Arabia

Sunday April 12, 2026 Pakistan has made its first public military gesture under a newly signed defence pact with Saudi Arabia, sending fighter jets to the kingdom while it simultaneously helps broker ceasefire talks meant to halt weeks of regional conflict involving the US, Israel and Iran. The aircraft, a mix of fighter and support jets, arrived at King Abdulaziz Air Base in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province on Saturday, according to the Saudi Ministry of Defence. The deployment took place under a collective defence agreement…

Julian Borger and Aram Roston in WashingtonSaturday March 28, 2026 Mohammed bin Salman has urged Trump not to cut short war, according to New York Times report confirmed by a Saudi intelligence source. Photograph: AP Saudi Arabia has called on the United States to intensify its strikes on Iran, a Saudi intelligence source has confirmed, as Riyadh weighs whether to enter the conflict itself. The source backed a New York Times account saying Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom’s de facto ruler, had pressed Donald…

Israel's strikes on Syrian army positions drew sharp rebukes from Saudi Arabia and Turkey, with Riyadh labeling the operations "aggression" and Ankara urging the international community to intervene to halt what it called a dangerous escalation. Israel's military said it carried out strikes in southern Syria on Thursday in response to what it described as attacks targeting the Druze community in Sweida province. This was not the first time Israel has struck inside Syria amid sectarian bloodshed; last year it launched…

Saudi Arabia warns Iran after attacks on world’s largest LNG hub RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Saudi Arabia’s top diplomat delivered a blunt ultimatum to Tehran on Thursday, saying the kingdom and fellow Gulf states have only "limited" patience for further Iranian attacks and urging Iran to immediately "recalculate" its regional strategy. Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, speaking at a news conference following a summit of Arab and Islamic leaders, said Gulf nations possess "very significant capacities and…

Saudi authorities said the Shawwal crescent moon was not sighted on March 18, 2026, meaning Ramadan will run for a full 30 days, while officials also announced four-day Eid holidays for private sector workers. Saudi authorities confirmed on Wednesday that the crescent moon marking the start of Shawwal had not been sighted, leading to a decision that the holy month of Ramadan would complete 30 days. A moon-sighting committee convened to verify the beginning of the new lunar month, in line with Islamic traditions that…

Analysis: Pakistan’s Saudi defense pact faces its first major test as Iran-Israel war engulfs the Gulf ISLAMABAD, Pakistan — The assassination of Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes on February 28 and Tehran’s retaliation with missiles and drones — not only at Israel but at six Gulf countries — have thrust Pakistan into the most precarious regional crisis it has faced in years. Bound to Saudi Arabia by a new mutual defense pact, tied to Iran by geography and a tense but necessary relationship,…

Somalia, Saudi Arabia align positions at OIC emergency talks in Jiddah Jiddah, Saudi Arabia — Somalia’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Ali Mohamed Omar, held a bilateral meeting Friday with Saudi Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs Waleed Elkhereiji on the sidelines of an emergency session of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC). The talks coincided with an open-ended Executive Committee session at the level of foreign ministers convened to address recent developments in the…

Somalia and Saudi Arabia on Friday signed a comprehensive maritime transport cooperation agreement in Riyadh, laying out a long-term plan to modernize Somalia’s ports, strengthen shipping services and deepen logistics ties along one of the world’s most strategic sea lanes. The accord was signed by Somalia’s minister of ports and marine transport, Abdulkadir Mohamed Nur, and Saudi Arabia’s minister of transport and logistics services, Eng. Saleh bin Nasser Al-Jasser. Officials from both governments described the deal as a…

Saudi Arabia’s quiet power play in Somalia’s new military pact Somalia and Saudi Arabia have signed a defense cooperation agreement in Riyadh, a move that folds one of the Horn of Africa’s most fragile states deeper into an increasingly crowded contest for Red Sea influence. The memorandum of understanding, announced by Somalia’s defense minister, Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, on X, comes weeks after Israel said it would recognize North Western State of Somalia — the northern, breakaway region of Somalia — as an independent state, a…

Monday February 9, 2026 Mogadishu (AX) — Saudi Arabia and Somalia have signed a new military cooperation agreement to strengthen defense ties, expanding counterterrorism efforts and enhancing maritime security in the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aden, officials from both countries said. The memorandum of understanding was announced by Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman and Somali Defense Minister Ahmed Moallim Fiqi, marking a significant step in deepening the strategic partnership between Riyadh and Mogadishu. Under…