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SPA RIYADH, March 18, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said it intercepted and destroyed four drones in the Eastern Province, according to a statement early Wednesday. No further details were immediately provided.

SPA MAKKAH, March 18, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Saudi Arabia’s Royal Commission for Makkah City and Holy Sites reported that more than 64 million passengers were transported via shuttle bus services to and from the Grand Mosque during Ramadan, one of the busiest periods of the year. The shuttle transport system operated over 1.5 million trips using more than 2,600 buses across seven central stations, helping ease congestion and improve access to the Grand Mosque dur

The authority urged eligible entities to file their returns through its official website or via its mobile application, as part of compliance requirements for VAT-registered businesses in the Kingdom. ZATCA warned that late submissions would incur penalties ranging from a minimum of 5% to a maximum of 25% of the unpaid tax amount due. It also encouraged taxpayers seeking further guidance on VAT obligations to contact its unified call center, available 24 hours a day, or acces

SPA RIYADH, March 17, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Saudi Arabia’s Ministry of Defense said on Tuesday that seven drones were intercepted and destroyed in the Eastern Province over the past hours. Major General Turki Al-Maliki, official spokesperson for the ministry, said the aerial threats were neutralised during recent operations in the region. No further details were provided.

Pieces of missiles and drones recovered after Iran's strikes are displayed during a press briefing by the UAE government held in Abu Dhabi on March 3. Ryan Lim/AFP/Getty Images ABU DHABI, March 17, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – The United Arab Emirates has intercepted more than 300 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles and over 1,600 drones since the start of the Iran conflict, the defence ministry said on Tuesday. Two members of the armed forces were killed, along wit

WAM ABU DHABI, March 17 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) — UAE President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan and His Majesty King Abdullah II of Jordan held talks in Abu Dhabi focused on rising regional tensions and their impact on security. Both leaders emphasized the need to halt escalating military actions and stressed that dialogue remains essential to prevent further instability. The discussions included recent developments affecting countries across the region,

Spain's King Felipe VI delivers his traditional Christmas address at the Royal Palace in Madrid, Spain, December 24, 2025. Ballesteros/Pool via REUTER MADRID, March 17, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Spain’s King Felipe VI on Monday acknowledged abuses committed during the country’s colonial era, in remarks that mark a rare public recognition by the Spanish monarchy of wrongdoing linked to its imperial past. Speaking during a visit to the National Archaeological Museum i

WAM ABU DHABI, March 17, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – The United Arab Emirates has announced the temporary and full closure of its airspace as a precautionary measure amid rapidly evolving regional security developments, the General Civil Aviation Authority (GCAA) said. The authority said the decision was taken to ensure the safety of flights and air crews and to safeguard the country’s territory. The GCAA said the measure followed a comprehensive assessment of securit

SPA RIYADH, March 17, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah held a series of meetings and phone calls with regional and international counterparts to discuss the latest developments in the region and efforts to reduce tensions. Prince Faisal received Egypt’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Emigration and Egyptian Expatriates Badr Abdelatty at the ministry headquarters in Riyadh, where the two official

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday expressed surprise at Iran’s retaliatory attacks on several Gulf countries amid the ongoing regional conflict. Asked by reporters whether he was surprised that Iran targeted neighboring states, Trump said experts had not expected such strikes. “No, the greatest experts — nobody thought they were going to hit. They were, I wouldn’t say friendly countries. They were like neutral. The

Citi Bank logo appears in this illustration taken December 1, 2025. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic DUBAI, March 16, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Citigroup said on Monday it will keep most of its branches and offices in the United Arab Emirates closed until further notice after temporarily shutting them last week amid the ongoing regional conflict. The bank said client-facing operations in the UAE remain suspended while services continue through digital channels. Citigroup directed

SPA RIYADH, March 16, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Saudi Arabia’s air defenses intercepted and destroyed 34 drones in multiple incidents on Monday evening targeting the Eastern Province and Al-Kharj Governorate, the Ministry of Defense said. Defense ministry spokesperson Major General Turki Al-Maliki said eight drones were intercepted and destroyed in the Eastern Province. In a separate incident, seven drones were intercepted and destroyed in the same region later in t

SPA JEDDAH, March 16, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Saudi Arabia’s Crown Prince and Prime Minister Prince Mohammed bin Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud received a phone call on Monday from Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, the Saudi Press Agency reported. During the call, the two leaders reviewed the latest developments in the region and discussed the ongoing military escalation. President El-Sisi also expressed Egypt’s condemnation of what he described as repeated I

Livery of British Airways passenger planes are seen at Heathrow Airport in west London, Britain, January 28, 2025. REUTERS LONDON, March 16, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – British Airways said on Monday it would extend temporary reductions to its flight schedules across the Middle East as regional tensions and airspace instability continue to disrupt aviation operations. The airline said last week it had cancelled all flights to and from Amman, Bahrain, Doha, Dubai and T

SABN BAGHDAD, March 16, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – A drone struck a hotel inside Baghdad’s heavily fortified Green Zone on Monday, Iraqi security officials said. Two Iraqi security officials said the strike hit the top floor of the Rasheed Hotel, which hosts diplomatic delegations and international organizations. The officials said the attack caused damage but no casualties were reported. Security forces sealed off the area following the strike. No group immediately

SABN DOHA, March 16, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Qatar’s Ministry of Defense said on Monday that its air defense systems intercepted drones and 13 missiles, while one missile landed in an uninhabited area. The ministry did not specify the number of drones intercepted. No casualties were reported, authorities said.

SABN ABU DHABI, March 16, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – A fire broke out at the Shah oil field in Abu Dhabi on Monday evening after a drone strike, authorities said, adding that no casualties were reported. The incident was confirmed by Abu Dhabi’s media office, which said the drone hit the oil field, triggering the fire. The attack marks the second incident targeting oil facilities in the United Arab Emirates on Monday. Earlier in the day, a fire broke out in the Fujai

SPA RIYADH, March 16, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – Gold jewelry remains one of the most popular Eid Al-Fitr gifts in Saudi Arabia’s Eastern Province, where many residents traditionally present gold ornaments to female family members in appreciation of their efforts during the holy month of Ramadan, the Saudi Press Agency reported. Residents often give gold gifts to mothers, wives, daughters and sisters to acknowledge the work involved in preparing daily iftar and suhoo

WASHINGTON, March 16, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – U.S. President Donald Trump said on Monday that he does not believe Israel would use a nuclear weapon in the ongoing war with Iran. “Israel wouldn’t do that. Israel would never do that,” Trump told reporters at the White House. His remarks came after comments by David Sacks, the White House artificial intelligence and cryptocurrency adviser, who said in a recent interview that there were concerns about the possibility

Kallas in Brussels, Belgium, March 16, 2026. REUTERS/Omar Havana BRUSSELS, March 16, 2026 (Saudi Arabia Breaking News) – European Union foreign ministers expressed support on Monday for strengthening the bloc’s naval mission in the Middle East but showed no appetite for expanding its mandate to the Strait of Hormuz, EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said. Kallas said ministers discussed reinforcing the EU’s Aspides naval mission during a meeting in Brussels. “There was in o