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The Red Sea Shifts from Saudi Control to Global Power Rivalry
Commercial shipping in the Red Sea no longer resembles what it was in past decades. The waterway has been militarized, with warships and naval fleets from distant powers flowing into it. As the Red Sea and its straits have been drawn into regional conflicts — including Houthi attacks on commercial vessels in recent months that…
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A Possible Saudi Policy Shift in Yemen
As senior air force commanders from the Sultanate of Oman and Saudi Arabia were meeting in Muscat, images began circulating on social media showing Saudi fighter jets carrying out what were described as “warning strikes” over Yemen’s Al-Mahrah province at its border with Oman. The area has witnessed a rapid expansion of influence in recent…
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Gulf Summit Under the Roof of a “Missile Dome”
The joint missile defense emerged as the most prominent issue on the agenda of the 46th Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Summit, held on December 3, 2025, in Bahrain. The attention was not surprising given the timing of the summit. It was preceded and was held under the shadow of armed conflicts stretching from Ukraine to…
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Saudi Arabia Enters 2026 with High Spending and a Projected Deficit
In a year marked by decreasing oil prices and mounting uncertainty in global markets, Saudi Arabia is heading into a new fiscal year with a projected deficit of 165 billion riyals, according to the preliminary 2026 budget statement. Despite the drop in revenues, the figures reflect a clear intention to maintain high levels of spending…
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Silicon Valley Rolls Out Red Carpet
In a spacious hall at the Kennedy Center in Washington, D.C., dozens of senior executives from major Saudi and American companies gathered for an unprecedented investment conference. The room brought together leaders of major energy, technology, and financial firms—from Chevron and Qualcomm to Cisco and Pfizer—along with executives from IBM, Google, Salesforce, Boeing, Aramco, and…
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Peace and Technology in Focus for MBS’s Washington Visit
U.S.-Saudi relations are poised for a new chapter as Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman arrived in Washington for talks with President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday. Observers say the visit, set against a complex regional and global backdrop of developments in energy, security, and technology, could open new avenues for cooperation across…
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Why Saudi Cinema Keeps Returning to Its Past
Between a past rooted in traditions and local values, and a present rapidly changing under the pressures of modernity and economic transformation, Saudi cinema finds itself pulled toward pivotal moments in social history. Through these moments, it seeks to understand itself and reimagine its relationship with both heritage and modernity. Many Saudi films draw on…