Palestinian Islamic Jihad, the militant group the Israeli military is targeting in its latest bombardment of the Gaza Strip, is an Iran-backed organisation with a long history of attacks on Israel.
Founded in 1981 by three Palestinian students who were studying in Egypt, the group shares Iran's goal of the destruction of Israel.
The founders — Fathi Shaqaqi, Abdul Aziz Odeh and Bashir Moussa — returned to Palestine after being expelled from Egypt following the assassination of Anwar Sadat in 1981. Shaqaqi had been arrested earlier by Egyptian authorities after writing a book in praise of Iran's 1979 Islamic Revolution and its leader, Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini.
After organising in the Israeli-occupied territories and elsewhere in the early 1980s, the group is believed to have carried out its first successful attack, the killing of an Israeli military police captain, in August 1987. This was a few months before the first Palestinian intifada, or uprising.
The following year, Israel expelled Shaqaqi and Odeh to Lebanon. While there, Shaqaqi developed ties with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps and Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah movement.
Designated as a terrorist organisation by the US and EU among others, Islamic Jihad is regarded as a sister organisation to Hamas, the Islamists who have controlled Gaza since 2007. Both were born out of the Muslim Brotherhood, the Islamist movement that was established in Egypt in the last century, and are supported by Iran.
Islamic Jihad formed its armed wing, known as the Al Quds Brigade, in 1992. Working in co-ordination the military wing of Hamas, the Ezzedine Al Qassam Brigades, it carried out a string of suicide bombings against Israeli targets in the 1990s in an attempt to derail the Oslo peace accords.
The group also claimed responsibility for many suicide bombings during the second Palestinian intifada from 2000 to 2005.
Among the deadliest attacks carried out by Islamic Jihad were the double suicide bombing of a military bus stop at Beit Lid near Netanya on January 22, 1995, which killed 19 and injured 69; the suicide bombing of a Tel Aviv shopping mall on March 4, 1996, which killed 20 and injured 75; the car bombing of a bus near Afula on June 5, 2002, which killed 17 people and injured 38; and the August 19, 2003 suicide bombing of a bus in Jerusalem which killed 21 people and injured more than 100.
Shaqaqi was assassinated by Israeli agents in Malta in 1995. Its current leader Ziad Al Nakhalah, was appointed after Israel assassinated his predecessor Baha Abu Al Ata in 2019.
Although primarily based in Gaza, Islamic Jihad also has a strong presence in the Israeli-occupied West Bank, particularly in the northern city of Jenin. Many of the group's senior leaders have been based in Damascus.
Israel insists the group's ties with Iran have deepened.
Prime Minister Yair Lapid said that Al Nakhalah was in Iran when he authorised "pre-emptive" strikes against the group on Friday, citing the threat of attacks.
"The head of Islamic Jihad is in Tehran as we speak," Mr Lapid said, just hours after Israeli jets killed Tayseer Al Jabari, one of the group's senior military leaders in Gaza.
Maj Gen Hossein Salami, the head of Iran's Revolutionary Guards, told Al Nakhalah on Saturday during a meeting in Tehran: "We are with you on this path until the end."
The Israeli military claim Islamic Jihad has a rocket arsenal comparable in size to that of Hamas, which was able to field an estimated 7,000 rockets during last year's war in Gaza. Analysts say the group's rockets have a shorter range however.
Although Islamic Jihad regularly operates in co-ordination with Hamas, notably during the 11-day war with Israel last May, the continuing conflict further highlights its independence.
Hamas has not fired rockets at Israel since the exchange of fire began on Friday.
In 2019, Hamas sat out fighting between Israel and Islamic Jihad that was triggered by the assassination Al Ata.
And whereas Hamas leaders have made statements softening their commitment to the destruction of Israel, the smaller organisation has made no such move and rejects any compromise.
How Apple's credit card works
The Apple Card looks different from a traditional credit card — there's no number on the front and the users' name is etched in metal. The card expands the company's digital Apple Pay services, marrying the physical card to a virtual one and integrating both with the iPhone. Its attributes include quick sign-up, elimination of most fees, strong security protections and cash back.
What does it cost?
Apple says there are no fees associated with the card. That means no late fee, no annual fee, no international fee and no over-the-limit fees. It also said it aims to have among the lowest interest rates in the industry. Users must have an iPhone to use the card, which comes at a cost. But they will earn cash back on their purchases — 3 per cent on Apple purchases, 2 per cent on those with the virtual card and 1 per cent with the physical card. Apple says it is the only card to provide those rewards in real time, so that cash earned can be used immediately.
What will the interest rate be?
The card doesn't come out until summer but Apple has said that as of March, the variable annual percentage rate on the card could be anywhere from 13.24 per cent to 24.24 per cent based on creditworthiness. That's in line with the rest of the market, according to analysts
What about security?
The physical card has no numbers so purchases are made with the embedded chip and the digital version lives in your Apple Wallet on your phone, where it's protected by fingerprints or facial recognition. That means that even if someone steals your phone, they won't be able to use the card to buy things.
Is it easy to use?
Apple says users will be able to sign up for the card in the Wallet app on their iPhone and begin using it almost immediately. It also tracks spending on the phone in a more user-friendly format, eliminating some of the gibberish that fills a traditional credit card statement. Plus it includes some budgeting tools, such as tracking spending and providing estimates of how much interest could be charged on a purchase to help people make an informed decision.
* Associated Press
MATCH INFO
Liverpool 4 (Salah (pen 4, 33', & pen 88', Van Dijk (20')
Leeds United 3 (Harrison 12', Bamford 30', Klich 66')
Man of the match Mohamed Salah (Liverpool)
Cricket World Cup League Two
Teams
Oman, UAE, Namibia
Al Amerat, Muscat
Results
Oman beat UAE by five wickets
UAE beat Namibia by eight runs
Namibia beat Oman by 52 runs
UAE beat Namibia by eight wickets
Fixtures
Saturday January 11 - UAE v Oman
Sunday January 12 – Oman v Namibia
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
Ferrari 12Cilindri specs
Engine: naturally aspirated 6.5-liter V12
Power: 819hp
Torque: 678Nm at 7,250rpm
Price: From Dh1,700,000
Available: Now
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
How to watch Ireland v Pakistan in UAE
When: The one-off Test starts on Friday, May 11
What time: Each day’s play is scheduled to start at 2pm UAE time.
TV: The match will be broadcast on OSN Sports Cricket HD. Subscribers to the channel can also stream the action live on OSN Play.
Dhadak 2
Director: Shazia Iqbal
Starring: Siddhant Chaturvedi, Triptii Dimri
Rating: 1/5
Red flags
- Promises of high, fixed or 'guaranteed' returns.
- Unregulated structured products or complex investments often used to bypass traditional safeguards.
- Lack of clear information, vague language, no access to audited financials.
- Overseas companies targeting investors in other jurisdictions - this can make legal recovery difficult.
- Hard-selling tactics - creating urgency, offering 'exclusive' deals.
Courtesy: Carol Glynn, founder of Conscious Finance Coaching
Paatal Lok season two
Directors: Avinash Arun, Prosit Roy
Stars: Jaideep Ahlawat, Ishwak Singh, Lc Sekhose, Merenla Imsong
Rating: 4.5/5
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The details
Colette
Director: Wash Westmoreland
Starring: Keira Knightley, Dominic West
Our take: 3/5
The specs
Engine: 3.0-litre six-cylinder turbo
Power: 398hp from 5,250rpm
Torque: 580Nm at 1,900-4,800rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed auto
Fuel economy, combined: 6.5L/100km
On sale: December
Price: From Dh330,000 (estimate)
Why are asylum seekers being housed in hotels?
The number of asylum applications in the UK has reached a new record high, driven by those illegally entering the country in small boats crossing the English Channel.
A total of 111,084 people applied for asylum in the UK in the year to June 2025, the highest number for any 12-month period since current records began in 2001.
Asylum seekers and their families can be housed in temporary accommodation while their claim is assessed.
The Home Office provides the accommodation, meaning asylum seekers cannot choose where they live.
When there is not enough housing, the Home Office can move people to hotels or large sites like former military bases.
MATCH INFO
What: 2006 World Cup quarter-final
When: July 1
Where: Gelsenkirchen Stadium, Gelsenkirchen, Germany
Result:
England 0 Portugal 0
(Portugal win 3-1 on penalties)
THREE
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Specs
Engine: Electric motor generating 54.2kWh (Cooper SE and Aceman SE), 64.6kW (Countryman All4 SE)
Power: 218hp (Cooper and Aceman), 313hp (Countryman)
Torque: 330Nm (Cooper and Aceman), 494Nm (Countryman)
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh158,000 (Cooper), Dh168,000 (Aceman), Dh190,000 (Countryman)
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-finals, first leg
Liverpool v Roma
When: April 24, 10.45pm kick-off (UAE)
Where: Anfield, Liverpool
Live: BeIN Sports HD
Second leg: May 2, Stadio Olimpico, Rome
Specs
Engine: 51.5kW electric motor
Range: 400km
Power: 134bhp
Torque: 175Nm
Price: From Dh98,800
Available: Now
The White Lotus: Season three
Creator: Mike White
Starring: Walton Goggins, Jason Isaacs, Natasha Rothwell
Rating: 4.5/5
Challenge Cup result:
1. UAE 3 faults
2. Ireland 9 faults
3. Brazil 11 faults
4. Spain 15 faults
5. Great Britain 17 faults
6. New Zealand 20 faults
7. Italy 26 faults
Bookshops: A Reader's History by Jorge Carrión (translated from the Spanish by Peter Bush),
Biblioasis
Lexus LX700h specs
Engine: 3.4-litre twin-turbo V6 plus supplementary electric motor
Power: 464hp at 5,200rpm
Torque: 790Nm from 2,000-3,600rpm
Transmission: 10-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 11.7L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh590,000
Youth YouTuber Programme
The programme will be presented over two weeks and will cover the following topics:
- Learning, scripting, storytelling and basic shots
- Master on-camera presence and advanced script writing
- Beating the algorithm and reaching your core audience
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MATCH INFO
Sheffield United 3
Fleck 19, Mousset 52, McBurnie 90
Manchester United 3
Williams 72, Greenwood 77, Rashford 79
