Iran issued dramatic new demands around the reopening of the Strait of Hormuz, and the United Arab Emirates said one of its ships was targeted by an Iranian missile. Yemen’s military attacked the country's Iranian-backed Houthi rebels. And Turkey’s Kurdish peace bill won approval in parliament.

Iran has criticised the newly signed Mecca Joint Defence Agreement involving Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and Turkey. Tehran says lasting security depends on policy changes, not military partnerships.

The United Arab Emirates' Abu Dhabi National Oil Company said one of its ships was targeted while transiting the strait on Saturday.

By Timour Azhari, Ariba Shahid and Tuvan Gumrukcu RIYADH/KARACHI/ANKARA, Aug 7 - Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkey signed a joint defence agreement in Mecca on Friday, wedding Sunni Muslim U.S. allies alarmed at a regional conflagration that has brought Iranian missile fire onto Gulf oil exporters.

The U.S. military has launched a series of strikes against Iranian targets after three merchant ships were struck in the waters off Oman. In a statement posted to social media, U.S. Central