This is Beirut 16/07 23:08 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Donald Trump Marco Rubio United States Syria
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Wednesday that an agreement had been reached to restore calm in Syria by the end of the day, describing the current situation as a “misunderstanding” following Israeli strikes on Damascus and southern Syria. “We have agreed on specific measures that will put an end to this troubling and ...
This is Beirut 16/07 22:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Syria Tom Barrack United States
The United States' special envoy for Syria on Wednesday called on all parties to step back and engage in dialogue for a lasting ceasefire in Syria following clashes with Druze factions in the south and Israeli strikes in Damascus. "We unequivocally condemn violence against civilians in Sweida... All parties must step back and engage in ...
This is Beirut 16/07 19:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
An emergency meeting in solidarity with the Druze of Sweida was held on Wednesday in the village of Sharoun, in the Aley district, at the invitation of the religious authority of the Druze community in Lebanon. Numerous dignitaries, religious leaders, and members of parliament gathered around the Sheikh Akl, Sami Abu el-Mona. In his ...
This is Beirut 16/07 19:00 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Israel bombed the Syrian army's headquarters in Damascus on Wednesday after warning the Islamist-led government to leave the country's Druze minority alone, as authorities announced a ceasefire in the community's southern heartland after deadly sectarian clashes. Syrian government forces entered the majority-Druze city of Sweida on ...
Mario Chartouni 16/07 19:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Damascus Syria Sweida Druzes
The majority-Druze city of Sweida in southern Syria has been thrust into an unprecedented spiral of violence since Sunday, as fierce clashes between the Syrian army, backed by Bedouin militias, and local Druze armed groups have escalated dramatically. The fighting has been marked by intense combat, summary executions, a deepening humanitarian ...
This is Beirut 16/07 18:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Lebanon Sweida Syria Walid Jumblatt Joseph Aoun
Israeli strikes on Damascus and escalating sectarian violence in Sweida on Wednesday drew sharp reactions from top Lebanese officials, who voiced strong condemnation and urged de-escalation. President Joseph Aoun condemned Israel’s strikes as "a flagrant violation of the sovereignty of a sister Arab state" and warned that continued aggression ...
Natasha Metni Torbey 16/07 15:55 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Lebanon Ceasefire Lebanese Army Benjamin Netanyahu Hezbollah
Sixty days—no more! That was the confident, oft-repeated promise declared at the signing of the ceasefire agreement between Lebanon and Israel in November 2024. This now-mythic deadline was then heralded as the decisive countdown to peace in Lebanon. What followed? Everything but peace: extensions, postponements, shifting timelines and a ...
This is Beirut 15/07 23:16 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Damascus Syria Sweida
Syrian authorities were accused on Tuesday of carrying out summary executions of civilians in the predominantly Druze province of Sweida, where Israel said it had launched strikes against government forces in defense of the religious minority. Damascus deployed troops to the area after clashes between Druze fighters and Bedouin tribes killed ...
This is Beirut 15/07 20:20 - Reading : less than a minute
Syria United States Tom Barrack
US diplomat Tom Barrack said Tuesday that deadly violence in Syria's southern province of Sweida was "worrisome" and that his government was working to restore calm in the country. "The recent skirmishes in Sweida are worrisome on all sides, and we are attempting to come to a peaceful, inclusive outcome for Druze, Bedouin ...
Mario Chartouni 15/07 16:40 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Lebanon Hezbollah UN Security Council UNIFIL
With its mandate set to expire on August 31, 2025, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) is once again facing scrutiny over its effectiveness in fulfilling its mission. Enlarged under UN Security Council Resolution 1701 in 2006 to prevent the presence of armed groups south of the Litani River, UNIFIL has struggled to enforce its ...
Philippe Abi-Akl 15/07 08:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
Nawaf Salam Lebanon Hezbollah Thomas Barrack Nabih Berri Joseph Aoun
As US envoy Thomas Barrack prepares for a potential third visit to Beirut on July 28, Lebanon stands at a critical juncture. Barrack is expected to deliver Washington’s official response to Lebanon’s recent proposal—alongside the “miracle solution” he hinted at before his last departure. At the heart of Lebanon’s plan is a coordinated ...
This is Beirut 14/07 22:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Negotiations are underway between Syrian authorities and Druze representatives in southern Syria to halt the fighting that has left around 100 people dead, one of the main Druze armed groups told AFP on Monday evening. Syrian government forces are advancing toward the city of Sweida, held by Druze fighters, following clashes since Sunday with ...