Lead:

Saudi Arabia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has issued a formal and strongly worded condemnation of Iran's continued military attacks against Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan, reaffirming Riyadh's full solidarity with its Gulf and Arab partners. The statement arrives amid a broader regional security crisis, compounded by separate reporting indicating that Tehran has instructed the Houthi movement in Yemen to prepare to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait in the event of a United States strike on Iranian energy infrastructure.

Details:

According to Sabq, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs expressed the Kingdom's condemnation in the strongest possible terms, denouncing what it described as unjustified Iranian aggression against three Arab states. The statement underscored Saudi Arabia's unconditional support for the sovereignty and territorial integrity of Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan, signaling a unified Gulf front in response to Iranian military conduct.

Al-Yawm reports that informed sources have revealed a parallel and significant escalation: Iran has formally requested that the Houthi group in Yemen prepare contingency plans to seal off the Bab al-Mandab Strait should Washington launch an attack on Iranian energy installations. The strait is one of the world's most strategically critical maritime chokepoints, through which a substantial share of global oil and commercial shipping transits daily, making any such closure a matter of acute international concern.

Also reported by Sabq, Prince Khalid bin Salman bin Abdulaziz, Saudi Arabia's Minister of Defense, held a telephone call with Qatari Amir Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani to offer condolences on the passing of Sheikh Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani. Separately, Newsd reports that Prince Turki bin Faisal bin Abdulaziz traveled to Doha to convey the personal condolences of King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to the Qatari leadership, an engagement that underscores Riyadh's active diplomatic presence across the Gulf even amid security tensions.

Adding a further diplomatic dimension, Newsd also reports that Bahrain's Crown Prince and Prime Minister, Salman bin Hamad Al Khalifa, affirmed that Saudi-Bahraini relations continue to advance across all domains, praising the depth of bilateral coordination as both kingdoms face shared regional pressures.

Watch For:

Whether the United States will respond publicly to Iran's reported Bab al-Mandab directive, which could significantly alter the calculus of any military engagement with Tehran.

How Kuwait, Bahrain, and Jordan will formally respond to the Saudi condemnation statement, and whether a coordinated multilateral Arab position will be formalized through the Arab League or Gulf Cooperation Council.

The extent to which Iran's dual posture — direct attacks on neighboring Arab states alongside proxy escalation threats via the Houthis — will prompt an emergency convening of regional security bodies in the coming days.