Key figures in the current Middle East hostilities, from left, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian supreme leader, and US President Donald Trump. AFP
Key figures in the current Middle East hostilities, from left, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian supreme leader, and US President Donald Trump. AFP
Key figures in the current Middle East hostilities, from left, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian supreme leader, and US President Donald Trump. AFP
Key figures in the current Middle East hostilities, from left, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, Iranian supreme leader, and US President Donald Trump. AFP

Have US strikes on Iran brought Netanyahu closer to declaring ceasefire?


Thomas Helm
  • English
  • Arabic

As the region appeared to be heading for uncontrolled escalation after the US joined Israel in attacking Iran, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu discussed the possibility of an end to hostilities, albeit with major caveats and no timeline.

In a statement delivered on Sunday evening, the Prime Minister said Israel was close to achieving its goals in Iran and promised his country would not be dragged into a “war of attrition”.

“We won’t pursue our actions beyond what is needed to achieve [objectives] but we also won’t finish too soon. When the objectives are achieved, then the operation is complete and the fighting will stop,” Mr Netanyahu said.

“We embarked on this operation to eliminate the two concrete threats to our existence: the nuclear threat and the ballistic missile threat. We are moving step by step towards achieving these goals. We are very, very close to completing them.”

Iran's army commander-in-chief Amir Hatami, centre, attends a meeting in the army's war command room. Iranian Army Media Office / AFP
Iran's army commander-in-chief Amir Hatami, centre, attends a meeting in the army's war command room. Iranian Army Media Office / AFP

The confident assessment came after the US carried out overnight strikes on three key Iranian nuclear sites, including dropping "bunker bombs" on underground uranium enrichment facilities at Fordow and Natanz. US Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth said those sites had been “obliterated”. Mr Netanyahu said the US attack had inflicted "very serious damage" at Fordow.

With Iran escalating its rhetoric after the attack and continuing major strikes on Israel, the urgent question now is whether the US and Israel are truly willing to work towards a diplomatic solution.

Israel responded on Monday by attacking "regime targets and government repression bodies in the heart of Tehran with unprecedented force”, including the internal security base of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, the headquarters of the affiliated Basij volunteer militia, and Evin jail, where political prisoners are held, Defence Minister Israel Katz said.

"Israel's endgame isn't straightforward," a senior regional security official told The National. "The security assessment in some Arab capitals is that Netanyahu's government of extremists feels emboldened by the US strikes and will continue the war with the help of the US and European countries until a dramatic change happens in Iran.

"It's very hard to see him stopping the war now. This isn't about nuclear sites any more. It's about Netanyahu's legacy."

Despite Mr Netanyahu long being accused by his many opponents in Israel of being willing to place the country in dangerous situations to ensure his political survival, there has been little such criticism over the attack on Iran, indicating widespread belief among Jewish Israelis that Iran is an existential threat.

All but the most left-wing opposition politicians have had nothing but praise for the way the campaign against Iran has proceeded, especially the US decision to become involved.

Yair Lapid, leader of the opposition and one of Mr Netanyahu’s highest-profile critics, said only: “Thank you President Trump for your historic decision. Israel, the Middle East and the world are now safer.” Democrat leader Yair Golan, who heads arguably the most dynamic party on Israel’s beleaguered and dwindling left, described the US strikes as “impressive, important and justified”.

People shelter from Iranian strikes in an underground car park in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Monday. Reuters
People shelter from Iranian strikes in an underground car park in Tel Aviv, Israel, on Monday. Reuters

Israeli pollster Dahlia Scheindlin told The National that Israel’s plans for the war with Iran seem far clearer than its war against Hamas in Gaza, now in its 21st month. “There was clearly not only a bank of [Iranian] targets but also a bank of achievable aims that Israel will have decided once they are achieved, the war can be over in Iran”.

Ms Scheindlin said she was “watching very closely to see if [Mr Netanyahu’s] language changes in that regard”.

“If I piece together what he has said and done, the plan was to define a clear set of achievable aims, with measures of how those are to be assessed. This is consistent with the longer-term history of him wanting to destroy these two [nuclear and missile] programmes and preferring short, definitive wars over ones that are dragged out, of the kind he got dragged into on October 7.”

She added that, for now, Mr Netanyahu’s campaign has vast support among Jewish Israelis: “There's nothing clouding the sense of moral purity around the need to counter Iran. There's no occupation to spoil it and it doesn't tie into deep internal ideological divisions among the Israeli public, like Gaza does.”

What the law says

Micro-retirement is not a recognised concept or employment status under Federal Decree Law No. 33 of 2021 on the Regulation of Labour Relations (as amended) (UAE Labour Law). As such, it reflects a voluntary work-life balance practice, rather than a recognised legal employment category, according to Dilini Loku, senior associate for law firm Gateley Middle East.

“Some companies may offer formal sabbatical policies or career break programmes; however, beyond such arrangements, there is no automatic right or statutory entitlement to extended breaks,” she explains.

“Any leave taken beyond statutory entitlements, such as annual leave, is typically regarded as unpaid leave in accordance with Article 33 of the UAE Labour Law. While employees may legally take unpaid leave, such requests are subject to the employer’s discretion and require approval.”

If an employee resigns to pursue micro-retirement, the employment contract is terminated, and the employer is under no legal obligation to rehire the employee in the future unless specific contractual agreements are in place (such as return-to-work arrangements), which are generally uncommon, Ms Loku adds.

MATCH INFO

Barcelona 4 (Suarez 27', Vidal 32', Dembele 35', Messi 78')

Sevilla 0

Red cards: Ronald Araujo, Ousmane Dembele (Barcelona)

RESULT

RS Leipzig 3 

Marcel Sabitzer 10', 21'

Emil Forsberg 87'

Tottenham 0

 

UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Desert Warrior

Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley

Director: Rupert Wyatt

Rating: 3/5

Who was Alfred Nobel?

The Nobel Prize was created by wealthy Swedish chemist and entrepreneur Alfred Nobel.

  • In his will he dictated that the bulk of his estate should be used to fund "prizes to those who, during the preceding year, have conferred the greatest benefit to humankind".
  • Nobel is best known as the inventor of dynamite, but also wrote poetry and drama and could speak Russian, French, English and German by the age of 17. The five original prize categories reflect the interests closest to his heart.
  • Nobel died in 1896 but it took until 1901, following a legal battle over his will, before the first prizes were awarded.
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MAIN CARD

Bantamweight 56.4kg
Abrorbek Madiminbekov v Mehdi El Jamari

Super heavyweight 94 kg
Adnan Mohammad v Mohammed Ajaraam

Lightweight 60kg
Zakaria Eljamari v Faridoon Alik Zai

Light heavyweight 81.4kg
Mahmood Amin v Taha Marrouni

Light welterweight 64.5kg
Siyovush Gulmamadov v Nouredine Samir

Light heavyweight 81.4kg
Ilyass Habibali v Haroun Baka

UAE squad

Esha Oza (captain), Al Maseera Jahangir, Emily Thomas, Heena Hotchandani, Indhuja Nandakumar, Katie Thompson, Lavanya Keny, Mehak Thakur, Michelle Botha, Rinitha Rajith, Samaira Dharnidharka, Siya Gokhale, Sashikala Silva, Suraksha Kotte, Theertha Satish (wicketkeeper) Udeni Kuruppuarachchige, Vaishnave Mahesh.

UAE tour of Zimbabwe

All matches in Bulawayo
Friday, Sept 26 – First ODI
Sunday, Sept 28 – Second ODI
Tuesday, Sept 30 – Third ODI
Thursday, Oct 2 – Fourth ODI
Sunday, Oct 5 – First T20I
Monday, Oct 6 – Second T20I

Racecard

6.35pm: American Business Council – Maiden (PA) Dh80,000 (Dirt) 1,600m 

7.10pm: British Business Group – Maiden (TB) Dh82,500 (D) 1,200m 

7.45pm: CCI France UAE – Handicap (TB) Dh87,500 (D) 1,400m 

8.20pm: Czech Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh105,000 (D) 1,400m 

8.55pm: Netherlands Business Council – Rated Conditions (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,600m 

9.30pm: Indian Business and Professional Council – Handicap (TB) Dh95,000 (D) 1,200m  

'Ashkal'
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FORSPOKEN
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Wicked: For Good

Director: Jon M Chu

Starring: Ariana Grande, Cynthia Erivo, Jonathan Bailey, Jeff Goldblum, Michelle Yeoh, Ethan Slater

Rating: 4/5

What is the FNC?

The Federal National Council is one of five federal authorities established by the UAE constitution. It held its first session on December 2, 1972, a year to the day after Federation.
It has 40 members, eight of whom are women. The members represent the UAE population through each of the emirates. Abu Dhabi and Dubai have eight members each, Sharjah and Ras al Khaimah six, and Ajman, Fujairah and Umm Al Quwain have four.
They bring Emirati issues to the council for debate and put those concerns to ministers summoned for questioning. 
The FNC’s main functions include passing, amending or rejecting federal draft laws, discussing international treaties and agreements, and offering recommendations on general subjects raised during sessions.
Federal draft laws must first pass through the FNC for recommendations when members can amend the laws to suit the needs of citizens. The draft laws are then forwarded to the Cabinet for consideration and approval. 
Since 2006, half of the members have been elected by UAE citizens to serve four-year terms and the other half are appointed by the Ruler’s Courts of the seven emirates.
In the 2015 elections, 78 of the 252 candidates were women. Women also represented 48 per cent of all voters and 67 per cent of the voters were under the age of 40.
 

The BIO:

He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal

He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side

By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam

Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border

He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push

His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level

Key findings of Jenkins report
  • Founder of the Muslim Brotherhood, Hassan al Banna, "accepted the political utility of violence"
  • Views of key Muslim Brotherhood ideologue, Sayyid Qutb, have “consistently been understood” as permitting “the use of extreme violence in the pursuit of the perfect Islamic society” and “never been institutionally disowned” by the movement.
  • Muslim Brotherhood at all levels has repeatedly defended Hamas attacks against Israel, including the use of suicide bombers and the killing of civilians.
  • Laying out the report in the House of Commons, David Cameron told MPs: "The main findings of the review support the conclusion that membership of, association with, or influence by the Muslim Brotherhood should be considered as a possible indicator of extremism."
MATCH DETAILS

Juventus 2 (Bonucci 36, Ronaldo 90 6)

Genoa 1 (Kouame 40)

Updated: June 23, 2025, 6:49 PM