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U.S. strategic reserves are getting so low the drawdown threatens to damage the 60 underground salt caverns storing American oil

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A dropout living in a trailer, he got $1 million from Peter Thiel at 19—now he's a billionaire who says the American Dream isn't dead

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Billionaire Gen Zer dropped out of high school to launch his startup at 17—now he’s the richest self-made 25-year-old in the U.K and all of Europe

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U.S. strategic reserves are getting so low the drawdown threatens to damage the 60 underground salt caverns storing American oil

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A dropout living in a trailer, he got $1 million from Peter Thiel at 19—now he's a billionaire who says the American Dream isn't dead

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Billionaire Gen Zer dropped out of high school to launch his startup at 17—now he’s the richest self-made 25-year-old in the U.K and all of Europe
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Middle East

Fortune Gulf Brief is Fortune's weekly Tuesday newsletter covering business, investment, and economic trends across the Middle East, written by Fortune writer Melissa Hancock. It delivers expert analysis on the deals, leaders, and policies shaping the GCC region for global executives. Sign up here.
Trump pivoted from bombs to an economic war against Iran. But Tehran is now ‘fully offensive’ and doesn’t think the real fighting has even started yet
Trump pivoted from bombs to an economic war against Iran. But Tehran is now ‘fully offensive’ and doesn’t think the real fighting has even started yet

Unless the U.S. implements the June ceasefire deal in a few weeks, Iran will launch a “timely and precise” ​attack to break the blockade, an Iranian official told Reuters.

By Jason MaAugust 17, 2026
Iran’s oil is trapped while rivals’ exports from the Persian Gulf are poised to surge, but Tehran could do whatever it takes to break the choke hold
Iran’s oil is trapped while rivals’ exports from the Persian Gulf are poised to surge, but Tehran could do whatever it takes to break the choke hold
By Jason MaAugust 16, 2026
Iran business leader admits U.S. blockade will inflict more economic damage than war, and the ‘worst thing that could happen’ is trying to evade it
Iran business leader admits U.S. blockade will inflict more economic damage than war, and the ‘worst thing that could happen’ is trying to evade it
By Jason MaAugust 15, 2026
The Gulf’s AI boom is driving the race to control the data highways
The Gulf’s AI boom is driving the race to control the data highways
By Melissa HancockAugust 12, 2026
The Gulf wants to break free from the world’s data chokepoints
The Gulf wants to break free from the world’s data chokepoints
By Melissa HancockAugust 12, 2026
Trump is betting that the U.S. naval blockade choking Iran’s economy can achieve what bombs and missiles couldn’t as more oil sneaks out of the Gulf
Trump is betting that the U.S. naval blockade choking Iran’s economy can achieve what bombs and missiles couldn’t as more oil sneaks out of the Gulf
By Jason MaAugust 9, 2026
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By Joshua HongAugust 18, 2026
More Middle East
Iranian officials are worried the U.S. blockade will cause an economic collapse and admit sanctions relief is desperately needed
Middle East
Iranian officials are worried the U.S. blockade will cause an economic collapse and admit sanctions relief is desperately needed
By Jason MaAugust 8, 2026
The emerging deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz reportedly recognizes Iran’s control—and the U.S. may have to accept it
Middle East
The emerging deal to reopen the Strait of Hormuz reportedly recognizes Iran’s control—and the U.S. may have to accept it
By Jason MaAugust 7, 2026
Qatar’s Ooredoo, Nvidia, and Nokia unveil multi-billion-dollar AI compute platform—and Southeast Asia is their target
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Qatar’s Ooredoo, Nvidia, and Nokia unveil multi-billion-dollar AI compute platform—and Southeast Asia is their target
By Melissa HancockAugust 6, 2026
Could a UN-backed plan to reopen Hormuz break the deadlock? 
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Could a UN-backed plan to reopen Hormuz break the deadlock? 
By Melissa HancockAugust 4, 2026
As Trump balks again at escalating war, Iran smells ‘blood in the water’ and looks to exploit its newfound strategic advantage, experts say
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As Trump balks again at escalating war, Iran smells ‘blood in the water’ and looks to exploit its newfound strategic advantage, experts say
By Jason MaAugust 2, 2026
Welcome to the mega-war: Mideast and European conflicts merge, sucking in more countries along the way—even ones claiming neutrality
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Welcome to the mega-war: Mideast and European conflicts merge, sucking in more countries along the way—even ones claiming neutrality
By Jason MaAugust 1, 2026
Jeff Zucker is banking on the UAE to help build his new $8 billion entertainment empire
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Jeff Zucker is banking on the UAE to help build his new $8 billion entertainment empire
By Melissa HancockJuly 28, 2026
‘The UAE has been a fantastic investor’: Jeff Zucker hails UAE partnership after Banijay merger
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‘The UAE has been a fantastic investor’: Jeff Zucker hails UAE partnership after Banijay merger
By Melissa HancockJuly 28, 2026
Record heat gives way to global winter gas shortage fears as Iran war rages on
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Record heat gives way to global winter gas shortage fears as Iran war rages on
By Jordan BlumJuly 28, 2026
Mideast oil may soon have no way out amid ‘everything everywhere all at once’ wars, but the crisis in refined products is even worse
Middle East
Mideast oil may soon have no way out amid ‘everything everywhere all at once’ wars, but the crisis in refined products is even worse
By Jason MaJuly 26, 2026
Ukraine’s attack on an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea could signal a new battlefront as U.S. seeks to form ‘a ring of economic and military pressure’
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Ukraine’s attack on an Iranian ship in the Caspian Sea could signal a new battlefront as U.S. seeks to form ‘a ring of economic and military pressure’
By Jason MaJuly 26, 2026
Trump pulls back after Iran crosses his red line as U.S. military breaks two-week streak of air strikes amid talks for potential Hormuz deal
Middle East
Trump pulls back after Iran crosses his red line as U.S. military breaks two-week streak of air strikes amid talks for potential Hormuz deal
By Jason MaJuly 25, 2026
Money talks—as the Iran war continues, options for the Strait of Hormuz are coalescing around one solution— tolls
Middle East
Money talks—as the Iran war continues, options for the Strait of Hormuz are coalescing around one solution— tolls
By Melissa HancockJuly 21, 2026
Shipping transits slow to a trickle as Strait of Hormuz faces “worst-case scenario” 
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Shipping transits slow to a trickle as Strait of Hormuz faces “worst-case scenario” 
By Melissa HancockJuly 21, 2026
Markets brace for return to all-out war in Iran amid rising U.S. death toll, while former NATO commander warns Suez Canal could be next
Middle East
Markets brace for return to all-out war in Iran amid rising U.S. death toll, while former NATO commander warns Suez Canal could be next
By Jason MaJuly 19, 2026
U.S. military announces the death of another service member, blaming the ‘controlled detonation’ of a downed Iranian drone in Iraq
Middle East
U.S. military announces the death of another service member, blaming the ‘controlled detonation’ of a downed Iranian drone in Iraq
By Jon Gambrell, Sam Metz, Ben Finley and The Associated PressJuly 19, 2026
The world is looking ahead toward a post-Iran oil market that offsets most Hormuz volumes in a few years as ships reject a U.S.-backed alternate route
Middle East
The world is looking ahead toward a post-Iran oil market that offsets most Hormuz volumes in a few years as ships reject a U.S.-backed alternate route
By Jason MaJuly 19, 2026
Iran claims U.S. hit its nuclear site — satellite images show mostly dirt. But return to all-out war is nearly inevitable
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Iran claims U.S. hit its nuclear site — satellite images show mostly dirt. But return to all-out war is nearly inevitable
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Iran just crossed Trump’s red line for resuming all-out war as fighting continues to escalate with no end in sight
Middle East
Iran just crossed Trump’s red line for resuming all-out war as fighting continues to escalate with no end in sight
By Jason MaJuly 18, 2026
U.S. military launches new airstrikes to ‘swiftly punish’ Iran for attack on Jordan that killed American troops
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Amid the Gulf’s increasingly competitive landscape, Bahrain is carving out a distinct investment strategy
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Bahrain EDB bids to win investors despite mounting headwinds 
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Trump takes a page from Iran’s playbook on the Strait of Hormuz, leveraging U.S. influence over the contested chokepoint to generate revenue
Middle East
Trump takes a page from Iran’s playbook on the Strait of Hormuz, leveraging U.S. influence over the contested chokepoint to generate revenue
By Jason MaJuly 13, 2026
The ‘facade’ of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire crumbles after largest round of fighting in months — ‘an undeclared naval war can escalate’
Middle East
The ‘facade’ of the U.S.-Iran ceasefire crumbles after largest round of fighting in months — ‘an undeclared naval war can escalate’
By Jason MaJuly 12, 2026
The U.S. and Iran can’t agree on fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The solution could be straight out of the Old Testament
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The U.S. and Iran can’t agree on fully reopening the Strait of Hormuz. The solution could be straight out of the Old Testament
By Jason MaJuly 11, 2026
Top Iranian officials admitted to the supreme leader that the U.S. naval blockade was crushing the economy, report says, as Trump eyes reimposing it
Middle East
Top Iranian officials admitted to the supreme leader that the U.S. naval blockade was crushing the economy, report says, as Trump eyes reimposing it
By Jason MaJuly 10, 2026
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‘It’s fair to ask whether it was worth it’: The Iran war has cost Americans $1,000 per household—and that’s a conservative estimate, Mark Zandi says
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The Iran conflict saw jet fuel prices soar—when you use 1.88 million tonnes a year, how you respond really matters (just ask DHL)
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Billionaire Gen Zer dropped out of high school to launch his startup at 17—now he’s the richest self-made 25-year-old in the U.K and all of Europeplaceholder alt text
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