Middle East

Graham Cuts Haykal Meeting Short After LAF Chief Refuses to Label Hezbollah Terrorist

This is Beirut 00:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon United States Rodolphe Haykal Lindsay Gram Hezbollah

Lebanese Armed Forces Chief of Defense Gen. Rodolphe Haykal’s Thursday meeting with Senator Lindsay Graham ended early after Haykal stated that he did not consider Hezbollah a terrorist organization. In a post on X describing his meeting, Graham stated that “I asked [Haykal] if he believes Hezbollah is a terrorist organization. He ...

Israeli Strikes Target Alleged Hezbollah Positions in Jezzine and Hasbaya Districts

This is Beirut 05/02 18:10 - Reading : less than a minute

Israel Hezbollah Lebanon Strikes

Israeli aircraft struck sites in al-Mahmoudiya and Wadi Barghaz in southern Lebanon’s Jezzine and Hasbaya districts on Thursday targeting alleged Hezbollah positions. The IDF stated that the attack was carried out due to “Hezbollah’s repeated violations of the ceasefire understandings."

Iran Open to Discussing Missile, Proxy Issues Ahead of U.S. Talks in Muscat

This is Beirut 05/02 17:45 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iran United States Nuclear Talks

Iranian officials have indicated on Thursday that they have agreed to discuss the ballistic missile and proxy group issues at Friday’s nuclear talks with U.S. officials in Muscat, Oman, according to the Jerusalem Post. On Wednesday, the U.S. briefly signaled that it would cancel talks with Iran, with a stated reason that Iranian officials ...

Iran Guards Seize Two Foreign-Crewed Tankers in Gulf: News Agency

This is Beirut 05/02 13:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Tehran Iran IRGC Gulf

Iran's Revolutionary Guards have seized two oil tankers with their foreign crews in Gulf waters for "smuggling fuel," the Tasnim news agency reported Thursday. It was not immediately clear what flags the tankers were carrying nor the nationalities of the crew. The seizures took place amid heightened tension after Washington dispatched a naval ...

Khamenei Adviser Sends Message to Hezbollah

This is Beirut 05/02 11:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iran Hezbollah Lebanon USIran

In remarks carried by state-affiliated media, Ali Akbar Velayati, a senior adviser to Iran’s Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, sent a message on Thursday to Hezbollah affirming Tehran’s willingness to face external threats. Velayati addressed the message to Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim Qassem following the death of Abdul Karim Nasrallah, ...

UN Warns Islamic State Threat Is Growing More Complex Worldwide

This is Beirut 05/02 11:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

UN ISIS CounterTerrorism Terrorism MiddleEast

The United Nations warned on Wednesday that the global threat posed by Islamic State has increased steadily since mid-2025 and is becoming more sophisticated, as the group adapts its tactics and expands its reach across multiple regions. Briefing the UN Security Council, Alexander Zuev, Acting Assistant Secretary-General at the UN Office of ...

Hezbollah Parliamentary Bloc Head Meets President Aoun in Bid to Ease Tensions

This is Beirut 05/02 11:05 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Lebanon Hezbollah Baabda Iran USA

Senior Hezbollah parliamentarian Mohammad Raad met President Joseph Aoun at the presidential palace on Thursday as Hezbollah moved to de-escalate its dispute with the presidency. The visit, requested by Raad himself, marks a notable shift in tone following a period of near-freeze between the two sides and comes amid heightened regional ...

Vance: Preventing Iran From Acquiring Nuclear Weapons Is a “Red Line”

This is Beirut 05/02 10:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

NuclearTalks Iran Vance Trump USIran USA

U.S. Vice President J.D. Vance said Wednesday that preventing Iran from obtaining nuclear weapons remains a top priority for Washington, stressing that President Donald Trump has repeatedly made clear that Tehran crossing that threshold would constitute a red line for the United States. Speaking on The Megyn Kelly Show, Vance said the Trump ...

U.S. to Resume Iran Nuclear Talks After Brief Cancellation Signal

This is Beirut 04/02 23:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

United States Iran Trump Oman Nuclear Talks

Senior U.S. officials said on Wednesday that they will proceed with plans to convene in Muscat, Oman on Friday to discuss the nuclear issue after reports earlier in the day signaled a cancellation of the talks. The U.S. has modified its position on the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks after nine Arab and Muslim countries lobbied for U.S. participation ...

Chevron Signs Agreement with Syria and Qatari Conglomerate for Syrian Energy Exploration

This is Beirut 04/02 19:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Syria United States Qatar Energy

Chevron has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Syrian Petroleum Company and UCC Holding, a Qatari conglomerate, on assessing offshore oil and gas exploration off Syria’s coast, according to a Reuters report on Wednesday. U.S. Syria envoy Tom Barrack also attended the signing of the agreement, signaling U.S. approval as the ...

Aoun Orders Inquiry Into Israel’s Spraying of Unknown Substance in South Lebanon

This is Beirut 04/02 18:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Lebanon Israel

President Joseph Aoun instructed the Lebanese Ministry of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday to investigate Israel’s spraying of an unknown substance on southern Lebanese land to document the violations for international bodies. He declared that “these dangerous practices…require the international community and relevant United ...

US-Iran Talks Expected in Oman, but Scope Under Discussion: Arab Diplomat

This is Beirut 04/02 16:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United States Iran Talks Oman

Talks between the United States and Iran are expected to take place in Oman, but the scope of the discussions still needs to be agreed, an Arab diplomat told AFP on Wednesday. "A meeting is requested in Oman by the Iranians, and the Americans have approved the location, but the parameters of discussions are still being worked on," the diplomat ...