Israël

Iran Guards Kill Two Kurds in Hiding After Protests: Rights Groups

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have killed two Kurdish activists in the west of the country who went into hiding following anti-government protests in January, two rights groups said on Friday. Iranian media confirmed the incident, which took place on Thursday, but said that the men were armed, had been instigators of "riots," and were killed by ...

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter: Hezbollah Must be Dismantled for Israel-Lebanon Peace

Israeli Ambassador to the U.S. Yechiel Leiter, in an exclusive interview with This is Beirut, said Israel is pursuing a two-track approach that includes strengthening the Lebanese Armed Forces with U.S. support so they can gradually take on Hezbollah and restore full state authority. He said Israel has no interest in remaining in Lebanon and ...

Hezbollah Rockets Hit Church in Jdeidet Marjayoun Amid Israeli Advance

Rockets launched by Hezbollah on Thursday struck Saint George Church in the predominantly Christian town of Jdeidet Marjayoun, according to local sources, amid escalating clashes and an Israeli military advance in the Marjayoun district. The incident came after residents received warnings from the Israeli army instructing civilians to remain in ...

U.S. Blacklists Tankers and Firms Linked to Iran’s Military Oil Network

The United States announced on Thursday that it had imposed a new round of sanctions targeting Iran’s military-linked oil trade, despite Washington and Tehran reaching a tentative agreement to extend their ceasefire and ease restrictions on shipping through the Strait of Hormuz. According to the U.S. Treasury Department, eight vessels involved ...

The Hidden Costs of a U.S.-Iran Deal Involving Lebanon

Amid U.S. and Iranian efforts to forge an agreement to end their conflict, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sent a letter to Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem on May 23 pledging that Tehran would press for a comprehensive ceasefire in Lebanon. Hezbollah quickly welcomed Iran’s determination to keep Lebanon within its sphere of influence. The ...

Washington Can Pressure Hezbollah, But Only Lebanon Can Disarm The Militia

As Lebanese and Israeli officials return to Washington for another round of U.S.-brokered talks, attention is focused on the diplomatic process, including the Pentagon’s security channel, the State Department’s political track and hopes that careful sequencing can address Hezbollah’s arms and prevent wider war. However, the more ...

Pentagon Talks Test Lebanon’s Commitment to Disarming Hezbollah

As Israeli strikes intensified across southern Lebanon ahead of Friday’s U.S.-mediated security talks between Lebanon and Israel at the Pentagon, expectations remained low that the Lebanese delegation could offer convincing guarantees on Hezbollah’s disarmament. Lebanon’s delegation arrived in Washington with a presentation detailing the ...

Israel Strikes Tyre After Declaring 'Combat Zones' in South Lebanon

The Israeli military said on Thursday it had begun new strikes on Hezbollah infrastructure around the southern Lebanese city of Tyre after issuing an evacuation warning to its residents. Israel the previous day had declared all areas south of Lebanon's Zahrani River - an area roughly 40 kilometres (25 miles) from the border and including Tyre - ...

Israel Unveils First KC-46 “Gideon” Tanker Aircraft

The Israeli Air Force received its first Boeing KC-46 “Gideon” aerial refueling and transport aircraft on Wednesday during a ceremony held at Nevatim Airbase, marking a major milestone in Israel’s long-range military capabilities and strategic air power modernization. The ceremony was attended by IDF Chief of Staff Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir and ...

Hezbollah’s Constitutional Contradiction

In a statement issued on the centennial of the Lebanese Constitution, Hezbollah presented itself Monday as a defender of constitutional legitimacy, national unity, and Lebanese sovereignty, while simultaneously reaffirming that armed “resistance” remains a protected and legitimate right beyond any governmental decision. The statement ...

Israel Seeks To Defeat Hezbollah Again, What Might Be Different this Time?

Facing an increasingly deadly threat from Hezbollah’s first-person view (FPV) drones, Israel is back on the offensive in Lebanon. Since the night of May 25, the Israel Defense Forces have launched large-scale airstrikes across southern Lebanon while pressing ground advances. As Israel once again turns to military force, amid U.S.-Iran talks, the ...

Israeli Forces to Expand Past ‘Yellow Line’ As Operations in Lebanon Intensify

The Israeli Army has started to operate on the ground past the “Yellow Line” in southern Lebanon on Tuesday as Israeli officials express their intent to intensify operations against Hezbollah amid persistent threats. According to AFP, citing an Israeli military official, the Israeli Army began to expand its operations in southern ...