This is Beirut, 09:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Iran’s official defense export agency is offering to sell ballistic missiles, drones, and other advanced weapons systems to foreign governments in exchange for cryptocurrency and barter, Financial Times reported on Thursday. The Ministry of Defense Export Center (Mindex) is the export arm of Iran’s defense ministry. The site offers ...
Amal Chmouny, 2025-12-31 17:10 - Reading : 6 minute(s)
Lebanon Washington Donald Trump Lebanese Army Amal
Heading into 2026, U.S. engagement in Lebanon has become explicitly conditioned on measurable progress toward Hezbollah’s disarmament, marking a clear break from the strategic ambiguity that long defined Washington’s approach. The aftermath of the 2024 Israel–Hezbollah conflict, alongside Lebanon’s deepening economic and political crises, ...
Salam El Zaatari, 2025-12-29 13:15 - Reading : 8 minute(s)
Lebanon Hezbollah Lebanese Army Washington
Any serious discussion about de-radicalizing Hezbollah supporters must begin by discarding comforting illusions about the organization. It is not a fringe extremist group operating on the margins of Lebanese society but a heavily armed political-military organization embedded in parliament, municipalities, unions, border economies, and a regional ...
This is Beirut, 2025-12-25 10:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Syrian authorities on Thursday said they killed a senior leader in the Islamic State group in coordination with the US-led coalition, hours after the arrest near Damascus of another leader. Syrian security and intelligence forces, working in coordination with the international coalition, conducted what the interior ministry described as a ...
Hussain Abdul-Hussain, 2025-12-23 10:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Washington Lebanon Lebanese Army Syria Joseph Aoun Ahmad al-Sharaa
Until late 2024, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa was a U.S.-designated terrorist with a $10 million bounty on his head for leading the al-Qaeda-linked Hayat Tahrir al-Sham. By contrast, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who served as commander of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) until his election in January 2025, was widely regarded as one of ...
Mario Chartouni, 2025-12-09 20:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Damascus European Union Washington Russia Syria ISIS
In the narrative promoted by Moscow and Damascus, Russia and Bashar al-Assad’s regime are credited with delivering the decisive blow against ISIS in Syria. This account frames Russia’s military intervention, which began in September 2015, as the turning point in the fight against the terrorist group. Yet, a closer look at the data paints a ...
This is Beirut, 2025-12-08 12:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Washington Lebanese Army Lebanon Hezbollah Israel
U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, Michel Issa, announced that discussions are underway for a new visit by the Lebanese army chief, Rodolphe Haykal, to Washington. The announcement follows his Monday meeting with Foreign Minister Youssef Raggi. The army commander’s visit had previously been canceled on November 18 due to a statement issued by the ...
This is Beirut, 2025-12-07 17:30 - Reading : less than a minute
Syria Ahmed al-Sharaa Washington Tel Aviv Riyadh Bashar el-Assad
December 2024 marks a historic turning point for Syria. After more than fifty years under the Assad regime, the country enters its first political transition, with Bachar Assad fleeing and Ahmed al-Sharaa emerging as interim president. With international diplomatic meetings, the reopening of the U.S. Embassy, and initial agreements with the ...
This is Beirut, 2025-12-04 14:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Lebanon Israel Pope Francis United States Washington
The United States’ Ambassador to Lebanon, Michael Issa, issued a statement Thursday praising Lebanon and Israel for opening a channel of dialogue at a sensitive moment, signaling “a sincere willingness to pursue peaceful, responsible solutions grounded in good faith.” Ambassador Issa emphasized that durable progress can only be achieved ...
This is Beirut, 2025-11-29 12:55 - Reading : less than a minute
Lebanon Hezbollah Israel Washington
In an interview with Haaretz, U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa stressed that Israel “does not need Washington’s permission to defend itself,” noting that the U.S. administration is in constant contact with the Lebanese government and is urging it to disarm Hezbollah. Issa added that dismantling the weapons of Hezbollah and other ...
This is Beirut, 2025-11-28 14:34 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Violent clashes erupted overnight from Thursday to Friday in southern Syria when Israeli soldiers operating in the Beit Jinn area came under fire from armed residents, according to local and military sources. At least one Syrian was reported killed in the first hours of the exchange, which began around 3:15 a.m. local time and lasted several ...
This is Beirut, 2025-11-27 12:50 - Reading : less than a minute
A shooting in downtown Washington Wednesday night left two National Guard soldiers in critical condition. Authorities say the suspected gunman, a 29-year-old Afghan who came to the United States in 2021 under Operation Allies Welcome, was also injured and taken into custody.