Riyadh's main airport is still shut. And in Hormuz, the IRGC says it's hit a third tanker. So far, that's the IRGC's word. New to this story? Here's where it stands. The Iran war has spilled into Yemen, where it's become a direct fight between the Houthi movement and the Saudi-led coalition. Houthi forces have besieged the city of Taiz. In recent days their missiles and drones have hit Saudi airports, including Riyadh's King Khalid International, killing and wounding travelers and staff. The US, UK, Canada, Japan, South Korea, Australia and New Zealand have all warned their citizens against travel to Saudi Arabia. This is Iran War Daily. Washington's choosing adjectives, the IMF just sent the region an invoice, and I wanna know who's actually signing for it. We'll start in Riyadh, and with exactly who's saying what. From Kristina Harazim and Enes Abuomer at Al Jazeera:
US President Donald Trump criticises Yemen’s Houthis for “misbehaving very badly” following a series of attacks on Saudi Arabian airports, including Riyadh’s King Khalid International and Dammam’s King Fahd International. Saudi Arabia extends the suspension of operations at King Khalid airport until Saturday after the repeated Houthi attacks, which killed at least 18 people.
"Misbehaving very badly." That's Trump on Houthi attacks on Riyadh's and Dammam's airports, attacks that have killed at least 18 people. Sounds like a note home from the principal. And that 18 needs care. As reported, it's a running total across the attacks on King Khalid in Riyadh and King Fahd in Dammam. It doesn't come from one strike. And those strikes have now kept Riyadh's main airport shut until Saturday. Until Saturday. A capital's main airport, dark most of the week. And on whether Washington actually joins in, last we heard it was "we may, we're gonna look at it." "Misbehaving" doesn't move that needle one inch. Right, it's a presidential characterization with no decision attached. Separate source, separate claim: coalition spokesman Turki al-Maliki says two Houthi ballistic missiles aimed at Khamis Mushait airbase were intercepted and destroyed. That's the coalition's own account of its defenses. Anadolu Agency, with Rania R.a. Abushamala:
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) navy said Monday that a third supertanker it described as “offending” was struck in the Strait of Hormuz in two days and caught fire. In a statement issued by its public relations office, the navy said the tanker was hit Monday morning after switching off its navigation system and ignoring warnings.
Third supertanker in two days, per the IRGC navy. Hit Monday morning, caught fire, and the reason they give is it switched off its navigation and ignored warnings. So, running dark gets you shot. And that's all the sourcing there is. One statement from the IRGC navy's public relations office. No tanker name, no flag, no operator, nothing on how it was struck. Until an owner or a flag state confirms it, three ships hit is Tehran's count. Sure, but you don't need a hull number to spook the market. And the line I'd underline is the threat at the bottom. Any commercial vessel cooperating with the US military in Hormuz or the Gulf faces something 'decisive.' So every captain out there now has to pick between taking an escort and being a target. That part I'd take at face value, because it's a stated intent with a named author. Whether three tankers actually burned, that's a separate question, and so far only one party's answering it. Al Jazeera writes:
The economy of the Middle East and Central Asia is set to shrink in 2026 amid the fallout of the US-Israel war on Iran, with countries such as Kuwait and Qatar facing double-digit contractions, according to the International Monetary Fund (IMF). The region’s gross domestic product (GDP) is forecast to contract by 0.3 percent this year, a sharp downgrade from the 1.9 percent expansion projected in April
So here's the invoice. IMF says Kuwait shrinks sixteen point seven percent this year, Iraq sixteen, Qatar fifteen point six. Those are depression numbers, in the very Gulf states hosting the bases, the airports, the tankers. That's from the IMF outlook out Tuesday. The region goes from a 1.9 percent growth forecast in April to a 0.3 contraction. It's the only region on the map projected to shrink in 2026. And the Fund pins it on prolonged disruption in Hormuz. Saudi's minus 3.3, and that's the cushioned version, with exports rerouted through the East-West pipeline. Meanwhile Iran's down seven point six. Tehran's taking a smaller hit than Kuwait. Somebody's exporting the pain next door. That's your read, Rich. The IMF puts the cost on shipping disruption. It doesn't name a villain. What I'd set it against is the tanker story we just heard: an IRGC claim with no vessel named, next to an independent number that tells you what all those claims are already costing. If you're finding Iran War Daily useful, please subscribe or leave a review wherever you're listening. Reviews help other people find the show, and your support helps us keep bringing you the latest.
We'll be watching whether Saudi Arabia reopens Riyadh's King Khalid International Airport on Saturday, when its extended suspension is due to end. Links to every story are in the show notes, so take a look at the ones you want to read more closely. That's Iran War Daily for today. This is a Lantern Podcast.