The Daily Star Lebanon Breaking News, Lebanon News, Middle East News & World News

On Saturday, Hamas released six Israeli hostages, marking the final scheduled release of living captives under the current phase of a ceasefire agreement with Israel. This phase has seen the liberation of 33 Israelis, including eight deceased individuals, and five Thai nationals. Despite these releases, 63 hostages, among them the remains of a soldier held since 2014, remain in Gaza. …

Iran has heightened the alert status of its defense systems surrounding nuclear facilities due to concerns over potential attacks from Israel and the United States. This move includes the deployment of additional air defense launchers to bolster security. Earlier this month, Iran unveiled the “Etemad” ballistic missile, which boasts a range of 1,700 kilometers. This missile, measuring 16 meters in …

During the funeral of Hezbollah’s former leader, Hassan Nasrallah, in Beirut, Israeli warplanes conducted low-altitude flights over the city, causing sonic booms that resonated throughout the capital. This display coincided with the mass gathering of tens of thousands of mourners at the Camille Chamoun Sports City Stadium. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz stated that these flights were intended to send …

On Saturday, Israeli forces conducted airstrikes along the Lebanon-Syria border, targeting routes allegedly used by Hezbollah for smuggling weapons into Lebanon. The Israeli military stated that these operations aimed to disrupt Hezbollah’s efforts to rebuild its arsenal, considering such smuggling attempts a clear violation of existing ceasefire agreements between Israel and Lebanon. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that …

Thousands of supporters have converged on Beirut to attend the funeral of Hezbollah’s long-standing leader, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on September 27, 2024. The funeral is scheduled for February 23, 2025, at Beirut’s main sports stadium. Nasrallah, a pivotal figure in Hezbollah for over three decades, was instrumental in shaping the group into a …

Hadi Matar, a 27-year-old from New Jersey, has been convicted of attempted murder and assault for the 2022 stabbing of author Salman Rushdie during a literary event in New York. The jury deliberated for less than two hours before delivering the verdict. Matar faces up to 25 years in prison, with sentencing scheduled for April. The attack occurred in August …

Israel has announced that its air force targeted crossing points along the Lebanon-Syria border utilized by Hezbollah for smuggling weapons into Lebanon. The Israeli military emphasized that these smuggling activities violate the existing ceasefire agreements between Israel and Lebanon. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the overnight airstrikes rendered an “illegal crossing” near Lebanon’s Wadi Khaled, adjacent to …

Arab leaders convened in Saudi Arabia on Friday to formulate a comprehensive recovery plan for Gaza, aiming to counter President Donald Trump’s controversial proposal for U.S. control over the territory and the displacement of its inhabitants. Trump’s plan has unified Arab nations in opposition, yet debates persist regarding Gaza’s future governance and the financing of its reconstruction. The Saudi Press …