This is Beirut

Israel Launches Fresh Strikes on South Lebanon After Warnings

This is Beirut, 04/12 14:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Hezbollah Avichay Adraee Lebanon Israel South Lebanon

The Israeli army carried out strikes on Thursday against several localities in southern Lebanon it considers used by Hezbollah, after warning residents to evacuate certain areas. Shortly before the first strikes, the army’s Arabic-speaking spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, posted on X an evacuation notice urging residents of Jbaa and Mahrouna to ...

Ambassador Issa Commends Lebanon’s Progress Toward Peaceful Regional Engagement

This is Beirut, 04/12 14:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Pope Francis United States Washington

The United States’ Ambassador to Lebanon, Michael Issa, issued a statement Thursday praising Lebanon and Israel for opening a channel of dialogue at a sensitive moment, signaling “a sincere willingness to pursue peaceful, responsible solutions grounded in good faith.” Ambassador Issa emphasized that durable progress can only be achieved ...

Lebanon’s Diplomatic Pivot: Understanding Simon Karam’s Role

Natasha Metni Torbey, 04/12 12:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Joseph Aoun

Wednesday’s meeting of the ceasefire monitoring mechanism in Naqoura carried the weight of history. Lebanon held civilian-led direct talks with Israel for the first time in decades, a development that offered Beirut a rare opportunity to resuscitate the faltering November 27, 2024, ceasefire and begin moving toward substantive political ...

An Opportunity for Lebanon to Join the Abrahams Accords

Hanin Ghaddar, 04/12 10:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Peace Joseph Aoun Morgan Ortagus Abraham Accords

“We affirm today that the survival of this Lebanon, gathered entirely around you, is a condition for peace, hope, and reconciliation among all the children of Abraham.” With these words to Pope Leo XIV during the pontiff’s visit to Lebanon, President Joseph Aoun signaled a possible willingness to bring his country into the ...

The Next Israel–Hezbollah War Could Be Inevitable — and Crippling for Hezbollah

Salam El Zaatari, 04/12 09:00 - Reading : 8 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Hezbollah War Peace

When Israeli jets struck Beirut’s Haret Hreik on 23 November 2025 and killed Haitham Ali Tabatabai, Hezbollah’s chief of staff and the man responsible for rebuilding its shattered military infrastructure, the message was unmistakable. Israel was not simply targeting a militant; it was signaling that the post-war “ceasefire” is dead, that ...

Israel Accuses Hezbollah of Assassinations in Beirut Port Blast Case

Tylia El Helou, 03/12 19:05 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Lebanon Beirut Port Israel Hezbollah

New and highly sensitive allegations emerged on Tuesday after the Israeli army accused a specialized Hezbollah cell—Unit 121—of assassinating four Lebanese figures who allegedly held information implicating the Shiite militia in the August 2020 Beirut port explosion. The claims, made by the army’s Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee ...

Israel Says Received Presumed Remains of Gaza Hostage

This is Beirut, 03/12 18:57 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel Hamas Gaza Hostages

Israel announced Wednesday it had received hostage remains found in Gaza from the Red Cross, which were being transported to the morgue for identification. It comes as the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, with both sides accusing each other of violating the terms. Under the first phase of the deal, which came into ...

Israel Says to Allow Gazans to Exit to Egypt 'in Coming Days'

This is Beirut, 03/12 18:09 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel Gaza Egypt

Israel said on Wednesday it would open the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt to allow residents to exit the Palestinian territory "in the coming days," but Egypt denied such a deal with Israel. "In accordance with the ceasefire agreement... the Rafah Crossing will open in the coming days exclusively for the exit of residents from ...

14th Meeting of Mechanism: Civilian Participants Added to Enhance Stability and Success

This is Beirut, 03/12 16:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel UN Security Council USA

Senior officials convened for the 14th iteration of the Pentalateral on December 3 in Naqoura to assess ongoing efforts to reach an enduring cessation of hostilities arrangement in Lebanon, reported the US Embassy in Beirut in a statement. To support a durable peace and shared prosperity of both sides, former Ambassador Simon Karam of Lebanon ...

Lebanon Must Answer the Pope’s Call for Peace

Hussain Abdul-Hussain, 03/12 16:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Lebanon Hezbollah Israel Peace

From the heart of Lebanon—a biblical land living under Hezbollah’s shadow—Pope Leo XIV issued a clarion call for genuine peace, not merely a ceasefire, between longstanding adversaries. Although he refrained from naming Israel directly, the implication was unmistakable: the pontiff was urging Lebanon to pursue normalization with its southern ...

A Historic Day: Lebanon and Israel Hold First Direct Talks in Decades

This is Beirut, 03/12 14:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel Joseph Aoun

Lebanon and Israel held their first civilian-led direct talks in decades on Wednesday, in a meeting hosted by UNIFIL in Naqura as part of the ceasefire monitoring mechanism established in November 2024. The shift from military to political dialogue marks a historic rupture in Lebanese policy—driven by President Joseph Aoun’s bold ...

A Historic Decision by Joseph Aoun… Lebanon on the Path to Joining the Abraham Accords

This is Beirut, 03/12 11:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Pope Vatican Joseph Aoun Israel

The news of appointing former ambassador Simon Karam to head the Lebanese delegation to the “Mechanism” meetings—and the Presidency’s confirmation of his participation in today’s session in Naqoura—can only be understood within the context of the bold steps President Joseph Aoun is taking to move toward direct negotiations to resolve ...

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