Tahir Maqsood Chheena
As the death toll continues to rise in Gaza and Yemen, the silence of global powers and the selective outrage of Western democracies expose a deeply troubling double standard in the world’s approach to human rights. What’s unfolding isn’t just a regional conflict—it’s the brutal dismantling of international law under the guise of “security” and “freedom of navigation.” The so-called champions of democracy have turned their backs on the principles they claim to uphold, and the cost is being paid in tens of thousands of lives, most of them civilians.
On Friday, the United States launched another deadly airstrike on the Yemeni port city of Hodeidah, targeting what it claimed were military sites used by the Houthi movement. But the aftermath tells a different story. Nearly 80 people were killed in what has been described as the bloodiest U.S. attack in Yemen since the beginning of its military campaign in January 2024. These strikes are supposedly meant to preserve “freedom of navigation” in the Red Sea and to shield Israel from Houthi retaliation. In reality, they’ve become just another chapter in a long history of American interventionism that leaves shattered communities in its wake.
Let’s be clear: Yemen is already one of the most devastated nations on the planet, having endured a decade-long war that has wrecked its infrastructure, starved its population, and left its economy in ruins. The current U.S. campaign only adds to the misery. The argument that “only” Houthi targets are being hit is hollow. Bombs don’t distinguish between fighters and civilians—especially when the so-called “targets” are often in dual-use facilities serving both military and civilian functions.
This is not a new pattern. For years, the U.S. and its Western allies supported Saudi Arabia’s war in Yemen, a campaign that led to mass civilian casualties and was widely condemned by human rights organizations. Now that the Saudis appear to be seeking de-escalation, Washington has stepped in to continue the assault—this time directly, and with even less concern for global opinion. The narrative has shifted from fighting terrorism to protecting shipping lanes, but the method remains the same: bomb first, justify later.
Meanwhile, in Gaza, the world is witnessing a full-scale humanitarian catastrophe that many experts have called a modern genocide. Since October 7, 2023, over 51,000 Palestinians have been killed in relentless Israeli bombardments. In just two days—Thursday and Friday—close to 100 more lives were extinguished, with the death toll expected to rise further over the weekend.
This isn’t war—it’s mass punishment. Gaza has been under siege for nearly two decades, and since the latest Israeli assault began, even the most basic necessities—food, water, medical care—have become luxuries. And yet, despite the overwhelming evidence of war crimes, Western powers have largely continued to provide military and diplomatic cover for Israel. Any attempt at a ceasefire is either blocked or delayed in international forums, often with Washington’s veto at the United Nations.
Hamas has offered to release all Israeli hostages in exchange for a ceasefire and withdrawal of Israeli forces. Israel has refused. The message is chilling: the goal is not peace, but the complete decimation of Gaza.
The broader implications are deeply disturbing. The so-called “rules-based international order” that Western powers often invoke is dead—at least in the Middle East. What exists now is a brutal, power-driven approach to international affairs, where the sovereignty of weaker nations is disregarded and the lives of their people treated as expendable.
The recent attacks on Syria and Lebanon by Israeli forces further underscore this reality. Bombings in Damascus and Beirut are carried out with little to no international condemnation. The narrative of “self-defense” is weaponized to justify blatant aggression, while entire cities are reduced to rubble.
This isn’t about security—it’s about domination. And it’s creating a dangerous precedent. If powerful nations can so casually violate international law without facing any consequences, what’s to stop others from doing the same? The idea that human rights matter, that civilian lives should be protected, that sovereignty must be respected—all of these ideals are being systematically dismantled in front of our eyes.
The West’s moral high ground has collapsed. For decades, we’ve been told that Western democracies stand for freedom, human rights, and the rule of law. But the blood running through the streets of Gaza and Hodeidah says otherwise. What we are seeing now is the naked pursuit of power, masked by a hollow rhetoric of security and stability.
Perhaps what’s most galling is the performative silence of countries that position themselves as defenders of the Muslim world—the so-called “ummah.” Aside from symbolic statements and toothless diplomatic posturing, most Muslim-majority governments have done nothing to stop the carnage. Economic interests, strategic alliances, and fear of Western reprisal have trumped moral obligation. Inaction, in this case, is complicity.
We are fast approaching a tipping point. The reckless military actions of the U.S. and Israel are setting the stage for a wider regional conflict—one that could engulf not just the Middle East, but potentially drag in global powers. The myth that these aggressions are “contained” is just that—a myth. Anger is rising across the Arab and Muslim world. Proxy conflicts are deepening. Alliances are shifting. All it would take is one miscalculation, one missile too many, to turn this slow-burning catastrophe into a full-blown regional war.
In a world where might makes right, where bombs speak louder than international law, and where the suffering of some people is deemed less important than geopolitical interests, the future looks bleak. But it doesn’t have to be this way.
If there is to be any hope for peace, justice, or stability, the international community—particularly Western democracies—must be held accountable for their actions. Unconditional military aid to aggressor states must stop. There must be independent investigations into war crimes in Gaza and Yemen. Civil society, journalists, and activists must continue to shine a light on these atrocities, even when governments look away.
And most importantly, we must reject the dehumanization of entire populations. The people of Gaza and Yemen are not collateral damage. They are not pawns in someone else’s power game. They are human beings, with hopes, dreams, and the right to live free from fear and violence.
Until global powers stop treating the Middle East as their geopolitical playground, the bloodshed will continue. And with every missile fired, with every life lost, the world moves one step closer to a crisis it may no longer be able to control.
