Gulf

Two slicks appear in Gulf as huge oil spill off Oman threatens disaster

One slick appeared off the southern tip of Weshm Island, while a smaller one was spotted near Sirri Island in the center of the Gulf.

A satellite image shows Qeshm Island following suspected oil spills at sea, off the coast of Iran, August 10, 2026.
Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif pose after signing a joint defence agreement in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.

Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Pakistan forge new alliance as Middle East order shifts - analysis

The sun sets behind the Doha skyline on August 4, 2026.

Gulf states pay the price as shipping crisis exposes costly dependence on the Strait of Hormuz

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan meets Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, ahead of the expected signing of a defence deal between Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey, in Mecca, Saudi Arabia, August 7, 2026.

Saudi Arabia is a 'paper tiger,' weaker than it appears, Israeli former national security head says


Cargo vessel struck by drone attack in Gulf, Iraqi officials say

Two explosions struck a cargo vessel near Iraq’s Umm Qasr, with officials saying one was caused by a drone attack.

An oil tanker is seen after it was attacked at the Gulf of Oman

Beyond embassies: Israel can deepen regional cooperation without recognition - opinion

Between normalization and isolation, Israel could pursue structured economic ties that build real partnerships without formal embassies.

US President Donald Trump gestures at Joint Base Andrews in Maryland, US, March 11, 2026.

Iran’s extremist ideology raises global security concerns - opinion

From Israel to South Asia, fears are growing that Iran’s ideological influence is fueling extremism and instability.

 ‘A MONSTER’ – Members of the IRGC attend a ground forces military drill in the East Azerbaijan province of Iran in 2022.

Inside the perfect storm: Windward on the hidden war reshaping the oceans

From the White House to global shipping desks, they all call Windward. CEO Ami Daniel on what's really happening in the Strait of Hormuz.

Gambia-flagged tanker vessel Bili is pictured anchored in the Strait of Hormuz off Bandar Abbas in southern Iran, May 2, 2026.

US conducts 'self-defense strikes' in southern Iran as IDF strikes on Hezbollah intensify

Iran's president orders reopening of international internet access • IDF strikes city of Tyre in southern Lebanon, following surge in Hezbollah drone attacks

US President Donald Trump as he points while delivering remarks about health care costs and affordability from an auditorium on the White House campus in Washington, DC, US, May 18, 2026.

Gulf states couldn't bear cost of another war, pressure Trump to avoid attacking Iran - analysis

The Gulf countries, meanwhile, understood that they would bear much of the immediate cost of restarting the war against the Islamic regime.

US President Donald Trump attends a GCC summit photo session in Riyadh, alongside Qatari, Saudi, and  Bahraini leaders, May 2025.

Iran’s oil gamble could turn Gulf attrition into Tehran’s own nightmare - opinion

As attacks spread across Gulf energy infrastructure, Iran may discover its own oil economy cannot survive prolonged attrition.

Smoke rises above Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, March 5, 2026

Voices from the Arab press: Gulf tensions over Iran deepen regional fears

A weekly selection of opinions and analyses from the Arab media around the world.

US President Donald Trump attends a GCC summit photo session in Riyadh, alongside Qatari, Saudi, and  Bahraini leaders, May 2025.

New US-Iran deal fails to address missiles, proxies as Iran agrees in principle to uranium disposal

Trump says Iran blockade stays until deal signed • Iran claims legal right to manage Hormuz strait • Spanish police filmed beating flotilla activists

PEOPLE RIDE motorcycles near a billboard with an image of the late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, in Tehran, Iran, May 19, 2026.

Iran is consolidating control of Hormuz with checkpoints, diplomatic deals, and fees

With Iran now in de facto control of the strait, the system can involve government-to-government arrangements, intense vetting by the Iranian government, and sometimes fees in exchange for passage.

 A drone view shows the Malta-flagged tanker Agios Fanourios I, an oil tanker that sailed through the Strait of Hormuz, arriving in Iraq's territorial waters off Basra, Iraq, April 17, 2026.