One person was killed and 20 injured on Friday morning when Israeli fighter jets carried out at least 20 air strikes in south Lebanon, including on what was claimed to be an underground Hezbollah site.
The bombardment, breaching a fragile ceasefire, also caused a number of fires and shattered windows in dozens of homes, authorities said.
A woman was killed when one of the strikes destroyed an apartment building in Nabatieh. Local authorities identified her as Afaf Shahrour and said she was visiting her daughter and sister after arriving from her home in Germany less than a month ago. Some 13 people were injured in the attack.
Israeli military spokesman Lt Col Avichay Adraee said the strikes also targeted an underground facility that Hezbollah had recently been seeking to rebuild in the Beaufort Ridge area to the south-east of Nabatieh city. He did not provide evidence to back this claim.
The targeted site had previously been “rendered inoperable” by Israeli attacks, he said.
Seven people were injured in those strikes.
“The existence of the site and attempts to restore it constitute a blatant violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon,” he added.
Lebanon’s President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the air strikes were a “blatant violation” of national sovereignty and the ceasefire deal between Hezbollah and Israel in November.
Mr Aoun urged the international community to intervene and pressure Israel to stop the attacks. Mr Salam said the strikes were a severe threat to Lebanon's drive to preserve stability.
The attacks were the latest in frequent breaches by Israel of the US-brokered ceasefire that ended 14 months of fighting with Hezbollah.
The Iran-backed Lebanese group has largely withdrawn its forces from south of the Litani river, in line with the ceasefire agreement, Lebanese authorities have previously told The National.
The agreement requires the Lebanese state to disarm and dismantle Hezbollah infrastructure and military positions “starting with the southern Litani area” within 60 days. But it did not set a timeline for dismantling the group’s positions north of the river. The Litani runs roughly parallel to the southern border with Israel, about 30km away.
Israel also continues to occupy five areas of Lebanese territory.
Hezbollah, severely weakened by last year's fighting, did not intervene in support of its patron Iran in Tehran's 12-day conflict with Israel this month.
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
What are the influencer academy modules?
- Mastery of audio-visual content creation.
- Cinematography, shots and movement.
- All aspects of post-production.
- Emerging technologies and VFX with AI and CGI.
- Understanding of marketing objectives and audience engagement.
- Tourism industry knowledge.
- Professional ethics.
SQUAD
Ali Khaseif, Fahad Al Dhanhani, Adel Al Hosani, Mohammed Al Shamsi, Bandar Al Ahbabi, Mohammed Barghash, Salem Rashid, Khalifa Al Hammadi, Shaheen Abdulrahman, Hassan Al Mahrami, Walid Abbas, Mahmoud Khamis, Yousef Jaber, Saeed Ahmed, Majed Sorour, Majed Hassan, Ali Salmeen, Abdullah Ramadan, Khalil Al Hammadi, Fabio De Lima, Khalfan Mubarak, Tahnoun Al Zaabi, Ali Saleh, Caio Canedo, Muhammed Jumah, Ali Mabkhout, Sebastian Tagliabue, Zayed Al Ameri
Top New Zealand cop on policing the virtual world
New Zealand police began closer scrutiny of social media and online communities after the attacks on two mosques in March, the country's top officer said.
The killing of 51 people in Christchurch and wounding of more than 40 others shocked the world. Brenton Tarrant, a suspected white supremacist, was accused of the killings. His trial is ongoing and he denies the charges.
Mike Bush, commissioner of New Zealand Police, said officers looked closely at how they monitored social media in the wake of the tragedy to see if lessons could be learned.
“We decided that it was fit for purpose but we need to deepen it in terms of community relationships, extending them not only with the traditional community but the virtual one as well," he told The National.
"We want to get ahead of attacks like we suffered in New Zealand so we have to challenge ourselves to be better."
WHEN TO GO:
September to November or March to May; this is when visitors are most likely to see what they’ve come for.
WHERE TO STAY:
Meghauli Serai, A Taj Safari - Chitwan National Park resort (tajhotels.com) is a one-hour drive from Bharatpur Airport with stays costing from Dh1,396 per night, including taxes and breakfast. Return airport transfers cost from Dh661.
HOW TO GET THERE:
Etihad Airways regularly flies from Abu Dhabi to Kathmandu from around Dh1,500 per person return, including taxes. Buddha Air (buddhaair.com) and Yeti Airlines (yetiairlines.com) fly from Kathmandu to Bharatpur several times a day from about Dh660 return and the flight takes just 20 minutes. Driving is possible but the roads are hilly which means it will take you five or six hours to travel 148 kilometres.
Spec%20sheet
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