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As missiles and drones streaked through the skies over the Middle East, a coalition of nations led by the US rushed to Israel’s defence to thwart Iran’s attack.
For the first time, Tehran on Saturday launched missiles from its territory at Israel. In total, Iran sent more than 300 projectiles, launched from Iran, Iraq, Syria and Yemen towards Israel.
It was a huge salvo, and one that Israel, with the help of the US and a loose coalition of states including Middle East partners, was able to almost entirely stop.
The attack was in retaliation for Israel’s April 1 strike on the Iranian embassy compound in Damascus, which killed several high-ranking members of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps including Brig Gen Mohammad Reza Zahedi, who led Iran's operations in Lebanon and Syria.
Israel claims its multilayered defence system and the efforts of other countries stopped 99 per cent of the missiles and drones, limiting the damage caused and preventing any fatalities.
Two US Navy destroyers took out more than 80 one-way attack drones and at least six ballistic missiles, according to the Pentagon.
The British Royal Air Force intercepted Iranian drones in Syrian and Iraqi airspace, as did France.
And the Jordanians shot down Iranian drones that had breached their airspace.
“This was an unprecedented Iranian attack,” a senior Biden administration official said.
“It was also an extraordinary feat of military prowess and co-operation with partners in defeating it.”
The US has spent years trying to develop an integrated air-defence system that could protect against just this kind of attack.
“Over the past couple decades actually, the US has tried to create this kind of regional air and missile defence umbrella particularly with the Gulf Co-operation Council, but also to kind of pull in Israel into that as well,” said Shaan Shaikh, of the Centre for Strategic and International Studies.
Quiet co-operation
In 2021, after the signing of the Abraham Accords under the Trump administration, Israel was absorbed into US Central Command's area of responsibility, which also includes many Arab states.
The move has helped to streamline communications between militaries.
“It’s clearly a sea change since Israel got integrated into the Centcom area of operations,” said Firas Maksad, of the Middle East Institute in Washington.
The loose coalition is part of Washington’s efforts to build on the Abraham Accords and better integrate Israel into the region.
Dana Stroul, who until recently was the Pentagon's top civilian official in charge of the Middle East, said the response to the Iranian attack was a “proof of concept” that showed years of diplomacy and confidence building, “as well as the agreements to share information and stitch together operational capabilities are actually bearing fruit”.
But Arab countries have been reluctant to discuss the extent to which they assisted in Saturday's operation, given tensions over Israel's continued war in Gaza, where nearly 34,000 people have been killed, according to local health authorities.
The war started in response to Hamas-led attacks in southern Israel on October 7, in which some 1,200 people were killed, according to Israeli tallies.
When asked about Baghdad's role in Saturday's operations, Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia Al Sudani told reporters he does not want his country involved in any escalation, and he declined to say whether Iraqi forces had been tracking the Iranian missiles.
“It was a very successful display of combined military force brought together against a shared enemy, even if some of the participants weren't willing to talk about it,” said Cole Bunzel, a fellow at the Hoover Institution at Stanford University.
US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin praised the coalition's response.
“That doesn’t happen at the 11th hour, that happens because countries are working together, making sure that we have the right procedures and processes in place to enable us to do that,” Mr Austin said.
Iran's attack on Israel – in pictures
Jake Sullivan, White House National Security Adviser, said the US is working to “expand the successful integration of air and missile defence and early warning systems across the Middle East, to further erode the effectiveness of Iran’s missile and [attack drone] capabilities”.
Immediately after Israel's strike on Damascus, the US began preparing for possible Iranian retaliation, moving military assets in the region
But despite countries co-ordinating to thwart Iran, it is unlikely this will herald a broader rapprochement between Israel and Arab countries.
“Many in the Gulf, Saudi Arabia in particular, have been very clear that there will not be much progress in terms of an overt diplomatic relationship between the Gulf and Israel, Saudi Arabia in particular here, absent significant progress on the Palestinian track,” Mr Maksad told The National.
Israel is considering its response to Iran’s retaliatory strike, and another attack could further strain its relations with the rest of the region.
“This is a fraught moment for whether or not we are able to move forward with what should be a shared priorities, integration and normalisation,” Ms Stroul told The National.
“That is why I think the Israelis are really thinking very carefully about what and how and when they respond to the Iranian attack on their territory.”
Israel is now facing an unusual scenario: the same partners that rushed to defend it against Iran are now the ones now calling for restraint.
“Every capital in the region is making it very clear that they seek de-escalation and don't want to conventional conflict,” Ms Stroul said.
“Israel is going to have to take those views into account if it also believes that its security is best protected and defended through integration and normalisation.”
Israel has long boasted of its ability to defend itself unilaterally, so the idea of working with partners is a new concept, Ms Stroul noted.
“It is not yet clear whether or not Israeli decision-making will shift to accommodate and try to strengthen what could be an emerging coalition or whether they will undertake certain unilateral actions that many will see as opening another cycle of escalation across the region,” she said.
Further compounding matters is a possible impending invasion of Rafah, the last refuge for more than one million Palestinians who have already fled from elsewhere in the densely populated enclave, that would put Israel at odds with US President Joe Biden and much of the region as well.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
AIR
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Volvo ES90 Specs
Engine: Electric single motor (96kW), twin motor (106kW) and twin motor performance (106kW)
Power: 333hp, 449hp, 680hp
Torque: 480Nm, 670Nm, 870Nm
On sale: Later in 2025 or early 2026, depending on region
Price: Exact regional pricing TBA
STAR%20WARS%20JEDI%3A%20SURVIVOR
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EDeveloper%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Respawn%20Entertainment%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EPublisher%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Electronic%20Arts%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EConsoles%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20PC%2C%20Playstation%205%2C%20Xbox%20Series%20X%20and%20S%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ERating%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%204%2F5%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The specS: 2018 Toyota Camry
Price: base / as tested: Dh91,000 / Dh114,000
Engine: 3.5-litre V6
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 298hp @ 6,600rpm
Torque: 356Nm @ 4,700rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 7.0L / 100km
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Our legal advisor
Ahmad El Sayed is Senior Associate at Charles Russell Speechlys, a law firm headquartered in London with offices in the UK, Europe, the Middle East and Hong Kong.
Experience: Commercial litigator who has assisted clients with overseas judgments before UAE courts. His specialties are cases related to banking, real estate, shareholder disputes, company liquidations and criminal matters as well as employment related litigation.
Education: Sagesse University, Beirut, Lebanon, in 2005.
Labour dispute
The insured employee may still file an ILOE claim even if a labour dispute is ongoing post termination, but the insurer may suspend or reject payment, until the courts resolve the dispute, especially if the reason for termination is contested. The outcome of the labour court proceedings can directly affect eligibility.
- Abdullah Ishnaneh, Partner, BSA Law
Poacher
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HOW TO WATCH
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Kat Wightman's tips on how to create zones in large spaces
- Area carpets or rugs are the easiest way to segregate spaces while also unifying them.
- Lighting can help define areas. Try pendant lighting over dining tables, and side and floor lamps in living areas.
- Keep the colour palette the same in a room, but combine different tones and textures in different zone. A common accent colour dotted throughout the space brings it together.
- Don’t be afraid to use furniture to break up the space. For example, if you have a sofa placed in the middle of the room, a console unit behind it will give good punctuation.
- Use a considered collection of prints and artworks that work together to form a cohesive journey.
The Buckingham Murders
Starring: Kareena Kapoor Khan, Ash Tandon, Prabhleen Sandhu
Director: Hansal Mehta
Rating: 4 / 5
More from Neighbourhood Watch:
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
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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The view from The National
The specs
Engine: 2x201bhp AC Permanent-magnetic electric
Transmission: n/a
Power: 402bhp
Torque: 659Nm
Price estimate: Dh200,000
On sale: Q3 2022
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
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The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
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Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
What can victims do?
Always use only regulated platforms
Stop all transactions and communication on suspicion
Save all evidence (screenshots, chat logs, transaction IDs)
Report to local authorities
Warn others to prevent further harm
Courtesy: Crystal Intelligence
Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
The specs: Volvo XC40
Price: base / as tested: Dh185,000
Engine: 2.0-litre, turbocharged in-line four-cylinder
Gearbox: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 250hp @ 5,500rpm
Torque: 350Nm @ 1,500rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 10.4L / 100km
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Three ways to get a gratitude glow
By committing to at least one of these daily, you can bring more gratitude into your life, says Ong.
- During your morning skincare routine, name five things you are thankful for about yourself.
- As you finish your skincare routine, look yourself in the eye and speak an affirmation, such as: “I am grateful for every part of me, including my ability to take care of my skin.”
- In the evening, take some deep breaths, notice how your skin feels, and listen for what your skin is grateful for.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
