Lebanon Urges U.S. Ambassador to Push Israel to Halt Bombardments

This is Beirut 12/05 00:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Lebanese leaders urged the U.S. ambassador to Beirut to pressure Israel to halt its attacks as it pounded the country with airstrikes on Monday despite a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war. Lebanese authorities raised the overall death toll from Israeli strikes since March 2 to 2,869 people. That figure includes dozens killed since the truce ...

Iran Hangs Man for Armed Rebellion Amid Wave of Executions

This is Beirut 12/05 10:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Iran on Tuesday executed a man convicted of armed rebellion, the judiciary said, the latest in a wave of hangings since war broke out with Israel and the United States. "The death sentence for Abdoljalil Shahbakhsh, son of Jalal, a trained member of the Ansar al-Furqan terrorist group, was carried out this morning," the judiciary's Mizan Online ...

Aoun’s Anticipated Washington Visit a Rare Opportunity for Lebanon

Samar El-Kadi 12/05 10:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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As Lebanon prepares to continue U.S.-mediated talks with Israel later this week, a potential trip by President Joseph Aoun to Washington is increasingly being viewed in Beirut as a rare opportunity that cannot be missed. “President Aoun should absolutely go to Washington,” Lebanese Forces MP Ghayyath Yazbeck told This is Beirut.  “He ...

The "Last Mile" of Hezbollah's Disarmament: Washington Holds the Key

Marwan El Amine 12/05 11:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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There is no doubt that Israel has inflicted a severe blow on Hezbollah, weakening not only its battlefield capabilities but also significantly eroding its regional role. However, its complete dismantling as a military force ultimately depends on U.S. pressure on Iran. Hezbollah no longer resembles the organization it was prior to launching its ...

U.S. Deploys Nuclear Submarine as Trump Considers Return to Iran Escalation

This is Beirut 12/05 11:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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The U.S. Navy confirmed Tuesday that an Ohio-class nuclear submarine had reached a British naval port near the entrance of the Mediterranean, in a rare public disclosure involving one of Washington’s most sensitive strategic military assets. The U.S. Sixth Fleet said the deployment demonstrates America’s “capability, ...

Hezbollah Secretary General Calls for Indirect Negotiations and Rejects Disarmament

This is Beirut 12/05 12:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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In a written statement released Tuesday, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem rejected calls for the group’s disarmament and urged a return to indirect negotiations with Israel in place of the ongoing direct Lebanese-Israeli talks. “We will not leave the battlefield, and we will turn it into hell for Israel,” Qassem declared. ...

Syria Says Arrested Assad-Era General Over Chemical Attack

This is Beirut 09/05 00:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Syria's interior ministry on Friday announced the arrest of a general from ousted president Bashar al-Assad's era, accusing him of involvement in a 2013 chemical attack on a suburb of the capital, Damascus. In August 2013, the army under Assad's rule was accused of using chemical weapons to target areas then under rebel control, ...

Israeli Military Reveals ‘Active Horizon’ Rapid Targeting System

This is Beirut 08/05 18:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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An Israeli military reserve unit says it has developed a system known as the “Active Horizon” designed to rapidly identify and strike what it describes as “time-critical targets” linked to Hezbollah, including fighters and financial infrastructure, in some cases within 30 minutes of detection. According to a report published by the ...

Oil Prices Jump, Stocks Retreat on U.S.-Iran Deadlock

This is Beirut 12/05 14:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Oil prices rallied and stock markets fell Tuesday as investors braced for further volatility after talks appeared to stall on ending the war in the Middle East and reopening the Strait of Hormuz to tanker and cargo ship traffic. Iran's chief negotiator said Tuesday that Washington must accept Tehran's latest peace plan or face failure after U.S. ...

Trump Threatens 'Higher Level' Bombing of Iran if Deal Not Agreed

This is Beirut 06/05 15:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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President Donald Trump issued an ultimatum Wednesday for Iran to accept a deal to end the war or face renewed, more intense U.S. bombing, in the latest of a series of abrupt policy shifts. "Assuming Iran agrees to give what has been agreed to, which is perhaps a big assumption, the already legendary Epic Fury will be at an end," Trump posted on ...

Lebanese President: “No Turning Back” on Negotiations Track

This is Beirut 04/05 20:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said Monday that Lebanon will not reverse course on ongoing U.S.-backed negotiations with Israel, declaring that diplomacy remains the country’s only viable option amid the ongoing conflict. “There is no turning back from the negotiations track because there is no other choice for us,” Aoun said, ...

Trump Threatens Iran with “Total Destruction” if It Targets U.S. Forces in Hormuz Operation

This is Beirut 04/05 20:50 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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U.S. President Donald Trump on Monday issued a stark warning to Iran, vowing it would be “blown off the face of the Earth” if it attacks American vessels involved in the ongoing “Project Freedom” operation in the Strait of Hormuz. Speaking in an interview with Fox News, Trump escalated his rhetoric as tensions deepen around the strategic ...

U.S. Downs Iran Missiles and Drones, Destroys Six of Tehran's Boats

This is Beirut 04/05 22:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The United States shot down multiple Iranian missiles and drones fired at U.S. Navy and commercial vessels and destroyed six of Tehran's small boats, a top U.S. admiral said on Monday. The hostilities occurred as American forces sought to facilitate the transit of commercial shipping through the Strait of Hormuz in an effort dubbed "Project ...

U.S.-Iran Ceasefire on Brink as UAE Reports Attacks

This is Beirut 05/05 04:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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A ceasefire between Iran and the United States was teetering Monday as the two countries traded fire over the strategic Strait of Hormuz and the United Arab Emirates reported attacks for the first time since the truce was declared nearly a month ago. A day after President Donald Trump announced an operation to escort trapped vessels through the ...

South Korea to Review Joining U.S. Hormuz Operation

This is Beirut 05/05 09:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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South Korea said Tuesday it will "review its position" on joining U.S. operations in the Strait of Hormuz after President Donald Trump urged Seoul to take part following an apparent Iranian attack on one of its ships. An explosion and fire were reported on a South Korean cargo vessel on Monday in the key waterway, which has been effectively ...

Lebanese Army Arrests Suspects in Beirut's Southern Suburbs After Gunfire at Funeral

This is Beirut 05/05 11:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The Lebanese Armed Forces carried out arrests in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Monday, a stronghold of Hezbollah, detaining several individuals accused of opening fire during a funeral procession on Sunday. In a statement, the army said its units raided the homes of those involved in the gunfire, arresting two individuals in the southern ...

UN Chief Urges Iran to Provide Medical Care to Nobel Laureate Amid Abuse Reports

This is Beirut 05/05 14:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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UN Secretary-General António Guterres on Monday called on Iran to ensure urgent medical care for imprisoned Nobel Peace Prize laureate Narges Mohammadi, amid mounting reports of severe health deterioration and alleged abuse in custody. Guterres expressed concern over Mohammadi’s condition, urging Iranian authorities to guarantee she receives ...

Hegseth warns of ‘overwhelming’ response as Hormuz tensions rise despite ceasefire

This is Beirut 05/05 16:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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U.S. Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth said on Tuesday a ceasefire with Iran remains in place despite rising tensions in the Strait of Hormuz, where Washington has deployed forces to protect commercial shipping. Speaking at the Pentagon alongside Joint Chiefs Chairman Dan Caine, Hegseth said the United States is “not seeking a wider conflict” in ...

Israeli FM: Israel Seeks Normalization with Lebanon

This is Beirut 05/05 20:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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At a joint press conference on Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel intends to pursue a diplomatic track with Beirut, stating, “We will work with the Lebanese government toward a path of peace and normalization.” He also underscored Israel’s security priorities in the north, stating, “We are ...

U.S. Announces $10 Million Reward for Iraqi Militia Leader

This is Beirut 05/05 20:10 - Reading : less than a minute

The U.S. Department of State’s Rewards for Justice program announced on Tuesday a reward of up to $10 million for information on Akram ‘Abbas al-Kabi, identified as the founder and leader of the Iraqi militia group Harakat al-Nujaba (HAN). In its official statement the program said, “Akram ‘Abbas al-Kabi is the founder and leader of ...

Syria Announces Dismantling of New Hezbollah-Linked Cell

This is Beirut 05/05 21:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The Syrian Ministry of Interior announced on Tuesday the dismantling of a cell linked to Hezbollah that was allegedly preparing the assassination of government officials, while the pro-Iran Lebanese movement denounced what it called repeated “baseless accusations.” In a statement, the ministry said Syrian security forces had foiled “a ...

Rubio Says Lebanon-Israel Peace Deal “Imminently Achievable”

This is Beirut 05/05 23:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday a peace deal between Lebanon and Israel is “imminently achievable” and emphasized that the Lebanese Armed Forces must have both the will and capability to directly confront Hezbollah’s arms.  Rubio said there is no fundamental conflict between the Lebanese and Israeli ...

Trump Says Pausing Hormuz Operation in Push for Iran Deal

This is Beirut 06/05 09:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was halting the US military operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz after just one day, in a bid to reach a deal with Iran to end the Middle East war. Trump's so-called "Project Freedom" to help vessels leave the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint to the Gulf where Iran has seized control ...

Crude Falls for Second Day as Trump Signals Possible Iran Deal

This is Beirut 06/05 11:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Oil prices fell for a second straight session on Wednesday as easing geopolitical tensions and renewed hopes for a U.S.-Iran agreement raised expectations that constrained Middle East supply could soon return to global markets.  Brent crude futures dropped $1.69, or 1.5%, to $108.18 a barrel as of 06:40 GMT, after falling 4% in the previous ...

Beirut to Further Develop Plan for State Control of All Weapons, Says PM Salam

This is Beirut 06/05 17:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced Wednesday that Beirut will “review and further develop” its plan to place all weapons under state control.  The remarks came as Salam also confirmed on Wednesday that the tender process for the long-delayed René Moawad Airport project in Qlayaat, northern Lebanon, will ...

CENTCOM says U.S. Forces Disabled Iranian-Flagged Tankers in Gulf of Oman Blockade Enforcement

This is Beirut 08/05 17:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) announced U.S. forces disabled multiple Iranian-flagged oil tankers this week as part of ongoing blockade enforcement measures aimed at preventing vessels from entering Iranian ports via the Gulf of Oman. In a statement, CENTCOM said the operation targeted the M/T Sea Star III and M/T Sevda on May 8, as both vessels ...

How Hezbollah's Coordination Unit Continues to Influence Lebanese Security

Ralph Atrach 06/05 20:10 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

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The Lebanese Armed Forces’ (LAF) recent raids in a southern suburb of Beirut to apprehend gunmen were coordinated with Hezbollah’s Liaison and Coordination Unit, a security source told This Is Beirut, highlighting the unit’s continuing influence over security measures in Lebanon. In a tense standoff Sunday, Hezbollah supporters blocked ...

Israel Strikes Beirut’s Southern Suburbs for First Time Since Ceasefire

This is Beirut 06/05 20:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Hezbollah

Israel carried out a strike Wednesday night on Beirut’s southern suburbs, marking the first attack on the Dahiyeh since the ceasefire that came into effect on April 17 and was later extended under U.S.-backed mediation efforts. The strike targeted a senior commander in Hezbollah’s elite Radwan force, according to a joint statement issued by ...

U.S. Says Warplane Disabled Ship that Tried to Break Iran Port Blockade

This is Beirut 06/05 20:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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A U.S. Navy warplane fired on and disabled the rudder of an oil tanker that tried to break Washington's blockade of Iranian ports, the U.S. military said on Wednesday. It is the second time the U.S. military has fired on a ship it said was attempting to violate the blockade, which has been in place since April 13. U.S. forces warned the ...

Senior Hezbollah Commander Killed in Israeli Strikes in Beirut Suburbs: Source Close to Group

This is Beirut 06/05 23:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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A senior commander from Hezbollah's elite force was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs on Wednesday, the first on the area in nearly a month, a source close to the group said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his military had targeted "the commander of Hezbollah's Radwan force". The source close to Hezbollah ...