Return to Transcripts main page
Connect the World
U.S. Military Drops 5,000-pound Bombs Near Strait of Hormuz; Oil Prices Hold Steady Despite News of Iraqi Export Deal; Hormuz Closure Could Spark Global Inflation Double Whammy; Three Thai Crew Members Missing After Ship Struck in Strait; Iranians Caught Between U.S.-Israeli Strikes & Government Forces. Aired 9-10a ET
Aired March 18, 2026 - 09:00 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
[09:00:00]
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
BECKY ANDERSON, CNN HOST, CONNECT THE WORLD: Well, this is the scene in Tehran after the funeral of Iran's Security Chief Ali Larijani. Israel
claims it has also assassinated Iran's Intelligence Chief, the latest target in this war. It is 04:30 in Tehran. It is 05:00 p.m. here in Abu
Dhabi.
I'm Becky Anderson from our Middle East programming headquarters. You're watching "Connect the World". The stock market in New York opens in about
30 minutes from now, futures indicating a lower open. No real surprise that investors still have a keen eye on the high oil price, given what is going
on the Strait of Hormuz.
And ahead of the U.S. Federal Reserve's rate policy decision, investors today expecting no change from the Fed. On day 19 of this war happening
now, we are seeing those who gathered for the funeral of Iran's Security Chief. Huge crowds filled the streets of Tehran for the funeral procession
earlier for Ali Larijani killed this week, along with a top paramilitary commander targeted by Israel.
And Israel says today it launched a new strike that claims killed Iran's Intelligence Minister. A senior Israeli official, intelligence official,
telling CNN, these attacks against top government and military figures are meant to sow chaos in the regime's leadership.
Iran vowing revenge for Ali Larijani's killing, its military fired a salvo of missiles at Israel early Wednesday, killing at least two people with
what appeared to be cluster munitions. Israel going after what it says are Hezbollah targets in Lebanon and two as it issues a new evacuation order of
the Coastal City of Tyre.
This video showing the moment an Israeli air strike destroyed a high rise building in Beirut. All this is the U.S. Embassy in Baghdad comes under
attack for a second day, with a fire scene burning outside the grounds of that embassy. And as Iran continues to target its Gulf neighbors, Saudi
Arabia hosting regional foreign ministers for security talks.
Well, the U.S. military is using bunker buster bombs to target Iranian missile sites along the Strait of Hormuz. The 5000-pound weapons can
inflict damage deep underground. Well, they work against Iran's asymmetric warfare that is adaptive and effectively has choked off commercial oil
traffic in that vital water way.
Retired U.S. Army General Mark Kimmitt talked to CNN's Anderson Cooper about why he believes targeting missile sites won't be enough to secure the
strait. Have a listen.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
GENERAL MARK KIMMITT, U.S. ARMY (RET.): I think we've still got to remember there are hundreds, if not thousands of speed boats that are hidden along
that coastline in coves, camouflaged in open site as commercial vehicles.
ANDERSON COOPER, CNN POLITICAL COMMENTATOR: Literally speed boats, the kind you would see out recreationally.
KIMMITT: Yes, what you'd see cigarette boats that basically can shoot missiles at big ships, our ships, tankers. So, until we can eliminate that
threat, I still think we're not going to be considered militarily successful through the strait, and the commercial success won't be a --
[09:05:00]
COOPER: I mean, with the USS Cole we saw what one speed boat like that can do to a vessel.
KIMMITT: And our tankers are much, much larger during the tanker war, it took three or four different hits on a tanker to sink it. But nonetheless,
when you've got a couple of 100, if not thousands speed boats, they can put a lot of pain on those tankers.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, U.S. President Donald Trump suggesting today that U.S. allies should take responsibility for the Strait of Hormuz once the Iranian
regime is removed in a post on Truth Social, the president said, I wonder what would happen if we finished off what's left of the Iranian terror
state and let the countries that use it we don't be responsible for the so called straight.
That would get some of our non-responsive allies in gear and fast. Well, the past hour, CNN spoke to Congressman John Garamendi, a Democrat from
California. He is a senior member of the House Armed Services Committee, and he outlined the democratic opposition to this war.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
REP. JOHN GARAMENDI (D-CA): The bottom line of this is that the president jumped into this war without following the Constitution, explaining to
Congress what it's all about, getting the authorization from Congress to conduct the war. Had he done that, maybe there would be some certainty as
to what the goal is here.
But frankly, the goal is changing morning to night and the next day. It's yet another goal right now, I have no idea of what that statement is all
about, except he's upset that the rest of the world doesn't want to go to war with him.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Paula Hancocks is here in Abu Dhabi. Oren Liebermann, I'm hoping, is going to join us from Jerusalem. Yes, he's with us now. Oren, let's
start with you. What more can you tell us about these Israeli strikes in Iran, who they're targeting, and the significance of who they claim they
have assassinated?
OREN LIEBERMANN, CNN JERUSALEM BUREAU CHIEF: Becky, this is Israel just working its way down the list of any senior Iranian official surviving
after the first 2.5 weeks of this war. And this started at the very beginning with the targeted killing of Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
It continued yesterday with the killing of Ali Larijani and now about 24 hours later, Israel assassinates Iran's Intelligence Minister, Esmaeil
Khatib. And this, according to every statement we have seen from Israel's leadership, is not the end of it. Israel's Defense Minister Israel Katz,
says they will continue hunting down Iran's senior members.
And in fact, he announced that in conjunction with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, they have streamlined the process of targeting and killing
Iran's top leadership, saying that when an operational opportunity arises to take out another senior Iranian leader, it doesn't require further
authorizations. Israel effectively has a blanket green light for the military to target more of Iran's leadership.
So, they continue to go after Iran's senior leadership here in an effort to try to weaken the regime. Where this goes from here? Well, we have seen
more statements from Israel's leadership and Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu trying to reach out to the Iranian people, saying, your turn will
come soon, but we haven't seen that manifested in any way on the ground.
It's also worth noting, Becky, that it's not just targeted assassinations now. Israeli officials tell us that Israel will begin, and has begun,
targeting Iran's energy infrastructure, in particular its natural gas infrastructure and its electricity infrastructure, notably not touching
oil, because of a potential concern that, that would spike gas prices even more, and that would be a turn off to President Donald Trump.
But this has led affiliates linked with Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to say that this opens a new phase of the war. Remember, several days
ago, we had already heard the IRGC say that if the U.S. and Israel attacked Iran's energy infrastructure, Iran would set that same infrastructure
throughout the Gulf, quote, on fire.
ANDERSON: Good to have you. Thank you. Paula, let's bring you in as attacks continue here in the UAE and around the region, we are hearing from
Emirates officials about possibly helping an international coalition being built by the U.S. in efforts to secure the Strait of Hormuz.
PAULA HANCOCKS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Becky. We heard from the U.S. President on Tuesday, criticizing Europe, but saying that the Middle
East countries were stepping up. He mentioned the UAE. He mentioned Saudi Arabia and Bahrain. And we did hear from Anwar Gargash, she's a key senior
advisor to the UAE President here.
And he was talking about the UAE being open to being part of this coalition, if there is a collective effort to try and safe guard maritime
security.
[09:10:00]
Now, he said those discussions were ongoing at this point, but the UAE is open to playing a part. I'll read you part of what he said. I don't see any
sort of formal structure plan right now, but the UAE is thinking is that this is an international waterway. The idea of holding the world hostage,
whether on issues of trade or issues on energy, is something that is deplorable, and we all need to move in unison to address that.
Now he is pointing out as well that this structure is not there at this point, but if it is an international effort, then the UAE would play a
part. Now we know that there is going to be a meeting that Saudi Arabia will host, virtual, of course, this Wednesday evening, with the foreign
ministers of some of the Gulf nations as well.
They will be discussing the regional security as it is at this point. Now, when you look at the UAE itself, it has come under particular target by
Tehran, and certainly the most of all the Gulf nations. You look at some of the figures today, we have had figures from the Ministry of Defense saying
that 13 missiles, 27 drones have been engaged.
That's not necessarily what has been fired at the UAE, that is what the military has been able to engage. And it's been that sort of realm for
about a week or so now, and it has fluctuated somewhat. But when you look at the whole 2.5 weeks that this war has been going on, the numbers are
quite significant.
More than 2000 missiles and drones have been targeted towards the UAE. 327 ballistic missiles, 15 cruise missiles, 1699 drones. Those are the ones,
again, that have been engaged, that have been intercepted. And certainly, there appears to be no letup in what Iran is sending over at this point.
In fact, just this morning, we heard from the Australian Ministry of Defense saying that the Al Minhad Air Base, the Australians have a presence
at that air base. They say that was targeted. There was a strike that impacted the area where the Australians were based, they said there were no
injuries. There was minor damage, though, to one of the buildings, Becky.
ANDERSON: Good to have you, Paula. And Oren, appreciate it. Thank you both. Well, following on from the comments by the Advisor to the President of the
UAE Anwar Gargash this just into CNN from Lana Nusseibeh, the UAE Minister of State, quote, this is a matter of international concern, and all states
must act in a manner that ensures the free and safe navigation in and around the strait, in accordance with international law.
Attacks on neutral and commercial vessels constitute a grave violation of international law, and states in these circumstances have a well-
established right to take action to ensure the safety and security of their vessels. Paula noted there is a meeting in Riyadh today with Arab Ministers
to discuss security.
I've been told by one source that the Strait of Hormuz is a key talking point today. And the International Maritime Organization meeting with
member states as we speak to discuss the impact on shipping in the strait. What you see is momentum building for an international coalition within the
body of international law.
The choke hold on the strait has huge global impact, whether or not countries believe this U.S., Israel war on Iran is legal or not, the
fallout has consequences for all of us, wherever we reside in the world, and the international community gets that. We'll CNN's Eleni Giokos has
been closely monitoring today's global oil prices and how the military activity along the Strait of Hormuz has been impacting markets.
ELENI GIOKOS, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Yeah.
ANDERSON: She joins us now from Dubai. What are we seeing at this point, and what a trade is telling you?
GIOKOS: Yeah, I mean, it's really interesting. There's, there's multiple things, right? You were talking about, if it's t de risk the Strait of
Hormuz. You've got this oil price right now Brent and WTI both rising. There was a bit of good news this morning, because Iraq with semi-
autonomous Kurdistan, has agreed to open a pipeline that would feed oil through Turkey.
But I was looking at the numbers, and we're talking about 200,000 barrels per day. So again, any oil that will feed through, any drop of oil, is
obviously going to make some kind of impact. We've got to remember, Iraq overall has had to stop production, some of its production because storage
capacity is full, because the Strait of Hormuz is closed. So, this, again, just taking supply out of the market.
[09:15:00]
Traders are telling me that they're very well. Worried that we are going to see a much higher oil price. That's the long and short of it. We're looking
at $120 a barrel, $150 a barrel, they say, if the Strait of Hormuz doesn't open up fully and volumes are not returned back to the 20 million barrels
of oil that we normally see, Becky.
And of course, there's a lot of diplomacy talk, you know, people meeting to try and figure out how to de risk the Strait of Hormuz, but nothing
concrete yet, so the risks are still very serious.
ANDERSON: Eleni is in Dubai. Eleni, thank you. Well as soaring energy costs ripple through the global economy, things like travel, food, prescription
drugs all going to be more expensive for the foreseeable future. CNN's Ivan Watson looks at what is the spreading impact from Hong Kong.
IVAN WATSON, CNN SENIOR INTERNATIONAL CORRESPONDENT: We're getting a close up look at the kinds of ships that are being impacted by this war around
Iran. This is an LPG tanker. It's 159 meters long. That's longer than a football field, worth tens of millions of dollars, and this very ship was
in the Gulf last month and transited the Strait of Hormuz before the war broke out.
And it's shipping like this that Iran has targeted since the joint U.S.- Israeli bombing campaign of Iran began. And this is what has been driving up fuel prices around the world, because 20 percent of the world's oil is
in the Gulf and has to go out on tanker ships through this narrow channel, the Strait of Hormuz.
If you look at the statements coming out of the Iranian government, they're basically saying that shipping can all be targeted. The Speaker of the
Iranian parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, writing on X quote, the Strait of Hormuz situation won't return to its pre-war status.
Iran has claimed responsibility for using underwater vehicles to hit tanker ships off the Coast of Iraq. Since the start of the war, there was a tanker
ship anchored off the Coast of Fujairah in the UAE that was hit on Monday. There is a cargo ship from Thailand that was trying to transit the Strait
of Hormuz last week that was hit.
And three of its Thai crew members are still missing, and we don't know what's happened to them, so it's dangerous. And as you can see from a
vessel of this size, they are big, and they are -- running -- missiles and drone vehicles as well as sea mines. Now the Trump Administration has
demanded to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and has called on countries like China, Japan, South Korea, NATO member countries to help.
No one has volunteered in the interim, some countries have been working out side deals. India and Pakistan have gotten tanker ships out safely over the
course of the last week, but it is a trickle of the amount of traffic that we have seen prior to the eruption of the war.
So as long as ships like this are coming under attack, we are likely to see energy prices continue to stay high, meaning you're paying a lot at the gas
pump for your car, meaning things like plane tickets are going to cost a lot too.
ANDERSON: Ivan Watson reporting that. While Iranians wishing for regime change cheered on the streets after the death of Iran's Supreme Leader.
Well, now those voices have been silenced. Ahead details of what is the new wave of repression in Iran.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:20:00]
ANDERSON: The Iranian government is explicitly threatening potential protests who may look to take advantage of the chaos, even telling people
not to mark the annual festival of fire, which leads up to the Persian New Year. CNN's Jomana Karadsheh reports on the people caught between foreign
bombs and what is this repressive regime.
(BEGIN VIDEOTAPE)
JOMANA KARADSHEH, CNN CORRESPONDENT (voice-over): Celebrating the death of their oppressor. This is what the world saw coming out of Iran last month
after Ayatollah Ali Khamenei was killed. But cloaked in digital darkness, a new wave of brutal suppression was already beginning.
Teenage brothers, Ahmad Rizza (ph) and Amir Hussein Fauci (ph), were among the crowds that poured into the streets on February 28th. This was the car
they were in with their father, honking the horn in celebration. Security forces opened fire on them, according to activists, killing the 15- and 19-
year-old boys.
As the regime faces America and Israel from the sky, it is tightening its grip on the ground, determined to extinguish any ember, of an uprising. Two
months ago, it did just that, killing thousands of protesters in the bloodiest crackdown in the history of the Islamic Republic.
Iranians still reeling from the collective trauma of January 8th and 9th, now being warned, take it to the streets and it will happen again.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: Our team have their fingers on the trigger.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): The chief of police threatening protesters they will be treated as the enemy and shot. The feared Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps promising another massacre of protesters. This time, they say it will strike harder than they did in January.
Messages we have received from Iranian inside the country, describe a regime using every tool in its playbook to crush dissent.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: Every time you go outside, even just to go to the market, you see machine guns and Dushkas, heavy guns, on the streets.
Everyone is afraid of the check points. They are basically the regime's street level enforces.
UNIDENTIFIED FEMALE: People are randomly being checked, their phones, being searched, being asked questions like, what are you doing out here, they
even arrest and take them for a further investigation.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): Video trickling out only a small window into this new climate of fear. Iran is a superpower, they chant, Iranians are proud.
Regime supporters roam the streets at night with a menacing message. They are still here. They are still in control.
State media, like so many times before, has been airing videos of those arrested allegedly confessing to being foreign agents. Text messages like
this one, warn those who find a way around the imposed internet blackout will be treated as spies. This crackdown only expected to get worse, as
outside forces that want to overthrow this regime add fuel to the fire.
UNIDENTIFIED MALE: We are now at the decisive stage of our final struggle. Await my final call.
KARADSHEH (voice-over): The Israeli Prime Minister telling Iranian, his forces are, quote, creating the conditions on the ground for them to rise
up, as the IDF releases video like this showing what it says are attacks on regime checkpoints that have become a major instrument of suppression and
killing the regime's top leadership, one after the other.
[09:25:00]
An uprising seems impossible right now for those who find themselves trapped into hells. From inside their homes, they still defiantly cheer
against the regime that time and time again, has failed to silence a people risking it all for freedom. Jomana Karadsheh, CNN.
(END VIDEOTAPE)
ANDERSON: Well, while this war rages on, Ukraine's President trying to keep focus on his country's defense against Russia. Volodymyr Zelenskyy has been
meeting with the Spanish Prime Minister, Pedro Sanchez today, seeking continued support for Kyiv, this visit marks another stop for Zelenskyy as
he tours Europe pressing for military aid. Listen as Spain's Prime Minister weighs in.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PEDRO SANCHEZ, SPANISH PRIME MINISTER: We cannot deny that today, the crisis in the Middle East largely monopolizes attention in the global
conversation, takes over all the headlines draws all eyes. And precisely for that reason, I want to tell you, Mr. President, I also want to tell the
government of Ukraine and Ukrainian society that nothing and no one is going to make us forget what is happening in Ukraine.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, as the Strait of Hormuz faces disruption and supply concerns grow just more evidence that this war rages. I'm joined next by
the CEO of Majid Al Futtaim, operator of Carrefour here in the UAE, amongst many other things, to break down what this means for shoppers and retailers
alike.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
ANDERSON: Welcome back. You're watching "Connect the World". I'm Becky Anderson from our Middle East programming headquarters here in Abu Dhabi.
The time is just before half past six. These are headlines. Two people have been killed in an Iranian ballistic missile strike on Central Israel,
according to emergency services.
They say a man and a woman died from severe shrapnel injuries. CNN cameras captured what appear to be a cluster munition exploding in the sky over
above. Well, the U.S. military has dropped new 5000-pound bombs along the Strait of Hormuz. The bombs were targeting Iranian anti-ship missiles,
which, quote, posed a risk to international shipping industry, according to U.S. Central Command.
In Lebanon video shows extensive damage from the Israeli strike in Central Beirut that brought down a building alleged by the Israeli military to
house Hezbollah operatives.
[09:30:00]
People fleeing the Coastal City of Tyre after the IDF issued a new evacuation order there. Right, ringing the bell today the agricultural
mortgage company, Farmer Mac and it is to food that we are -- and food security that we're going to speak momentarily. The bell is rung.
Futures were indicating a weaker open. We have got a Fed meeting coming up. So, let's just have a look and see what is going on, on these markets. And
the market down by about a half of 1 percent. Well, shipping through the Strait of Hormuz is at a near standstill, because this conflict in the
region, that is putting supply chains under pressure around the world.
This route along Iran's coast is a vital artery for energy, for fertilizer, food imports, very specifically, its disruption is already pushing up
transport and import costs, and this could, in turn, lead to higher prices for staples like oils and grains and dairy. Well, our next guest is the CEO
of Majid Al Futtaim, one of the largest privately held companies in this region, owning and operating shopping malls, retail outlets and hotels
across the Middle East.
Its holdings include the exclusive rights to the supermarket Carrefour, VOX Cinemas, Mall of the Emirates in Dubai, Lululemon, LEGO Certified Stores
and Ski Dubai. You can see the extent of the portfolio there. With us now live is the group CEO of Majid Al Futtaim, Ahmed Galal Ismail. It's good to
have you, Ahmed, thank you.
Your group is an indispensable part of the region's food and retail ecosystem, given the bulk of the Gulf's food is imported, with around 70
percent passing through the Strait of Hormuz and onwards to ports like Dubai's Jebel Ali. How are stock levels right now? I mean, it's the eve of
Eid. Are shelves as full as you want them to be at this point?
AHMED GALAL ISMAIL, CEO OF MAJID AL FUTTAIM HOLDING: Well, not just shelves, Becky, our shelves, our distribution centers and our storage
facilities around the country and across the region are at the same stock level you would expect them to be in any normal day.
And in fact, if you see shoppers behind me, if you wouldn't be listening to the news or you put aside your phone for a couple of hours, you would
think, this is a normal shopping day in Dubai and the UAE. Of course, there has been a bit of a peak in -- or a jump in consumption in the first few
days of the conflict that lasted probably four or five days, and in the sixth, seventh day, we started seeing sort of shoppers return to their
normal shopping behavior.
And I guess the reason for that is very simple. People come to the store, order online, see that everything is working, their favorite snack or
regional complement is available, and that sort of exudes confidence in society.
ANDERSON: That's right. That's good to hear. What about pricing during this period? How much pressure are you under to keep prices down, and do you or
could you expect shoppers might see price changes at some point soon?
ISMAIL: Well, there is certainly inflationary pressure, and we need to remind ourselves that inflation haven't really gone away since COVID. We've
remained in an inflationary environment. Interest rates have not yet reverted to the historic means over time. So, inflation has been a
background matter for a long period of time.
Of course, the current disruption to supply chains and the rising price of oil could have long term inflation pressures. We know that for every 10
percent increase in oil price. On the long term, there is a 0.4 percent increase in cost of food. So that obviously adds up what we're doing from
our side, and what we've been doing actually, for a long period of time is that we've been investing in localizing and regionalizing our supply chain.
And contrary to popular belief, not everything is imported into the region. In fact, 50 percent of our fresh vegetables, 80 percent of dairy and almost
100 percent of fresh poultry is produced either in the UAE or in the neighboring GCC countries. So that allows us to shorten our supply chain,
ensure availability and avoid sort of inflationary prices that come with imports from far long markets.
ANDERSON: And that building of sort of food resilience here has been a story that we've been covering pretty much the entire time that I've been
here for 15 years. Has been a real effort. There's a Ministry of Food Security, of course, a real effort to sort of increase the resilience of
this country in the face of the sort of shocks that we're seeing right now.
[09:35:00]
The UAE's Ministry of Economy said in a statement, and I quote, the UAE possesses a strategic stockpile of essential goods that can cover market
needs for up to six months, ensuring the availability of essential commodities and price stability even in the face of unforeseen emergencies.
How closely are you as an organization coordinating with the government? And what sort of signals are you getting from them some three weeks into
this war?
ISMAIL: We work very closely with the UAE government and authorities across all of our markets. The UAE is our home market. We built over 30 years, a
supply chain that's resilient and, you know, really open lines of communication and cooperation with the Ministry of Economy here.
In fact, just this morning, I was with his excellency, the minister at our distribution center here in Jebel Ali, and he reiterated the same message.
And the corporations are such that we look at inventory levels, not just within our four walls, but sort of at the national level.
And when you indeed put together the inventory held by retailers, wholesalers as well as the government, that collectively provides, you
know, inventory cover for four months.
ANDERSON: This is more than just the UAE, of course, as you rightly point out, your company's reaches across the region, you reported a profit of 41
percent in 2025. I just wonder, if supply issues continue, could you expect sort of the impact of things like store closures or struggling retailers
across the country.
And I do wonder just how footfall has been, for example, at the malls like the Mall of the Emirates, where you are at present, certainly by -- I can
see here in Abu Dhabi, people are out and about, and I was at the mall just yesterday, people are out. But have you got any statistics to sort of
underscore exactly, sort of how normal as it were, things are at this point?
ISMAIL: Well, obviously no one can predict how long the conflict would last or how it will eventually end. Everyone hopes it will end soon and in a
permanent matter. But we're entering sort of this period of uncertainty from a point of extreme strength. We've just posted our best financial
results ever.
We have the strongest balance sheet we've had in a decade. And it's not just us, Becky, I mean, you look at the corporate sector here in the UAE
and the wider GCC, many companies have had fantastic years. Last year, the governments across the GCC are in a very strong fiscal position.
So, everyone is, I would say, reassured that the region collectively, whether private or public actors are entering this period, were from a
position of strength. Obviously, you know, tourism is down, down significantly. We see that in our hotels. We see that in the tourist
footfall in our malls.
But, you know, after the first week, I would say traffic has almost rebounded. I would say anywhere between 80 to 95 percent in our key
shopping destinations. And in some of our destinations that are not really, you know, typical tourism-oriented destinations, we've actually seen
slightly better footfall than the same time last year.
And as you rightly mentioned, you know, this is the last, you know, days of Ramadan and Eid is around the corner. And I was looking this morning at the
pre booking for cinemas for Eid. I mean, going to a movie during Eid, you know, is a big family ritual for many sorts of people here in the region.
And pre bookings for Eid movies is more or less comparable to Eid 2025.
ANDERSON: It's fascinating.
ISMAIL: So that's also reassuring that domestic consumption, even if tourism is affected, is holding up.
ANDERSON: Well, I can assure you, I will be using one of your cinemas over the weekend. I will be booking tickets and I will be out watching a movie
because we all need a break. It's always good to have you on sir. Thank you. Extremely important information from you and Eid Mubarak for you as we
close out, Ramadan, thank you.
Well, you're watching "Connect the World". There is a lot more ahead. Stay with us.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:40:00]
ANDERSON: Well, as we closely track the economic fallout of this war. I'm speaking to leaders in the tourism and travel sector about the downturn
hitting their industry, specifically to the tune of an estimated $600 million in losses a day. Have a listen to the CEO of Dubai Airports, Paul
Griffiths.
(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)
PAUL GRIFFITHS, CEO OF DUBAI AIRPORTS: The thing that differentiates us from other places in the world is our ability to bounce back incredibly
strongly. I mean, the aviation ecosystem in the Middle East is incredibly important to the world, when you consider that the amount of capacity that
comes through the hubs in the region the world cannot do without that.
I mean, 1/3 of the world's population lives within four hours flying time of Dubai, and two thirds within eight hours flying time. So that capacity
in world terms, is incredibly important, and we will bounce back from the current situation very, very quickly. Of that, I'm very, very convinced.
(END VIDEO CLIP)
ANDERSON: Well, I also spoke with Sebastien Bazin, who is the CEO of Accor, whose hotel brands include the Fairmont and Sofitel. He thinks the UAE
hospitality industry will recover within six months. All of these conversations as we have them are yours. You'll find them on our digital
and social platforms as well. "World Sport" is up next.
(COMMERCIAL BREAK)
[09:45:00]
(WORLD SPORT)
[10:00:00]
END
