Philippe Naggar

The fragile calm that briefly lifted over the Middle East has shattered. Iran has reimposed strict control over the Strait of Hormuz, reversing its decision to reopen the critical waterway just 24 hours earlier, and sending shockwaves through global energy markets ahead of Monday's open.

In a deal that could redraw regional trade routes and unlock the full potential of Jordan's vast mineral wealth, Amman and Abu Dhabi have signed a landmark $2.3 billion railway agreement, one of the most significant infrastructure partnerships the Middle East has seen in years.

The diplomatic clock is ticking, and Donald Trump sounds confident it will stop in time.

Dubai International Airport has once again demonstrated its unrivalled dominance in global aviation, handling 95.2 million passengers in 2025 and ranking second worldwide for total passenger traffic, according to the latest rankings released by Airports Council International (ACI).

Britain's armed services minister Al Carns has praised Ukraine's drone technology as among the best in the world, suggesting Kyiv could play a meaningful role in international efforts to reopen the Strait of Hormuz amid an ongoing Iranian blockade.

Iran’s Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf on Friday called for a ceasefire in Lebanon and the unfreezing of Iranian assets as conditions for any peace negotiations with the United States, as talks are expected to take place Saturday in Pakistan.

The Speaker of the Arab Parliament, Mohammed bin Ahmed Al Yamahi, has issued a sharp condemnation of Iran's continued missile and drone attacks against Arab Gulf states, attacks he says have persisted even after the ceasefire agreement reached between Washington and Tehran.

The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon has sounded the alarm. Both Hezbollah fighters and Israeli soldiers are "firing projectiles and bullets towards or in the vicinity of our positions," UNIFIL spokeswoman Kandice Ardiel warned, actions that have "already tragically caused deaths and injuries" among blue helmets deployed in southern Lebanon.

The Jordan Armed Forces announced Wednesday that the Royal Jordanian Air Force successfully intercepted a missile launched from Iran and two drones that had targeted Jordanian territory, in operations carried out over the preceding 24 hours.

There are moments in history when nations reveal their true character. Not in speeches, not at summits, not in carefully worded communiqués, but in actions. Or rather, in their absence.