Attack on Yemen presidential palace kills 5 as Saudi-Houthi hostilities escalate sharply
Saudi Arabia calls Houthi attacks on civilian, economic and airport facilities “full-fledged war crimes”; Trump says he would not use...
Geostrategy
Houthis target Saudi Arabia as Aramco facility catches fire
Oman, Iran discuss regional tensions; Trump says Houthis acting at Iran's behest; Saudi forces intercept missiles, drones; Hormuz shipping attacks...
Geostrategy
Geostrategy
Israel plans ‘Hexagon Alliance’ in Mediterranean, Middle East to counter hostile regional blocs
Speaking ahead of the weekly cabinet meeting, Netanyahu outlined a plan to establish what he called a “hexagon alliance system”...
- Netanyahu outlined a plan to form a “hexagon alliance” involving India, select Arab and African countries, Greece, the Greek Cypriot administration and unnamed Asian nations
- “In the vision I see before me, we will form a ‘hexagon alliance system’ around or within Middle East,” Netanyahu said, adding that further details would be shared in due course
Geostrategy
Arab Parliament, Muslim nations slam Huckabee’s Middle East remarks
Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, Speaker of the Arab Parliament, stressed that any talk of control over the occupied Palestinian...
- The Palestinian Authority said on X that Huckabee's words "contradict US President Donald Trump's rejection of rejection of (Israel) annexing the West Bank".
- Saudi Arabia described the ambassador's words as "reckless" and "irresponsible", while Jordan said it was "an assault on the sovereignty of the countries of the region".
Geostrategy
No option but to continue resistance, says Hezbollah after deadly Israeli strikes
Mahmud Qamati, a Hezbollah official, described the strike in the Bekaa Valley as “a new massacre and a new aggression”...
- Lebanon’s health ministry reported 12 people killed — 10 in the east and two in the south — while Hezbollah confirmed eight of the dead were its members.
- Israel has continued strikes in Lebanon despite a November 2024 ceasefire intended to end more than a year of cross-border hostilities.
Geostrategy
US–Iran tensions escalate toward war as Gulf military buildup and Israeli preparations intensify
Indirect talks in Geneva have yielded what officials call “guiding principles” for a possible agreement, but the framework remains skeletal...
- Israel is intensifying emergency preparedness across its healthcare system, armed forces and civilian infrastructure as tensions with Iran escalate
- Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu issued a blunt warning to Tehran, saying any attack would draw an “unimaginable” response
Geostrategy
Trump launches Gaza ‘Board of Peace’ with $10 billion pledge, outlines vague ambitions
Speaking in Washington before representatives from nearly 50 countries, Trump said nine member states had committed more than $7 billion...
- Five countries — Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Kosovo and Albania — have committed troops to a proposed International Stabilization Force (ISF) for Gaza.
- Indonesia, the world’s largest Muslim-majority country, has offered to send up to 8,000 troops and take a deputy commander role in the force.
Interview
Gulf startup hubs: Converging strategies, diverging ambitions
Despite fierce branding as rivals, Gulf startup hubs share capital, policy, and talent structures that are quietly shaping distinct, globally...
- Shared infrastructure, capital flows, and policy choices bind these ecosystems together more than they divide them.
- The critical question for Gulf ecosystems is not whether they have capital or talent, but whether both are organized toward genuinely global ambition.
Economy
Battle of the Tech Hubs
The GCC is competing to build world-class technology hubs, investing heavily in AI, infrastructure, and sovereign capital to drive digital...
- The GCC smart cities and digital transformation market reached $145.5 billion in 2024 and is expected to reach $907 billion by 2032.
- Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala, for instance, was the largest sovereign-owned investor globally in 2024, deploying $29 billion across 52 deals, a 67 percent increase from the previous year.
Geostrategy
Israeli strikes kill 12 Palestinians in Gaza amid measures to ‘annex’ more West Bank land
Palestinian officials described the Israeli parliament's decision related to West Bank land as a “serious escalation,” while armed groups and...
- Several governments have renewed warnings that unilateral annexation or settlement expansion would violate international law and risk further destabilizing the region.
- The latest Gaza killings also comes as indirect negotiations and mediation efforts have struggled to gain traction.
Geostrategy
Geneva talks loom as Trump backs regime change and redeploys second US carrier
The Pentagon confirmed that the USS Gerald R. Ford is being moved from the Caribbean toward the Middle East, a...
- The addition of a second carrier significantly expands US air power, surveillance capability and rapid strike options in the Gulf and surrounding waters.
- Gulf states, long wary of escalation between Washington and Tehran, have urged restraint while quietly bolstering their own security postures.
Geostrategy
Trump signals second carrier deployment as US-Iran prepare to resume talks
In interviews with Israeli media, Trump warned of consequences if negotiations fail. “Either we reach a deal or we'll have...
- In interviews with Israeli media, Trump warned of consequences if negotiations fail. “Either we reach a deal or we'll have to do something very tough.”
- ranian President Masoud Pezeshkian has said Tehran will demand the lifting of financial sanctions and uphold its nuclear rights, including enrichment
Attack on Yemen presidential palace kills 5 as Saudi-Houthi hostilities escalate sharply
Saudi Arabia calls Houthi attacks on civilian, economic and airport facilities “full-fledged war crimes”; Trump says he would not use...
Geostrategy
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Qatar PM heads to Tehran as regional diplomacy intensifies
US President Donald Trump said on Wednesday that he was in “no hurry” to resume talks with Iran, arguing that...
Geostrategy
Iran says Hormuz remains closed despite transit agreement with Oman
US president Donald Trump, meanwhile, says that all mines have been cleared from the waterway's international waters and that Tehran...
Geostrategy
Iran says Hormuz remains closed despite transit agreement with Oman
US president Donald Trump, meanwhile, says that all mines have been cleared from the waterway's international waters and that Tehran...
Geostrategy
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Geostrategy
Iran warns states joining US sanctions would be deemed ‘enemies’
Tehran says Washington’s campaign could deepen nuclear insecurity, while Trump renews his claim over the Strait of Hormuz.
- Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman are set to discuss regional stability, energy and strategic cooperation in Paris.
- Six European governments are pushing an EU-wide windfall tax on oil companies, citing soaring refining margins and living costs.
Geostrategy
Iran calls new US sanctions ‘declaration of war’ against all countries
US president Donald Trump, meanwhile, says he views the Strait of Hormuz as 'an American territory' and Iran 'cannot be...
- Tanker traffic at Saudi Arabia’s Yanbu port has fallen by more than a third since Yemen’s Houthis announced a blockade of Saudi vessels through the Bab al-Mandeb.
- Georgia has declined to join the latest European Union sanctions against Iran, saying its international political decisions are guided exclusively by national interests.
Geostrategy
Hormuz ship crossings halve as Iran war disrupts energy flows
No very large crude carriers or liquefied natural gas tankers were among the vessels recorded. One very large gas carrier...
- Only Hormuz crossings halved to seven commodity ships as shipping risks intensified and US-Iran peace talks remained stalled.
- Brent was headed for a second weekly rise, gaining more than seven percent over five sessions amid supply disruptions.