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
UN pushes back Yemen peace talks With UN talks on Yemen delayed amid escalating fighting, veteran diplomats say Pompeo should work with the UK to revive the Friends of Yemen and give UN efforts to end the conflict more sustained, high-level attention. Saudi Arabia
Midterms revamp Middle East policymaking in Congress Tuesday’s elections will re-order the committees in charge of foreign policy. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia ignores Trump administration on Yemen US officials have called for confidence-building measures leading up to peace talks for Yemen, but the Saudis don't seem to be listening. Saudi Arabia
Iranians hail Houthi 'resistance' for bringing potential end to Yemen war A US call for a cease-fire in Yemen has been widely interpreted in Iran as a victory for the Houthi movement. Saudi Arabia
Pompeo, Mattis call for Yemen cease-fire, back UN talks The US secretaries of state and defense threw their support behind the United Nations Yemen envoy’s calls for a cessation of hostilities and for Yemen peace talks to be held in Sweden in November. Yemen
Russia key if quiet player in southern Yemen While keeping a low profile on the conflict in Yemen, Russia has been making significant progress establishing connections in the south of the country, where it has historically had a military and political presence. Yemen
Amid famine, anger at Khashoggi murder, will Saudis be pressed to end Yemen war? UN warnings of unprecedented famine in Yemen, combined with US disgust at Saudi Arabia’s killing of journalist Jamal Khashoggi, could spur Congress to pressure the Donald Trump administration to force an end to the Saudi-led war. Saudi Arabia
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. Saudi Arabia
UN warns of famine after Yemen talks sputter In an interview with Al-Monitor, the top UN aid official in Yemen warned that 10 million more people are at risk of starving if fighting in the war-torn country doesn’t stop. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia is at its least stable in 50 years To maintain its stability, Saudi Arabia needs to end the costly war in Yemen, where much of the population is subject to famine and disease. Legacy: Gulf
Pompeo guarantees fail to assuage Congress on Yemen war With bipartisan opposition to the Yemen war steadily growing, a Democratic wave in November could force the Donald Trump administration to end support for the Saudi coalition. Yemen