Israeli forces to stay in south Lebanon beyond withdrawal deadline
Jerusalem Reuters Israeli forces will remain in southern Lebanon beyond a 60-day deadline stipulated in a ceasefire deal with Hezbollah because its terms have not been fully implemented, the Israeli Prime Minister’s office said on Friday. Under the agreement, which took effect on 27th November, Hezbollah weapons and fighters must be removed from areas south […]
Israel sees more to do on Lebanon ceasefire as deadline nears
Jerusalem/Beirut, Lebanon Reuters Israel said on Thursday the terms of a ceasefire with Hezbollah were not being implemented fast enough and there was more work to do, while the Iran-backed group urged pressure to ensure Israeli troops leave south Lebanon by Monday as set out in the deal. The deal stipulates that Israeli troops withdraw […]
PM-designate Salam extends hand to Hezbollah, aims to rebuild Lebanon
Beirut, Lebanon Reuters Lebanon’s Prime Minister-designate Nawaf Salam said on Tuesday his hands were “extended to everyone”, in a gesture to the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group that accused opponents of seeking to exclude it by nominating him for the post. President Joseph Aoun formally designated Salam, who has been serving as presiding judge at the […]
Lebanon’s Nawaf Salam to be designated PM, angering Hezbollah
Beirut, Lebanon Reuters Lebanese President Joseph Aoun summoned Nawaf Salam, head of the International Court of Justice, to designate him Prime Minister after most lawmakers nominated him on Monday, a big blow to Hezbollah, which accused opponents of seeking to exclude it. The choice of Salam underlined the major shift in the power balance among […]
Lebanon’s army chief elected President, showing weakened Hezbollah
Beirut, Lebanon Reuters Lebanon’s parliament elected army chief Joseph Aoun head of state on Thursday, filling the vacant presidency with a general who has US support and showing the weakened sway of the Iran-backed Hezbollah group after its devastating war with Israel. In a speech to the chamber, Aoun, 60, vowed to work to ensure […]
Israel, at UN, warns Houthis risk sharing same fate as Hamas, Hezbollah
Reuters Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations issued on Monday what he called a final warning to Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militants to halt their missile attacks on Israel, saying they risked the same “miserable fate” as Hamas, Hezbollah and Syria’s Bashar al-Assad if they persisted. The ambassador, Danny Danon, also warned Tehran that Israel has […]
Israel strikes port and energy targets in Yemen
Cairo, Egypt/Jerusalem Reuters Israel launched strikes against ports and energy infrastructure in Houthi-held parts of Yemen on Thursday and threatened more attacks against the Iran-aligned militant group, which has launched hundreds of missiles at Israel over the past year. As Israeli jets were in the air, the Israeli military said it intercepted a missile headed […]
Syrian rebels advance close to Hama city, piling pressure on Assad and his allies
Beirut, Lebanon/Amman, Jordan Reuters Syrian rebels advancing against government forces pushed close on Tuesday to the major city of Hama, rebels and a war monitor said, after their sudden capture of Aleppo last week rocked President Bashar al-Assad. Rebels and the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights war monitor said insurgents had captured villages including Maar […]
Israel threatens to expand war if Hezbollah truce collapses
Beirut, Lebanon/Jerusalem Reuters Israel threatened on Tuesday to return to war in Lebanon if its truce with Hezbollah collapses, and said this time its attacks would go deeper and target the Lebanese state itself, after the deadliest day since the ceasefire was agreed last week. In its strongest threat since the truce was agreed to […]
Israel strikes Lebanon after Hezbollah attack as ceasefire violations mount
Beirut. Lebanon Reuters The Israeli military said on Monday it struck dozens of targets throughout Lebanon, shortly after Hezbollah accused Israel of violating a ceasefire agreement and fired missiles on an Israeli military position in the disputed Shebaa Farms area. Residents in Beirut told Reuters they heard drones flying overhead late in the evening as […]