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Saudi FM: Kingdom Keen on Ending War in Yemen

Saudi FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan meets his Austrian counterpart in Vienna. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan meets his Austrian counterpart in Vienna. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Saudi FM: Kingdom Keen on Ending War in Yemen

Saudi FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan meets his Austrian counterpart in Vienna. (Asharq Al-Awsat)
Saudi FM Prince Faisal bin Farhan meets his Austrian counterpart in Vienna. (Asharq Al-Awsat)

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan stressed on Tuesday that the Kingdom was keen on ending the war in Yemen.

To that end, it had presented earlier this year a strategic initiative to end the conflict, he said during a joint press conference with his Austrian counterpart Alexander Schallenberg in Vienna.

The Iran-backed Houthis militias, however, have met the initiative with escalation and they launched an offensive of the Marib province, added the FM who is on an official visit to Austria.

Turning to Iran, he said it is responsible for its nuclear activities, noting that the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) plays a decisive role in the file.

He called for supporting the agency in its inspections of Iranian nuclear sites to ensure that its program serves peaceful purposes, describing, however, Tehran’s lack of cooperation with the IAEA as “worrying”.

Iran must be held to account for failing to meet its nuclear commitments to the agency in line with the Treaty on the Non-Proliferation of Nuclear Weapons that it is a party to, he added.

Prince Faisal revealed that he discussed with Austrian officials Iran’s interference in the region, remarking that the Kingdom and Vienna share a common view about stability in the region.

He underscored Saudi Arabia’s firm stance that aims to achieve security, stability and prosperity in the region and world, noting the Kingdom’s Vision 2030 in bolstering the concept of peace, coexistence and sustainable development.

Asked about Riyadh’s position on the new Israeli government, Prince Faisal responded: “We do not have ties with Israel so the government change does not affect us.”

For his part, Schallenberg stressed that the Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia were unacceptable, urging the need for the militias to return to the dialogue table.

Saudi Arabia is playing a pivotal role in the region, he added, remarking that it is Austria’s greatest partner in the Middle East.

During his visit to Vienna, Prince Faisal held talks with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi on Iran’s nuclear program and the importance of inspecting all of its nuclear sites.

The FM also stressed the need for Iran to cease its violations of international laws and to end its destabilizing policies in the region and world.

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Gulf

King of Bahrain Assigns Crown Prince to Hold to Account Those who ‘Betrayed the Nation’

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)
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King of Bahrain Assigns Crown Prince to Hold to Account Those who ‘Betrayed the Nation’

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)
Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa. (BNA)

Bahrain’s King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa declared on Sunday that the state “will proceed firmly” in addressing the consequences of the US-Israeli war on Iran, including Tehran’s attacks on the Gulf.

As he received senior officials, King Hamad revealed that Prince Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, Crown Prince and Prime Minister, has been assigned with implementing “comprehensive and decisive measures, including the introduction of programs to resolve any gaps that have been identified in the defense or economic sectors,” reported Bahrain’s state news agency BNA.

King Hamad directed the immediate launch “of the legal measures against those who have betrayed the nation or undermined its security and stability, alongside a review of cases relating to entitlement to Bahraini citizenship, with the appropriate legal procedures to be applied accordingly.”

“The situation remains sensitive and calls for steadfast adherence to national responsibility and the safeguarding of the homeland with no tolerance for negligence or dereliction of duty,” he warned.

“The nation deserves the utmost sacrifice,” he added, stressing that Bahrain “will remain committed to its positions advocating the resolution of crises through peaceful means and diplomatic efforts, in a manner that serves the interests of the peoples of the region and the world.”

King Hamad also expressed pride in the achievements of Crown Prince Salman bin Hamad in advancing government work and driving further development across various sectors.

Gulf

WFP Hails Saudi Support in Easing Suffering in Yemen

KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)
KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)
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WFP Hails Saudi Support in Easing Suffering in Yemen

KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)
KSrelief has contributed more than US$300 million to improve food security in Yemen since 2020. (Local media)

As more than 17 million people across Yemen faced hunger in 2025, a US$25 million contribution from the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Centre (KSrelief) enabled the United Nations World Food Program (WFP) to deliver lifesaving food assistance and strengthen livelihoods for vulnerable families, said the WFP last week.

“The KSrelief funded project allowed WFP to provide emergency food assistance to over 43,000 families in some of the most food insecure areas of Dhale governorate and the West Coast,” it noted in a statement.

“In parallel, the contribution supported longer term recovery efforts in Hadramawt, al-Mahra and Socotra, helping 6,500 families strengthen their livelihoods through vocational training programs and asset creation.”

“Through the same project, 1,208 acres of agricultural land were rehabilitated, 38,360 meters of irrigation channels repaired, and 26 greenhouses constructed, boosting local food production and building resilience to increasingly severe weather conditions,” added the statement.

“KSrelief stepped up at a critical moment,” said Elkhidir Daloum, WFP Country Director in Yemen.

“Reaching nearly 50,000 families with either emergency food assistance or livelihood support is no small achievement. This partnership made a tangible difference in the lives of people facing severe needs.”

In 2025, Yemen recorded its highest levels of food insecurity, with 70 percent of families reporting they were unable to access adequate food in July.

KSrelief has been a valued partner in WFP’s efforts to improve food security in Yemen, contributing more than US$300 million since 2020.

Gulf

MWL Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
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MWL Condemns Attack on UNIFIL in Southern Lebanon

A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)
A United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) ambulance crosses the Qasmiyeh bridge heading toward Sidon and Beirut. (AFP)

The Muslim World League (MWL) condemned the attack targeting the French battalion of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) in southern Lebanon, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Sunday.

In a statement, MWL Secretary-General and Chairman of the Organization of Muslim Scholars Sheikh Dr. Mohammed Al-Issa reiterated the organization’s condemnation of attacks on UN agencies and their missions, as part of its broader rejection of all acts of violence and terrorism.

Al-Issa noted that the attack breaches international obligations concerning the safety and security of UN personnel.

He offered condolences to the victims and wished the injured a speedy recovery.

A UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon came under attack with small arms fire Saturday morning, leaving one French peacekeeper dead and three others wounded, two of them seriously, France's president and the force known as UNIFIL said.

Both President Emmanuel Macron and the UNIFIL force blamed Hezbollah, but the group denied involvement.

The attack near the southern Lebanese village of Ghandouriyeh came after a 10-day ceasefire went into effect at midnight Thursday between Israel and Hezbollah.