Diplomatic efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz have collapsed following the cancellation of high-stakes talks between Iran and Gulf Arab states. Oman, which was set to host the meeting in Salalah on Monday, postponed the event after Saudi Arabia requested a delay due to a lack of consensus. This follows Bahrain’s earlier refusal to attend, labeling negotiations with Tehran as appeasement.
Simultaneously, Yemen’s Houthi rebels launched a barrage of missiles and drones targeting the King Khalid Air Base in Khamis Mushait. The Houthis claimed to have struck aircraft hangars, radar systems, runways, and ammunition depots in response to over 300 Saudi airstrikes conducted across Yemen over the previous five days. Saudi Civil Defence issued emergency alerts for Khamis Mushait, Abha, and other southern cities as residents reported prolonged explosions and fires.
Energy markets reacted sharply, with
Brent crude rising more than 3 percent to exceed $108 a barrel on Monday, reaching a four-month high. Traders warned that the closure of Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline—damaged by a separate drone attack attributed to Iran-backed militias in Iraq—could remove up to 4 percent of global oil supply. Diesel prices in the United States have reached a record high.
Tehran has published a blacklist of 77 vessels it accuses of violating Hormuz regulations, threatening them with fines, detention, or confiscation. The Houthis have also recently seized the port of Mokha and Perim Island, creating further pressure on the Bab el-Mandeb Strait. Omani Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr Albusaidi confirmed the meeting's postponement, citing the need for consensus, while Iran’s foreign ministry acknowledged the Saudi request. Efforts to manage the crisis remain fractured. The UAE’s heir apparent held a meeting with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian at the BRICS summit in India over the weekend, while Qatar has sought to mediate. Saudi Arabia is seeking increased support from the United States, though President Donald Trump has limited American involvement to intelligence and logistics. Meanwhile, the UN reports that tens of thousands have been displaced by renewed fighting along the Red Sea coast since the broader conflict began following the start of the US-Israeli campaign on 28 February.
