Trending Middle East

In today’s episode of Trending Middle East, Israel goes to the polls in a keenly contested election that will determine whether Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu remains in power. Former general Gadi Eisenkot is his strongest challenger, with Arab voter turnout expected to play an important role in the result.

Jordan carries out strikes on southern Syria in retaliation for a deadly church attack in Karak that killed nine people. Syrian authorities say at least seven were killed in the strikes, while Damascus disputes Jordan's claim that the operation was co-ordinated between the countries.

Meanwhile, Egypt's parliament authorises President Abdel Fattah El Sisi to send troops to defend Saudi Arabia, although no deployment has been announced and Cairo says it will act only if Riyadh requests assistance.

In the UAE, US investment company Apollo agrees to take a minority stake in Abu Dhabi's Mubadala Capital, with other strategic investors expected to commit funds to the firm's investment strategies.

And England captain Harry Kane wins his first Ballon d'Or after a record-breaking season with Bayern Munich, becoming the first Englishman to claim the award in 25 years.

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 Saudi-led coalition carries out strikes on Yemen’s capital Sanaa, saying it destroyed Houthi ballistic missile launch sites used to attack Riyadh.

Meanwhile, Jordanian security forces arrest three suspects after an attack on a church in Karak governorate that killed nine people and injured 40.

In the UAE, officials reject Iran’s criticism of Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh’s campaign to become the next UN secretary general. Ms Nusseibeh says she would engage with Tehran if chosen for the position.

Meanwhile, Adnoc announces more than Dh60 billion ($16.3 billion) in local manufacturing opportunities until 2030, alongside changes to its procurement process aimed at strengthening domestic supply chains.

And Apple faces complaints from early buyers of its first foldable smartphone, the iPhone Duo, after reports of cracked screens and display failures.

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, UAE authorities work to contain an oil spill from a supertanker in the Arabian Gulf after reports of a strong fuel smell. Beaches in Umm Al Quwain have been closed temporarily as clean-up operations continue.

Yemen’s internationally recognised government warns citizens against attending Houthi-organised gatherings, accusing the group of recruiting children and young people as fighters.

Oman and the UK pledge to strengthen trade and investment ties during Sultan Haitham’s historic state visit, with agreements involving more than £1 billion ($1.3 billion) in investment.

Meanwhile, the UAE announces plans to invest a further €15 billion ($16.8 billion) in Greece during an official visit by Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi.

And a UAE-led international crackdown on digital fraud results in more than 960 arrests and uncovers $39 billion in illicit funds and assets. The three-month operation, involving law enforcement agencies from 30 countries, has also thwarted more than 123 million online fraud attempts.

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 US has ordered non-essential diplomatic staff and their families to leave Saudi Arabia amid escalating Houthi attacks on the kingdom. The move follows a strike on Dammam airport late on Wednesday that killed one person and injured eight.

UAE Minister of State Lana Nusseibeh has entered the race to become the next UN secretary general. Her candidacy comes as the Security Council remains divided over who should succeed Antonio Guterres when his final term ends in December.

Non-Iran Middle East oil exports have recovered to prewar levels despite continuing attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz.

Meanwhile, experts say that France's deal to buy diesel from Saudi Arabia, the UAE and Bahrain will not bring prices down immediately, although it could help ease fuel shortages. European diesel prices have more than doubled since the start of the year.

In the West Bank, a candidate in the upcoming US midterm elections was briefly detained by Israeli troops while taking part in a Palestinian olive harvest.

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 UK is sending Typhoon fighter jets to Saudi Arabia to help defend its cities and vital infrastructure against Houthi attacks. The aircraft will be used to intercept aerial threats and will not carry out strikes against the Houthis in Yemen.

Meanwhile, food and fuel prices have more than doubled in Yemen’s besieged city of Taiz, the UN has warned, as fighting between the Houthis and government forces intensifies.

The UAE and France signed a series of defence agreements, including co-operation on advanced Rafale fighter jets, during President Emmanuel Macron’s visit to Abu Dhabi.

Iran says Iraq has agreed to expel Iranian Kurdish opposition groups from its northern Kurdistan region. The claim comes following security talks between the two countries, but Iraq's government has not confirmed it.

And weight-loss drugs Mounjaro and Foundayo will be packaged in the UAE under a new agreement between Abu Dhabi’s Mubadala Bio and US pharmaceutical company Eli Lilly.

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, President Sheikh Mohamed meets French President Emmanuel Macron in Abu Dhabi for talks on regional security, energy supplies and the impact of the Iran war. Macron is visiting Bahrain and Qatar today.

Meanwhile, the UN’s World Food Programme announces it will cut food assistance to about half a million people in Gaza because of a funding shortage.

Lebanon rejects US-backed proposals for direct military co-ordination with Israel ahead of talks in Florida, insisting that American mediation must continue.

In the US, prosecutors seek to keep Saudi former OpenAI employee Abdulrahman Alfozan in custody over allegations that he hid a recording device at the company's San Francisco headquarters.

And Dubai International Airport is testing autonomous wheelchairs to help passengers with disabilities travel from check-in to their departure gates, as new assistive technologies are showcased at the AccessAbilities Expo.

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, UAE President Sheikh Mohamed meets Saudi Defence Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman to discuss regional security and stability amid continuing Houthi attacks on the kingdom.

Flydubai captain Smit Machchhar speaks exclusively to The National about how he thwarted a mid-air cockpit attack by his co-pilot, who struck him with an axe and sent the aircraft into a steep dive, before passengers and crew intervened and all 172 people on board were saved.

Egypt’s National Defence Council pledges all necessary and possible support to Saudi Arabia as President Abdel Fattah El Sisi considers a possible defensive military mission. The parliament's vote on authorising assistance has been delayed.

French President Emmanuel Macron begins a four-country Gulf visit, which will include the UAE, for talks on the Strait of Hormuz, energy security and regional stability.

Dubai’s economy contracts by 2.3 per cent in the first half of 2026 as the Iran war disrupts travel and trade. Financial services and healthcare record growth despite declines in transport, retail and other sectors.

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 Saudi-led coalition says it intercepted and destroyed a drone launched towards Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province. Meanwhile, the death toll from a Houthi attack on Yemen’s presidential palace in Aden rises to five, with 16 injured.

US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, declines to rule out using the “mother of all bombs” against Iran after the November midterm elections.

Iraq’s parliament completes Prime Minister Ali Al Zaidi’s cabinet, including the appointment of a deputy prime minister under US sanctions.

In the UAE, Sharjah Police arrest 33 suspects from 12 countries accused of involvement in an international cyber crime and money-laundering network, seizing more than Dh200 million ($54.4 million) in cash.

And figures show applications from students in the UAE seeking to study in the UK fell by 59 per cent between 2022 and 2025, amid tighter immigration rules and growing concerns over costs and safety.

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, about 800,000 people in Yemen’s city of Taiz are largely cut off from food, fuel and medical supplies as fighting between the government troops and the Houthi rebels intensifies.

As the Iran conflict drags on, the global diesel shortage is expected to continue well into 2027, the International Energy Agency has warned.

In Lebanon, private suppliers now provide half of the country’s electricity, leaving households facing soaring bills. A special report by The National reveals how politically connected businesses are profiting from the country's power crisis.

The Palestinian committee set up to administer Gaza has signed an agreement with Germany’s development agency, GIZ, to support reconstruction. However, Israel continues to block the committee’s entry into the strip.

And the UAE has announced a $1 million prize for a global competition to develop agentic artificial intelligence solutions that improve everyday life.

Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.

Today on Trending Middle East, a building of Saudi Arabia's state oil company Aramco is attacked in Dharan, as the Houthi rebels in Yemen escalate their missile campaign against the kingdom. The Energy Ministry says the strike cause a fire but there were no casualties.

Families of two Indian sailors who have been missing since a drone hit an oil tanker off Oman's coast tell The National they are "sick with grief" as they wait for news.

A group of senators has urged US President Donald Trump to cancel a Russian diesel deal, warning that it could help Iran and endanger American troops in the Middle East.

Meanwhile Dubai has unveiled plans for a new underground transport network.

Research from the World Economic Forum suggests that artificial intelligence could help to create more than $1 trillion in wealth for countries in the Middle East and North Africa by 2030.

Trending Middle East is AI-assisted, using original reporting published in The National and curated and edited by humans.