War in the Middle East

Israel Seizes Record Land Area in West Bank Amid Blinken's Visit
Israel Seizes Record Land Area in West Bank Amid Blinken's Visit

Israel reported the seizure of 800 hectares (1,977 acres) of land in the West Bank on Friday, deemed as "state lands" by Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich, marking the largest such action in decades. Israel reported Friday the seizure of 800 hectares (1,977 acres) of land in the occupied West Bank, which activists called the largest action of its ...

Blinken Heads to Israel Ahead of Key UN Ceasefire Vote
Blinken Heads to Israel Ahead of Key UN Ceasefire Vote

Antony Blinken will head to Israel on Friday to push for a ceasefire ahead of a key UN vote on the US' ceasefire resolution. Secretary of State Antony Blinken heads to Israel on Friday to press for a truce in Gaza, ahead of a key UN Security Council vote on a US draft resolution on the need for an "immediate" ceasefire. The United States ...

China Expressed Support for Gaza's Ceasefire Resolution
China Expressed Support for Gaza's Ceasefire Resolution

China expressed support on Friday for UN Security Council efforts to end the conflict in Gaza but refrained from explicitly stating whether it would back a US draft resolution calling for an immediate ceasefire. China said on Friday that it supported steps by the UN Security Council to end fighting in Gaza. It did not say whether Beijing, a ...

War Diary: Day 167
War Diary: Day 167

This is Beirut brings you a daily recap of the situation in Gaza. Here are the main highlights for March 21st, 2024.  

Collective Prayer at Jerusalem Western Wall for Israeli Hostages
Collective Prayer at Jerusalem Western Wall for Israeli Hostages

Several thousand people took part in a Jewish prayer at the Western Wall in Jerusalem on Thursday, in solidarity with the hostages held in Gaza since October 7. Jewish communities around the world were called upon to join in this  particular prayer, known as the Fast of Esther and broadcast live on the Internet, which culminates in a joint ...

Blinken Calls an All-Out Israeli Offensive on Rafah 'A Mistake'
Blinken Calls an All-Out Israeli Offensive on Rafah 'A Mistake'

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken said that a major military operation by Israel in Gaza's southernmost city of Rafah would be "a mistake." Blinken called on Thursday the looming ground offensive "unnecessary" in a joint press conference with his Egyptian counterpart in Cairo, adding, "There is a better way to deal with the ongoing threat ...

Blinken Resumes Middle East Tour and Calls for a Ceasefire
Blinken Resumes Middle East Tour and Calls for a Ceasefire

US Secretary of State Antony Blinken began his tour of the Middle East on Wednesday, his sixth visit to the region since October 7. The aim is to reach an agreement for a temporary pause in the fighting in order to facilitate the release of hostages held by Hamas. During his tour of the Middle East, Antony Blinken met Saudi leaders in Jeddah on ...

French Foreign Ministry Committed to Preventing War in Lebanon
French Foreign Ministry Committed to Preventing War in Lebanon

The French Foreign Ministry announced on Thursday its commitment to preventing escalation between Lebanon and Israel, stating that it is “actively engaged on all fronts to achieve this goal.” In an interview with the al-Hadath news channel, Christophe Lemoine, deputy spokesman for the French Foreign Ministry, emphasized France’s efforts ...

Violence Soars on Southern Front
Violence Soars on Southern Front

Attacks on the southern front intensified on Thursday as the Israeli army targeted civilian homes. Israeli airstrikes struck Mays al-Jabal, targeting a house in its eastern neighborhood first, followed by another in Ras al-Dahr. The towns of Tayr Harfa, Aita al-Shaab and Yaroun were also subjected to attacks. Warplanes also bombed the town of ...

Why Did Hezbollah Deploy Heavily in Dahyeh Yesterday?
Why Did Hezbollah Deploy Heavily in Dahyeh Yesterday?

In a scene that raised concern among residents, masked and armed members of Hezbollah deployed heavily on Wednesday night in Beirut’s southern suburb (Dahyeh), checking people’s identities in a move aimed at tightening control over the party’s stronghold. Security concerns are the main motive for Hezbollah’s heightened control amid its ...

Multiple Deaths in Israeli Attacks on West Bank
Multiple Deaths in Israeli Attacks on West Bank

The death toll rose to four on Thursday in an Israeli operation in the Nur Shams refugee camp in the occupied West Bank, the Palestinian Red Crescent said. "Palestine Red Crescent ambulance teams have just transported an 18-year-old young man who was killed by the Israeli occupation forces in Nur Shams camp," the group said on X, formerly ...

Unprecedented Move: US Resolution Calling For Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza
Unprecedented Move: US Resolution Calling For Immediate Ceasefire in Gaza

The US has presented a revised UN Security Council resolution, on Thursday, calling for an "immediate ceasefire tied to the release of hostages." The United States has circulated a draft UN Security Council resolution calling for an "immediate ceasefire linked to the release of hostages" in the Gaza Strip, Secretary of State Antony Blinken ...