War in the Middle East

ExplainerThe Ben Gurion Canal Project: A Viable Alternative to the Suez Canal?

Paul Guillot 13/03 10:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

As geopolitical and economic issues in the Middle East continue to dominate global discussions, a concept from the 1960s is resurfacing: the Ben Gurion Canal project. Named after David Ben Gurion, Israel's first prime minister and a key figure in the creation of the Jewish state, this ambitious initiative proposes linking the Gulf of Aqaba at ...

Op-edA New Era of Peace? The Middle East at a Crossroads

This is Beirut 12/03 08:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Middle East Iran Israel Syria

For decades, the Middle East has been synonymous with conflict, instability, and geopolitical power struggles. From Lebanon to Iraq, Syria to Palestine, and beyond, the region has suffered the consequences of prolonged wars, economic turmoil, and external interventions. But today, a new chapter may be unfolding—one driven by decisive shifts in ...

Op-edMiddle East Peace Efforts Gain Momentum Under Trump Administration

This is Beirut 11/03 18:05 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Middle East Donald Trump Hezbollah Israel Lebanon

WASHINGTON—U.S. efforts to broker lasting peace in the Middle East appear to be gaining traction, with senior officials expressing optimism about the potential for historic agreements in the region. “We are looking forward to peace, and we are aiming for peace, and by the grace of God, this will be achieved, hopefully soon,” ...

Two Killed in Israeli Drone Strikes in Southern Lebanon

This is Beirut 11/03 13:50 - Reading : less than a minute

South Lebanon Israel

At least one person was killed on Tuesday in an Israeli drone strike targeting a car on the Deir Zahrani-Houmine el-Faouqa road in Lebanon’s Nabatiyeh caza. The identity of the target was revealed on Tuesday evening by the Israeli army's Arabic-speaking spokesman, Avichay Adraee, who stated that Hassan Abbas Ezzeddine, head of the air ...

Israeli Negotiators Head to Qatar for Gaza Truce Talks

This is Beirut 10/03 09:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Palestine Hamas Israel

Israel is due to send a delegation to Doha on Monday for a fresh round of talks on extending a fragile ceasefire in Gaza, after cutting off the electricity supply to ramp up pressure on Hamas. The first phase of the truce ended on March 1 with no agreement on subsequent stages that could secure a permanent end to the war, but both sides have ...

Israel Halts Gaza Electricity Supply Ahead of New Truce Talks

This is Beirut 09/03 18:35 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Israel Gaza Energy Eli Cohen

Israel ordered an immediate halt to Gaza's electricity supply Sunday in an effort to pressure Hamas into releasing the remaining hostages, even as it prepared for fresh talks on the future of its truce with the Palestinian militants. Israel's decision comes a week after it blocked all aid supplies to the war-battered territory, a move ...

Israel Launches Surprise Strikes Against Hezbollah's Sites in Southern Lebanon

This is Beirut 07/03 22:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Israel Strikes South Lebanon Security

Israeli warplanes launched a series of surprise airstrikes on multiple locations in the South on Friday evening. Around 20 airstrikes targeted several valleys and wooded areas on the outskirts of Zibqin, Beit Yahoun, al-Ayshiyya, al-Rihan, Ansar and al-Baysariyya. The strikes also hit Zaghrin Hill in Jabal al-Rihan, in the Jezzine area, ...

Houthis Threaten to Resume Sea Attacks if Aid to Gaza Remains Blocked

This is Beirut 07/03 21:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Yemen Israel Gaza Houthis

Yemen's Iran-backed Houthis will resume attacks on Israeli shipping if aid supplies to Gaza do not resume in four days, the movement’s leader said on Friday. "If the Israeli enemy continues after the first four days to prevent the entry of aid into the Gaza Strip... then we will resume our naval operations against the Israeli enemy," Abdulmalik ...

How the Center for a New Middle East Is Rethinking Regional Integration

This is Beirut 07/03 12:35 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

United States Donald Trump Steven Witkoff Middle East Peace

The American Jewish Committee (AJC) convened a high-level gathering in Washington, D.C., bringing together Trump Administration officials, diplomats, and thought leaders to launch the AJC Center for a New Middle East. The event underscored the organization's vision for fostering greater regional cooperation in the wake of the October 7 attacks and ...

Gaza: $53 Billion for a Fresh Start

Paul Guillot 07/03 10:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Cairo Egypt Gaza Arab Summit

The estimated cost to implement the reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, which was presented by Egypt and endorsed by the Arab leaders’ summit in Cairo on Tuesday, is $53 billion. This staggering figure – if someone earned $1 million per day, it would take them 145 years to accumulate $53 billion – reflects a comprehensive assessment of ...

Amnesty International Calls for War Crimes Investigation into Israeli Strikes in Lebanon

This is Beirut 06/03 17:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Hezbollah International Criminal Court Israel

Amnesty International called, on Wednesday, for an investigation into the Israeli army's attacks on healthcare facilities in southern Lebanon during the war with Hezbollah that began on October 8, 2023. “Israel’s unlawful attacks on medical facilities and personnel are not only serious violations of international humanitarian law and likely ...

France Backs Arab Plan for Gaza Reconstruction, Rejects Hamas Governance

This is Beirut 06/03 16:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Gaza Hamas France Palestinian Authority

France welcomed an Arab plan to rebuild the Gaza Strip under the future administration of the Palestinian Authority, adding Islamist militant group Hamas should be "entirely" excluded from running the territory. The proposal from Arab leaders "constitutes a serious and credible basis to respond to reconstruction, governance, and security needs ...