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Saudi Arabia

סעודיה חאג' מוסלמים מכה כעבה האבן הקדושה

Hajj 2026: 1.5 million gather in Mecca despite threat of Iranian strikes

About 1.5 million Muslim pilgrims are performing the Hajj in Mecca as Saudi Arabia hosts the annual pilgrimage amid fears of renewed war with Iran and possible missile attacks, with many ignoring travel warnings and saying they are in the 'safest place in the world'

News Agencies, ynet | 05.25.26

Trump says 'mandatory' for Arab states to join Abraham Accords as Iran deal advances

US president said in post Saudi Arabia, Qatar and Pakistan must join the Abraham Accords after an Iran deal, saying negotiations are progressing well and warning they should sign simultaneously or be excluded, calling failure to do 'shows bad intention'

News Agencies | 05.25.26

Paris opens the file MBS thought he'd buried

Opinion: French probe into murder of Jamal Khashoggi renews scrutiny of Saudi crown prince, raising tough questions for Israel over normalization with Riyadh and its strategic bet on a royal who operates outside any legal or diplomatic boundary

Amine Ayoub | 05.18.26

Report: Pakistan sent 8,000 troops, fighter jets to Saudi Arabia during Iran war

Reuters says the deployment included a Chinese HQ-9 air defense system and drones, was financed by Riyadh and operated by Pakistani personnel, even as Islamabad served as the main mediator between Washington and Tehran

Reuters | 05.18.26

מוחמד בן סלמאן יורש העצר של סעודיה ומוחמד בן זאיד נשיא איחוד האמירויות

UAE wanted joint Iran strike, but Gulf neighbors balked, report says

Abu Dhabi reportedly sought a coordinated Gulf response to Iranian attacks, but Saudi Arabia and Qatar refused, saying it was 'not their war'

ynet | 05.15.26

Saudi Arabia launched covert attacks on Iran during war, sources say

Saudi Arabia’s reported strikes, carried out after Iranian attacks on the kingdom, reveal how Gulf states quietly hit back while also pursuing de-escalation with Tehran

Reuters | 05.12.26

Project Freedom halted after Saudi Arabia suspended US use of its military bases, airspace

Trump's sudden announcement of Project Freedom surprised and angered the leadership in Riyadh, which announced that it would not allow the US to use Prince Sultan Air Base or pass through its airspace, NBC reported; Other close Gulf allies also were surprised by the move

ynet | 05.07.26

The faceless alliance reshaping Gulf ties with Israel

Analysis: the quiet UAE-Israel alliance is gaining importance as Iran’s threats mount, Saudi-UAE tensions grow and Riyadh shows renewed signs of interest in rapprochement with Israel

Smadar Perry | 05.06.26

UAE exit shakes OPEC as Saudi oil prince faces crisis test

The Iran war has disrupted Gulf exports and spare capacity, while Prince Abdulaziz faces criticism over Saudi Arabia’s increasingly unilateral control of OPEC+ decisions

Reuters | 05.04.26

Israel to send official Esports team to Saudi tournament for first time

The team will compete against more than 100 countries for millions in prizes, marking the first official Israel delegation in Saudi Arabia, after years of grassroots effort without state funding and a refusal to compete without national symbols

Daniela Ginzburg | 04.22.26

‘Less favorable outcome’: Israel sees Iran war slowing Gulf normalization

Security ties with UAE strengthened, but normalization hit as Gulf states may tilt toward Iran and Turkey, Israeli official says outcome ‘less favorable’

Itamar Eichner | 04.10.26

Gulf workarounds fail to replace Hormuz as oil flows plunge despite pipelines and alternative routes

Saudi Arabia, UAE and Iraq deploy pipelines, ports and land routes to bypass Strait of Hormuz disruption, but exports plunge from nearly 20 million barrels a day to just 8.4 million, exposing limits of costly and improvised alternatives

Doron Peskin | 04.05.26

Gulf states urge Trump to intensify Iran war, officials say

After early complaints over lack of warning and ignored concerns, Gulf allies now see the war as a rare chance to weaken Iran’s leadership and are urging Washington to press ahead with the campaign

Associated Press | 03.31.26

The Riyadh bypass: Saudi Arabia’s nuclear ambitions and the shifting sands of Middle East security

Analysis: proposed US-Saudi nuclear deal allowing uranium enrichment is raising alarm in the region, as critics warn it could trigger a regional arms race and reshape Middle East security dynamics amid Iran’s weakening position

Amine Ayoub | 03.30.26

עשן עולה בפוג'יירה שבאיחוד האמירויות לאחר תקיפה איראנית

One month into Iran war, Gulf states lose about 1% of GDP as energy and aviation take hit

Saudi Arabia, UAE and Qatar face tens of billions in losses as Hormuz disruption chokes exports; sovereign wealth funds offer cushion but not quick cash for mounting economic shock

Doron Peskin, Calcalist | 03.30.26