lebanon

Netanyahu Says If Iran Attacks, ‘We Will Respond With a Force They Cannot Even Imagine’

On Monday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu reiterates Israel’s position towards a conflict scenario with Iran, stating that the country is ready to use heavy force against Iran if it attacks. In a speech at the Knesset, he remarked that “if Iran makes a mistake–perhaps the most serious mistake in its history–and ...

U.S. Embassy Evacuates Staff from Beirut as Regional Tensions Rise

The U.S. State Department ordered the department of non-emergency U.S. government personnel from the U.S. embassy in Beirut on Monday.  “The Department of State has ordered the departure of non-emergency U.S. government personnel and eligible family members from U.S. Embassy Beirut. We continuously assess the security environment, and ...

Hezbollah Intensifies Internal Military Meetings Under IRGC Supervision

Hezbollah has ramped up military and security preparations amid fears of a potential Israeli or U.S. strike, with sources telling Al Arabiya and Al Hadath that senior IRGC personnel recently arrived in Lebanon to oversee the buildup. These officers are reportedly holding regular meetings with Hezbollah operatives across Lebanon, offering direct ...

Hezbollah MP Urges Lebanese State to Rethink Security Approach After Deadly Israeli Strikes

Lebanon’s fragile security situation came back into sharp focus Saturday after Israeli air and naval strikes killed at least 14 people and wounded dozens of others in eastern Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley, prompting renewed condemnation and government criticism from Hezbollah MPs.  Rami Abu Hamdan, a member of parliament affiliated with Hezbollah, ...

Israel Strikes Sites Across Lebanon Linked to Hamas and Hezbollah

Israel struck sites across Lebanon on Friday near Sidon and in the Bekaa Valley, targeting operatives and command centers linked to Hamas and Hezbollah.  A preliminary toll states that 17 have been killed across Lebanon. Ain al-Hilweh Strikes Israeli missiles have struck a site in the Ain al-Hilweh area of Sidon on Friday where the Israeli ...

Lebanon’s Justice Minister Questions 1955 Anti-Israel Law, Signals Shift in Official Discourse

Justice Minister Adel Nassar has opened the door to a sensitive national debate by questioning the legacy and application of Lebanon’s 1955 law banning contacts with Israel—legislation long treated as untouchable. Speaking about the controversial statute, Nassar acknowledged that in past decades it had operated in a political climate ...

Israeli Druze Leader Says Syrian Community 'Besieged' Months After Clashes

Seven months after deadly clashes between Syria's Druze minority and government‑backed forces, the spiritual leader of Druze in neighbouring Israel said members of the community across the border remained in peril. "They're still besieged -- completely encircled. They aren't allowed to bring in any humanitarian aid, including the aid we're ...

Trump at Board of Peace: ‘We Have to Solve the Problem of Lebanon’

President Trump stated that the situation in Lebanon remains an obstacle for U.S. interests in the region, but is a relatively small problem compared to reconstruction in Gaza and the Iranian nuclear issue.  “The only thing right now that’s standing in the way: we have Lebanon, with certain things that we’re working on that ...

Hezbollah Readies Its Electoral Machine After War Losses

Whether Lebanon’s parliamentary elections are held on time in May or postponed, Hezbollah’s electoral machine appears to be in a state of full readiness. While the party commands the largest popular base within the Shia community, maintaining a wide lead over its closest ally, the Amal Movement, this electoral advantage has not bred ...

Praise or Pressure: What CENTCOM's Commendation for the LAF Tells Lebanon

U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) chief Brad Cooper’s praise of the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) for uncovering a "massive underground tunnel" near the southern border represents far more than routine diplomatic protocol. While his February 9 statement commended the LAF, it implicitly contested the Lebanese army’s announcement the previous month ...

Israel Strikes Hezbollah Weapons Depots in Southern Lebanon

Israel struck several areas of southern Lebanon early Thursday morning targeting Hezbollah weapon depots, missile launchers, and other military sites, the Israel Defense Forces said. According to Lebanese media, the strikes took place in the Jabal al-Reihan region and near the village of Yaroun. “Among the targets struck were weapons ...