Arab World

UN Security Council Makes Historic First Visit to Syria Ahead of Assad Ouster Anniversary

This is Beirut 04/12 19:23 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

A United Nations Security Council delegation arrived in Syria on Thursday, state media reported, the first-ever visit to the country just days before the anniversary of the ousting of longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad. The delegation arrived via the Jdeidet Yabus border crossing between Lebanon and Syria and "is scheduled to meet a number of Syrian ...

Iran Guards Warn US Vessels During Drill in Gulf

This is Beirut 04/12 16:10 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Gulf USA Israel Tehran United States

Iran's Revolutionary Guards Corps on Thursday kicked off naval wargames in the Gulf, issuing warnings to US warships in the area, more than five months after the 12-day war with Israel that briefly drew in American forces. State TV said the drill showcases the "sacrifice and spirit of resistance" of the IRGC's naval forces ...

Key Hamas Rival, Yasser Abu Shabab, Killed in Gaza

This is Beirut 04/12 15:10 - Reading : less than a minute

Yasser Abou Shabab Gaza Hamas

Yasser Abu Shabab, leader of the Popular Forces and one of Hamas’s main rivals in Gaza, was killed on Thursday under unclear circumstances. Israeli media provided conflicting accounts: some reported the killing was carried out by Hamas members, while others claimed he died in family clashes in Gaza or from fire by members of his own group, ...

VideosDaraya Rises Again

This is Beirut 04/12 14:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Syria Daraya Memory

Daraya, just seven kilometers from Damascus, was once the city of roses and workshops, a symbol of creativity and spirit. In 2011, its residents greeted soldiers from the Assad regime with flowers during peaceful demonstrations. The response was a massacre, followed by a four-year siege that emptied the city of its 250,000 inhabitants. Destroyed ...

Iraq Reverses Hezbollah, Houthi Asset Freeze, Calls It ‘Mistake'

This is Beirut 04/12 11:25 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hezbollah Lebanon Banks Gulf United Kingdom Iraq Houthis

Iraq's central bank on Thursday said the appearance of Lebanon's Hezbollah and Yemen's Houthis on a frozen assets list was a mistake, and ordered the correction of the official announcement, according to a document seen by AFP. An official gazette issue dated November 17 published a decision about Iraq freezing the assets of ...

Israel Says Received Presumed Remains of Gaza Hostage

This is Beirut 03/12 18:57 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel Hamas Gaza Hostages

Israel announced Wednesday it had received hostage remains found in Gaza from the Red Cross, which were being transported to the morgue for identification. It comes as the US-brokered ceasefire between Israel and Hamas remains fragile, with both sides accusing each other of violating the terms. Under the first phase of the deal, which came into ...

Israel Says to Allow Gazans to Exit to Egypt 'in Coming Days'

This is Beirut 03/12 18:09 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Israel Gaza Egypt

Israel said on Wednesday it would open the Rafah crossing from Gaza to Egypt to allow residents to exit the Palestinian territory "in the coming days," but Egypt denied such a deal with Israel. "In accordance with the ceasefire agreement... the Rafah Crossing will open in the coming days exclusively for the exit of residents from ...

Syrian Security Forces Foil Hezbollah Landmine Smuggling Operation

This is Beirut 03/12 12:05 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Syria Hezbollah Lebanon

Syrian authorities said on Wednesday they had killed a man and arrested four others who were attempting to smuggle hundreds of landmines to Hezbollah. In a statement, the interior ministry said it launched a raid in Al-Jebbe, near the capital Damascus, during which "four people were arrested and a fifth neutralized after a clash." Khaled Abbas ...

Iran: Tehran dams reach critical levels

This is Beirut 03/12 09:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Iran Climate change Drought Tehran

The water level in Tehran’s dams and those in its surrounding areas is less than half of what it was last year due to a historic drought, according to state media, as Iranian authorities warn of the risk of shortages. Iran is facing its worst drought in six decades this year, and in Tehran, the capital, the low level of rainfall is “almost ...

Saudi Powers Forward with Deficit Spending to Fund Reforms

This is Beirut 02/12 22:05 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Saudi Arabia

Saudi Arabia greenlit its 2026 budget Tuesday, projecting a deficit of 165 billion riyals ($44 billion) as the kingdom presses on with an ambitious spending drive to diversify its oil-dependent economy. The Arab world's largest economy is overseeing a major push to slash its dependence on oil revenues, with officials pouring billions into ...

Pope Plans Trip to Africa, Starting with Algeria

This is Beirut 02/12 18:50 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Pope Leo XIV Africa Algeria

Wrapping up his first international trip as pontiff, Pope Leo XIV said Tuesday he would like to visit Algeria in 2026 as part of a voyage to Africa, which could be his next overseas destination. "I hope to make a trip to Africa, which could be my next trip," the US pope said during a press conference aboard the papal plane during his return from ...

Israel Police Say Received Presumed Remains of One of Last Two Gaza Hostages

This is Beirut 02/12 17:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Israel Gaza Hamas

Israeli police said Tuesday they had received the presumed remains of one of the last two deceased hostages in the Gaza Strip and were transporting them to the morgue for identification. In a brief statement, the police said they were "currently escorting, with reverence, the coffin of the fallen hostage to the National Centre of Forensic ...