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

Space has once again puzzled scientists with an unexpected event: a defunct satellite from over 50 years ago, Skynet-1A, has somehow drifted thousands of miles from its intended position. Originally meant to spend its final days in a stable, collision-free orbit, the satellite is now inexplicably hovering above the Americas. Launched in 1969 for British military communications, Skynet-1A was positioned …

The World Bank reported Thursday that over a year of conflict, which intensified into full-scale war in September, has resulted in more than $5 billion in economic losses for Lebanon and severely impacted nearly 100,000 homes. According to the report, covering damages between October 8, 2023, and October 27, 2024, the clashes have led to an estimated $5.1 billion in …

An aide close to Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu recently informed U.S. President-elect Donald Trump and his adviser Jared Kushner that Israel is working swiftly to establish a ceasefire agreement in Lebanon, according to three Israeli officials cited by the Washington Post. Israeli officials stated the goal is to offer Trump an early foreign policy achievement. Ron Dermer, Israel’s strategic …

Hezbollah announced on Wednesday that it carried out a drone strike targeting Israel’s military headquarters and defense ministry in Tel Aviv. The Lebanese militant group claimed that a “squadron of exploding drones” was deployed to strike Israel’s main defense facilities in the commercial center. Following this, air raid sirens were triggered across central and northern Israel. The Israeli military reported …

Israel’s new defense minister emphasized to top commanders on Wednesday that there would be no letup in the campaign against Hezbollah while inspecting the northern border with Lebanon. “We will not agree to ceasefires, we won’t ease up on pressure, and we won’t accept any arrangement that doesn’t accomplish our war aims,” said Defense Minister Israel Katz. “Our strikes against …

The Israeli political-security cabinet is set to approve a U.S.-backed initiative concerning Lebanon, with the final stages of drafting nearly complete, according to the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation on Wednesday. The report states that Israel has alternative plans in place should Lebanon reject the U.S. proposal. It also warns that if weapons transfers to Lebanon persist, there may be repercussions …

The U.N. Security Council (UNSC) on Wednesday condemned recent attacks on the U.N. peacekeeping mission in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and called for all parties to ensure the protection of peacekeepers. In a statement endorsed by all 15 council members, including the United States, the UNSC highlighted the importance of safety for UNIFIL personnel and facilities, emphasizing that peacekeepers should never be …

Syrian state media reported that several Israeli airstrikes hit a city in western Syria near the Lebanese border. According to the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, a UK-based opposition monitoring group, Israeli warplanes attacked bridges and military checkpoints around al-Qusayr, triggering Syria’s air defenses. There were no immediate reports of casualties, and the Israeli military did not provide any comments …