Erdogan fosters security alignment, $30B trade push The Turkish president’s visit cemented Ankara and Riyadh’s accelerating convergence as regional crises mount and Gulf rivalries sharpen. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Yemen’s Houthis hint at Red Sea attacks as US-Iran tensions rise: What to know The Houthi warnings come as a US aircraft carrier accompanied by several guided missile destroyers entered Gulf waters amid tensions with Iran. Iran
Mattis departure risks US policy void as Yemen pact falls apart Day-to-day responsibility for managing the Yemen conflict is being passed on to John Rood, the Pentagon’s No. 3 official. Saudi Arabia
Four years into Salman's reign, Saudi Arabia more unpredictable than ever Saudi Arabia seems to have taken a number of wrong turns since Salman took the throne four years ago; can he make the decisions to get the country back on track? Saudi Arabia
Is Russia warming up to the Houthis? Russia has recently raised its profile in the conflict in Yemen both by endorsing UN-led peace efforts and by re-engaging with the Houthis, with whom Moscow has a long and twisted relationship. Yemen
Saudi Arabia gets US missile defense boost despite Khashoggi uproar The State Department has approved a $195 million sale to upgrade Saudi Arabia’s missile defenses. Saudi Arabia
Inheritance battle brewing for Yemeni political control The late Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh left behind wealth estimated at $32 billion to $60 billion, but an even bigger fortune is up for grabs politically. Yemen
Yemenis in Egypt face another kind of hell Yemenis who fled the war in their country thought Egypt would be their safe haven, only to be faced with harassment and injustice once there. Yemen
Mohammed bin Salman's awful year King Salman will pay a price for standing by his son as 2018 has become the year it all went bad for the crown prince and Saudi Arabia. Saudi Arabia
Iran media on Bashir trip to Syria: Arab states have accepted reality of Assad Iranian media believe that the Sudanese president's meeting with Bashar al-Assad is a sign that Arab countries are beginning to accept the reality on the ground in Syria. Saudi Arabia
Congress sees unprecedented opportunity to confront OPEC For the first time since OPEC’s formation, both the White House and Congress appear to be on the same page when it comes to suing the oil cartel for violating the US antitrust law. Saudi Arabia
What will 2019 have in store for dysfunctional GCC? The Gulf Cooperation has essentially been split in, with Qatar, Kuwait and Oman resisting the actions of Saudi Arabia's Mohammed bin Salman and the UAE's Mohammed bin Zayed. Legacy: Gulf
Senate votes to end US involvement in Yemen war The Senate voted to end US support for the Saudi-led coalition in Yemen. Saudi Arabia