At least 16 soldiers were killed and 22 wounded in an incident south of the Red Sea port city of Hodeida. A military source calls it the "deadliest Houthi attack in years." This could have serious repercussions on the fragile truce in Iran and spark new clashes in the country, where the war has claimed more than 10,000 lives since it broke out in 2014, leaving the population starving.
The axis between Israel (and the US), the United Arab Emirates, and India is being countered by a bloc that includes Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and Pakistan. Turkey is refocusing on the idea of an alliance of Muslim countries to minimise “dependence on outside the region.” At home, the row over the leadership of the main opposition party has reopened wounds that had never healed.
Three Indian workers were wounded in the Iranian attack on the Fujairah oil terminal in the United Arab Emirates, the only one that bypasses Hormuz, a development that threatens to reignite the regional conflict, amidst competing alliances and interests. Against this backdrop, Abu Dhabi decided to leave the cartel of oil-exporting countries and consolidate its alliance with Israel. These steps, for Iran, will lead to the “collapse” of the Gulf.
Bishop Martinelli talks about the festivities in the conflict-stricken Gulf, starting with the testimony of the Missionaries of Charity. As a result of fear, some migrants have left the Emirates temporarily, while marriage and baptism courses are on hold. School and catechism classes have been "online for over a month." Church closures generated “significant media coverage”. A "people of peoples" from over a hundred countries bear witness to the faith.
On the anniversary of the barbaric killing of the four Missionaries of Charity on 4 March 2016, Bishop Martinelli presided over a Mass in Abu Dhabi. ‘At a time when the entire Gulf region is experiencing serious conflicts, their memory is a source of hope.’ Mother Teresa's sisters continue to serve the poor in Sana'a and Hodeidah, in the part of Yemen controlled by the Houthis, which is once again at risk of ending up on the front line of the conflict.
From the Emirates, Bishop Martinelli reports a situation that "seems largely under control," although "apprehension" remains over the escalation between Israel and the United States against Iran. The Abrahamic Family House is temporarily but necessarily closed, but hopefully it “can be reopened soon.” Prayers are offered for the victims in the migrant population.
A consultative meeting of Yemeni political leaders, elders, and senior figures opened in the Saudi capital to discuss the country's future, a response to recent tensions between pro-Saudi government forces and Emirati-backed separatists. The conflict highlights divergent regional interests. Meanwhile, food security is becoming more precarious as an additional million people are at risk of “life-threatening hunger.”
The chairman of Yemen’s Saudi-backed Presidential Leadership Council declares a state of emergency and cancels a defence pact with the United Arab Emirates. Saudi Arabia carries out airstrikes against ships carrying weapons for the separatists. Already caught up in a conflict with pro-Iranian rebels, Yemen is a risk of further violence and chaos. In the background, Israel recognises an independent Somaliland, ostensibly as part of its war against the Houthis (and Tehran).
Syria's Assad regime was considered the narco-state par excellence, but its fall has led to a spread of production on a regional scale. Constant demand and growing distribution fuel trafficking. Among the new production centres is Yemen, home to the Houthi rebels. Today, the heart of production takes place in small laboratories scattered throughout various countries.
At least four people are reported dead in the attack that saw the Yemeni group resume hostilities against maritime trade in the Red Sea in retaliation for the war in Gaza. Ten have been rescued, but the rest of the crew, mostly Filipinos, are still missing. Stella Maris appeals to the Manila government: ‘The safety of seafarers must be protected.’ Sunday is the day when the Church focuses on workers at sea.
In a situation that remains “worrying” despite the ceasefire between Israel and Iran, Monsignor Martinelli recalls that “the possibility of dialogue must never be abandoned”. The document on brotherhood is a “response of peace to violence”. Prayer and friendship initiatives at the Abrahamic Family House in the footsteps of St Francis. Places are needed to “experience hope, peace and reconciliation”.
Developed by Iran for 20 years as a deterrent, the "Axis of Resistance" is keeping a low profile in this war. From the Iraqi prime minister to the religious leader al-Sadr, the order is to "silence" the "reckless voices" that want to start a war. At least 20 Muslim and Arab nations sign a statement for a nuclear-free Middle East "without exceptions" (a reference to Israel).
The pro-Iranian rebel group hits near Ben Gurion airport, announce an offensive on airports to block air traffic. For the first time, Israel has admitted that it has been hit and doubts are emerging about the effectiveness of its defences. The Netanyahu government approves an operation to seize Gaza, at the expense of the hostages, angering their families.
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