Israel bombarded south Lebanon and the Gaza Strip in the early hours of Friday, just as residents in both territories were preparing to have a suhoor meal before the start of the daily Ramadan fast.
The retaliatory strikes followed a day of rocket fire from Gaza and Lebanon into Israel as tensions rise over raids by Israeli police at Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.
On Friday, violence again broke out at Al Aqsa Mosque compound and chaotic scenes were seen at one of the entrances to the esplanade before dawn prayers.
Baton-wielding Israeli police descended on crowds of Palestinian worshippers, who chanted slogans praising the rocket attacks as they tried to squeeze into the site.
An hour later, video footage appeared to show people staging a protest on the limestone courtyard, with Palestinians raising their fists and shouting in support of Hamas rocket fire, and Israeli police forced their way into the compound.
Israel has blamed the Gaza-based Hamas movement for Thursday's volley from the strip in the south and from Lebanon to its north. In Gaza, the Israeli army said its jets hit targets, including what it said were tunnels and weapons-manufacturing sites.
In Lebanon, at least two missile strikes were heard south of the coastal city of Tyre, as Israel conducted the overnight bombardment.
Tyre, which is about 20km from the border with Israel, was quiet after the initial strikes. Most residents took refuge in residential shelters or homes.
A small crowd of men gathered on the shoreline shortly after the attack, watching the thick cloud of smoke coming from the direction of the Rashidieh camp for Palestinian refugees on the outskirts of the city.
“What do they want with us?” one stunned resident was heard asking the crowd.
“When they said they’d respond I didn’t expect them to strike all the way in Tyre.”
Another strike appeared to have left a large crater in farmland, with security sources telling Reuters it was near where rockets had been fired.
Hamas condemned the attacks on Gaza and Lebanon, saying it held Israel “fully responsible for the consequences of such grave aggression”.
The Israeli military said. “We will not allow the Hamas terrorist organisation to operate from within Lebanon, and hold the state of Lebanon responsible for every directed fire emanating from its territory.”
This week's exchange of rockets between Lebanon and Israel is the largest escalation between the two countries since the 2006 conflict, when Israel waged war against Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah group.
Earlier on Thursday, before the rockets were fired, senior Hezbollah official Hashem Safieddine said any infringement on Al Aqsa would “inflame the entire region”.
Hezbollah, a Lebanese political party and Iran-backed paramilitary, is an ally of the Hamas movement in Gaza.
Lebanon's Prime Minister Najib Mikati issued a statement condemning any military operations that threatened the country's stability. There was no immediate comment from Hezbollah.
The UN peacekeeping mission in Lebanon known as Unifil said: “Early this morning, the [Israeli military] informed Unifil that they will begin an artillery response to yesterday’s rocket launches. Immediately after, Unifil personnel heard loud explosions around the city of Tyre.
“Unifil's head of mission and force commander, Maj Gen Aroldo Lazaro, is speaking with authorities on both sides of the Blue Line. Our liaison and co-ordination mechanisms are fully engaged.
“Both sides have said they do not want a war. The actions over the past day are dangerous and risk a serious escalation. We urge all parties to cease all actions across the Blue Line now.”
On the outskirts of Tyre, three women tilled the land near a field of lettuce. One shrugged off the missile strikes.
“We’re used to this,” said farmworker Ghalya Abu Zeid, a Syrian mother of two.
She told The National she had arrived in Lebanon less than two months ago after her home in Syria's Hama was destroyed in the massive earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria in February.
“We can't bunker down waiting to die,” she said. “We have to work. I have kids to feed.”
On Thursday, Israel said it had “identified 34 rockets that were fired from Lebanese territory into Israeli territory” and that 25 had been intercepted by Israeli air defences.
While the tensions risk dragging Hezbollah into a conflict similar to the 34-day 2006 war, Israel stressed that it struck only sites linked to Palestinian militants.
In recent years, Hezbollah has said it supported armed responses to Israel but has stayed out of other flare-ups related to the Al Aqsa Mosque.
The latest violence came after Israeli police attacked worshippers at Jerusalem's Al Aqsa Mosque on Tuesday and Wednesday nights.
Following a cabinet meeting on Thursday regarding the increasing unrest across Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said: “We will hit back at our enemies and they will pay the price for every act of aggression.
“Our enemies will learn again that during times of war, Israeli citizens stand together and united, and support the actions of the [army] and the rest of the security forces to protect our country and our citizens.”
The tensions come as Israel is gripped by internal division over proposed judicial reforms that sparked mass rallies and led Mr Netanyahu to try to fire his Defence Minister, Yoav Gallant.
However, Mr Netanyahu clawed back Mr Gallant's dismissal and opposition leader Yair Lapid said on Wednesday night that the government could count on cross-party support following the rocket attack.
Mr Netanyahu said the people stand behind the military despite internal debate.
“The internal debate in Israel will not prevent us from taking action against them wherever and whenever necessary. All of us, without exception, are united on this,” Mr Netanyahu said.
Ten tax points to be aware of in 2026
1. Domestic VAT refund amendments: request your refund within five years
If a business does not apply for the refund on time, they lose their credit.
2. E-invoicing in the UAE
Businesses should continue preparing for the implementation of e-invoicing in the UAE, with 2026 a preparation and transition period ahead of phased mandatory adoption.
3. More tax audits
Tax authorities are increasingly using data already available across multiple filings to identify audit risks.
4. More beneficial VAT and excise tax penalty regime
Tax disputes are expected to become more frequent and more structured, with clearer administrative objection and appeal processes. The UAE has adopted a new penalty regime for VAT and excise disputes, which now mirrors the penalty regime for corporate tax.
5. Greater emphasis on statutory audit
There is a greater need for the accuracy of financial statements. The International Financial Reporting Standards standards need to be strictly adhered to and, as a result, the quality of the audits will need to increase.
6. Further transfer pricing enforcement
Transfer pricing enforcement, which refers to the practice of establishing prices for internal transactions between related entities, is expected to broaden in scope. The UAE will shortly open the possibility to negotiate advance pricing agreements, or essentially rulings for transfer pricing purposes.
7. Limited time periods for audits
Recent amendments also introduce a default five-year limitation period for tax audits and assessments, subject to specific statutory exceptions. While the standard audit and assessment period is five years, this may be extended to up to 15 years in cases involving fraud or tax evasion.
8. Pillar 2 implementation
Many multinational groups will begin to feel the practical effect of the Domestic Minimum Top-Up Tax (DMTT), the UAE's implementation of the OECD’s global minimum tax under Pillar 2. While the rules apply for financial years starting on or after January 1, 2025, it is 2026 that marks the transition to an operational phase.
9. Reduced compliance obligations for imported goods and services
Businesses that apply the reverse-charge mechanism for VAT purposes in the UAE may benefit from reduced compliance obligations.
10. Substance and CbC reporting focus
Tax authorities are expected to continue strengthening the enforcement of economic substance and Country-by-Country (CbC) reporting frameworks. In the UAE, these regimes are increasingly being used as risk-assessment tools, providing tax authorities with a comprehensive view of multinational groups’ global footprints and enabling them to assess whether profits are aligned with real economic activity.
Contributed by Thomas Vanhee and Hend Rashwan, Aurifer
Match info
Huddersfield Town 0
Chelsea 3
Kante (34'), Jorginho (45' pen), Pedro (80')
AI traffic lights to ease congestion at seven points to Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Street
The seven points are:
Shakhbout bin Sultan Street
Dhafeer Street
Hadbat Al Ghubainah Street (outbound)
Salama bint Butti Street
Al Dhafra Street
Rabdan Street
Umm Yifina Street exit (inbound)
The specs
Engine: 2.0-litre 4cyl turbo
Power: 261hp at 5,500rpm
Torque: 405Nm at 1,750-3,500rpm
Transmission: 9-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 6.9L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh117,059
$1,000 award for 1,000 days on madrasa portal
Daily cash awards of $1,000 dollars will sweeten the Madrasa e-learning project by tempting more pupils to an education portal to deepen their understanding of math and sciences.
School children are required to watch an educational video each day and answer a question related to it. They then enter into a raffle draw for the $1,000 prize.
“We are targeting everyone who wants to learn. This will be $1,000 for 1,000 days so there will be a winner every day for 1,000 days,” said Sara Al Nuaimi, project manager of the Madrasa e-learning platform that was launched on Tuesday by the Vice President and Ruler of Dubai, to reach Arab pupils from kindergarten to grade 12 with educational videos.
“The objective of the Madrasa is to become the number one reference for all Arab students in the world. The 5,000 videos we have online is just the beginning, we have big ambitions. Today in the Arab world there are 50 million students. We want to reach everyone who is willing to learn.”
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How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Know your camel milk:
Flavour: Similar to goat’s milk, although less pungent. Vaguely sweet with a subtle, salty aftertaste.
Texture: Smooth and creamy, with a slightly thinner consistency than cow’s milk.
Use it: In your morning coffee, to add flavour to homemade ice cream and milk-heavy desserts, smoothies, spiced camel-milk hot chocolate.
Goes well with: chocolate and caramel, saffron, cardamom and cloves. Also works well with honey and dates.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
Living in...
This article is part of a guide on where to live in the UAE. Our reporters will profile some of the country’s most desirable districts, provide an estimate of rental prices and introduce you to some of the residents who call each area home.
Chatham House Rule
A mark of Chatham House’s influence 100 years on since its founding, was Moscow’s formal declaration last month that it was an “undesirable
organisation”.
The depth of knowledge and academics that it drew on
following the Ukraine invasion had broadcast Mr Putin’s chicanery.
The institute is more used to accommodating world leaders,
with Nelson Mandela, Margaret Thatcher among those helping it provide
authoritative commentary on world events.
Chatham House was formally founded as the Royal Institute of
International Affairs following the peace conferences of World War One. Its
founder, Lionel Curtis, wanted a more scientific examination of international affairs
with a transparent exchange of information and ideas.
That arena of debate and analysis was enhanced by the “Chatham
House Rule” states that the contents of any meeting can be discussed outside Chatham
House but no mention can be made identifying individuals who commented.
This has enabled some candid exchanges on difficult subjects
allowing a greater degree of free speech from high-ranking figures.
These meetings are highly valued, so much so that
ambassadors reported them in secret diplomatic cables that – when they were
revealed in the Wikileaks reporting – were thus found to have broken the rule. However,
most speeches are held on the record.
Its research and debate has offered fresh ideas to
policymakers enabling them to more coherently address troubling issues from climate
change to health and food security.
UPI facts
More than 2.2 million Indian tourists arrived in UAE in 2023
More than 3.5 million Indians reside in UAE
Indian tourists can make purchases in UAE using rupee accounts in India through QR-code-based UPI real-time payment systems
Indian residents in UAE can use their non-resident NRO and NRE accounts held in Indian banks linked to a UAE mobile number for UPI transactions
Various Artists
Habibi Funk: An Eclectic Selection Of Music From The Arab World (Habibi Funk)
