Houthis target Saudi oil facilities as Iran proposes a 7-day truce

As Chinese leader Xi Jinping concludes his three-day state visit to Washington, Beijing’s incremental support of Tehran threatens to undermine Donald Trump’s pressure campaign. On today’s episode of Iran: the Latest, host Sophia Yan speaks with China military expert Meia Nouwens to break down Beijing’s strategic calculus in the Middle East, how China benefits from the US getting bogged down in a regional war, and preparations for potential future wartime chokepoints in the Strait of Malacca. Plus, Iran-backed Houthi strikes hit Saudi Arabia’s state-owned Aramco facilities, driving up crude oil prices and prompting an emergency meeting amongst Saudi, Turkish, and Pakistani military chiefs. Meanwhile, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi proposes a seven-day truce to Washington, demanding a halt to all hostilities, $12 billion in frozen assets to be released and an end to the US naval blockade – pre-conditions to reopen Hormuz. #IranWar #USChinaRelations #XiJinping #DonaldTrump #MiddleEastCrisis #Houthis #SaudiArabia #Geopolitics #NewsUpdate #DefenseNews #TaiwanStrait #internationalrelations CHAPTERS 00:00 - Introduction & News Briefing 00:35 - Houthi Strikes in Saudi Arabia & Regional Defensive Moves 02:06 - Iran Proposes 7-Day Truce to the U.S. 03:44 - Iranian President Addresses the Conflict 04:21 - Diplomatic Developments at the UN (UK & Israel Speeches) 05:05 - Regional Impact of U.S. Sanctions & Flight Suspensions 05:41 - Analysis: Xi Jinping's U.S. State Visit Overview 07:08 - Why China Continues Supporting Iran Amid Sanctions 08:59 - Tech CEOs at the State Dinner: Messaging & Optics 09:53 - Future Trump-Xi Summits & Rebuilding Bilateral Trust 12:32 - Xi's Strategy on Taiwan Red Lines and Conflict Avoidance 14:44 - What China & Asia are Learning from the Iran War 16:39 - Economic Consequences of Potential Maritime Chokepoint Blockades 19:08 - Overview of China’s Rapid Military Modernization & PLA Weaknesses 22:54 - China as an Economic Lifeline for Iran & Dual-Use Supplies 24:58 - PLA Self-Sufficiency & Reliance on Foreign Technology 27:41 - Impact of a Reduced U.S. Footprint in the Middle East 31:56 - China's Growing Ambitions as a Global Defense Exporter CONTRIBUTORS: Sophia Yan, co-host and senior foreign correspondent @sophia_yan Meia Nouwens, Senior Fellow, International Institute for Strategic Studies, @MeiaNouwens WATCH US ON YOUTUBE:    • Iran: The Latest |  Podcast | The Telegraph   CONTENT REFERENCED: Miliband warns Iran: Britain will not tolerate intimidation https://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/2026... Iran’s supreme leader is alive, president insists https://www.telegraph.co.uk/world-new... Winner Best News and Analysis Podcast - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Nominated Podcast of the Year - Society of Editors News Podcasts Awards 2026 Nominated Best News, Politics and Current Affairs - British Podcast Awards 2026 The Telegraph, Winner Podcast Publisher of the Year 2026 - Publisher Podcast Awards 2026 Audio Producer: Max Bower Video Producer: Peter Shevlin Researcher and Social Producer: Anna Hindmarsh Executive Producer: Venetia Rainey ► Sign up to our most popular newsletter, From the Editor. Look forward to receiving free-thinking comment and the day's biggest stories, every morning. telegraph.co.uk/fromtheeditor ► EMAIL US: Contact the team on battlelines@telegraph.co.uk ► GET THE LATEST HEADLINES: Find all our latest Iran coverage here: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/iran-war/ ► Sign up to the Telegraph's free new daily newsletter, From the Editor, bringing you the latest news, features and analysis from the Telegraph newsroom: www.telegraph.co.uk/customer/secure/newsletter/from-the-editor/?WT.mc_id=tmgoff_youtube_telegraphmain ► Get the latest headlines: www.telegraph.co.uk?WT.mc_id=tmgoff_youtube_telegraphmain ► Stay ahead with a Telegraph digital subscription: https://www.telegraph.co.uk/customer/... https://www.telegraph.co.uk/ and    / telegraph   are websites of The Telegraph, the UK's best-selling quality daily newspaper providing news and analysis on UK and world events, business, sport, lifestyle and culture.