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

Lille may not be considered one of the top favorites to make the Champions League quarterfinals, but they are still aiming for direct qualification to the Round of 16, bypassing the play-offs. Currently in 12th place with 10 points, Lille is level with Bayer Leverkusen in 6th. Managed by Bruno Genesio, the team has shown solid form despite some challenges. …

Stuttgart still holds a slim chance of advancing despite a crushing 5-1 defeat to Partizan Belgrade, leaving them with just 4 points from 5 matches, the same as PSG. After a respectable 3-1 loss to Real Madrid, the German side managed a 1-1 draw at home against Sparta Prague and pulled off a surprising 1-0 win over Juventus in Turin. …

Kataeb leader and Lebanese MP Sami Gemayel has strongly criticized Hezbollah, claiming that the group’s actions have led to the destruction of southern Lebanon in just ten days of Israeli airstrikes. Gemayel called for Hezbollah to be disarmed, arguing that the group ceased to be a Lebanese “resistance” movement when it intervened in the Syrian conflict in support of President …

Lebanon’s General Security Directorate has announced the closure of all land border crossings with Syria, with the exception of the main crossing at Masnaa, located in the eastern Bekaa Valley. This decision follows an Israeli airstrike that damaged the Arida border crossing in northern Lebanon, which had only recently reopened. The security agency stated that the closures would remain in …

Syrian rebel commander Hassan Abdel Ghani reassured religious minorities on Saturday after Islamist-led forces captured significant territory, including key cities, from the Syrian government. His message, conveyed through Telegram, came as the group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) continued its swift offensive against President Bashar al-Assad’s forces. Abdel Ghani, a senior commander in the rebel alliance, emphasized that the era of …

Hezbollah has reportedly deployed around 2,000 fighters to the strategic town of Qusayr in Syria. This move is significant due to Qusayr’s location, near the Lebanese border, which has made it a focal point for both Syrian government forces and their allies. Qusayr’s capture by Hezbollah-backed forces would strengthen the Syrian government’s control over the border region, which is crucial …

As of December 2024, Syrian rebel forces have advanced to within 20 kilometers of Damascus, marking a significant shift in the ongoing civil war. The rebels, including forces from the Syrian National Army (SNA) and Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), have gained ground after launching a series of successful offensives across various regions. These advances have followed the capture of major …

Girona, who struggled at the start of the season due to significant player departures and a long injury list, has recently shown signs of improvement. The team managed three consecutive league wins, including a thrilling 4-3 victory over Leganés, a 0-1 win at Getafe before the international break, and a dominant 4-1 victory against newly-promoted Espanyol Barcelona, with all four …