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Lebanon's caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati has made a surprise visit to southern Lebanon, two weeks since fatal clashes erupted at the Israeli border following Hamas's unprecedented attack on October 7.
Dozens, including Reuters videographer Issam Abdallah, have been killed in clashes between Israel and Hezbollah, the powerful Lebanese militia, with thousands from affected border villages having been displaced amid concerns that the Israel-Gaza conflict could spark a second front.
“We came to our beloved south, which is paying today, as it has always paid, the tax of defending the entire territory of the nation against a usurping entity which knows no mercy, to affirm Lebanon’s respect, this peace-loving country, for all resolutions of international legitimacy,” Mr Mikati said.
He started his visit early on Tuesday morning at a Lebanese army barracks where he met Commander Joseph Aoun to express his “deep appreciation for the army's sacrifices in the defence of Lebanon”.
Cmdr Aoun said “defending Lebanon is a natural and legitimate duty of the army in the face of the dangers that threaten it, most notably the Israeli enemy”.
Mr Mikati then met UN Interim Force in Lebanon (Unifil) Maj Gen Aroldo Lazaro in Naqoura city, where he praised “Unifil’s role in maintaining stability in the south in full co-operation and co-ordination with the army”.
His visit came amid growing criticism of the Lebanese government's delayed acknowledgement of the escalation in the southern region, as the country suffers from one of the worst financial crises in modern history.
The cabinet eventually convened after five days of silence following the onset of Israel-Gaza war to condemn the “criminal acts committed by the Zionist enemy in Gaza”, while stressing that Lebanon should not be dragged into the conflict.
'Diplomatic and domestic efforts'
Mr Mikati has said the caretaker government was “actively engaging in diplomatic and domestic efforts to halt Israeli attacks in southern Lebanon and prevent the Gaza conflict from extending into Lebanon”.
“I understand the feelings of fear and anxiety that afflict the Lebanese as a result of what is happening, along with the calls made by a number of embassies to their nationals to leave Lebanon.
"I will not hesitate to do everything in my power to protect the country."
Over the past few days, a number of countries, including the US, France, the UK, Saudi Arabia, Belgium and Germany, have issued travel advisories to their citizens, urging them to leave Lebanon immediately or reconsider travel plans to the country.
The cabinet has examined a 231-page emergency plan designed to prepare for a potential war, involving collaboration between security agencies, NGOs and international organisations across sectors such as health care, telecoms and infrastructure.
Yet many Lebanese are doubting the state's ability to handle another potential crisis, while dealing with an unprecedented leadership vacuum, without a fully functional government and president.
They also question the capabilities of the army, hamstrung by four years of economic crisis, to withstand a broader conflict with Israel.
Hassan Nasrallah's silence
For many, the real decision-maker is Hezbollah – along with its ally Iran – and its position on whether to join the conflict in case of a ground invasion by Israel.
A “miscalculation” by Hezbollah or Israel could also disrupt the informal rules of engagement that currently govern the responses between those two adversaries, said Andrea Tenenti, a long-serving spokesman for Unifil in an interview with The National.
“If Hezbollah decides to enter the war ... it will make the mistake of its life,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned.
“We will cripple it with a force it cannot even imagine and the consequences for it and the Lebanese state are devastating."
Officially, Hezbollah has stressed its support for Hamas and offered assistance to the Palestinian militant group. However, Hassan Nasrallah, its leader, has not issued a public statement regarding Hezbollah and the Israel-Gaza conflict.
Hassan Fadlallah, a Hezbollah MP, said Mr Nasrallah was “following the course of this confrontation here in Lebanon and what is happening in Gaza, hour by hour and moment by moment”.
He said his “failure to appear in the media to address public opinion is part of his management of this battle and it confuses the enemy as well”.
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.
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Low turnout
Two months before the first round on April 10, the appetite of voters for the election is low.
Mathieu Gallard, account manager with Ipsos, which conducted the most recent poll, said current forecasts suggested only two-thirds were "very likely" to vote in the first round, compared with a 78 per cent turnout in the 2017 presidential elections.
"It depends on how interesting the campaign is on their main concerns," he told The National. "Just now, it's hard to say who, between Macron and the candidates of the right, would be most affected by a low turnout."
