Gulf Arab states cancel talks with Iran amid Houthi strikes on Saudi Arabia

On September 14, 2026, Gulf Arab states canceled scheduled talks with Iran following a large-scale attack by Yemen’s Houthi movement against Saudi Arabian military infrastructure. The Houthis claimed to have launched dozens of missiles and drones at a military airbase in Khamis Mushait, targeting hangars, runways, and ammunition depots in retaliation for recent Saudi air raids. This escalation coincided with a rapid Houthi advance, including the seizure of an island near the Red Sea.

Energy markets reacted sharply, with crude oil prices rising by over 3 percent. Concerns regarding global supply chains were exacerbated by the instability of the Strait of Hormuz. In a conflicting report, Iran’s Revolutionary Guard claimed a Panamanian-flagged tanker, El Gaia, exploded after hitting mines, while the U.S. Central Command stated the vessel had been struck by an Iranian missile last month and was already inoperable. Previously, an attack on an east-west pipeline in Saudi Arabia, which Riyadh attributed to Iraqi fighters backed by Iran, had already limited oil transit.

The regional security situation remains volatile, with emergency alerts issued in several southern Saudi cities. The ongoing war, which began on February 28, continues to disrupt maritime traffic in key shipping lanes as Iran asserts control over vessel transit in the region.