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

Todd Phillips’ highly anticipated sequel “Joker: Folie à Deux,” despite its previous successes, stumbled at its box office debut. The film, which brought Joaquin Phoenix back in his Academy Award-winning role as Arthur Fleck, couldn’t replicate the success of its predecessor. On its release date of October 4, the film’s initial earnings fell short of expectations, bringing in only $20 …

On the eve of the first anniversary of the conflict between Israel and Hamas set for October 7, large-scale protests erupted globally over the weekend. Demonstrators in various cities worldwide called for an immediate ceasefire in Gaza and Lebanon amid ongoing hostilities involving Israel, Hamas, Iran, and Hezbollah, the latter supported by Iran. According to data from Gaza’s health ministry, …

U.S. mediator Amos Hochstein has refuted claims that the United States has approved Israel’s current military actions in Lebanon. Hochstein took to the X platform to correct what he described as numerous inaccurate reports, clarifying, “The US did not ‘green light’ military operations in Lebanon.” He emphasized that only through diplomatic efforts can stability be restored, allowing residents to safely …

French President Emmanuel Macron called for an end to arms shipments to Israel amid scrutiny of its military response in Gaza. Speaking to France Inter on Saturday, Macron emphasized the need for a political solution and confirmed that France has not been providing weapons to Israel. “The priority is that we return to a political solution and that we stop …

An Israeli official reported to AFP that Israel’s military is preparing a response to Iran’s recent missile attack. The official, who remained unnamed due to restrictions on speaking publicly, did not specify what the response would entail. Haaretz, a left-leaning newspaper, has cited military sources saying that the response will be substantial. According to these sources, the Israeli Defense Forces …

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has stated that, almost a year following the Hamas attacks, Israel is currently engaged in conflicts across seven different fronts. In a recent video address, he outlined the various adversaries Israel is confronting, including Hezbollah in Lebanon, Hamas in Gaza, the Houthis in Yemen, militant groups in both the West Bank and the Shiite militias …

The Israeli military has reported that it has surrounded Jabalya in northern Gaza and is actively conducting operations in the region. In preparation for this ground operation, they executed several airstrikes targeting alleged weapons storage, underground facilities, terrorist cells, and military infrastructure in the area. According to a CNN journalist, these strikes focused mainly on eastern Jabalya and nearby Gaza …

The number of casualties from an Israeli airstrike on a mosque in central Gaza has increased to 21, as reported by the local Civil Defense and a hospital situated close to the site. Video footage from CNN depicted the frantic efforts to extract bodies from the debris following the nocturnal strike on the mosque in Deir el Balah. Originally reported …