Israël

Lebanon Secures $250 Million World Bank Loan for Reconstruction

Lebanon signed a $250 million loan agreement with the World Bank on Tuesday to begin repairing infrastructure damaged by Israeli airstrikes since October 2023, marking the first step in a broader reconstruction effort. Finance Minister Yassine Jaber signed the deal with World Bank regional director Jean-Christophe Carret in Beirut, in a ceremony ...

Lebanese Forces Blame Hezbollah for Israeli Violations of Sovereignty

The ‘Lebanese Forces’ (LF) party said Tuesday that Hezbollah is to blame for Israel’s repeated incursions into Lebanon and for undermining the country’s sovereignty. In a statement released by its media office, the LF was responding to remarks made a day earlier by Hezbollah’s Secretary-General Sheikh Naim Qassem. It said the ...

Naim Qassem: Pro-Sovereignty Reformist

At its core, the issue is that Hezbollah’s Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, has been seeking ways to convince his audience that handing over the group’s weapons to the state has become inevitable, particularly in the wake of the party’s military and political setbacks suffered over the past year. Qassem has repeatedly approached ...

Israel Raid Wounds 14 in West Bank's Ramallah: Red Crescent

The Israeli army raided the West Bank city of Ramallah on Tuesday, leaving 14 people wounded as troops fanned out across the city centre, the Palestinian Red Crescent said. Tensions have remained high in the occupied West Bank since Hamas's October 2023 attack on Israel which sparked the Gaza war, with repeated raids by the Israeli army on ...

Iran says Negotiating with 'All Our Might' to Prevent Sanctions Snapback

Iran said Tuesday it was making every effort to prevent a sanctions snapback, which European powers have threatened to impose under the moribund 2015 nuclear deal. "Our focus is on preventing actions or incidents that may be costly for the country," said foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei during a weekly press conference. He added that ...

Barrack: Lebanon Is on the Right Track

“Lebanon is on the right track,” US envoys Tom Barrack and Morgan Ortagus affirmed Tuesday during their visit to Baabda, where they were received by President Joseph Aoun. Ortagus and Barrack delivered Israel’s response to Lebanon’s proposals on the US roadmap and held discussions with President Aoun on the next steps for ...

Israel Strike on Syria Kills One

An Israeli strike killed a man in southern Syria, state media reported Tuesday, a day after a new Israeli incursion in the area drew condemnation from Damascus. Israel has carried out hundreds of strikes in Syria since an Islamist-led alliance toppled longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad in December. It has also opened talks with the interim ...

Israeli Protesters call for Hostage Deal Ahead of Cabinet Meeting

Protesters calling for an end to the war in Gaza and the return of hostages being held there took to the streets in Israel early Tuesday morning ahead of a security cabinet meeting scheduled for the evening. AFP journalists saw protesters blocking roads in Tel Aviv, waving Israeli flags and holding up pictures of the hostages. Israeli media ...

Syria’s Agreement with Israel Is Not as Promising as Advertised

The world is celebrating the anticipated signing of a security agreement between Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa and Israel, hailed as evidence of Sharaa’s moderation and a departure from his radical Islamist past. However, this narrative is misleading. Islamist doctrine permits, and even encourages, temporary truces—up to 10 years—with ...

Australia Expels Iran Ambassador Over Antisemitic Attacks

Australia expelled Iran's ambassador on Tuesday, accusing the country of being behind antisemitic arson attacks in Melbourne and Sydney. It marks the first time Australia has expelled an ambassador since World War II. Intelligence services reached the "deeply disturbing conclusion" that Iran directed at least two antisemitic attacks, Prime ...

Barrack and Ortagus in Baabda Tuesday: A Gradual Israeli Withdrawal from Southern Lebanon?

American envoys Tom Barrack and Morgan Ortagus are set to meet President Joseph Aoun Tuesday morning to deliver Israel’s official response to U.S. proposals aimed at helping Lebanon restore full sovereignty over its entire territory and kickstart the country’s recovery process. The response from Tel Aviv, which addresses the ...