Nawaf Salam

Turkey, Israel Must Ease Tensions in Syria

Six months after Bashar al-Assad's fall, Turkey and Israel are both operating in Syria with starkly opposing agendas, stoking fears of a  confrontation unless they find a way to coexist, analysts say. Over the past week, Israel has struck deep inside Syria, with unconfirmed reports suggesting Turkish and Israeli warplanes had a close encounter ...

Israeli Drone Strike Kills Hamas Member in Saida

An Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle in the southern Lebanese city of Saida early Wednesday, May 7, 2025, killing a member of the Palestinian group Hamas whose death was confirmed by the Islamist movement. The attack is the latest in a series of targeted assassinations attributed to Israel since the ceasefire agreement that took effect on ...

US and Yemen's Houthis Agree on Ceasefire, Israel Still a Target

The United States and Yemen's Houthis have reached a ceasefire agreement, mediator Oman announced Tuesday, saying the deal would ensure "freedom of navigation" in the Red Sea, where the Iran-backed group has attacked shipping, although the Houthis added that the ceasefire would not exclude future attacks on Israel. It comes after ...

Lebanon Steps Up Security as Gulf Tourists Set to Return

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam met on Tuesday at the Grand Serail with ambassadors from Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries to coordinate preparations for the anticipated return of Gulf nationals to Lebanon. The meeting follows the United Arab Emirates’ recent decision to lift a long-standing travel ban on Lebanon, imposed during a previous ...

One Person Killed in an Israeli Drone Strike in Southern Lebanon

An Israeli drone strike targeted a vehicle in the town of Kfar Rumman, near Nabatieh in southern Lebanon, on Tuesday evening, killing one person and injuring another. The identity of the victim was not immediately disclosed. Later during the evening, Hezbollah announced in a statement that the victim was one of its fighters, Adnan Harb. The ...

Putin Denounces Attempts to 'Revise' WWII History in Call with Netanyahu

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Tuesday denounced attempts to "revise" World War II history in a call with Israel's Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as Moscow gears up to mark the 80th anniversary of the victory over Nazi Germany. "It was noted that the two countries were determined to defend the truth about the events of ...

Hamas Turns Over Third Rocket Attack Suspect to LAF

The Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) announced on Tuesday that it had taken custody of a third individual suspected of launching rockets from southern Lebanon toward Israel. In an official statement, the LAF said the suspect, identified by the initials “Q.S.,” was handed over by Hamas at the entrance to the El Buss camp in Tyre, southern Lebanon. ...

Lebanon’s Ossified Left and Its Stance on Palestine

After the French Revolution of 1789, the king conceded some of his powers to Parliament. His supporters sat to his right and his opponents to his left. Forever after, the Right denoted supporters of the ruler and traditions, while the Left meant breaking with the old and yearning for the new. But that was only in theory. In practice, as time ...

Yemen: Israel Carries Out More Than 20 Strikes Against Sana’a International Airport

On Tuesday, the Israeli army carried out a series of strikes on Sanaa's Houthi-held international airport, in retaliation for the latter's firing of a missile against Tel Aviv two days earlier. Those raids targeted civilian aircraft, the passenger terminal, and the take-off and landing runways, according to Israeli medias. The al-Doulaimi ...

Witkoff: 'Further Progress Expected on Abraham Accords'

US President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, announced that several major declarations concerning the expansion of the Abraham Accords are expected “very soon,” just days before Trump embarks on a high-stakes diplomatic tour of the region. Scheduled for May 13-16, Trump’s visit will include stops in Saudi Arabia, the ...

Trump's Film Tariff Shocks Hollywood: 'Makes no Sense'

Hollywood reacted with skepticism on Monday to US President Donald Trump's announcement of 100 percent tariffs on foreign films, with movie insiders calling it a policy made up on the fly by a president who fails to understand how the industry works. "It makes no sense," entertainment lawyer Jonathan Handel said of Trump's idea. Handel told AFP ...

Lebanon Races Against May Deadline to Bring Heavy Weapons Under State Control

Lebanon’s top three political leaders — President Joseph Aoun, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam — appear to have reached a general consensus on the core elements of a national settlement, including reforms and the consolidation of weapons under the sole authority of the state. However, some differences remain ...