Qatar summons Iranian envoy after attack on US base
Qatar said on Tuesday that it summoned Iranian ambassador to condemn the Iranian attack on a US base in the Gulf country, the foreign ministry said.
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Al Arabiya
25 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Closing Hormuz is more dangerous for Iraq and China
Iran makes threats, but it will not act. It will not mine the Strait of Hormuz or block it by bombing passing ships. This scenario would backfire and primarily harm China – the largest buyer of Gulf oil – which would lose four million barrels a day. Iran's enemies – the Americans and Israelis – would be the ones to benefit, because Beijing would adopt an angry stance toward Iran. When a cargo ship blocked the Suez Canal for just six days in 2021, the world was paralyzed – similar to what happened when the Houthis disrupted global maritime movement by targeting ships passing through the Bab al-Mandeb Strait. Therefore, closing the Strait of Hormuz would hurt Iran's allies the most. In the past, the Strait of Hormuz was a card used to blackmail the world. Today, it is no longer a strategic concern for the Americans, who have become nearly self-sufficient thanks to their own oil production and that of neighboring Canada. What if Iran's goal in closing the Strait is to choke its Gulf neighbors and pressure them without entering into military confrontation? These countries have been planning for such a dark day for decades. Even if the strait were completely closed for several months, they are capable of absorbing the losses with limited damage. The biggest producer, Saudi Arabia, owns a pipeline that allows it to export through the Red Sea port of Yanbu. Its capacity is five million barrels – and it can be increased. This means it won't lose a single barrel from its market. The UAE also has the port of Fujairah, located beyond the Strait of Hormuz, through which it can export more than 1.5 million barrels a day. Then there's Qatar, the largest gas producer. Although it has no alternative sea routes, it can withstand several months of forced interruption, thanks to its massive financial reserves. Kuwait and Bahrain will be affected, but their Gulf Cooperation Council partners can support them. The biggest Gulf loser would be Iraq – Iran's ally – as it exports nearly three million barrels per day through Hormuz. If it were deprived of exports, it would not have the financial capacity to meet its obligations to its citizens or to its external commitments. We know that Iran has repeatedly trained for the closure of the Strait of Hormuz through dedicated military drills. If it does act, it would drive up oil prices and cause harm to China and Iraq, primarily. Since the 1980s, the threat of closing the strait has been Tehran's card to intimidate both the Americans and the Gulf states. But yesterday's strategies are no longer effective today. The United States has become the world's largest oil producer. China is the Gulf's biggest buyer. And the Gulf states have prepared for such a possibility by building export networks that bypass the bottleneck that is Hormuz. Tehran's other options to widen the scope of conflict remain dangerous for the region – and dangerous for itself. Each option is akin to a suicide mission that would threaten a regime long bent on domination and expansion. This may be its last chance. It must accept peaceful coexistence in the region and stay within its borders.
Al Arabiya
39 minutes ago
- Al Arabiya
Germany's Merz says ‘moment has come' for Gaza ceasefire
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz on Tuesday said that 'the moment has come' for a ceasefire in Gaza between Israel and the Palestinian militant group Hamas. Speaking to parliament, Merz reiterated Germany's support for Israel, which he said 'has a right to defend its existence and the safety of its citizens.' But he added that Germany reserves the right to 'critically question what Israel wants to achieve in the Gaza Strip.' He also said that Germany 'will not consider suspending or terminating' the EU-Israel Association Agreement, which has been under review by the EU as it looks to pressure Israel into allowing more aid into Gaza. However, Merz also called on Israel to ensure 'humane treatment of the people in the Gaza Strip, especially women, children and the elderly.' Merz made the comments amid hopes for a ceasefire between Israel and Iran announced by US President Donald Trump, even as the two sides accused each other of continuing hostilities and the US president voiced frustration with both. Israel launched strikes against Iran on June 13, hitting nuclear and military sites as well as residential areas, and prompting waves of retaliatory Iranian missile attacks. The United States has also been involved, launching strikes on Iranian nuclear facilities. The war in Gaza was sparked by Hamas's attack on Israel in October 2023 that killed 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on official figures. Israel's retaliatory military campaign against Hamas has killed at least 55,908 people, mostly civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry in the Hamas-run territory.
Al Arabiya
an hour ago
- Al Arabiya
Relieved foreigners leave a tense Israel after ceasefire with Iran
Foreign nationals leaving Israel on Tuesday voiced both relief for themselves and anxiety for family and friends staying behind as uncertainty hung over the country hours after a fragile ceasefire deal with Iran was announced. As part of evacuation plans organized by their countries' embassies, two large groups of Canadians and Australians gathered at a hotel in Tel Aviv, the former to board a bus to Jordan and the latter a flight to Dubai. 'Now I know what being scared actually feels like. I don't think I've known fear like this before,' said Tamar Banon, 32, a dual citizen of Canada and Israel who lives in Montreal and was visiting family when the air war broke out on June 13. A ceasefire was announced by US President Donald Trump in the early hours of Tuesday, but the situation remained tense with Israel accusing Iran of violating it and threatening retaliation. Iran denied the violation. Banon said she remained worried for her family and for Israel as a whole. 'I want them to have a good life without having to think about, you know, war and missiles and rockets.' Israel started the war with the stated aim of destroying Iran's nuclear capabilities. Its strikes killed hundreds of Iranian civilians as well as some senior military commanders and nuclear scientists, while damaging uranium enrichment sites. Iran retaliated with missiles that forced people in Israel to huddle in safe rooms and bomb shelters, often several times in a single night or day. The strikes killed 28 people and damaged hundreds of buildings. The United States entered the war at the weekend, unleashing 30,000-pound bunker-busting bombs on fortified, underground Iranian nuclear installations. 'Incredibly guilty' Australian Mark Avraham, 40, had flown in from Sydney to visit family and friends and take part in Pride celebrations. Despite experiencing 12 days of war, he plans to emigrate to Israel soon, in part due to what he described as rising antisemitism back home. 'Two days before I left Australia, someone tried to run me over in their car while shouting antisemitic abuse,' he said. 'I feel incredibly guilty that I get to leave and they have to stay,' he said, referring to friends and family in Israel. 'But I know that they will be safe and they will look after each other, and I will be back in less than 12 months to be with them.' Fellow Australian Taiba Ash, 35, from Melbourne, had come to Israel for what was supposed to be a fun-filled family holiday. She was on a night out with her husband when the first air raid siren rang out to warn people to take shelter. 'We had no idea what to do,' she said, recounting how they ran back to their rental apartment, woke up their children and stood under the stairs in terror. The family later found out there was a bomb shelter nearby, so for night after night they jumped out of bed to run there whenever sirens blared. 'It's not safe for our kids to be here. It's not safe for their emotional wellbeing as well as their physical wellbeing. They are scared and nervous, and they feel our energy, even though we're trying to mask it,' she said. Ash had no regrets about leaving. 'I think what I'm most looking forward to going home to is a full night's sleep.'
