Qassem Urges Lebanese Government to Cancel Negotiations with Israel

This is Beirut 13/04 20:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Benjamin Netanyahu Lebanon Hezbollah Israel USA

Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem delivered a televised address tonight, his sixth since the militant group initiated this round of fighting on March 2. He spoke one day before Lebanese and Israeli envoys are set to begin negotiations at the U.S. State Department on April 14, a watershed moment in the history of ties between the two ...

Israeli FM Says Keen to Reach 'Peace and Normalization' with Lebanon

This is Beirut 14/04 15:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Israel Lebanon Hezbollah Iran USIranWar Negotiations

Israel's Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said his country is seeking "peace and normalization" with Lebanon, ahead of talks between officials from both nations in Washington on Tuesday. "We want to reach peace and normalization with the state of Lebanon... Israel and Lebanon don't have any major disputes between them. The problem is Hezbollah," Saar ...

Israel-Lebanon Negotiations: Who Are the Key Participants?

This is Beirut 14/04 14:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Washington Lebanon Banks Gulf Hezbollah

As Israel and Lebanon enter their first direct diplomatic talks in decades, a group of senior diplomats and officials have taken center stage in Washington. Hosted by the United States, the meeting brings together representatives from all three sides amid ongoing war and deep political tensions. Below is a profile of each key participant, their ...

Iraq Says Has 'Understandings' to Bypass Hormuz Blockade

This is Beirut 14/04 14:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iraq USA Iran USIranWar StraitofHormuz

Baghdad's oil ministry said Tuesday it has "understandings" with the United States and Iran to reduce the impact of the blockade of the Strait of Hormuz on Iraqi oil exports. The ministry did not elaborate or say when these reported understandings were reached. But Iran announced earlier this month before the fragile ceasefire was reached last ...

U.S. Says Ball in Iran's Court as Push Grows to End War

This is Beirut 14/04 12:20 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump Emmanuel Macron Gulf New York

The United States said "the ball is in the Iranian court" on ending the Mideast war, as diplomats accelerated efforts on Tuesday towards a new round of peace talks after weekend negotiations failed to produce a deal. US Vice President JD Vance had left talks hosted by Pakistan on Sunday, saying he had handed Tehran the "final and best offer".Iran ...

Lebanon, Israel to Meet for Tough Talks in Washington

This is Beirut 14/04 10:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Washington Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu

Lebanese and Israeli representatives are scheduled to meet in Washington Tuesday for US-mediated talks on ending the war in Lebanon. Lebanon was pulled into the region-wide Iran war on March 2 after Hezbollah attacked Israel.Since then Israeli strikes -- including an extremely heavy attack on Beirut on April 8 -- have killed more than 2,000 ...

Lebanon Charts a Separate Path from Tehran in Israel Talks

Samar El-Kadi 14/04 09:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Tehran Benjamin Netanyahu Nawaf Salam

Lebanon is set to begin talks with Israel in Washington on Tuesday, the first direct negotiations since 1983, as Beirut seeks to reassert its role in regional affairs and prevent the country from becoming a bargaining chip in broader international negotiations. Political activist and former MP Fares Souaid described the move as a historic break. ...

Hezbollah Resumes Attacks After Short Lull, Report Says

This is Beirut 13/04 15:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon

After a brief lull in fire following the April 8 ceasefire with Iran, Hezbollah has resumed attacks on Israeli territory, according to an assessment by the Alma Research and Education Center. According to the report, a total of 1,310 Hezbollah attack waves targeting Israel have been recorded since March 2, with an average of around 30 attacks per ...

Mideast Prepares for More Fighting as Talks Fail

This is Beirut 12/04 19:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump USA Gulf Middle East Saudi Arabia

A sense of dread spread across the Middle East after talks between the US and Iran collapsed, as fears of renewed fighting rattled an already tense region with Donald Trump ordering a naval blockade of the Strait of Hormuz. Following more than 20 hours of talks in the Pakistani capital Islamabad, US Vice President JD Vance admitted the yawning ...

Lebanese FM: Direct Talks With Israel Reinforce Separation From Iran Track

This is Beirut 13/04 14:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Hezbollah Israel

Lebanon’s Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi said that Beirut is pursuing direct negotiations with Israel aimed at reaching a ceasefire, while stressing what he described as a growing separation between Lebanon’s diplomatic track and Iranian influence in the region. In a post on X following a call with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, ...

Israeli Foreign Minister Calls for “Severing Iran’s Influence” Over Lebanon Ahead of Talks

This is Beirut 13/04 12:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Hezbollah Israel Tehran

Israel’s Foreign Minister said on Monday that Iran must be cut off from Lebanon, arguing that Tehran exerts effective control over the country through Hezbollah, ahead of anticipated diplomatic discussions between Israel and Lebanon set to begin in the coming days. In a statement, the Israeli minister said the upcoming talks “are ...

IDF Says It Has Encircled Bint Jbeil, Expands Ground Offensive in Southern Lebanon

This is Beirut 13/04 11:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Hezbollah Israel Palestine South Lebanon

The Israel Defense Forces said over the past week its troops “completed the encirclement and began an offensive in the town of Bint Jbeil,” a locality long considered a stronghold of Hezbollah. The IDF announced on Monday that its forces have intensified ground operations in southern Lebanon, particularly around ...

After Islamabad

David Hale 13/04 10:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump Gulf Israel Tehran United States

Whatever different people may think about the Trump Administration's approach to Iran, 21 hours of talks led by the American vice president demonstrated a seriousness of diplomatic purpose.  However, it was never likely that the wide gap between the goals of Washington and those of Tehran would be bridged in a day.  Eight American presidents ...

U.S. Oil Benchmark Jumps 8%, Surpasses $100 After Failed U.S.-Iran Talks

This is Beirut 13/04 10:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump Lebanon Israel United States USA

The US oil benchmark rebounded above $100 a barrel on Monday after peace talks between the United States and Iran failed to make a breakthrough, and with US President Donald Trump ordering a blockade of Iranian ports. Shortly after trading began, a barrel of West Texas Intermediate (WTI) for May delivery rose around eight percent to $104.50, ...

Iran Executes Over 1,639 People in 2025: Report

This is Beirut 13/04 09:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel United States USA

Iranian authorities executed at least 1,639 people in 2025, the highest number since 1989, two NGOs said Monday, warning it risked using capital punishment even more extensively after protests in January and the war against Israel and the US. The number of executions represented an increase of 68 percent on the 975 people Iran put to death in ...

Seoul Reports 'Explosion and Fire' on S. Korean Ship in Hormuz Strait

This is Beirut 04/05 17:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hormuz Iran SouthKorea USA Trump USIranWar

Seoul said on Monday that an "explosion and fire" had struck a South Korean ship in the Strait of Hormuz, the crucial Middle Eastern waterway effectively blocked following U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran. The foreign ministry said that, at around 8:40 pm in Seoul (11:40 GMT), "an explosion and fire occurred on a vessel operated by a South Korean ...

Iran Strikes UAE in First Breach of Ceasefire

This is Beirut 04/05 20:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

UAE Iran Gulf USA USIranWar Ceasefire

The United Arab Emirates confirmed on Monday that its air defense systems intercepted missiles and drones launched from Iran, marking the first direct attack on the country since the ceasefire took effect on April 8, according to official Emirati statements. The UAE Ministry of Defense announced that four cruise missiles were detected heading ...

In Israel, an Alert System Upgraded with Every New War

This is Beirut 03/04 11:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel Lebanon Hamas Hezbollah Palestine

Between two wars with Iran, Israeli civil defense has significantly improved its population alert system, relying heavily on technological innovation and artificial intelligence to make life less burdensome for Israelis under the threat of Iranian missiles. Sarah Chemla, 32, lives in central Tel Aviv. Her second child was born in June 2025 in a ...

Lebanon at the World Alpine Ski Championships

This Is Beirut 2024-02-02 18:34 - Reading : less than a minute

The Lebanese Ski and Biathlon Federation has announced the names of the participants in the Alpine Junior World Championships, which are taking place in France. The delegation will be led by Zeina Derian, member of the Federation and head of the technical committee, Martin Pavlak and Jan Jakobko (coaches), Manon Chad, Sophie Kallas and Christa ...

Israeli Forces to Expand Past ‘Yellow Line’ As Operations in Lebanon Intensify

This is Beirut 26/05 19:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Benjamin Netanyahu Amal Hezbollah Israel

The Israeli Army has started to operate on the ground past the “Yellow Line” in southern Lebanon on Tuesday as Israeli officials express their intent to intensify operations against Hezbollah amid persistent threats. According to AFP, citing an Israeli military official, the Israeli Army began to expand its operations in southern ...

Israel Seeks To Defeat Hezbollah Again, What Might Be Different this Time?

Seth J. Frantzman 27/05 10:15 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel Benjamin Netanyahu US Secretary of State Lebanon

Facing an increasingly deadly threat from Hezbollah’s first-person view (FPV) drones, Israel is back on the offensive in Lebanon. Since the night of May 25, the Israel Defense Forces have launched large-scale airstrikes across southern Lebanon while pressing ground advances. As Israel once again turns to military force, amid U.S.-Iran talks, the ...

Hezbollah’s Constitutional Contradiction

Kaline Antoun 27/05 12:01 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Hezbollah Lebanon Taif Constitution Israel

In a statement issued on the centennial of the Lebanese Constitution, Hezbollah presented itself Monday as a defender of constitutional legitimacy, national unity, and Lebanese sovereignty, while simultaneously reaffirming that armed “resistance” remains a protected and legitimate right beyond any governmental decision. The statement ...

IRGC Downplays Chances of Renewed War With U.S. Amid Fragile Iran Ceasefire Talks

This is Beirut 27/05 12:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iran USA Doha Negotiations Hormuz

A senior Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) official said Wednesday that the likelihood of renewed war with the United States remains low, while warning that Tehran remains fully prepared to respond militarily to any new attack. “The possibility of war is low because of the enemy’s weakness,” Mohammad Akbarzadeh, deputy ...

Hezbollah Says Clashed With Israeli Troops North of Lebanon's Litani River

This is Beirut 27/05 13:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Hezbollah Lebanon Netanyahu IDF

Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli forces in a town north of the Litani river on Wednesday, a day after Israel's military said it was expanding its ground operations. Israel intensified the scope of its strikes on south and east Lebanon on Tuesday despite a ceasefire, killing at least 31 people, Lebanese authorities said, as ...

Israel Unveils First KC-46 “Gideon” Tanker Aircraft

This is Beirut 27/05 16:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Palestine United States

The Israeli Air Force received its first Boeing KC-46 “Gideon” aerial refueling and transport aircraft on Wednesday during a ceremony held at Nevatim Airbase, marking a major milestone in Israel’s long-range military capabilities and strategic air power modernization. The ceremony was attended by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and ...

Iran Says War Unlikely as Trump Warns He May 'Finish the Job'

This is Beirut 01:35 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Donald Trump Benjamin Netanyahu US Secretary of State Lebanon Gulf

Oil prices tumbled Wednesday on hopes of a US-Iran peace deal, even as President Donald Trump warned he may have to "finish the job" and Tehran said its forces were still "lying in wait with full magazines." The mixed signals underscored the fragile state of talks aimed at ending a Middle East war that has shaken global energy ...

Events That Shaped 2023: From War to Space

Lyne Sammouri 2023-12-31 12:32 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

artificial intelligence Earthquakes War Recap

As the world said goodbye to 2022, hoping for a better future, the year 2023 began with a tapestry of successes and tragedies, geopolitical moves, natural calamities and technological advancements. From the war-torn landscapes of the Middle East to the vast expanses of outer space, the events that unfolded in 2023 left an indelible mark on the ...

Asian Cup: Lebanon Faces China in Decisive Match

This Is Beirut 2024-01-16 20:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

The Lebanese national football team is playing its second match in Group A of the Asian Football Cup against China this Wednesday, January 17, at 2:30 PM (Beirut time) at the Al-Thumama stadium in the Qatari capital, Doha. The Lebanese team is aiming to overcome the defeat they suffered in their first match against Qatar while maintaining their ...

Saint Charbel: Uniting East and West in Peace and Harmony

Fady Noun 2024-01-20 14:06 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

The Maronite Church and the Basilica of Saint Peter in Rome celebrated a very special event: the installation of a mosaic portraying Saint Charbel, placed in close proximity to the tomb of Saint Paul VI. It was Saint Paul VI who presided over the canonization mass of the hermit from Annaya on October 9, 1977. During that time, it’s worth noting ...

January Is Not Over Yet, So Happy New Year… 1984!

Bélinda Ibrahim 2024-01-22 11:56 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

“Where have your Monday columns gone?” several people have asked me. Those posts that recounted the improbable adventures of the sexagenarians in a world just as improbable. I acknowledged that I lacked the typical lightness of those kinds of writings... due to the spirit of the times, no doubt… So, as I pick up my pen in this year, 2024, ...