Middle East

The operation, expected to be launched in the coming weeks, will be led by Yemeni forces on the ground, which are overseen by Riyadh and supported by Saudi air strikes.

A UAE source criticized Israel's description of flights from the Emirates as 'rescue flights,' saying the UAE agreed to additional security measures, but Israel rejected revised flydubai procedures.

Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan are set to decide next steps for engaging Yemen's Houthis politically following increased attacks by the Iran-backed group.

Yemen is experiencing the most serious escalation between Saudi Arabia and the Iran-aligned Houthi group since a UN-brokered truce largely halted cross-border attacks ​in 2022.

PM Netanyahu, in a video update on Friday, characterized the hijacking as a potential "disaster on the scale of 9/11" and vowed that those behind the attack "will pay a heavy price.

DIPLOMATIC AFFAIRS: From Netanyahu’s UAE visit to the emergency landing in Saudi Arabia, a dramatic week reveals the possibilities and limits of regional cooperation.

A senior Israeli defense official said Iran's room for maneuver has narrowed amid US sanctions, while Israel is preparing for the possibility that an Iranian move could spiral out of control.

According to the report, the US wanted to reassure the countries that their key energy facilities would be protected in case major combat operations resume within the region. 

US deploys third aircraft carrier to Middle East • UKMTO says tanker struck by unknown projectile in Strait of Hormuz • Houthis attacked Medina

Both were cleared to fly by medical professionals after being hospitalized once the aircraft landed in Tubuk.