This is Beirut - United States

Syria to Start Replacing Currency from Jan 1: Central Bank Chief

This is Beirut, 25/12 18:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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Syria's central bank chief said Thursday that the country's currency would start to be replaced with a revamped version from January 1, as Damascus tries to relaunch its economy after emerging from the rule of ousted leader Bashar al-Assad last year. Improving the standing of the Syrian pound is among the greatest challenges for Syria's new ...

Israel Arrests Citizen Suspected of Spying for Iran

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

Israel United States Iran Spying

Israeli authorities announced on Thursday the arrest of an Israeli man on suspicion of committing security offenses under the direction of Iranian intelligence agents, days after Tehran executed an Iranian accused of spying for Israel. The arrest is the latest in a series of cases in which Israel has charged its own citizens with spying for its ...

Hezbollah Allegedly Strengthens Hold on Beirut Port Amid Disarmament Doubts

Michael al-Andary, 22/12 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, 22/12 13:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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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)

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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 ...

Netanyahu Set to Present Iran Strike Options to Trump

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

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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 ...

Syria Monitor Says US Strikes Killed at Least Five Islamic State Members

This is Beirut, 20/12 14:32 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

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A Syria monitor said Saturday that five Islamic State jihadist group members were killed in US strikes overnight as Jordan confirmed it participated in the raids after a deadly attack on American troops last weekend. US forces said they struck more than 70 IS targets in what President Donald Trump described as "very serious retaliation" ...

Rubio Urges Hamas Disarmament As Key To Gaza Peace

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

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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)

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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 ...

Paris to Host Conference Supporting LAF in February

This is Beirut, 18/12 16:20 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Paris will host a conference in February in support of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), following a quadripartite meeting held in the French capital on Thursday, the French Foreign Ministry confirmed to This is Beirut. The venue of the conference has yet to be announced. The meeting brought together LAF Commander General Rodolphe Haykal, French ...

Syrian Who Killed Americans Was Part of Security Forces

This is Beirut, 14/12 15:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

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Syria's interior ministry said Sunday the gunman who killed three Americans in the central Palmyra region the previous day was a member of the security forces who was to have been fired for extremism. Two U.S. troops and a civilian interpreter died in what the Syrian government described as a "terrorist attack" on Saturday, while Washington said ...

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