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In a style reminiscent of a film trailer, a 10-second video released on Thursday showed Hezbollah's leader, Hassan Nasrallah, strolling past a poster featuring his party's emblem – a yellow flag with an assault rifle – accompanied by suspenseful background music.
The video, which was widely shared on social media in Lebanon, coincided with the announcement that Mr Nasrallah would make a speech on Friday at 3pm, as the total number of Hezbollah fighters killed since fighting with Israel erupted at the border last month has risen to 50.
The announcement, which follows three weeks of conspicuous silence, has left many Lebanese holding their breath amid a widespread perception that the leader of Hezbollah, a powerful militia and influential political party backed by Iran, holds the country's future in his hands.
Officially, his speech will be a tribute to the party’s fighters that were killed in recent clashes between Hezbollah and Israel after Hamas's October 7 attack.
However, for many Lebanese, it has the potential to become a turning point that will determine whether their country will be drawn into a devastating war or remain on the sidelines.
“Rarely has a speech been anticipated with such a combination of stress and anxiety among the Lebanese population,” political analyst Karim Bitar told The National.
“Mr Nasrallah is known for addressing the public daily during times of conflict, he has not said a word in three weeks.”
Mr Bitar said his silence was a type of “psychological warfare”.
The silence is part of Mr Nasrallah's management of this battle, Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah said late last month, and “it is also what confuses the enemy”.
Drawing red lines
The Lebanese government, while stressing it does not want Lebanon to become involved in the conflict, has repeatedly said that the decision was ultimately not in its hands.
Hezbollah, which swiftly voiced support for Hamas's attack and offered to provide assistance, and its ally Iran are the primary decision-makers in this situation.
“We can see how non-state armed groups have appropriated the decisions of war and peace that traditionally belong to the state, which is emblematic of the state's powerlessness,” said Karim Mufti, a professor of international relations at Sciences Po Paris.
But analysts suggest that a formal declaration of war is highly unlikely.
“It's not his usual approach,” said Mr Mufti.
He said the speech is more likely to be an opportunity for Mr Nasrallah, known for his eloquence, to delineate red lines in the conflict, while stressing the principles of deterrence.
For now, both enemies appear to understand that they cannot afford a new front. Israel is already facing difficulties in Gaza, while Lebanon is grappling with one of the worst economic crises in modern history, leading to widespread opposition to the war.
The clashes have so far been limited to a few border villages, loosely adhering to the informal “rules of engagement” that govern retaliation between the two enemies, Mr Mufti said.
He added that the red lines might include any forced evacuation of the population from Gaza reminiscent of the Nakba in 1948, when hundreds of thousands of Palestinians were permanently displaced from their homes, or the threat of the complete destruction of Hamas.
The speech will also provide an opportunity for Mr Nasrallah to express support for the Palestinian cause and stress that resistance to Israel remains at the core of Hezbollah's actions.
But “this has not been the case for years”, Mr Mufti explained.
“The speech will stay within the theme of escalation and the threat,” he said.
“In any case, as an armed group in a state of war, it is an opportunity for them to exist without themselves crossing the red lines.
“But you never really know – with Hezbollah, everything is possible.”
Where to donate in the UAE
The Emirates Charity Portal
You can donate to several registered charities through a “donation catalogue”. The use of the donation is quite specific, such as buying a fan for a poor family in Niger for Dh130.
The General Authority of Islamic Affairs & Endowments
The site has an e-donation service accepting debit card, credit card or e-Dirham, an electronic payment tool developed by the Ministry of Finance and First Abu Dhabi Bank.
Al Noor Special Needs Centre
You can donate online or order Smiles n’ Stuff products handcrafted by Al Noor students. The centre publishes a wish list of extras needed, starting at Dh500.
Beit Al Khair Society
Beit Al Khair Society has the motto “From – and to – the UAE,” with donations going towards the neediest in the country. Its website has a list of physical donation sites, but people can also contribute money by SMS, bank transfer and through the hotline 800-22554.
Dar Al Ber Society
Dar Al Ber Society, which has charity projects in 39 countries, accept cash payments, money transfers or SMS donations. Its donation hotline is 800-79.
Dubai Cares
Dubai Cares provides several options for individuals and companies to donate, including online, through banks, at retail outlets, via phone and by purchasing Dubai Cares branded merchandise. It is currently running a campaign called Bookings 2030, which allows people to help change the future of six underprivileged children and young people.
Emirates Airline Foundation
Those who travel on Emirates have undoubtedly seen the little donation envelopes in the seat pockets. But the foundation also accepts donations online and in the form of Skywards Miles. Donated miles are used to sponsor travel for doctors, surgeons, engineers and other professionals volunteering on humanitarian missions around the world.
Emirates Red Crescent
On the Emirates Red Crescent website you can choose between 35 different purposes for your donation, such as providing food for fasters, supporting debtors and contributing to a refugee women fund. It also has a list of bank accounts for each donation type.
Gulf for Good
Gulf for Good raises funds for partner charity projects through challenges, like climbing Kilimanjaro and cycling through Thailand. This year’s projects are in partnership with Street Child Nepal, Larchfield Kids, the Foundation for African Empowerment and SOS Children's Villages. Since 2001, the organisation has raised more than $3.5 million (Dh12.8m) in support of over 50 children’s charities.
Noor Dubai Foundation
Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum launched the Noor Dubai Foundation a decade ago with the aim of eliminating all forms of preventable blindness globally. You can donate Dh50 to support mobile eye camps by texting the word “Noor” to 4565 (Etisalat) or 4849 (du).
The Brutalist
Director: Brady Corbet
Stars: Adrien Brody, Felicity Jones, Guy Pearce, Joe Alwyn
Rating: 3.5/5
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
Other must-tries
Tomato and walnut salad
A lesson in simple, seasonal eating. Wedges of tomato, chunks of cucumber, thinly sliced red onion, coriander or parsley leaves, and perhaps some fresh dill are drizzled with a crushed walnut and garlic dressing. Do consider yourself warned: if you eat this salad in Georgia during the summer months, the tomatoes will be so ripe and flavourful that every tomato you eat from that day forth will taste lacklustre in comparison.
Badrijani nigvzit
A delicious vegetarian snack or starter. It consists of thinly sliced, fried then cooled aubergine smothered with a thick and creamy walnut sauce and folded or rolled. Take note, even though it seems like you should be able to pick these morsels up with your hands, they’re not as durable as they look. A knife and fork is the way to go.
Pkhali
This healthy little dish (a nice antidote to the khachapuri) is usually made with steamed then chopped cabbage, spinach, beetroot or green beans, combined with walnuts, garlic and herbs to make a vegetable pâté or paste. The mix is then often formed into rounds, chilled in the fridge and topped with pomegranate seeds before being served.
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Pharaoh's curse
British aristocrat Lord Carnarvon, who funded the expedition to find the Tutankhamun tomb, died in a Cairo hotel four months after the crypt was opened.
He had been in poor health for many years after a car crash, and a mosquito bite made worse by a shaving cut led to blood poisoning and pneumonia.
Reports at the time said Lord Carnarvon suffered from “pain as the inflammation affected the nasal passages and eyes”.
Decades later, scientists contended he had died of aspergillosis after inhaling spores of the fungus aspergillus in the tomb, which can lie dormant for months. The fact several others who entered were also found dead withiin a short time led to the myth of the curse.
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