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The red lines crossed by Israel in assassinating Hezbollah commander Fouad Shukr and Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh will usher in a “new phase” of the multifront conflict that will make Israel “weep", Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah said on Thursday.
"You don’t know what red lines you have crossed,” Mr Nasrallah said in a speech broadcast after Mr Shukr's funeral in Beirut.
"The enemy must await the rage and revenge of the honourable people of this nation."
Mr Shukr and an Iranian military associate were killed in an Israeli strike on a densely populated neighbourhood in Beirut's southern suburb of Dahieh on Tuesday night. Three women and two children also died, and dozens were injured.
Hours later, Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh was killed in an explosion at his residence in Tehran after attending the inauguration of Iran's new President Masoud Pezeshkian.
Israel acknowledged carrying out the drone strike that killed Mr Shukr but not the attack that killed Mr Haniyeh. The means by which the Hamas leader was killed has yet to be established, with some reports suggesting it was a missile strike and others that it was a bomb planted at his residence and detonated remotely.
Mr Nasrallah said the assassination of Mr Haniyeh was an assault on Iran’s “sovereignty, national security, prestige – and especially on their honour".
“The Israelis and people of the West do not know what honour means in the East," he said. "To Iran, the martyr-leader Haniyeh was a guest in [their] home, and you [Israel] have killed their guest.”
The assassinations intensified western calls for de-escalation.
"They want us to mitigate our retaliation," Mr Nasrallah said. "They try to minimise the aggression that took place on us: the people of southern Beirut and on the resistance."
Thousands of people waving Hezbollah, Palestinian and Iranian flags gathered in Dahieh for Mr Shukr's funeral.
A young man who declined to give his name said he had expected Mr Nasrallah to say what he did.
"We knew there would be a response, we knew that targeting Dahieh and children was a red line," he said.
As for the nature and timing of the retaliation, he said Mr Nasrallah always took "measured decisions". He added that "even if this starts a war, we will be ready".
Jana, a young woman in the crowd, told The National: "The killing of our commanders doesn't make us weaker, on the contrary, it makes us stronger."
She said she was not afraid of a war. "We will stay here in our land, even if Israel destroys everything."
The Lebanese capital had been on tenterhooks for days, awaiting Israeli retaliation for a rocket attack on the town of Majdal Shams in the Israeli-occupied Golan Heights that killed a dozen children. Israel and the US blamed the attack on Hezbollah, which denied any involvement.
Israel said Mr Shukr orchestrated the attack, but Mr Nasrallah again denied Hezbollah was involved, instead accusing Israel of firing an interceptor missile that landed in the town.
"If we bomb a village we have the courage to take responsibility, even if it was a mistake. We would have admitted to it, just as we have done in the past," he said.
"The enemy's accusations against us are intentional and aim to cause strife."
The UK’s Foreign Secretary David Lammy and Defence Secretary John Healey arrived in Beirut on Thursday in a bid to calm tensions. They met caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati, parliament speaker Nabih Berri and caretaker Foreign Minister Abdallah Bou Habib.
"Israel has violated Lebanese sovereignty, assaulted our land in violation of international laws, and assaults civilians in a blatant manner daily," Mr Mikati told the delegation.
He said the solution to the crisis was implementing international resolutions, including UNSC Resolution 1701, which brought an end to the month-long war Israel and Hezbollah fought in 2006.
That resolution has never been fully implemented.
The two ministers visited Qatar on Wednesday, which has been a key mediator between Hamas and Israel.
Mr Lammy told the British parliament on Tuesday that the risk of a full-scale conflict was rising. He urged British citizens to leave Lebanon.
It came as Israel’s ambulance service concluded a massive three-day drill on Wednesday simulating a mass casualty event in the event of a war in the north of the country, as tensions spiral with Hezbollah
The drill included scenarios simulating electricity and communications being lost, mass casualties after rocket strikes and urgent blood donations. They also involved the use of satellite technology, specialist vehicles and call centres that are able to operate in the event of severe logistical challenges.
Israel’s military has been conducting drills in the north ever since hostilities began with Hezbollah on October 8, but ones by health authorities are rarer.
The Magen David Adom ambulance service’s simulation came in the aftermath of a rocket strike in the occupied Golan Heights that killed 12 children on a football field.
Crushing blows
As Hezbollah confirmed the death of the top military commander, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Wednesday night his army has dealt “crushing blows” against Hamas, Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthis in recent days, as he praised the Israeli strike that killed Mr Shukr.
He described the commander as the “deputy” of Mr Nasrallah and accused him of being in charge of the attack on Majdal Shams as well as numerous other attacks on Israel.
However, he did not directly mention the assassination of Hamas leader Ismail Haniyeh. Israel is widely suspected of carrying out the attack but has not officially claimed it.
The nearly 10-month conflict between Israel and Hezbollah is widely thought to be on the brink of a surge in violence which experts warn could cause devastation in both countries, particularly Lebanon, which has been in the grip of a sustained economic crisis.
The regional escalation began on October 7 with a surprise Hamas attack on southern Israel, killing about 1,200 people, mostly civilians. Israel’s retaliation has devastated Gaza, killing more than 39,400 people, also mostly civilians.
Israel-Hezbollah violence has already killed more than 500 people in Lebanon, about 100 civilians and the rest fighters. Nearly 50 civilians and soldiers have been killed on the Israeli side.
An Israeli strike killed four people – a Syrian woman and her three children – in the southern town of Shaams on Thursday, Lebanon's Ministry of Health said. It was the first Israeli attack on the town since the near-daily cross-border attacks with warplanes, drones, rockets and artillery began.
Israel and Hezbollah last fought a major conflict in 2006, a 34-day war that devastated parts of Beirut, killing about 1,200 people in Lebanon, mostly civilians, and about 160 in Israel, mostly soldiers.
Analysts say both sides are now vastly more equipped in terms of firepower, with Hezbollah thought to possess up to 150,000 rockets and missiles, 10 times its arsenal in 2006. Israel has expanded its air force, in part shown by devastating attacks on Gaza, leaving most of the enclave with a population of 2.3 million in ruins.
What it means to be a conservationist
Who is Enric Sala?
Enric Sala is an expert on marine conservation and is currently the National Geographic Society's Explorer-in-Residence. His love of the sea started with his childhood in Spain, inspired by the example of the legendary diver Jacques Cousteau. He has been a university professor of Oceanography in the US, as well as working at the Spanish National Council for Scientific Research and is a member of the World Economic Forum’s Global Future Council on Biodiversity and the Bio-Economy. He has dedicated his life to protecting life in the oceans. Enric describes himself as a flexitarian who only eats meat occasionally.
What is biodiversity?
According to the United Nations Environment Programme, all life on earth – including in its forests and oceans – forms a “rich tapestry of interconnecting and interdependent forces”. Biodiversity on earth today is the product of four billion years of evolution and consists of many millions of distinct biological species. The term ‘biodiversity’ is relatively new, popularised since the 1980s and coinciding with an understanding of the growing threats to the natural world including habitat loss, pollution and climate change. The loss of biodiversity itself is dangerous because it contributes to clean, consistent water flows, food security, protection from floods and storms and a stable climate. The natural world can be an ally in combating global climate change but to do so it must be protected. Nations are working to achieve this, including setting targets to be reached by 2020 for the protection of the natural state of 17 per cent of the land and 10 per cent of the oceans. However, these are well short of what is needed, according to experts, with half the land needed to be in a natural state to help avert disaster.
Company profile
Date started: 2015
Founder: John Tsioris and Ioanna Angelidaki
Based: Dubai
Sector: Online grocery delivery
Staff: 200
Funding: Undisclosed, but investors include the Jabbar Internet Group and Venture Friends
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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.
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 620hp from 5,750-7,500rpm
Torque: 760Nm from 3,000-5,750rpm
Transmission: Eight-speed dual-clutch auto
On sale: Now
Price: From Dh1.05 million ($286,000)
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Sholto Byrnes on Myanmar politics
Results
STAGE
1 . Filippo Ganna (Ineos) - 0:13:56
2. Stefan Bissegger (Education-Nippo) - 0:00:14
3. Mikkel Bjerg (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:21
4. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 0:00:24
5. Luis Leon Sanchez (Astana) - 0:00:30
GENERAL CLASSIFICATION
1. Tadej Pogacar (UAE Team Emirates) - 4:00:05
2. Joao Almeida (QuickStep) - 0:00:05
3. Mattia Cattaneo (QuickStep) - 0:00:18
4. Chris Harper (Jumbo-Visma) - 0:00:33
5. Adam Yates (Ineos) - 0:00:39
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Indika
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THE BIO: Martin Van Almsick
Hometown: Cologne, Germany
Family: Wife Hanan Ahmed and their three children, Marrah (23), Tibijan (19), Amon (13)
Favourite dessert: Umm Ali with dark camel milk chocolate flakes
Favourite hobby: Football
Breakfast routine: a tall glass of camel milk
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
How to avoid crypto fraud
- Use unique usernames and passwords while enabling multi-factor authentication.
- Use an offline private key, a physical device that requires manual activation, whenever you access your wallet.
- Avoid suspicious social media ads promoting fraudulent schemes.
- Only invest in crypto projects that you fully understand.
- Critically assess whether a project’s promises or returns seem too good to be true.
- Only use reputable platforms that have a track record of strong regulatory compliance.
- Store funds in hardware wallets as opposed to online exchanges.
The specs
Engine: 3.9-litre twin-turbo V8
Power: 640hp
Torque: 760nm
On sale: 2026
Price: Not announced yet
HAJJAN
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In numbers: PKK’s money network in Europe
Germany: PKK collectors typically bring in $18 million in cash a year – amount has trebled since 2010
Revolutionary tax: Investigators say about $2 million a year raised from ‘tax collection’ around Marseille
Extortion: Gunman convicted in 2023 of demanding $10,000 from Kurdish businessman in Stockholm
Drug trade: PKK income claimed by Turkish anti-drugs force in 2024 to be as high as $500 million a year
Denmark: PKK one of two terrorist groups along with Iranian separatists ASMLA to raise “two-digit million amounts”
Contributions: Hundreds of euros expected from typical Kurdish families and thousands from business owners
TV channel: Kurdish Roj TV accounts frozen and went bankrupt after Denmark fined it more than $1 million over PKK links in 2013
Blackpink World Tour [Born Pink] In Cinemas
Starring: Rose, Jisoo, Jennie, Lisa
Directors: Min Geun, Oh Yoon-Dong
Rating: 3/5
The Matrix Resurrections
Director: Lana Wachowski
Stars: Keanu Reeves, Carrie-Anne Moss, Jessica Henwick
Rating:****
The specs: 2018 Nissan Altima
Price, base / as tested: Dh78,000 / Dh97,650
Engine: 2.5-litre in-line four-cylinder
Power: 182hp @ 6,000rpm
Torque: 244Nm @ 4,000rpm
Transmission: Continuously variable tranmission
Fuel consumption, combined: 7.6L / 100km
At a glance
Global events: Much of the UK’s economic woes were blamed on “increased global uncertainty”, which can be interpreted as the economic impact of the Ukraine war and the uncertainty over Donald Trump’s tariffs.
Growth forecasts: Cut for 2025 from 2 per cent to 1 per cent. The OBR watchdog also estimated inflation will average 3.2 per cent this year
Welfare: Universal credit health element cut by 50 per cent and frozen for new claimants, building on cuts to the disability and incapacity bill set out earlier this month
Spending cuts: Overall day-to day-spending across government cut by £6.1bn in 2029-30
Tax evasion: Steps to crack down on tax evasion to raise “£6.5bn per year” for the public purse
Defence: New high-tech weaponry, upgrading HM Naval Base in Portsmouth
Housing: Housebuilding to reach its highest in 40 years, with planning reforms helping generate an extra £3.4bn for public finances
The specs: 2019 Aston Martin DBS Superleggera
Price, base: Dh1.2 million
Engine: 5.2-litre twin-turbo V12
Transmission: Eight-speed automatic
Power: 725hp @ 6,500pm
Torque: 900Nm @ 1,800rpm
Fuel economy, combined: 12.3L / 100km (estimate)
Company: Instabug
Founded: 2013
Based: Egypt, Cairo
Sector: IT
Employees: 100
Stage: Series A
Investors: Flat6Labs, Accel, Y Combinator and angel investors
How to wear a kandura
Dos
- Wear the right fabric for the right season and occasion
- Always ask for the dress code if you don’t know
- Wear a white kandura, white ghutra / shemagh (headwear) and black shoes for work
- Wear 100 per cent cotton under the kandura as most fabrics are polyester
Don’ts
- Wear hamdania for work, always wear a ghutra and agal
- Buy a kandura only based on how it feels; ask questions about the fabric and understand what you are buying
Engine: 5.6-litre V8
Transmission: seven-speed automatic
Power: 400hp
Torque: 560Nm
Price: Dh234,000 - Dh329,000
On sale: now
Gothia Cup 2025
4,872 matches
1,942 teams
116 pitches
76 nations
26 UAE teams
15 Lebanese teams
2 Kuwaiti teams
MATCH INFO
Fixture: Thailand v UAE, Tuesday, 4pm (UAE)
TV: Abu Dhabi Sports
Profile
Company name: Jaib
Started: January 2018
Co-founders: Fouad Jeryes and Sinan Taifour
Based: Jordan
Sector: FinTech
Total transactions: over $800,000 since January, 2018
Investors in Jaib's mother company Alpha Apps: Aramex and 500 Startups
Gertrude Bell's life in focus
A feature film
At one point, two feature films were in the works, but only German director Werner Herzog’s project starring Nicole Kidman would be made. While there were high hopes he would do a worthy job of directing the biopic, when Queen of the Desert arrived in 2015 it was a disappointment. Critics panned the film, in which Herzog largely glossed over Bell’s political work in favour of her ill-fated romances.
A documentary
A project that did do justice to Bell arrived the next year: Sabine Krayenbuhl and Zeva Oelbaum’s Letters from Baghdad: The Extraordinary Life and Times of Gertrude Bell. Drawing on more than 1,000 pieces of archival footage, 1,700 documents and 1,600 letters, the filmmakers painstakingly pieced together a compelling narrative that managed to convey both the depth of Bell’s experience and her tortured love life.
Books, letters and archives
Two biographies have been written about Bell, and both are worth reading: Georgina Howell’s 2006 book Queen of the Desert and Janet Wallach’s 1996 effort Desert Queen. Bell published several books documenting her travels and there are also several volumes of her letters, although they are hard to find in print. Original documents are housed at the Gertrude Bell Archive at the University of Newcastle, which has an online catalogue.
Company Profile
Company name: OneOrder
Started: October 2021
Founders: Tamer Amer and Karim Maurice
Based: Cairo, Egypt
Industry: technology, logistics
Investors: A15 and self-funded
Our family matters legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
