Middle East

Graham: U.S. Decision on Iran “Has Been Made” as Military Buildup Accelerates

This is Beirut 12:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump Middle East Republicans Tehran United States Iran NuclearTalks

U.S. Senator Lindsey Graham said Wednesday that Washington has already taken its decision on Iran, signaling that military action is increasingly likely as American forces continue to deploy across the region and diplomatic talks show limited progress. Speaking in an interview with Sky News Arabia’s The Truth with Hadley Gamble, Graham ...

Trump Launches ‘Board of Peace’ as Gaza Plan Faces Scrutiny

This is Beirut 10:50 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Trump Gaza Israel BoardOfPeace USA

U.S. President Donald Trump is set to preside Thursday over the inaugural meeting of his newly created “Board of Peace,” his new institution focused on progress on Gaza but whose ambitions reach much further. The head of the Palestinian technocratic committee formed to handle day-to-day governance of Gaza, Ali Shaath, was in ...

Trump Has Discussed Timeline for Iran Strikes, but No Decision Yet

This is Beirut 10:20 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

USA Iran Trump Israel NuclearTalks

Senior U.S. national security officials have told President Donald Trump that the military could be ready to launch strikes against Iran as soon as Saturday, according to CBS News, as Washington intensifies pressure on Tehran amid faltering nuclear talks and mounting regional tensions. While Trump has not yet authorized any action, U.S. officials ...

Israeli Media: Iran Presses Hezbollah to Join a Future War

This is Beirut 10:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

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The newspaper Yedioth Ahronoth reported that Israeli assessments indicate Iran is pressuring Hezbollah to join any upcoming military confrontation against Israel, unlike what happened during the “12-day war,” when the group did not directly engage in the fighting. According to the newspaper, Tehran is seeking ...

U.S. to Withdraw All Troops From Syria, Officials Announced

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

United States Syria

U.S. officials announced on Wednesday that troops stationed in Syria will be completely withdrawn over the next two months, according to the Wall Street Journal. Currently, around 1,000 U.S. personnel are in Syria and will leave through a “deliberate and conditions-based transition,” the official said. They also commented that U.S. ...

Israel Says U.S.-Iran Nuclear Diplomacy in Doubt, Conflict May Break Out Soon

This is Beirut 18/02 20:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel United States Iran Nuclear Talks

Israeli officials have expressed doubt about the U.S.-Iran nuclear talks, believing that the outbreak of a conflict is imminent, according to Al Arabiya. According to the report, U.S. officials sent a briefing to Israel acknowledging that nuclear dialogue has reached an impasse, and that Iran may not consider making concessions on the ...

Lebanon Steps Up Diplomacy With Quintet as Paris Conference Nears

This is Beirut 18/02 17:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Quintet France Paris Conference

Lebanese officials hold meetings with quintet countries in preparation for the upcoming March 5 conference in Paris, aiming to increase support for the Lebanese Armed Forces. The conference, jointly led by France and Saudi Arabia, was planned to increase financial and logistical support to the LAF and internal security forces to strengthen ...

Iran, Russia to Conduct Joint Drills in the Sea of Oman

This is Beirut 18/02 16:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iran Russia Hormuz

Iran and Russia will conduct naval manoeuvres in the Sea of Oman on Thursday, following the latest round of talks between Tehran and Washington in Geneva, Iranian media reported. On Monday, the Revolutionary Guards, the ideological arm of Iran's military, also launched exercises in the strategic Strait of Hormuz, a challenge to US naval ...

Iran 'Drafting Framework to Advance' Future US Talks: FM Tells IAEA Chief

This is Beirut 18/02 16:25 - Reading : less than a minute

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Iran's top diplomat Abbas Araghchi said on Wednesday that Tehran was "drafting" a framework to advance future talks with Washington, during a phone call with the UN nuclear watchdog. In the call with IAEA chief Rafael Grossi, Araghchi "stressed the Islamic Republic of Iran's focus on drafting an initial and coherent ...

From Strategic Depth to Strategic Disruption: Hezbollah’s Next Move in Syria

Samar El-Kadi 18/02 15:15 - Reading : 6 minute(s)

Hezbollah Lebanon Damascus Israel LAU

Hezbollah is seeking to disrupt Syria’s security, according to the country’s authorities. They accused the Iran-backed group, which fought alongside Bashar Assad’s ousted regime, of providing weapons to a cell that conducted rocket attacks on Damascus’s Mazzeh district. The authorities said they seized weapons, including several drones ...

IDF Adopts Offensive Stance Against Hezbollah in Southern Lebanon: Report

This is Beirut 18/02 14:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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According to Israeli media, Israel’s military has shifted to a more aggressive operational approach in southern Lebanon, citing intelligence that Hezbollah is using civilian reconstruction projects to rebuild military infrastructure near the border. Northern Command Chief General Rafi Milo ordered the new policy, which includes targeting ...

Major U.S.‑Israel Military Operation Against Iran Could Be Imminent: Report

This is Beirut 18/02 14:10 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Israel Trump USA Netanyahu Iran NuclearTalks

Israeli officials say preparations are underway for a potential war with Iran within days, as U.S. President Donald Trump escalates military pressure on Tehran while warning that diplomacy may be nearing its limit. Two Israeli officials told Axios that Tel Aviv is bracing for a rapid deterioration of the standoff, assuming indirect nuclear talks ...