At the end of February, the United States and Israel launched a major military operation against Iran, carrying out airstrikes on multiple sites, including the presidential office, nuclear facilities, military airports, and other buildings. Iran’s supreme leader, Ali Hosseini Khamenei, his relatives, and several high-ranking Iranian officials were reportedly killed in the attacks.
Iran retaliated against several US and Israeli bases in the Middle East, with Dubai in the United Arab Emirates also affected. Airport facilities were damaged, leading to its closure.
This sudden news was both shocking and worrying, as Dubai Airport is among the busiest in the world, leaving many travellers, including people from Hong Kong, stranded. Fortunately, at the time of going to press, Dubai Airport has reopened and stranded Hong Kong residents are returning home safely.
A short term resolution seems impossible. When one side launches an attack, the other retaliates in revenge, with both parties convinced of the righteousness of their own actions and eager to justify them. Missiles and drones fill the skies above the Middle East and the Gulf; government infrastructure has been bombed, and people’s livelihoods have been gravely affected, not to mention the devastating casualties inflicted by war.
In the first three days, over a thousand people died in Iran, more than 5,000 were injured, and around 200 children were killed; US soldiers also died, while Israel reported only dozens of deaths. The flames of war spread to neighbouring countries: Lebanon, Kuwait, Oman and Bahrain reported civilian casualties, and Azerbaijan was also affected, though Iran refused to accept responsibility.
As ordinary Christians what can we do to create peace and allow countries or regions in war to enjoy peace?
Pope Leo XIV has issued successive appeals regarding the situation in the Middle East, the Russia-Ukraine war, and the civil war in Sudan, pointing out that violence is not the best way, and true peace be achieved can only be achieved through calm, rational, and responsible dialogue.
The pope also called on countries to engage in diplomatic coordination to quell the flames of war. On March 1, he received a group of young people and emphasised that “we must pray more for peace, stand united, and reject the temptation to hurt others… we must always choose good.”
Some of Pope Leo’s important speeches have been compiled into a book titled, May Peace Be With You, for which he wrote the preface for the English edition: “Prayer is the power of the unarmed.” He continued, saying that in prayer, we disarm our egos and treat others with sincerity. In fact, “only a peaceful heart can build a peaceful world.”
The pope’s prayer intention for March is: “Please pray for disarmament and peace,” words that resonate deeply amidst the current severe international situation. Let us pray that God enlightens the leaders of all nations to halt the arms race, prioritise the lives of people above all else, and remove the nuclear threat so that humanity may look towards a happier and more secure future. SE
