This is Beirut, 20/08 08:55 - Reading : 4 minute(s)
A senior Israeli official on Tuesday said the government stood firm on its call for the release of all hostages in any future Gaza ceasefire deal, after Hamas accepted a new truce proposal. Mediators are awaiting an official Israeli response to the plan, a day after Hamas signalled its readiness for a fresh round of talks ...
This is Beirut, 19/08 22:25 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Patriarch Rai Israel Lebanon Disarmament Weapons Peace
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Boutros Rai said on Tuesday that Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanon would facilitate the disarmament of Hezbollah, stressing that there is a firm national consensus on carrying out the decision to strip the group of its weapons. He noted that the Lebanese government’s stance is clear in confining all arms to the ...
This is Beirut, 19/08 21:34 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Israel Benjamin Netanyahu France Emmanuel Macron
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu upbraided President Emmanuel Macron in a letter seen by AFP on Tuesday, blaming the French leader's move to recognize a Palestinian state for fueling antisemitism. France slammed as "abject" and "erroneous" Netanyahu's accusation of antisemitism against President Emmanuel ...
Élie-Joe Kamel, 19/08 15:55 - Reading : 5 minute(s)
UN Security Council Hezbollah UNIFIL Lebanon Israel
Will UNIFIL’s presence in southern Lebanon be extended beyond August 31? The question is at the heart of diplomatic negotiations as the Security Council prepares to vote on August 25, while the mandate of the UN force expires at the end of the month. On Monday, the UN Security Council began debating a draft resolution presented by France to ...
Johnny Kortbawi, 19/08 14:30 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
Hezbollah Israel United Nations Tom Barrack Morgan Ortagus
Lebanon still has much to accomplish. Despite the government’s declarations, practical steps remain limited, leaving doubts about whether the country is honoring its commitments in the eyes of the international community. This was the core message conveyed during Tom Barrack and Morgan Ortagus’ meetings with Lebanese officials. The points ...
This is Beirut, 19/08 14:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Israel Joseph Aoun Lebanese Army UN Security Council lebanon UNIFIL
A week ahead of U.N. talks on extending UNIFIL’s mandate, and with some Security Council members questioning the usefulness of renewing the peacekeepers’ mission, President Joseph Aoun reaffirmed Lebanon’s commitment to maintaining the multinational force in the south “for as long as necessary” to fully implement UN Resolution ...
This is Beirut, 19/08 12:30 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Benjamin Netanyahu Hamas Israel Palestine United Nations
Mediators were awaiting an Israeli response Tuesday to a fresh Gaza ceasefire plan, a day after Hamas accepted the proposal and signalled its readiness for a new round of talks aimed at ending nearly two years of war. The foes have held on-and-off indirect negotiations throughout the war resulting in two short truces and the releases of Israeli ...
This is Beirut, 19/08 09:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Beirut Port Israel Imports Traffic Results
Despite Israel’s military escalation in Gaza and southern Lebanon, as well as Lebanon’s ongoing political, financial and social turmoil, the Port of Beirut continued to deliver strong results in the first half of 2025. According to Elie Zakhour, vice-president of the Arab Union of Maritime Navigation Chambers and former head of the ...
This is Beirut, 19/08 09:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
UN Security Council Hezbollah Israel United States UNIFIL
The United Nations Security Council began to debate Monday a resolution drafted by France to extend the UN peacekeeping force in south Lebanon for a year with the ultimate aim to withdraw it. Israel and the United States have reportedly opposed the renewal of the force's mandate, and it was unclear if the draft text has backing from Washington, ...
This is Beirut, 18/08 19:15 - Reading : 2 minute(s)
A senior Iranian official warned Monday that war with Israel could erupt at any moment, describing the current lull after June's 12-day conflict as only a temporary halt. "We must be prepared at every moment for confrontation; right now, we are not even in a ceasefire (agreement); we are in a cessation of hostilities," said First Vice President ...
Mario Chartouni, 18/08 17:55 - Reading : 3 minute(s)
Israel Syria Lebanon Borders Demarcation
Since mid-August, a viral social media video has shown a man claiming to represent “Syrian tribes” issuing a stark warning to Lebanon: “We will invade Lebanon within 48 hours if Syrian detainees are not released,” referring to Syrians held at Roumieh prison. The threat follows the death of a Syrian inmate on August 14, which sparked ...
This is Beirut, 18/08 14:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)
Beirut Port Hezbollah Israel lebanon August 4 William Noun
The families of the Beirut Port explosion victims denounced on Monday “certain paid voices affiliated with parties that have already threatened and obstructed the investigation.” They accused these groups of targeting William Noun, brother of firefighter Joe Noun, who was killed in the August 4 blast, with allegations of “collaboration with ...