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Yemen

The latest news, analysis and opinion on Yemen. In-depth analysis, industry insights and expert opinion.

Capital

Sana'a

Head of State

President Rashad al-Alimi

Head of Government

Prime Minister Ahmad Awad bin Mubarak

Missiles displayed next to a banner featuring Iran's supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei in Tehran. Photo: West Asia News Agency via Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

Trump says he expects new Iran talks after rejecting proposal

US president muses about resuming full-scale strikes, saying Iran ‘overplayed their hand’.

5 hours ago

Israel-Gaza war

Hamas leader says Israel to use ‘blood’ of Palestinians as fuel for election

27 Sep 2026 - 9:31AM

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran says only diplomacy can end Hormuz crisis after Trump rejects deal

27 Sep 2026 - 12:53PM

China-Middle East relations

Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia test limits of Mecca regional security pact

Turkey and Pakistan are unlikely to intervene despite the deal’s terms, which could hobble its deterrent effect, analysts say.

26 Sep 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

Supporters of Yemen’s Houthi rebels at a rally in support of the group in Sanaa, Yemen, on September 18. Photo: AP

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran offers US plan to reopen Hormuz within 7 days

Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi says the ball is now in Washington’s court, after setting out conditions for ending the war.

26 Sep 2026 - 5:03AM

Middle East

France to protect key Saudi oil terminal as Houthis step up missile attacks

Macron pledges troops and radar systems to defend Red Sea energy hub at Yanbu following aerial barrage.

25 Sep 2026 - 3:38PM

US, Israel war on Iran

Gulf nations keep oil flowing amid Iran war, but it’s getting costly

Despite the Strait of Hormuz blockade and other attacks, oil exporters and the US military have found workarounds, but they may not be sustainable.

24 Sep 2026 - 7:40PM

Vessels at the Strait of Hormuz, as seen from Musandam, Oman, on Wednesday. Photo: Reuters

Britain

Burnham to meet Trump, make UN debut after offering UK support for Saudis

British prime minister targets Middle East stability and AI governance on New York trip.

22 Sep 2026 - 12:24PM

Middle East

Houthis claim attacks on Saudi capital, after flames seen near Riyadh airport

The militants say they targeted ‘sensitive’ sites, along with an Aramco facility in the Red Sea city of Yanbu.

20 Sep 2026 - 9:24AM

US, Israel war on Iran

Saudi oil pipeline closure puts Asia’s economic resilience to the test

Experts say the loss will hit Asian refiners first before feeding through to inflation, currencies and economic growth across the region.

18 Sep 2026 - 9:50PM

A satellite image shows a closer view of the damage at the Saudi Arabia East-West pipeline, located across the Arabian Peninsula, after a strike that hit it on September 11. Photo: Vantor/Handout via Reuters

US, Israel war on Iran

US pivot leaves Saudi Arabia with ‘humiliating dilemma’ over Houthis

Riyadh is now working frantically to build a coalition to protect shipping in the Red Sea and defend the kingdom against Houthi attacks.

18 Sep 2026 - 6:40PMvideocam

Firefighters inspect damage to a building caused by falling debris from a reported Houthi drone intercepted over Taif province, western Saudi Arabia, on Thursday. Photo: Saudi Press Agency / AP

SCMP Highlights

China opens Pinglu Canal; Hong Kong unveils first 5-year plan: 7 highlights

From Chinese defence chief’s forum speech to a Beijing Hyrox athlete’s faecal row, here are top stories from SCMP’s recent reporting.

18 Sep 2026 - 12:45PM

Middle East

US approves sale of 48 F-35 jets to Saudi Arabia despite Israeli concerns

US says the sale would improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to deter ‘current and future threats’.

18 Sep 2026 - 1:53PM

Middle East

Saudis turn to Western, regional allies as missile defences run low

Regional officials say kingdom appeals to France, UK, Pakistan, and Egypt for help against Houthis amid US interceptor shortages.

17 Sep 2026 - 3:40PM

Houthi fighters pose atop what the group described as the wreckage of a downed Saudi F-15 fighter jet in Marib province, Yemen, in an image released on Wednesday. Photo: Ansar Allah Media Office via AP

Saudi Arabia

Who is Abdul Malik al-Houthi, the elusive commander driving the Saudi blitz?

He has transformed the Houthi group from tribal insurgency to a fighting force, threatening Riyadh and controlling the vital waterway.

16 Sep 2026 - 10:32PMvideocam

Students stand next to a poster of Houthi leader Abdul Malik al-Houthi in Sanaa, Yemen, on July 22. Photo: Reuters

China-Middle East relations

China affirms support for Iran, but warns against Yemen spillover

In talks with his Iranian counterpart in Beijing, Foreign Minister Wang Yi calls on Tehran and Washington to stay rational.

17 Sep 2026 - 1:20AMvideocam

Middle East

‘Red line’: Saudi coalition accuses Houthis of targeting Mecca with drone

Drone intercepted heading towards the Saudi holy city, but Houthi official rejects claim as a ‘worn-out lie’.

16 Sep 2026 - 8:12PM

US, Israel war on Iran

US military fires on boats attempting to capture sailing drone off Iran

Central Command confirms engagement off Iranian coast as Tehran claims vessels were local fishing craft.

16 Sep 2026 - 11:05AM

A Saildrone Explorer unmanned surface vessel in the Arabian Gulf off Bahrain’s coast. Photo: US Central Command via AFP

China-Middle East relations

Iran’s top diplomat heads to China for talks as Mideast diplomacy falters

The Strait of Hormuz remains closed and fighting has flared again in Yemen as Abbas Araghchi and Wang Yi prepare to meet.

15 Sep 2026 - 7:23PMvideocam

China's military weapons

Has a Chinese DF missile been used for the first time in the Middle East?

Video of a DF-15A rocket motor in Marib hints at secret arms deliveries as Saudi-Houthi fighting escalates.

15 Sep 2026 - 6:00PMvideocam

US, Israel war on Iran

Iran says tanker exploded in Strait of Hormuz as US rejects account

IRGC says vessel hit sea mine in waterway as CENTCOM accuses Tehran of drone strike and intimidation.

15 Sep 2026 - 3:48PM

A propaganda billboard in Tehran depicting sinking US warships in the Persian Gulf. Photo: EPA

US, Israel war on Iran

Middle East diplomacy stalls as war spreads, Hormuz talks postponed

New attacks in Hormuz and Saudi Arabia as planned talks between Tehran and its neighbours are put off.

14 Sep 2026 - 3:35PM

Houthis engaged in fighting near the western Yemen port city of Mokha, which they captured last week. Photo: Houthi Military Media via EPA

Middle East

Houthis hit Saudi base amid renewed fighting with Yemen government forces

The rebels have cemented their hold on the Bab el-Mandab Strait, which has become a key route for oil exports after Iran’s Hormuz blockade.

13 Sep 2026 - 10:15AM

US, Israel war on Iran

Saudi pipeline that bypasses Hormuz shut after attacks

The kingdom said the East-West pipeline was targeted by drones launched from Iraq, causing several injuries.

12 Sep 2026 - 6:33PM

Middle East

Yemen’s Houthis reach strategic island in Bab el-Mandeb Strait

The move potentially tightens the militants’ grip on a vital shipping route, further increasing the threat to energy markets.

11 Sep 2026 - 10:52PMvideocam

Yemen’s Houthi rebels ride a motorbike during a mobilisation campaign in Sanaa, Yemen, Thursday on Thursday. Photo: AP

Middle East

Yemen’s Houthi militants close in on strategic Bab el-Mandeb Strait

Yemeni government sources say the Houthis have reached the Red Sea ⁠islands of Hanish after capturing the coastal city of Mocha.

10 Sep 2026 - 11:50PM

This video grab taken from UGC images posted on social media on Thursday shows Houthi fighters inside Yemen’s strategic Red Sea port city of Mokha. Photo: various sources / AFP

US, Israel war on Iran

Houthi offensive on Bab el-Mandeb Strait threatens Red Sea shipping

Rebel strikes in Saudi Arabia and fierce fighting in Taiz risk choking global maritime traffic and undoing 4 years of peace.

9 Sep 2026 - 6:00PM

Middle East

Houthi attacks on Saudi Arabia ignite fires at oil facilities, wound dozens

Operations halted at southern facilities as Iranian-backed rebels target border cities in a major escalation.

8 Sep 2026 - 6:32PM

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