This is Beirut

Trump Considers Striking the Fordow Nuclear Facility to Cripple Iran's Nuclear Program

This is Beirut, 17/06 23:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

US President Donald Trump is considering the possibility of the United States joining the Israeli military operation against Iran and launching attacks on Iranian nuclear facilities, according to a report published by Axios. The website quoted sources as saying, "US officials reported that Trump is seriously considering entering the war and ...

Jean-Pierre Lacroix to Discuss UNIFIL Mandate in Beirut Visit

This is Beirut, 17/06 21:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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United Nations Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations Jean-Pierre Lacroix is expected in Beirut on Wednesday for a multi-day visit focused on the renewal of the UNIFIL (United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon) mandate, two months ahead of the UN Security Council’s scheduled session. According to informed sources, the visit could pave the ...

Iran Armed Forces Urge Evacuation of Residents in Major Israeli Cities

This is Beirut, 17/06 21:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Iran's armed forces chief of staff Abdolrahim Mousavi, urged on Tuesday residents of the major Israeli cities of Haifa and Tel Aviv to evacuate, warning of imminent "punitive" attacks. "Punitive operations will be carried out soon," Mousavi said in a video statement carried by state TV on the fifth day of the deadly confrontation triggered by an ...

Trump Says Won't Kill Iran's Khamenei 'for Now' as Israel Presses Campaign

This is Beirut, 17/06 21:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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President Donald Trump said the United States would not kill Iran's supreme leader "for now" and appeared to demand Tehran's surrender, as US ally Israel traded fire with its archfoe for a fifth day on Tuesday. The comments marked a dramatic escalation in Trump's rhetoric against Iran and its leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, ...

Four Heavy US Bombers Stationed at Key Indian Ocean Base

This is Beirut, 17/06 20:48 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Four US Stratofortress bombers are currently stationed at the Diego Garcia base in the Indian Ocean, according to an AFP analysis of satellite imagery, as the conflict between Israel and Iran extended to its fifth straight day. The base, leased to the United States by Britain, is one of its key military facilities in the Asia-Pacific region, and ...

G7 Leaders Weigh Options as Trump Stays Cautious on Iran

This is Beirut, 17/06 19:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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At the G7 summit in Canada on Tuesday, leaders weighed in on options regarding growing tensions between Israel and Iran, with President Donald Trump refraining from signaling any immediate U.S. involvement. British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Tuesday that President Donald Trump had given no sign at a G7 summit that the United States would ...

Qatar Says Monitoring Radiation as Israel Hits Iran Nuclear Sites

This is Beirut, 17/06 17:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Qatar Radiation Iran Nuclear Program Iran Israel

Qatar has been monitoring radiation levels in the Gulf as Israeli airstrikes pound Iranian nuclear facilities, a foreign ministry spokesman said on Tuesday. "We are monitoring this on a daily basis," foreign ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari told a news conference. "We have nothing to be concerned about right now, but obviously prolonged ...

Lebanon at a Crossroads: Chaos or a Place in the New Regional Order

Bassam Abou Zeid, 17/06 13:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Lebanon is closely monitoring the unfolding Iranian-Israeli war - a conflict it has kept at arm’s length, but whose fallout is certain to reach its borders. The real test is whether the government will be able to leverage the outcome to its advantage. Hezbollah resents being forced to remain on the sidelines of a war it sees as a sacred duty, ...

Cyberattack Hits State-Owned Bank in Iran

This is Beirut, 17/06 12:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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One of Iran’s major banks, Bank Sepah, was targeted by a cyberattack on Tuesday amid escalating military tensions between Iran and Israel, according to the Fars news agency, as reported by the Times of Israel. “An hour ago, a cyberattack targeted the infrastructure of Bank Sepah, causing disruptions to the bank’s online services,” Fars ...

Yet Another ‘Divine Victory’

Hussain Abdul-Hussain, 17/06 12:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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No matter the outcome of the war between Iran and Israel, Tehran will claim victory. Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei has already cited the Quranic verse “a victory from God and an imminent conquest.” Middle East observers have seen this movie many times, and it always ends the same: with its military might, Israel prevails—while a ...

'Rising Lion' Operation: Could It Be the Middle East’s Final War?

Philippe Abi-Akl, 17/06 08:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Israel’s “Rising Lion” operation against Iran, which began at dawn on Friday, was not merely a security response, it marked a pivotal step in a broader campaign of direct US pressure on Tehran. Coinciding with the expiration of President Donald Trump’s 60-day deadline for Iran to respond to nuclear deal proposals, the strike represented a ...

Fifth Night of Fighting Between Israel and Iran

This is Beirut, 17/06 06:45 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Israel and Iran traded missile fire for a fifth straight day Tuesday, as US President Donald Trump warned Tehran residents to "immediately evacuate" and left a G7 summit early. Despite growing calls for the longtime foes to end hostilities, neither Israel nor Iran showed any signs of cutting short the missile blitz kicked off Friday, ...

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