Israel

Ortagus Reaffirms US Support for Lebanon’s Leadership and Reforms

United States Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus reiterated Washington’s support for Lebanon’s current presidency and its incoming government during a visit to Beirut on Saturday. In a meeting with Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam, Ortagus affirmed US backing for his future government, highlighting his commitment to ...

The Wand and the Magic Ring

The ring on the finger of the new U.S. deputy envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus  was given more attention than it deserved, but its symbolism was far greater than what Lebanon could endure. Opponents did not differentiate between it being a religious symbol—perhaps because Judaism in Lebanon is often associated with Zionism, which led ...

Gaza: Israel and Hamas to Swap 3 Hostages for 183 Prisoners

Israel and Hamas are set to carry out the fifth exchange of hostages for Palestinian detainees under a ceasefire agreement on Saturday, despite doubts cast on the continuation of the process by Donald Trump's proposal for a US takeover of Gaza. According to the Palestinian Prisoners' Club, Israel will release 183 prisoners in exchange for three ...

Europe Closely Monitoring Israel’s Feb 18 Withdrawal Deadline

The new US administration’s rigorous way of handling foreign affairs was reaffirmed by US Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East Morgan Ortagus, who openly called for excluding Hezbollah from the next Lebanese government while applauding its defeat at Israel’s hand. The approach that is bound to alienate and provoke Lebanon’s Shiite ...

Ortagus: Hezbollah Should Not Be Part of the Government

Morgan Ortagus, the US Deputy Special Envoy to the Middle East, said that Hezbollah should not be part of the new Lebanese government that Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam is trying to  form. “Hezbollah has been defeated by Israel, and we are grateful for that,” Ortagus said after meeting with President Joseph Aoun at Baabda ...

Meeting Between President J. Aoun and Ortagus: Striving for Lasting Stability and a Hezbollah-Free Lebanon

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun held a meeting in Baabda with Morgan Ortagus, the US Deputy Special Envoy for the Middle East, to discuss key issues of security, stability and cooperation between Lebanon and the United States. President Aoun stressed that stability in southern Lebanon is closely tied to the completion of Israel's withdrawal ...

Trump's Gaza Plan Derails Saudi-Israel Ties: Analysts

US President Donald Trump's plan to take over Gaza will imperil attempts to forge landmark ties between Saudi Arabia and Israel and fuel anti-American sentiment in the oil-rich kingdom, analysts said. Trump's proposal to redevelop Gaza and oust the more than two million Palestinians living in the territory prompted a global backlash and enraged ...

Gallant Reveals Details of the Attack on Hassan Nasrallah

In an exclusive interview with Israeli Channel 12 on Thursday, former Israeli Defense Minister Yoav Gallant spoke for the first time about the circumstances surrounding the death of Hassan Nasrallah, Hezbollah’s former Secretary-General. Nasrallah was killed on September 27, 2024, in an Israeli airstrike targeting the group’s headquarters in ...

Israeli Raids in Southern Lebanon and Beqaa

Speculation is growing about a possible extension of the ceasefire until March 1, while the Israeli army continues its raids and military operations in certain areas of southern Lebanon, amid violations of the ceasefire agreement on both sides. On Friday morning, an Israeli airstrike targeted the Tabna region in Baissariyeh, while Israeli forces ...

Rubio to Visit Israel, Arab States in Mid-February

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio will pay his first visit to the Middle East this month, a senior State Department official said Thursday, in the wake of President Donald Trump's remarks on relocating Gaza's population. Rubio will attend the Munich Security Conference and then visit Israel, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar and Saudi Arabia from ...

Trump Sanctions ICC for its Probes Against Israel and the US

US President Donald Trump slapped sanctions on the International Criminal Court Thursday for "illegitimate and baseless" investigations targeting America and its ally Israel, the White House said. Trump signed an executive order saying the court in The Hague had "abused its power" by issuing an arrest warrant for Israeli Prime ...