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

On Friday morning, authorities at Beirut’s Rafic Hariri International Airport apprehended a man identified as Mohammad H. upon his arrival on a Turkish Pegasus Airlines flight. During a routine inspection, officials discovered $2.5 million in cash concealed within his luggage. This significant seizure has prompted an intensive investigation to determine the origin of the funds and their intended destination. Preliminary …

Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) Chief Herzi Halevi recently suggested that the military considered targeting the funeral of Hezbollah leader Hassan Nasrallah. Addressing cadets at the 1st Infantry Division, Halevi mentioned deliberations about the event, implying a potential attack was under discussion. During Nasrallah’s funeral in Beirut, Israeli warplanes conducted low-altitude flyovers, causing a significant disturbance among the tens of thousands …

Hamas has expressed its readiness to enter discussions for the next phase of the Gaza ceasefire, following a significant prisoner exchange. In this recent exchange, Hamas handed over the remains of four Israeli hostages in return for the release of over 600 Palestinian prisoners from Israeli custody. This marks the completion of the initial phase of the truce, which commenced …

U.S. President Donald Trump’s Middle East envoy, Steve Witkoff, has expressed optimism about the potential inclusion of Saudi Arabia in the Abraham Accords, a series of normalization agreements between Israel and Arab nations brokered during Trump’s first term. Witkoff believes that such a development could pave the way for broader regional peace, suggesting that countries like Lebanon and Syria might …

Major General Uri Gordin, head of Israel’s Northern Command, has informed local leaders near the Lebanese border that the current security conditions permit evacuated residents to return to their communities. He also announced plans to reopen tourist sites in northern Israel by early March. Approximately 60,000 Israelis were evacuated from border areas during the 14-month conflict with Hezbollah. Although a …

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 …