israel

Senior Hezbollah Commander Killed in Israeli Strikes in Beirut Suburbs: Source Close to Group

A senior commander from Hezbollah's elite force was killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs on Wednesday, the first on the area in nearly a month, a source close to the group said. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said his military had targeted "the commander of Hezbollah's Radwan force". The source close to Hezbollah ...

Beirut to Further Develop Plan for State Control of All Weapons, Says PM Salam

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam announced Wednesday that Beirut will “review and further develop” its plan to place all weapons under state control.  The remarks came as Salam also confirmed on Wednesday that the tender process for the long-delayed René Moawad Airport project in Qlayaat, northern Lebanon, will ...

Trump Says Pausing Hormuz Operation in Push for Iran Deal

President Donald Trump said Tuesday he was halting the US military operation to escort ships through the Strait of Hormuz after just one day, in a bid to reach a deal with Iran to end the Middle East war. Trump's so-called "Project Freedom" to help vessels leave the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow chokepoint to the Gulf where Iran has seized control ...

Israeli FM: Israel Seeks Normalization with Lebanon

At a joint press conference on Tuesday, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar said Israel intends to pursue a diplomatic track with Beirut, stating, “We will work with the Lebanese government toward a path of peace and normalization.” He also underscored Israel’s security priorities in the north, stating, “We are ...

Lebanese Army Arrests Suspects in Beirut's Southern Suburbs After Gunfire at Funeral

The Lebanese Armed Forces carried out arrests in Beirut’s southern suburbs on Monday, a stronghold of Hezbollah, detaining several individuals accused of opening fire during a funeral procession on Sunday. In a statement, the army said its units raided the homes of those involved in the gunfire, arresting two individuals in the southern ...

Prime Minister Salam: No Retreat on State Authority as Lebanon Moves to Enforce Weapons Monopoly in Beirut

Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam declared on Monday in a joint press conference with the Lebanese Interior Minister that the government will move forward with enforcing full state control over Beirut, stressing that there will be “no retreat” from the decision to restrict weapons to state institutions. Speaking after a meeting of ...

Iran Foreign Ministry Says U.S. Must 'Abandon its Excessive Demands'

Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei said on Monday that the United States must reduce its demands on the Islamic republic, with negotiations stalled over ending the two-month-long Middle East war. "At this stage, our priority is to end the war," he said in a briefing broadcast by state television. "The other side ...

Hezbollah Signals Openness to Indirect Talks with Israel

In a notable shift in tone, Hezbollah’s Secretary General Naim Qassem signaled for the first time openness to indirect negotiations with Israel, framing diplomacy as a viable path—while firmly rejecting any form of direct talks. “We support diplomacy that stops the aggression and enforces agreements,” Qassem said in a statement on Monday, ...

U.S. Ambassador Issa: Aoun–Trump Meeting Would Not Be a Concession

U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa said Monday that a potential meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, U.S. President Donald Trump, and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu should not be viewed as a loss or concession for Lebanon. Speaking in a live address, Issa stressed that such a meeting would provide an opportunity for ...

Why Iran’s Influence in Lebanon Persists Despite Hezbollah’s Losses

Israel’s military blows to Hezbollah and its seizure of a strip of territory in southern Lebanon have not changed Tehran’s strategic calculus. The Islamic Republic of Iran continues to regard its influence in Lebanon as a strategic priority, despite the scale of casualties among Lebanon’s Shia population, the waves of displacement, and the ...