Welcome back to the MBN Friday Briefing, our roundup of the best stories on our flagship Arabic-language Alhurra platform, which is also available in English. Read the Arabic version of this newsletter here. If you were forwarded this Friday Briefing, subscribe here. We’d love to hear from you at thebriefing@mbn-news.com.
Do we stand on the razor’s edge, watching the ancient valleys catch fire, teetering on the brink of a full-on regional conflict? After days of relative calm, countries like Egypt and Saudi Arabia are now getting pulled into the widening U.S-Iran conflict. Egypt claims that a drone attack caused an explosion at the Mediterranean port of Damietta. If true, this would mark the first time that Egypt entered the fight. Earlier, Saudi Arabia officially acknowledged direct involvement in the war. In a significant escalation, Riyadh joined Washington in striking Iran-aligned armed groups in Iraq after drone attacks targeted Saudi oil facilities. What does this expanded involvement mean for the Gulf region and for the world? MBN takes a look.
Meanwhile, Pakistan is stepping up its military role as regional peacekeeper, while Saudi Arabia is forming a new defense pact with more than a dozen countries, including Egypt and Turkey, to protect shipping in the Red Sea. We also report on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s high-stakes Washington visit.
But first, an MBN exclusive from the White House on Oman’s latest proposal and Washington’s plan for the Strait of Hormuz.
This Week on MBN
Exclusive: U.S. Rejects Omani Hormuz Plan
Vessels in the Strait of Hormuz near the beach of Bandar Abbas, Iran, June 30, 2026.. Reuters
Iran can’t impose transit fees on ships passing through the Strait of Hormuz under any arrangement, said a White House official, in comments obtained by MBN’s Hani Al-Farash. Washington clarified that the Omani proposal under discussion is a coordination mechanism and includes neither transit fees nor other charges. The official accused Iran of advancing unreasonable demands rejected by Oman, the United States and the wider international community. The comments reaffirm Washington’s position that charges for passage through the Strait of Hormuz will not be included in any future agreement.
Read the article here
Drone Strikes Deepen Saudi-Iraqi Rift
Footage released by the Saudi Ministry of Defense showing the interception of drones over Saudi territory. — @modgovksa
Five advisers from Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) were killed in the U.S.-Saudi airstrikes that targeted Iran-backed armed groups in Iraq, according to MBN sources. U.S. Central Command and the Saudi Ministry of Defense announced coordinated airstrikes against multiple sites across eastern Iraq, saying Iran had used the locations to direct drone attacks. Riyadh repeatedly confronted Iraqi officials with evidence showing the drones’ flight paths and launch sites, reports Mustafa Saadoun.
Read the article here
Netanyahu’s Washington Test
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu attends a joint press conference with U.S. President Donald Trump (not pictured) in the State Dining Room at the White House in Washington, D.C., U.S., September 29, 2025. REUTERS/Jonathan Ernst
Benjamin Netanyahu arrived in Washington hoping to ease tensions with President Donald Trump’s administration. Israel offered limited concessions in Gaza and southern Lebanon but took a harder line in the West Bank. The visit comes as Israeli officials worry about weakening support in Congress and among Americans, writes Yehia Kassem. Some analysts warn that Netanyahu’s policies have damaged Israel’s standing, while others say the alliance remains strong. The visit may not redefine U.S.-Israel relations, but it will reveal the growing political limits surrounding them.
Read the article here
Pakistan Steps Up as Gulf Security Shifts
Saudi troops march during Pakistan Day celebrations in Islamabad, Pakistan. Reuters.
Pakistan is assuming a bigger security role as Gulf states face growing attacks from Iran and the Houthis, writes Abubakar Siddique and Sakina Abdallah. Islamabad is already providing troops, fighter jets and air defense support to Saudi Arabia, while Kuwait is also expanding military ties with Pakistan. The shift could strengthen Pakistan’s influence in the Gulf, but it also risks creating new tensions with neighboring Iran.
Experts say Gulf countries are seeking additional security options as they grow less confident in relying solely on the United States.
Read the article here
Iran’s Africa Playbook
A woman holds a baby as they show respect to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei at a mosque during a condolence ceremony in Cape Town, South Africa, REUTERS/Esa Alexander
Iran is expanding its influence in Africa by combining anti-Western rhetoric, security partnerships and trade deals. Tehran has moved beyond promoting Shia Islam, says Inaara Gangji, and now presents itself as a partner with African countries in resisting Western pressure. Iran supplies drones, military expertise and engineering services to Africa while seeking access to its uranium, agricultural products and other strategic resources. These economic ties also help it circumvent international sanctions, although many agreements with African countries remain limited, unequal or never fully implemented.
Read the article here
Syria Has Its Own Battles to Fight
Syrian security forces secure the area around Damascus’ Palace of Justice /AFP.
President Donald Trump repeatedly suggested that Syria could intervene in Lebanon and handle Hezbollah more precisely than Israel. But Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa rejected the idea, saying Damascus wants economic ties with Lebanon, not military involvement. Syria is still too fragile to do so, argues Abigail George in this MBN Magazine piece. It’s saddled with weak institutions, a divided military and a struggling economy. Washington should help Damascus rebuild, fight ISIS and strengthen its authority at home, she says, instead of pushing it into another war.
Read the article here
Quote of the Week: Saudi Action
The strikes carried out by the Saudi Armed Forces, in coordination with the United States, were in response to repeated attacks by Iran-backed terrorist groups against the Kingdom’s energy infrastructure and against U.S. forces in the region.
Saudi Foreign Ministry Statement, July 29, 2026
