Live updates: Follow the latest on Israel-Gaza
A drone strike on Tel Aviv claimed by Yemen's Houthi rebels hit a house near the US embassy branch office on Friday, killing one person and marking a significant escalation in the Gaza war.
This is the first such attack claimed by the Iran-backed rebels and comes more than nine months into Israel's war against the Houthis' ally Hamas. The Israeli military later said it believed the attack was launched by the Houthis from Yemen.
The attack hit a central district that is home to several diplomatic missions without triggering air raid sirens.
The blast left at least one person dead, an Israeli emergency services representative said. A police report said seven people were injured.
"No sirens were activated," the army said in a statement, adding that the air force increased patrols "to protect Israeli airspace".
Army spokesman Rear Admiral Daniel Hagari said the drone was an Iranian Samad-3 model.
He added that the military was discussing “what the required offensive response will be against those who threaten Israel”.
The blast occurred about 100 metres from the US embassy branch office compound, CNN analysis of open-source satellite imagery of the scene found. It was not immediately clear whether the American mission was the target of the attack.
A State Department representative told The National that there was no damage to the US embassy branch office building and that no staff injuries had been reported.
"We are in close contact with Israeli authorities to fully investigate the source of the explosion and its intended target," the representative said, adding that the embassy is still able to provide consular services to American citizens.
"This caught Israel by surprise. There were casualties and it should not be taken lightly," Yoel Guzansky, senior researcher at the Israeli Institute for National Security, told The National. "There’s still much we have to find out. The Houthis claimed responsibility but it didn’t necessarily come from Yemen.
"If it did come from Yemen, 2,000 kilometres away, then it’s crazy. It shows the Houthis have mastered a lot of capabilities. It makes them more than a regional threat. I think it’s global now."
The Houthis will continue to target Israel in solidarity with Palestinians in the Gaza war, a military spokesman for the group said. Yemen is about 2,300km from Israel.
"The Yemeni armed forces air force, with the help of God almighty, carried out a qualitative military operation, which consisted of targeting one of the important targets in the occupied Yafa region, known as Tel Aviv," the spokesman said.
"The operation was carried out with a new drone called Yafa, which is capable of bypassing the enemy's interception systems and [is] unable to be detected by radars. The operation achieved its goals successfully.
"We announce that occupied Yafa is unsafe and will be a main target within reach of our weapons."
Tel Aviv Mayor Ron Huldai said on X that the city was on “high alert” after the drone attack and told residents to follow emergency instructions. “The war is still here, and it is hard and painful,” he said.
The attack drew sharp reactions across the political spectrum in Israel.
Israeli Defence Minister Yoav Gallant said the country would “settle the score with anyone who harms the state of Israel or directs terror against it".
Israel will respond to the attack and “the defence establishment is working to immediately strengthen all defence systems”, he said during an assessment with military chiefs.
Opposition leader Yair Lapid criticised Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's government, writing on X that: "The crash of the UAV in Tel Aviv is further proof that this government does not know and cannot give security to the citizens of Israel.
"There are no policies, no plans, [only] public relations and discussions about themselves. They have to go."
Mr Lapid added that "those who lose deterrence in the north and south also lose it in the heart of Tel Aviv", reflecting growing frustration among many in Israel that the lack of a government strategy in the Gaza war is endangering the country.
But far-right government ministers doubled down after the strike on Tel Aviv. "In a region where only strength and power are understood, [Israel does] not have the privilege of ending the war without a complete victory in all arenas and the removal of the threat posed by them," Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich wrote on X.
National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who has complained of not having enough say in the country's military policy throughout the Gaza war, said "the red line has been crossed in the north. When you contain firing on Kiryat Shmona and Sderot, you get firing on Tel Aviv".
"This is precisely why I insist on being around the table in determining Israel's policy," he added.
Hezbollah and the Houthis are part of the Iran-backed network of militant groups in the Middle East, and have both attacked Israeli targets since the war in Gaza broke out on October 7.
Palestinian Islamic Jihad commander Haitham Abu Al Ghazlan told the Houthi-run Al Masirah network that the attack was a "qualitative and important development in the battle with the Israeli enemy".
Mr Guzansky believes Israel should respond by targeting Iranian assets that support the Houthis. "I think things should be done quietly, I don’t want see a direct air operation, although one is possible," he said.
"I would advise a precision strike on Iranian assets helping the Houthis. If Iran is targeting us, we have every right to response. It doesn’t necessarily have to be in Iran, we know they have assets in the Red Sea, Sudan and Yemen. There’s intelligence sharing with the Houthis. All kinds of things.
"The cloud of Iran over the region is only getting darker."
The attack came after a series of Israeli strikes destroyed a three-storey building in southern Lebanon on Thursday night and killed a commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan forces.
Israel said it struck the headquarters of the Radwan and killed Ali Jaafar Maatouk, known as Habib Maatouk, in a strike against "a command centre where Hezbollah terrorists were operating in the Jmaijmeh region”.
The Israeli military added that it had killed a number of other Radwan operatives in a series of heavy attacks on Thursday night.
Earlier this week, at least eight civilians were killed in Israeli strikes on south Lebanon.
That led Hezbollah Secretary General Hassan Nasrallah to warn that continuing to attack civilians in Lebanon would push the group “to launch missiles at settlements that were not previously targeted".
Mercer, the investment consulting arm of US services company Marsh & McLennan, expects its wealth division to at least double its assets under management (AUM) in the Middle East as wealth in the region continues to grow despite economic headwinds, a company official said.
Mercer Wealth, which globally has $160 billion in AUM, plans to boost its AUM in the region to $2-$3bn in the next 2-3 years from the present $1bn, said Yasir AbuShaban, a Dubai-based principal with Mercer Wealth.
“Within the next two to three years, we are looking at reaching $2 to $3 billion as a conservative estimate and we do see an opportunity to do so,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Mercer does not directly make investments, but allocates clients’ money they have discretion to, to professional asset managers. They also provide advice to clients.
“We have buying power. We can negotiate on their (client’s) behalf with asset managers to provide them lower fees than they otherwise would have to get on their own,” he added.
Mercer Wealth’s clients include sovereign wealth funds, family offices, and insurance companies among others.
From its office in Dubai, Mercer also looks after Africa, India and Turkey, where they also see opportunity for growth.
Wealth creation in Middle East and Africa (MEA) grew 8.5 per cent to $8.1 trillion last year from $7.5tn in 2015, higher than last year’s global average of 6 per cent and the second-highest growth in a region after Asia-Pacific which grew 9.9 per cent, according to consultancy Boston Consulting Group (BCG). In the region, where wealth grew just 1.9 per cent in 2015 compared with 2014, a pickup in oil prices has helped in wealth generation.
BCG is forecasting MEA wealth will rise to $12tn by 2021, growing at an annual average of 8 per cent.
Drivers of wealth generation in the region will be split evenly between new wealth creation and growth of performance of existing assets, according to BCG.
Another general trend in the region is clients’ looking for a comprehensive approach to investing, according to Mr AbuShaban.
“Institutional investors or some of the families are seeing a slowdown in the available capital they have to invest and in that sense they are looking at optimizing the way they manage their portfolios and making sure they are not investing haphazardly and different parts of their investment are working together,” said Mr AbuShaban.
Some clients also have a higher appetite for risk, given the low interest-rate environment that does not provide enough yield for some institutional investors. These clients are keen to invest in illiquid assets, such as private equity and infrastructure.
“What we have seen is a desire for higher returns in what has been a low-return environment specifically in various fixed income or bonds,” he said.
“In this environment, we have seen a de facto increase in the risk that clients are taking in things like illiquid investments, private equity investments, infrastructure and private debt, those kind of investments were higher illiquidity results in incrementally higher returns.”
The Abu Dhabi Investment Authority, one of the largest sovereign wealth funds, said in its 2016 report that has gradually increased its exposure in direct private equity and private credit transactions, mainly in Asian markets and especially in China and India. The authority’s private equity department focused on structured equities owing to “their defensive characteristics.”
MATCH INFO
Bayern Munich 2 Borussia Monchengladbach 1
Bayern: Zirkzee (26'), Goretzka (86')
Gladbach: Pavard (37' og)
Man of the Match: Breel Embolo (Borussia Monchengladbach)
How the bonus system works
The two riders are among several riders in the UAE to receive the top payment of £10,000 under the Thank You Fund of £16 million (Dh80m), which was announced in conjunction with Deliveroo's £8 billion (Dh40bn) stock market listing earlier this year.
The £10,000 (Dh50,000) payment is made to those riders who have completed the highest number of orders in each market.
There are also riders who will receive payments of £1,000 (Dh5,000) and £500 (Dh2,500).
All riders who have worked with Deliveroo for at least one year and completed 2,000 orders will receive £200 (Dh1,000), the company said when it announced the scheme.
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre V8 twin-turbocharged and three electric motors
Power: Combined output 920hp
Torque: 730Nm at 4,000-7,000rpm
Transmission: 8-speed dual-clutch automatic
Fuel consumption: 11.2L/100km
On sale: Now, deliveries expected later in 2025
Price: expected to start at Dh1,432,000
Match info
Who: India v Afghanistan
What: One-off Test match, Bengaluru
When: June 14 to 18
TV: OSN Sports Cricket HD, 8am starts
Online: OSN Play (subscribers only)
RESULTS
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Iftar programme at the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding
Established in 1998, the Sheikh Mohammed Centre for Cultural Understanding was created with a vision to teach residents about the traditions and customs of the UAE. Its motto is ‘open doors, open minds’. All year-round, visitors can sign up for a traditional Emirati breakfast, lunch or dinner meal, as well as a range of walking tours, including ones to sites such as the Jumeirah Mosque or Al Fahidi Historical Neighbourhood.
Every year during Ramadan, an iftar programme is rolled out. This allows guests to break their fast with the centre’s presenters, visit a nearby mosque and observe their guides while they pray. These events last for about two hours and are open to the public, or can be booked for a private event.
Until the end of Ramadan, the iftar events take place from 7pm until 9pm, from Saturday to Thursday. Advanced booking is required.
For more details, email openminds@cultures.ae or visit www.cultures.ae
Timeline
2012-2015
The company offers payments/bribes to win key contracts in the Middle East
May 2017
The UK SFO officially opens investigation into Petrofac’s use of agents, corruption, and potential bribery to secure contracts
September 2021
Petrofac pleads guilty to seven counts of failing to prevent bribery under the UK Bribery Act
October 2021
Court fines Petrofac £77 million for bribery. Former executive receives a two-year suspended sentence
December 2024
Petrofac enters into comprehensive restructuring to strengthen the financial position of the group
May 2025
The High Court of England and Wales approves the company’s restructuring plan
July 2025
The Court of Appeal issues a judgment challenging parts of the restructuring plan
August 2025
Petrofac issues a business update to execute the restructuring and confirms it will appeal the Court of Appeal decision
October 2025
Petrofac loses a major TenneT offshore wind contract worth €13 billion. Holding company files for administration in the UK. Petrofac delisted from the London Stock Exchange
November 2025
180 Petrofac employees laid off in the UAE
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
DMZ facts
- The DMZ was created as a buffer after the 1950-53 Korean War.
- It runs 248 kilometers across the Korean Peninsula and is 4km wide.
- The zone is jointly overseen by the US-led United Nations Command and North Korea.
- It is littered with an estimated 2 million mines, tank traps, razor wire fences and guard posts.
- Donald Trump and Kim Jong-Un met at a building in Panmunjom, where an armistice was signed to stop the Korean War.
- Panmunjom is 52km north of the Korean capital Seoul and 147km south of Pyongyang, North Korea’s capital.
- Former US president Bill Clinton visited Panmunjom in 1993, while Ronald Reagan visited the DMZ in 1983, George W. Bush in 2002 and Barack Obama visited a nearby military camp in 2012.
- Mr Trump planned to visit in November 2017, but heavy fog that prevented his helicopter from landing.
