Arab Coalition Foils Houthi Plan to Target Oil Tankers in the Red Sea

Royal Saudi Defense Forces (Archive-Asharq Al-Awsat)
Royal Saudi Defense Forces (Archive-Asharq Al-Awsat)
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Arab Coalition Foils Houthi Plan to Target Oil Tankers in the Red Sea

Royal Saudi Defense Forces (Archive-Asharq Al-Awsat)
Royal Saudi Defense Forces (Archive-Asharq Al-Awsat)

The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen destroyed two explosive-laden Houthi boats on Wednesday thwarting an attack on giant oil tankers in the Red Sea.

The coalition said the attempt to launch the two boats was prepared from the Hodeidah governorate, and that the Houthi militia is escalating its hostile attacks to target energy sources.

The coalition also said that Saudi air defenses destroyed a Houthi ballistic missile that was launched to target Jazan.

The attacks come two days after the Royal Saudi Air Defense, and the Royal Saudi Air Force thwarted a ballistic missile launched to target Jazan, destroying and shooting down nine drones.

According to the Saudi-led coalition, drone strikes hit an Aramco petroleum products distribution terminal in Jeddah, leading to a fire in one of the tanks.

It said that the fire was controlled and did not result in any casualties.

“The terrorist, Iran-backed Houthi militia escalated its hostile, cross-border attacks towards the Kingdom last night and earlier this morning, targeting civilian objects and economic installations in a deliberate, systematic manner,” said the Official Spokesperson of the Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen Brigadier General Turki al-Malki.

Earlier, Saudi Arabia said it would not bear responsibility for any global oil supply shortages after attacks on its oil facilities by the Iran-aligned Houthis.

Riyadh warned that Houthi repeated attacks on its oil facilities threatened the security of oil supplies and called on the international community to stand firmly against the Houthis.

The Kingdom stressed the importance of the international community to realize the gravity of Iran’s continued behavior of equipping the terrorist Houthi militias with ballistic missiles technology and advanced UAVs with which they target the Kingdom’s oil, gas, and refined products production sites.

Oil prices are witnessing a significant increase three weeks after the Russian-Ukrainian war, which caused tension in energy markets.

Industrial countries sought to urge the oil-producing governments to amend their production policies linked to the “OPEC Plus” alliance.



OIC Condemns Israel’s Targeting of School for Displaced Persons in Gaza City

Members of the Palestinian Civil Defense remove the rubble of a destroyed home as they search for the bodies of Palestinians killed during the conflict in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, 20 December 2025. (EPA)
Members of the Palestinian Civil Defense remove the rubble of a destroyed home as they search for the bodies of Palestinians killed during the conflict in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, 20 December 2025. (EPA)
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OIC Condemns Israel’s Targeting of School for Displaced Persons in Gaza City

Members of the Palestinian Civil Defense remove the rubble of a destroyed home as they search for the bodies of Palestinians killed during the conflict in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, 20 December 2025. (EPA)
Members of the Palestinian Civil Defense remove the rubble of a destroyed home as they search for the bodies of Palestinians killed during the conflict in Khan Younis, southern Gaza Strip, 20 December 2025. (EPA)

The Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned on Sunday the continued crimes committed by Israeli forces in the Gaza Strip, most recently the shelling of a school sheltering displaced persons.

Seven Palestinians were killed and dozens of civilians were injured in the attack, which the OIC slammed as a “flagrant violation of international humanitarian law”.

The OIC renewed its call on the international community, particularly the UN Security Council, “to assume its responsibilities by putting an end to all Israeli crimes and violations, securing a comprehensive and permanent ceasefire, ensuring sufficient and unhindered delivery of humanitarian assistance, and guaranteeing the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Gaza.”

It further emphasized “the need to activate international criminal justice mechanisms to pursue and hold accountable all Israeli officials involved in committing these grave crimes and to ensure that they do not evade punishment.”


UAE, French Presidents Discuss Bilateral Ties

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron meet in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. (WAM)
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron meet in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. (WAM)
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UAE, French Presidents Discuss Bilateral Ties

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron meet in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. (WAM)
United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and French President Emmanuel Macron meet in Abu Dhabi on Sunday. (WAM)

United Arab Emirates President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan received in Abu Dhabi on Sunday French President Emmanuel Macron who is on a working visit to the UAE.

Meeting at the Zayed National Museum, the leaders discussed the historical and strategic relations between the UAE and France and explored opportunities to further strengthen ties, particularly in the fields of economy, investment, and culture, as well as renewable energy, advanced technology, artificial intelligence, sustainability, and other areas aligned with the two countries’ shared vision for development and prosperity.

The meeting was attended by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi; Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs; Sheikh Hamdan bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Deputy Chairman of the Presidential Court for Special Affairs; a number of minister and senior officials, reported the UAE's state news agency (WAM).

The meeting was also attended by the delegation accompanying the French President, which included a number of ministers and senior officials.

The UAE President hosted a luncheon in honor of Macron and the accompanying delegation.

Macron arrived in the UAE earlier on Sunday, where he was received at the Presidential Flight in Abu Dhabi by Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and several senior officials.


Saudi Arabia Opens New Emergency Camp in Gaza for Families Displaced by Storms

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) established a new emergency camp in central Gaza Strip providing shelter for hundreds of recently displaced families. (SPA)
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) established a new emergency camp in central Gaza Strip providing shelter for hundreds of recently displaced families. (SPA)
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Saudi Arabia Opens New Emergency Camp in Gaza for Families Displaced by Storms

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) established a new emergency camp in central Gaza Strip providing shelter for hundreds of recently displaced families. (SPA)
The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) established a new emergency camp in central Gaza Strip providing shelter for hundreds of recently displaced families. (SPA)

The King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) established a new emergency camp in the central Gaza Strip, providing immediate shelter with more than 250 tents for hundreds of recently displaced families. The move is part of the ongoing Saudi fundraising campaign to aid the Palestinian people.

Overseen by the Saudi Center for Culture and Heritage, KSrelief’s implementing partner, the camp was fast-tracked to support families whose temporary shelters were destroyed by recent severe weather, the Saudi Press Agency reported on Saturday.

Field reports indicate that heavy storms and flooding have decimated hundreds of tents across the region, significantly worsening the already dire humanitarian crisis.

Affected families expressed their gratitude to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, describing the aid as a "lifeline" that restored a sense of security. Families noted that the new shelters have provided vital protection against the harsh winter conditions and volatile weather that had previously left them exposed during an arduous period of hardship.

This initiative is a continuation of the Kingdom’s steadfast commitment to the Palestinian people. By providing essential relief and high-quality shelter, KSrelief aims to alleviate the suffering of families facing unprecedented humanitarian challenges.