Hezbollah Allegedly Strengthens Hold on Beirut Port Amid Disarmament Doubts

Michael al-Andary, 13:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Despite the Lebanese cabinet’s move to impose a firm deadline for the disarmament of militias, developments on the ground point to a “lack of seriousness” in enforcing the decision against Hezbollah, a security source told This is Beirut on condition of anonymity, questioning whether the government’s commitment is backed by concrete ...

Iran Says Missile Programme Defensive, Non-Negotiable

This is Beirut, 13:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel United States Iran Diplomacy

Iran insisted on Monday that its missile program was defensive in nature and designed to dissuade attack, while adding the existence of its arsenal was not up for debate. Israel had presented Iran's ballistic missiles, along with its nuclear program, as the two main threats it sought to neutralize during the 12-day war the foes fought in ...

US Senator Accuses Hamas and Hezbollah of Rearming

This is Beirut, 21/12 16:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lindsey Graham Hamas Hezbollah Lebanon Israel United States

US Senator Lindsey Graham accused Hamas and Hezbollah of rearming during a visit to Israel on Sunday and charged that the Palestinian Islamist group was also consolidating power in Gaza. After two years of war between Israel and Hamas in the Palestinian territory, a fragile ceasefire has held since October, despite both sides trading accusations ...

Israel's Security Cabinet Approves 19 New Settlements in West Bank

This is Beirut, 21/12 13:16 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel West Bank Israeli Settlements Palestinians

Israel's security cabinet approved the establishment of 19 new settlements in the occupied West Bank, a move the country's far-right finance minister said on Sunday was aimed at preventing the establishment of a Palestinian state. The decision brings the total number of settlements approved over the past three years to 69, according to a ...

Netanyahu Set to Present Iran Strike Options to Trump

This is Beirut, 20/12 20:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Israel United States Benjamin Netanyahu Donald Trump Iran

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is set to present plans for a potential strike on Iran to U.S. President Donald Trump during his forthcoming visit to the United States, NBC News reports, citing several unnamed officials. According to the report, Israel is increasingly alarmed that Iran is rebuilding, and possibly expanding, its ballistic ...

Israeli Military Says Detained Suspected IS Jihadist in Syria

This is Beirut, 20/12 20:10 - Reading : less than a minute

Israel Syria Islamic State Group

The Israeli military said on Saturday its forces had arrested a suspected Islamic State group jihadist in Syria earlier this week and taken him back to Israel. In a statement, the military said that on Wednesday "soldiers completed an operation in the area of Rafid in southern Syria to apprehend a suspected terrorist affiliated with ISIS." "The ...

Rubio Urges Hamas Disarmament As Key To Gaza Peace

This is Beirut, 19/12 23:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

United States Marco Rubio Hamas Israel

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Friday urged the disarmament of Hamas but voiced hope for headway on reaching the next stage of a Gaza ceasefire as regional officials met. Top officials of Qatar and Egypt – key mediators of the ceasefire – and regional power Turkey headed Friday to Miami to meet US envoys including Steve Witkoff, ...

Israel and Lebanon Hold Second Direct Talks in Naqoura

This is Beirut, 19/12 12:40 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Following talks held Friday in Naqoura, the office of Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the meeting addressed ways to advance economic initiatives with Lebanon, alongside ongoing security discussions. In a statement, Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said the meeting aimed to continue the security dialogue, ensure the disarmament of ...

Israel Reveals Details About Hezbollah's Secret Maritime Unit

This is Beirut, 19/12 11:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel Lebanon Europe United States

Israel on Friday disclosed new details about its “Behind the Back” operation, a November 2, 2024 raid in northern Lebanon that led to the capture of Imad Amhaz, whom the Israeli army described as a senior figure in Hezbollah’s secret maritime apparatus and a member of the coastal missile unit (Unit 7900). Training and Expertise During his ...

Houthis Detain 10 More Yemeni UN Staffers

This is Beirut, 18/12 20:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hamas Israel Palestine United Nations

Several Israelis entered the Gaza Strip on Thursday in defiance of army orders and held a symbolic flag-raising ceremony to call for the reoccupation and resettlement of the Palestinian territory. The army acknowledged the breach in a statement, saying the group had been under constant observation and reiterating that entry into the area is ...

Egypt Says Israel Gas Deal 'Commercial', Not 'Political'

This is Beirut, 18/12 18:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Egypt Gaz Agreemet

Egyptian authorities confirmed on Thursday a major deal to import natural gas from Israel, saying the agreement had nothing to do with politics and served a strategic interest for the country. "The deal is a purely commercial transaction concluded exclusively on the basis of economic and investment considerations, and does not involve any ...

US, Qatar, Turkey, Egypt to hold Gaza talks in Miami on Friday: official

This is Beirut, 18/12 18:15 - Reading : less than a minute

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