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For those living under the threat of deadly Hezbollah rocket fire in northern Israel the only enduring solution is to put “boots on the ground” in southern Lebanon, a retired Israeli general has told The National.
The fear of an infiltration by the Lebanese militant group's Radwan Force commandos has grown significantly since the Hamas-led October 7 attack, with villages preparing their own militias in defence.
That anxiety was evident as The National visited northern Galilee when a salvo of rockets struck the city of Safed killing a female soldier and wounding nine others.
It is that constant barrage that has led those living in the region to urge the government to consider mounting an invasion to remove the Hezbollah threat.
“It will be safe to go back home to live here only if Hezbollah suffer the strong hand of the Israeli military,” Retd Brig Gen Ilan Lavi told The National.
“There is no other choice, we cannot live near the border when Hezbollah can shoot direct fire into our houses.”
Cross-border clashes since October 8 on the border - when Hezbollah joined the latest war - have killed at least 268 people on the Lebanese side, most of them Hezbollah fighters but also 40 civilians, according to an AFP tally.
On the Israeli side, 10 soldiers and six civilians have been killed, according to the Israeli army.
Israel has invaded southern Lebanon three times in recent decades, firstly in 1978 and 1982, targeting Palestinian militants who were firing rockets into Israel, fighting bloody counterinsurgency campaigns as it became embroiled in the country's complex civil war.
With the formation of Hezbollah during Israel's 1985-2000 occupation of the south of the country, Iran-backed Shiite militancy became entrenched along the border and in 2006, the group attacked Israeli forces, killing two and kidnapping three.
In the ensuing 34-day war and Israeli ground incursion, about 1,200 Lebanese were killed, mostly civilians, and about 165 Israelis died, mostly soldiers.
Radwan commandos
Since October 7 more than 60,000 Israelis from the north have been evacuated from their farms and homes that sit within five kilometres of Lebanon’s border.
But there is a growing worry that Hezbollah could launch an attack with its 150,000 Iran-supplied missiles alongside a major ground infiltration.
That would be conducted by its force of 3,000 Radwan fighters who are well trained, many with combat experience from Syria’s civil war.
The force splits down into groups of about 25 who travel on quad bikes and SUVs to infiltrate towns around the border. “These are elite commando soldiers, it’s not a simple force, it's a strong force, different to Hamas,” said Brig Gen Lavi, former chief of staff for Israel’s Northern Command.
Sarit Zehavi, a former lieutenant colonel in Israeli intelligence, said the Radwan were much more skilled than the Hamas force that attacked on October 7.
“Hezbollah’s warriors are a more experienced and professional army because of what they did in Syria and if they invaded Israel and we are not prepared, it will be much more successful.”
Land attack
It is that fear of a force of more than 60,000 Hezbollah fighters with their huge missile arsenal, where a “simple anti-tank missile can penetrate the window of my bedroom” said one resident, that has pushed thinking towards a pre-emptive attack.
“The only way it can be resolved is if Israel removes Hezbollah as a military entity,” said Brig Gen Lavi, who has two children serving in the Israeli army.
“There can be a limited war using our strike capabilities without putting boots on the ground and then there can be boots on the ground.”
“Israel has a lot of capabilities but ultimately if you want to win a war to win, you need to put boots on the ground. You cannot win wars only by striking from the air, but with boots on ground you do pay a price with casualties.”
The US and France are leading efforts to bring a ceasefire into place to allow the displaced Israeli population to return home, with an eye to further talks on border demarcation and pulling militias back from the border. But even a truce will not bring an enduring peace to the region, argued Ms Zehavi.
“The problem is that the ceasefire now being engineered, is a ceasefire that is not going to be a solution,” she said. “It's going to be just a ceasefire.”
The founder of the Alma Research Centre, that analyses open source intelligence, said Hezbollah’s desire was for a ceasefire that would remove most of the three Israeli divisions deployed to the border.
“It’s to make us go to sleep, to deceive us then Hezbollah will choose the timing of an invasion,” she warned. “Meanwhile who is going to go back and live in the country if this problem is not solved?”
Rapid response
The first force to combat an infiltration would be the civilian defenders known as the Rapid Reaction Force (RRF).
More than 1,000 of these militiamen sit in control rooms and patrol their towns on a 24-hour basis while still maintaining jobs as farmers or IT specialists.
“If there is an infiltration, then we want to contain it,” said Sivan Yechieli, leader of the Kfar Vradim RRF that is less than 9km from the border.
“It's like an energy wave that comes in and we absorb some of that energy to slow it down, especially in a killing spree.”
Armed with semi-automatic weapons, radios and a local knowledge of the terrain, the RRF has a constant patrol out ready to react.
During the October 7 assaults a quick reacting RRF at the Nir Am kibbutz, a team of 12 aged from 26 to 59 years old, fended off the attackers for three hours.
“Armed people who can cope and actually engage the enemy makes a huge difference,” said Mr Yechieli, speaking at the operational centre just minutes before a Zoom call with his investment company. “If you're ready rather than looking for your weapons the results are much different.”
Existential fear
Just before the drive to an army base a few kilometres from the border, The National was briefed that the road was under regular attack by anti-tank missiles that cannot be intercepted by the Iron Dome defence system.
“They are very accurate and very scary,” said Ms Zehavi, standing next a dashcam picture of a missile in mid-flight missing a car by just two metres.
She suggested we take a zigzag mountainous route among the olive groves rather than the relative danger of the straight road.
As a result of the retaliatory air strikes, the Israeli military called the trip off, but for a moment this reporter had a glimpse into the anxiety experienced daily.
“It's an existential fear,” said Ms Zehavi. “As a mother, since October 7 I get up every morning and I look at my little girl and say: ‘I don't know how this day is going to end’.”
While the tension was always there, it was something people learnt to live with, said Mr Yechieli.
“The fear level, we get used to it,” he said. “It's like an earthquake or volcano eruption, at the beginning you think it's inconceivable then people just try to get back to their lives but they still remain afraid.”
ONCE UPON A TIME IN GAZA
Starring: Nader Abd Alhay, Majd Eid, Ramzi Maqdisi
Directors: Tarzan and Arab Nasser
Rating: 4.5/5
Sam Smith
Where: du Arena, Abu Dhabi
When: Saturday November 24
Rating: 4/5
Museum of the Future in numbers
- 78 metres is the height of the museum
- 30,000 square metres is its total area
- 17,000 square metres is the length of the stainless steel facade
- 14 kilometres is the length of LED lights used on the facade
- 1,024 individual pieces make up the exterior
- 7 floors in all, with one for administrative offices
- 2,400 diagonally intersecting steel members frame the torus shape
- 100 species of trees and plants dot the gardens
- Dh145 is the price of a ticket
In numbers: China in Dubai
The number of Chinese people living in Dubai: An estimated 200,000
Number of Chinese people in International City: Almost 50,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2018/19: 120,000
Daily visitors to Dragon Mart in 2010: 20,000
Percentage increase in visitors in eight years: 500 per cent
The specs: 2018 Jeep Compass
Price, base: Dh100,000 (estimate)
Engine: 2.4L four-cylinder
Transmission: Nine-speed automatic
Power: 184bhp at 6,400rpm
Torque: 237Nm at 3,900rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 9.4L / 100km
Desert Warrior
Starring: Anthony Mackie, Aiysha Hart, Ben Kingsley
Director: Rupert Wyatt
Rating: 3/5
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
How to donate
Send “thenational” to the following numbers or call the hotline on: 0502955999
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Newcastle United 0 Tottenham Hotspur 2
Tottenham (Alli 61'), Davies (70')
Red card Jonjo Shelvey (Newcastle)
Results
6.30pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (Dirt) 1,400m. Winner: Rio Angie, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer).
7.05pm: Handicap Dh170,000 (D) 1,600m. Winner: Trenchard, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
7.40pm: Maiden Dh165,000 (D) 1,600m. Winner: Mulfit, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
8.15pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 1,200m. Winner: Waady, Dane O’Neill, Doug Watson.
8.50pm: Handicap Dh210,000 (D) 2,000m. Winner: Tried And True, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
9.25pm:Handicap Dh185,000 (D) 1,400m. Winner: Midnight Sands, Pat Dobbs, Doug Watson.
The specs: McLaren 600LT
Price, base: Dh914,000
Engine: 3.8-litre twin-turbo V8
Transmission: Seven-speed automatic
Power: 600hp @ 7,500rpm
Torque: 620Nm @ 5,500rpm
Fuel economy 12.2.L / 100km
Four-day collections of TOH
Day Indian Rs (Dh)
Thursday 500.75 million (25.23m)
Friday 280.25m (14.12m)
Saturday 220.75m (11.21m)
Sunday 170.25m (8.58m)
Total 1.19bn (59.15m)
(Figures in millions, approximate)
Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Company%20profile
%3Cp%3E%3Cstrong%3ECompany%20name%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Fasset%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EStarted%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3E2019%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EFounders%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Mohammad%20Raafi%20Hossain%2C%20Daniel%20Ahmed%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EBased%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Dubai%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ESector%3A%20%3C%2Fstrong%3EFinTech%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInitial%20investment%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20%242.45%20million%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3ECurrent%20number%20of%20staff%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%2086%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestment%20stage%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Pre-series%20B%0D%3Cbr%3E%3Cstrong%3EInvestors%3A%3C%2Fstrong%3E%20Investcorp%2C%20Liberty%20City%20Ventures%2C%20Fatima%20Gobi%20Ventures%2C%20Primal%20Capital%2C%20Wealthwell%20Ventures%2C%20FHS%20Capital%2C%20VN2%20Capital%2C%20local%20family%20offices%3C%2Fp%3E%0A
The story in numbers
18
This is how many recognised sects Lebanon is home to, along with about four million citizens
450,000
More than this many Palestinian refugees are registered with UNRWA in Lebanon, with about 45 per cent of them living in the country’s 12 refugee camps
1.5 million
There are just under 1 million Syrian refugees registered with the UN, although the government puts the figure upwards of 1.5m
73
The percentage of stateless people in Lebanon, who are not of Palestinian origin, born to a Lebanese mother, according to a 2012-2013 study by human rights organisation Frontiers Ruwad Association
18,000
The number of marriages recorded between Lebanese women and foreigners between the years 1995 and 2008, according to a 2009 study backed by the UN Development Programme
77,400
The number of people believed to be affected by the current nationality law, according to the 2009 UN study
4,926
This is how many Lebanese-Palestinian households there were in Lebanon in 2016, according to a census by the Lebanese-Palestinian dialogue committee
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Monster
Directed by: Anthony Mandler
Starring: Kelvin Harrison Jr., John David Washington
3/5
THE LIGHT
Director: Tom Tykwer
Starring: Tala Al Deen, Nicolette Krebitz, Lars Eidinger
Rating: 3/5
Jetour T1 specs
Engine: 2-litre turbocharged
Power: 254hp
Torque: 390Nm
Price: From Dh126,000
Available: Now