From Artillery to Algorithms: Two Courses of the Middle East

May 6, 2025, marked a day when several Middle Eastern countries — from Israel and Turkey to the United Arab Emirates — took steps reflecting a growing and multifaceted regional tension. Military operations, international statements, and technological initiatives merged into a single picture: a new Middle East reality where armed conflict, diplomacy, and artificial intelligence evolve in parallel.

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Gas Knot: Israel and Gaza

The Israeli cabinet approved a plan providing for a prolonged military presence in the Gaza Strip. According to The Guardian, this plan includes conditions for delivering humanitarian aid through private companies, bypassing Hamas, and considers relocating part of the Palestinian population to southern areas of the enclave.

As highlighted by El País, Israeli authorities officially acknowledged for the first time their intent to remain in Gaza indefinitely, rejecting the idea of restoring control to the Palestinian Authority. According to the outlet, this effectively means the occupation of the Gaza Strip and a radical shift in Israel’s strategic doctrine.

Representatives of the international community, including France, China, and Saudi Arabia, expressed concern over Tel Aviv’s plans. As reported by Arab News, the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs called for an immediate ceasefire and a resumption of peace negotiations, stressing the importance of respecting international humanitarian law.

Alongside this political turn, humanitarian pressure has intensified. According to The Guardian, Israel submitted a memorandum to the United Nations outlining a plan to delegate humanitarian aid coordination to private security firms — a move that sparked harsh criticism from several humanitarian organizations.

Against this backdrop, Hamas announced its withdrawal from further negotiations. According to Hamas official Basem Naim, as quoted by Arab News, “no talks are possible in the midst of genocide and destruction.” This statement echoes the movement’s previously stated position, also reflected by The Times of Israel.

The Israeli offensive and Hamas’s refusal to engage in dialogue are creating a situation where diplomatic tools are being sidelined in favor of military solutions. Israel had earlier declared the capture of the remaining districts of Rafah and its intention to proceed with a full-scale clearing operation — as reported by The Times.

Echo of the Conflict: Strikes on Yemen, Lebanon, and Syria

On May 6, Israel expanded its military operations beyond the Gaza Strip by launching airstrikes on targets in Yemen, Lebanon, and Syria. According to Al Jazeera, the strikes were carried out in response to a Houthi attack on Ben Gurion International Airport in Tel Aviv, which temporarily disrupted airport operations.

As Al Jazeera further specifies, one of the main targets was the port of Hodeidah on the Red Sea — a strategically vital facility through which Yemen receives both humanitarian and commercial aid. The Houthis have labeled the Israeli strike as an act of aggression unrelated to Gaza, despite Israel’s justification of a retaliatory logic.

In addition to Yemen, airstrikes also targeted positions in Lebanon and Syria. In Lebanon, the strikes were reportedly aimed at weapons depots and infrastructure linked to Hezbollah, while in Syria, Israeli aircraft targeted locations associated with Iran’s military presence. Although Israel traditionally refrains from officially commenting on such operations, defense sources confirmed that a “large-scale preventive campaign” was underway.

Thus, a conflict that began with hostilities in Gaza is evolving into a regional confrontation involving multiple actors. This dynamic intensifies concerns among the international community regarding the risk of uncontrolled escalation and the involvement of new countries in direct military conflict.

Saudi Arabia — A Voice of Restraint

Amid the ongoing escalation in the Gaza Strip and the spread of the conflict beyond its borders, Saudi Arabia once again called for immediate de-escalation and the resumption of diplomatic efforts. In an official statement published by the Kingdom’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the authorities expressed their “deep concern” over the humanitarian situation in Gaza and demanded an “urgent ceasefire.” This was reported by Arab News.

According to the Saudi Foreign Ministry, the continuation of hostilities threatens the stability of the entire region and poses a danger to the civilian population. The statement emphasizes that “the priority must remain compliance with international humanitarian law and the protection of civilians.”

Saudi Arabia also urged the international community — particularly the members of the United Nations Security Council — to exert pressure on the warring parties in order to bring an immediate end to the violence. These statements are consistent with Riyadh’s broader policy of maintaining regional balance and preserving Saudi Arabia’s status as a leading mediator in the Middle East.

Previously, Saudi Arabia had issued similar calls for de-escalation in November and December of 2024, underscoring the continuity of its approach to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. However, against the backdrop of the latest surge in violence, Riyadh is placing renewed emphasis on the need for international intervention and the coordination of humanitarian aid.

Turkey and the Aegean Front

On May 6, the Turkish Ministry of National Defense announced the launch of large-scale naval exercises in the Aegean Sea. According to Türkiye Today, the maneuvers are being conducted under the operation “Denizkurdu-II-2025” and cover a vast region, including the eastern Mediterranean and the Aegean coastline.

More than 20,000 military personnel, over 100 ships and submarines, as well as naval aviation forces are taking part in the drills. According to the Defense Ministry, the goal of the exercises is to increase combat readiness, rehearse defensive scenarios, and demonstrate the capacity to operate under “complex regional conditions.”

The drills come against the backdrop of a long-standing territorial dispute between Turkey and Greece. While Ankara officially maintains that the maneuvers are planned and defensive in nature, political analysts note that they also serve as a message to both external and internal audiences. Turkey has traditionally used such displays of strength to reinforce its regional position — including in negotiations over the Eastern Mediterranean and the Cyprus issue.

The Aegean drills mark the second major military exercise conducted by Turkey in May 2025. Earlier in the month, Ankara launched operations in the Black Sea, suggesting a multidirectional strategy to bolster national defense capabilities.

UAE: Acceleration Through Technology in a Time of War

While sirens and airstrikes dominate parts of the Middle East, the United Arab Emirates is betting on a digital future. The UAE Ministry of Education has announced that, starting in the 2025–2026 academic year, artificial intelligence will become a mandatory subject in all public schools — from kindergarten through grade 12. This was reported by Entrepreneur Middle East.

According to the ministry, the introduction of AI as a formal subject is aimed at preparing young people for “the world of the future,” in which digital competencies will be an essential part of both professional and civic life. The curriculum will include the basics of algorithms, machine learning, and the practical application of AI technologies in everyday contexts.

Simultaneously with this education reform, the Dubai-based technology company Leap 71 announced the development of a new generation of 3D-printed rocket engines. As stated on the company’s official website Leap71, the project leverages generative artificial intelligence and automated engineering systems to design and manufacture large-scale aerospace components.

According to The National News, the engines are expected to match the performance of the American-made Raptor engines developed by SpaceX. This could signal a breakthrough for private aerospace ventures in the region and strengthen the UAE’s ambitions as a leader in advanced technology.

Investments in education and aerospace demonstrate the UAE’s strategic approach to the future: focusing on technological independence and workforce development for high-tech industries. 

At a time when other countries in the region are engaged in military campaigns, the Emirates are shaping a different model of influence — one built on science, innovation, and engineering export.

A Century Compressed Into a Day

The events of May 6, 2025, revealed with alarming clarity that the Middle East is undergoing not just another wave of instability, but a structural shift. At one end of the region, a large-scale military operation continues, accompanied by international criticism and a humanitarian crisis; at the other, school programs in artificial intelligence are being launched, and 3D-printed rocket engines are being designed.

The Israeli offensive in Gaza, airstrikes in neighboring countries, Hamas’s refusal to engage in talks, Saudi Arabia’s concern, and Turkey’s show of military strength in the Aegean all point to a troubling trend: the expansion of conflict beyond the framework of the Israeli-Palestinian confrontation.

At the same time, the actions of the United Arab Emirates in education and aerospace signal the emergence of an alternative model of regional influence — one based not on military power, but on knowledge, development, and technological leadership. This reveals a deepening divide within the region: some are preparing for battle, others for the future.

Between the frontlines and lines of code, between rocket strikes and rocket nozzles, the Middle East today shows that the boundaries of conflict and the frontiers of progress can overlap on the same map — and even on the same day. These are not parallel processes. This is one region, one story, and possibly one fate.