Saudi Arabia

The purpose of this piece is to share the results and preliminary analysis of SOFREP’s online investigation into the reportedly unlawful imprisonment and continued detention of the crown prince’s cousin, Princess Basmah bint Saud bin Abdulaziz al-Saud. A general overview of her plight and why it matters was recently published here. We recommend reading the […]

The Saudi crown prince’s demise entered suddenly into plain view and in rare form in mid-April when the youngest daughter of the former Saudi king posted an emotional and very public cry for help on Twitter. The princess — known formally as Princess Basmah bint Saud bin Abdulaziz Al Saud — publicly pleaded that she […]

Saudi Arabia and its coalitions fighting the Iranian-backed Houthi movement in neighboring Yemen announced that they conducted airstrikes targeting rebel missile sites and Iranian military personnel stationed at these sites. On Monday, the Saudi-led coalition launched several of these airstrikes on Yemen’s capital, which is occupied by the Houthi rebels. This comes just two days […]

Amidst the Coronavirus pandemic, this article seeks to engage the reader in thoughtful discourse over the current state of U.S.- Middle East affairs, particularly as they pertain to Iran and Saudi Arabia. Falling oil prices, recent reports of several additional senior members of the Saudi royal family being detained, and other concerns over Saudi Crown […]

The United Nations is calling for all parties in the fighting in Yemen to suspend operations as the civilian toll on lives lost and people displaced continues to grow.  Martin Griffiths, the U.N.’s Special Envoy, is trying to get the peace efforts restarted between the Saudi-led coalition that is supporting the Yemeni government and the […]

Marines assigned to Echo Company, Battalion Landing Team, 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, 26th Marine Expeditionary Unit (MEU), receive a brief in preparation for a Tactical Recovery of Aircraft and Personnel training event aboard the amphibious transport dock USS New York (LPD 21) off the coast of Ras Al-Khair, Saudi Arabia, Feb. 15, 2020. New […]

Last December, footage emerged of an AH-64 Apache helicopter being engaged by surface to air missiles over Yemen, breaking apart and falling to the ground. Reportedly both pilots were killed. Regional news outlets have been calling the Apache a Saudi aircraft; but it is just as feasible that it could have belonged to the United […]

U.S. government officials believe that an American drone strike has killed the leader of al-Qaeda in the Arabian Peninsula (AQAP). Qasim al-Raymi is believed to have been killed by a CIA drone sometime in January. U.S. officials have been hesitant to confirm his death because of previous instances were High-Value-Targets (HVTs) were pronounced dead only […]

The United States government including Attorney General William Barr and President Trump have been after Apple to help with the unlocking of Pensacola shooter’s iPhones. AG Barr has asserted that the tech giant hasn’t given law enforcement “substantive assistance” in the investigation.  “We have asked Apple for their help in unlocking the shooter’s phones,” Barr […]

The Civil War in Yemen has been going on for four years. On the one side, there are the Shia Houthi rebels, who are backed by Iran. On the other side is the Sunni Yemeni government, which is backed by a substantial coalition of Sunni nations, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates. […]

With Washington and Tehran nearing the brink of war, the rest of the world looks on nervously. But which U.S. allies would actively back the United States should a full-scale war break out? More supportive would most likely be some of the Gulf monarchies such as Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. Many of these countries house […]

A missile attack on a parade for graduating Yemeni recruits of the Security Belt Forces on Sunday killed at least 10 people and wounded 21. The attack occurred in the town of al-Dhalea that is a frequent battleground between the forces of the government and the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. Terrorists from al-Qaeda are also active […]