Lebanon

Cairo Hosts Preparatory Meeting for Conference Supporting Lebanese Armed Forces

A preparatory meeting for the upcoming international conference in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces and security services was held Tuesday in Cairo, bringing together Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal, Internal Security Forces Director General Major General Raed Abdallah, and representatives from several countries. During the ...

Israel Signals Potential Strikes on Lebanese Infrastructure if Hezbollah Joins U.S.-Iran Conflict

In what was described as an indirect message, Israel signaled on Tuesday that civilian infrastructure could be targeted “hard” if Hezbollah were to take part in any potential war between the United States and Iran, according to a report by Reuters. The warning comes amid growing speculation over a possible U.S. military strike on ...

Let Lebanon Debate Peace

The majority of Lebanese oppose peace with Israel, and elected officials who pursue normalization with the Jewish state risk political suicide. Nevertheless, popular rejection of peace does not justify censoring its proponents. The very purpose of open public debate is to allow minority positions to argue their case, sway doubters, alter ...

Netanyahu Says If Iran Attacks, ‘We Will Respond With a Force They Cannot Even Imagine’

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterates Israel’s position towards a conflict scenario with Iran, stating that the country is ready to use heavy force against Iran if it attacks. In a speech at the Knesset, he remarked that “if Iran makes a mistake–perhaps the most serious mistake in its history–and ...

U.S. Embassy Evacuates Staff from Beirut as Regional Tensions Rise

The U.S. State Department ordered the department of non-emergency U.S. government personnel from the U.S. embassy in Beirut on Monday.  “The Department of State has ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and eligible family members from U.S. Embassy Beirut. We continuously assess the security environment, and ...

Hezbollah Intensifies Internal Military Meetings Under IRGC Supervision

Hezbollah has ramped up military and security preparations amid fears of a potential Israeli or U.S. strike, with sources telling Al Arabiya and Al Hadath that senior IRGC personnel recently arrived in Lebanon to oversee the buildup. These officers are reportedly holding regular meetings with Hezbollah operatives across Lebanon, offering direct ...

Hezbollah MP Urges Lebanese State to Rethink Security Approach After Deadly Israeli Strikes

Lebanon’s fragile security situation came back into sharp focus Saturday after Israeli air and naval strikes killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens of others in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, prompting renewed condemnation and government criticism from Hezbollah MPs.  Rami Abu Hamdan, a member of parliament affiliated with Hezbollah, ...

Israel Strikes Sites Across Lebanon Linked to Hamas and Hezbollah

Israel struck sites across Lebanon on Friday near Sidon and in the Bekaa Valley, targeting operatives and command centers linked to Hamas and Hezbollah.  A preliminary toll states that 17 have been killed across Lebanon. Ain al-Hilweh Strikes Israeli missiles have struck a site in the Ain al-Hilweh area of Sidon on Friday where the Israeli ...

Lebanon’s Justice Minister Questions 1955 Anti-Israel Law, Signals Shift in Official Discourse

Justice Minister Adel Nassar has opened the door to a sensitive national debate by questioning the legacy and application of Lebanon’s 1955 law banning contacts with Israel—legislation long treated as untouchable. Speaking about the controversial statute, Nassar acknowledged that in past decades it had operated in a political climate ...

Israeli Druze Leader Says Syrian Community 'Besieged' Months After Clashes

Seven months after deadly clashes between Syria's Druze minority and government‑backed forces, the spiritual leader of Druze in neighbouring Israel said members of the community across the border remained in peril. "They're still besieged -- completely encircled. They aren't allowed to bring in any humanitarian aid, including the aid we're ...

Trump at Board of Peace: ‘We Have to Solve the Problem of Lebanon’

President Trump stated that the situation in Lebanon remains an obstacle for U.S. interests in the region, but is a relatively small problem compared to reconstruction in Gaza and the Iranian nuclear issue.  “The only thing right now that’s standing in the way: we have Lebanon, with certain things that we’re working on that ...