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U.S. Lawmakers Introduce Bill to Sanction Election Interference in Lebanon
This is Beirut 10:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon Hezbollah Amal Elections Sanctions
U.S. lawmakers introduced legislation on February 2 that would authorize President Trump to impose sanctions on foreign individuals or entities accused of interfering in Lebanon’s electoral process, including efforts to obstruct voting by Lebanese citizens living abroad. The legislation would allow the president, in consultation with senior ...
U.S. Downs Iranian Drone Flying Toward Aircraft Carrier
This is Beirut 09:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
A U.S. Navy fighter jet shot down an Iranian drone that was approaching the aircraft carrier USS Abraham Lincoln in the Arabian Sea, U.S. Central Command said Tuesday. The drone “aggressively approached” the aircraft carrier with “unclear intent” and kept flying toward it “despite deescalatory measures taken by ...
Iraq PM Candidate Maliki Says Majority Bloc Has Final Say on Nomination
This is Beirut 09:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Donald Trump United States USA Washington
Iraq's main candidate for the premiership, Nouri al-Maliki, said Tuesday that withdrawing his candidacy would jeopardise Iraqi sovereignty after US threats and he would only step aside if his electoral bloc asks him to. Last week, US President Donald Trump, in his latest intervention in another country's politics, issued an ultimatum, ...
Turkey's Erdogan Visits Saudi as Ties Between Former Rivals Warm
This is Beirut 09:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Turkey Gulf Israel Palestine Saudi Arabia
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan visited Riyadh on Tuesday in his first visit in more than two years, as ties warm between Saudi Arabia and its rival-turned-ally. Ankara hopes to "finalise negotiations towards a free trade agreement between Turkey and the member of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC)", the Turkish presidency said. "The two ...
U.S. Tanker Approached by Iranian Gunboats in Strait of Hormuz
This is Beirut 03/02 21:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
A US-flagged tanker was approached and challenged on Tuesday by Iranian gunboats in the Strait of Hormuz, before continuing on its way, US Central Command said. CENTCOM spokesman Captain Tim Hawkins said two Iranian boats and a drone approached the US-flagged ship M/V Stena Imperative "at high speeds and threatened to board and seize the ...
‘Moment Could Be Fleeting’: U.S. Congressional Hearing on Curbing Hezbollah
This is Beirut 03/02 19:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
United States Lebanon Hezbollah Disarmament Reform
Policy experts told the U.S. Congress that dismantling Hezbollah’s malign influence in Lebanon will require leveraging Washington’s support for Beirut to secure measurable progress on the militant group’s disarmament, as well as political and financial reforms, thereby strengthening state sovereignty. On Tuesday, the House Foreign Affairs ...
Military Court Sentences Nouh Zeaiter in Limited Rulings, Leaving Broader Case Open
This is Beirut 03/02 17:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon NouhZeaiter Hezbollah MilitaryCourt
Lebanon’s Permanent Military Court on Tuesday issued its first batch of rulings in the sprawling judicial case of Nouh Zeaiter, convicting him in four security-related cases and sentencing him to one month in prison for each, while acquitting him in three files and dropping prosecution in 33 others due to the statute of limitations. The court ...
Hezbollah’s Qassem Rejects State Authority, Frames Conflict as Existential Battle
This is Beirut 03/02 15:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon Hezbollah Israel Lebanese Army United States Naim Qassem
Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem on Tuesday adopted a defiant tone toward Lebanese officials and state institutions, rejecting any internal pressure on the group and reaffirming Hezbollah’s commitment to armed confrontation, while framing regional tensions as an existential battle against what he described as American and Israeli ...
January 2026: What the Surge in Israeli Strikes in Lebanon Signals
This is Beirut 03/02 13:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
January 2026 marked a sharp escalation in Israeli military activity in Lebanon, with the Israel Defense Forces (IDF) conducting 87 airstrikes, more than double the number recorded in December 2025. It was the most active month since the ceasefire of November 27, 2024, underscoring a shift in operational tempo even as Israel maintains that its ...
Qatar Says Diplomacy with Iran 'Continuing Very Intensively'
This is Beirut 03/02 13:35 - Reading : less than a minute
Intensive diplomatic efforts are taking place between Iran, Qatar, and other countries in the region, Doha's foreign ministry spokesman said Tuesday, after Tehran confirmed talks with the U.S. "I can confirm that efforts are continuing very intensively in these hours and days," foreign ministry ...
Aoun: Exclusivity of Weapons Is a Non-Negotiable
This is Beirut 03/02 13:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Lebanon Joseph Aoun Nabih Berry Nawaf Salam Parliament
President Joseph Aoun on Tuesday said that the renewed confidence and support of foreign countries toward Lebanon is a natural outcome of ongoing efforts to rebuild the state on solid foundations, stressing that the rule of law and the exclusivity of weapons remain irreversible pillars of his agenda. In his remarks during a meeting with a ...
Can a New Round of U.S.–Iran Talks Avert Escalation?
Natasha Metni Torbey 03/02 12:45 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Donald Trump Israel Tehran Iran United States Washington
Amid elevated military tensions, the U.S. and Iran are now cautiously opening diplomatic channels, indicating an interest in averting a major conflict with potentially uncontrollable consequences for the region. In recent days, a series of mixed signals—from hawkish statements and regional warnings to indirect exchanges via ...
Israel Sets Red Lines Ahead of U.S.-Iran Talks as Witkoff Visits Jerusalem
This is Beirut 03/02 12:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Israel Iran USA Trump NuclearTalks Turkey USIran
Israel is seeking firm assurances from Washington ahead of anticipated U.S.-Iran talks on Friday in Turkey, with Israeli officials signaling that any agreement falling short of dismantling Tehran’s nuclear capabilities would be unacceptable. The issue will be central to meetings in Jerusalem on Tuesday, as U.S. Special Envoy for the Middle ...
Lebanon PM Says Won't Allow Country to be Dragged into New Conflict
This is Beirut 03/02 11:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Lebanon Nawaf Salam Dubai World Government United Arab Emirates
Lebanon's prime minister said Tuesday he will not allow his country to be dragged into a new conflict, after Hezbollah warned any attack on its Iranian backer would be an attack on the group. "We will never allow anyone to drag the country into another adventure," Nawaf Salam said during the World Governments Summit in Dubai, in ...
Iran President Confirms Talks with US After Trump's Threats
This is Beirut 03/02 11:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
IranNuclear Iran USA USIran NuclearTalks
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian confirmed on Tuesday that he had ordered the start of nuclear talks with the United States, after his counterpart Donald Trump threatened "bad things" if no deal is reached. The US leader has talked of military action and sent an aircraft carrier group to the Middle East following anti-government protests in ...
Almost 140 Foreigners Arrested in Central Iran Over Protests
This is Beirut 03/02 11:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
HumanRights IranProtests Iran Protests
Iranian authorities arrested 139 foreign nationals in central parts of the country during recent anti-government protests, local media reported Tuesday. Iran's Tasnim news agency quoted the police chief in the city of Yazd as saying those arrested were involved "in organising, inciting and directing riotous actions, and in some cases were in ...
Trump Warns Iran of Consequences if Diplomacy Fails
This is Beirut 03/02 10:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Israel USA Trump Iran Netanyahu NuclearDeal
The United States and Iran are set to resume nuclear talks on Friday in Turkey, officials from both sides told Reuters, as President Donald Trump warned that “bad things” would likely happen if negotiations fail, with U.S. warships moving closer to Iran amid heightened regional tensions. U.S. Special Envoy Steve Witkoff and Iranian Foreign ...
Ukraine Designates IRGC as Terrorist Organization
This is Beirut 03/02 09:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Ukraine European Union Kyiv Tehran Volodymyr Zelensky
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy confirmed on Monday that Ukraine has formally designated Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a terrorist organization, describing the decision as final. He said the European Union has effectively agreed to take the same step, with procedural processes currently underway. “All ...
UAE Senior Official Says Iran Needs to Reach Deal with U.S.
This is Beirut 03/02 09:20 - Reading : less than a minute
United Arab Emirates United States
Iran needs to reach a deal with the United States, a senior United Arab Emirates official said on Tuesday, ahead of talks between the two sides after repeated threats of American military action. "Iran today needs to reach a deal," presidential adviser Anwar Gargash said during the World Governments Summit in Dubai, adding that Iran ...
The End of the Middle East’s Oil Bonanza
Hussain Abdul-Hussain 03/02 09:10 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Middle East Lebanon Bahrain Damascus Gulf
The Middle East has finally arrived at the grim reckoning long barreling toward it: a ruinous collapse of oil revenues that renders government deficits utterly unsustainable. Among the wealthy Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states, four are running persistent annual budget deficits that are eroding their sovereign wealth reserves and plunging ...
U.S. Policy Toward Lebanon: Obstacles to Dismantling Hezbollah’s Grip on Power
This is Beirut 03/02 09:00 - Reading : less than a minute
Lebanon Hezbollah Middle East Washington
At 10:00 a.m. EST, the House Foreign Affairs Subcommittee on the Middle East and North Africa will convene a hearing titled “U.S. Policy Toward Lebanon: Obstacles to Dismantling Hezbollah’s Grip on Power” to assess the political, security, and institutional challenges confronting U.S. policy in Lebanon. The hearing will feature ...
Palestinian President Abbas Calls First-Ever PLO Parliament Elections
This is Beirut 02/02 21:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Mahmoud Abbas Palestinian Authority PLO Palestine Elections
Palestinian President Mahmud Abbas said elections will be held on November 1 for the Palestinian National Council, the parliament of the Palestine Liberation Organisation (PLO), the official news agency Wafa reported Monday. This is the first time members of the council will be elected by direct popular vote, while in the past they were appointed ...
Jordan Rejects Use of Its Territory in Any Military Action Against Iran
This is Beirut 02/02 18:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Jordan signaled its position on a U.S.-Iran conflict scenario, stating on Monday that it would not take part in hostility against Iran and it would not allow use of its territory for launching attacks. Ayman Safadi, the Jordanian Minister of Foreign Affairs, stated on X that “Jordan will not be a battlefield for any party in any regional ...
Syrian Security Forces Enter Hasakeh City Under Deal with Kurds
This is Beirut 02/02 16:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Syrian government security personnel on Monday entered Hasakeh city, a stronghold of Kurdish forces, under an integration deal agreed with the Kurds last week, an AFP team reported. The two sides reached a comprehensive agreement on Friday to gradually integrate the Kurds' military and civilian institutions into the state, after Kurdish ...
Joseph Aoun in Spain: the Army, UNIFIL, and Regional Stability at the Heart of the Discussions.
This is Beirut 02/02 16:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanese Army Lebanon Joseph Aoun Spain Résolution 1701
President Joseph Aoun on Monday outlined the achievements of the Lebanese Army (LAF) south of the Litani River, stressing the restoration of the state’s exclusive authority in the area, alongside ongoing efforts to secure borders and combat smuggling, drug trafficking, and illegal immigration. In his remarks following a meeting with Spanish ...
Witkoff to Visit Israel Amid Gaza Ceasefire Efforts
This is Beirut 02/02 15:25 - Reading : less than a minute
Israel Ceasefire Benjamin Netanyahu Donald Trump Steve Witkoff Gaza
U.S. Middle East envoy Steve Witkoff is expected to visit Israel on Tuesday for meetings with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and military chief Eyal Zamir, two senior Israeli officials told Reuters on Monday. The trip comes as efforts to advance a Gaza ceasefire continue, despite repeated Israeli strikes and Hamas’s refusal to disarm. Under ...
The Shia Duo Under Strain: How Iran’s Crisis Is Realigning Amal and Hezbollah
Amal Chmouny 02/02 14:00 - Reading : 8 minute(s)
Amal Hezbollah Hassan Nasrallah Lebanon Joseph Aoun
When Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri met with Joseph Aoun on January 23, at the height of Hezbollah’s rhetorical campaign against the president, the gesture spoke volumes. As Hezbollah Secretary General Naim Qassem rejected disarmament and warned of civil war, Berri moved to restore communication channels, differentiating his Amal ...
Israeli Strikes Destroy Hezbollah Weapons' Depot, kill Operative
This is Beirut 02/02 13:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon Baalbeck Hezbollah Israel Beqaa Tyre South Lebanon
Israel struck a vehicle near Phoenicia University on the Zahrani–Tyre highway in southern Lebanon. Shortly after the attack, the Israeli army said it had targeted a Hezbollah member in the Saida district, north of the Litani River. The raids killed one person and injured eight others. Later in the day, the Israeli army issued an urgent ...
UNIFIL Says Israeli Aerial Operation Disrupted Peacekeeping Activities
This is Beirut 02/02 12:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Lebanese Army UN Security Council United Nations Lebanon Israel UNIFIL
The United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) announced on Monday that Israeli forces informed the mission a day earlier of plans to conduct an aerial operation involving the release of what Israel described as a non-toxic chemical substance over areas near the Blue Line. In a press release, UNIFIL said Israeli forces instructed ...
U.S., Iran Signal Readiness for Talks as Mediators Move to Arrange Ankara Meeting
This is Beirut 02/02 12:50 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Trump USA Khamenei Iran Israel Ankara
The United States and Iran have signaled openness to renewed negotiations aimed at easing escalating tensions, according to officials cited in multiple reports, as regional mediators work to organize a potential meeting in Ankara and Washington maintains a heightened military posture in the Middle East. A senior US official told Axios that ...