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
How Yemen plans to dry up Houthis' funding Yemen is making major changes in its fiscal operations, hoping to get back revenue sources it says are being hijacked by Houthi rebels. Yemen
Saudi Arabia may keep playing 'Iran card' to defer decision on Yemen Yemen victim of Saudi-Iran hostility; Islamic State tries, and fails, to recruit Kurds; Al-Monitor resumes series on lobbying by Middle East governments. Saudi Arabia
Yemenis turn to alternative energy amid power crisis As the war continues in Yemen, increasing power cuts have driven more and more citizens to install solar panels. Yemen
Saudi Arabia's moment of truth in Yemen Saudi King Salman bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud has three options to choose from on Yemen, none of them good. Saudi Arabia
Will mystery of Israel's missing Yemenite children soon be solved? The families of Israel's Yemenite children who disappeared in the early 1950s might be disappointed when the archives on this issue open up, as it is not certain that they will find any answers there. Yemen
What is the real challenge for Yemen's Hadrami Elite forces? After Yemeni government forces took over Hadramaut governorate, which was under the AQAP’s control, the Hadrami Elite’s main challenge is to keep the Islamic State away from the governorate. Saudi Arabia
Slow response to Yemen’s crisis points to government incompetence As Yemen is facing its worst humanitarian and economic crisis in its modern history, the Saudi-led coalition needs to step up and restore security in the liberated areas by eliminating militias. Saudi Arabia
Digital map seeks to document 'trail of destruction' of Mideast antiquities Government and nonprofit organizations are working together to mitigate the threats that the Islamic State, looters and others pose to Middle East antiquities. Yemen
Saudi takes rare turn on congressional hot seat Riyadh's support for extremist clerics is under scrutiny as Congress debates whether to allow terror victims to sue the kingdom. Saudi Arabia
Yemen peace talks stuck in stalemate The Yemen peace talks have been hindered by the parties' unwillingness to compromise on several major issues. Saudi Arabia
Despite Arab, US attacks, AQAP still holding out in Yemen Al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula recently withdrew from its prosperous base in Mukalla, but with 20 years of investment in the country, the group is unlikely to be defeated while other battles continue to mire the country in chaos and violence. Yemen
Beware of the failure of Yemen’s central bank The Central Bank of Yemen continues to set new policies to tackle the rising inflation and devaluation of the Yemeni rial, knowing its policies will not be effective as long as there is no political will to stabilize the situation. Saudi Arabia