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Israel's war cabinet met on Monday to discuss how to respond to Iran's direct attack against the country overnight on Saturday.
The cabinet, led by Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, discussed retaliation options that are intended to be "painful" to Iran without sparking a full-blown war, Israeli outlet Channel 12 reported.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant reportedly told US Secretary of Defence Lloyd Austin on Sunday that Israel had no choice other than respond to Iran after it launched hundreds of missiles and drones against Israel.
It was Tehran's first known direct attack against Israel and marked the start of a new chapter in the confrontation between the two countries.
Tehran has claimed that it gave its neighbours advanced warning of the attack, showing its desire to prevent a full-scale war.
Turkish, Jordanian and Iraqi officials confirmed that Tehran communicated a notice several days before the attack. But US officials refuted Tehran's claim and accused it of attempting to inflict considerable damage on Israel.
Tehran said the attack was in retaliation for the Israeli strike on the Iranian consulate in Damascus, on April 1, and that any further escalation would depend on the Israeli response.
Most of the drones and missiles were shot down before reaching Israeli territory, but a young girl was injured.
“Iran had issued the necessary warnings before the military action," Iranian Foreign Ministry spokesman Nasser Kanaani said on Monday. “Iran does not seek to develop tension in the region.”
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, who made phone calls to regional counterparts explaining Tehran's position, said Tehran gave fair warning to countries of the region and the US.
“About 72 hours before the … operation, Iran informed the neighbours and countries in the region that Iran's response is definite and certain in the form of legitimate defence”, he told state-run media.
Last week, Israel said it would retaliate with an attack on Iranian territory if it were attacked by Tehran, despite US concerns, sources said.
Aware of the possibilities
In Ankara, Turkey's Foreign Ministry said it had spoken to both Washington and Tehran before the attack. It conveyed messages as an intermediary to be sure reactions were proportionate, it added.
“Iran said the reaction would be a response to Israel’s attack on its embassy in Damascus and that it would not go beyond this. We were aware of the possibilities. The developments were not a surprise,” a Turkish diplomatic source told Reuters.
One senior official in US President Joe Biden's administration said Washington has contact with Iran through Swiss intermediaries but did not receive notice of the attack 72 hours in advance.
“That is absolutely not true,” the official said. “They did not give a notification, nor did they give any sense of … 'these will be the targets, so evacuate them.'”
Iran sent the US a message only after the strikes began and the intent was to be “highly destructive” said the official, adding that Iran's claim of a widespread warning may be an attempt to compensate for the lack of any major damage from the attack.
“We received a message from the Iranians as this was ongoing, through the Swiss. This was basically suggesting that they were finished after this, but it was still an ongoing attack. So that was [their] message to us,” the US official said.
Diplomatic flurry
Following the weekend attack, Iran was quick to increase its diplomatic contacts with its regional neighbours, with Mr Amirabdollahian speaking with his Saudi and Qatari counterparts on Sunday.
Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a phone call from Mr Amirabdollahian.
“During the call, repercussions from developments in the situation in the region and the increasing escalation against the backdrop of the crisis in Gaza Strip were discussed,” Saudi Arabia's Foreign Ministry said.
Qatar's Foreign Minister expressed his deep concern over regional developments and his commitment to “support efforts at achieving stability on all levels” during discussions with Mr Amirabdollahian, Qatari state media reported.
In a phone call with his Russian counterpart, Mr Amirabdollahian outlined the “objectives and the manner of military action of Iran on specific targets in the occupied territories”.
“This limited action is aimed at deterring, punishing and warning the Zionist regime,” the Iranian Foreign Minister told Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov.
“We had no doubt that Iran will respond to the Israeli regime's attack on Iran's embassy, and we believe that the process of carrying out this action was based on a responsible and restrained response,” Mr Lavrov said.
Jordan’s Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi said his country had summoned the Iranian ambassador to protest against Iranian comments that were seen as interference in the kingdom’s internal affairs.
In remarks given to state-owned Mamlaka public broadcaster, Mr Safadi was referring to comments in Iran’s official media that it warned Jordan would be struck next in the event it co-operated with Israel.
US Secretary of State Antony Blinken discussed Iran’s attack on Israel in separate calls with Jordanian, Saudi, Egyptian and Turkish counterparts, the US State Department said, during which he said that the US “does not seek escalation” and will continue to support Israel’s defence.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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Trump v Khan
2016: Feud begins after Khan criticised Trump’s proposed Muslim travel ban to US
2017: Trump criticises Khan’s ‘no reason to be alarmed’ response to London Bridge terror attacks
2019: Trump calls Khan a “stone cold loser” before first state visit
2019: Trump tweets about “Khan’s Londonistan”, calling him “a national disgrace”
2022: Khan’s office attributes rise in Islamophobic abuse against the major to hostility stoked during Trump’s presidency
July 2025 During a golfing trip to Scotland, Trump calls Khan “a nasty person”
Sept 2025 Trump blames Khan for London’s “stabbings and the dirt and the filth”.
Dec 2025 Trump suggests migrants got Khan elected, calls him a “horrible, vicious, disgusting mayor”
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
What can you do?
Document everything immediately; including dates, times, locations and witnesses
Seek professional advice from a legal expert
You can report an incident to HR or an immediate supervisor
You can use the Ministry of Human Resources and Emiratisation’s dedicated hotline
In criminal cases, you can contact the police for additional support
HEADLINE HERE
- I would recommend writing out the text in the body
- And then copy into this box
- It can be as long as you link
- But I recommend you use the bullet point function (see red square)
- Or try to keep the word count down
- Be wary of other embeds lengthy fact boxes could crash into
- That's about it
PROFILE OF HALAN
Started: November 2017
Founders: Mounir Nakhla, Ahmed Mohsen and Mohamed Aboulnaga
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Sector: transport and logistics
Size: 150 employees
Investment: approximately $8 million
Investors include: Singapore’s Battery Road Digital Holdings, Egypt’s Algebra Ventures, Uber co-founder and former CTO Oscar Salazar
Company%20Profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3EName%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Neo%20Mobility%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20February%202023%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECo-founders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Abhishek%20Shah%20and%20Anish%20Garg%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EIndustry%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Logistics%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFunding%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%2410%20million%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Delta%20Corp%2C%20Pyse%20Sustainability%20Fund%2C%20angel%20investors%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
Safety 'top priority' for rival hyperloop company
The chief operating officer of Hyperloop Transportation Technologies, Andres de Leon, said his company's hyperloop technology is “ready” and safe.
He said the company prioritised safety throughout its development and, last year, Munich Re, one of the world's largest reinsurance companies, announced it was ready to insure their technology.
“Our levitation, propulsion, and vacuum technology have all been developed [...] over several decades and have been deployed and tested at full scale,” he said in a statement to The National.
“Only once the system has been certified and approved will it move people,” he said.
HyperloopTT has begun designing and engineering processes for its Abu Dhabi projects and hopes to break ground soon.
With no delivery date yet announced, Mr de Leon said timelines had to be considered carefully, as government approval, permits, and regulations could create necessary delays.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League last 16, first leg
Liverpool v Bayern Munich, midnight, Wednesday, BeIN Sports
JOKE'S%20ON%20YOU
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Some of Darwish's last words
"They see their tomorrows slipping out of their reach. And though it seems to them that everything outside this reality is heaven, yet they do not want to go to that heaven. They stay, because they are afflicted with hope." - Mahmoud Darwish, to attendees of the Palestine Festival of Literature, 2008
His life in brief: Born in a village near Galilee, he lived in exile for most of his life and started writing poetry after high school. He was arrested several times by Israel for what were deemed to be inciteful poems. Most of his work focused on the love and yearning for his homeland, and he was regarded the Palestinian poet of resistance. Over the course of his life, he published more than 30 poetry collections and books of prose, with his work translated into more than 20 languages. Many of his poems were set to music by Arab composers, most significantly Marcel Khalife. Darwish died on August 9, 2008 after undergoing heart surgery in the United States. He was later buried in Ramallah where a shrine was erected in his honour.
Game Changer
Director: Shankar
Stars: Ram Charan, Kiara Advani, Anjali, S J Suryah, Jayaram
Rating: 2/5
RESULTS
5pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 2,200m
Winner: Arjan, Fabrice Veron (jockey), Eric Lemartinel (trainer).
5.30pm: Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 1,400m
Winner: Jap Nazaa, Royston Ffrench, Irfan Ellahi.
6pm: Al Ruwais Group 3 (PA) Dh300,000 1,200m
Winner: RB Lam Tara, Fabrice Veron, Eric Lemartinal.
6.30pm: Shadwell Gold Cup Prestige Dh125,000 1,600m
Winner: AF Sanad, Bernardo Pinheiro, Khalifa Al Neyadi.
7pm: Shadwell Farm Stallions Handicap (PA) Dh70,000 1,600m
Winner: Jawal Al Reef, Patrick Cosgrave, Abdallah Al Hammadi.
7.30pm: Maiden (TB) Dh80,000 1,600m
Winner: Dubai Canal, Harry Bentley, Satish Seemar.
The specs: 2018 Chevrolet Trailblazer
Price, base / as tested Dh99,000 / Dh132,000
Engine 3.6L V6
Transmission: Six-speed automatic
Power 275hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque 350Nm @ 3,700rpm
Fuel economy combined 12.2L / 100km
Moonfall
Director: Rolan Emmerich
Stars: Patrick Wilson, Halle Berry
Rating: 3/5
MOUNTAINHEAD REVIEW
Starring: Ramy Youssef, Steve Carell, Jason Schwartzman
Director: Jesse Armstrong
Rating: 3.5/5
Normcore explained
Something of a fashion anomaly, normcore is essentially a celebration of the unremarkable. The term was first popularised by an article in New York magazine in 2014 and has been dubbed “ugly”, “bland’ and "anti-style" by fashion writers. It’s hallmarks are comfort, a lack of pretentiousness and neutrality – it is a trend for those who would rather not stand out from the crowd. For the most part, the style is unisex, favouring loose silhouettes, thrift-shop threads, baseball caps and boyish trainers. It is important to note that normcore is not synonymous with cheapness or low quality; there are high-fashion brands, including Parisian label Vetements, that specialise in this style. Embraced by fashion-forward street-style stars around the globe, it’s uptake in the UAE has been relatively slow.
Learn more about Qasr Al Hosn
In 2013, The National's History Project went beyond the walls to see what life was like living in Abu Dhabi's fabled fort:
Key 2013/14 UAE Motorsport dates
October 4: Round One of Rotax Max Challenge, Al Ain (karting)
October 1: 1 Round One of the inaugural UAE Desert Championship (rally)
November 1-3: Abu Dhabi Grand Prix (Formula One)
November 28-30: Dubai International Rally
January 9-11: 24Hrs of Dubai (Touring Cars / Endurance)
March 21: Round 11 of Rotax Max Challenge, Muscat, Oman (karting)
April 4-10: Abu Dhabi Desert Challenge (Endurance)
The chef's advice
Troy Payne, head chef at Abu Dhabi’s newest healthy eatery Sanderson’s in Al Seef Resort & Spa, says singles need to change their mindset about how they approach the supermarket.
“They feel like they can’t buy one cucumber,” he says. “But I can walk into a shop – I feed two people at home – and I’ll walk into a shop and I buy one cucumber, I’ll buy one onion.”
Mr Payne asks for the sticker to be placed directly on each item, rather than face the temptation of filling one of the two-kilogram capacity plastic bags on offer.
The chef also advises singletons not get too hung up on “organic”, particularly high-priced varieties that have been flown in from far-flung locales. Local produce is often grown sustainably, and far cheaper, he says.
The Great Derangement: Climate Change and the Unthinkable
Amitav Ghosh, University of Chicago Press
First Person
Richard Flanagan
Chatto & Windus
Dubai Bling season three
Cast: Loujain Adada, Zeina Khoury, Farhana Bodi, Ebraheem Al Samadi, Mona Kattan, and couples Safa & Fahad Siddiqui and DJ Bliss & Danya Mohammed
Rating: 1/5
