Latest news with #SultanBarakat
Yahoo
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Israel hits Yemen's Houthi-controlled Sanaa airport in tit-for-tat attack
Israel has hit the main international airport of Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa, 'fully disabling' the civilian facility, according to the Israeli army. Tuesday's attacks that also targeted a concrete factory and several power stations in and around Sanaa came in response to Sunday's ballistic missile strike near Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport, the Israeli military statement said. The army claimed that 'the airport served as a central hub for the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons and operatives'. 'The operation was approved by the Commander of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff,' it said. The military added that it would 'continue to act and strike with force' any group that poses a threat to Israel. Reporting from Sanaa, Al Jazeera's Mohammed al-Attab said the results of the attacks were not yet clear. 'So far, we don't know the impacts of this aerial bombardment on Sanaa International Airport or on the power station. We haven't yet received any reports about casualties or impacts on the infrastructure,' he said. 'Pure vandalism' Sultan Barakat, a professor in public policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar, says Sanaa International Airport is 'not a big strategic target' and that Israeli claims it is being used to receive supplies from Iran are 'simply not true'. 'I think it's pure vandalism, to be honest. The airport in Sanaa is not a normal airport. It's under a huge restriction from the United Nations, from the Saudis, from the coalition – it's under sanctions,' Barakat told Al Jazeera. He added that attacking the airport will only hinder the operations of the United Nations and humanitarian agencies in one of the poorest countries in the world. Footage of the aftermath of the airport attack, verified by Al Jazeera's Sanad fact-checking unit, shows large clouds of dark smoke rising into the air over the capital. Earlier, the Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV confirmed that among the sites targeted is a cement factory to the north of the capital and a power station in the Bani al-Harith area. The attacks come less than 24 hours after Israel bombed the country's key Hodeidah port, killing at least one person and wounding 35 others. The Houthi media office said at least six strikes hit the crucial Hodeidah port. Others hit a cement factory in the district of Bajil, 55km (34 miles) northeast of Hodeidah, the group added. The Israeli military said the strikes sought to undercut the Houthi military industry, claiming the factory is an 'economic resource' for the Houthis and 'used to build tunnels and military infrastructure'. Since November 2023, the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks targeting vessels they said are linked to Israel in the Red Sea. The group says that it acts in support of the Palestinians in Gaza and that its attacks will stop only when there is a permanent ceasefire in the enclave. Although the Houthis paused attacks during a fragile ceasefire in Gaza this year, they resumed their operations after Israel cut off humanitarian aid to Gaza and resumed its offensive in March. The United States military under US President Donald Trump has launched an intensified campaign of air strikes on war-torn Yemen since March 15. Israel has repeatedly struck Yemen, killing dozens of people, including women and children.
Al Jazeera
06-05-2025
- Politics
- Al Jazeera
Israel hits Yemen's Houthi-controlled Sanaa airport in tit-for-tat attack
Israeli army claims 'fully disabling' the civilian facility, saying it also hit a concrete factory and power stations. Israel has hit the main international airport of Yemen's rebel-held capital Sanaa, 'fully disabling' the civilian facility, according to the Israeli army. Tuesday's attacks that also targeted a concrete factory and several power stations in and around Sanaa came in response to Sunday's ballistic missile strike near Tel Aviv's Ben Gurion International Airport, the Israeli military statement said. The army claimed that 'the airport served as a central hub for the Houthi terrorist regime to transfer weapons and operatives'. 'The operation was approved by the Commander of the Air Force and the Chief of Staff,' it said. The military added that it would 'continue to act and strike with force' any group that poses a threat to Israel. Reporting from Sanaa, Al Jazeera's Mohammed al-Attab said the results of the attacks were not yet clear. 'So far, we don't know the impacts of this aerial bombardment on Sanaa International Airport or on the power station. We haven't yet received any reports about casualties or impacts on the infrastructure,' he said. Advertisement 'Pure vandalism' Sultan Barakat, a professor in public policy at Hamad Bin Khalifa University in Qatar, says Sanaa International Airport is 'not a big strategic target' and that Israeli claims it is being used to receive supplies from Iran are 'simply not true'. 'I think it's pure vandalism, to be honest. The airport in Sanaa is not a normal airport. It's under a huge restriction from the United Nations, from the Saudis, from the coalition – it's under sanctions,' Barakat told Al Jazeera. He added that attacking the airport will only hinder the operations of the United Nations and humanitarian agencies in one of the poorest countries in the world. Footage of the aftermath of the airport attack, verified by Al Jazeera's Sanad fact-checking unit, shows large clouds of dark smoke rising into the air over the capital. Sign up for Al Jazeera Breaking News Alert Get real-time breaking news alerts and stay up-to-date with the most important headlines from around the globe. Subscribe Your subscription failed. Please try again. Please check your email to confirm your subscription By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy protected by reCAPTCHA Earlier, the Houthi-affiliated Al Masirah TV confirmed that among the sites targeted is a cement factory to the north of the capital and a power station in the Bani al-Harith area. The attacks come less than 24 hours after Israel bombed the country's key Hodeidah port, killing at least one person and wounding 35 others. The Houthi media office said at least six strikes hit the crucial Hodeidah port. Others hit a cement factory in the district of Bajil, 55km (34 miles) northeast of Hodeidah, the group added. The Israeli military said the strikes sought to undercut the Houthi military industry, claiming the factory is an 'economic resource' for the Houthis and 'used to build tunnels and military infrastructure'. Advertisement Since November 2023, the Houthis, also known as Ansar Allah, have launched more than 100 drone and missile attacks targeting vessels they said are linked to Israel in the Red Sea. The group says that it acts in support of the Palestinians in Gaza and that its attacks will stop only when there is a permanent ceasefire in the enclave. Although the Houthis paused attacks during a fragile ceasefire in Gaza this year, they resumed their operations after Israel cut off humanitarian aid to Gaza and resumed its offensive in March. The United States military under US President Donald Trump has launched an intensified campaign of air strikes on war-torn Yemen since March 15. Israel has repeatedly struck Yemen, killing dozens of people, including women and children.
Zawya
22-04-2025
- Politics
- Zawya
HBKU invites global academics and experts for conference on rebuilding higher education in Gaza
Doha - Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU) convened international leaders in education, international diplomacy, and development, as well as senior figures from Palestinian academia for the Conference on Rebuilding Higher Education in Gaza. Organized in collaboration with Education Above All, the Islamic University of Gaza, University of Fort Hare, University of Johannesburg, and University of Glasgow, the event builds on the expertise of the College of Public Policy's Professor Sultan Barakat and is a follow up to a previous meeting that took place in Glasgow in December 2024. The conference addressed the urgent need to reconstruct Gaza's higher education sector in the wake of devastating conflict. Professor Francisco J. Marmolejo, President of Higher Education, Qatar Foundation, along with Professor Nader Jawad Alnemra, Deputy President of the Islamic University of Gaza; Dr. David Duncan, Deputy Vice-Chancellor of the University of Glasgow; and Professor Sakhela Buhlungu, Vice Chancellor of the University of Fort Hare, welcomed the attendees and underlined the conference's timeliness and importance. HE Ambassador Nassir Abdulaziz Al Nasser, President, United Nations General Assembly 66th Session, and former UN High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations, kicked off proceedings with a keynote address that outlined Qatar's commitment to education both nationally and internationally and helped participants reflect on the global significance of rebuilding academic institutions, especially in times of conflict. In his opening remarks, Professor Sultan Barakat, CPP, noted: 'We are here to affirm a principle: that education is a right, not a privilege; that universities are sacred spaces for knowledge, identity, and hope; and that Palestinian higher education - rooted in struggle, dignity, and history - is central to all forms of reconstruction and development.' Participants also included distinguished academics from the Universities of Oxford, Cambridge, Durham, Leeds, University College London, Imperial College, Edinburgh, Ulster, King's College, Harvard, York, Toronto, Dublin, Bard College, Oslo, Lille and other institutions from across the world. They gathered in workshops and panel discussions to explore the immediate and long-term needs in rebuilding Gaza's higher education sector, including how education institutions can be rebuilt and made more resilient, as well as their central role in post-conflict rebuilding throughout Gaza. A powerful plenary session on the first day highlighted the scale of destruction inflicted on Gaza's higher education sector. University leaders from Al-Azhar University, Al-Quds Open University, An-Najah University, Al-Aqsa University, Birzeit University, Palestine University, Gaza University, and the Palestinian Ministry of Education shared first-hand accounts of the devastation of the conflict. The Conference is the latest example of HBKU's ongoing support for Palestine's academic sector, which comprises engagement in local and international discussions as well as robust academic research. About Hamad Bin Khalifa University Innovating Today, Shaping Tomorrow Hamad Bin Khalifa University (HBKU), a member of Qatar Foundation for Education, Science, and Community Development (QF), is a leading, innovation-centric university committed to advancing education and research to address critical challenges facing Qatar and beyond. HBKU develops multidisciplinary academic programs and national research capabilities that drive collaboration with leading global institutions. The university is dedicated to equipping future leaders with an entrepreneurial mindset and advancing innovative solutions that create a positive global impact. For more information about HBKU, its colleges, research institutes, and initiatives, please visit To stay up to date on our social media activities, follow our accounts on: LinkedIn, Instagram, X, and Facebook. For any media inquiries, please contact: media@ About the College of Public Policy The College of Public Policy (CPP) accomplishes HBKU's priority to contribute to effective policy development, evaluation, and dialogue in support of Qatar National Vision 2030. HBKU's CPP is one of the leading public policy schools and knowledge hubs regionally and globally. It provides a uniquely situated venue for public conversation in Qatar, and a center for teaching and researching responses to policy questions of local and global relevance. Highly dynamic and open to novel ideas and experimentation, the CPP recruits the world's best faculty, builds research capacity, educates future leaders who engage with their communities, and acts as a bridge for policy innovations that positively contribute to global public good. For more information about HBKU's CPP, visit
