A Saudi AH-6i helicopter crashed in the Najran region of Saudi Arabia due to a technical malfunction, killing its two crew members, the Saudi-led coalition's spokesman Brigadier General Turki al-Maliki said in a statement on Sunday.
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said on Sunday that an oil tanker caught fire and exploded after striking a naval mine in the southern part of the Strait of Hormuz, according to Iranian media.
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi and his Egyptian counterpart Badr Abdelatty discussed the latest regional developments in a phone call on Sunday, 18 October 2026. According to a statement on Araghchi’s Telegram channel, they also discussed “diplomatic efforts and initiatives aimed at reducing tension and maintaining stability in the region.”
The Houthis fired eight ballistic missiles at the northeastern Yemeni city of Marib on Sunday, 18 October 2026, the local authorities said in a statement on Facebook. Marib is held by Yemen’s internationally recognised government and is home to a large population of internally displaced people. Fighting between the Houthis and government forces resumed in July, after a truce agreed in 2022 broke down.
Foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) expressed their full solidarity with Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks at a meeting in Manama, Bahrain, on Sunday, 18 October 2026. In a final statement, the council backed all measures Riyadh takes to protect its sovereignty and security, and called for freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, Bab al-Mandeb and the Red Sea to return to conditions before 28 February. The ministers also supported mediation efforts between Washington and Tehran, saying any deal must cover Iran’s nuclear and missile programmes, drones and support for proxies, and that GCC states should take part in talks affecting their security.
A “hostile projectile” fell in the southwestern Saudi city of Najran on Sunday, 18 October 2026, injuring six people, the Saudi Civil Defence said in a statement on X. Three houses and three vehicles were also damaged. The agency did not say who was behind the attack, which comes as fighting in Yemen spills into Saudi Arabia, with the Houthis targeting the kingdom with missiles and drones.
The vice president of the United Arab Emirates met Saudi Arabia’s defence minister in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, 18 October 2026, to discuss developments in the region, the Emirati state news agency WAM reported.
U.S. Vice President JD Vance acknowledged shortcomings in the handling of the Iran war during a CBS News town hall, admitting that where troops had been positioned was a “huge mistake” that has since been corrected. He was responding to Joey Amor, whose wife was among six U.S. Army Reserve soldiers killed in an Iranian strike on a military site in Kuwait in the opening hours of the war in late February. Vance said the military had changed its tactics to counter the threat from cheap drones and that Washington was seeking a firm commitment from Tehran not to rebuild its nuclear programme. At least 21 U.S. service members have been killed and hundreds wounded so far.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan expressed concern over rising tensions in the southern Arabian Peninsula and the Bab el-Mandeb Strait during talks in Bahrain on Sunday.
The ministers met on the sidelines of the ninth Russia-Gulf Cooperation Council Strategic Dialogue in Manama. Both sides stressed the importance of maritime security and ensuring the uninterrupted passage of ships through international waterways. According to Russia’s Foreign Ministry, the talks also focused on strengthening bilateral political and economic relations.
The ministers reaffirmed their commitment to expanding trade, investment, cultural and humanitarian cooperation. They also highlighted the importance of maintaining regular, trust-based political dialogue. Both countries emphasized continued cooperation within the OPEC+ framework.
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said Sunday that Moscow supports Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) efforts to prevent a return to full-scale war in the Middle East. Speaking at the Russia-GCC Strategic Dialogue in Bahrain, Lavrov proposed an updated concept for collective security in the Gulf.
He stressed that regional countries should play the leading role in determining security arrangements, calling for direct dialogue with neighboring states, including Iraq and Jordan. Lavrov also suggested involving the Arab League, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and permanent UN Security Council members in supporting regional stability.
He described stronger relations with GCC countries as a priority for Moscow’s foreign policy. According to Lavrov, trade between Russia and GCC member states increased by 45 per cent last year. He emphasized that regional stability remains essential for expanding economic cooperation and strengthening diplomatic ties.
Egypt’s parliament convened an emergency session on Sunday to consider deploying troops to Saudi Arabia amid escalating Houthi attacks. The session was called at President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi’s request after he expressed Cairo’s readiness to take necessary measures to defend the kingdom.
Under Egypt’s Constitution, sending troops on combat missions abroad requires approval from two-thirds of parliament. Earlier, Egypt’s National Defense Council declared full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and pledged all necessary support to protect its security and territorial integrity.
The council also called for intensified diplomatic efforts to ease regional tensions. The developments follow a series of Houthi missile and drone attacks on Saudi territory. Meanwhile, the Saudi-led coalition has stepped up airstrikes on Houthi-controlled areas in Yemen, including the capital, Sanaa.
Saudi Arabia’s Civil Defence has lifted danger warnings for Najran in the southwest and As-Sulayyil in the south-central part of the country. The alerts were issued on Sunday through the National Early Warning Platform, urging residents to follow safety instructions.
Authorities later announced that the danger had passed in both areas. Residents were advised to remain cautious, avoid gatherings and refrain from filming. Officials did not disclose the nature of the threat or confirm whether any missiles or drones had been intercepted.
Civil Defence warned that sharing footage or information about missile and drone interceptions could result in legal action. The alerts come amid escalating tensions between Saudi Arabia and Yemen’s Houthi group, which has carried out missile and drone attacks against the kingdom.
Iran's offer to the United States to reopen the Strait of Hormuz within seven days is still on the table, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told Iranian media outlets on Sunday.
If Washington accepts Tehran's conditions, the strategic waterway would be open within six days, and U.S.-Iran talks would resume on the seventh day, he added.
Egypt will provide Saudi Arabia with all necessary and possible support to defend its security and stability, its presidency said on Sunday.
Iran's parliament approved aerospace industry veteran Mehrdad Akhlaqi Ketabchi as defence minister, ending months of interim leadership at the ministry and placing a former head of the country's Aerospace Industries Organisation in charge of its defence production and procurement apparatus.
The Saudi Embassy in the United Kingdom has announced assistance for citizens affected by cancellations of flights back to Saudi Arabia.
Representatives from Saudia Airlines will be available at the embassy on Sunday, from 11am to 9pm. to provide the necessary support. The embassy advised affected citizens to visit its headquarters during these hours for assistance.
The British navy-affiliated UKMTO said on Sunday that it has received a report of an incident northeast of Khor Fakkan in the United Arab Emirates, where a tug sailing southbound reported being struck by two unknown projectiles.
One minor injury was reported, and the tug has sustained damage; however, it is continuing on its route, UKMTO added.
Eight Yemeni soldiers were killed in the southern province of Lahj, the army announced late Saturday, amid continued fighting with the Houthi group.
The army-affiliated Tur al-Bahah Military Axis said in a statement that the soldiers were killed on the al-Maqatirah front in Lahj province.
The statement provided no further details, and there was no immediate comment from the Houthis.
The helicopter crashed in an area under the jurisdiction of the Saudi National Guard Ministry, the statement added.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said in a post on X earlier on Saturday that forces of the Yemen-based group had shot down a Saudi Apache helicopter near Najran while it was carrying out what he described as hostile activities targeting Houthi positions along the border.
It was unclear whether the two sides were referring to the same helicopter.
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