Middle East

U.K. Denies U.S. Use of Diego Garcia for Potential Iran Strikes

This is Beirut 19/02 23:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

United Kingdom United States Iran Military Diego Garcia

The U.K. is denying permission to U.S. use of bases on British territory to launch attacks against Iran, the British government expressed on Thursday. One of the U.K. bases, Diego Garcia in the Chagos Islands of the Indian Ocean, is a key strategic asset to U.S. military power projection in the Middle East and Asia. The base has been a ...

Trump at Board of Peace: ‘We Have to Solve the Problem of Lebanon’

This is Beirut 19/02 20:45 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump Board of Peace Lebanon Hezbollah

President Trump stated that the situation in Lebanon remains an obstacle for U.S. interests in the region, but is a relatively small problem compared to reconstruction in Gaza and the Iranian nuclear issue. “The only thing right now that’s standing in the way: we have Lebanon, with certain things that we’re working on that ...

Trump Announces $10 Billion Gaza Pledge as Board of Peace Holds Inaugural Meeting

This is Beirut 19/02 18:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Board of Peace Donald Trump United States Gaza

President Donald Trump announced that the U.S. would pledge $10 billion to the Board of Peace initiative aimed at supporting reconstruction and development in Gaza. Trump commented that “that number is a very small number when you look at that compared to the cost of war” He also stated that other countries have allocated $7 ...

Israel's Netanyahu Says No Reconstruction of Gaza Before Demilitarisation

This is Beirut 19/02 17:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Gaza Benjamin Netanyahu

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Thursday there would be no reconstruction of war-shattered Gaza before the disarmament of Hamas, as the "Board of Peace" convened for its inaugural meeting in Washington. Around two dozen world leaders and senior officials met for the first meeting of the board, which was set up after ...

Iran Will Face Response it 'Cannot Imagine' if it Attacks Israel: Netanyahu

This is Beirut 19/02 16:35 - Reading : less than a minute

Israel Iran

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu warned Thursday that Israel would retaliate forcefully against Iran if it launched an attack, after U.S. President Donald Trump again hinted at possible military action against Tehran. "If the ayatollahs make a mistake and attack us, they will receive a response they cannot even imagine," ...

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

This is Beirut 19/02 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 19/02 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 19/02 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 19/02 10:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hezbollah Lebanon Houthi Israel Tehran

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 19/02 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 ...