Middle East

Netanyahu Admits Israel Supporting Anti-Hamas Armed Group in Gaza

This is Beirut 06/06 13:20 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Nawaf Salam Benjamin Netanyahu Hamas Palestine Abu Shabab

Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu admitted that Israel is supporting an armed group in Gaza that opposes the militant group Hamas, following comments by a former minister that Israel had transferred weapons to it. Israeli and Palestinian media have reported that the group Israel has been working with is part of a local Bedouin tribe led by Yasser ...

Russia Pummels Kyiv in Deadly Attack after Putin Retaliation Vow

This is Beirut 06/06 12:11 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Kyiv Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Vladimir Putin

Moscow launched dozens of missiles and hundreds of drones at Ukraine early Friday, killing at least three people in Kyiv, after President Vladimir Putin vowed retaliation for an audacious Ukrainian attack on Russian airbases. AFP journalists heard air raid sirens and explosions ring out in Kyiv throughout the night as Ukrainian air defence ...

ExclusiveHale to This Is Beirut: Lebanon Should Seize the Opportunity of Peace

Tylia El Helou 06/06 10:00 - Reading : less than a minute

Nawaf Salam Lebanon Hezbollah Peace Iran United States Donald Trump

Former Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs and former US Ambassador to Lebanon David Hale spoke to This is Beirut about the possibility of brokering peace with Israel and the repercussions of the US-Iranian nuclear deal, as well as the situation in Syria.

Trump, Xi Hold Long-Awaited phone Call on Trade War

This is Beirut 06/06 09:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Donald Trump USA Ukraine China Xi Jinping

US President Donald Trump and Chinese leader Xi Jinping spoke Thursday, with both sides agreeing to talks to prevent an all-out trade war over tariffs and global rare earth supplies. Trump said the call reached a "very positive conclusion" and that they agreed to meet in person -- but Beijing issued a more muted readout saying that Xi spoke of a ...

Court Blocks Trump's New Ban on Foreign Students at Harvard

This is Beirut 06/06 09:35 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

Donald Trump USA Harvard

A court on Thursday put a temporary stay on Donald Trump's latest effort to stop foreign students from enrolling at Harvard, as the US president's battle with one of the world's most prestigious universities intensified. A proclamation issued by the White House late Wednesday sought to bar most new international students at Harvard from entering ...

Trump and Musk Alliance Melts Down in Blazing Public Row

This is Beirut 06/06 08:55 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Donald Trump USA Elon Musk

Donald Trump and Elon Musk's unlikely political marriage exploded in a fiery public divorce Thursday, with the US president threatening to strip the billionaire of his huge government contracts in revenge. Trump said in a televised Oval Office diatribe that he was "very disappointed" after his former aide and top donor criticized his "big, ...

Spider’s Web: Drones and AI Transforming the Ukrainian Conflict

Mario Chartouni 05/06 19:55 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Ukraine Volodymyr Zelensky Kyiv Russia Spider's Web

Ukraine’s covert “Spider’s Web” operation, launched last Sunday, marks a significant shift in the Russo-Ukrainian war. Using advanced kamikaze drones, Kyiv struck four Russian air bases located thousands of kilometers behind enemy lines, reportedly destroying over 40 military aircraft and causing an estimated $7 billion in damage. In an ...

SpotlightIn Gaza, the Shadow of a Hamas Rival Gains Ground

Mario Chartouni 05/06 14:30 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Hamas United Nations Gaza Yasser Abu Shabab

As Hamas’s uncompromising stance continues to cost dozens of Palestinian lives daily, public anger is mounting. In this climate of deepening disillusionment and insecurity, Yasser Abu Shabab is emerging as a powerful new actor challenging the status quo. A Leader from a Powerful Bedouin Clan Yasser Abu Shabab comes from the Tarabin, a powerful ...

US military Announces Detention of Islamic State Leader

This is Beirut 05/06 12:50 - Reading : 2 minute(s)

USA Donald Trump Islamic State CENTCOM

US military officials announced Wednesday the detention of an Islamic State group (IS) leader during international coalition operations in Iraq and Syria, which also killed two other operatives. US Central Command wrote on X that the operations, conducted from May 21 to 27, "served to disrupt and degrade" IS's ability to "reconstitute, plan, ...

EU official says 175 mn euro Syria recovery package 'clear message' of support

This is Beirut 05/06 12:45 - Reading : 3 minute(s)

Damascus European Union Syria

Visiting EU Commissioner for the Mediterranean Dubravka Suica said Thursday that a 175 million euro package for war-torn Syria was a "clear message" of support for its reconstruction. Suica announced the package in Damascus Wednesday, saying it would focus on sectors including energy, education, health, and agriculture, helping rebuild Syria's ...

VideosSaudis Use AI, Drones and Thousands of Cameras to Keep Hajj Pilgrims Safe

This is Beirut 05/06 12:15 - Reading : less than a minute

Hajj Mecca Islam AI Cameras Drones

In Mecca, a large-scale technological system operates around the clock during the Hajj. With more than 15,000 smart cameras, drones, and AI-powered software, authorities monitor crowd movements and coordinate the transport of 1.6 million pilgrims in real time using over 23,000 buses. The goal is to prevent incidents, avoid human bottlenecks, and ...

Gamers Get Hold of Nintendo's Hotly Awaited Switch 2

This is Beirut 05/06 12:05 - Reading : 4 minute(s)

Japan Nintendo Switch 2

Gamers finally got their hands on Nintendo's new Switch 2 on Thursday, the console that could score record early sales for the Japanese "Super Mario" creator. The device, which features a bigger screen and more processing power, is an upgrade to the Switch that became a global phenomenon with hit games such as "Animal ...