Middle East

Ankara Says Patriot Defenses Being Deployed in Central Turkey After Latest Iran Missile

This is Beirut 09:55 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Turkey Iran USA Israel RegionalConflict NATO

Turkey said Tuesday a Patriot missile defense system was being deployed in the country's center, a day after NATO intercepted a second ballistic missile fired from Iran in Turkish airspace. "Necessary measures are being taken for the security of our borders and airspace, and consultations are being held with NATO and our allies. In addition to ...

Strike Blamed on U.S. Kills Four Iran-Backed Fighters in Iraq: Armed Group

This is Beirut 09:00 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Middle East Saudi Arabia Tehran United Arab Emirates

Four fighters from the Tehran-backed Kataeb Imam Ali group were killed on Tuesday in air strikes blamed on the US in northern Iraq, the armed faction announced. The group said its fighters were killed in "American aggression" against their position in the Debs district of Kirkuk province. The bombing targeted a position that belongs to ...

One Week of Escalation between Israel and Hezbollah

This is Beirut 08:20 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel Lebanon Syria

On the morning of Monday March 2, Hezbollah opened fire against Israel, reigniting the Israel-Hezbollah front in support of Iran. Israel Strikes Targets in Lebanon The Lebanese Health Ministry’s casualties toll for the week totaled at least 486 people killed and at least 1313 people injured since last Monday’s escalation. The Israeli ...

War in the Middle East: Casualty Figures from Across the Region

This is Beirut 05:35 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Middle East Iran Israel Lebanon Gulf

Since the US and Israel unleashed strikes on Iran on February 28, war has spread across the region and casualties have been reported in countries across the Middle East. Due to reporting restrictions, AFP has not been able to independently verify all of the following tolls. The figures are based on numbers released by governments, militaries, ...

Syria Accuses Hezbollah of Firing Shells into its Territory

This is Beirut 05:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Syria Lebanon Hezbollah

Syria said Iran-backed Hezbollah had fired artillery shells into its territory from Lebanon overnight, state media reported on Tuesday, amid the ongoing conflict between Israel and the Lebanese Shia movement. Syrian army officials said artillery shells fired from Lebanon landed near the town of Serghaya, west of Damascus, the state news agency ...

Iraq Welcomes the Appointment of Iran's New Supreme Leader

This is Beirut 09/03 22:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hezbollah Middle East Tehran USA

Iraq's Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani welcomed on Monday the appointment of Mojtaba Khamenei as Iran's new supreme leader after his predecessor and father was killed in US and Israeli strikes. "We express our confidence in the ability of the new leadership in the Islamic Republic of Iran to manage this critical stage," ...

Hezbollah Says No Choice But 'Resistance', Self-Defense

This is Beirut 09/03 21:10 - Reading : less than a minute

Hezbollah Israel Joseph Aoun

The head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc Mohamed Raad vowed to continue fighting Israel "whatever the cost", on Monday, in remarks broadcast by Hezbollah's Al-Manar TV. Defending his party, and blasting the Lebanese government, Raad said the group's goal is to "to drive the enemy out of our occupied land... And quite plainly, we have no other ...

Lebanon President Accuses Hezbollah of Working to 'Collapse' State

This is Beirut 09/03 20:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Lebanon Hezbollah Israel Joseph Aoun Middle East

Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Monday accused Hezbollah of working to "collapse" the state and expressed Beirut's readiness for "direct negotiations" with Israel, drawing the backing of his Syrian counterpart for his goal of disarming the Iran-backed group. Lashing out at Hezbollah over its March 2 attack against ...

Hezbollah Says Targeted Israeli Base Near Tel Aviv with Missiles

This is Beirut 09/03 20:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Hezbollah Israel

Hezbollah said on Monday that it had targeted the Israeli Home Front Command base in Ramla, near Tel Aviv, with "advanced missiles" as the war between the pro-Iranian group and Israel hit the one-week mark. In a statement, the group said it had targeted the base with a "salvo of advanced missiles" in response to "the ...

Lebanon Says 486 Killed by Israeli Strikes Since Last Monday

This is Beirut 09/03 19:20 - Reading : less than a minute

Lebanon

The toll from Israeli strikes on Lebanon rose to 486 people killed and 1,313 wounded since the start of fighting last week, the Lebanese health ministry said Monday. "The toll of the Israeli aggression from dawn on Monday, March 2, until Monday afternoon, March 9, has risen to 486 martyrs and 1,313 wounded," the ministry said in a ...

NATO Intercepts Second Iran Missile in Turkish Airspace

This is Beirut 09/03 18:10 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Tehran Turkey

NATO said it shot down a second ballistic missile fired from Iran in Turkish airspace on Monday, prompting a stern warning from Turkey to Tehran not to take "provocative steps". It was the second such incident in the skies over NATO member Turkey in five days, leading the alliance to stress its readiness "to defend all allies ...

Op-edIsrael’s Goals and Challenges in the New Hezbollah War

Seth J. Frantzman 09/03 16:20 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel Lebanon Hamas Joseph Aoun

Hezbollah’s opening of a front from Lebanon in support of Iran was not a surprise for Israel, which is again discussing the forcible dismantling of the organization. It remains unclear whether Lebanon is ready to disarm Hezbollah, and whether Israel will be able to do so itself. The new war is escalating, one that Israel and Hezbollah have ...