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Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the U.N. Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, recently wrapped up a four-day trip to Lebanon. This visit, a routine part of his Middle East peacekeeping missions, occurred amidst heightened tensions along the Blue Line, the demarcation between Lebanon and Israel, as noted by the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). During his stay, Lacroix emphasized UNIFIL’s critical role …

Air strikes conducted by the United States and the United Kingdom in Yemen, an area under the control of rebels, resulted in the death of five individuals and injured six others, as reported by the Houthi forces, which are supported by Iran, on Friday. Houthi military spokesperson Yahya Saree stated on X that the strikes caused the deaths of five …

In a significant military response, the U.S. and British forces launched extensive air strikes on multiple sites in Yemen, targeting the Iranian-backed Houthi rebels early Friday. Utilizing warships, submarines, and fighter jets, they deployed Tomahawk missiles in this large-scale operation, according to U.S. officials. The strikes targeted over 60 locations, including command centers, munitions storage, launch systems, production facilities, and …

Yemeni rebels have increasingly targeted Red Sea shipping, causing disruptions in this crucial maritime trade route. The Huthis, aligned with Iran and part of the “axis of resistance” rejuvenated by Israel’s conflict with Hamas, have been using drones and missiles to attack ships linked to Israel in the Bab al-Mandeb strait, a key passage at the southern end of the …

Iran’s naval forces recently seized an oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman, escalating tensions in the region’s critical waterways. This tanker, previously known as the Suez Rajan, had been central to a major conflict between Tehran and Washington, involving the U.S. Justice Department seizing 1 million barrels of Iranian crude oil from it. This incident adds to the growing …

The recent secrecy surrounding Defense Secretary Lloyd Austin’s hospitalization due to prostate cancer surgery has ignited a political debate and calls for his removal from office. While the right to medical privacy is considered sacred, some argue that as a member of President Joe Biden’s Cabinet and a guardian of the country’s nuclear arsenal, Austin has a reduced expectation of …

Lebanon’s Parliament Speaker, Nabih Berri, has reported that U.S. negotiator Amos Hochstein brought forward “ideas” rather than a full-fledged “proposal” during his visit to Lebanon. This was revealed in an interview with Asharq al-Awsat newspaper, published on Friday. Berri mentioned that Lebanese officials responded with their own suggestions. While there wasn’t complete agreement on all points, Berri mentioned that they …

Lisa A. Johnson, the new U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon, has recently arrived in the country, announced by the U.S. embassy in Beirut. Johnson, who has had a distinguished career in diplomacy, previously served as the U.S. Ambassador to Namibia and held key roles in the State Department’s Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement in Washington. Her familiarity with Lebanon …