Hizbollah supporters attend ceremony at the Sayda Zeinab Shiite Shrine in Damascus, in June 2021. AFP
Hizbollah supporters attend ceremony at the Sayda Zeinab Shiite Shrine in Damascus, in June 2021. AFP
Hizbollah supporters attend ceremony at the Sayda Zeinab Shiite Shrine in Damascus, in June 2021. AFP
Hizbollah supporters attend ceremony at the Sayda Zeinab Shiite Shrine in Damascus, in June 2021. AFP

Israel strikes pro-Iranian militia stronghold in Damascus


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Israeli planes have struck a suburb of Damascus in the latest attack on Iran's area of influence in Syria.

Syrian media quoted a military official as saying that several locations on the outskirts of Damascus were struck by Israel on Wednesday. The strikes “only caused material damage,” the official said.

The Lebanese television Maydeen said one of the strikes occurred in the Sayyidah Zaynab neighbourhood. The Israeli military did not comment on the strikes.

Militias allied with Tehran in Syria, Iraq, and Lebanon have increased their attacks on Israeli and US targets since Hamas, a militant group also linked to Tehran and the Muslim Brotherhood, attacked Israel on October 7, killing about 1,200 people. Israeli retaliation following the attack has killed more than 30,000 people.

Israel has also increased air strikes on Iranian sites and supply lines in Syria since October 7, hitting Damascus and Aleppo airports, as well as sites linked to Hezbollah, the militia backed by Syrian President Bashar Al and allied with Hamas against Israel.

Both the US and Iran have said they do not want to escalate a regional war, but violence has increased since Israel's ground incursion in Gaza.

Sayyidah Zaynab is home to a shrine that contains the grave of Zaynab, the daughter of Ali. It is an important pilgrimage for Shiite Muslims.

The Shiite group Hezbollah, which is based in Lebanon but supported by the Iranian and Syrian regimes, cited the protection of the shrine as its initial justification for entering the Syrian civil war in 2011-2012.

The area has since become a centre for Shiite militias from Iraq, Afghanistan, and Pakistan, many of which are backed by Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps.

Iran started increasing its military presence in Syria as the pro-democracy uprisings of 2011 led to a civil war in the country, with regional and international powers offering support to different parties.

Tehran and Moscow played a vital role in supporting the Assad regime and have retained an influential role in Syria.

Iran-backed groups have also been accused of smuggling weapons capable of striking Israel into Syria.

Israel is facing missile strikes from Hamas in Gaza and Hezbollah on its northern border in Lebanon. It has sought to limit attacks from Syria.

Since 2013, Israel has been carrying out air strikes to destroy such capabilities.

In 2019, Israeli politician Lt Gen Gadi Eisenkot acknowledged that Israel had struck “thousands” of targets within Syria, dropping 2,000 bombs in 2018.

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Rating: 4/5

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Brunch has been around, is some form or another, for more than a century. The word was first mentioned in print in an 1895 edition of Hunter’s Weekly, after making the rounds among university students in Britain. The article, entitled Brunch: A Plea, argued the case for a later, more sociable weekend meal. “By eliminating the need to get up early on Sunday, brunch would make life brighter for Saturday night carousers. It would promote human happiness in other ways as well,” the piece read. “It is talk-compelling. It puts you in a good temper, it makes you satisfied with yourself and your fellow beings, it sweeps away the worries and cobwebs of the week.” More than 100 years later, author Guy Beringer’s words still ring true, especially in the UAE, where brunches are often used to mark special, sociable occasions.

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Started: November 2017

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Investment: approximately $8 million

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If you go

The flights 

Emirates flies from Dubai to Funchal via Lisbon, with a connecting flight with Air Portugal. Economy class returns cost from Dh3,845 return including taxes.

The trip

The WalkMe app can be downloaded from the usual sources. If you don’t fancy doing the trip yourself, then Explore  offers an eight-day levada trails tour from Dh3,050, not including flights.

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There isn’t another hotel anywhere in Madeira that matches the history and luxury of the Belmond Reid's Palace in Funchal. Doubles from Dh1,400 per night including taxes.

 

 

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Updated: February 29, 2024, 12:54 PM