BEIRUT — Israel has issued evacuation orders for large parts of southern Lebanon, declaring the areas “combat zones” ahead of fresh strikes against Hezbollah. Israel’s military has told residents across a swathe of southern Lebanon to leave and head north of the Zahrani River, as Benjamin Netanyahu said his forces were escalating their offensive against Hezbollah. The Israel Defense Forces (IDF) said in a post on social media that all areas south of the Zahrani River, which runs about 40km north of the de facto Israel-Lebanon border, were considered combat zones. It is the largest evacuation order since the ceasefire…
Author: Editorial Team
SYDNEY — An woman with alleged links to the Islamic State group has been charged in Australia, as authorities intensify investigations into nationals repatriated from detention camps in Syria. Authorities made the announcement after two groups of women and children arrived in Australia this month after spending years in the al-Roj camp in north-east Syria where families of IS fighters have been held since 2019 without legal process. Three of the women who returned this month also face various charges including crimes against humanity. The 34-year-old arrived in the country in September along with another woman and was due to…
As residents across the UAE gathered early on Wednesday for Eid Al Adha prayers, the UAE President extended greetings marking the holy occasion and sending a message of unity and blessings. In a message shared on the occasion, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan offered congratulations to the Rulers of the Emirates, citizens, residents, and Muslims around the world. He performed the Eid Al Adha prayer at the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque in Abu Dhabi on Wednesday morning. He extended his greetings to “all those who call the UAE home,” underscoring a message of shared belonging that resonates strongly during…
WASHINGTON — US President Donald Trump has threatened to use military force against Oman if it collaborates with Iran to assert control over the Strait of Hormuz. “Oman will behave just like everybody else, or we’ll have to blow them up,” Trump said during a cabinet meeting, responding to a reporter’s question about the strait. Quickly after making the threat, Trump said he didn’t believe the United States would have to take such an action. “They understand that. They’ll be fine,” he said. Iran has discussed partnering with Oman in a system charging fees for vessels passing through the Strait…
A train gliding out of Fujairah Station towards the Hajar mountains offered one of the clearest glimpses yet of what inter-emirate travel could look like once Etihad Rail’s highly anticipated passenger services begin this year. During a media preview, a Khaleej Times team rode from Fujairah Station towards Al Bithnah Bridge as Etihad Rail prepares to launch passenger services in phases in 2026. From the country’s first fully completed Etihad Rail passenger station, with its cream-and-grey interiors, wide glass panels, clear signage and automated barriers, the preview moved into cabins designed around practical comfort, from generous legroom and Wi-Fi. Stay…
DUBAI — Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said early Thursday that it targeted a US airbase in Kuwait in response to an American aerial strike near the Bandar Abbas airport in southern Iran. According to Iran’s semi-official Tasnim News Agency, the IRGC’s retaliatory strike came at 4.50 am (0120GMT), hours after what it described as a US assault on a point near the port city’s airport using aerial projectiles. “This response is a serious warning so that the enemy knows that aggression will not go unanswered, and if repeated, our response will be more decisive,” it said. Kuwait said…
MINA — Hajj pilgrims continued performing the ritual of stoning at Jamarat on the first day of the Tashreeq (Ayyam Al-Tashreeq) on Thursday. They hurled pebbles at all three Jamarat or pillars symbolizing Satan on the fourth day of the annual pilgrimage of Hajj. Pilgrims moved in batches in their allotted time for performing the ritual on Thursday afternoon. Upon their arrival at the Jamarat, chanting “Allahu Akbar” (God is the greatest), pilgrims stoned first at Jamarat Al-Sugra (small pillar), then at Jamarat Al-Wusta (medium pillar) and lastly at Jamarat Al-Aqaba (largest pillar), seven pebbles each. They prayed after stoning…
The queues at livestock markets and abattoirs during Eid Al Adha lead to hours of waiting for residents, especially during peak hours. A few residents who visited livestock markets during the first two days of Eid said they spent hours moving between waiting tents, token counters and meat collection areas during peak rush periods. Shafeed Guttigar, a resident of Al Tawoon who visited the Sharjah market with his family, said the waiting became exhausting after a few hours. “The difficult part was not the waiting itself, but not knowing how much longer was left,” he said. Another resident at the…
RIYADH — Former Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi has died at the age of 81 in Riyadh. According to a family source, Hadi passed away this morning at a hospital in Riyadh following a sudden health crisis in recent days. Hadi served as the internationally recognized president of Yemen for a decade before transferring his presidential powers in 2022 to the eight-member Presidential Leadership Council, chaired by Rashad Al-Alimi. He served as the second president of Yemen from 2012 until his resignation in 2022. Prior to that, he was Yemen’s vice president from 1994 to 2012 under President Ali Abdullah…
JEDDAH — Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman and Crown Prince and Prime Minister Mohammed bin Salman mourned the death of former Yemeni President Abdrabbuh Mansur Hadi. They offered their deepest condolences and sincere sympathy to the family of the deceased and to the government and people of Yemen, the Royal Court said in a statement on Thursday. The King and the Crown Prince affirmed the solidarity of Saudi Arabia and its people with the Republic of Yemen and its people, sharing their grief and sorrow. They prayed to God Almighty to grant patience and solace to the…