War in the Middle East

Iran Denies Links to Jordan-Syria Strike That Killed US Troops
Iran Denies Links to Jordan-Syria Strike That Killed US Troops

On Monday, January 29, Tehran denied any involvement in the drone attack that killed three American soldiers on the Syria-Jordan border the previous day. The attack had been claimed by Iranian-affiliated groups. Iran denied US and British accusations that it supported militant groups behind a drone strike in Jordan that killed three US military ...

Southern Lebanon: Hezb-Israel Clashes Intensify
Southern Lebanon: Hezb-Israel Clashes Intensify

After a night marked by heightened tensions, the southern front remains on edge as Hezbollah and Israel continue their attacks. On Monday morning, Hezbollah announced that it had targeted the Branit barracks with Burkan missiles. They also declared they had targeted the Hadb Yarin and Birkat Risha sites just after midnight on Sunday. Late Sunday ...

The Dilemmas of Open-Ended Conflicts
The Dilemmas of Open-Ended Conflicts

The most intriguing feature of this war is its mutating complexion and overlapping dynamics drawing on the open-ended conflicts of an imploded Middle East. The strategic overstretch of Iranian power politics seems boundless and puts at stake the future of peace in the region. Far from being circumscribed to Gaza, this conflict questions the future ...

'Intense Fighting' in Khan Younes, 'Constructive' Meeting in Paris
'Intense Fighting' in Khan Younes, 'Constructive' Meeting in Paris

The war between Israel and Hamas entered its 114th day on Sunday, January 28. While fighting rages in Khan Younes, a new round of negotiations was held in Paris. Deadly fighting on Sunday pitted the Israeli army against Palestinian Hamas in Khan Younes, the epicenter in the southern Gaza Strip of the war ravaging the small Palestinian territory, ...

War Diary: Day 114
War Diary: Day 114

This Is Beirut brings you a daily recap of the situation in southern Lebanon and Gaza. Here are the main highlights for January 28, 2024.

Deadly Drone Strike Against US Base on Syria-Jordan Border
Deadly Drone Strike Against US Base on Syria-Jordan Border

Three American soldiers were killed and others wounded in a drone strike against a military installation at the Syrian-Jordanian border on Sunday, January 28. A drone attack on a base located at the Syrian-Jordanian border killed three American troops on Sunday, with President Joe Biden blaming Iran-backed militants and vowing to hold the ...

Kerem Shalom Border Crossing Closed After Protests
Kerem Shalom Border Crossing Closed After Protests

Israel's Kerem Shalom crossing, used daily by trucks carrying humanitarian aid, was closed by demonstrators on Sunday, January 28. The Israeli army subsequently declared it a "closed military zone." Israeli protesters blocked humanitarian aid trucks from entering the war-torn Gaza Strip on Sunday, forcing the lorries to turn around at a border ...

Israeli Delegation in Paris for Talks on Hostage Release
Israeli Delegation in Paris for Talks on Hostage Release

A high-profile Israeli delegation arrived in Paris on Sunday for key negotiations on the release of abductees by Hamas on October 7, joining other international figures including Qatar, Egypt, and the US. The Israeli delegation, led by Mossad chief David Barnea and Shin Bet head Ronan Bar,  will held talks in Paris on Sunday evening with the ...

Southern Lebanon: Anticipation and Extreme Caution
Southern Lebanon: Anticipation and Extreme Caution

A rather tense calm prevailed on Sunday morning in southern Lebanon, marked by anticipation and extreme caution. An Israeli drone targeted a commercial establishment, Bilal Ghayth Cooperative, at the intersection of Tayr Harfa – Jebbine in southern Lebanon early this morning, causing significant damage to it along with neighboring ...

Rai: We Don't Want to Be Scapegoats for a Culture of Death
Rai: We Don't Want to Be Scapegoats for a Culture of Death

More and more voices are being raised in Lebanon to denounce Hezbollah's actions, whose policy is based on "Iran and the resistance first" and "whatever is good for the resistance is good for Lebanon." During his Sunday sermon in Bkerke, Maronite Patriarch Bechara al-Rai condemned the murderous and destructive venture into which the pro-Iranian ...

UN Chief Appeals Donors to Sustain Aid to Gaza
UN Chief Appeals Donors to Sustain Aid to Gaza

The UN chief urged donor states to ensure aid reaches Gaza after some halted funding to the UNRWA over accusations of staff involvement in the October 7 attacks, while the UN agency fired suspected members. While the row over accusations of some UNRWA's staff involvement in Hamas's October 7 attack on Israel deepened, UN chief António Guterres ...

Persistent Fighting in Khan Younis, New Mediation Efforts
Persistent Fighting in Khan Younis, New Mediation Efforts

The war between Israel and Hamas entered its 113th day on Saturday, January 27. While in Gaza, Khan Younes remains the epicenter of the fighting, the Israeli government is now lashing out at the UN agency for Palestinian refugees (UNRWA). Deadly fighting between the Israeli army and Hamas raged on Saturday in the southern Gaza Strip, where ...