Gulf News

Pilgrims Pray on Mount Arafat as Hajj Reaches Peak

Gulf The flow of pilgrims to Mina proceeded smoothly and easily, supported by all services (Photo: Ali Khamaj)

Pilgrims Pray on Mount Arafat as Hajj Reaches Peak

Huge numbers of Muslims prayed on Mount Arafat on Tuesday at the climax of the hajj pilgrimage. From daybreak, thousands of white-robed worshippers recited…

Asharq Al Awsat (Makkah)
Gulf Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces Major General Pilot Hamid Al-Omari and other officials are seen during his inspection tour. (SPA)

Saudi Joint Chiefs of Staff Director Inspects Armed Forces Preparations for Hajj

Director of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Armed Forces Major General Pilot Hamid Al-Omari, on behalf of Chief of the General Staff Lieutenant-General Fayyad…

Gulf People inspect the wreckage of vehicles the day after a deadly train blast, in Quetta, Pakistan, 25 May 2026. (EPA)

Saudi Arabia Condemns Terrorist Attack on Train in Pakistan’s Balochistan

Saudi Arabia condemned on Monday the “heinous terrorist” attack targeting a train in Pakistan’s Balochistan province. In a statement, the Ministry of Foreign…

Gulf Saudi Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel visits the Ministry of Interior Field Hospital in Arafat on Monday. (SPA)

Saudi Health Minister Visits Ministry of Interior Field Hospital in Arafat

Saudi Minister of Health Fahad Al-Jalajel visited on Monday the Ministry of Interior Field Hospital in Arafat, where he reviewed the hospital’s readiness and…

Gulf  Muslim pilgrims offer evening prayers around the Kaaba, in the holy city of Makkah during the annual Hajj pilgrimage, Saudi Arabia, Sunday, May 24, 2026. (AP)

Saudi Interior Ministry Announces Fine of up to SAR20,000 for Anyone Performing Hajj without Permit

The Saudi Ministry of Interior announced on Monday that a fine of up to SAR20,000 will be imposed on anyone found performing or attempting to perform Hajj…


Gulf Palace of Justice in Kuwait (KUNA)

Kuwait: State Security Criminal Court Sentences Defendants in Sectarian Strife Cases, Including Cleric

Kuwait’s Criminal Court, State Security Circuit, on Thursday issued prison sentences against 11 defendants, including cleric Hussein Al-Maatouq, who resides…

Asharq Al Awsat
Gulf The Syrian Director of Hajj and Umrah described the services provided by Saudi Arabia to pilgrims as beyond description (General Authority for the Care of the Two Holy Mosques)

Syrian Hajj Director to Asharq Al-Awsat: Saudi Services for Pilgrims Are Beyond Description, Improve Every Year

Mohammed Nour Araj, Director of Hajj and Umrah in Syria, said the services and care provided to pilgrims by the Saudi authorities responsible for Hajj are…

Said Al-Abiad (Jeddah)
Gulf Bahrain was targeted by Iranian missile and drone attacks during the US-Iran war (Reuters).

Bahrain Revokes Membership of Three Lawmakers

The Bahraini parliament voted to revoke the membership of three lawmakers following their objection to measures taken by the authorities against individuals…

Asharq Al Awsat
Gulf The Turkish President receives the Saudi Foreign Minister in the presence of his Turkish counterpart in Ankara on Wednesday (SPA)

Saudi Arabia, Türkiye Agree on Visa Exemption for Diplomatic and Special Passports

Saudi Arabia and Türkiye have signed a reciprocal visa exemption agreement for holders of diplomatic and special passports. After the signing of the…

Saeed Abdulrazek (Ankara)
Gulf Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah and Minister of Economy, Trade and Industry of Japan Akazawa Ryosei meet on Wednesday. (SPA)

Saudi Crown Prince Receives Written Message from Prime Minister of Japan

Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, received a written message from Prime Minister of Japan Sanae Takaichi…

Gulf Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah

Saudi FM, Iranian Counterpart Discuss Regional Developments

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held a phone call with his Iranian counterpart, Abbas Araghchi, the Saudi Press Agency …

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)
Gulf A UN Security Council session held on March 12 (Reuters)

US-Gulf Draft UN Resolution to Hold Iran Accountable over Hormuz Closure

The United States and Bahrain have begun drafting a UN Security Council resolution aimed at holding Iran accountable for closing the Strait of Hormuz and…

Ali Barada (Washington)
Gulf Saudi Prince Mansour bin Khaled bin Farhan, Ambassador of Saudi Arabia to Jordan, hands UNRWA’s Acting Commissioner-General, Christian Saunders a cheque of $ 2 million as the Kingdom’s annual contribution to UNRWA (Saudi Embassy in Jordan)

Saudi Arabia Provides New Contribution of $2 Million to Support UNRWA

Saudi Arabia on Tuesday delivered on Tuesday a check worth $2 million to the United Nations Relief and Works Agency for Palestine Refugees in the Near East …

Asharq Al Awsat
Gulf Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud chairs a cabinet session in Jeddah on Tuesday (SPA) 

Saudi Cabinet Affirms Need to Spare Region Further Tension

The Saudi Cabinet on Tuesday reviewed the latest regional developments, stressing the need for de-escalation and supporting Pakistani mediation and diplomatic…

Asharq Al Awsat (Jeddah )
Gulf The Muslim World League (MWL) logo

Muslim World League Condemns Attack on Khartoum Airport

The Muslim World League (MWL) strongly condemned an attack targeting Sudan’s Khartoum Airport, the Saudi Press Agency said on Wednesday. In a statement…

Asharq Al Awsat
Gulf Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah. (SPA file)

Saudi, Jordanian FMs Discuss Regional Developments

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received on Tuesday a telephone call from Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and FM Ayman…

Gulf Khartoum International Airport ground workers greet the first domestic Sudan Airways flight landing from Port Sudan, in Khartoum, Sudan, on Feb. 1, 2026. (AP)

Saudi Arabia Strongly Condemns Attack on Khartoum Airport

Saudi Arabia strongly condemned on Tuesday an attack on Khartoum airport in the Sudanese capital. The Kingdom reiterated “its firm stance calling for the…

Gulf  The United Arab Emirates flag flies in front of the Jumeirah Beach Residence in Dubai. (Reuters file photo)

UAE Air Defenses ‘Actively Engaging’ Iran Missiles, Drones

The United Arab Emirates said Tuesday its air defenses were engaging missiles and drones coming from Iran for the second consecutive day, weeks into a fragile…

Gulf Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. SPA

GCC Denounces Iranian Attacks on UAE as Dangerous Regional Escalation

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi expressed the council's strongest condemnation of the flagrant Iranian attacks…

Asharq Al Awsat
Gulf The Muslim World League (MWL) logo

MWL Condemns Iranian Aggression against the UAE

The Muslim World League (MWL) condemned Iran’s targeting of civilian and economic facilities in the United Arab Emirates, the Saudi Press Agency reported on…

Asharq Al Awsat
Gulf The Central Bank of Egypt. (Reuters)

Kuwait Renews Egypt Deposit, Reinforcing Bilateral Ties

Kuwait has renewed its deposit at the Central Bank of Egypt, a move that reinforces ties between the two countries. Kuwait’s ambassador to Egypt Ghanem Saqr…

Mohamed Mahmoud (Cairo)
Gulf A photo illustration taken in Nicosia on May 4, 2026, shows a person in front of a large screen displaying vessel movements in the Strait of Hormuz on a ship-tracking website. (AFP) 

US, Gulf Nations Draft New UNSC Resolution on Strait of Hormuz

The United States and Gulf Arab nations are drafting a UN Security Council resolution designed to condemn Iran for blocking ‌the Strait of Hormuz in response…

Asharq Al Awsat (Washington)
Gulf Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan and his Singaporean counterpart Vivian Balakrishnan. (SPA)

Saudi Arabia, Singapore Reaffirm Support to Safeguard Waterways

Saudi Arabia and Singapore underscored on Monday the need to support efforts to safeguard waterways and ensure their stability, to reinforce peace and security…

Asharq Al Awsat
Gulf Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud. SPA

Saudi Crown Prince Phones UAE President, Reaffirms Support Against Iranian Attacks

Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud, spoke by phone on Monday with UAE President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed…

Asharq Al Awsat
Gulf Logo of the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs

Saudi Arabia Condemns Iran’s Attacks on UAE, Expresses Concern over Regional Military Escalation

Saudi Arabia strongly condemned Iran’s missile and drone attacks on civilian and economic facilities in the United Arab Emirates and a vessel owned by an…

Asharq Al Awsat
Gulf A fresh Iranian barrage targeted the UAE following multiple alerts. (Reuters file)

UAE Defense Ministry Says Iranian Barrage Targeting Country

The UAE's defense ministry and state news agency on Monday said a fresh Iranian barrage had targeted the country following multiple alerts from authorities…

Gulf UAE flag (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Albudaiwi Condemns Iranian Attack on UAE Tanker in the Strait of Hormuz

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi condemned, in the strongest terms, the treacherous attacks that targeted a national…

Asharq Al Awsat
Gulf Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah/File Photo

Saudi Foreign Minister, Egyptian Counterpart Discuss Regional Developments

Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah received a phone call on Monday from Egypt's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration…

Asharq Al Awsat
Gulf Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. SPA

GCC Secretary-General Meets with Uzbekistan’s Foreign Minister

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi met on Sunday with Uzbekistan’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Bakhtiyor Saidov at the…

Asharq Al Awsat (Riyadh)