No, it's a typical, cyclical drought pattern that has lasted toward the long end of the range, they are after all in the middle of a desert, kind of like Lake Powell. Extreme flooding is taking place in other areas of the Middle East at the same time. Statistically more people drown in deserts, of course there are a number of factors why this happens. I've backpacked in slickrock canyons and seen flash floods from storms that were 30 miles away. The main point of the meme is that there is a humanitarian crisis taking place. The impact is greater due to the larger populations supported by air conditioning and other tech to make it livable. We could see the same thing in places like Phoenix in an extended drought. The islamists are more focused on destroying Israel than they are on the survival of their citizens.