This is Beirut - Lebanon

Saudi Arabia’s Shadow Over Lebanon's Path to Peace

Ralph Atrach, 25/05 08:55 - Reading : 8 minute(s)

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As Lebanon prepares for new rounds of security and political talks with Israel in Washington in the coming two weeks, Saudi Arabia’s position on peace with Jerusalem looms over decision makers in Beirut. In a May 10 interview with Al-Arabiya, Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said that Lebanon is open to peace with Israel within the framework ...

IDF Chief of Staff Approves Continued Military Plans in Lebanon

This is Beirut, 24/05 20:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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As negotiations between the United States and Iran reportedly advance toward a potential breakthrough, Israeli officials are simultaneously signaling that military pressure on Hezbollah will continue unabated. Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir approved new operational plans for the continuation of the military campaign on the northern front ...

Hezbollah’s Qassem Attacks Lebanese Government and Opposes Direct Talks with Israel

This is Beirut, 24/05 20:15 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem on Sunday launched a sharp attack against the Lebanese government, rejected direct negotiations with Israel, and reaffirmed that the Iran-backed group would continue its armed confrontation despite growing domestic and international pressure for Hezbollah’s disarmament. Speaking during a televised ...

Lebanon Civil Defense Says Israeli Strike Destroys its Nabatieh Facility

This is Beirut, 24/05 05:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Lebanon's civil defence agency said early on Sunday its regional facility in the southern city of Nabatieh had been destroyed by an Israeli strike. The Directorate General of Civil Defence said the building had collapsed and a large number of vehicles and equipment had been damaged by a "direct hit in a hostile Israeli ...

Escalation in Southern Lebanon Intensifies Amid Regional Diplomatic Efforts with Iran

This is Beirut, 23/05 23:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Military activity sharply escalated in southern Lebanon on Saturday despite ongoing diplomatic signals of potential breakthroughs in regional negotiations involving Iran and the United States. The Arabic spokesperson for the Israeli army, Avichay Adraee, issued two separate evacuation warnings covering a total of 15 towns and villages in southern ...

Tehran and Washington Signal Breakthrough in Negotiations

This is Beirut, 23/05 21:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Iran and the United States on Saturday spoke of a breakthrough in their negotiations after weeks of tensions and diplomatic maneuvering, while remaining cautious about the chances of ending the war in the Middle East. An agreement is “very close,” U.S. President Donald Trump said, estimating the chances of either a “good” ...

Iran Reaffirms Support for Hezbollah and Calls for Lebanon-Inclusive Regional Ceasefire Proposal

This is Beirut, 23/05 17:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Hezbollah claimed that it’s Secretary-General, Naim Qassem, received a message from Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi outlining Tehran’s position on regional developments and ongoing diplomatic efforts related to the conflict. According to the statement, Iran reaffirmed its continued support for what it described as “movements ...

Two Airports, Two Realities: Beirut's Airport Under Hezbollah’s Shadow, Qlayaat Under State Control

Ralph Atrach, 23/05 13:40 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

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Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rasamny on May 19 announced the opening of bids for the public tender to operate and invest in Lebanon’s northern Rene Mouawad Airport, in a move aimed at reviving a second civilian airport after years of stagnation. The contract was awarded to Sky Lounge Services following a tender process conducted ...

Iran Weighs Peace Proposal, Accuses U.S. of 'Excessive Demands'

This is Beirut, 23/05 12:35 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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Tehran accused the United States of "excessive demands," Iranian media said on Saturday, as U.S. media reports raised the prospect that Washington was mulling new strikes and leaders of the Islamic republic considered the latest peace proposal. Pakistan's powerful army chief arrived in Tehran on Friday to bolster mediation, and U.S. President ...

U.S. Sanctions on Hezbollah and Amal's "Deep State": Implications for the Duo and the State

Claudia Groeling, 23/05 01:50 - Reading : 7 minute(s)

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The United States on Thursday imposed sanctions on nine individuals in Lebanon accused of supporting Hezbollah and obstructing efforts to disarm the Iran-backed group, in one of Washington’s clearest moves yet to counter Hezbollah’s influence over Lebanon’s political and security institutions. The sanctions, announced by the ...

Pakistan Army Chief in Tehran as Iran Weighs U.S. Peace Offer

This is Beirut, 23/05 01:20 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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Pakistan's powerful army chief arrived in Tehran on Friday as diplomacy around the Middle East war gathered pace, with Iran weighing a new US peace proposal while warning that deep divisions still stand in the way of a deal. Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei cautioned that the visit did not mean "we have reached a ...

No Turning Back in Lebanon-Israel Talks

Samar El-Kadi, 22/05 15:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

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Amid a fraught ceasefire, preparations are underway for the next phase of the U.S.-mediated Lebanon-Israel diplomatic process, which analysts describe as a major turning point. Security talks between Lebanese and Israeli military delegations are scheduled to begin at the Pentagon on May 29, while a parallel political track is set to reconvene in ...

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