The ceasefire between Hezbollah and Israel exists “in name only”, a western diplomatic source has said, as Israel continues to hit Lebanon almost daily, despite a US-brokered deal that ended 14 months of fighting last November.
“It’s a ceasefire in name only. It's more of a de-escalation, as Israel strikes wherever and whenever it wants,” the western diplomatic source told The National.
Israel has breached the ceasefire thousands of times, according to data from Unifil, the UN peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon. Breaches include air incursions, air strikes and ground operations.
The UN said on Wednesday that the Israeli strikes on Lebanon have killed more than 100 civilians in 10 months. The continuing attacks have threatened the legitimacy of Lebanon’s new government, the western diplomat added. The current Lebanese government has been widely welcomed by the international community as reformist and is the first to have initiated formal steps to disarm Iran-backed Hezbollah.
“There is a kind of ‘Syrianisation’ of Lebanon”, the diplomatic source said.
During former Syrian president Bashar Al Assad’s rule, which ended last December, Damascus was an ally of both Hezbollah and Iran. Israel regularly struck Hezbollah weapons depots and convoys on Syrian territory, drawing little formal international condemnation.
“But the difference is that the Syrian regime was shunned by the international community, while this government is seen as reformist,” the western diplomat said.
Many observers view US-backed President Joseph Aoun and international lawyer Nawaf Salam, who was appointed Prime Minister in January, as an opportunity to push through reforms, including introducing a state monopoly on weapons, after years of leadership vacuum.
Despite this, the Israeli military has confirmed carrying out hundreds of air strikes on its northern neighbour since November 2024, saying they targeted Hezbollah positions.
Lebanon, however, says the strikes have also hit civilians and destroyed homes. UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Volker Turk said: “We are still seeing devastating impacts of jet and drone strikes in residential areas, as well as near UN peacekeepers in the south.”
There have been no reports of deaths from rockets fired from Lebanon towards Israel since the ceasefire, the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) said.
The war began when Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel in solidarity with Hamas, a day after the group’s deadly incursion into southern Israel on October 7, 2023, that triggered the Gaza war. Israel responded with shelling and air strikes in Lebanon, escalating the clashes into a full-scale war by late September 2024.
Israeli forces killed more than 4,000 people in Lebanon, including hundreds of civilians, while 127 people were killed in Israel, among them 80 soldiers.
'Maintaining maximum pressure'
Under the November ceasefire terms, Hezbollah was to begin disarming starting south of the Litani River, about 30km from the Israeli border. Israel, in turn, was required to stop violating Lebanon’s airspace and withdraw its forces from five positions it occupies inside Lebanon.
Israel has remained in the five positions it deems strategic and has shown no sign it intends to leave, US envoy Tom Barrack said in an interview with The National.
In September, the Lebanese government agreed on a plan to disarm Hezbollah, a historic decision adopted under heavy US pressure. The plan did not set a firm deadline for implementation and acknowledged the army’s limited capabilities.
The Lebanese army said that 90 per cent of Hezbollah’s military infrastructure has been dismantled south of the Litani River.
“Lebanon, for its part, has come a long way, the issue of disarmament is now on the table, along with the adoption of several reform-orientated laws,” the western diplomat said.
Hezbollah has consistently refused any comprehensive disarmament plan as long as Israel continues to hit Lebanon and keeps troops inside Lebanese territory, in violation of the truce.
“Israel’s goal is to maintain maximum pressure. The problem is that the longer these strikes continue, the greater the risk that this government loses its legitimacy," the diplomat said. "At the same time, it strengthens Hezbollah’s argument that it must keep its weapons."
In face of stalemate, with Israel’s refusal to provide guarantees that it will uphold its side of the truce, and Hezbollah’s rejection to disarm without them, the future remains uncertain, the diplomatic source said.
“Whether the situation slides back into escalation or remains in a fragile status quo depends entirely on Benjamin Netanyahu's calculations. And those are hard to read,” they added.
Humanitarian law concerns
Meanwhile, OHCHR said that civilians are bearing the brunt of the conflict. Israeli strikes have prevented more than 80,000 residents from returning home, it said.
Border villages, razed by Israel during its intense two-month air campaign, as well as after the truce was signed, remain in ruins.
While cash-strapped Lebanese authorities are unable to cover the $11 billion bill estimated for reconstruction, Israel has also hampered rebuilding efforts, even minor ones, by destroying temporary structures and heavy machinery.
“Today, families are simply unable to make a start on rebuilding their homes and their lives, and instead are faced by the real and present danger of more strikes. Hundreds of damaged schools, health facilities, places of worship, among other civilian sites, are still no-go zones, or at best, only partly usable,” Mr Turk said.
On Thursday, an Israeli strike killed two engineers working for Jihad Al Bina, a Hezbollah-affiliated construction company, about 10km from the Israeli border. Jihad Al Bina helped rebuild parts of southern Lebanon after the 2006 war between Hezbollah and Israel, with funding from Iran.
On Monday, Lebanon’s Health Ministry said one person was killed in an Israeli strike on an excavator in the eastern Bekaa Valley.
As a powerful militia and social service provider, Hezbollah oversees a network of civilian institutions. Political affiliation alone does not make a target legitimate under international humanitarian law.
On September 21, an Israeli air strike on the southern Lebanese town of Bint Jbeil killed five people, including three children. At their funeral, the coffins were draped with the Lebanese flag rather than Hezbollah’s, which is customary for the group’s supporters.
Mr Turk called for an independent and impartial investigation into the incident, along with other cases raising concerns about violations of international humanitarian law.
Britain's travel restrictions
- A negative test 2 days before flying
- Complete passenger locator form
- Book a post-arrival PCR test
- Double-vaccinated must self-isolate
- 11 countries on red list quarantine
T20 WORLD CUP QUALIFIERS
Qualifier A, Muscat
(All matches to be streamed live on icc.tv)
Fixtures
Friday, February 18: 10am Oman v Nepal, Canada v Philippines; 2pm Ireland v UAE, Germany v Bahrain
Saturday, February 19: 10am Oman v Canada, Nepal v Philippines; 2pm UAE v Germany, Ireland v Bahrain
Monday, February 21: 10am Ireland v Germany, UAE v Bahrain; 2pm Nepal v Canada, Oman v Philippines
Tuesday, February 22: 2pm Semi-finals
Thursday, February 24: 2pm Final
UAE squad:Ahmed Raza(captain), Muhammad Waseem, Chirag Suri, Vriitya Aravind, Rohan Mustafa, Kashif Daud, Zahoor Khan, Alishan Sharafu, Raja Akifullah, Karthik Meiyappan, Junaid Siddique, Basil Hameed, Zafar Farid, Mohammed Boota, Mohammed Usman, Rahul Bhatia
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
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
More on Quran memorisation:
Read more about the coronavirus
Avatar: Fire and Ash
Director: James Cameron
Starring: Sam Worthington, Sigourney Weaver, Zoe Saldana
Rating: 4.5/5
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
Virtuzone GCC Sixes
Date and venue Friday and Saturday, ICC Academy, Dubai Sports City
Time Matches start at 9am
Groups
A Blighty Ducks, Darjeeling Colts, Darjeeling Social, Dubai Wombats; B Darjeeling Veterans, Kuwait Casuals, Loose Cannons, Savannah Lions; C Awali Taverners, Darjeeling, Dromedary, Darjeeling Good Eggs
25-MAN SQUAD
Goalkeepers: Francis Uzoho, Ikechukwu Ezenwa, Daniel Akpeyi
Defenders: Olaoluwa Aina, Abdullahi Shehu, Chidozie Awaziem, William Ekong, Leon Balogun, Kenneth Omeruo, Jamilu Collins, Semi Ajayi
Midfielders: John Obi Mikel, Wilfred Ndidi, Oghenekaro Etebo, John Ogu
Forwards: Ahmed Musa, Victor Osimhen, Moses Simon, Henry Onyekuru, Odion Ighalo, Alexander Iwobi, Samuel Kalu, Paul Onuachu, Kelechi Iheanacho, Samuel Chukwueze
On Standby: Theophilus Afelokhai, Bryan Idowu, Ikouwem Utin, Mikel Agu, Junior Ajayi, Valentine Ozornwafor
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Islamophobia definition
A widely accepted definition was made by the All Party Parliamentary Group on British Muslims in 2019: “Islamophobia is rooted in racism and is a type of racism that targets expressions of Muslimness or perceived Muslimness.” It further defines it as “inciting hatred or violence against Muslims”.
Know before you go
- Jebel Akhdar is a two-hour drive from Muscat airport or a six-hour drive from Dubai. It’s impossible to visit by car unless you have a 4x4. Phone ahead to the hotel to arrange a transfer.
- If you’re driving, make sure your insurance covers Oman.
- By air: Budget airlines Air Arabia, Flydubai and SalamAir offer direct routes to Muscat from the UAE.
- Tourists from the Emirates (UAE nationals not included) must apply for an Omani visa online before arrival at evisa.rop.gov.om. The process typically takes several days.
- Flash floods are probable due to the terrain and a lack of drainage. Always check the weather before venturing into any canyons or other remote areas and identify a plan of escape that includes high ground, shelter and parking where your car won’t be overtaken by sudden downpours.
MATCH INFO
Qalandars 112-4 (10 ovs)
Banton 53 no
Northern Warriors 46 all out (9 ovs)
Kumara 3-10, Garton 3-10, Jordan 2-2, Prasanna 2-7
Qalandars win by six wickets
Usain Bolt's World Championships record
2007 Osaka
200m Silver
4x100m relay Silver
2009 Berlin
100m Gold
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
2011 Daegu
100m Disqualified in final for false start
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
2013 Moscow
100m Gold
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
2015 Beijing
100m Gold
200m Gold
4x100m relay Gold
Frankenstein in Baghdad
Ahmed Saadawi
Penguin Press
What is a robo-adviser?
Robo-advisers use an online sign-up process to gauge an investor’s risk tolerance by feeding information such as their age, income, saving goals and investment history into an algorithm, which then assigns them an investment portfolio, ranging from more conservative to higher risk ones.
These portfolios are made up of exchange traded funds (ETFs) with exposure to indices such as US and global equities, fixed-income products like bonds, though exposure to real estate, commodity ETFs or gold is also possible.
Investing in ETFs allows robo-advisers to offer fees far lower than traditional investments, such as actively managed mutual funds bought through a bank or broker. Investors can buy ETFs directly via a brokerage, but with robo-advisers they benefit from investment portfolios matched to their risk tolerance as well as being user friendly.
Many robo-advisers charge what are called wrap fees, meaning there are no additional fees such as subscription or withdrawal fees, success fees or fees for rebalancing.
MATCH INFO
Uefa Champions League semi-final, first leg
Tottenham 0-1 Ajax, Tuesday
Second leg
Ajax v Tottenham, Wednesday, May 8, 11pm
Game is on BeIN Sports
FA Cup fifth round draw
Sheffield Wednesday v Manchester City
Reading/Cardiff City v Sheffield United
Chelsea v Shrewsbury Town/Liverpool
West Bromwich Albion v Newcastle United/Oxford United
Leicester City v Coventry City/Birmingham City
Northampton Town/Derby County v Manchester United
Southampton/Tottenham Hotspur v Norwich City
Portsmouth v Arsenal
The specs
- Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
- Power: 640hp
- Torque: 760nm
- On sale: 2026
- Price: Not announced yet
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Mobile phone packages comparison