Coverage of events across the Middle East region.
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan in Riyadh amid renewed Houthi attacks and months of tensions between the two Gulf allies over Yemen. The meeting comes as Saudi Arabia seeks greater coordination with regional and international partners against the Iran-backed Houthis.
Saudi airstrikes in Yemen’s Taiz province have killed and wounded dozens, according to Houthi-affiliated sources, while Yemen’s internationally recognized government said its forces targeted Houthi military positions in the area. The competing casualty and target claims could not be independently verified as fighting between the Iran-backed Houthis and government forces intensifies.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu made an unannounced visit to Abu Dhabi and met UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, with talks reportedly focusing on bilateral ties and regional security, including Iran. The meeting also drew attention to disputed reports that Sheikh Mohamed had warned Netanyahu about a planned Hamas operation before the October 7, 2023, attack.
Gaza’s Health Ministry says at least 74,016 Palestinians have been killed and 175,068 wounded since the Israel-Hamas war began in October 2023. Despite a ceasefire, Israeli military operations have continued, while disputes over Hamas’ disarmament, Israel’s withdrawal and Gaza’s reconstruction remain unresolved.
At least seven people were killed and 40 others injured in a Saudi airstrike on a market in Yemen’s southwestern Taiz province, according to Iran-backed Houthi authorities. Yemen’s internationally recognized government disputed the account, saying the strike targeted a Houthi military position near the area.
Israeli forces shelled several areas in southern Lebanon, including Mansouri, Majdal Zoun, Wadi Hassan, Baraachit and Hadatha, according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency. Israeli warplanes were also reported flying at low altitude over Tyre and surrounding areas. No immediate casualties were reported.
Military chiefs from Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Türkiye met in Riyadh under the Makkah Joint Defence Agreement to discuss regional security threats and attacks targeting Saudi Arabia. The three sides reaffirmed their commitment to collective defence and discussed intelligence sharing, military coordination, operational cooperation and the integration of defence capabilities.
Saudi Arabia says its air defenses intercepted and destroyed six ballistic missiles launched by Iran-backed Houthis toward Taif and Yanbu. The reported interceptions come as attacks on Saudi energy infrastructure continue, while Aramco explores additional export routes and overseas storage options to reduce the impact of disruptions.
Brigadier General Hossein Zarifi, a senior IRGC commander, was killed in clashes with armed men in Iran’s southeastern Sistan and Baluchestan province, Iranian media reported. Tasnim said five members of the armed group were also killed in the fighting in Saravan, although the reported casualties have not been independently verified.
At least 674 people have been killed and 2,998 injured in Yemen since fighting intensified, according to the WHO, while the IOM says 129,438 people have been displaced across seven governorates. Between September 18 and 21 alone, the number of displaced people increased by 11,352.
Suspected Israeli airstrikes triggered powerful explosions at a weapons depot near Al-Eis in Syria’s Aleppo province early Monday, reportedly injuring at least four people. Separately, Israeli forces allegedly shelled areas in western Daraa province, with no casualties reported.
Iran has warned the United States and its allies that any new major attack would trigger sustained retaliation against U.S. military bases and American interests across the region. Tehran’s warning comes amid heightened tensions and a U.S. security alert over the risk of further escalation in the Middle East.
