Lebanon
Latest stories
Geagea urges Hezbollah to 'learn from what is happening with Hamas'

Lebanon Forces leader Samir Geagea on Tuesday urged Hezbollah to surrender its weapons to the state "as soon as possible," warning the Iran-backed group it has run out of options.

"Hezbollah has no choice but to hand over its weapons to the Lebanese state... because the state took this decision," Geagea told AFP in an interview from his residence in Maarab.

W140 Full Story
Haykal reportedly tells cabinet disarmament plan going as planned

Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal presented to Cabinet a detailed briefing about the first phase of the army’s plan to monopolize arms in the country, LBCI television said.

“He mentioned that it includes three main points: monopolizing arms south of the Litani, containing weapons across Lebanon and controlling the Palestinian camps, which means closing the gaps in the camps and limiting entry and exit to entrances controlled by the army,” LBCI added.

W140 Full Story
Jumblat 'reassured' after 'friendly' meeting with President Aoun

Druze leader and former chief of the Progressive Socialist Party Walid Jumblat held talks Tuesday with President Joseph Aoun in what he described as a "friendly" meeting.

"The visit was friendly and reassuring despite all the campaigns that are raising doubts," Jumblat said as he left the Baabda palace.

W140 Full Story
Two people killed in strikes on Yater, Deir Aames

Two people were killed Tuesday in Israeli strikes that targeted the southern towns of Yater and Deir Aames, with Israel saying it had targeted members of Hezbollah.

One person was killed and another wounded in an Israeli drone strike on a car in Deir Aames.

W140 Full Story
Pope Leo to visit Lebanon from November 30 to December 2

Pope Leo XIV will travel to Turkey and Lebanon next month on the first foreign trip of his papacy, making a symbolically important gesture to Christians and Muslims on a pilgrimage to two countries that Pope Francis had planned to visit.

The Vatican on Tuesday announced that Leo will visit Turkey from Nov. 27-30, and Lebanon from Nov. 30-Dec. 2. The visit to Turkey will include a pilgrimage to Iznik to mark the 1700th anniversary of the Council of Nicea, the first ecumenical council.

W140 Full Story
Head of American Task Force says Aoun determined to 'get things done'

Ed Gabriel, president of the American Task Force on Lebanon, a nonprofit that aims to build stronger U.S.-Lebanon ties, told journalists that the $190 million for the Lebanese Army and $40 million for Internal Security Forces will be mainly in training and equipment.

Gabriel, who met several top officials in recent days including Army chief Rodolphe Haykal and President Joseph Aoun, said the president is "determined to get things (disarmament) done.”

W140 Full Story
Report: Aoun believes focus must be on arms plan, not on 'provoking' Hezbollah supporters

President Joseph Aoun is seeking to protect civil peace in parallel with the enforcement of laws and he believes that communication with all parties serves that purpose, Baabda sources said.

“The government and the premiership must reassure Hezbollah’s environment instead of provoking it, and must focus on the decisions of removing illegal arms instead of wasting time on decisions that increase the mobilization of Hezbollah’s environment,” the sources told the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper in remarks published Monday.

W140 Full Story
Report: Paris mulls mediation over electoral law

Paris is contemplating whether to mediate between the rival Lebanese parties in order to end the deadlock over the electoral law under which the 2026 parliamentary polls will be held, parliamentary sources said.

France would seek a suspension of the clause on introducing six seats that represent Lebanese expats while the parliamentary majority would give up its demand for the omission of Article 112, which would allow expats to vote abroad for the current 128 seats, the sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

W140 Full Story
Fadel Shaker's trial to 'start from zero'

Fadel Shaker’s legal representatives intend to ask the Military Court to schedule a trial session for him, informed sources said.

“His trial in the Military Court will be repeated from square one, seeing as after he turned himself in, all the in-absentia verdicts against him have become null and void,” the sources told Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.

W140 Full Story
Israeli strike on Zebdine kills couple

An Israeli strike in southern Lebanon killed a husband and wife on Monday, including a man who lost his eyesight in Israel's pager attack against Hezbollah last year, according to Lebanese state media.

Israel has kept up attacks on Lebanon, usually saying it is targeting Hezbollah operatives or sites, despite a November ceasefire following more than a year of hostilities with the Iran-backed group.

W140 Full Story