Sheikh Mohamed meets German President, Houthis seize Mocha, US-Iran tanker conflict escalates

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, President Sheikh Mohamed begins a state visit to Germany aimed at strengthening ties, with the two countries expected to sign agreements on artificial intelligence, energy and investment. Iran-backed Houthi militants seize the strategic Yemeni port city of Mocha after days of fighting with pro-government forces, as the group also escalates attacks on Saudi Arabia. US President Donald Trump says the war with Iran will end after the American midterm elections, as the conflict over oil tankers intensifies. His comments come as attacks on oil tankers and shipping around the Strait of Hormuz escalate. An AI researcher resigns from Anthropic over concerns about the development of powerful self-improving systems, and Wizz Air announces plans to return to Abu Dhabi and Dubai. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, the tanker conflict around the Strait of Hormuz intensifies as the US and Iran trade attacks on oil vessels. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps says it struck two US vessels, eight oil tankers and 10 other ships, while also warning tanker crews in Bahrain and Kuwait to leave their vessels. US Central Command also said American forces destroyed five Iranian crude oil tankers. Jordan says it intercepted 18 of 20 ballistic missiles fired from Iran towards the kingdom, while the IRGC says it attacked US military sites in Al Azraq. Israel, meanwhile, says it will close the UK consulate in East Jerusalem after Britain imposed sanctions on Israeli settlements. And US-brokered talks between Lebanon and Israel are expected to continue in Rome and Florida, with no breakthrough expected before Israeli elections next month. Dubai conglomerate Majid Al Futtaim reports a 25 per cent rise in first-half profit and says it remains confident about its outlook for 2026. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, attacks by Houthi rebels targeting Saudi Arabia have wounded 73 civilians, including women and children. The Saudi Energy Ministry said several energy sites in the south were struck, causing injuries and fires, and temporarily halting some operations. Qatar says the Strait of Hormuz will remain vital to international trade despite efforts to develop alternative routes. Meanwhile, flights to and from the UAE face disruption as volcanic ash from Indonesia’s Mount Anak Krakatau continues to affect air travel, with Emirates airline and Etihad Airways cancelling services to Jakarta. And Emaar founder Mohamed Alabbar says Dubai’s property market could see an adjustment of 5 to 10 per cent because of the Iran war. In Sharjah, a new plan will allow senior citizens, their spouses and retired people to return to public-sector jobs on a part-time basis. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, Iran says it will establish a restricted zone around the Strait of Hormuz, as Tehran and Oman prepare to announce a new international shipping corridor. Commercial shipping through the waterway has fallen to its lowest level since May after the latest US and Iranian strikes on tankers. Recent evidence details an alleged secret chemical weapons programme run by Sudan’s military, including the reported production of nearly 300 chemical munitions. We also look at renewed fighting in Lebanon, where at least seven people were killed and 20 injured in Israeli strikes on Sunday. Elsewhere, at least five people were killed after an Amazon Prime Air cargo plane overran a runway and crashed at Miami International Airport. Meanwhile, Emirates and Etihad have cancelled flights to Jakarta as volcanic ash from Mount Anak Krakatau forces airports across Indonesia to close. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans

In today's episode of Trending Middle East, Israel is to release five civilians detained in occupied areas of southern Lebanon, as part of a renewed diplomatic push between the two countries. But it comes as the Israeli military abducts three other Lebanese. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent has welcomed a move by the EU to join Washington's campaign to increase economic pressure on Iran. He called for nations to offer support during a G20 meeting this week. A UN report has found that the Sudanese Armed Forces are using foreign-supplied drones in attacks that struck civilian areas. Some of the attacks may amount to war crimes. Syria has begun destroying Assad-era chemical weapon materials, marking the first such process since the downfall of the former regime and the first to be carried out on Syrian territory in more than a decade. Meanwhile, the UAE’s non-oil private sector has grown at its fastest pace in more than 18 months, showing signs of a stronger recovery despite the effects of the Iran war. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

In today's episode of Trending Middle East, Kuwait says its air defences are repelling what its military called a “heinous Iranian aggression”, involving hostile missile and drone attacks. It comes as Tehran escalates its attacks on other countries across the region. An investigation by The National has found that Israel’s army is gradually expanding its self-established security zone in southern Lebanon, crossing its “yellow line” into at least three villages. The expansion comes despite a ceasefire agreed in June. France is pushing for an international mission to monitor Palestinian elections scheduled to begin in November, the first in two decades. Elections are planned for November 28, after having been previously postponed in 2021. Egypt and China have backed each other on key political priorities following talks between President Abdel Fattah El Sisi and President Xi Jinping in Cairo. They discussed Egypt's right to water security and the need to uphold the Gaza ceasefire. In the UAE, the Cabinet has approved plans to give artificial intelligence a greater role across government and the country’s education system, with a new AI curriculum to be introduced across all public and private schools. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

Today on Trending Middle East, the US and Iran have traded another round of strikes, raising fears that a weeks-long lull in the war has come to an end. Several people were killed in US strikes on southern areas in Iran, while Jordan and Kuwait intercepted Iranian attacks early on Wednesday. In the Idlib province of Syria, five people were killed after munitions exploded while being unloaded at a warehouse. The incident reflects the dangers posed by the proliferation of weapons after almost 14 years of civil war in the country. The World Food Programme is halving the number of people receiving food assistance in the occupied West Bank because of a lack of funding. Despite the regional challenges caused by the Iran war, the UK could be ready to sign a long-awaited trade deal with the Gulf within weeks, Trade Minister Anas Sarwar told The National. And a Jordanian toddler with a rare genetic disorder has arrived in Dubai to begin $2.4 million medical treatment funded by Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid, Vice President and Ruler of Dubai. Her family had previously launched an online fundraising campaign that went viral. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

In today's episode of Trending Middle East, US President Donald Trump vows to retaliate after Iran launches missiles at American military bases in Jordan. Meanwhile, US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent urges G20 finance ministers to join Washington’s campaign to cut off Iran’s financial lifelines. The EU backs the move, while the UAE has already severed trade and financial ties with Iran. In Iraq, a court has sentenced a member of the Kataib Hezbollah militia to 15 years in prison over the kidnapping of American journalist Shelly Kittleson in March. Baghdad is intensifying efforts to bring Iran-backed armed groups under state control. Wildfires that killed 12 people in Algeria have prompted President Abdelmadjid Tebboune to seek the introduction of the death penalty for arsonists. Several people have been arrested over the fires. And in the UAE, Indian and Lebanese residents have been warned about scammers posing as officials and agents in an attempt to steal personal information. Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

Today on Trending Middle East, Jordan has intercepted eight Iranian missiles following a US strike on Iranian forces near the Strait of Hormuz. The exchange marks the first direct fighting between the two countries in more than a month. In the occupied West Bank, residents told The National that a pattern of settler violence and land seizures point to a co-ordinated campaign. It comes as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu blamed recent attacks on a “handful of rioters”. Iraq has sentenced a deputy oil minister and a former MP to seven years in prison in separate corruption cases and ordered them to repay millions in illicit gains. Libya’s rival political factions have signed a UN-backed agreement that paves the way for long-delayed national elections. And the UAE has sent 83 tonnes of food and shelter supplies to Nepal after devastating flash floods killed hundreds of people. Thousands remain missing but heavy rain and fears of more flooding have disrupted search efforts. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf has been accused by a prominent ultraconservative figure of going soft over his support for negotiations with the US. The public rift highlights growing divisions in Iran over how to approach the next phase of the war. The US military says it has cleared sea mines laid by Tehran in the Strait of Hormuz and helped nearly 1,500 commercial vessels pass through the waterway. A Yemeni security source tells The National that the Iran-backed Houthi rebels have turned isolated smuggling operations into a sprawling network across the Horn of Africa. The Houthis have developed links with Al Shabab in Somalia and expanded into Sudan. Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia and Syria form a joint bank to make investment and money transfers between the countries easier. And in response to the devastating floods in Nepal, the UAE has announced a $10 million humanitarian aid package, directed by President Sheikh Mohamed. Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans