Nawaf Salam

Israel and Hezbollah Reject Egypt’s Initiative

Lebanon remains caught in Israel’s escalation zone as disagreements persist with both Israel and the United States, and Hezbollah still resists disarmament. Official Lebanese sources say Israel’s main demand centers on direct negotiations with Lebanon, even suggesting a possible meeting between President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister ...

Israel Army Says Gaza Bodies Received Friday Not Hostages

Israel's military said Saturday that three bodies it received from Gaza via the Red Cross the previous night were not hostages held in the Palestinian territory. The Israeli military told AFP that a forensic analysis revealed the bodies were not those of any of the 11 deceased captives still to be handed over as part of a US-brokered ceasefire ...

No-State Zones in Lebanon: Hezbollah’s Parallel State in Southern Lebanon and Beirut’s Southern Suburbs (3/3)

Two flags still fly side by side on some hills in southern Lebanon: The Lebanese flag and Hezbollah’s yellow flag. The first symbolizes a weakened state, the second a parallel power that has filled the void left by the Republic. Here, official authority often ends where the Shia group’s control begins. A Fully Administered Territory From the ...

Two Hezb Members Killed in South Lebanon

Tensions sharply escalated across southern Lebanon on Friday as Israeli drone and warplanes struck target in the Nabatiyeh and Bint Jbeil districts, leaving several casualties. In one incident, an Israeli drone launched a guided missile at a motorcycle in Talat Shukain, in the Nabatieh caza, killing the driver instantly. Ambulances rushed to the ...

Aoun: Lebanese Army Is the Sole Guarantee of Sovereignty

President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed on Friday that the Lebanese Army (LAF) remains “the only guarantee for protecting Lebanon’s sovereignty and ensuring its defense,” stressing that “there can be no sustainable security without it.” During a meeting at Baabda Palace with German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul, Aoun said “Lebanon is ...

Israel Returns Remains of 30 More Palestinians to Gaza

Israel has returned the bodies of 30 more Palestinians to Gaza as part of an ongoing exchange deal under a US-brokered ceasefire plan, a hospital told AFP on Friday. The Nasser Medical Complex in Khan Yunis told AFP that "the bodies of 30 Palestinian prisoners were received from the Israeli side as part of the exchange deal". Under the truce, ...

Disarmament and Elections on the Agenda in Bkerkeh

Prime Minister Nawaf Salam on Friday declared that a “decision has been made” to confiscate illegal weapons across the country, affirming that the Lebanese Army has already presented a plan for implementation. “There will be no reversal of the decision to confiscate weapons,” Salam said following a meeting with Maronite Patriarch Beshara ...

Graham: Disarm Hezbollah to End Israeli Attacks in Lebanon

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said Thursday that Israeli military operations in Lebanon would end “if Hezbollah were disarmed,” describing the ongoing cross-border strikes as a direct response to the militant group’s continued armed presence. Graham argued that Israel’s incursions into Lebanese territory are intended to “suppress ...

Israel Says Received Bodies of Two Gaza Hostages from Red Cross

Israel said its security forces in the Gaza Strip had received the remains of two hostages from the Red Cross returned on Thursday as part of a US-brokered ceasefire deal. "Israel has received, through the Red Cross, the bodies of two hostages that were handed over to the Israeli army and Shin Bet forces inside the Gaza Strip," a ...

Universal Music and Udio Partner to Launch Licensed AI Music Platform

Recording industry giant Universal Music Group said Thursday it had struck a licensing deal with AI music generation startup Udio, in an industry-first tie-up aiming to launch an AI creation platform next year. Universal and Udio said in a statement that their platform, as yet unnamed, "will be powered by new cutting-edge generative AI technology ...

Gaza in the Grip of Hamas’s Reign of Terror

Since the October ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, a new conflict has erupted in the Gaza Strip: an internal struggle as the Islamist movement targets its Palestinian rivals. The campaign has involved executions, raids, and armed clashes across multiple neighborhoods. Officially, Hamas says it is “restoring order” after two years of war ...

U.S. Seeks to Finalize Plan for International Security Force in Gaza

U.S. officials are engaged in sensitive talks with several countries about creating an international force to be deployed in Gaza, with a plan expected to be presented in the coming weeks, three sources closely involved told Axios. The urgency of the initiative was underscored by an attack last Tuesday, which exposed the fragility of the ...