This is Beirut

Turkey Foils Attempt to Smuggle 'Explosive Pagers’ Into Lebanon

This is Beirut, 11:15 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Turkish intelligence services have reportedly thwarted an attempt to smuggle booby-trapped electronic equipment into Lebanon, allegedly intended to target Hezbollah members, according to a detailed report published by Turkish media platform ODATV. The report claims that the National Intelligence Organization (MIT) intercepted a high-risk shipment ...

Syria: Ethno-National Imbroglios and State Formation

Charles Chartouni, 05/05 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Syria Israel Turkey Iran Iraq

The recent clashes between the Syrian Druze community and the newly formed government in Damascus betray the inconsistencies of the current transition in Syria and its pitfalls. However positive the ongoing political evolutions in Syria are, they are still thwarted by major ideological and strategic hurdles that have prevented the actual ...

Could Syria Break Again? The Ghost of Civil War and Israel’s Strategic Calculus

Salam El Zaatari, 01/05 09:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Syria Israel Turkey

In the swirling dust of a broken Syria, the ghosts of war aren’t just whispering, they’re knocking loudly on the door. Just months after the fall of Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, Syria appears to be at a crossroads: Will it finally stumble its way into fragile unity, or will it fracture further into sectarian enclaves and foreign ...

Powerful 6.2-Magnitude Quake Hits off Istanbul Coast

This is Beirut, 23/04 16:29 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Turkey

More than 50 aftershocks rocked the Istanbul region after a powerful 6.2 magnitude earthquake struck the Sea of Marmara just to the south of Turkey's biggest city on Wednesday, the interior minister said. "By 3:12 pm (1512 GMT), 51 aftershocks -- the largest of which was 5.9 magnitude -- had been recorded," Interior Minister Ali ...

Turkey and Israel Hold Talks to Ease Syria Tensions Amid Ongoing Gaza Rift

This is Beirut, 10/04 16:35 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Turkey Israel Syria

Turkey and Israel have started talks aimed at easing tensions over Syria, officials from both sides said Thursday. Israel has launched air strikes and ground incursions to keep Syrian forces away from its border. Turkey is a key backer of the Islamist-led coalition in Syria that toppled Bashar al-Assad in December. Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan ...

Turkey Holds 'Technical Talks' with Israel to Ease Syria tensions

This is Beirut, 10/04 09:00 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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Turkey is holding technical-level talks with Israel to ease tensions over Syria but is not moving toward normalising ties, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan said Wednesday. Turkey is a key backer of the Islamist-led coalition in Syria that toppled Bashar al-Assad in December after almost 14 years of civil war. Its influence has worried Israel, which ...

HTS: The Syrian Salvation Government and the Formation of a Proto-State

Marie de La Roche Saint-André, 09/04 13:05 - Reading : 7 minute(s)

Damascus Hezbollah Turkey idlib HTS

Before gaining control of significant parts of Syria following a swift assault on Bashar al-Assad’s forces, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) had spent several years establishing a proto-state model in the region of Idlib. This experiment in governance mirrored the group’s ideological transformation over time. The Takeover of the Idlib ...

HTS: From a War Economy to a Fully-Functioning State

Marie de La Roche Saint-André, 09/04 12:50 - Reading : 7 minute(s)

Turkey idlib HTS Syria jolani

After seizing control of most of the Idlib region, Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) evolved from a mere Islamist group into a de facto governing authority responsible for millions of civilians. It was thus forced to rebuild an economy ravaged by years of war while also shifting the sources of its internal funding. Following Jabhat al-Nusra’s split ...

Football: Young Lebanese Girls Delight Against Jamaica

Makram Haddad, 09/04 10:20 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Football Jamaica Turkey

They swallowed them whole. Like sweeping aside a sparring partner too soft. The young Lebanese players walked all over Jamaica (4-1), during the last day of the first round of the UEFA friendly tournament in Turkey. A show of strength that propels them towards an enticing classification match against the Turkish hosts, on Wednesday, for 5th ...

US and Russia to Meet Thursday in Istanbul on Restoring Embassy Operations

This is Beirut, 08/04 23:10 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

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The United States and Russia will hold talks on Thursday in Istanbul on restoring some of their embassy operations that have been drastically scaled back following Moscow's invasion of Ukraine, the US State Department said. The talks, the second of their kind, come after President Donald Trump reached out to Russia following the start of his ...

Why is The NBA Eyeing Europe?

This is Beirut, 08/04 13:50 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

Europe USA Middle East Turkey Washington

The NBA has said it is "exploring" the creation of a professional basketball league in Europe, but the plans remain vague and raise many questions. The first is why is the powerful US league taking this step? How does it intend to make money? And is the EuroLeague, the home of Europe's best clubs, doomed to a marriage of convenience? Why has the ...

Trump Says Can 'Work Out' Israel-Turkey Tensions Over Syria

This is Beirut, 08/04 09:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump Israel Turkey Syria

US President Donald Trump on Monday touted himself as a mediator between Israel and Turkey in their struggle over politically fragile Syria, where both countries are jostling for influence. Trump, speaking alongside key ally Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu at the White House, touted his "great relations" with Turkish leader Recep Tayyip ...