Saudi Arabia

List of Saudi Arabia articles

Workers at a construction site of the new administrative capital of Egypt, an unfinished skyscraper is in the background.
Workers at a construction site of the new administrative capital of Egypt, an unfinished skyscraper is in the background.

A Tale of Two Megalopolises

What new cities in Saudi Arabia and Egypt tell us about their autocrats.

Jordanian soldiers stand guard near the “Gate of Peace” at the Jordan Valley site of Baqura, east of the Jordan River, with the Israeli flag flying over the Israeli side of the border.
Jordanian soldiers stand guard near the “Gate of Peace” at the Jordan Valley site of Baqura, east of the Jordan River, with the Israeli flag flying over the Israeli side of the border.

Why Arab States Haven’t Broken With Israel

Arabs across the region are angry, but regimes can’t afford to sever ties.

Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan's King Abdullah II, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi talk to delegates during the Arab League's Summit for Jerusalem in Cairo, on Feb. 12, 2023.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Jordan's King Abdullah II, and Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi talk to delegates during the Arab League's Summit for Jerusalem in Cairo, on Feb. 12, 2023.

Arab Countries Have Israel’s Back—for Their Own Sake

Last weekend’s security cooperation in the Middle East doesn’t indicate a new future for the region.

Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman al-Saud addresses the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh.
Saudi Energy Minister Abdulaziz bin Salman al-Saud addresses the Future Minerals Forum in Riyadh.

The Middle East’s Oil Giants Have Entered the Critical Minerals Race

As the clean energy transition takes off, the region’s biggest players are making sure they have a seat at the table.

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speak during a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Tel Aviv. Israeli and U.S. flags hang in the foreground.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Yoav Gallant speak during a meeting with U.S. President Joe Biden in Tel Aviv. Israeli and U.S. flags hang in the foreground.
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is toured around Expo 2020 Dubai by the UAE's deputy prime minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (C-R), in the gulf emirate of Dubai on December 8, 2021.
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is toured around Expo 2020 Dubai by the UAE's deputy prime minister Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al-Nahyan (C-R), in the gulf emirate of Dubai on December 8, 2021.

The Hidden Rivalry of Saudi Arabia and the UAE

The two countries look like allies—but are increasingly regional competitors.

People take part in a protest in the streets of the Yemeni Red Sea city of Hudeida, to condemn the overnight U.S. and British forces strikes on Houthi rebel-held cities, on Jan. 12.
People take part in a protest in the streets of the Yemeni Red Sea city of Hudeida, to condemn the overnight U.S. and British forces strikes on Houthi rebel-held cities, on Jan. 12.

Why Saudi Arabia Is Staying on the Sidelines in the Red Sea Conflict

After years of war with the Houthis, Riyadh is seeking to ensure its security above all else—but peace talks are precarious, and the plan could backfire.

Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud delivers a speech during a meeting on the situation in the Gaza Strip on the sidelines of a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the United Nations offices in Geneva, on Dec. 12, 2023.
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud delivers a speech during a meeting on the situation in the Gaza Strip on the sidelines of a ceremony marking the 75th anniversary of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights at the United Nations offices in Geneva, on Dec. 12, 2023.

What Gulf States Want in Gaza

Getting rid of Hamas could intensify regional rivalries for influence.

A protester sits cross-legged on the ground, wearing a keffiyeh, and flashes the victory sign. A fire rages behind the security gate of the U.S. embassy behind him. A person is seen behind him in the distance leaning over.
A protester sits cross-legged on the ground, wearing a keffiyeh, and flashes the victory sign. A fire rages behind the security gate of the U.S. embassy behind him. A person is seen behind him in the distance leaning over.

U.S. Middle East Policy Has Failed

The region is on fire, and Washington is to blame.

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sit beside each other in brocade chairs in an ornate meeting room with several patterned rugs and engraved wall details. Both men are dressed formally as they pose for a camera during a meeting in Jeddah.
Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman and U.S. Secretary of State Antony Blinken sit beside each other in brocade chairs in an ornate meeting room with several patterned rugs and engraved wall details. Both men are dressed formally as they pose for a camera during a meeting in Jeddah.

Does Biden Have a Middle East Peace Plan? Sort of.

The U.S. hopes to revive the Saudi option, but Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is an obstacle.

An illustration shows the lopped off lower half of the globe with a diverse group of people holding it up from below for a story about the term "the global south."
An illustration shows the lopped off lower half of the globe with a diverse group of people holding it up from below for a story about the term "the global south."

Was 2023 the Year of the Global South?

From the halls of the United Nations to leaders’ podiums, policymakers fixated on the concept this year.

In a photo released by the Houthi military on Nov. 20, a Houthi helicopter flies over the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea.
In a photo released by the Houthi military on Nov. 20, a Houthi helicopter flies over the Galaxy Leader cargo ship in the Red Sea.

The Red Sea Crisis, Explained

A wave of Houthi missile attacks has spooked shipping companies and energy markets.

Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (C) with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki (R).
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan (C) with Palestinian Foreign Minister Riyad al-Maliki (R).

How Saudi Arabia Could Use Its Leverage in Gaza

Riyadh might have a great deal of influence over the future of Israel and Palestine, but it is waiting for a genuine and viable peace process.

Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) arrives with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a meeting in New Delhi on Jan. 15, 2018.
Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi (R) arrives with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu for a meeting in New Delhi on Jan. 15, 2018.

India’s New Middle East Strategy Takes Shape

New Delhi is slowly moving away from nonalignment and into the U.S.-led security ecosystem while maintaining relationships with old allies.

houthi and saudi delegates meet for peace talks
houthi and saudi delegates meet for peace talks

The U.N. Is the Only Path to Peace in Yemen

Both Saudi Arabia and the Houthis want to bypass U.N.-brokered talks, but avoiding mediation will lead to future violence and instability.

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