The Middle East has just witnessed another unexpected and unwanted first. By directly hitting targets in Yemen for the first time, Israel has followed up on its unprecedented April 1 strike on Iran’s embassy complex in Damascus. At a time of intense volatility, the sight of Israeli warplanes conducting a bombing raid at the far end of the Arabian Peninsula should make it clear that the danger facing the region is widespread.
Yemen’s Houthi militants chalked up their own first, with the rebels claiming responsibility for an explosive drone that reached Tel Aviv on Friday, killing one person. Yesterday, the Israeli army said it intercepted a surface-to-surface missile launched from Yemen on Sunday morning as residents of the southern Israeli city of Eilat reported hearing sirens. More dangerously escalatory tit-for-tat attacks are not unlikely.
The Houthis and their supporters will play up the propaganda value and symbolism of hitting Israel directly. Indeed, this may find purchase among some people in the region who are understandably furious and frustrated at the protracted suffering being endured by the Palestinians. But the Houthis’ strikes against Israel and international shipping in the Red Sea have not altered Israel’s military or political agenda one iota; Palestine’s Wafa news agency has reported that 15 people were killed in Israeli strikes on Gaza overnight on Sunday.
Instead, by attempting to strike Israel directly for months and eventually succeeding, the Houthis all but guaranteed a military response. Israel has a track record of repeatedly hitting targets in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq – why would Yemen be spared? The strikes around the port of Hodeidah threaten the main entry point for humanitarian aid to support Yemen’s suffering people. As the Houthis up the ante in their search for relevance, a vulnerable facility for getting essential supplies to Yemeni civilians finds itself in the firing line.
The Houthis are aware of the price to be paid by Yemen’s people for their adventurism. The militants know their air defences have been degraded by months of strikes that followed their attacks on Red Sea shipping. The rebels’ bunkers and defensive structures are reserved for their military assets and fighters, not the country’s civilians. It is ordinary Yemenis who have been bearing the brunt of the Houthis’ irresponsible actions for years. Poverty, malnutrition and lack of health care have led to situations such as that described last week by the UN Population Fund in which a woman in Yemen dies every two hours during pregnancy or childbirth.
Like other militias in Lebanon, Iraq and Syria, the Houthis act mainly as a disruptor. When it comes to governing, revolutionary rhetoric replaces taking responsibility for protecting, feeding and educating communities living under their rule.
In the long run, the decades-long occupation of Palestine must end to get all sides on a path away from destruction
For its part, as Israel has to be seen to respond to attacks on its cities, by bombing Yemen – and several other Arab countries – it shuts down any political route for those who oppose the Houthis or similar militant organisations that have repeatedly let them down. Reports that three people died and 80 were wounded in Israel’s strike on Hodeidah will likely serve to rally support behind the Houthis, despite whatever misgivings ordinary Yemenis may have about them.
Ultimately it is civilians whose fate is in the hands of militarists and power plays from different regional forces. As the fire lit in Gaza continues to spread, it is they who will pay the price as this regional war escalates further. And in the long run, the decades-long occupation of Palestine must end to get all sides on a path away from destruction for all the civilians of the region.
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
SERIE A FIXTURES
Friday Sassuolo v Torino (Kick-off 10.45pm UAE)
Saturday Atalanta v Sampdoria (5pm),
Genoa v Inter Milan (8pm),
Lazio v Bologna (10.45pm)
Sunday Cagliari v Crotone (3.30pm)
Benevento v Napoli (6pm)
Parma v Spezia (6pm)
Fiorentina v Udinese (9pm)
Juventus v Hellas Verona (11.45pm)
Monday AC Milan v AS Roma (11.45pm)
THE SPECS
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: seven-speed dual clutch
Power: 710bhp
Torque: 770Nm
Speed: 0-100km/h 2.9 seconds
Top Speed: 340km/h
Price: Dh1,000,885
On sale: now
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If you go
Flying
Despite the extreme distance, flying to Fairbanks is relatively simple, requiring just one transfer in Seattle, which can be reached directly from Dubai with Emirates for Dh6,800 return.
Touring
Gondwana Ecotours’ seven-day Polar Bear Adventure starts in Fairbanks in central Alaska before visiting Kaktovik and Utqiarvik on the North Slope. Polar bear viewing is highly likely in Kaktovik, with up to five two-hour boat tours included. Prices start from Dh11,500 per person, with all local flights, meals and accommodation included; gondwanaecotours.com
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
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Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
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Need to know
When: October 17 until November 10
Cost: Entry is free but some events require prior registration
Where: Various locations including National Theatre (Abu Dhabi), Abu Dhabi Cultural Center, Zayed University Promenade, Beach Rotana (Abu Dhabi), Vox Cinemas at Yas Mall, Sharjah Youth Center
What: The Korea Festival will feature art exhibitions, a B-boy dance show, a mini K-pop concert, traditional dance and music performances, food tastings, a beauty seminar, and more.
For more information: www.koreafestivaluae.com
Match info:
Manchester City 2
Sterling (8'), Walker (52')
Newcastle United 1
Yedlin (30')
Common OCD symptoms and how they manifest
Checking: the obsession or thoughts focus on some harm coming from things not being as they should, which usually centre around the theme of safety. For example, the obsession is “the building will burn down”, therefore the compulsion is checking that the oven is switched off.
Contamination: the obsession is focused on the presence of germs, dirt or harmful bacteria and how this will impact the person and/or their loved ones. For example, the obsession is “the floor is dirty; me and my family will get sick and die”, the compulsion is repetitive cleaning.
Orderliness: the obsession is a fear of sitting with uncomfortable feelings, or to prevent harm coming to oneself or others. Objectively there appears to be no logical link between the obsession and compulsion. For example,” I won’t feel right if the jars aren’t lined up” or “harm will come to my family if I don’t line up all the jars”, so the compulsion is therefore lining up the jars.
Intrusive thoughts: the intrusive thought is usually highly distressing and repetitive. Common examples may include thoughts of perpetrating violence towards others, harming others, or questions over one’s character or deeds, usually in conflict with the person’s true values. An example would be: “I think I might hurt my family”, which in turn leads to the compulsion of avoiding social gatherings.
Hoarding: the intrusive thought is the overvaluing of objects or possessions, while the compulsion is stashing or hoarding these items and refusing to let them go. For example, “this newspaper may come in useful one day”, therefore, the compulsion is hoarding newspapers instead of discarding them the next day.
Source: Dr Robert Chandler, clinical psychologist at Lighthouse Arabia
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Director: Jesse Armstrong
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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
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Results
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Starring: Sydney Elizebeth Agudong, Maia Kealoha, Chris Sanders
Director: Dean Fleischer Camp
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Shane McMahon defeated Roman Reigns
Lars Sullivan won by disqualification against Lucha House Party
Randy Orton beats Triple H
Braun Strowman beats Bobby Lashley
Kofi Kingston wins against Dolph Zigggler to retain the WWE World Heavyweight Championship
Mansoor Al Shehail won the 50-man Battle Royal
The Undertaker beat Goldberg
THE SPECS
Engine: Four-cylinder 2.5-litre
Transmission: Seven-speed auto
Power: 165hp
Torque: 241Nm
Price: Dh99,900 to Dh134,000
On sale: now
