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U.S. Completes Transfer of IS Detainees From Syria to Iraq: CENTCOM
This is Beirut 13/02 15:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Damascus Europe United States USA Washington
The United States Central Command said on Friday it had completed the transfer of thousands of detained Islamic State group suspects held in Syria to Iraq. The detainees had been held in Syria for years in camps overseen by Kurdish-led forces, but the recapture of surrounding territory by Damascus prompted Washington to step in. CENTCOM said it ...
Kuwait Targets Hezbollah’s Health Network With New Terrorism Designations
This is Beirut 09/02 21:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Kuwait Hezbollah Lebanon Public Health
Kuwait added eight Lebanese hospitals to its national terrorism list on Monday in an effort to target service sectors that Hezbollah incorporates into its cashflow. This development grows the list of sanctioned Lebanese entities by the Kuwaiti government, which notably includes the Hezbollah-affiliated financial apparatus Al Qard Al Hassan. The ...
Israel Tightens Control With West Bank Land Policy Change and Citizenship Revocations
This is Beirut 11/02 21:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Israel West Bank Benjamin Netanyahu
This week, Israel strengthened its control over territory under its authority with new measures on West Bank land acquisition policies and citizenship revocations. The Israeli security cabinet approved measures to modify Israel’s land acquisition policy in the West Bank, allowing for individual Israelis to purchase land directly rather than ...
Lebanon Warns of Economic Fallout as Syria Bars Foreign Trucks
This is Beirut 09/02 10:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Syria Lebanon Trade Agriculture Economy
Lebanese transport unions sounded the alarm on Monday after Syria imposed new restrictions on foreign trucks entering its territory, a move they say threatens Lebanon’s land transport sector and risks disrupting trade flows between the two countries. The decision, issued by Syria’s General Authority for Border Crossings and Customs ...
Iraq PM Candidate Maliki Says Majority Bloc Has Final Say on Nomination
This is Beirut 04/02 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, ...
Haykal’s U.S. Visit Signals Bid to Translate Military Gains into Political Trust
This is Beirut 02/02 10:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanese Army Lebanon United States US Congress Washington CENTCOM
Lebanese Army (LAF) Commander General Rodolphe Haykal kicked off an official visit to the United States on Monday with a stop at U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) in Tampa, in a trip that goes beyond routine military protocol and carries clear political implications. At CENTCOM, Haykal met with Vice Admiral Brad Cooper, presenting detailed maps and ...
Trump Signs Order Preparing for Tariffs on Iran's Trade Partners
This is Beirut 07/02 10:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
UsTarifs USA Iran Trump GlobalTrade Sanctions
US President Donald Trump on Friday signed an executive order threatening tariffs on Iran's trade partners, after he pledged a further round of talks with Tehran next week. The order, effective from Saturday, called for a fresh "imposition of tariffs" on countries still doing business with Iran. It comes amid heightened tensions between ...
Trump Launches 'Board of Peace' at Davos
This is Beirut 22/01 15:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu UN Security Council United Nations Davos
US President Donald Trump kicked off his new "Board of Peace" at Davos on Thursday, with a signing ceremony for a body with a $1 billion membership fee and a controversial list of invitees. A group of leaders and senior officials from 19 countries, including Trump allies from Argentina and Hungary, gathered on stage with Trump to put their names ...
Israel Detains Senior Islamic Group Operative in South Lebanon
This is Beirut 09/02 09:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Lebanon Israel South Lebanon Nawaf Salam Ceasefire
Israeli forces carried out a cross-border raid into southern Lebanon overnight, detaining what the military described as a “senior operative” from Al-Jama‘a al-Islamiya, the Lebanese branch of the Muslim Brotherhood. Israeli army spokesman Avichay Adraee said troops from the 210th Division conducted the operation in the Mount ...
IDF: Israel Ready on All Fronts if U.S. Strike on Iran Triggers Retaliation
This is Beirut 26/01 10:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Israel Donald Trump USA Gulf Hezbollah
IDF Northern Command chief Maj. Gen. Rafi Milo said Sunday that the military is preparing for the possibility that a U.S. strike on Iran could trigger Iranian retaliation against Israel. “We don’t know where this is heading,” Milo said in remarks broadcast by Channel 12 News. “We see the force buildup the Americans are ...
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 ...
Netanyahu Prepares ‘Plan B’ as U.S.-Iran Talks Hang in the Balance
This is Beirut 13/02 11:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu Middle East New York Tehran
Despite U.S. President Donald Trump’s push to keep negotiations with Iran alive in hopes of securing a deal, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is reportedly preparing a contingency “Plan B” should the talks collapse. Israeli sources reported that the Israeli army has prepared offensive plans in anticipation of a ...
Iran Dismisses Trump’s Claim He Prevented 800 Hangings
This is Beirut 23/01 13:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Donald Trump Israel Middle East Tehran Ukraine
Iran's Attorney General said on Friday that U.S. President Donald Trump's allegations that Tehran stopped the execution of 800 detained protesters because of his intervention are "absolutely incorrect.” According to the judiciary’s Mizan news agency, Mohammad Mohebi said, “This claim is entirely ...
Netanyahu Draws Red Line on Gaza Postwar Plan
This is Beirut 20/01 11:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Benjamin Netanyahu USA Donald Trump Hamas Israel Gaza
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu pledged Monday that Turkish and Qatari forces would not set foot in Gaza, days after the White House announced that officials from the countries would sit on a key committee set to oversee the Strip’s postwar management. Speaking during a parliamentary session in Jerusalem, Netanyahu acknowledged a ...
Turkey Urges U.S. to Resist Israeli Pressure to Strike Iran
This is Beirut 30/01 11:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Tehran Turkey United States Washington
In a joint press conference held on Tuesday, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi reiterated their commitment to diplomacy and warned against any military intervention in Iran, as tensions in the region continue to rise. Fidan emphasized Turkey’s opposition to military action, stating that Ankara ...
Ahead of 2026, Washington's Tougher Terms for Lebanon
Amal Chmouny 2025-12-31 17:10 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Lebanon Washington Donald Trump Lebanese Army Amal
Heading into 2026, U.S. engagement in Lebanon has become explicitly conditioned on measurable progress toward Hezbollah’s disarmament, marking a clear break from the strategic ambiguity that long defined Washington’s approach. The aftermath of the 2024 Israel–Hezbollah conflict, alongside Lebanon’s deepening economic and political crises, ...
Turkey Arrests Two on Charges of Spying for Israel
This is Beirut 06/02 11:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Israel Turkey Europe Hamas Palestine
Turkish intelligence has arrested two people on suspicion of spying for Israel's Mossad and providing information that helped the spy agency target its enemies, state news agency Anadolu reported Friday. Security sources said Mehmet Budak Derya and Veysel Kerimoglu had been arrested in Istanbul, saying they had long been on the radar of ...
Israel Prepares to Seek New Security Pact With U.S., Report Says
This is Beirut 27/01 10:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Israel USA Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu DefensePolicy
Israel is preparing to enter talks with the administration of President Donald Trump on a new decade-long security agreement, signaling a strategic shift in how it seeks to secure American support, one that prioritizes joint military projects over direct financial aid, according to a report by the Financial Times on Tuesday. The discussions, ...
NYT: Satellite Imagery Shows Iran Repaired Missile Sites Hit in 12-Day War
This is Beirut 06/02 15:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Israel Middle East New York United States
The New York Times reported on Friday that satellite imagery suggests Iran has rapidly repaired several ballistic missile facilities damaged during last year’s 12-day war, but has made only limited fixes to major nuclear sites struck by Israel and the United States. The report suggests that the regime's immediate priority is a working ...
Iran Says Ready for Inspections to Prove It Isn’t Seeking Nuclear Weapons
This is Beirut 11/02 13:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Israel Tehran United States USA
Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Wednesday that his country would "not yield to excessive demands" on its nuclear program after Tehran resumed talks with the United States. He also said Iran was ready for "any verification" of its nuclear program and insisted it was not seeking an atomic weapon. Iran and the United States resumed ...
LAF Completes First Phase of Weapons Plan, Israel Deems Efforts “Insufficient”
This is Beirut 08/01 08:50 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Lebanese Army Israel Lebanon LAF Hezbollah
The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) announced on Thursday the official end of the first phase of the weapons control plan, which aimed to bring all weapons south of the Litani River under state control by the end of 2025. According to the statement, the first phase focused on “expanding the Army’s operational presence, securing vital areas, ...
Iran's Revolutionary Guards Begin Military Drills in Strait of Hormuz
This is Beirut 16/02 13:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Iran IRGC USA Gulf NuclearTalks
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps on Monday began a series of military exercises in the Strait of Hormuz, state media reported on the eve of talks with the United States. The war games, the duration of which was not specified, aim to prepare the Guards for "potential security and military threats" in the strait, state TV ...
Iran May Have Slaughtered 30,000 Protesters in Intense Crackdown - TIME
This is Beirut 25/01 13:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Tehran United Nations protests Iran Death toll
As many as 30,000 people may have been killed across Iran during a two-day crackdown on January 8 and 9, TIME reported on Sunday, citing two senior Health Ministry officials and a separate compilation of hospital data shared with the publication. The figures have not been independently verified and far exceed numbers publicly cited by ...
Lebanese Army Cracks Down on Illegal Crossings as Syria Temporarily Eases Truck Restrictions
This is Beirut 12/02 22:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Lebanon Syria Hezbollah Border
The Lebanese army has stated it will crack down on illegal border crossings along its boundary with Syria on Thursday, as the two countries work towards addressing their porous border and the illicit networks operating across it. Crossings in the northern Beqaa Valley are a primary focus of the army’s efforts to increase monitoring of the ...
Aoun Urges Hezbollah to “Act Rationally”, Reaffirming State Monopoly on Weapons
This is Beirut 13/01 08:50 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Lebanon Hezbollah JosephAoun LebaneseArmy Israel
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun delivered one of his clearest and most direct statements to date on Hezbollah’s arms on Sunday, urging the militia to “act rationally” and fully integrate into the Lebanese state. In a televised interview marking the second anniversary of his election, Aoun laid out his vision for restoring state ...
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 ...
Christmas in South Lebanon: Villages Orphaned of Their Youth
Katia Kahil 2025-12-21 11:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Lebanon South Lebanon USA Displacement
In the villages of South Lebanon, Christmas flickers like a fragile flame. Despite the ever-present fear and palpable tension, church bells toll and evening gatherings are held. In Alma al-Shaab, Yaroun, Deir Mimas, Khiam, and Marjayoun, garlands and nativity scenes timidly pierce the deserted streets. Once alive with laughter and reunion, these ...
White House Official to TIB: 'Nothing We Heard Today Reduces Our Concern About Iran’s Current Trajectory'
This is Beirut 06/02 21:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
United States Iran Nuclear Talks Exclusive
In an exclusive statement given to This is Beirut, a senior official in the White House expressed growing impatience with Iran regarding today’s nuclear talks. The official said that “we did not go into these talks expecting easy answers, and nothing we heard today reduces our concern about Iran’s current trajectory, especially ...
Iran at the Edge: Uprising, Exhaustion, and the Fate of the Islamic Republic
Salam El Zaatari 08/01 23:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Iran Protests Tehran Donald Trump United States Pezeshkian
Amid growing protests, Iran’s rulers face one of their most dangerous moments since the 1979 Islamic Revolution, with the pillars that have long sustained the regime now visibly cracking. Protests that erupted in late December 2025 over imploded living conditions have evolved into a nationwide revolt against the ruling system itself, fueled by ...
U.S. to Sanction Iran’s Shadow Fleet as Details of Protest Crackdown Surface
This is Beirut 23/01 20:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
United States Iran Sanctions Protests
On Friday, the U.S. announced that it had imposed sanctions on nine vessels and eight entities that are part of Iran’s shadow fleet, according to a press statement from State Department Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott. The imposition of sanctions on Iranian shadow fleet vessels is a move of U.S. escalation against the Iranian ...