US President Donald Trump has said the US-Iran war may be nearing an end, raising fresh hopes for diplomacy after months of fighting, disruption to energy markets and growing pressure across the Middle East. Trump made the comments on September 16, saying he hoped the conflict was moving towards its conclusion and claiming that Iranian…
The recovery of hundreds of human remains from Gaza rubble has triggered a fresh call from the United Nations for international investigators to gain access to the territory, as concerns grow that important evidence could disappear before it is properly examined. The latest development shifts attention from the immediate destruction caused by the war to…
Iran has rejected direct diplomatic talks with the United States after President Donald Trump said Washington was open to resuming negotiations. The latest exchange shows how far apart the two sides remain even as the wider Middle East crisis continues to threaten energy supplies and shipping routes. Iranian security chief Mohsen Rezaei said there would…
US President Donald Trump has rejected requests from Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman for American strikes against the Houthis in Yemen, as the group expands its position around the strategic Red Sea shipping route. The decision highlights a difficult choice for Washington. Saudi Arabia wants stronger military action against the Iran-backed Houthis, but the…
The prolonged Middle East oil crisis in 2026 is beginning to affect the global energy market beyond crude oil prices, with refinery disruptions expected to cut worldwide crude processing by an estimated 1.4 million barrels per day (bpd) in the fourth quarter. Wood Mackenzie said the extended conflict is expected to reduce global crude runs…
Oil prices are moving towards $100 per barrel after Yemen’s Iran-aligned Houthi rebels launched a major wave of attacks on southern Saudi Arabia, hitting civilian and energy facilities and raising fresh fears about global oil supplies. The Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia in 2026 injured at least 73 people, including women and children, according to…
Qatar is stepping deeper into the diplomatic effort to end the U.S.-Iran standoff, pushing for the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz and a return to the memorandum of understanding that was supposed to keep negotiations between Washington and Tehran alive. The timing is important. The 60-day period created by the June U.S.-Iran memorandum expired…
The latest escalation between Iran and the United States is creating a new problem for Gulf countries: staying out of the war may no longer be enough to keep them safe. Iranian armed forces have warned Gulf states against providing any assistance to the US military, saying that allowing American forces to use their territory,…
Two Iranian-launched drones targeting the private office of Kurdistan Region Prime Minister Masrour Barzani and the home of a senior security official in Erbil may not have caused casualties, but the choice of targets makes the attack more significant than another drone incident. Kurdish counterterrorism authorities said the Hadid-110 explosive drones were launched from Iranian…
The reported Houthi ground offensive around Mokha and north towards Al-Khawkhah is significant for a reason that goes beyond Yemen’s civil war: control of this coastline could give the Houthis greater leverage over one of the world’s most important maritime corridors. Recent reporting confirms that Houthi attacks on Mokha have intensified, including repeated missile and…
