War in the Middle East

Spain's PM Says Palestinian Recognition Is 'in Europe's Interest'
Spain's PM Says Palestinian Recognition Is 'in Europe's Interest'

Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez insisted on Wednesday that the recognition of a Palestinian state, long resisted by Israel and its key allies, is "in Europe's geopolitical interests." Sanchez warned that Israel's "disproportionate response" in the Gaza war with Hamas risks "destabilizing the Middle East, and as a consequence, the entire ...

Lázaro on the Occasion of Eid al-Fitr: The Danger of Escalation Is Real
Lázaro on the Occasion of Eid al-Fitr: The Danger of Escalation Is Real

UNIFIL Head of Mission and Force Commander Aroldo Lázaro cautioned on Wednesday that the danger of a serious escalation of the conflict along the Blue Line is "real." In a statement on the occasion of Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan, Lázaro called for the cessation of hostilities and a move towards a permanent ...

Khamenei Warns Israel 'Will Be Punished' After Consulate Attack
Khamenei Warns Israel 'Will Be Punished' After Consulate Attack

Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei warned Israel again on  Wednesday that it "will be punished" for a Damascus airstrike that killed seven Revolutionary Guards, two of them generals. "The evil regime made a mistake in this regard. It must be punished and will be punished," Khamenei said in a televised speech after Eid al-Fitr prayers ...

Biden Criticizes Israel's Handling of Gaza War as a 'Mistake'
Biden Criticizes Israel's Handling of Gaza War as a 'Mistake'

Biden called Israel's handling of the Gaza war a "mistake" on Tuesday night, as global outrage grows over the humanitarian situation. This comes as Netanyahu must prove, on Wednesday in front of Israeli Supreme Court, that he has taken steps to increase the flow of humanitarian aid.  US President Joe Biden issued some of his sternest criticism ...

IRGC-Allied Fighters Killed in Syria Knife Attack
IRGC-Allied Fighters Killed in Syria Knife Attack

Eight Syrian fighters working with Iran's Revolutionary Guards were killed Tuesday in a knife attack on their position in eastern Syria's Deir Ezzor province, a war monitor said. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said "unidentified armed individuals" raided the position in the Syrian desert, in the second deadly attack on pro-Iran fighters ...

US Labels Hamas Response to Ceasefire 'Less than Encouraging'
US Labels Hamas Response to Ceasefire 'Less than Encouraging'

The White House stated on Tuesday that the response by Hamas to proposals for a Gaza ceasefire and hostage deal at talks in Cairo has so far been "less than encouraging." "We've seen the public statements from Hamas that have been, shall we say, less than encouraging," National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan said, adding, however, that mediator ...

UNIFIL Fears War in Lebanon
UNIFIL Fears War in Lebanon

Six months after Hezbollah opened the southern front on October 8 in support of Hamas in the Gaza war, UNIFIL spokesman Andrea Tenenti expressed his fear that clashes between the pro-Iranian group and Israel “could intensify, leading to war.” “The situation on the Lebanese-Israeli border is worrying,” he said, in an interview with the ...

Gazan Granted Refugee Status in France
Gazan Granted Refugee Status in France

France has granted refugee status to a Gazan who claims to have been forced to flee Khan Younes in 2022 due to "persecution" by Hamas. He fled the Gaza Strip in 2022 to escape Hamas' "persecution" and was granted refugee status by the French National Asylum Court (CNDA), which since February has ruled that the territory was experiencing ...

War Diary: Day 186
War Diary: Day 186

From Gaza to Lebanon, This is Beirut brings you a daily recap of the war between Hamas and Israel and its repercussions on the region. Here are the main highlights for April 9th, 2024.

Israel Plans Tents for 500,000 Gazans Ahead of Rafah Offensive
Israel Plans Tents for 500,000 Gazans Ahead of Rafah Offensive

Israel is buying 40,000 tents to shelter almost half a million Gazans ahead of a ground attack on what it claims is Hamas' last bastion in Rafah, a government source said Tuesday. Israel has invited tenders for the tents, each housing 12 people, or some 480,000 people in total, according to the proposal published on the website of the defense ...

Israel Prepares Ahead of Rafah Invasion, as Cairo Talks Continue
Israel Prepares Ahead of Rafah Invasion, as Cairo Talks Continue

Israel continues strikes in Gaza on Tuesday as it begins preparations ahead of a future Rafah invasion, whilst Cairo negotiations continue. Israel bombed targets in Gaza on Tuesday after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu insisted the army will destroy Hamas despite ongoing Cairo talks toward a ceasefire and hostage deal. More than six months ...

Germany Rebukes Nicaragua's ICJ Claim Over Gaza Complicity
Germany Rebukes Nicaragua's ICJ Claim Over Gaza Complicity

Germany rebuked Nicaragua's claims in the ICJ on Tuesday that its arms transfer make it complicit to "genocide" in Gaza, claiming that Israel's security is at the "core" of German foreign policy. Israel's security is at the "core" of German foreign policy, the UN's highest court heard on Tuesday, where Berlin denied a claim that it is aiding in a ...