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The killing of a Hamas official in a drone strike on Wednesday in Lebanon is sparking fears in Beirut of a new Israeli offensive that could take the countries closer to outright war.
Hadi Mustafa, who Israel claims was a "significant operative," was killed in a strike on his car near the southern Lebanese city of Tyre.
Israel said he was involved in directing Hamas cells, as well as “advancing attacks against Israelis and Jews in several countries abroad”.
Israel claimed that Mustafa worked under the direction of Samir Fendi, a senior Hamas official who was killed on January 2 alongside Hamas deputy leader Saleh Al Arouri in an Israeli attack on Beirut's southern suburbs.
A Hamas source denied that Mustafa was a top official.
Mustafa was from the Rashidieh refugee camp close to Tyre, one of the 12 refugee camps for Palestinians in Lebanon, according to Lebanon’s National News Agency.
A Syrian man who was riding his motorbike nearby was also killed in the strike, the NNA reported. Another two people were injured.
The strike, about 2km from Tyre, is the closest Israeli attack to the city since the war in Gaza began on October 7.
It comes after Israeli warplanes struck deep into Lebanon for a second consecutive day on Tuesday, hitting a facility belonging to Hezbollah in the Bekaa Valley. The latest strikes on the Bekaa were the third time Israel has hit the province since the outbreak of hostilities on the Lebanon-Israel border on October 8.
A Lebanese official close to Hezbollah said the increasing scope of Israel's attacks appeared to reflect increasingly outspoken Israeli threats against Lebanon in recent days.
The official said the sharp rise in attacks were in line with comments by far-right Israeli minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who called for escalation after Hezbollah launched more than 100 rockets on the occupied Golan Heights and northern Israeli on Tuesday.
“What are you waiting for? More than 100 missiles on the State of Israel and you sit quietly?” Mr Ben-Gvir said in a post on X directed at Defence Minister Yoav Gallant. “Let’s start reacting, attacking.”
Mr Ben-Gvir is an ultra-nationalist who frequently urges Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to act more forcefully against Hezbollah.
US envoy Amos Hochstein was recently in Beirut in a bid to find a ceasefire on the Lebanon-Israel border and find an agreement on contested border points. Among the Israeli demands are that Hezbollah withdraw its fighters north of the Litani River, a demand the Iran-backed group has rejected.
"The increase in the intensity of the Israeli raids is a clear military response to the faltering political settlement, and there is a fear that they will escalate, which will lead to things getting worse," the Lebanese official added.
Hezbollah has vowed not to stop the fighting until a cease-fire is reached in Gaza.
Hamas, which carried out an unprecedented attack into southern Israel from the Gaza Strip on October 7, also has a political and military presence in Lebanon, largely based out of camps where Palestinian refugees have lived for decades.
Hamas's deputy leader in the Gaza Strip, Khalil Al Hayya, met with Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah in Lebanon in Beirut on Tuesday. It was the most high profile public meeting between Mr Nasrallah and Hamas officials since the assassination of Mr Al Arouri on January 2, and a sign of ongoing collaboration between the two groups against Israel.
Hezbollah has been engaged in near-daily cross-border exchanges with Israel since October 8.
One of its motives, it says, is to relieve the pressure on its ally Hamas in Gaza, where more than 31,000 Palestinians have been killed in more than five months of war.
The conflict in south Lebanon, which has largely been contained to border areas, has gradually increased in its intensity and scope.
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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
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Tips for avoiding trouble online
- Do not post incorrect information and beware of fake news
- Do not publish or repost racist or hate speech, yours or anyone else’s
- Do not incite violence and be careful how to phrase what you want to say
- Do not defame anyone. Have a difference of opinion with someone? Don’t attack them on social media
- Do not forget your children and monitor their online activities
BMW M5 specs
Engine: 4.4-litre twin-turbo V-8 petrol enging with additional electric motor
Power: 727hp
Torque: 1,000Nm
Transmission: 8-speed auto
Fuel consumption: 10.6L/100km
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh650,000
Countries recognising Palestine
France, UK, Canada, Australia, Portugal, Belgium, Malta, Luxembourg, San Marino and Andorra
EA Sports FC 26
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Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
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Company%20profile
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Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Mohammed bin Zayed Majlis
KILLING OF QASSEM SULEIMANI
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
The specs
Engine: 4.0-litre flat-six
Torque: 450Nm at 6,100rpm
Transmission: 7-speed PDK auto or 6-speed manual
Fuel economy, combined: 13.8L/100km
On sale: Available to order now
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.
Killing of Qassem Suleimani
Zayed Sustainability Prize
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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China
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UAE
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The burning issue
The internal combustion engine is facing a watershed moment – major manufacturer Volvo is to stop producing petroleum-powered vehicles by 2021 and countries in Europe, including the UK, have vowed to ban their sale before 2040. The National takes a look at the story of one of the most successful technologies of the last 100 years and how it has impacted life in the UAE.
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The specs: 2018 Volkswagen Teramont
Price, base / as tested Dh137,000 / Dh189,950
Engine 3.6-litre V6
Gearbox Eight-speed automatic
Power 280hp @ 6,200rpm
Torque 360Nm @ 2,750rpm
Fuel economy, combined 11.7L / 100km
Zayed Sustainability Prize
What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
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COMPANY%20PROFILE
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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
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