Despite a string of victories over al-Qaida in the Arabian Peninsula, a team of U.S. troops on the ground in Yemen will remain in place for now, a top Pentagon official said. – Military Times
Saudi Arabia will continue to meet rising demand for its oil and press ahead with global expansion plans in spite of the “challenging” backdrop for the industry. – Financial Times
Saudi Arabia intercepted a ballistic missile fired from Yemen on Monday, but a Saudi-led military coalition said it would maintain a shaky truce despite the "serious escalation" by the Houthi militia and its allies, state news agency SPA said. - Reuters
Sarah Kaiser-Cross and Ellen Scholl write: [I]f the Saudis can successfully navigate a strategy in which they increase transparency and accountability while locking in more oil revenue now to invest in a diversified future, they just might pave the way for a smooth transition. However, if they keep both feet firmly planted in past policies — resource rents and repression — both might backfire. – Foreign Policy’s Shadow Government
Mr. Naimi was unceremoniously ousted over the weekend, replaced as part of the new order in Saudi Arabia led by King Salman, aimed at a sweeping, if long-term, modernization of the country’s economy. Mr. Naimi’s successor, Khalid al-Falih, is a big supporter of the king’s agenda and now will be charged with the complicated task of sharply cutting the state’s persistent dependence on oil. – New York Times