US quietly aids Saudi Arabia’s Yemen campaign with intel, refueling Pentagon aims to keep Yemen and Iran wars separate while shielding the flow of Gulf oil exports from attack as Riyadh bears the brunt of the Houthis' missile and drone barrages. Yemen
Turkey to send Mecca pact to parliament, opening path to Saudi deployment Parliamentary ratification will remove a legal hurdle for Turkish military deployment to Saudi Arabia under a trilateral defense pact. Turkey
Newsletter: Daily Briefing Israel's Oct. 7 accountability debate Houthis strike Yemen airport, claim new attacks on Saudi Arabia; How language barriers are bringing Syria’s Kurds and Arabs closer; and more. By Ezgi Akin In Ankara, reporting on diplomacy, EU-Turkey ties, NATO
Explainer From Amaliqa to Houthis, here are main armed groups fighting in Yemen The Saudi-backed government is supported by several armed groups with varied histories, while the Iran-backed Houthis are largely unified under one command. Yemen
Saudi executions signal royal worries Saudi Arabia's execution of 47 people, including a poplar Shiite cleric, point to the royal family's growing concerns about the kingdom's stability. Saudi Arabia
Is Saudi Arabia next target of Islamic State? IS leader Abu Bakr al-Baghdadi calls for Saudi uprising against "apostate tyrants"; Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erodgan’s policies contribute to Turkey’s growing isolation in the region. Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia's mounting security challenges Saudi Arabia's battle in Yemen and conflicts with Iran, coupled with the fall in the price of oil, point to a trying 2016 for the kingdom. Legacy: Gulf
Why Abbas should rethink Palestinian support for Islamic coalition Some Palestinians see President Mahmoud Abbas' decision to participate in the Saudi-led Islamic coalition as a step to turn the world's attention away from their suffering under Israel’s practices. Saudi Arabia
Can Oman help Saudis save face in Yemen? Oman, the only GCC country that did not join the Saudi coalition fighting in Yemen, could help the Saudis negotiate peace there. Saudi Arabia
What's Saudi's new Islamic coalition really up to? Not a lot is known about Saudi Arabia's newly announced Islamic Military Alliance, leaving observers to ponder its prospects. Saudi Arabia
If it ain't broke, don't fix it: Why Turkey and Iran's 376 years of peace will continue Despite increasing tensions over Syria, Iraq and Yemen, Iran and Turkey are unlikely to allow verbal confrontations to turn physical. Yemen
Ongoing war silences Yemeni indie radio station Tayramana FM, a product of the Arab Spring, is on indefinite hold, waiting for an end to the current war so it can re-establish the community it had built. Legacy: Gulf
Islamic State extends its tentacles into Yemen So far, the Islamic State and al-Qaeda have not faced off militarily in Yemen, but that possibility is growing as IS escalates its violence, pushing for greater control. Yemen
Sudan gets $2.2B for joining Saudi Arabia, Qatar in Yemen war After providing financial support, Saudi Arabia is collecting on its IOU from Sudan, which now finds itself enmeshed in Yemen's civil war. Saudi Arabia
Will battle for Aleppo determine Syria’s fate? Syrian government forces advance despite heavy resistance; Arab leadership missing in battle against Islamic State; Erdogan differs with United States and G-20 on next steps in Syria; Israel rethinks "Shiite axis." Legacy: Gulf
Surrounded by war, Yemen’s students suffer As children pay the price of war in Yemen, there is an urgent need to quickly rebuild destroyed schools and find alternative safe havens for refugees. Yemen
