Iranian Drone Attack in Bahrain Injures Two, Says Interior Ministry

A general view of Manama, Bahrain. (AFP)
A general view of Manama, Bahrain. (AFP)
TT

Iranian Drone Attack in Bahrain Injures Two, Says Interior Ministry

A general view of Manama, Bahrain. (AFP)
A general view of Manama, Bahrain. (AFP)

Two people sustained light injuries following an Iranian drone attack in Bahrain on Wednesday, the interior ministry said, hours after a US-Iran truce took effect.

"As a result of the Iranian aggression, two citizens sustained minor injuries and a number of houses were damaged in the Sitra area as a result of shrapnel falling from the interception of an Iranian drone," the Bahraini interior ministry said in a post on X.

The United States and Iran agreed to a two-week ceasefire, reaching a deal less than two hours before President Donald Trump's deadline for Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face the wiping out of "a whole civilization".

The announcement by Trump late on Tuesday represented an abrupt turnaround from his extraordinary warning earlier, and came after mediation efforts by Pakistan's military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir, and its Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif.

The eleventh-hour deal was subject to Iran's agreement to pause its blockade of oil and gas supplies through the strait, Trump said. The waterway typically handles about one-fifth of global oil shipments.

Iran's foreign minister, Abbas Araqchi, said in a statement Tehran would cease counter-attacks and provide safe passage through the waterway, if attacks against it stop.

It was not immediately ‌clear how soon the ceasefire elsewhere would take full effect. Israeli media said it would begin once Iran reopened the strait and that Israel expected Iranian attacks to continue in the interim.



GCC Secretary-General Affirms Gulf Stability as a Cornerstone of Global Stability

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi
TT

GCC Secretary-General Affirms Gulf Stability as a Cornerstone of Global Stability

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi
Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Mohamed Albudaiwi

Secretary-General of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Jasem Albudaiwi stressed during a working session before the European Parliament’s Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) that Gulf–European relations are more important than ever amid current regional and international challenges, and called for elevating them from consultation to a more practical partnership, SPA reported.

Albudaiwi, who is holding a series of meetings with senior officials in Brussels, explained that recent security developments in the region, along with threats to maritime routes, supply chains, and energy and food security, confirm that Gulf stability is not merely a regional matter, but a fundamental element of global stability.

He emphasized that the Strait of Hormuz must remain open and secure under international law, particularly UNCLOS (1982).

He also praised the EU’s condemnation of Iranian attacks on GCC states and its efforts to contain escalation through urgent diplomatic engagement.


Makkah Police Arrest Resident over Fraudulent Hajj Ads

 A general of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. (SPA)
A general of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. (SPA)
TT

Makkah Police Arrest Resident over Fraudulent Hajj Ads

 A general of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. (SPA)
A general of the Grand Mosque in the holy city of Makkah. (SPA)

Makkah Region police arrested an Egyptian resident for fraud after posting advertisements on social media offering fake permits to enter the holy sites and fraudulent Hajj services, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

Legal action was taken against him and he was referred to the Public Prosecution.

The General Directorate of Public Security urged citizens and residents to adhere to Hajj regulations and guidelines and to report violators.

On Tuesday, the Saudi Ministry of Interior announced the penalties that will be imposed on violators of the regulations requiring a permit to perform Hajj.

A fine of up to SAR20,000 will be imposed on any individual found performing or attempting to perform Hajj without a permit.

A fine of up to SAR100,000 will be imposed on any person who applies for the issuance of a visit visa of any type for an individual who performs or attempts to perform Hajj without a permit.

Infiltrators, including residents and those who overstay their visas, will be deported back to their countries and banned them from entering the Kingdom for 10 years.


Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief Distributes 29,000 Hot Meals in Gaza

KSrelief distributed 29,000 hot meals to the most vulnerable families in central and southern Gaza Strip. (SPA)
KSrelief distributed 29,000 hot meals to the most vulnerable families in central and southern Gaza Strip. (SPA)
TT

Saudi Arabia’s KSrelief Distributes 29,000 Hot Meals in Gaza

KSrelief distributed 29,000 hot meals to the most vulnerable families in central and southern Gaza Strip. (SPA)
KSrelief distributed 29,000 hot meals to the most vulnerable families in central and southern Gaza Strip. (SPA)

The central kitchen operated by Saudi Arabia's King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief) distributed 29,000 hot meals to the most vulnerable families in central and southern Gaza Strip, as part of the Saudi public campaign to provide relief to the Palestinian people, reported the Saudi Press Agency on Wednesday.

This initiative demonstrates the Kingdom’s dedication, through KSrelief, to supporting the Palestinian people in times of crisis.

On Monday, KSrelief distributed 1,196 food baskets to the most vulnerable groups in Gaza's city of Khan Younis, benefiting 7,176 individuals.