Syria has sought to position itself as a diplomatic actor amid the regional conflict with Iran, maintaining relative stability while several neighboring states faced significant missile and drone attacks. Damascus has intensified high-level engagements with Turkey, the United States, and Ukraine, highlighting efforts to rebuild international ties following the fall of the Bashar al Assad regime.
Between March 7 and 8, Iran continued launching drones and missiles across the Persian Gulf, targeting energy infrastructure, airports, military bases, government buildings, and urban areas in Saudi Arabia, Kuwait, Bahrain, and the United Arab Emirates.
The United Arab Emirates announced the withdrawal of its forces from Yemen after demands for their departure from Saudi and select Yemeni leaders and Saudi airstrikes targeting Yemeni separatist groups. The UAE forces previously served in a counterterrorism capacity as part of the Saudi-led coalition fighting the Houthis. Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, as well as their respective local partners, are renegotiating the balance of power in Yemen after southern separatist forces captured the country’s eastern territory.
On November 8, the Houthis announced the arrest of members of an alleged espionage network that they claim was operated by Saudi Arabia, the United States, and Israel. The Yemeni terrorist group accused these individuals of identifying and providing information on sensitive sites and residential areas in Houthi-controlled territory.
US President Donald Trump met with Syrian interim president Ahmad al Sharaa, a US and UN-designated terrorist and the former leader of Al Qaeda’s branch in Syria, and committed to removing US sanctions on Syria.
From 2015 to 2025, Tehran-Riyadh ties shifted from confrontation to cautious engagement. Prince Khalid bin Salman’s visit to Tehran marks a historic step in de-escalation amid rising regional tensions. Riyadh appears intent on avoiding entanglement in a broader conflict between Iran and the West.
Reports are emerging across Yemeni and global media of an impending ground offensive against the Houthis by a conglomeration of anti-Houthi forces. These potential plans center on the west coast of Yemen, an economic center for the terrorist group.
US military bases in the Persian Gulf confront two challenges, one military and the other political. FDD’s Ryan Brobst, Bradley Bowman, and Behnam Ben Taleblu survey the two challenges and propose a way to address them.
After meeting the ruler of the UAE, Sirajuddin Haqqani traveled to Saudi Arabia to attend the Hajj. His travel was approved by the international community. Official recognition is almost certainly to follow.
On Wednesday, Saudi Arabia designated five individuals for providing support to the Iran-backed Houthi movement.
Iran-backed Houthis in Yemen renewed attacks against Saudi energy facilities on Friday causing an enormous fire in one of the country’s largest cities.
Yemen’s Houthis renewed attacks against Saudi Arabia by launching three waves of assaults on Saturday and Sunday.
In its second attack in recent weeks, the Houthis targeted several oil refineries in Saudi Arabia including an Aramco facility in Riyadh.
Abu Dhabi came under renewed ballistic missile attack by the Houthis Monday morning in response to its role in the Saudi-led conflict in Yemen.
Houthi spokesperson announced the Iran-backed group conducted a high profile strike against sites in the UAE on Monday.
A newly formed militant group claims drone attack against Saudi Arabia after a double suicide bombing in Iraq on Thursday.
Gaza’s militant groups commend Houthi’s efforts to release Hamas members held in Saudi Arabia under terrorism charges.
Saudi Arabia has revised its educational curriculum, but the kingdom’s textbooks still include passages that incite hate against Jews, homosexuals and the “infidels.”
The Houthi leader offered to release a captured Saudi pilot in exchange for the freedom of the detained Hamas members.
The capture of large parts of al Jawf allows the Houthis to focus on neighboring Ma’rib, where the internationally recognized Hadi government contests for power in the north.
Not only have the Houthis utilized this tactic more in recent weeks, but the insurgency has also exported the drones to the Arabian Sea.
After a long-hiatus, the al Qaeda-linked Abdullah Azzam Brigades announces its dissolution inside Syria.
Yemen’s Houthis claim that the operation is the largest in nearly four years of conflict with Saudi Arabia and its allies.
The confirmed drone strike campaign so far from Houthi-controlled territory in Yemen represents another worrying development in the region.
Since Aug. 24, Yemen’s Houthi insurgents have claimed a series of attacks inside Saudi territory.
The confirmed drone strikes near the Saudi borders with the UAE is a worrying development in the conflict.
Beginning last year, the Houthis have launched dozens of drone strikes inside Saudi Arabia and Yemen. FDD’s Long War Journal has mapped these strikes.
Since 2015, the Houthi insurgents in Yemen have launched a myriad of ballistic missiles into Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, and at various sites across Yemen. FDD’s Long War Journal has mapped these missile launches.
Al Jazeera released a documentary alleging that Bahrain and al Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula work together. Today, the al Qaeda branch denied this accusation in a letter to the editor.
Hate preachers were hosted by Gulf governments at multiple events during Ramadan 2019. The Government of Qatar continued to be the worst offender in this regard.