Lebanon

UNIFIL: Withdrawal or Extension? The Countdown Begins

Élie-Joe Kamel 19/08 15:55 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

UN Security Council Hezbollah UNIFIL Lebanon Israel

Will UNIFIL’s presence in southern Lebanon be extended beyond August 31? The question is at the heart of diplomatic negotiations as the Security Council prepares to vote on August 25, while the mandate of the UN force expires at the end of the month. On Monday, the UN Security Council began debating a draft resolution presented by France to ...

Jordan Reaffirms Support for Lebanon’s Sovereignty

This is Beirut 19/08 14:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Jordan lebanon Nawaf Salam Jaafar Hassan Amman

Lebanon and Jordan have agreed to reinvigorate their bilateral ties, with a particular focus on trade, transport, and energy cooperation. The announcement followed an official visit to Amman on Tuesday by Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, accompanied by a high-level delegation that included Foreign Minister Joe Rajji. In the Jordanian ...

Aoun Stresses Lebanon’s Commitment to Renewing UNIFIL's Mandate

This is Beirut 19/08 14:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Israel Joseph Aoun Lebanese Army UN Security Council lebanon UNIFIL

A week ahead of U.N. talks on extending UNIFIL’s mandate, and with some Security Council members questioning the usefulness of renewing the peacekeepers’ mission, President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to maintaining the multinational force in the south “for as long as necessary” to fully implement UN Resolution ...

Op-edA Negotiating Margin Out of Reach

Johnny Kortbawi 19/08 14:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel United Nations Tom Barrack Morgan Ortagus

Lebanon still has much to accomplish. Despite the government’s declarations, practical steps remain limited, leaving doubts about whether the country is honoring its commitments in the eyes of the international community. This was the core message conveyed during Tom Barrack and Morgan Ortagus’ meetings with Lebanese officials. The points ...

Northern Lebanon Eyes Revival of Kleiate Airport

This is Beirut 19/08 12:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Tripoli Rene Mouawad Airport Nawaf Salam North Lebanon Fayez Rasamny

Minister of Public Works and Transport Fayez Rasamny underscored the strategic importance of reopening Rene Mouawad Airport in Kleiate, describing it as “a cornerstone for boosting commercial and tourism activity in the North.” In his remarks during a visit to Abdel Wahab Island in Tripoli on Monday, Rasamny said that the economic feasibility ...

YASA Sounds Alarm over Soaring Road Deaths in August

This is Beirut 19/08 11:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

YASA Death Injury Road Lebanon

More than 40 people lost their lives on Lebanon’s roads in August alone, with dozens more injured, according to figures released on Tuesday by the Youth Association for Social Awareness (YASA). The organization described the toll as “shocking,” warning that if accidents continue at this pace, the country could see over 1,000 fatalities in a ...

Iraq-Lebanon Dismantle Major Captagon Factory

This is Beirut 19/08 10:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanese Army Middle East Iraq lebanon State Security Beqaa

The Iraqi Ministry of Interior announced on Tuesday that, in coordination with Lebanese authorities, one of the largest Captagon factories in the Middle East has been dismantled. In a statement carried by the Iraqi News Agency (INA), the ministry said that “close security and intelligence cooperation between Iraq’s General Directorate of ...

UN Debates Future Withdrawal of Lebanon Peacekeeping Force

This is Beirut 19/08 09:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

UN Security Council Hezbollah Israel United States UNIFIL

The United Nations Security Council began to debate Monday a resolution drafted by France to extend the UN peacekeeping force in south Lebanon for a year with the ultimate aim to withdraw it. Israel and the United States have reportedly opposed the renewal of the force's mandate, and it was unclear if the draft text has backing from Washington, ...

Hezbollah Holds Back, Awaiting the Army’s Disarmament Plan

Philippe Abi-Akl 19/08 08:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Hezbollah Amal Joseph Aoun Lebanon Disarmament Lebanese Army

Over the past year, regional and domestic developments have overturned the balance of power and reshaped political positions. What was categorically rejected before September 2024 is now being accepted by Hezbollah, which today demands what it had previously opposed, notably a dialogue over the future of its arsenal within a national defense ...

Zelensky at the White House, Eyes a Potential Three-Way Summit with Putin

This is Beirut 18/08 21:50 - Reading : less than a minute

Donald Trump Volodymyr Zelensky Ukraine Russia United States War

Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky met with Donald Trump, praising his efforts to halt the war and exploring a potential three-way summit with Vladimir Putin, while the US pledged continued support.

VideosUS Envoy Tom Barrack in Lebanon Amid Focus on Hezb Disarmament and UNIFIL Renewal

This is Beirut 18/08 18:35 - Reading : less than a minute

Hezbollah Joseph Aoun

US envoy Tom Barrack met on Monday with Lebanon’s top officials, including President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Two main topics were on the agenda: Hezbollah and the UNIFIL mandate, which expires at the end of August. Barrack also held talks with Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal on security ...

Lebanon’s Sovereignty Tested at the Syrian Border

Mario Chartouni 18/08 17:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel Syria Lebanon Borders Demarcation

Since mid-August, a viral social media video has shown a man claiming to represent “Syrian tribes” issuing a stark warning to Lebanon: “We will invade Lebanon within 48 hours if Syrian detainees are not released,” referring to Syrians held at Roumieh prison. The threat follows the death of a Syrian inmate on August 14, which sparked ...