Category: Middle East
Coverage of geopolitics, international relations, and current affairs from across the Middle East, including conflicts, alliances, energy politics, peace processes, and regional security issues.
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South Korea has announced plans to expand the operational area of its Cheonghae anti-piracy unit from the Gulf of Aden to waters south of Oman, closer to the Strait of Hormuz, following approval of a revised deployment plan by government officials. The expansion, which requires approval from the National Assembly, will add maritime security capabilities…
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Saudi Arabia and Syria have signed a defence cooperation agreement and concluded more than $403 million (£310 million) in concessional development loans during President Ahmed al-Sharaa’s visit to Riyadh, where he met Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman on Wednesday (4 Nov). The financing, provided through the Saudi Fund for Development, will support…
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Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s Likud party led the vote count following Israel’s parliamentary election on Tuesday (27 Oct), but early results indicated that neither the governing coalition nor the opposition had secured the 61-seat majority required to form a government. With votes still being counted, President Isaac Herzog is expected to consult party leaders…
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Senior officials from Saudi Arabia, Türkiye and Pakistan met Iranian representatives in Tehran on Monday (26 October) for discussions on regional security and de-escalation, as tensions continue across the Middle East. The talks involved Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Pakistan’s Chief of Army Staff Field Marshal Asim Munir, and Türkiye’s intelligence chief Ibrahim…
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Israel has launched a military operation in Hebron, in the occupied West Bank, following an attack that killed two Israeli soldiers at a checkpoint near the city. Israeli Defence Minister Israel Katz said around 2,000 residents had been displaced from the Ein Deir Baha and Farsh al-Hawa neighbourhoods, where Israeli forces targeted homes, businesses, industrial…
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The UK Ministry of Defence has announced additional defensive military support for the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia following an increase in Houthi attacks across the region. Under the measures approved by Defence Secretary Wes Streeting, RAF Typhoon fighter jets will conduct defensive counter-air missions to help protect Saudi cities and critical infrastructure. Key developments include:…
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Egypt has signalled its readiness to support Saudi Arabia following renewed Houthi attacks on Saudi territory and infrastructure linked to the ongoing Yemen conflict. President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi called for an urgent parliamentary session as Egypt’s National Defence Council met to discuss the situation on Sunday (18 Oct). “Egypt will provide Saudi Arabia with all…
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Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Türkiye have activated collective defence measures under the Makkah Alliance for Defense following renewed fighting in Yemen and a series of reported attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. The decision was made during an emergency meeting of the alliance’s Strategic-Political and Defense Committee in Riyadh on Monday (5 Oct). The three countries agreed…
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Yemen’s Houthi movement has claimed responsibility for a missile and drone attack targeting an Aramco facility in Riyadh, as fighting between the Iran-aligned group and Yemen’s Saudi-backed government forces intensifies. Key developments: The escalation follows the collapse of a fragile 2022 truce, with renewed fighting adding pressure to Yemen’s decade-long conflict and regional security concerns…
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A flydubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv made an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia on Wednesday (30 Sep), after a violent incident in the cockpit prompted a rapid descent and emergency signals. The co-pilot allegedly attacked the captain during the flight before being restrained by passengers and crew. The captain, Smit Machchhar, was…