Browsing: Region
The Saudi Ministry of Defence announced on Sunday the interception and destruction of a cruise missile in recent hours.This came in a statement by spokesperson of the Ministry of Defence Major General Staff Turki Al Maliki.Two days ago, the Saudi Ministry of Defence announced the interception and destruction of six drones. Source link
The Bahrain Petroleum Company, BAPCO Energies, announced that a tank caught fire at one of its storage facilities on Sunday following an Iranian drone attack. No injuries were reported.In a statement, BAPCO said the fire has been fully extinguished and the situation is under control. Damages are currently being assessed.Emergency response teams acted immediately, working closely with Civil Defense and relevant authorities to contain the incident and secure the site, it added.Earlier, Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior announced that a fire at a facility, resulting from an Iranian attack, had been brought under control. Source link
Gulf states recorded a sharp rise in renewable energy output in 2024, driven by rapid expansion in solar and wind capacity, according to a GCC Statistical Center's report.The report highlighted major shifts in climate and sustainability efforts across the region.Solar capacity posted an average annual growth of 88.1 percent between 2013 and 2024, with electricity generation rising from 0.13 GWh in 2013 to 23.5 TWh in 2023.Wind capacity also increased significantly, from 4.8 MW in 2015 to 567 MW in 2024.Rainfall rose 49.4 percent in 2024 compared to the 1980-2010 average, indicating changing weather patterns.Temperature readings remained stable, with no recorded extremes exceeding 49°C between 2012 and 2024.All GCC states now operate advanced mobile-based early warning systems and have integrated climate change education into school curricula.Internationally, they have submitted 16 cumulative reports to the UN climate framework as of November 2025. Source link
Iraqi authorities have suspended passenger movement and trade at the Shalamcheh border crossing with Iran following an airstrike that hit the Iranian side of the facility.Head of the Basra Provincial Council’s security committee Aqeel Al Furaiji said operations were halted after the passports building was struck.Authorities are awaiting security assessments before deciding whether to resume activity, warning the closure will remain in place if risks persist.Earlier, a security source reported that a warplane targeted the commercial exchange area at the crossing. Source link
The Arab Parliament condemned today the Iranian attack on a power generation and water distillation station in Kuwait, which resulted in material damage to the facility, noting that the attack came just days after other blatant assaults targeting electricity and water desalination plants in the country.In a statement, Arab Parliament Speaker Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi said that targeting civilian infrastructure, particularly energy and water facilities, violates all international norms, international law, and international humanitarian law. He called on the international community to put an end to such criminal acts that threaten Arab national security.He affirmed the Arab Parliament’s full solidarity with Kuwait and with all Arab countries subjected to such attacks, and its support for any measures taken to protect their security and stability, safeguard their sovereignty, and preserve their territorial integrity. Source link
Italian PM Giorgia Meloni at King Khalid International Airport in Jeddah during her state visit yesterday. (AFP) * Likely to visit Qatar today, say sources* Meloni first EU leader in region after war outbreak* Trip aims to back Gulf partners, protect energy supplies Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni began her three-nation Gulf tour, which includes Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) yesterday. Meloni’s first stop was in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday to boost “national energy security”, a government source said, even as the Iran war intensifies in the region. She was the first leader of a European Union (EU) or Nato country to visit the region since the war began on February 28. The source said the premier would meet officials from Saudi Arabia, as well as from Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, though it was not immediately clear if she would also visit those two countries. All three countries have been targeted by Iranian drone and missile strikes in retaliation for the US-Israeli bombardment of Iran. “The aim is to strengthen relations with these countries and repeat Italy’s support against Iranian attacks,” the source said. “The mission is also aimed at strengthening national energy security,” the source said, adding that the Gulf was a “crucial source of oil and gas for Italy”. Italy is highly dependent on energy imports and has been eyeing rising energy prices with growing concern. Meloni is expected to meet with Qatar’s energy minister and other key officials to discuss regional stability and coordinate a mediated resolution to the conflict. Source link
People look at the damage at a factory that got hit by a missile in Petah Tikva, east of Tel Aviv, Israel, yesterday. (AFP) * Trump threatens to hit bridges and power plants* New York Times says 2nd combat plane has crashed in region Iran shot down a US warplane yesterday in the first such known incident of the five-week war, officials from both nations said, with one of the crew members rescued after ejecting and the other still missing, according to a US source. The incident showed the risks still faced by US and Israeli aircraft over Iran despite assertions by US President Donald Trump and his Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth that their forces had total control of the skies.Meanwhile, a second US Air Force combat plane crashed in the Gulf region yesterday, the New York Times reported, citing two US officials. Its only pilot was then rescued, the Times said. The…
Palestinian Health Minister Majid Abu Ramadan has warned of escalating public health risks in Gaza due to a surge in rodent infestations amid worsening environmental conditions. In a statement issued on Friday, he said widespread destruction, combined with the accumulation of untreated waste and debris, had created an ideal environment for rats and mice to thrive. This, he cautioned, increases the risk of disease transmission both directly through bites and indirectly via contamination and parasites such as fleas and ticks. Among the diseases of concern are plague and salmonella, alongside other infections commonly linked to rodents. Abu Ramadan urged the World Health Organization and international health bodies to intervene urgently by supplying pest control materials and strengthening prevention measures. He highlighted that more than one million Palestinians are currently living in highly vulnerable conditions, including tents or in the open, heightening their exposure to such risks. He also drew attention to the deteriorating health of children, noting thousands of cases of permanent disability resulting from the war, as well as growing levels of malnutrition, which further increase susceptibility to disease and mortality rates. The minister stressed that infants and children face particularly severe environmental and health threats, renewing calls for the international community to take immediate action to improve living conditions and ensure access to essential healthcare. Source link
Iraq’s Civil Aviation Authority announced Friday a one-week extension of the country’s airspace closure to all incoming, outgoing, and transit flights, effective from midday. The Authority’s statement said the move was based on ongoing security assessments and regional developments, with a review to follow Source link
Italian Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni arrived in Saudi Arabia on Friday for a previously unannounced visit, with stops also planned in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates, as part of a two-day regional tour.The visit aims to demonstrate support for Gulf partners amid ongoing Iranian attacks, while also addressing concerns over Italy’s energy security and the stability of global oil and gas flows. The trip marks the first visit by a European Union leader to Saudi Arabia since the escalation of conflict involving the United States and Israel in late February, as concerns grow in Rome over disruptions to critical energy supplies. Prior to the crisis, around 10% of Italy’s gas demand was met through Qatari LNG, while Middle Eastern oil accounted for approximately 12% of total imports. However, recent tensions and the near-closure of the Strait of Hormuz have led to supply disruptions, including a pause in LNG deliveries and the cancellation of multiple cargo shipments. Italian officials are now looking to diversify supply sources, with LNG imports from the United States’ Golden Pass facility expected to begin from June. Source link