Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi movement launched a new wave of missile and drone strikes against southern Saudi Arabia on September 15, according to Yemeni officials, while digging into military positions along the Red Sea coast as urgent diplomatic deliberations unfolded in Riyadh. The escalating conflict has heightened fears that regional hostilities could further threaten global oil … Read more
Geopolitical Leverage and the Bab el-Mandeb Chokepoint Middle East analyst Fawaz Gerges described the move to Reuters as a game changer, noting that it alters the balance of power and gives far greater geopolitical and geoeconomic leverage over Saudi Arabia, the Gulf, the United States, and global trade. Diplomatic Shifts and the Omani-Iranian Meetings Riyadh … Read more
Chinese President Xi Jinping unveiled a slate of new initiatives spanning artificial intelligence, trade, and economic cooperation at the annual BRICS leaders’ summit in New Delhi, according to official reports from Xinhua cited by Reuters. The push aims to weld the expanded emerging economies bloc into a practical platform for Global South development. Xi Jinping … Read more
Pakistan has delivered a Saudi warning to Iran urging leaders in Tehran to rein in Yemen’s Houthi movement as escalating cross-border fighting tests Islamabad’s delicate diplomatic balancing act, according to Saudi, Pakistani, and Iranian sources. High Stakes in Regional Diplomacy Meanwhile, Pakistani foreign ministry spokesman Sajjad Haider Khan said in a briefing on Thursday that … Read more
New Delhi is preparing to welcome the BRICS Leaders’ Summit on September 12–13, aiming to elevate the international stature of the group even as an American-led military campaign against Iran divides its members, placing Tehran and Abu Dhabi on opposite sides of the hostilities. According to reports from New Delhi, the high-stakes meeting takes place … Read more
Clandestine oil shipments sailing without transponder signals through the Strait of Hormuz have helped ease a global crude shortage, yet persistent uncertainty over exact export volumes has driven international oil prices higher, according to market data analyzed by Reuters. Crude Flows and the ‘Dark Crossing’ Phenomenon Tankers carrying Middle Eastern crude have increasingly relied on … Read more
U.S. forces struck three Iranian oil tankers on Saturday, including one vessel off the coast of Kharg Island near Iran’s key oil export hub, according to U.S. Central Command. The military action followed a ballistic missile attack launched by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps against two U.S. Navy ships, according to statements from Central Command. … Read more
The United States launched new air strikes on Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran on Tuesday, September 1, 2026, threatening to reignite a six-month-old conflict that has driven global energy prices higher and weighed on President Donald Trump’s popularity at home, according to reports from Reuters. According to U.S. ET (1600 GMT) following … Read more
The Trump administration is beginning to send diplomatic personnel back to U.S. missions across the Middle East that were evacuated or downsized during recent tensions with Iran, according to two people familiar with the matter. Posts in Lebanon, Israel, Saudi Arabia, and Baghdad are among those slated for staff returns, with family members also permitted … Read more
According to a senior Iranian source speaking on Wednesday, no talks have taken place on extending a 60-day ceasefire between Iran and the U.S. under an interim deal, with Tehran demanding that Washington return to the pact and define a timeframe to implement its commitments. Ceasefire Extension Rumors Denied by Tehran Reports regarding an extension … Read more