According to the most recent estimates, the conflict with Hamas in Gaza alone has cost the equivalent of one-fifth of Israel's economy. And today, billions of dollars are being burned every week in attacks on Tehran. The paradox is that hundreds of billions are being spent on war, while little more than crumbs remain for reconstruction and development.
Speaking to AsiaNews, the Chaldean prelate described a situation on hold, with schools and universities closed amidst great instability. Iraqi Kurdistan is once again impacted by foreign wars. People are concerned about the future and are trying to avoid being dragged into the conflict between Israel, the United States and Iran. Christians pray for peace, remember Francis’s visit to Iraq, and receive support from Pope Leo XIV.
Yesterday, long queues of vehicles formed at petrol stations; the panicked population fears that stocks will run out and prices will escalate. Arguments and tensions among motorists in the queues. Power cuts also reported by large industrial groups. In Saudi Arabia, another Bangladeshi migrant worker killed by an Iranian missile strike on a residential complex.
The Lebanese government is working for a ceasefire through diplomatic channels. On the ground, Hezbollah continues its asymmetrical fight with the Jewish state. Christian residents are resisting evacuation orders. Originally scheduled for next May, Lebanon’s parliamentary elections are set to be postponed.
In a letter to the authorities and the people, the apostolic vicar speaks of days “marked by the pain and uncertainty of war”. He calls for a “common and tireless commitment to peace”. Iranian attacks continue, with two buildings and a hotel hit overnight. In the background are the sectarian tensions between Shiites and Sunnis that have inflamed the country in the past.
Nakhchivan was hit in the enclave that is supposed to be reconnected to Baku with the corridor provided for in the agreement signed by Trump to end the war with Armenia. The historic dispute with Iran over overlapping territories and different interpretations of the Shiite variant of Islam. Tehran denies responsibility, but Aliyev says he is ready to “defend his country's security and territorial integrity”.
