The leading priorities of the global and local press, and the issues politically, economically, and strategically connected to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

August 13, 2026

Monitoring and Analysis | BETH

The U.S.-Iran war and the Strait of Hormuz dominate the global press, but coverage varies according to the interests of each capital.

The American press is testing the credibility of Trump’s claim that the United States controls the strait. European media are focused on energy and the risks of a wider war, while the Asian press monitors supply security. Russian media, meanwhile, give greater prominence to Iran’s sovereignty narrative.

The Kingdom appears in this coverage at the intersection of three issues: the security of Hormuz and the Red Sea, the future of regional alliances, and Saudi Arabia’s ability to protect its exports while continuing its economic and technological transformation.

Washington | Control Put to the Test

The Washington Post

The newspaper has no major new report on Hormuz today, but it continues to place Saudi Arabia within the context of the war’s expansion into the Red Sea and the Houthi threat to Saudi vessels and interests.

One of its most significant recent reports examined the Houthis’ opening of a dangerous maritime front against the Kingdom and what this means for the spread of threats to navigation from Hormuz to the Saudi export route through the Red Sea.

It also previously covered efforts by Iran and Oman to develop a formula for managing navigation through Hormuz by separating the inbound and outbound routes between Iranian and Omani waters.

The Wall Street Journal

The newspaper today offers the most important field test of Trump’s statements. While the U.S. president speaks of “total control,” its data show that only 14 vessels crossed the strait on Tuesday, compared with more than 130 vessels per day before the war. Eleven of the 14 ships used the route administered by Iran.

The implication is clear: the United States possesses naval power, but Iran still retains significant influence over the behavior of vessels.

The newspaper is also following the impact of the crisis on oil forecasts after OPEC lowered its estimate for demand growth in 2026 amid continuing disruption to supply routes and persistent risks in the Red Sea.

The View from Washington

American attention has shifted from the question of whether the United States can open Hormuz to a more precise one: Can it keep the strait open without permanent military protection?

This matters to the Kingdom because the continuation of military-protected crossings does not amount to a market recovery, nor will it reduce insurance and transport costs unless companies regain confidence in the passage.

London | Energy and the New Alliance

Financial Times

The newspaper views Iran as a state seeking to convert its ability to disrupt Hormuz into lasting political and economic influence. This includes the lifting of sanctions, the release of frozen assets, compensation, and possibly the imposition of new arrangements for navigation.

In a recent analysis, the newspaper argued that Iran is not merely seeking to survive the war. It is attempting to use Hormuz to redraw the regional balance of power, taking advantage of declining confidence in U.S. security guarantees.

On the Saudi front, the mutual defense agreement between the Kingdom, Türkiye, and Pakistan received significant attention. The newspaper interpreted it as a shift toward more independent regional deterrence, rather than a temporary alliance tied only to the war.

The Guardian

The newspaper focuses on declining global oil inventories and disrupted supplies, alongside warnings from the International Energy Agency that global supply will fall during 2026.

It also places the Saudi-Turkish-Pakistani defense agreement at the heart of regional transformations, linking it to Houthi attacks and the three countries’ need to build a collective deterrence capability.

The View from London

The British press does not see Hormuz as an isolated navigation crisis, but as part of the reconstruction of the region’s security order.

The trilateral agreement is viewed as one of the war’s most consequential developments and could become more significant than the circumstances in which it was signed if other countries join it.

Paris | Force Does Not Decide Politics

Le Monde

The main French perspective is that U.S. military superiority has not produced a political resolution, and that Trump’s escalatory rhetoric reflects an aspect of the impasse more than it signals an approaching victory.

The newspaper views Hormuz and Bab Al-Mandab as a single front divided between two waterways. Disrupting Saudi exports in the Red Sea compounds the effects of restrictions imposed in the Gulf.

It also follows the Saudi file from the perspective of the Kingdom’s transition from restraint to deterrence and retaliation against Iran and its allies.

The View from Paris

The French press is more skeptical about the ability of military power to produce a settlement.

It interprets the Saudi position as a deliberate transition from avoiding involvement to the direct protection of security, maritime routes, and national interests.

Madrid | Both Oil Routes Under Threat

El País

The newspaper monitors the simultaneous threats to Hormuz and the Red Sea and links them directly to the Kingdom’s exports and global oil prices.

It also follows Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia and the defense agreement with Türkiye and Pakistan, highlighting its significance for strengthening collective deterrence.

Its coverage presents a clear equation: if Hormuz becomes unsafe and the Red Sea route is also threatened, the Kingdom could lose part of the flexibility it has built to overcome its geographic constraints.

The newspaper has also covered Saudi Arabia’s rejection of Colombia’s recognition of Israeli sovereignty over the Golan Heights, describing it as a new diplomatic development affecting the Arab position and international law.

Moscow | Hormuz as an Iranian Sovereign Right

TASS and the Russian Press

Russian coverage tends to give greater prominence to the Iranian position. It highlights Tehran’s desire to establish bilateral arrangements with countries wishing to use the strait and its willingness to allow vessels from countries it regards as friendly to pass.

It treats the proposed Iranian-Omani agreement as practical recognition of Iran’s role in managing the inbound route to the Gulf, while emphasizing Tehran’s demands for the lifting of the blockade, sanctions relief, and guarantees that strikes will not resume.

The Russian press is also following projects designed to bypass the strait, most notably the expansion of Saudi Arabia’s East-West Pipeline, as the crisis has revived the need to diversify export routes.

The View from Moscow

The Russian narrative does not begin with “freedom of navigation” in the American sense, but with Iranian sovereignty and Tehran’s right to impose security arrangements within its waters.

This narrative serves Moscow’s broader position in confronting U.S. maritime influence.

What matters to Saudi Arabia is that Russia regards the Kingdom’s alternatives to Hormuz as a long-term transformation that could reshape the oil market and its routes, rather than merely a temporary solution.

New Delhi | Supply Security First

The Indian Express

The Indian press reads the crisis through India’s dependence on Gulf oil and the rising costs of imports and insurance.

It is also paying increasing attention to the threat in the Red Sea because a significant part of India’s trade with Europe passes through Bab Al-Mandab and the Suez Canal.

It is following the targeting of Saudi tankers in particular, along with the growing possibility that two passageways could be disrupted simultaneously and the effect this would have on crude prices and Indian inflation.

It also viewed reports of an approaching U.S.-Iran agreement from the perspective of Saudi concerns and Riyadh’s need for clarity in the security arrangements, rather than merely the announcement of another temporary truce.

The View from New Delhi

India does not want to choose a side in the war. It wants oil to arrive regularly and at an acceptable cost.

It will therefore support any formula that opens Hormuz, even if it grants Iran a partial role, provided that any fees or new arrangements do not become a permanent precedent.

Beijing | Energy, Minerals, and Alternatives

South China Morning Post

The newspaper focuses on the impact of Hormuz on China’s trade with Iran and the Gulf states. The crisis has caused a sharp decline in exports and imports and pushed China to increase its dependence on Russia, Malaysia, and Indonesia.

In a notable development today, reports emerged that China is sending scientists to Iran to work on the exploration and processing of rare-earth elements. This indicates that relations between Beijing and Tehran are moving beyond oil into the field of strategic minerals.

The newspaper is also following attacks against Saudi Arabia and the test facing its new defense agreement, with particular attention to Riyadh’s ability to secure oil destined for Asia.

Global Times

The newspaper presents the Chinese position as a call for a political solution. It argues that Beijing is distinguished by its relations with both Iran and the Gulf states and does not want the region divided into rival blocs.

It also highlights China’s rejection of attacks on Saudi civilian facilities and its affirmation that the Kingdom’s sovereignty and security must be respected.

Beyond the War in China

Alongside Hormuz, the Chinese press is celebrating the completion of the Chinese-made C919 aircraft’s first scheduled international commercial flight, a development reflecting Beijing’s progress in competing with the Western aviation industry.

This matters to Saudi Arabia as its aviation market expands, its national carriers grow, and major investments continue in airports and logistics. China could emerge in the future as a new supplier, partner, and competitor in this sector.

Tokyo | Rejecting Hormuz Fees

The Japan Times

The leading story concerns a telephone call lasting approximately 20 minutes between Japanese Prime Minister Sanae Takaichi and Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian.

During the call, Tokyo opposed the imposition of Iranian fees on passing vessels and urged Tehran to engage in responsible discussions with the international community.

The View from Tokyo

Japan is heavily dependent on Gulf oil. It therefore does not view Hormuz solely from the perspective of sovereignty, but fears the emergence of a new system that would make Asian energy supplies subject to variable political or security fees.

This increases the Kingdom’s importance to Japan as a reliable supplier, while simultaneously heightening the need to secure both the Gulf and Red Sea routes.

The Saudi Press | War and Development Together

The priorities of the local press today converge along two tracks:

Hormuz and Energy Security

Asharq Al-Awsat covered Trump’s declaration of total control over Hormuz, but it also published an analysis titled “The World’s Security Depends on the Security of Hormuz.”

The analysis raises the central question: Why has military success against Iran’s capabilities not translated into a political success that reopens the strait?

The newspaper also highlighted the decline in maritime traffic to just six vessels in one day, confirming that political statements have yet to correspond with the reality of navigation.

Aleqtisadiah is focusing on oil-price volatility and the decline in crude after six consecutive sessions of gains, amid stalled negotiations over reopening Hormuz and rising U.S. inventories.

Saudi Arabia in the Economy of the Future

Beyond the war, one prominent report places the Kingdom among the world’s ten leading countries for private investment in artificial intelligence, according to the World Bank’s World Development Report 2026.

The report described Saudi Arabia as an attractive destination for artificial intelligence talent and a model for government data integration.

This is a significant indication because the Kingdom is appearing in the international press today through two simultaneous images:

A country protecting energy security and maritime routes in wartime, and a country building its position in the artificial intelligence economy of the postwar era.

What Matters Most to Saudi Arabia

A review of these newspapers’ priorities reveals five issues that should be placed at the forefront of Saudi monitoring:

The Gap Between Control and Passage

Trump’s declaration of control does not mean that navigation has returned. The true indicators are the number of vessels, insurance costs, and the willingness of crews to make the crossing.

The Threat to Both Passageways

The greatest danger to the Kingdom is not Hormuz alone, but the possibility that its disruption could coincide with threats to Bab Al-Mandab and the Red Sea, placing additional pressure on alternative export routes.

The Defense Agreement

The Western press views the alliance between the Kingdom, Türkiye, and Pakistan as the nucleus of a new security order.

Its success will depend on translating the principle of mutual defense into executable command, armament, and response plans.

The Shift in Asia’s Position

Japan rejects transit fees, India seeks guaranteed supplies, and China is expanding its presence in Iran.

This creates an opportunity for Saudi diplomacy to build a broader Asian position that prevents either Iran or the United States from monopolizing the definition of Hormuz security.

The Post-Crisis Economy

While the world remains preoccupied with oil and war, the Kingdom is advancing in artificial intelligence, aviation, logistics, and investment.

Preserving this image is essential to ensure that international coverage does not reduce Saudi Arabia solely to its oil and security roles.

Monitoring Summary

The world today does not view Hormuz merely as a strait, but as a test of who has the authority to write the rules of the emerging regional order.

The United States says force has opened the route. Iran says geography gives it the right to regulate it. Europe fears energy shortages, Asia refuses to bear the cost of the conflict, and Russia is politically investing in weakening the American narrative.

The Kingdom is the country most closely connected to all these circles: its security is threatened from two directions, its oil is sought by everyone, its new alliances are being tested, and its economic transformation requires a stable regional environment.

What matters to Saudi Arabia is not only who opens the gate to Hormuz, but ensuring that its security, exports, and future do not remain dependent on a single gate.