Lebanon

LAF Refutes Hezbollah Infiltration Claim
LAF Refutes Hezbollah Infiltration Claim

The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) on Thursday firmly rejected claims published in Iranian media alleging that a substantial share of its personnel are affiliated with Hezbollah. In an official statement, LAF stressed that all its members operate “strictly under a unified military doctrine” and pledge loyalty solely to the army institution and ...

Israel Launches Fresh Strikes on South Lebanon After Warnings
Israel Launches Fresh Strikes on South Lebanon After Warnings

The Israeli army carried out strikes on Thursday against several localities in southern Lebanon it considers used by Hezbollah, after warning residents to evacuate certain areas. Shortly before the first strikes, the army’s Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, posted on X an evacuation notice urging residents of Jbaa and Mahrouna to ...

Ambassador Issa Commends Lebanon’s Progress Toward Peaceful Regional Engagement
Ambassador Issa Commends Lebanon’s Progress Toward Peaceful Regional Engagement

The United States’ Ambassador to Lebanon, Michael Issa, issued a statement Thursday praising Lebanon and Israel for opening a channel of dialogue at a sensitive moment, signaling “a sincere willingness to pursue peaceful, responsible solutions grounded in good faith.” Ambassador Issa emphasized that durable progress can only be achieved ...

Simon Karam's Appointment Sparks Reactions from Political Leaders
PoliticsSimon Karam's Appointment Sparks Reactions from Political Leaders

President Joseph Aoun’s appointment of former ambassador Simon Karam to Lebanon’s delegation for the ceasefire monitoring committee, established under the November 27, 2024, agreement, has sparked a wave of political reactions. The reactions, largely supportive, underscore the high political stakes tied to the appointment. Several national ...

Lebanon’s Diplomatic Pivot: Understanding Simon Karam’s Role
FocusLebanon’s Diplomatic Pivot: Understanding Simon Karam’s Role

Wednesday’s meeting of the ceasefire monitoring mechanism in Naqoura carried the weight of history. Lebanon held civilian-led direct talks with Israel for the first time in decades, a development that offered Beirut a rare opportunity to resuscitate the faltering November 27, 2024, ceasefire and begin moving toward substantive political ...

Iraq Reverses Hezbollah, Houthi Asset Freeze, Calls It ‘Mistake'
Iraq Reverses Hezbollah, Houthi Asset Freeze, Calls It ‘Mistake'

Iraq's central bank on Thursday said the appearance of Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthis on a frozen assets list was a mistake, and ordered the correction of the official announcement, according to a document seen by AFP. An official gazette issue dated November 17 published a decision about Iraq freezing the assets of ...

An Opportunity for Lebanon to Join the Abrahams Accords
Op-edAn Opportunity for Lebanon to Join the Abrahams Accords

“We affirm today that the survival of this Lebanon, gathered entirely around you, is a condition for peace, hope, and reconciliation among all the children of Abraham.” With these words to Pope Leo XIV during the pontiff’s visit to Lebanon, President Joseph Aoun signaled a possible willingness to bring his country into the ...

The Next Israel–Hezbollah War Could Be Inevitable — and Crippling for Hezbollah
Op-edThe Next Israel–Hezbollah War Could Be Inevitable — and Crippling for Hezbollah

When Israeli jets struck Beirut’s Haret Hreik on 23 November 2025 and killed Haitham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s chief of staff and the man responsible for rebuilding its shattered military infrastructure, the message was unmistakable. Israel was not simply targeting a militant; it was signaling that the post-war “ceasefire” is dead, that ...

Israel Accuses Hezbollah of Assassinations in Beirut Port Blast Case
FocusIsrael Accuses Hezbollah of Assassinations in Beirut Port Blast Case

New and highly sensitive allegations emerged on Tuesday after the Israeli army accused a specialized Hezbollah cell—Unit 121—of assassinating four Lebanese figures who allegedly held information implicating the Shiite militia in the August 2020 Beirut port explosion. The claims, made by the army’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee ...

14th Meeting of Mechanism: Civilian Participants Added to Enhance Stability and Success
14th Meeting of Mechanism: Civilian Participants Added to Enhance Stability and Success

Senior officials convened for the 14th iteration of the Pentalateral on December 3 in Naqoura to assess ongoing efforts to reach an enduring cessation of hostilities arrangement in Lebanon, reported the US Embassy in Beirut in a statement.  To support a durable peace and shared prosperity of both sides, former Ambassador Simon Karam of Lebanon ...

Lebanon Must Answer the Pope’s Call for Peace
Op-edLebanon Must Answer the Pope’s Call for Peace

From the heart of Lebanon—a biblical land living under Hezbollah’s shadow—Pope Leo XIV issued a clarion call for genuine peace, not merely a ceasefire, between longstanding adversaries. Although he refrained from naming Israel directly, the implication was unmistakable: the pontiff was urging Lebanon to pursue normalization with its southern ...

Kanaan Warns of “Constitutional Violation” in Unaudited State Accounts
Kanaan Warns of “Constitutional Violation” in Unaudited State Accounts

Following a Finance and Budget Committee meeting on Wednesday, its chairman, MP Ibrahim Kanaan, issued sharp warnings over the state’s continued failure to produce audited financial accounts, describing this as a “clear constitutional violation” of Article 87. Kanaan stressed that Lebanese citizens are required to submit their accounts for ...