War in the Middle East

Israel, U.S. Double Down on War Effort; Lebanon Reiterates Calls for Israel Negotiations

This is Beirut 06:25 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

On Thursday, Israeli officials stated that Israel continues to act decisively against Iran and Hezbollah while the Trump administration sought additional funding for U.S. war efforts and called on allies to assist in operations at the Strait of Hormuz. At the same time, Lebanese officials reiterated their support to begin direct negotiations with ...

Netanyahu Says Iran 'Decimated,' Tehran Targets Gulf Petro-Facilities

This is Beirut 01:55 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Israel Gulf Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Thursday that Iran is being "decimated" and it is unclear who is in charge, even as the Islamic Republic kept up attacks on Gulf oil and gas targets that have jolted global markets. Nearly three weeks into the Middle East war launched by Israel and the United States, Netanyahu said Tehran ...

$Bessent Says \$

Bessent Says "Starting to See Defections" in Iranian Regime

This is Beirut 19/03 16:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

United States

Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent claimed major defections were occuring within the Iranian regime, following increasing economic pressure on Iranian officials, saying, “the regime is in collapse, and the people are starting to turn against them.” Speaking to Fox News Thursday, Bessent said, "we're starting to see defections ...

Pro-Iran Iraqi Armed Group Says Will Stop U.S. Embassy Attacks, Under Conditions

This is Beirut 19/03 03:55 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel Tehran Turkey USA

An influential pro-Iranian armed group in Iraq pledged early Thursday to stop attacking the US embassy for five days, subject to several conditions including that Israel stop strikes on parts of Beirut. AFP reported no drone or rocket attacks so far on the US embassy in Iraq's capital Baghdad between Wednesday night and Thursday morning. The ...

Qatar Declares Iranian Attaches Non Grata, Calls Out 'Direct Threats' to its National Security

This is Beirut 18/03 22:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Qatar Iran Israel United States

On Wednesday, the Qatari Foreign Ministry declared the Iranian embassy’s military and security attaches as persona non grata due to Iran’s repeated attacks on the country. Qatar also said that Iranian attacks on its main gas facility situated on its north coast were a "direct threat to its national security". "Qatar ...

UAE Condemns Targeting of South Pars Gas Field, after Iran Blames U.S., Israel

This is Beirut 18/03 18:15 - Reading : less than a minute

UAE Iran United States Israel

The UAE condemned the targeting on Wednesday of Iranian facilities in a gas field shared with Qatar, calling the attack attributed by Iran to the US and Israel a "dangerous escalation" in a rare rebuke. "The United Arab Emirates affirmed that targeting energy facilities linked to the South Pars gas field in the Islamic Republic of ...

Who Are the Iraqi Groups Involved in the Middle East War?

This is Beirut 18/03 16:25 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Iraq Iran United States

Since the start of the Middle East war, Tehran-backed Iraqi groups have repeatedly attacked US interests, whether bases hosting troops, diplomatic missions, or oil facilities. The armed groups, which the U.S. designates as terrorist organisations, have, from the onset, warned that the Middle East conflict will become a prolonged war of ...

Israel Says Killed Iran Intel Chief, Tells Military to Hunt Down Officials

This is Beirut 18/03 15:50 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Israel Iran Lebanon

Israel said on Wednesday its forces had killed another top Iranian official, Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib, and said its military was authorised to kill any senior figure of the Islamic republic in its sights. The announcement, the day after Iranian security chief Ali Larijani was confirmed killed in an Israeli strike, is part of a ...

Israel Bombards Iranian Gas Field, Iran Vows Retaliation on Gulf

This is Beirut 18/03 14:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Donald Trump Gulf Saudi Arabia United Arab Emirates

The Israeli Air Force struck natural gas processing facilities in the South Pars field in Asaluyeh, southwestern Iran, according to multiple senior Israeli officials. This is the first time Israel has struck natural gas facilities in Iran, having previously struck oil depots. In response, Iran issued evacuation ‌warnings for ...

Ankara Says NATO Deploys New Patriot Battery as Strikes Continue

This is Beirut 18/03 12:25 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Hamas Hezbollah Israel Middle East

Turkey's defence ministry said Wednesday NATO was deploying a new Patriot missile battery at Incirlik air base, just days after a third ballistic missile from Iran was shot down. "Another Patriot system... is being deployed... in addition to the existing Spanish Patriot system stationed there," a ministry official told reporters at the Turkish ...

Iran Arrests Alleged 'Monarchist' Networks, Suspected Spies as War Rages

This is Beirut 18/03 12:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Israel Middle East United States USA

Iranian authorities said on Wednesday they had arrested more than 100 alleged "monarchist cells" plotting against the Islamic Republic, along with suspected spies and individuals accused of cooperating with an outlawed television channel. Forces from the Intelligence Ministry "have identified and arrested 111 monarchist cells across 26 provinces ...

Iraq Asks Iran for Oil Tanker Passage through Strait of Hormuz

This is Beirut 17/03 22:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iraq Iran Kurdistan Oil Hormuz

Iraq was in contact with Iran to try to arrange passage for some of its oil tankers through the Strait of Hormuz, the country's oil minister told local media. A founding member of the OPEC cartel, crude oil sales make up 90 percent of Iraq's budget revenues. Before the outbreak of war on February 28, Iraq mainly shipped its ...