This is Beirut

Hezbollah Shifts from Military Tactics, Targeting Media, Opinion Leaders

Michael al-Andary, 2024-12-09 15:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Damascus Hezbollah Israel Lebanese Forces Palestine USA

Hezbollah appears to be pivoting its strategy from direct military confrontation with Israel to targeting journalists and opinion leaders in Lebanon. This shift was highlighted recently by the assault on journalist Daoud Rammal, who was attacked by suspected Hezbollah members while visiting his parent's grave in Doueir, located in the ...

Lebanon and Syria: Seizing a Historic Moment

Michel Touma, 2024-12-09 12:00 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Damascus Lebanese Forces USA

A chapter of bloodshed and tyranny in Lebanon’s modern history has drawn to a close — a chapter defined by half a century of occupation and killing tyranny. However, today heralds a beacon of hope: an opportunity to seize this historic juncture and flip another equally somber page — the nearly century-long narrative of tumultuous and ...

Gemayel: 'It’s Time for Hezbollah to Surrender Weapons'

This is Beirut, 2024-12-08 19:55 - Reading : less than a minute

Hezbollah Lebanese Army USA Nadim Gemayel

On Sunday, MP Nadim Gemayel reaffirmed that “no one is above the Lebanese state” and that “there is no other option for Hezbollah but to surrender its weapons.” “Today, all statues of Assad, his brother, his father, and all his dynasty are falling to the dustbin of history, and we remain,” Gemayel stated during festivities in Sassine ...

Bashar al-Assad Ran Away… and Bashir Lives Forever in Us

Tarek Karam, 2024-12-08 19:40 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Hezbollah Kamal Joumblatt USA Bashir Gemayel Syria Bachar el-Assad

It is a dream realized. Today, we will not hide our joy. We will celebrate, cheer and roam the squares. We will gather in Sassine Square, the square of the martyred President Bashir Gemayel, to raise a toast in his honor. We will then pass by the statue of Samir Qassir in downtown Beirut and stop by An-Nahar newspaper to salute Gebran Tueni. From ...

Syrian Rebels Engage Kurdish Forces in Manbij With Turkish Support

This is Beirut, 2024-12-08 12:00 - Reading : less than a minute

USA Syria SDF

Turkish-backed Syrian National Army’s fighters announced they had entered the northern Syrian town of Manbij on Sunday, while the Kurdish-led, US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces withdrew from it, according to rebel officials interviewed by Reuters. SNA claimed to have launched an attack against the Kurdish-led, US-backed Syrian Democratic ...

The Assad Dynasty in Syria: Autocratic Legacy, Repression and Challenges

Alissar Boulos, 2024-12-08 10:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Damascus Donald Trump Hezbollah Tehran Turkey USA

Syria has been under the rule of the Assad dynasty for more than half a century. Hafez al-Assad, the founder, seized power in 1970, followed by his son Bashar, who took control in 2000 after his father's death. Belonging to the Alawite minority, the Assads established an autocratic regime over a predominantly Sunni population, portraying ...

Unholy Alliance: The Dark Forces of Iran and Russia Undermining the Middle East

Amal Chmouny, 2024-12-07 09:00 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Iran Russia USA Middle East Washington

The relationship between Russia and Iran has always piqued interest, often characterized as a unique alliance shaped by the complex geopolitics of the Middle East. This partnership has been notably reinforced through their mutual support for the Assad regime in Syria, enabling both nations to strengthen their military and economic connections. ...

Year-End Celebrations: Resilience Amid Echoes of War

Christiane Tager, 2024-12-06 13:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel USA

Year-end festivities in Lebanon are expected to unfold in a gloomy atmosphere, driven by regional instability and the conflict between Hezbollah and Israel. The war has cast a shadow over the country, where tension is still palpable. Despite the challenges and lingering echoes of war in southern Lebanon and in Syria, the Lebanese are holding on ...

South Korean Ruling Party Says ‘Dangerous’ President Must Go

This is Beirut, 2024-12-06 09:30 - Reading : 5 minute(s)

USA South Korea

South Korea's ruling party chief demanded Friday that President Yoon Suk Yeol be stripped of office, warning there was a "significant risk" he could try to impose martial law again. Yoon late Tuesday declared martial law before being forced into a U-turn after lawmakers dramatically faced down soldiers at parliament and voted to overturn the ...

Samy Gemayel Warns of Internal Rifts if Hezbollah Retains Arms

This is Beirut, 2024-12-05 23:40 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Hezbollah Israel USA Kataëb Samy Gemayel

The head of the Kataeb party, MP Samy Gemayel, affirmed on Thursday that Lebanon can no longer coexist with Hezbollah’s weapons and hegemony over political life, warning of internal rifts. “Hezbollah can decide either to drag Lebanon into more woes or to open a new page, and this is what we hope for. If Hezbollah insists on its logic, ...

US and French Monitoring Committee Delegates Meet Berri and Mikati

This is Beirut, 2024-12-05 16:30 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Ceasefire Israel Lebanese Army USA France Hezbollah

Prior to taking up his duties, General Guillaume Ponchan, the head of the French military delegation in the five-member committee in charge of monitoring the ceasefire between Lebanon and Hezbollah, met with Caretaker Prime Minister Najib Mikati on Thursday. During the meeting, which was attended by French Ambassador to Lebanon Herve Magro, ...

Bitcoin Surges past $100,000 Valuation for First Time

This is Beirut, 2024-12-05 10:55 - Reading : 1 minute(s)

Donald Trump USA Bitcoin Korea

Bitcoin burst past $100,000 for the first time Thursday, while Seoul stocks slipped as South Korea's president faced impeachment after his brief imposition of martial law this week. After hovering around the mid-$90,000 mark in recent weeks, the popular cryptocurrency finally shattered the historic level in Asia after incoming US president Donald ...

USA