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Gulf

Saudi Crown Prince Meets President, Members of Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council

The Saudi Crown Prince meets with Rashad Al-Alimi. SPA
The Saudi Crown Prince meets with Rashad Al-Alimi. SPA
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Saudi Crown Prince Meets President, Members of Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council

The Saudi Crown Prince meets with Rashad Al-Alimi. SPA
The Saudi Crown Prince meets with Rashad Al-Alimi. SPA

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman met on Thursday with the president and members of the newly formed Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council, expressing the Kingdom’s hope that its establishment would turn a new page in Yemen.

The Crown Prince further stressed Saudi Arabia’s keenness on supporting the country’s security and stability.

The reception was attended by Saudi Deputy Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman, Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, Minister of State, Cabinet Member and National Security Adviser Dr. Musaed bin Mohammed Al-Aiban, Head of State Security Abdulaziz Al-Huwairini, Chief of General Intelligence Khalid bin Ali Al-Humaidan, and Saudi Ambassador to Yemen Mohammed Al Jaber.

Meanwhile, Gulf, Arab and other states on Thursday welcomed the Yemeni president’s decision to transfer his powers to the new presidential council, headed by Rashad Al-Alimi.

Saudi Arabia hailed the announcement of Yemeni President Abd Rabbo Mansour Hadi on launching the presidential council under the Yemeni constitution and the Gulf initiative and its executive mechanisms.

In this regard, Saudi Arabia announced providing urgent $3 billion support to the Yemeni economy, including $2 billion from the Kingdom and UAE to support the Central Bank of Yemen and a $1 billion Saudi grant for petroleum products and development.

Moreover, Riyadh called for an international conference to support Yemen’s economy and said it would give $300 million to the United Nations aid response to the country’s humanitarian crisis.

Saudi Arabia urged the new presidential leadership council to start negotiating with the Houthis, under the supervision of the United Nations, to reach a final and comprehensive political solution that includes a transitional period that will lead Yemen to peace and development.

In a statement, Egypt’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs welcomed the formation of a new presidential council in Yemen with full presidential powers, saying it hopes that such a step will help Yemen complete the transitional phase and move toward security and safety.

“Egypt has followed with the utmost interest the formation of the presidential leadership council in the Yemeni republic, with full presidential powers, to complete the tasks of the transitional phase in Yemen, according to the constitution and the Gulf initiative,” the statement read.

The Jordanian government, for its part, welcomed the new development, expressing full support for reaching a political solution for the Yemeni crisis, based on the approved references, namely the GCC initiative and its executive mechanisms, the Yemeni Comprehensive National Dialogue Conference, and UN Security Council Resolution 2216.

Jordan also commended economic support provided by Saudi Arabia and the UAE to support the Yemeni economy, alleviate the suffering of the people and finance the Humanitarian Response Plan (HRP) announced by the United Nations.

Russia has also welcomed the establishment of the Yemeni presidential council.

“We hope that members of the Presidential Leadership Council will do everything in their power to stabilize the situation in Yemen and restore this historically friendly country to a peaceful life,” the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement.

On the GCC level, Bahrain affirmed its full support for the Yemeni Presidential Leadership Council to achieve the aspirations of the Yemeni people for security, stability and development, and end the Yemeni crisis through a comprehensive political solution between the different Yemeni components.

Kuwait also praised on Thursday the decision to form the council, a step in line with the Yemeni constitution and the GCC peace initiative. A statement by the foreign ministry expressed the country’s full support to the council’s efforts to achieve stability, peace, and security for Yemen and its people.

Similarly, Dr. Nayef Al Hajraf, GCC Secretary General, welcomed the announcement made by Hadi to complete the implementation of the tasks of the transitional period, in accordance with the Yemeni constitution, and the GCC initiative and its executive mechanism.

From the Egyptian capital, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit lauded the decision, expressing his hope that the new council would lead the country towards peace.

The Secretary-General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC), Hussein Ibrahim Taha, for his part, said he hoped that this declaration would contribute to ending the fighting in Yemen and supporting negotiations between all Yemeni parties.

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Gulf

GCC Strongly Condemns Iran Attack on Qatari Tanker in Hormuz

A general view of the Doha skyline, Qatar, June 29, 2026. (Reuters)
A general view of the Doha skyline, Qatar, June 29, 2026. (Reuters)
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GCC Strongly Condemns Iran Attack on Qatari Tanker in Hormuz

A general view of the Doha skyline, Qatar, June 29, 2026. (Reuters)
A general view of the Doha skyline, Qatar, June 29, 2026. (Reuters)

Secretary General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi strongly condemned on Tuesday the “brutal Iranian” on Qatar’s “Al Rekayyat” tanker in the Strait of Hormuz.

In a statement, he said the continued attacks are a “dangerous escalation that threatens the security and stability of the region.”

He called on the international community to “assume its responsibilities and take a firm and deterrent stance against these repeated Iranian attacks, in a manner that protects regional and international peace and security, as well as prevents the recurrence of such hostile acts.”

“The GCC stands as one with Qatar, expressing its full solidarity with the country in all measures it takes to confront this treacherous Iranian behavior,” he added.

Albudaiwi also slammed the terrorist attack that targeted the Syrian capital, Damascus, earlier on Tuesday.

He reiterated the GCC’s firm position in “rejecting all forms of terrorism and extremism,” stressing the need for “concerted regional and international efforts to eliminate terrorism and dry up its sources.”

He expressed the GCC’s solidarity with Syria in all measures it takes to protect its security and stability.

Gulf

Three Ships Struck in Hormuz Flare-Up, Qatar Slams Iran

Vessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 3, 2026. (Reuters)
Vessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 3, 2026. (Reuters)
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Three Ships Struck in Hormuz Flare-Up, Qatar Slams Iran

Vessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 3, 2026. (Reuters)
Vessels are anchored in the Strait of Hormuz as seen from Musandam, Oman, June 3, 2026. (Reuters)

Three tankers including a Qatari LNG vessel were struck within hours in the Strait of Hormuz, maritime monitors and Qatar said on Tuesday, with peace mediator Doha denouncing an "unacceptable" Iranian attack.

An "unknown projectile" hit a tanker overnight, causing a fire, before two more were hit, at least one by a drone, British maritime security agency UKMTO said.

The string of attacks after more than a week of respite revived concerns about freedom of navigation after Iran lifted its blockade of the vital waterway following a fragile ceasefire with the United States.

All three vessels were struck close to Oman. Oman had proposed a temporary transit corridor hugging its coastline in an initiative opposed by Iran, which wants to charge ships using the narrow waterway.

Qatar, which helped broker the truce, blamed Iran for the attack on its tanker and urged Tehran to "cease all practices that undermine regional security or threaten the safety of international maritime navigation".

"The targeting of the Qatari vessel 'Al-Rekayyat' while transiting near the Strait of Hormuz constitutes an unacceptable attack on the security and safety of international maritime navigation," Doha's foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari wrote on X.

"We hold Iran fully legally responsible for this attack and for any resulting damages or repercussions," he added.

The attacks came despite the ceasefire between the United States and Iran in the Middle East war, which began with US-Israeli strikes on Tehran in late February.

The future of Hormuz, the main route for Gulf energy exports, has been a sticking point during talks between Tehran and Washington to permanently end the conflict.

- 'Clear signal' -

"We are now in a sensitive period where potential alternatives to an Iranian toll or fee system are being explored," Andreas Krieg, a security expert at King's College London, told AFP.

"Iran is sending a clear signal that no alternative will be accepted.

"Tankers trying to diverge through the Omani maritime corridor without registering with the Iranian authority will be punished," Krieg added, calling it a "clear violation" of the ceasefire agreement and international law.

US news outlet Axios reported late Monday that Iran had "fired at least two missiles at commercial ships", citing two unnamed US officials.

The Pentagon did not immediately respond to an AFP request for comment.

Maritime traffic had tentatively resumed after Washington and Tehran signed a memorandum of understanding last month aimed at ending the conflict and reopening the strategic route.

However, Iran has insisted there will be no return to pre-war arrangements, under which vessels could pass freely through the strait.

Under the 14-point US-Iran memorandum of understanding, Iran and Oman, which border Hormuz, must hold talks "to define the future administration and maritime services" in the key waterway with other Gulf states.

Gulf

GCC Secretary-General Condemns Terrorist Attack Targeting Damascus

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. SPA
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi. SPA
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GCC Secretary-General Condemns Terrorist Attack Targeting Damascus

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

Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Secretary-General Jasem Albudaiwi expressed his strongest condemnation and denunciation of the terrorist attack that targeted the Syrian capital, Damascus, and resulted in the injury of a number of security personnel and civilians while security authorities were attempting to dismantle two explosive devices planted by a terrorist cell, SPA reported.

Albudaiwi underscored that the GCC renews its firm position rejecting all forms of terrorism and extremism, stressing the need for concerted regional and international efforts to eliminate terrorism and dry up its sources, in a manner that leads to enhancing security and stability and safeguarding the security and safety of states.

Furthermore, Albudaiwi expressed the GCC’s solidarity with the Syrian Arab Republic in all measures it takes to protect its security and stability, while wishing the injured a speedy recovery and praying that Syria and its people be protected from all harm.