English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For  September 08/2025
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 08/16-21/:”‘No one after lighting a lamp hides it under a jar, or puts it under a bed, but puts it on a lampstand, so that those who enter may see the light. For nothing is hidden that will not be disclosed, nor is anything secret that will not become known and come to light. Then pay attention to how you listen; for to those who have, more will be given; and from those who do not have, even what they seem to have will be taken away.’ Then his mother and his brothers came to him, but they could not reach him because of the crowd. And he was told, ‘Your mother and your brothers are standing outside, wanting to see you.’ But he said to them, ‘My mother and my brothers are those who hear the word of God and do it.’”.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on September 07-08/2025
The Cabinet’s Failure to Adopt a Timeline for Disarming Hezbollah…A Big Difference Between “Welcomed” and “Approved”/Elias Bejjani/September 05/2025
Hezbollah’s Sanctification of Its Weapons Is Idolatry… Worshiping a God of Iron Destined to Rust/Elias Bejjani/September 04/2025
Lebanese Split Over Cabinet Decision on State Arms Monopoly
Lebanon visit: US general and envoy push to revive ceasefire mechanism — the details
U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus arrived at Beirut airport Sunday morning.
US envoy, top admiral assess southern Lebanon border by army helicopter
Ceasefire committee convenes in presence of Ortagus and CENTCOM chief
Paris says Lebanon's move on disarmament plan a 'new positive step'
Hezbollah MP vows group will not surrender its weapons
Geagea: ‘A New State Is Beginning to Emerge’
No civil war, no external interference: Lebanese Forces leader calls for Hezbollah disarmament
Massive Fire Ravages Midaneh–Kfar Reman Plain, Arabsalim
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai: National Interest Must Come First
Lebanon Advances Cooperation with US
Yes, I am a Maronite of Canaanite-Phoenician origin/Ray Zeitouni/September 07/2025
Frankly Speaking: Can Hariri-ism make a comeback in Lebanon?
Hezbollah's weapons are in the crosshairs of the army's plan... What is the size of the party's remaining arsenal today, and where are they deployed?/Nakhla Adimi/Nidaa Al Watan/September 8, 2025
Riyadh's Vision for Lebanon: The Economy is the Path to Stability and Salvation/Tareq Abu Zeinab/Nidaa Al Watan/September 8, 2025
Hezbollah is politically and militarily besieged/Alain Sarkis/Nidaa Al Watan/September 8, 2025
The "National Pact" Mantle, Upon Request, Serves the Hezbollah-Amal Duo/Jean Feghali/Nidaa Al Watan/September 8, 2025

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 07-08/2025
Khamenei Calls on Officials to Overcome "No War, No Peace" Situation, Demands Increased Oil Production and Diversification of Global Customers
Internal Disagreements Hinder Iran's Decision on the "Non-Proliferation Treaty"; Lawmakers Disagree on National Security Council's Role in the Move
Tehran Warns Europe Against a "Grave Mistake" on the Eve of the IAEA Meeting
Araghchi Calls on the Troika to Reverse the Activation of "Snapback"
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Recruiting Sleeper Cells in Britain
Yemen Accuses Iran of Helping Houthis Produce Chemical Weapons
Drone attack from Yemen injures man at Israeli airport: army, medics
Trump issues ‘last warning’ to Hamas over hostages
Israel issues fresh evacuation order ahead of strike on Gaza City tower
Israeli foreign minister calls for Hamas’ surrender as military pounds Gaza
More than 1,000 welcome Gaza-bound aid boats in Tunisia
Israel’s Supreme Court says government is not giving Palestinian prisoners enough food
Qatari prime minister reaffirms support for Palestinian statehood
Tens of thousands march for Palestinians in Belgian capital
Israel issues fresh evacuation order ahead of strike on Gaza City tower
UAE leader welcomes Jordanian King on state visit to Abu Dhabi
Jordan’s King Rejects Any Israeli Move to Annex West Bank
Jordanian Armed Forces bring down drug-laden balloons on eastern border
Jordanian, Palestinian ministers discuss cultural cooperation amid Gaza crisis
Baghdad clashes kill six, including four police: ministry
KSrelief chief, Syrian FM discuss humanitarian cooperation
Turkiye’s main opposition calls for rallies after police barricade Istanbul office

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on September 07-08/2025
Gaza’s Invasion/Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/September 07/2025
The Drums of War Are Beating in Tripoli/Dr. Jebril El-Abidi/Asharq Al-Awsat/September 07/2025
From Peace Laureate to Press Jailer: The Authoritarian Transformation of Muhammad Yunus/Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury/Gatestone Institute/September 07/2025
Houthi attacks and Israeli responses/Hassan Al-Mustafa/Arab News/September 07, 2025
Shanghai grouping commits to a multipolar world order/Talmiz Ahmad/Arab News/September 07, 2025
Global South must take lead on sustainable growth/Saliem Fakir and Prabhat Upadhyaya/Arab News/September 07, 2025
Slected X tweets For September 07/2025

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on September 07-08/2025
The Cabinet’s Failure to Adopt a Timeline for Disarming Hezbollah…A Big Difference Between “Welcomed” and “Approved”
Elias Bejjani/September 05/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/09/147031/
Clearly, the Lebanese Cabinet has failed in dealing with the Lebanese Army’s plan, which—constitutionally, and in accordance with international resolutions and the ceasefire agreement—was supposed to set a timeline for the withdrawal, dismantling, or surrender of Hezbollah’s weapons and all other illegal arms to the state before the end of the current year.
In a deceitful linguistic maneuver, the government used the term “welcomed” the army’s plan, instead of saying “approved” it, while the plan itself was kept secret, with no dates set for implementation. All that was agreed upon was that the army would present a monthly report to the Cabinet about its progress on the plan’s provisions. This is very similar to the way  to the chronic Lebanese judicial and parliament's heresy in referring certain case to committees for endless study.
Simply put, what happened today is nothing but a scandal, a dilution, a cover-up, and outright submission to the thuggery of Nabih Berri and the bullying of Hezbollah, leaving the militia-state in control of the state. The most absurd part of the Cabinet’s decisions was linking the implementation of the Barrak-Lebanese plan to the approval of both Israel and Syria.
The fact remains: if the government, backed by the president, is truly serious about reclaiming the state from the militia-mini state and liberating the Shiite community from its Iranian captor and its local Trojan agents, then the immediate requirement is the dismissal of Iran’s five Shiite ministers from the government and the appointment of free Lebanese Shiite ministers instead.
As for the so-called “king” Shiite minister, Fadi Maki, he must be dismissed immediately, as he is a coward, submissive, and spineless. He failed to take a courageous national stance to liberate his community from Iranian domination, hiding behind excuses that only confirm his cowardice and fear.
In conclusion, Lebanon must put an end to Nabih Berri’s theatrics and Hezbollah’s immorality and arrogance. The five pro-Iranian Shiite ministers must be immediately dismissed and replaced with free, truly Lebanese Shiite ministers—of whom the community has no shortage.

Hezbollah’s Sanctification of Its Weapons Is Idolatry… Worshiping a God of Iron Destined to Rust
Elias Bejjani/September 04/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/09/146998/
Hezbollah's transformation into idolatry
It is no longer hidden from anyone that what is called “Hezbollah” is no longer merely an armed militia or a military proxy of Iran, but has in its rhetoric and practices transformed into an idolatrous gang that sanctifies weapons made of iron and worships them as if they were a divine revelation. These weapons, which were deceitfully and falsely presented as a means to defend Lebanon, the resistance, liberate Palestine, and pray in Jerusalem have today become an end in themselves, a sacred text placed above the state and above human beings, to which obedience and loyalty are imposed—even at the cost of the Lebanese people’s lives, dignity, and future.
It is not surprising that such heresies come from a mafia-like gang that has mastered terrorism, crime, and assassinations, traded in every forbidden thing from drugs to money laundering, supported the criminal Assad regime, and carried out terrorist operations in Lebanon and dozens of other countries. Whoever practices this degree of violence and depravity, it is no wonder that he openly declares his blasphemy and denial of God, and boasts that his weapon is “sacred” and tied to the honor, pride, destiny, and very existence of his Lebanese Shiite community—whom, since 1982, has kidnapped and taken hostage, fighting with their youth and sacrificing them in terrorist operations and in Iran’s sectarian and expansionist wars.
Blasphemy and Heresy
This gang calls itself, in blasphemy and heresy, “Party of God,” and in boundless arrogance claims that its weapons are sacred—meaning it does not even understand the meaning of its own name—while worshiping weapons that are mere iron. And iron, no matter how long it lasts, will rust. What kind of god is this that Hezbollah worships, whose end is rust and inevitable extinction? The undeniable truth is that just as the ancient idols fell with their worshippers, this iron idol—these weapons—will also fall, and those who sanctify them will be defeated.
The Phenomenon of Weapon Sanctification in Political Discourse
Since Iran created Hezbollah in 1982, with the cooperation of Hafez al-Assad’s Baathist Syrian regime, It has transformed its weapons from an alleged means of defense into a “sacred end.” This heresy appeared in its ugliest forms in the speeches of this Iranian armed proxy leaders—most recently Sheikh Naim Qassem, who spoke of the weapons as though they were a revealed creed. Similarly, Nabih Berri, head of the Amal Movement and Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, in his most recent speech also leaned toward the same idolatry, elevating the weapons to the level of gods that must be sanctified and guarded with souls.
But the truth is that these weapons are nothing but iron. And iron, as science, history, and experience all attest, rusts. What kind of “god” is this that is worshiped, when it is destined for decay?
The Bible says: “You shall not make for yourself a carved image—any likeness of anything... You shall not bow down to them nor serve them” (Exodus 20:4–5).
And the Qur’an says: “Have you considered al-Lat and al-‘Uzza, and Manat, the third—the other?... They are nothing but names which you have named—you and your fathers—for which Allah has sent down no authority” (Al-Najm 19–23).
These texts clearly reveal that what Hezbollah is doing—sanctifying and worshiping a new idol called “weapons”—is idolatry.
The Consequences of This Sanctification on the Lebanese State
When a tool of war is transformed into a sacred text, political dialogue is abolished and the state is killed. The Lebanese citizen is asked to offer his water, electricity, medicine, and education as sacrifices upon the altar of iron. The state is no longer an end in itself, but merely a detail in service of a mafia-idolatrous project.
History delivers its stern judgment: “Every nation that sanctified its sword ended up burying itself with it.”
The Relationship Between Hezbollah and Iran and Its Influence on Lebanon
Hezbollah has never been a Lebanese party. Since its inception, it has been a military, security, and cultural arm of Iran, established to serve the "Welaet Al Fakeah," not the Lebanese state. Therefore, the sanctification of weapons is merely a reflection of the sanctification of Iran itself, which views Lebanon as a mere colony run from Tehran.
The Political and Social Control the Party Exercises over the Shiite Community
Since 1982, the party has worked to hijack the Shiite community and turn it into a hostage in the service of Iran's project. Lebanese Shiites have been forced to sacrifice their sons in wars that have nothing to do with them: in Syria, Iraq, Yemen, and Gaza. Entire neighborhoods in the south and the southern suburbs have been transformed into weapons depots and tunnels, and their residents are no longer free citizens, but soldiers in a foreign army.
The losses incurred by Lebanon and the Shiite community as a result of Hezbollah's wars 
Since Hezbollah embroiled Lebanon in absurd wars, the Lebanese people in general, and the Lebanese Shiite community in particular, have paid a heavy price, including thousands of martyrs and victims, unprecedented displacement, the collapse of the economy and infrastructure, massive destruction in the south, the southern suburbs of Beirut, and the Bekaa Valley, impoverishment, and stifling international isolation.
National decision-making has been confiscated and the state has been transformed into a failed entity.
The latest chapter of these disasters was the 2023 war, when Hezbollah declared war on Israel in support of Hamas. The result was a crushing defeat, in which most of its leaders, including Hassan Nasrallah, were killed. The "sacred" party has become a burden, begging for a ceasefire and then refusing to abide by it.
Conclusion
Hezbollah is neither a resistance party nor a movement of faith. It is a gang of deceivers and hypocrites who turned iron into an idol they worship, while true religion forbids the worship of idols. The party knows neither faith nor principle. It is a Persian occupation project seeking to keep Lebanon captive and colonized, using weapons as an eternal excuse for domination.
“Having a form of godliness but denying its power. And from such people turn away” (2 Timothy 3:5).
“And of the people are some who take others as equals to Allah. They love them as they should love Allah” (Al-Baqarah 165).
The god of Hezbollah is a weapon made of iron. And its weapon will rust, and its project will collapse, just as all idols throughout history have collapsed.

Lebanese Split Over Cabinet Decision on State Arms Monopoly
Beirut: Nazeer Rida/Asharq Al-Awsat/September 07/2025
US envoy Morgan Ortagus arrived in Lebanon on Sunday in what diplomats describe as the first test of Washington’s reaction to a cabinet decision backing the state’s exclusive control of weapons and giving the army a political mandate to enforce it. The decision, adopted on Friday, has drawn mixed interpretations in Beirut but won French praise as a step toward stability. Ortagus will join US Central Command’s Vice Admiral Brad Cooper at meetings with the Lebanese army and officials overseeing the mechanism for a ceasefire that took effect last November, government sources told Asharq Al-Awsat.
While the visit is military in nature, the sources said Washington would use it to press its priorities: ensuring only state institutions hold arms and reinforcing calm along the southern border. Cooper met on Saturday with President Joseph Aoun and army commander General Rodolphe Haykal before Sunday’s sessions, which will include the so-called quintet committee monitoring the truce. The US delegation is expected to review the army’s plan for implementing the cabinet’s decision and push for more active work by the committee.No official American response has followed Friday’s cabinet session. But Lebanese political figures say Washington “will not settle for half-measures” and has repeatedly tied financial support to the government’s commitment to disarm non-state groups. France, in contrast, welcomed the cabinet’s adoption of the plan, calling it “a new and positive stage” in line with a government resolution issued on Aug. 5. Paris urged all Lebanese parties to support “peaceful and immediate implementation” to pave the way for a sovereign and stable Lebanon within agreed borders. France said it would continue backing Beirut through its role in the ceasefire monitoring mechanism, its support for the Lebanese army, and its contribution to the UN peacekeeping force (UNIFIL). It also signaled readiness to organize conferences in support of the military and reconstruction when conditions allow.
Confusion Inside Lebanon
Friday’s cabinet decisions have been met with differing interpretations. Lawmaker Marwan Hamadeh described them as “vague,” noting both Hezbollah-aligned factions and pro-sovereignty forces claimed satisfaction. He said the measures brought temporary calm but urged patience until positions emerge from Washington, Israel and Syria, who he said were “directly concerned with the decision.”Hamadeh suggested secret provisions might involve curbing individual weapons transfers or movements across regions, which would mark progress if enforced. Hezbollah had signaled unease before the session, with motorbike rallies in Beirut’s southern suburbs and threats to halt cooperation with the army south of the Litani River. Hamadeh dismissed the specter of civil war as political pressure, but said US interest in “step-for-step” measures could influence American talks with Israel.
Hezbollah Response
On Saturday, senior Hezbollah official Mahmoud Qmati told Reuters that the group considered the cabinet session on an army plan to establish a state monopoly on arms "an opportunity to return to wisdom and reason, preventing the country from slipping into the unknown.” But he warned the group rejected two key elements: tying implementation to an American roadmap and conditioning it on Israeli conduct. As long as Israel continues its raids and keeps forces in southern Lebanon, the plan must remain suspended, Qmati said.
Hezbollah expects the government to develop a national security strategy instead, he added.

Lebanon visit: US general and envoy push to revive ceasefire mechanism — the details
LBCI/September 07/2025
Lebanese-American family ties appear to run deep in both politics and the military. After Tom Barrack, who has Lebanese roots, the new head of U.S. Central Command, Admiral Brad Cooper, also revealed his own Lebanese ancestry. During his official meeting with President Joseph Aoun at Baabda Palace on Saturday, the atmosphere included friendly exchanges, as Cooper has long had a good relationship with Aoun dating back to when Aoun was army commander and Cooper held a senior role in the U.S. military. At the meeting, Cooper told those present that his great-grandfather was Lebanese, his grandfather was born in Lebanon, and that his family name traces back to Jibril. However, due to pronunciation differences in English, it was unclear whether the name is originally Jibril or Gebrael, and the exact town remains unknown. All he knows is that his family came from a region north of Beirut. The diplomatic meeting also carried a warm tone, with Cooper expressing his readiness to support Lebanon. For his part, the president urged him to reactivate the ceasefire monitoring committee, known as the “mechanism,” particularly to ensure Israeli withdrawal from occupied areas and to stop ongoing hostilities, in line with the agreement. Lebanon’s request came on the eve of Cooper’s meeting with the ceasefire committee, which he attended alongside U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus, who arrived in Beirut on Sunday specifically for the session. Her participation marked a civilian presence within the military-led committee, a role previously played by her predecessor, Amos Hochstein. As usual, the committee’s meeting was held behind closed doors. However, sources told LBCI that Lebanon was informed on Saturday that its leadership will soon see a change, with a new officer replacing Major General Michael Leeney in two weeks as part of routine rotations. After the session, the two U.S. visitors returned to Beirut aboard a Lebanese army helicopter, following an aerial tour from Naqoura across the western and central sectors to inspect the area south of the Litani River. Cooper’s regional mission also included a stop in Israel, which announced late Saturday that he had held talks there focusing on operational cooperation between the U.S. and Israeli militaries, preserving regional stability both near and far, and strengthening joint efforts to confront challenges and threats in the region.

U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus arrived at Beirut airport Sunday morning.
LBCI/September 07/2025
According to media reports, her first stop will be Naqoura, where discussions are expected on reactivating the monitoring mechanism for ceasefire violations, which had slowed in recent months.

US envoy, top admiral assess southern Lebanon border by army helicopter
LBCI/September 07/2025
U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus and Admiral Brad Cooper toured the Lebanese-Israeli border by military helicopter on Sunday, flying over the central and western sectors to assess the situation on the ground before returning to Beirut.

Ceasefire committee convenes in presence of Ortagus and CENTCOM chief
Naharnet/September 07/2025
The U.S.-led ceasefire monitoring committee convened Sunday in Ras al-Naqoura in the presence of U.S. envoy Morgan Ortagus and U.S. Central Command chief Admiral Brad Cooper. Ortagus had arrived earlier in the day at the Rafik Hariri International Airport and Cooper had met with President Joseph Aoun and Israeli officials in recent days. Ad-Diyar newspaper said the U.S. meetings in Lebanon will revolve around the Lebanese Army’s capabilities and needs. Asharq al-Awsat newspaper meanwhile said that Ortagus’ visit would carry the first U.S. reaction to the decision that was taken buy the Lebanese cabinet on Friday, after the Lebanese Army was given the signal to implement a plan to disarm Hezbollah and the other armed groups in the country. The Lebanese government’s statement was met with conflicting interpretations in the country, while France welcomed the move and called it a “new positive step.”Admiral Cooper had on Saturday lauded the Lebanese Army’s work in south Lebanon, stressing that the U.S. will continue to provide it with assistance. He also said that the ceasefire committee, known as the Mechanism, would convene Sunday to discuss the situation in the South and work on consolidating stability in it through the continued implementation of the November ceasefire agreement. Amid heavy pressure from the United States and fears Israel might intensify its military operations, the government last month ordered the army to draw up a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year. At a meeting on Friday snubbed by Hezbollah and its allies, the cabinet welcomed the army's plan. Speaking afterwards, Information Minister Paul Morcos said the army would begin implementing the plan "in accordance with the available capabilities".He said the army commander had warned of "constraints" on the plan's implementation, particularly "Israeli attacks", and gave no timeframe for the operation.A government statement conditioned progress on "the commitment of other parties, foremost Israel". The government says Hezbollah's disarmament is part of the implementation of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that ended more than a year of hostilities between its fighters and Israel in November. Israel has kept up its strikes on Hezbollah targets despite the truce, saying they will continue until the group has been disarmed.
It has also maintained troops in five places in the south it deems strategic.

Paris says Lebanon's move on disarmament plan a 'new positive step'
Agence France Presse/September 07/2025
France has called the cabinet's decision to ask the Lebanese Army to implement the disarmament plan "a new positive step.""France calls on all Lebanese actors to support the peaceful implementation of the plan without delay," the French foreign ministry said.
Amid heavy pressure from the United States and fears Israel might intensify its military operations, the government last month ordered the army to draw up a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year. At a meeting on Friday snubbed by Hezbollah and its allies, the cabinet welcomed the army's plan. Speaking afterwards, Information Minister Paul Morcos said the army would begin implementing the plan "in accordance with the available capabilities".He said the army commander had warned of "constraints" on the plan's implementation, particularly "Israeli attacks", and gave no timeframe for the operation.
A government statement conditioned progress on "the commitment of other parties, foremost Israel". The government says Hezbollah's disarmament is part of the implementation of a US-brokered ceasefire that ended more than a year of hostilities between its fighters and Israel in November.Israel has kept up its strikes on Hezbollah targets despite the truce, saying they will continue until the group has been disarmed. It has also maintained troops in five places in the south it deems strategic.

Hezbollah MP vows group will not surrender its weapons
Agence France Presse/September 07/2025
A Hezbollah lawmaker vowed that the group will not abandon its weapons, a day after the Lebanese government ordered the army to begin implementing a plan to disarm it. Amid heavy pressure from the United States and fears Israel might intensify its military operations, the government last month ordered the army to draw up a plan to disarm Hezbollah by the end of the year. At a meeting on Friday snubbed by Hezbollah and the Amal Movement, the cabinet welcomed the army's plan. Speaking afterwards, Information Minister Paul Morcos said the army would begin implementing the plan "in accordance with the available capabilities."He said the army commander had warned of "constraints" on the plan's implementation, particularly "Israeli attacks," and gave no timeframe for the operation. A government statement conditioned progress on "the commitment of other parties, foremost Israel."Lawmaker Hassan Ezzeddine said Hezbollah would "not abandon (its weapons) under any circumstances or pretext at all," the state-run National News Agency reported. Those who "drew up the sinful, hasty, reckless decision represented by the removal of (Hezbollah's) weapons and gave in to this decision must reconsider it and correct their mistakes," he told an event in south Lebanon, where Hezbollah enjoys strong support. "Otherwise, they will bear the responsibility and the repercussions... that may follow," he added. Ezzeddine praised the "courageous stance" of the Shiite ministers from Hezbollah and its ally Amal who walked out of the cabinet meeting "when the army commander began explaining and presenting the plan."The government says Hezbollah's disarmament is part of the implementation of a U.S.-brokered ceasefire that ended more than a year of hostilities between its fighters and Israel in November. Israel has kept up its strikes on Hezbollah targets despite the truce, saying they will continue until the group has been disarmed. It has also maintained troops in five places in the south it deems strategic.

Geagea: ‘A New State Is Beginning to Emerge’
This is Beirut/September 07/2025
During the annual mass in honor of the martyrs of the Lebanese Resistance in Maarab, the leader of the Lebanese Forces (LF), Samir Geagea, delivered a strong speech against the “obstructionist camp” while outlining his vision for a sovereign Lebanon, free from foreign interference. Between denouncing the practices of Hezbollah and its allies, calling for legislative elections to be held on time, and advocating normalized relations with Syria and the Arab world, Geagea declared that “a new state is beginning to emerge.”“The path will not be easy, it will take time, but these are the necessary steps. We are moving in the right direction,” he added. He further emphasized, “There can be no true state as long as illegal weapons exist within its borders.”
Offensive Against the ‘Obstructionist Camp’
Geagea accused Hezbollah and its allies of having “kept the Lebanese under their yoke, by force of arms and terror, for many years, destroying their dreams and institutions, and seeking to impose [their] project at the expense of the state’s project.”He said they had “taken the country hostage,” monopolized decisions over war and peace, “dismembered the state, fragmented Lebanon, and compromised its relations with the Arab world and the international community.”Regarding the pro-Iranian group’s weapons, Geagea argued that they “do not protect, do not build and do not deter. On the contrary, they have brought destruction, ruin and displacement, and have attracted a new occupation,” as proven by “facts and experience.” He also recalled the military involvement of the resistance axis in Syria, “to defend a criminal regime, in a war that has nothing to do with Lebanon,” a choice that, according to him, plunged the country into “fire, destruction and calamities.”
Sovereignty as a Priority
“We will never again accept that decisions are not 100% Lebanese, nor that any decision, big or small, is made outside constitutional institutions,” Geagea asserted. He also stressed that “the shortest path to achieving Israel’s withdrawal from the South and ending its aggressions is the establishment of a true state in Lebanon.” “Above all, we insist on holding legislative elections on schedule and reject any idea or attempt to extend the Parliament’s mandate under any circumstances,” he added. Addressing fears of renewed internal unrest, Geagea insisted: “There will be no repeat of May 7, no storming of the Grand Serail, no civil war. Nobody wants that.” At the same time, he warned that if one side attempted to drag the country into such a conflict, “all the Lebanese will stand with the state and its legitimacy.”
Appeal to the Shia Community
Geagea reached out to the Shia community: “You are an essential component of Lebanon as a definitive homeland, as affirmed by Imam Musa al-Sadr.”However, he warned against any path outside state institutions: “Shia brothers, be assured that any choice or project outside the state will be dangerous for you, a threat, and will leave you defenseless before the appetites of external powers and interests.” Regarding Damascus, Geagea stated it is “imperative to quickly rid ourselves of the legacies of the Assad regime and the past period in Lebanon, notably the Treaty of Brotherhood, Cooperation and Coordination.”He also called to “begin the work of demarcating land and maritime borders between Lebanon and Syria, and strengthen cooperation between the two armies to put an end to smuggling.”Finally, Geagea expressed his hope that Lebanon could reclaim its full place in the Arab world, calling on “the General Secretariat of the Arab League to seriously consider holding an Arab Summit in Beirut, similar to the 2002 summit, in order to complete Lebanon’s return to its Arab environment and the return of Arabs to Lebanon.”

No civil war, no external interference: Lebanese Forces leader calls for Hezbollah disarmament
LBC/September 07/2025
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said there will be no repeat of the May 7 conflict, no civil war, and no attacks on government institutions during a memorial mass for Lebanese resistance martyrs in Maarab. He emphasized that Lebanon has embarked on a path of change and state-building. “We have set out toward a promising future, and this march will not stop,” he noted. Addressing Hezbollah, Geagea urged the group to “end the state of denial” and warned that avoiding disarmament is tantamount to “suicide.” He called on the Shiite community to reclaim its place in Lebanon and live securely alongside other citizens. Geagea criticized the “Axis of Resistance” for holding Lebanon hostage, violating the ceasefire agreement, and advancing an “expansionist Iranian project.” He stressed that all decisions must be made through Lebanese institutions. On elections, he stated that the “era of extensions is over” and pledged free and fair polls, including voting rights for expatriates.

Massive Fire Ravages Midaneh–Kfar Reman Plain, Arabsalim
This is Beirut/September 07/2025
A massive fire erupted early Sunday in the area between the Midaneh-Kfar Reman plain and Arabsalim, in the Nabatiyeh district, rapidly spreading toward nearby forests and towns. The blaze coincided with intense flights of Israeli quadcopter drones over the region, raising concerns that these drones may have ignited the fire by dropping highly flammable materials, particularly since several recent wildfires in southern woodlands occurred alongside Israeli drone activity. Civil Defense teams, supported by the Union of Municipalities of Iqlim al-Tuffah Fire Brigade, the Union of Municipalities of Jabal al-Rihan, the Islamic Health Society, and the Scouts of the Islamic Risala Movement, worked to contain the flames. Efforts were hampered by rugged terrain and the absence of direct access roads to many of the fire sites. Several cluster munitions, remnants of past Israeli bombardments, detonated during the operations, though no casualties were reported. The area remains heavily contaminated with unexploded ordnance, as it has been repeatedly targeted by shelling and airstrikes during periods of occupation and previous attacks. Throughout the night, appeals were made to water tanker and agricultural tractor owners in the towns of Kfar Reman and Arabsalim to help supply water and bolster firefighting efforts. By morning, after nearly six hours of work, Civil Defense teams succeeded in containing and extinguishing the fire, although it had already destroyed vast tracts of forest, broom and hawthorn shrubs, and dry grasslands.

Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai: National Interest Must Come First
This is Beirut/September 07/2025
Maronite Patriarch Bechara Rai stressed in his Sunday homily that Lebanon’s salvation lies in prioritizing the nation and its people above all other interests. Addressing politicians, economists, citizens, educators and youth, he urged leaders to restore trust in the economy, citizens to remain rooted in their land, educators to instill hope and values, and young people not to surrender to despair. Drawing on the Gospel, Rai likened Lebanon to Bethany, “a house open to God, but burdened by crises.” He called for both spiritual guidance and responsible governance, warning that action without faith leads to turmoil, while faith without action leads to negligence. He concluded that Lebanon’s future depends on returning to essentials: coexistence, human dignity, freedom and equality under the rule of law.

Lebanon Advances Cooperation with US
This is Beirut/September 07/2025
Lebanon is advancing its cooperation with the United States, with President of the Republic General Joseph Aoun urging Washington on Saturday to press Israel to withdraw its forces from Lebanese territories. Aoun also reaffirmed the importance of US backing for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF).
Aoun stressed the need to fully implement last November’s ceasefire agreement, during a meeting with US Central Command Commander Admiral Brad Cooper at Baabda Palace, alongside US Ambassador Lisa Johnson and General Michael Leeney, head of the Mechanism committee supervising the cessation of hostilities. “We call on the United States to pressure Israel to withdraw from the lands it still occupies in the south, so that the Lebanese Army can complete its deployment to the international border,” Aoun said. He added that activating the Mechanism was “necessary to halt Israeli violations, secure the withdrawal from occupied hills and lands and ensure the return of prisoners,” in line with UN Security Council Resolution 1701. Aoun noted the Army’s advances in southern Lebanon, deploying across more than 85% of the area south of the Litani River despite difficult conditions. He warned that the continuation of Israeli strikes “hinders the Army’s ability to complete its deployment,” recalling that 12 soldiers and officers have been killed while dismantling mines or transporting munitions. Turning to US support, the President stressed that “the continued support of the United States, through equipment, vehicles and training, is vital for the Army to carry out its missions across Lebanon, whether in maintaining security, preventing smuggling and terrorism or controlling the Lebanese-Syrian border.”For his part, Admiral Cooper praised the Army’s “distinguished work in the south and across the country,” confirming that the United States “will continue to provide assistance in training and equipment, in coordination with the administration and Congress.”He added that the Mechanism committee will convene on Sunday “to discuss the situation in the south and work toward consolidating stability through the continued implementation of the November agreement.”Aoun concluded the meeting by underlining Lebanon’s centrality to regional stability, telling Cooper, “The stability of Lebanon is a key factor for stability in the region.”

Yes, I am a Maronite of Canaanite-Phoenician origin.
Ray Zeitouni/September 07/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/09/147076/
I am a Lebanese Maronite, belonging to the Maronite Church, a community rooted in the mountains of Lebanon. It carries within it Syriac and Eastern Christian heritage, and plays a historical role, being at the heart of Lebanon’s emergence and the preservation of its identity and history, stretching back to ancient times!
I am not Arab. I have never been, and I will never be, Arab. My identity transcends the narrow concept of political and cultural Arabism. Yes, I am an extension of an even more ancient civilization, the Canaanite-Phoenician civilization, which shaped the face of history in the Eastern Mediterranean, created cities and legends, invented and spread the alphabet, and reached the Cape of Good Hope with its ships, making the oceans its borders. I am the son/daughter of a Canaanite-Phoenician civilization that contributed to the continuity of human civilization and enriched it!
Yes, I speak Arabic, but this language does not constitute my identity. Rather, for me, Arabic is a language of literature and communication, nothing more.
My identity is not Arab.
I am a Canaanite-Phoenician-Lebanese. My identity was formed over the ages, blended with history, faith, and an organic and essential connection to the land. I do not reject the identity of others, but I refuse to have an identity imposed on me that does not reflect the truth of who I am and my deep connection to my roots and history. My Lebanon is not an Arab country, but a unique homeland in its diversity, with its own particularities and history, rooted in antiquity before Arabism even existed as a political or cultural identity.
I respect all your affiliations, and you must respect mine and my natural right to define myself as I truly am, not as I am supposed to be. Yes, I am a Maronite of Canaanite-Phoenician origins. I am not Arab, but Lebanese in identity. My language is Syriac-Aramaic, Lebanese, independent and ancient, as ancient as the civilization of this land.
#MaroniteNation
#Ray_Land_Of_The_Cedars

Frankly Speaking: Can Hariri-ism make a comeback in Lebanon?
Arab News/September 07, 2025
RIYADH: Twenty years after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and three years after his younger brother Saad quit politics, Bahaa Hariri says he is ready to return to Lebanon and revive his family’s legacy. Appearing on the Arab News weekly program “Frankly Speaking,” he outlined his reasons for returning now, his views on Lebanon’s new leadership, his stance on Hezbollah and Syria, and his message to his country’s Shiite community. The eldest son of Rafik Hariri, Bahaa Hariri has long remained outside Lebanon’s turbulent political stage. He built a career in business abroad, often keeping a distance from the battles that consumed Beirut’s political scene. But speaking to host Katie Jensen, he insisted that his decision to return now was not about timing but about responsibility. “The situation is very delicate, and Lebanon needs people who are honest and who want to make sure that Lebanon passes that delicate period,” he said. “It’s not about being too late or too early — it’s about doing the right thing. Therefore we are here to do the right thing — to be with our nation in the most delicate time and to do our best in serving it and making sure that it passes that period. That to me — not only in Lebanon, but in the region too — is extremely critical.”For Hariri, the economic collapse is a key factor. He recalled how, under his father, Lebanon’s economy moved forward even with a Syrian presence and Hezbollah’s dominance. “Today, nothing is picking up, so I’m quite concerned, to say the very least.” he said. “The economy is a shambles, nothing is moving, the lira (certainly) is not.”
As Bahaa Hariri sees it, “to sit on the side and do nothing is not an option.”Asked if there was still space for political “Hariri-ism” — the Hariri influence — in Lebanon, where many now look to President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam for leadership, he said: “It’s up to the Lebanese people to decide. Nobody is more important than his own nation. But we are here to help out. We are here with our relations to do our best. And I can feel that it’s very much needed because, as we see, the situation is a shambles. It’s only getting worse, not getting better.”Hariri-ism, Bahaa Hariri insisted, is “not dead.” He described the Hariri name as one that “unifies, not divides,” recalling how hundreds of thousands of Lebanese of all sects, including many Shiites from the south and Bekaa Valley, came to his father’s funeral in 2005. “I am here only to continue the legacy of Rafik Hariri,” he said. “My brother, I love him, but he can speak for his legacy. I am here only to continue the Rafik Hariri legacy.”On his relationship with Saad, who withdrew from politics in 2022, Bahaa Hariri was clear: “I’m not here to seek his support. I love him as my brother. I care about him tremendously. I always make sure that he is fine. But at the end of the day, I’m not seeking anyone’s support.”Yet Hariri also emphasized that family ties remain strong. “We always ask about each other and make sure that everyone is fine. As a family, you have to make sure that if his finger is wounded, I have to make sure he’s fine. So, as a family, blood is thicker than water.” Beyond Lebanon, Hariri sees opportunity in Syria following the downfall of longtime dictator Bashar Assad and the rise of Ahmad Al-Sharaa, current president of Syrian Arab Republic. He welcomed what he described as a new pluralistic order emerging there, which he said could benefit the wider region. “It’s crystal clear to me that there is a blessing from everywhere. And it’s crystal clear now that many have joined,” he said.
“There are 2.5 million Orthodox Christians. You have the Shiites that’s looking good. We have the Alawites also coming in. The others who don’t want to be in, they’re welcome when they decide to be in that equation and believe they’re part of Syria. When I see moderation, plurality and diversity, I’m very comfortable, and I wish him all the best in moving forward with his nation.” Looking to the future, Hariri said: “I am very glad that a tyranny, a massive tyranny that cost 700,000 dead under Assad’s leadership, the almost disintegration of Syria, is over. I wish all the best for the Syrian leadership to move forward.”
Pressed on whether Assad should face justice, Hariri replied: “It’s the Syrian people who decide. But with the killing that happened and everything, Assad has to be prosecuted. It is something that is an international standard. When we have 700,000 people who were killed, there has to be the rule of law that is above all else. “The families ought to have the right to ask for that and it’s crystal clear they are, and we are fully supporting the demands of these families for, of course, the rule of law — not by blood — but the rule of law to prevail, that there will be a trial, that there will be prosecution.”Turning to Lebanon’s own leadership, Hariri was careful in his assessments of both President Aoun and Prime Minister Salam. “In life you reach a point and you start learning, and I hope through that learning process, he can move forward, and we can take the country to another place. That’s what I wish for.”
On Salam, a respected judge, Hariri was equally cautious but respectful. “He’s a judge. I respect him. He has integrity. I even told him that myself,” he said. “The integrity is there. Usually they tell you, you have the first 100 days, but maybe the situation is so complex, and it takes more. I’m not here to be judgmental. Let’s see where this is going to go, and from there on, with time, we will make our judgment. We will take our stand.”Both men face the formidable challenge of disarming Iran-backed Hezbollah, which Hariri said could not be done recklessly. “In Lebanon there are many stakeholders,” he said “We have to make sure that all the stakeholders on the table agree on how, after the debacle of Hezbollah, to take the country forward. There has to be leadership and trust. That’s what is needed badly now.”Hariri cautioned that forcing the issue could risk plunging Lebanon into another civil war. “I am completely against wreaking havoc and causing a civil war,” he said.
“As a Hariri, it’s a red line to wreak havoc and cause bloodshed, because it cost us the last time 250,000 lives. It’s not acceptable that we go into any situation that puts us in that tunnel. “It will be a very dark tunnel. I don’t know if we can get out of it, which is very dangerous. And that is one of the main reasons why I’m here, to make sure that this does not happen.”The alternative, Bahaa Hariri said, was consensus. “Rafik Hariri always believed in building consensus. He said to me once, consensus means nobody is a winner and nobody is a loser. We have to sit down, discuss and reach consensus. Through consensus and leadership, we can move forward,” he said. Asked if Washington would ultimately stand by Lebanon, Bahaa Hariri highlighted his long support for transatlantic ties, noting his role in founding the Hariri Center at the Atlantic Council. “I’m an ardent supporter of the transatlantic relationship. The United States must be fully engaged,” he said. “We fully, fully appreciate the support that it has given, not only today, but throughout the years, especially to the Lebanese army. And I surely, truly believe, yes, pressure, but at the end of the day, they want solutions. And we agree with them that there has to be a solution to move forward. And I truly believe if they commit, they will help.” At the same time, he acknowledged the dangers of missteps, saying: “It’s a very sensitive period. Every day, there is something happening. The situation is extremely fluid.” “But, going back to the US, I truly believe that with the right approach, we can move forward, because they are an absolute must in making sure how we can move forward,” Bahaa Hariri said. “We saw Ukraine. It’s very important for us to engage the US and make sure that they are approving of where we go. But as a Hariri, I always believe consensus is the key and leadership is the key for us to move forward.”
Asked about his views on the Saudi-brokered Lebanese-Syrian defense deal, Bahaa Hariri stressed his family’s historic ties with Saudi Arabia, dating back to the 1980s. “To us, as Hariris, we’ve always had a long-term relationship with the Saudis. This goes back to the 1980s. It’s very important, for me personally, for Lebanon to have a special relationship with Saudi Arabia.” The conversation inevitably turned to Hezbollah’s late leader Hassan Nasrallah, who was killed in an Israeli airstrike on his underground headquarters in Beirut in September last year. Asked if he felt vindicated given Nasrallah’s role in his father’s assassination, Bahaa Hariri insisted that revenge was not his way. “I’ve always believed in life not to be consumed by revenge, because if I was, nothing would be left of my soul in the last 20 years. I believe what’s the will of the Almighty happens, it happen,” he said. “But to me, what’s important is the unity of the Lebanese, and I think that’s what Rafik wanted, bless his soul, is we sympathize with the pain of the of the Shiite community — they are part of the equation — as they sympathized with the death of Rafik — the assassination. They came in huge numbers. We don’t agree with what happened, but we sympathize with their pain.”Pressed again if he felt vindicated, Bahaa Hariri said: “To me, it’s justice. I am a man who believes, and I think the divine will is for that to happen. If all of humanity wanted a person to go, but the divine will (is that) he will not, then he will not go. Well, the divine will happened, and he’s gone. And now we have to move forward. And the divine will is the vindication. To me, that’s what’s important.”
Asked about Lebanese Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri, Hariri said he had never met the man but acknowledged the veteran Shiite politician’s responsibility as a leader. “I wish Berri all the best as being a leader in Lebanon and for him to lead to make sure that we don’t enter into a black hole. He has a responsibility toward the Shiite community to make sure that they are, with the change, a key stakeholder,” he said. Hariri added: “It’s not like disarm and then what? Post-disarm, where do we go from here? The Shiite community are a key component of the Lebanese configuration. We cannot ignore that. That is a recipe for disaster.”“I truly believe that, with the right configuration and the right approach, we can convince all the stakeholders that we can move forward. There is hope — with the right leadership.”Hariri has long remained outside Lebanon’s turbulent political stage. He built a career in business abroad, often keeping a distance from the battles that consumed Beirut’s political scene. But speaking to host Katie Jensen, he insisted that his decision to return now was not about timing but about responsibility. Asked if he had any message for Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem and those threatening Lebanon’s stability if disarmament goes ahead, Hariri said: “Shiism established itself in the eighth century in Jabal Amil. Shiite theology, which was moderation, happened there, and then it transferred to Najaf in Iraq. We have to think of that community and how they can be a stakeholder in a new Lebanon so we can take Lebanon and move forward. “Because the reality is going to happen in no time in Syria. And that reality will exert a new way to move forward. And it is best for us to say, “Let us adapt ourselves, be all stakeholders, sit down and move forward.”As Lebanon struggles with economic collapse, frozen banks, stalled reforms and the ever-present specter of conflict, Bahaa Hariri’s return injects a familiar name into the political debate. But for him, the mission is personal. “I’ve always lived by the values of Rafik in my business and everything I’ve done. And I am not here to take anyone’s continuation, but the Hariri legacy,” Bahaa Hariri said.
“Rafik Hariri, my dad, bless his soul — that’s the only thing that I am bound to.”Whether the Lebanese public is willing to embrace another Hariri remains to be seen.

Hezbollah's weapons are in the crosshairs of the army's plan... What is the size of the party's remaining arsenal today, and where are they deployed?
Nakhla Adimi/Nidaa Al Watan/September 8, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
After the September 5 government session, the countdown began to transform the army's plan into a reality on the ground, with the goal of restricting Hezbollah's weapons to the legitimate government. The lesson lies in implementation.
The first report will be submitted by the military command to the Council of Ministers in a month, on October 5. Meanwhile, ministerial sources confirmed that the move was intended to be implemented, and that the claim by the "duo" and those in their orbit of achieving victory over the government and scoring a fatal goal against it is nothing more than a mere declaration to raise morale, nothing more, nothing less. Until the line is drawn between the white and the black, military analysts believe that the army does not need a long period to inventory this weaponry, but rather that a few months are sufficient, especially since Hezbollah's missile arsenal after the "support war" was severely damaged, losing approximately 65% ​​of its heavy missile capabilities, especially long-range missiles. This means that what remains in its possession does not exceed about 35% of the weapons it possessed before the war.
What is the size of Hezbollah's arsenal?
Estimates indicate that Hezbollah possessed between 120,000 and 200,000 rockets and missiles after the 2006 war, including unguided and precision missiles. Other estimates put the number at as high as 150,000, including thousands of precision missiles. Estimates, according to military experts, reveal that what remains of Hezbollah's missile arsenal after the last war range between 40,000 and 65,000 rockets and missiles. Many of the warehouses and sites south of the Litani River were dismantled by the Lebanese Army as part of the ceasefire agreement. More than 500 military sites and weapons depots have been dismantled. Regarding the types of missiles remaining, short-range rockets (Katyushas, ​​Grads, 20–40 km) remain the most numerous, and it is estimated that tens of thousands remain. A significant portion of the medium-range rockets (Fajr, Zelzal, 70–200 km) were damaged by the bombing, but Hezbollah still possesses a significant number and can reach central and northern Israel. Precision missiles (developed by Hezbollah with Iranian assistance) are much smaller in number (estimated to be a few hundred), but they are the most strategically dangerous, and Hezbollah is careful to keep them in highly fortified locations. Anti-ship missiles (Yakhont, Nour/C-802) are deployed near the coast, particularly in southern Lebanon (Tyre - Naqoura) and on the outskirts of Sidon. It should be noted that the number of anti-aircraft missiles (short-range systems) is uncertain after the war, but limited use has been observed in the south.
Deployment Locations
The Lebanese Army's plan identified most of the geographical locations and strategic sites of Hezbollah's arsenal. It was based on accurate information, but without a definitive determination of the size of this arsenal. Available information indicates that the deployment became more limited after the last war, but remained as follows:
The south (south of the Litani River in particular), with warehouses, a network of tunnels, and bunkers. The southern suburbs of Beirut, which are the command and control center, contain underground warehouses and some residential buildings. The Bekaa Valley (Hermel - Baalbek - Nabi Sheet), considered Hezbollah's most important logistical depth. The region contains manufacturing, assembly, and storage facilities, particularly for medium- and long-range missiles. Anti-ship platforms are located along the southern coast (Sidon, Tyre, and Naqoura). Based on this geographical distribution, it was natural for the army's plan to begin south of the Litani River, as this is Hezbollah's vital depth and was agreed upon in advance as part of the ceasefire. While the Mesopotamia region, i.e., between the Litani and Awali rivers, will constitute the second phase of the arms control framework, the third phase is the most dangerous and important, encompassing the southern suburbs, Hezbollah's stronghold and security square. This area represents the central nerve center: command, warehouses, and command and control centers. Weapons are less overt here than in the south, but they are present in the form of secret warehouses, logistical centers, and supply routes. The final phase, where the plan will conclude, is the Bekaa Valley, where the largest strategic stores of long-range missiles and drones, deep storage facilities, drone manufacturing workshops, and supply corridors from Syria are located. This is the most difficult point for the state to touch because it constitutes the backbone of Hezbollah. Control here is more difficult, as it is a geographically vast area with tribal depth, but it is essential because it is the party's "strategic storehouse." Ultimately, the September 5 statement has put everyone before a difficult test: the state with its institutions and army, Hezbollah with its weapons, and the external guarantors with their pledges. The costs are clear: failure—God forbid—will result in further destabilization and the eventual loss of Lebanon as a state. Success, however, requires seriousness and firm implementation without hesitation. These alone will determine whether the monopoly of arms control by the state is merely a slogan for consumption or a real, viable state project.

Riyadh's Vision for Lebanon: The Economy is the Path to Stability and Salvation
Tareq Abu Zeinab/Nidaa Al Watan/September 8, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
There is no strong state without a solid economy, and no stability without reform and development.
Saudi Arabia's support for Lebanon has always been a fundamental pillar of its political and economic stability, beginning with its sponsorship of the Taif Agreement that ended the civil war, through its contributions to reconstruction, and continuing with its ongoing initiatives to end political vacuums and support institutions. The Kingdom affirms that Lebanon's stability is not a luxury, but rather a strategic necessity to enhance regional security, and that standing by it is a historic commitment stemming from a comprehensive Arab vision aimed at consolidating peace and development.
A Historic Opportunity for Economic Recovery
Lebanon is today facing a historic turning point that offers it a rare opportunity to emerge from its worsening economic crises, amid renewed international interest in its issues. In this context, the anticipated visit of French envoy Jean-Yves Le Drian and the general coordinator of the Economic Conference in Support of Lebanon, Jacques de Lagogé, on September 10 and 11, stands out. This will pave the way for the launch of a comprehensive international conference that will put Lebanon back on the global investment map. Saudi envoy Prince Yazid bin Farhan is also expected to visit this week. His visit will have political significance following the September 5 session. Economic dimensions will not be far from the agenda, as Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states explicitly link progress in extending sovereignty, reforms, and providing the necessary economic aid. After visiting Lebanon, the French envoy will head to Riyadh to strengthen Arab-international coordination on support for Lebanon. This initiative aims to strengthen the capabilities of the Lebanese army, contribute to reconstruction, and revive vital sectors, thus restoring confidence in Lebanon as a stable and secure investment destination.
Development First, Politics Later
Recent regional developments indicate that economic development is capable of transcending the logic of traditional conflicts. Lebanon possesses all the necessary elements for progress: its strategic location on the Mediterranean, its rich cultural heritage, its qualified human resources, and promising sectors including agriculture, tourism, industry, and services. However, capitalizing on these opportunities requires comprehensive reforms and sound governance that restore confidence in the state and its institutions, making Lebanon a safe and sustainable economic destination.
Security is a Prerequisite for Attracting Investment
No economic plan can achieve its goals without a stable and secure environment. Economists emphasize that unifying arms under the authority of the state is a prerequisite for attracting investors and restoring confidence. The presence of a national army capable of enforcing the rule of law enhances Lebanon's image as a secure country and opens the way for Arab and international partnerships that support growth and development and ensure the sustainability of local, Arab, and international investments.
The Foundation of the Future: Radical Reforms and Transparent Governance
According to Saudi academic sources who spoke to Nidaa Al Watan newspaper, true development begins with education, as investing in minds and skills represents the gateway to renaissance for any country. Lebanon needs a national strategy focused on developing education, encouraging scientific research, strengthening local industries, and linking educational outcomes to the labor market to build a long-term competitive economy that keeps pace with global transformations and creates sustainable job opportunities. In addition to development and security, Lebanon needs an urgent financial reform plan that includes restructuring the public debt and ensuring transparent governance to combat corruption. These reforms are essential to regaining the confidence of the international community and Arab supporters and encouraging investment flows, as trust is the cornerstone of any true economic renaissance.
The Economy: The Gateway to Stability and Salvation
The Saudi message to Lebanon is clear: there is no strong state without a solid economy, and there is no stability without reform and development. Lebanon must abandon the politics of axes and internal conflicts and adopt a national economic strategy that enjoys internal consensus and external support. With this approach, Lebanon can become a model for renaissance in the region, emphasizing that development and the economy are the most effective path to achieving societal peace and political stability, and that a prosperous future begins with investing in people before anything else.

Hezbollah is politically and militarily besieged
Alain Sarkis/Nidaa Al Watan/September 8, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
Friday's cabinet session proceeded smoothly despite objections and intimidation. The Shiite duo failed to prevent the session from convening. Attention is now focused on practical steps on the ground, as any retreat would open the country's doors to an Israeli war.
Since its founding, Hezbollah has operated as a force separate from the state. It has benefited from unconditional Iranian support and the presence of the Assad regime in Lebanon, and has built its military and financial strength and institutions, which now threaten state institutions.
The Taif Agreement failed to disarm Hezbollah, even though it was still in its infancy and there were armed parties superior to it in terms of capability, organization, and military structure. Hezbollah exploited the notion of resistance to expand its influence and strengthen its "statelet," benefiting from ministerial statements that legitimized its operations. The April 1996 agreement legitimized its operations and gained international legitimacy. This agreement, which followed Operation Grapes of Wrath, was a written agreement between Hezbollah and Israel, giving the party the status of an entity. Israel withdrew from the south in May 2000. Instead of the state extending its authority and deploying its army, the Lebanese-Syrian authorities believed that sending the army to the south would protect Israel's borders. Hezbollah took advantage of this period and built up its military strength.
The Syrian occupation withdrew from Lebanon in 2005, and instead of Hezbollah's legitimacy declining, the party inherited Syrian influence and launched the July 2006 war. Resolution 1701 failed to curb its influence, and it participated in the fighting in Syria, transforming itself into a regional power that showed no regard for the Lebanese state. The government sessions of August 5 and 7 were decisive in the process of delegitimizing Hezbollah. The cover it had been granted over the years was revoked, and the Council of Ministers now considered its weapons illegitimate. Hezbollah has lost its political cover and is now at its weakest since its inception. It is no longer a force capable of intimidation. The evidence is that when Prime Minister Fouad Siniora's government decided to dismantle its communications network, it provoked the events of May 7 and occupied Beirut and Mount Lebanon. Meanwhile, the scale of the protests today does not extend beyond high-pitched statements and speeches.
Hezbollah is now surrounded. Politically, the Council of Ministers has lifted its cover and dropped the legalization of its weapons. Militarily, the fall of the Assad regime has cut off supply lines, and Syria is no longer a base for Iran's operations or a backyard for Hezbollah's ammunition. Hezbollah's options are narrowing. No matter how hard the party portrays Friday's session as a victory, there are now realities that cannot be overcome. The party will not be able to upset the political and security balance. Nor can it wage the confrontation alone, as it now has no allies. Even Speaker Nabih Berri is aligning with it, but he is not drawn into its game. On the other hand, Hezbollah cannot engage in a confrontation with the Lebanese army because it would be costly. The Lebanese people rally around the army, and Western and Arab countries support it. From a military standpoint, it cannot move on the ground, especially since Israel targets its members whenever they move. Consequently, Hezbollah is no longer strong and capable of imposing conditions. The Lebanese government affirms its seriousness regarding the arms collection issue, as this constitutes a demand of the overwhelming majority of the Lebanese people. There are also obligations to the international community. Any attempt to outsmart Washington and other major powers will be met with an unprecedented response. Consequently, Lebanon has no choice but to implement the arms control clause, especially since the United States is closely monitoring the Lebanese situation and refuses to allow the country to remain a pawn in Tehran's hands or an arena for Hezbollah's influence.

The "National Pact" Mantle, Upon Request, Serves the Hezbollah-Amal Duo
Jean Feghali/Nidaa Al Watan/September 8, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
Hezbollah considered the two cabinet sessions of August 5 and 7 to be inconsistent with the national pact due to the absence of ministers from the "duo," the party and the Amal Movement, and the theoretically "king" minister, Fadi Makki. Based on their perceived lack of national pact, they considered their decisions nonexistent. The September 5 session was attended by ministers from the "duo" and the fifth Shiite minister. The "duo" hailed its outcomes, ignoring its lack of national pact. What does this mean?
Quite simply, the duo uses the "national pact" mantle when it suits them, and uses it "on demand," but ignores it when decisions are made that suit them. They set it aside, considering their achievements "above all considerations," especially "consideration of the national pact." It also means that the "duo" is approaching the "National Pact" with a clever mentality, without taking into account that "smartness" requires "intelligence." Has the "duo" been right in this cleverness? It has recorded that it attaches no importance to the Nation's Pact, whether its ministers attend or not. For the "Big Brother," the Speaker of Parliament and head of the Amal Movement, "attendance is not mandatory." What is mandatory is for its "angels" to be present, whether through its conditions or its proposals. Between the August and September sessions, the Lebanese government, represented by President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, achieved superiority over the absurd "narratives" regarding the requirement of the charter. After the three aforementioned sessions, it has become shameful to hide behind these "formalities" that impede the work of the executive branch. From now on, Cabinet sessions will proceed only if two-thirds of the cabinet members are present. What the "duo" did was a "fatal mistake" in terms of undermining and manipulating the charter. The question that arises here is: Has the "duo" lost this card? It can be considered that the President of the Republic's shrewdness and the Prime Minister's boldness have created a "magic formula" that everyone, including the "duo," should become accustomed to. After the three sessions, the situation is not the same as before. The pretexts used to disrupt sessions are no longer relevant. The executive branch has taken flight, and all attempts to disrupt it will fail. The weapon of "obstruction," which paralyzed many sessions and the work of the executive branch, has fallen.
How did this transformation occur?
It must be acknowledged that the transformations that have taken place, particularly the decline of the "excess of power" that controlled the country for decades, are what has enabled this "excess of boldness." Assassinations no longer have the place they once did, and the most extreme escalation has become a cyclical phenomenon within the areas of their presence. For all the reasons, considerations, and data mentioned above, it can be said that the Pact has been restored and is no longer "hostage to the duo," which was forced to release it.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 07-08/2025
Khamenei Calls on Officials to Overcome "No War, No Peace" Situation, Demands Increased Oil Production and Diversification of Global Customers
London – Tehran / Asharq Al-Awsat / September 7, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
Iran's Supreme Leader, Ali Khamenei, has urged the government of Massoud Pezeshkian to overcome the "no war, no peace" situation. He called on officials to focus on domestic consensus, highlight "strengths" when addressing the public, and work to improve living and economic conditions. Khamenei’s website quoted him as telling members of Pezeshkian’s government, on the occasion of Iran’s Government Week, that "improving living conditions must be at the forefront of executive priorities, as it is one of the most prominent indicators of preserving national dignity." Khamenei stressed that the government must take urgent steps to control the market and curb the uncontrolled rise in prices. He also called on the government to strengthen domestic production and continue implementing decisions until tangible results are achieved. Khamenei also pointed to the need to pay attention to "the gas reserves needed for the winter" and "to plan to cover the gas deficit through imports," as well as to increase oil production. He attributed the reasons for the low oil production to old methods and equipment. "We must benefit from the knowledge of young graduates to solve problems and bring about a transformation in oil production and extraction. There is a need for more activity in oil exports, with diversification and an increase in oil customers."
Khamenei did not comment on the possibility of a resumption of UN sanctions on Tehran, after European powers decided to activate the "snapback" mechanism if Tehran does not cooperate on the nuclear file by the end of this September.
Foreign Policy
Khamenei expressed his satisfaction with the government's performance during the 12-day war with Israel in June. He said that "they performed well during this test... and had an influential and effective role." Khamenei also reiterated his support for President Massoud Pezeshkian, who faces criticism from his conservative opponents. He addressed Pezeshkian, saying, "This mode of work, which is based on enthusiasm, precision, and a sense of responsibility, is exactly what our country needs at this stage."The meeting comes a few days after Pezeshkian returned from a visit to China, where he participated in the Shanghai Cooperation Summit and held discussions with Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin. These discussions focused on strategic relations and their position on the European step to activate the "snapback" mechanism to re-impose UN sanctions. Khamenei said that Pezeshkian's recent visit to Beijing was "among the prominent and successful actions and has great strategic value. Its results may not have been achieved yet, but it has opened up latent horizons that can meet some of the country's basic needs, both economically and politically."Khamenei added, "Fortunately, some tangible results have been achieved from this visit, and they must be followed up on carefully and seriously."
"No War, No Peace"
In a part of his speech, Khamenei called on officials to increase their media presence to influence public opinion. He urged them to convey "the image of the Islamic Republic's power, capabilities, and potential," adding, "We should not be satisfied with only listing weaknesses."He said, "The media bears a great responsibility, whether it is the press, radio, and television, or even the government officials themselves." He warned officials not to let "their discourse reflect a spirit of helplessness, despair, and frustration when they appear before the public or speak through media platforms."He added, "Writers in the media, activists in cyberspace, and those who have platforms on radio and television must be conscious and not convey messages that harm the country. They should not only focus on the negatives, but they must also highlight the real strengths and latent energies, so that the national spirit is strengthened, and the people's trust is maintained."Khamenei said that strengthening the spirit of work and diligence must overcome the state of "no war, no peace" that enemies are imposing, warning that this situation "hinders progress and creates a state of hesitation and confusion in society." He expressed his belief that "overcoming this situation requires strengthening the spirit of initiative, hope, and innovation through hard work and showing tangible results," stressing that "willpower and national determination are the way to overcome current challenges."He continued that "the basic duty of governments is to strengthen the foundations of national power and national pride."
Internal Accord
Khamenei considered "one of the current opportunities is the possibility of building consensus in the country." He said, "The conditions are such that the heads of the three branches of government are in agreement and are ready to cooperate with each other. Also, many of the decision-making and implementation sections are working in a consistent manner and in the same direction.""In my opinion, building consensus today is easier than it was in the past, and this opportunity must be utilized in the best possible way; we should move forward with projects that have consensus and start moving." He added, "There are differences in tastes and obstacles in the way, but these obstacles must be overcome and opportunities should not be lost."He was referring to the "National Accord" slogan that Pezeshkian is raising, after the previous government, led by Ebrahim Raisi, raised the slogan of "unifying orientations," in a reference to limiting the three branches of power to the conservative current. Khamenei expressed his support for the project to reduce the number of agencies and employees in the ministry. He said, "Reducing some agencies whose existence or tasks overlap, or reducing the number of employees, in a specific ministry or institution, are great but difficult and not easy tasks."

Internal Disagreements Hinder Iran's Decision on the "Non-Proliferation Treaty"; Lawmakers Disagree on National Security Council's Role in the Move
London - Tehran / Asharq Al-Awsat / September 7, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
The Iranian Parliament is still hesitant to decide on a potential bill to withdraw from the Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT), amid internal tensions and external pressure. A government news agency in Iran quoted the Parliament's presidency as saying that lawmakers may discuss the National Security Committee's report on proposals and projects submitted regarding a withdrawal from the NPT in response to the European powers' activation of the "snapback" mechanism for the automatic return of UN sanctions. The spokesperson for the Parliament's presidency, Abbas Koudarzi, said that members of the Guardian Council will attend the meeting to consider its compatibility with the constitution and to give their opinions if it is finally approved. Koudarzi explained that the urgent bill will be placed on the Parliament's agenda immediately without waiting its turn. He added, "If it is approved in its entirety and details, it will be discussed in the public session on the same day." The law stipulates a withdrawal from the NPT and a halt to cooperation with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA).In the same context, Abbas Moghtadaei, deputy head of the Parliament's National Security Committee, said on Sunday, "We have not yet reached a final decision on withdrawing from the NPT or continuing in it, but we will deal with the matter in a balanced and deliberate manner, away from emotion." He added, "We will take every decision that will preserve national interests and protect the country's pride, without any hesitation."
Before the session, hardline MP Kamran Ghaznfari said in press statements that the bill to withdraw from the NPT "does not require a confrontation with the Supreme National Security Council after its approval." He added, "Some claim that the approval of this project requires the approval of the Supreme National Security Council, but there is no legal text that obligates that. According to the constitution, the decisions of the Islamic Consultative Assembly become effective and binding as soon as they are approved by the assembly and ratified by the Guardian Council."
He continued, "Of course, during the discussion of the bill, the opinion of the Supreme National Security Council will be heard, and its position will be taken into account. But after the vote, there is no legal need for additional approval from the council." This comes after MP Ismail Kowsari told the government news agency "Mehr" that the final decision on withdrawing from the "Non-Proliferation Treaty" is in the hands of the Supreme National Security Council, despite it being proposed by a number of members of parliament.
He pointed out that "Iran has many legal and political options to respond to this escalation (activating the sanctions reinstatement mechanism), and these options are currently under study."MP Ahmed Bakhshayesh Ardestani, a member of the National Security and Foreign Policy Committee in Parliament, revealed on Saturday that the quorum was not met in the committee's last session on Wednesday, which was dedicated to discussing the issue of Iran's withdrawal from the NPT. Ardestani added, "If the report wins the support of the majority, the draft will be returned to the committee for a detailed review, including the inclusion of relevant legal articles and insights," noting that "if the bill to withdraw from the treaty is submitted to the public session, it may, unfortunately, get approval."
The bill was supposed to be voted on last week, but Parliament Speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf asked to hold off on the step. Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, the Parliament Speaker, said last week in this context: "It is clear that the three European countries, because of their failure to fulfill their obligations under the nuclear deal, do not have the right to activate the mechanism. They have illegally started the process of reactivating the Security Council resolutions."He added, "It is necessary for Iran to take a deterrent action that makes this illegal European behavior costly, which will lead to pushing the enemy to reverse its decision to activate the sanctions restoration mechanism." He added, "The unified decision of the Islamic Republic on this matter will be announced soon, and it will be implemented."
Ghalibaf refused to downplay the 6 UN resolutions, but he minimized their economic impact on Iran, saying: "It is necessary for all the country's officials to clarify the limited impact of the return of UN resolutions to the community, so that the enemy cannot create a false media narrative about the sanctions restoration mechanism, and the possibility of managing the negative psychological effects of this issue."
Ghalibaf said, "The enemy, by creating a certain atmosphere, presented the activation of the sanctions restoration mechanism as falling under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, and as a prelude to war against Iran. This claim is being raised while the 12-day war made it clear to us that the enemy does not see a need for a UN resolution to wage war." He continued, "These 6 resolutions do not refer to Article 42 of the UN Charter, which paves the way for the use of force, and this matter requires a new resolution that will inevitably be met with a veto by China and Russia."Ghalibaf added, "What prevents the enemy's attack is not the sanctions restoration mechanism, but the preservation of national cohesion, and the increase in Iran's military capability." In July, the Iranian Parliament passed a law that suspends cooperation with the agency, and stipulates that any future inspections will require a green light from the Iranian Supreme National Security Council. Tehran and the agency are now holding talks on how to proceed with the inspections.
"Circle of Ambiguity"
As the indications of a possible law increase, the hardline newspaper "Kayhan" demanded that the Iranian nuclear program be kept in a "circle of ambiguity" instead of clarity. The newspaper, whose editorial board is appointed by the Supreme Leader, stressed that "the treacherous West should not feel secure about us." It said that the nuclear program "should contribute fully to the development of capabilities and the enhancement of national prestige."The newspaper believed that the sanctions under the Security Council resolutions are "weaker than the American sanctions in terms of influential power and implementation guarantees, and they are unable to actually affect the current economic situation in Iran." The newspaper warned against "repeating the weak position that re-focuses foreign policy on negotiation and diplomacy with the West."
It said that Iran "is not actually weak, and is not seen as such, but rather it stands in the heart of a strong and effective front known as the (Resistance Front)." According to "Kayhan," Iran "is also an active and influential partner in major international economic alliances," pointing out that "the speeches issued by officials and internal institutions show Iran in a weak light, which opens the door to the enemy's greed." The newspaper blamed "Iran's positions during the past decade that encouraged (the Westerners) to move forward with their steps against it." It asked, "If they really believed that Iran would respond by using its tools of power, would they have so easily confronted Tehran?" In turn, the newspaper "Jomhouri Eslami" warned of the serious repercussions of any step Tehran might take to withdraw from the NPT, considering that such a decision would "close the door to diplomacy" and harm the country's interests. The newspaper said that the only article of this bill "is binding" on the government, as a reaction to the violations of the United States and the three European countries of their obligations in the nuclear deal, as well as the referral of Iran's file to the UN Security Council, by withdrawing immediately from the NPT, canceling all obligations contained under it, cutting off all negotiations with the United States and the three European countries, and ending supervisory cooperation with the IAEA completely."The newspaper warned that this bill, like the two previous laws passed by Parliament, would lead to a complete freeze of the diplomatic process, which would have negative consequences for the country. The newspaper concluded by pointing out that unilateral and hasty moves in this sensitive file may close political paths and put Iran in a wider international confrontation, without achieving real gains.

Tehran Warns Europe Against a "Grave Mistake" on the Eve of the IAEA Meeting
Araghchi Calls on the Troika to Reverse the Activation of "Snapback"
London - Tehran / Asharq Al-Awsat / September 7, 2025
(translated from Arabic)
On the eve of the start of sensitive meetings of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) in Vienna, Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi sent a message to the "European Troika," calling on them to reverse what he described as a "grave mistake" and to give diplomacy "time and space" to save the nuclear deal. In an opinion piece published by the British newspaper "The Guardian" on Sunday, Araghchi wrote that "Europe is making a big mistake by following Donald Trump's strategy." He added, "We are open to diplomacy, and reaching a new agreement on our nuclear program," but he stipulated that sanctions must be lifted first. The "European Troika" (Britain, France, and Germany) decided to move forward with the rapid return of UN sanctions on Tehran, officially known as the "snapback" mechanism, at the end of September, if Tehran does not allow UN inspectors to return to the three nuclear facilities that were subjected to US-Israeli bombing last June, and also provide accurate information about approximately 400 kilograms of 60% enriched uranium, and engage in direct negotiations with Washington to reach a new nuclear agreement. Araghchi said that "the European step lacks any legal basis, because it ignores the true sequence of events that pushed Iran to take legal compensatory measures under the provisions of the nuclear deal."Araghchi added, "It may seem that Britain, France, and Germany are acting out of spite, but the truth is that they are deliberately adopting a reckless path, hoping that this will give them a seat at the negotiating table on other issues. This is a dangerous miscalculation that is sure to backfire." He wrote in the same context, "President Trump has clearly expressed his vision of the three European countries as marginal parties. This is evident in the way Europe has been marginalized from fateful issues that affect its future, most notably the Russian-Ukrainian conflict."
Araghchi repeatedly blamed Trump for returning the Iranian nuclear file to the conditions it was in before the 2015 nuclear deal, and he pointed to Trump's withdrawal from the nuclear deal in May 2018. Araghchi criticized the failure to condemn the American attack on Iranian nuclear facilities on June 22, and said, "The European powers are now demanding the imposition of UN sanctions on the Iranians on the pretext of their refusal to engage in dialogue." Araghchi pointed out that he "warned" his European counterparts in the three countries that "this maneuver will not achieve the results they seek, but on the contrary, it will lead to their further marginalization, and their exclusion from any future diplomatic path, with the widespread negative consequences that will have on Europe's overall credibility and its position on the international stage."He reiterated Tehran's adherence to uranium enrichment, saying, "It is illogical for the European trio of countries to claim their participation in an agreement whose essence is uranium enrichment inside Iran, while at the same time demanding that Iran abandon these very capabilities."
An Urgent Necessity
He said, "There is still time and there is an urgent need for honest dialogue," explaining that his country is "ready to enter into a realistic and permanent agreement that includes strict control and specific restrictions on enrichment activities, in exchange for the complete lifting of sanctions," warning that "the failure to seize this narrow window of opportunity may lead to catastrophic consequences, not only for the region but on a wider level the world has never seen before."Araghchi accused Israel of "waging a proxy war for the war," and he referred to the 12-day war in June, saying that "the strong and ready Iranian armed forces are capable of delivering painful blows that will force them to flee to a protector for rescue." He added, "Israel's gamble has cost American taxpayers billions of dollars."
The Iranian minister ended his message to the Europeans by saying, "If Europe is really serious about seeking a diplomatic solution, and if President Trump wants to focus on real issues that are not fabricated in Tel Aviv, they must provide the necessary time and space for diplomacy to succeed. The alternative will not be satisfactory in any way."
The spokesperson for the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Ismail Baqa'i, had made similar statements in an interview with "The Guardian" last week, in an attempt to send a message to European decision-makers. Baqa'i implicitly criticized the European Union's foreign policy chief, Kaya Kallas: "The Europeans are implementing what Washington asks of them. Their role as mediators is gradually fading. If we look at the history of the mediation of European foreign policy leaders, from Javier Solana to Catherine Ashton, Federica Mogherini, and Josep Borrell, we find that they always sought to bring views closer. But now the Europeans have decided to become agents for the United States and Israel. This is irresponsible behavior."The statements were preceded by a surprise meeting between Araghchi and Kallas in Doha on Thursday evening. The "Ilna" labor agency quoted Araghchi on Saturday as saying, "We will continue negotiations with the three European countries. I have held several rounds of talks with the foreign ministers of these countries, and two nights ago, I had prolonged negotiations that lasted more than two hours with Ms. Kallas. I believe that a better understanding of the facts has begun to crystallize." He added, "We also exchange messages with the Americans through mediators. And on the day the Americans accept to negotiate on the principle of mutual interests, we will in turn be ready to start negotiations."
Hours after the meeting, Agence France-Presse quoted an unnamed European Union official as saying that "Kallas discussed with Araghchi in Doha the efforts aimed at reaching a negotiated solution to the Iranian nuclear issue." He added, "The talks focused on many topics, including the access of IAEA observers to Iranian nuclear facilities, and the fate of Iran's enriched uranium stockpile."
Absence of Inspection
The IAEA Board of Governors is scheduled to begin its third quarterly meeting this year in Vienna on Monday morning, and Director General Rafael Grossi will also hold a press conference focusing on the challenges facing his team, including monitoring the Iranian nuclear program. The last IAEA meeting saw the adoption of a resolution pushed by the three European powers and the United States to condemn Iran, after Grossi presented a detailed report on Iran's activities, describing them as a "state of non-compliance" with the nuclear non-proliferation treaty, in a rare step in two decades.
Israel began attacks on Iranian nuclear and military facilities 24 hours after the Western resolution was passed, and a 12-day war broke out between the two parties, in which the United States entered by striking Iran's main uranium enrichment facilities.
Last week, the IAEA sent a detailed report on the Iranian nuclear program to be discussed at this week's meetings, and confirmed that it has not yet reached an agreement on resuming inspections at the sites that were subjected to Israeli and American bombing.
Grossi told Reuters last Wednesday that the agency's talks with Iran on how to resume inspections should not last for many months, and called for an agreement to be concluded soon, perhaps this week. Grossi confirmed that the UN agency has not obtained any information from Iran about the status or location of its highly enriched uranium stockpile since Israel launched the first attacks on the enrichment sites on June 13. Despite the fact that Iran's three enrichment sites were severely damaged or destroyed in the Israeli and American bombing campaigns, the fate of Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile is unclear. This is uranium enriched to a purity of up to 60%, and it is only a small step away from the approximately 90% purity used in making weapons. Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched to 60% purity increased slightly before Israel's attack on its nuclear facilities on June 13, from what was previously reported. The report stated that the estimates on June 13 for Iran's stockpile of 60% purity enriched uranium in the form of uranium hexafluoride, which can be enriched in centrifuges, amounted to 440.9 kilograms. This amount is enough to make 10 nuclear bombs if its enrichment level is increased. Grossi said, "I think there is a general understanding that the (nuclear) materials are still, in general, there. But, of course, that must be verified... Perhaps some have been lost." He added, "We have no indications that would lead us to believe that a significant transfer of materials has occurred."Reuters quoted the report as saying that "an agreement must be reached that paves the way for the resumption of inspections without delay," and that Iran's highly enriched uranium stockpile is a "source of great concern."Grossi confirmed that the agency cannot usually allow more than a month to pass without verifying the status of highly enriched uranium at 20% or above. Talks are continuing instead of rushing to provoke a crisis by denouncing Iran, and Grossi said, "We are trying, as I have always tried... to make room for diplomacy, to allow the process to get back on track. And of course, this must be done within a reasonable time frame."

Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Recruiting Sleeper Cells in Britain
London/Asharq Al Awsat/September 07/2025
Operatives within Iran's Revolutionary Guard (IRGC) are recruiting sleeper cells in Britain by using online grooming techniques, a report by the Daily Express said on Saturday. “An arm of IRGC has used the internet and social media to put in place an informal but complex mosaic of sleeper cells and lone-wolf operatives across the country, ready to act at the behest of the regime,” the newspaper said. It said men of Middle Eastern and Eastern European origin living in Britain are being recruited as would-be terrorists by the Iranian military operatives who groom them online. Their role is chiefly to spy, intimidate and harass, but MI5 agents have uncovered at least one major bomb plot which could have been as devastating as the 7/7 London bombings. The newspaper wrote that Britain’s security services keep a watching brief on the movements of these Iranian “sleeper cells” but they are deliberately designed to provide plausible deniability for the regime in Tehran and be near impossible to fully counter. But in recent years the security services have foiled multiple plots to commit murder or atrocities on British soil. Andreas Krieg, Associate Professor of Security Studies at Kings College, in London, told the newspaper that “in Britain it’s not quite sleeper cells, it’s more the co-ordination of useful idiots... a lot of people who like the regime in Iran and want to do their dirty work for them.”“Iran’s strategy generally is a network strategy, a mosaic. The most powerful weapon Iran has is not ballistic missiles but this network, not just in Britain but across the world. The biggest threat from Iran is not a nuclear missile, it is on Britain’s streets,” he added. Krieg said: “IRGC is heavily invested in this, it’s part of Iran’s irregular warfare. This way they might not be able to win the war but they will never lose it either.”He noted that “these people are directly or indirectly connected to the IRGC or the Ministry of Intelligence. There is no direct link to the regime of course, they are not usually sent as agents, they could be Romanian nationals or Afghans... but they are all likely to be with a grudge against the West, America and Israel.”Director General of MI5 Ken McCallum confirmed that since 2022, MI5 along with police, had responded to 20 Iran-backed plots presenting potentially lethal threats to British citizens and UK residents. A spokesman for Britain’s Counter Terrorism Police said: “At a time when we are witnessing sabotage attacks directed by Russia and espionage operations by China, Iran continues to source violence in the UK and Europe. “We are alive to the persistent and enduring threat posed to the UK by the state of Iran,” he added.

Yemen Accuses Iran of Helping Houthis Produce Chemical Weapons
Aden: Ali Rabih/Asharq Al Awsat/September 07/2025
Yemen’s information minister accused Iran on Sunday of smuggling materials used in chemical weapons production to areas controlled by the Houthi movement, saying Revolutionary Guard experts were directly overseeing the construction of a secret facility to manufacture internationally banned arms. Minister Moammar al-Eryani said in a statement that “confirmed sources” indicated the Houthis had begun preparing the materials to mount on ballistic missiles and drones. He warned the move marked an “unprecedented escalation” that could unleash catastrophic scenarios for Yemen, the wider region and the international community, with the risk of war crimes and possible genocide. Eryani said the introduction of such weapons went beyond the Houthis’ existing use of drones and missiles against civilians inside Yemen and in neighboring countries. The development, he added, posed “a graver threat” to international peace and security and constituted a flagrant violation of the Chemical Weapons Convention and UN Security Council resolutions on Yemen. The minister said the warning was consistent with recent comments by Iran’s defense minister acknowledging the establishment of weapons factories and infrastructure abroad. He accused Tehran of turning Yemen into “secret laboratories for chemical and biological materials and an advanced Revolutionary Guard base that threatens regional security, international shipping and global energy supplies.”Yemen’s government has repeatedly accused Iran of entrenching a direct military presence in Houthi-held areas. The United States and allied navies, along with Yemeni government forces, have in recent years intercepted shipments of Iranian missile parts, guidance systems and drones bound for the Houthis. UN reports have also linked Tehran to supplying advanced weapons and technology in violation of Security Council resolutions. Eryani warned that Houthi control of large parts of Yemen, including stretches of the Red Sea coast, represented a mounting threat over time. “Every day the international community delays decisive action, the costs rise and the security, economic and humanitarian risks to the region and the world multiply,” he said. He urged the United Nations, the Security Council, the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons and international partners to investigate the alleged chemical smuggling, stop what he called Iran’s “blatant violations” and impose punitive measures. He also called for stronger support for Yemen’s internationally recognized government to restore authority across the country. “Any complacency in confronting this scheme will allow Iran to entrench a dangerous reality, turning Yemen into a backroom workshop for prohibited programs and a permanent launchpad for Iranian terrorism,” he said.

Drone attack from Yemen injures man at Israeli airport: army, medics
AFP/September 07, 2025
JERUSALEM: A drone launched from Yemen injured a man when it fell on Ramon airport in southern Israel on Sunday, Israel’s Magen David Adom emergency service said. “Paramedics are providing medical treatment... to a 63-year-old male in mild condition, fully conscious, with shrapnel injuries to his limbs,” the service said in a statement. A spokesperson for Israel’s airports authority said the drone “hit the arrivals hall” and that operations at Ramon airport had been halted. The Israeli military said the drone was the fourth launched from Yemen within minutes of each other on Sunday. In an earlier statement, it reported intercepting three unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) en route from Yemen, two of them before they crossed into Israeli airspace. It did not specify what happened to the third. It later confirmed that an additional UAV “fell in the Ramon airport area,” adding that no sirens were sounded and the incident was under review. The attack came after the Iran-backed Houthis vowed to avenge the killing of their prime minister in an Israeli air strike last month. Following the launches, Hizam Assad, a member of the Houthi political bureau, posted on X, “The real revenge hasn’t even started yet... What awaits you will be much worse.”Israel assassinated the head of the Iran-backed Houthi government together with 11 other senior officials in air strikes two weeks ago. Sunday’s attack was the first strike by Houthis on an Israeli strategic target since a ballistic missile from Yemen hit Tel Aviv Ben Gurion airport in May. Since the Gaza war erupted in October 2023, the Houthis have declared their support for the Palestinians and have launched regular drone and missile attacks against Israel in solidarity. In response, Israel has carried out several rounds of retaliatory strikes in Yemen, targeting ports, power stations and the international airport in Sanaa, the Houthi-held capital. Last week, amid the ongoing escalation, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz vowed to inflict the biblical 10 plagues of Egypt on the Houthis

Trump issues ‘last warning’ to Hamas over hostages
AFP/September 07, 2025
WASHINGTON: US President Donald Trump said Sunday he was issuing a “last warning” to Hamas, saying the Palestinian militant group must accept a deal to release hostages in Gaza. “The Israelis have accepted my terms. It is time for Hamas to accept as well. I have warned Hamas about the consequences of not accepting. This is my last warning,” Trump said on social media, without elaborating further. In early March, Trump issued a similar warning to Hamas after meeting eight freed hostages at the White House, demanding it free all remaining hostages immediately and turn over bodies of dead hostages, saying if not, “it is OVER for you.”Militants seized 251 hostages during the massive October 7, 2023 Hamas attack on Israel, with 47 still believed to be in Gaza. The Israeli military says 25 of them are dead. Israel is seeking the return of their remains. On Friday, Trump said the United States was “very deep in negotiations with Hamas” while suggesting that more hostages could have died in Gaza. “We said let them all out right now, let them all out, and much better things will happen for them,” Trump said of Hamas-held hostages, warning that if they did not, “it’s going to be nasty.”Israel’s army bombed a Gaza City residential tower Sunday — the third in as many days — after Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu announced the military was “deepening” its assault on the Gaza Strip’s key urban center. A day earlier, Israeli protesters took to the streets to call on their government to reverse the decision to seize Gaza City, fearing for the fate of hostages believed to be held there. On Friday, in Tel Aviv, relatives of Israeli hostages held in the Gaza Strip released yellow ballons to mark 700 days of captivity. The October 7, 2023 attack resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 64,368 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza that the United Nations considers reliable. Media restrictions in Gaza and difficulties in accessing many areas mean AFP is unable to independently verify the tolls and details provided by the civil defense agency or the Israeli military.

Israel issues fresh evacuation order ahead of strike on Gaza City tower
AFP/September 07, 2025
GAZA CITY: The Israeli army issued a fresh evacuation order for a residential tower in Gaza City on Sunday ahead of a planned bombing of the high-rise building, a day after it issued a similar warning. “The (army) will strike the building soon due to the presence of Hamas terrorist infrastructure inside or nearby,” army spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a statement. On Saturday, the military had issued a similar warning for the same building, the Al-Roya Tower, after the air force had demolished two other residential high-rises this week. The Al-Roya Tower was not struck on Saturday. “For your safety, you must evacuate the building immediately and move south toward the humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi” area of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, the army spokesman added. The warning came as the Israeli army pushed inside Gaza City in a bid to step up pressure on the Palestinian militant group Hamas. “We are deepening the maneuver on the outskirts of Gaza City and within Gaza City itself,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyuahu told ministers at the start of a cabinet meeting on Sunday. Israel has not publicly announced the start of a major offensive to seize Gaza City, which Netanyahu’s cabinet approved last month, but troops have intensified bombings and operations in the area for weeks. The Israeli military has claimed that the two high-rises flattened in recent strikes were used by Hamas to “monitor” Israeli troops — an accusation denied by the Palestinian group.

Israeli foreign minister calls for Hamas’ surrender as military pounds Gaza
Reuters/September 07, 2025
JERUSALEM: Israel again called on Hamas to surrender on Sunday, as the military carried out strikes on Gaza’s largest urban center where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are seeking shelter.Foreign Minister Gideon Saar told reporters in Jerusalem that the war could end immediately if Hamas released the remaining hostages being held in Gaza and laid down its weapons. “We will be more than happy to reach this objective with political means,” he said. In response, senior Hamas official Basem Naim told Reuters it would not lay down its arms but would release all of the hostages if Israel agreed to end the war and withdraw its forces from Gaza, a stance that has long been the Palestinian militant group’s position. Israel last month launched an assault on Gaza City, the major urban center, and its forces are now just a few kilometers from the city center. Overnight, strikes killed 14 people across the city, local health officials said, including a strike on a school in southern Gaza City sheltering displaced Palestinians. In response to Reuters questions about the strike on the school, the military said it had struck a Hamas militant and that civilians had been warned before the strike was carried out.Israeli forces would “continue to operate against the terrorist organizations in the Gaza Strip in order to remove any threat to Israeli civilians,” a military spokesperson said.
HIGH-RISE BUILDING HIT
“What are you waiting for? We say to Hamas, we want a ceasefire, end this war before Gaza City is turned into ruins like Rafah,” said Gaza City resident Emad, referring to a southern Gaza city that Israel destroyed earlier in the war. “We want an end to this war. How long is this going to go? How many lives are going to be wasted? Enough is enough,” he said by phone, asking for his surname not to be published. The military pounded Gaza City over the weekend, destroying two high-rise buildings that were sheltering displaced Palestinians. The military said the buildings were being used by Hamas and that civilians were warned in advance. Israel has not provided any evidence to show Hamas was using the buildings, an accusation the militant group denied. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered the military last month to take Gaza City, where, according to a global hunger monitor, hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are facing famine. Israeli officials acknowledge that hunger exists in Gaza, but deny the territory is facing famine. Tens of thousands of Palestinians have been killed by Israel’s military assault, launched after Hamas-led militants carried out the surprise October 7, 2023 attack that killed 1,200 people and saw another 251 abducted and taken into Gaza. There are 48 hostages still held in Gaza. Israeli officials believe around 20 are still alive. Most of the hostages who have been released were freed after indirect negotiations between Israel and Hamas.
CHANGE COURSE
Israel has long insisted that for the war to end Hamas must release the hostages, disarm and take no future role in Gaza’s governance. The militant group has said it would release all hostages if Israel agreed to end the war and withdraw its forces but has refused to discuss disarmament. Danish Foreign Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, speaking to reporters in Jerusalem alongside his Israeli counterpart, called on Israel to “change course” and stop its military campaign. “We are extremely concerned about the humanitarian (situation),” he said, also calling for the hostages to be freed. Rasmussen said there had been no breakthrough in talks with Saar for Israel to allow injured Gazans to receive medical care in the Israeli-occupied West Bank and East Jerusalem. Israel had security concerns, Saar said, and asked why Copenhagen would not provide medical care to them in Denmark. Many Palestinians have fled Gaza City in recent weeks, but others have refused to leave having already been displaced several times since the war started. The military on Saturday warned civilians to leave for the south where hundreds of thousands of Palestinians are already sheltering in cramped tent encampments along the coast. US President Donald Trump, who had promised a swift end to the war during his presidential campaign, on Friday said Washington was in “very deep” negotiations with Hamas. Hamas official Naim said he hoped Trump was serious about reaching a deal, without directly acknowledging any negotiations. Hamas has offered to release some hostages for a temporary ceasefire, similar to terms that were discussed in July before negotiations mediated by the US and Arab states collapsed.
The war has grown increasingly unpopular among some segments of Israeli society. On Saturday night, tens of thousands of protesters joined families of hostages at rallies, calling for an end to the war and demanding the release of the captives.
“We want to call for change and for peace. To bring them home because the government won’t do it,” said Nimrod Cohen Bar-Eli, 29, at a Tel Aviv rally on Saturday night.
More than 1,000 welcome Gaza-bound aid boats in Tunisia
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More than 1,000 welcome Gaza-bound aid boats in Tunisia
AFP/September 07, 2025
TUNIS: More than 1,000 people gathered Sunday at a Tunisian port to welcome an aid boat from Barcelona carrying environmental activist Greta Thunberg and other pro-Palestinian campaigners seeking to break Israel’s blockade of Gaza. “We all know why were are here,” said Thunberg. “Just across the water there’s a genocide going on, a mass starvation by Israel’s murder machine.”European Parliament member Rima Hassan joined crowds at Sidi Bou Said port to greet the Global Sumud Flotilla. “The Palestinian cause is not in the hands of governments today. It is in the hearts of peoples everywhere,” said Hassan. She praised the “role that the people play today in the face of the cowardice of states that prevent any solidarity with the Palestinian people.”Hassan did not say whether she would join the flotilla when it resumes its voyage for Gaza on Wednesday. Organizers said more than 130 people from various countries have registered to embark on boats from Tunis to join the flotilla. The Global Sumud Flotilla calls itself an independent organization with no affiliation to any government or political party. The flotilla departing from Tunis had already been delayed “technical and logistical reasons,” its organizers said.

Israel’s Supreme Court says government is not giving Palestinian prisoners enough food
AP/September 07, 2025
TEL AVIV, Israel: Israel’s Supreme Court on Sunday ruled that the government has failed to provide Palestinian security prisoners with adequate food for basic subsistence and ordered authorities to improve their nutrition. The decision was a rare case in which the country’s highest court ruled against the government’s conduct during the nearly two-year war. Since the war began, Israel has seized thousands of people in Gaza that it suspects of links to Hamas. Thousands have also been released without charge, often after months of detention. Rights groups have documented widespread abuse in prisons and detention facilities, including insufficient food and health care, as well as poor sanitary conditions and beatings. In March, a 17-year-old Palestinian boy died at an Israeli prison and doctors said starvation was likely the main cause of death. Sunday’s ruling came in response to a petition brought last year by the Association for Civil Rights in Israel and the Israeli rights group Gisha. The groups alleged that a change in the food policy enacted after the war in Gaza began has caused prisoners to suffer malnutrition and starvation. Last year, National Security Minister Itamar Ben-Gvir, who oversees the prison system, boasted that he had reduced the conditions of security prisoners to what he described as the bare minimum required by Israeli law. In Sunday’s ruling, the panel of three justices ruled unanimously that the state is legally obligated to provide prisoners with enough food to ensure “a basic level of existence.”In the 2-1 ruling, the justices said they found “indications that the current food supply to prisoners does not sufficiently guarantee compliance with the legal standard.” They said they had found “real doubts” that prisoners were eating properly, and ordered the prison service to “take steps to ensure the supply of food that allows for basic subsistence conditions in accordance with the law.” Ben-Gvir, who leads a small far-right ultranationalist party, lashed out at the ruling, saying that while Israeli hostages in Gaza have no one to help them, Israel’s Supreme Court “to our disgrace” is defending Hamas militants. He said the policy of providing prisoners with “the most minimal conditions stipulated by the law” would continue unchanged. ACRI called for the verdict to be implemented immediately. In a post on X, it said the prison service has “turned Israeli prisons into torture camps.”“A state does not starve people,” it said. “People do not starve people — no matter what they have done.”

Qatari prime minister reaffirms support for Palestinian statehood
Arab News/September 07, 2025
LONDON: The Qatari Prime Minister, Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani, discussed ties and latest developments with Palestinian Vice President Hussein Al-Sheikh in Doha on Sunday. “The meeting discussed the latest developments in the Gaza Strip and the West Bank, including the escalation of aggression, forced displacement, and (Israeli) colonial expansion plans,” according to the Wafa news agency. The Qatari premier emphasized the urgent need to stop Israeli aggression in Gaza and ensure unhindered humanitarian aid.
He also reiterated Qatar’s support for the two-state solution and the establishment of an independent Palestinian state with East Jerusalem as its capital, the Qatar News Agency reported.

Tens of thousands march for Palestinians in Belgian capital
AFP/September 07, 2025
BRUSSELS: Tens of thousands took to the streets of Brussels on Sunday to express support for the Palestinian cause, days after Belgium’s foreign minister said the European Union’s credibility was “collapsing” because of its failure to act.
Police put the turnout at 70,000, while the organizers said 120,000 had marched through the capital. Many of those who took part were dressed in red and carried red cards, symbolising calls for tougher measures against Israel to protect the civilians in Gaza.
“Some people dreamt of the fall of the Berlin Wall,” Ismet Gumusboga, a 60-year-old security worker, told AFP. “Me, I dream of a Palestinian state for the Palestinians, where they can live like any other people.”Samuele Toppi, a 27-year-old student, flagged the city’s role as a focal point for international politics. “I think it’s really, really important that all students and people of any age should protest in this city,” he said. Gregory Mauze, spokesman for the Belgo-Palestinian association ABP, said: “In the face of the ongoing genocide, the measures taken are not yet adequate.”On Friday, Belgian Foreign Minister Maxime Prevot told AFP that the EU’s credibility on foreign policy was “collapsing” because of the bloc’s failure to act over Israel’s war in Gaza. Belgium has said it will recognize the State of Palestine at this month’s UN General Assembly, and has imposed new sanctions against Israel. The EU has so far failed to take action against Israel because of deep divisions among its 27 members. Israel began bombarding the Palestinian territory after Hamas’s October 2023 attack on Israel, which resulted in the deaths of 1,219 people, mostly civilians, according to an AFP tally based on Israeli figures. Israel’s retaliatory offensive has killed at least 64,368 Palestinians, most of them civilians, according to figures from the health ministry in Hamas-run Gaza that the United Nations considers reliable.

Israel issues fresh evacuation order ahead of strike on Gaza City tower
AFP/September 07, 2025
GAZA CITY: The Israeli army issued a fresh evacuation order for a residential tower in Gaza City on Sunday ahead of a planned bombing of the high-rise building, a day after it issued a similar warning. “The (army) will strike the building soon due to the presence of Hamas terrorist infrastructure inside or nearby,” army spokesman Avichay Adraee said in a statement. On Saturday, the military had issued a similar warning for the same building, the Al-Roya Tower, after the air force had demolished two other residential high-rises this week. The Al-Roya Tower was not struck on Saturday. “For your safety, you must evacuate the building immediately and move south toward the humanitarian zone in Al-Mawasi” area of Khan Yunis in southern Gaza, the army spokesman added. The warning came as the Israeli army pushed inside Gaza City in a bid to step up pressure on the Palestinian militant group Hamas. “We are deepening the maneuver on the outskirts of Gaza City and within Gaza City itself,” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyuahu told ministers at the start of a cabinet meeting on Sunday. Israel has not publicly announced the start of a major offensive to seize Gaza City, which Netanyahu’s cabinet approved last month, but troops have intensified bombings and operations in the area for weeks. The Israeli military has claimed that the two high-rises flattened in recent strikes were used by Hamas to “monitor” Israeli troops — an accusation denied by the Palestinian group.

UAE leader welcomes Jordanian King on state visit to Abu Dhabi
Arab News/September 07, 2025
DUBAI: UAE President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan welcomed King Abduallah bin Al Hussien of Jordan in Abu Dhabi on Sunday, reported state news agency WAM.
Accompanied by Crown Prince Al Hussein, Prime Minister Jafar Hassan and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Al Safadi, along with several senior Jordanian officials.

Jordan’s King Rejects Any Israeli Move to Annex West Bank
Asharq Al Awsat/September 07/2025
King Abdullah II of Jordan on Sunday reaffirmed his "absolute refusal" towards any efforts by Israel to annex the occupied West Bank during a visit to the UAE, the royal palace said. The message came after several Israeli officials suggested that the country could proceed with the annexation of large tracts of the territory in response to moves by Western governments to recognize Palestinian statehood this month.According to a palace statement, Abdullah reiterated "Jordan's absolute refusal of any Israeli measures aimed at annexing the West Bank and forcing Palestinians to leave.”He also rejected any plans to displace Palestinians from Gaza or to separate the two Palestinian territories. He was joined by Emirati President Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan in expressing opposition to Israeli plans to expand settlements in the West Bank, occupied by Israel since 1967. They also rejected "Israeli plans aimed at perpetuating the occupation of Gaza and expanding military control.” The United Arab Emirates warned this week that annexation would be a "red line.”

Jordanian Armed Forces bring down drug-laden balloons on eastern border
Arab News/September 07, 2025
LONDON: Security forces in Jordan’s Eastern Military Zone foiled a drug smuggling attempt early on Sunday along the country’s eastern border, as part of efforts to protect national security. Authorities reported that smugglers used balloons guided by rudimentary devices to transport narcotics into Jordan. Border Guard forces, in coordination with security agencies, detected and brought down the balloons and seized them. The materials have been turned over to the authorities for legal action, the Jordan News Agency reported.
Jordan is known as a transit point for drug smuggling in the Middle East, with criminals using drones alongside conventional methods to smuggle narcotics into the country from neighboring Syria and Iraq. The Jordanian Armed Forces intercepted on average 51 drones each month from January to July, nearly two per day, all carrying narcotics destined for Jordanian territory, according to an investigative report by Petra.

Jordanian, Palestinian ministers discuss cultural cooperation amid Gaza crisis
Arab News/September 07, 2025
AMMAN: Jordanian Minister of Culture Mustafa Rawashdeh met with his Palestinian counterpart Imad Hamdan on Sunday at the Royal Cultural Center in Amman to discuss strengthening cultural cooperation and preserving shared heritage, the Jordan News Agency reported. Rawashdeh highlighted King Abdullah II’s leadership in defending the Palestinian cause and efforts to end the Israeli war on Gaza, stressing Jordan’s readiness to support Palestinian cultural resilience against attempts by Israeli occupation authorities to erase it. Hamdan commended the king’s role in safeguarding Islamic and Christian holy sites under the Hashemite Custodianship in Jerusalem and noted Jordan’s humanitarian relief efforts in Gaza. He described the blockade and war as “human and cultural genocide,” displacing intellectuals and artists, and said his ministry is building a database to preserve Palestinian culture despite limited resources. Hamdan also proposed hosting an Arab and international cultural conference in Amman to address the cultural impact of the war on Palestine. Ministry Secretary-General Nidal Ayasrah highlighted ongoing cooperation, including training Palestinians in archiving and documentation at the Jordanian National Library. He pointed to the library’s extensive records on Jordanian-Palestinian ties, Jordan’s restoration of Al-Aqsa Mosque, and joint efforts to safeguard Palestinian heritage.

Baghdad clashes kill six, including four police: ministry
AFP/September 07, 2025
BAGHDAD: Clashes between members of two local tribes in Iraq’s capital Baghdad have killed at least six people, including four policemen who intervened in the violence, the interior ministry said on Sunday. Iraqi security officials, speaking to AFP on condition of anonymity, said that the clashes late Saturday erupted over increased fees for a private power generator.The vast majority of Iraqis rely on private generators to compensate for daily long power cuts to public electricity. The violence Saturday in Baghdad’s Saada area resulted in the deaths of four police officers, two of them commanders, after they had intervened to disperse a “tribal dispute,” the interior ministry said, revising an earlier toll. A security official, requesting anonymity because he was not authorized to brief the media, said the toll was updated after two policemen succumbed to their injuries. Another nine officers were wounded, the ministry said. It said the force was attacked by “those who started the clashes,” and returned fire that killed two people. Five of those involved in the clashes were wounded and several arrested, the ministry said. Tribal feuds are common in Iraq, a war-scarred country awash with weapons, where the pettiest row can turn into deadly tribal clashes. Tribes wield significant influence and often operate under their own moral and judicial codes, and they possess huge caches of arms.
Iraq has only recently begun to regain a sense of stability after decades of violence that followed the 2003 US-led invasion that ousted long-time ruler Saddam Hussein.

KSrelief chief, Syrian FM discuss humanitarian cooperation
Arab News/September 07, 2025
DAMASCUS: Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani met on Sunday with Dr. Abdullah Al-Rabeeah, Supervisor General of the King Salman Humanitarian Aid and Relief Center (KSrelief), the Saudi Press Agency reported. The Saudi ambassador to the Syrian Arab Republic, Faisal Al-Mujfel, also attended the meeting. The two sides reviewed ongoing Saudi humanitarian projects in Syria and discussed upcoming initiatives. Al-Shaibani thanked the Kingdom and its humanitarian arm, KSrelief, for supporting those affected by the civil war, while Al-Rabeeah thanked the Syrian government for facilitating the work of KSrelief’s field teams. During the visit, Dr. Al-Rabeeah, accompanied by a high-level Saudi delegation, announced the launch of 16 comprehensive humanitarian initiatives across Syria.
Speaking to Arab News, he said: “Today is a historic day. Saudi Arabia has been supporting the Syrian people for decades. And today is another signal: We have supported them prior to the conflict, during the conflict, and now, we hope, (during) this period of reform in Syria, we are (again) supporting the Syrian people.”

Turkiye’s main opposition calls for rallies after police barricade Istanbul office
Reuters/September 07, 2025
ISTANBUL: Turkiye’s main opposition CHP called on citizens and residents of Istanbul to gather on Sunday, after police set up barricades in areas around its Istanbul headquarters in what the party leader called a “siege.”The Republican People’s Party (CHP) has been the target of a months-long legal crackdown, which has swept up hundreds of its members — including Istanbul Mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, President Tayyip Erdogan’s main political rival — whose March arrest set off Turkiye’s largest street protests in a decade. The CHP has denied all accusations against it and said the legal measures are politicized attempts at eliminating electoral threats against Erdogan and weakening the opposition. The latest moves against the CHP began on Tuesday when a court ordered the removal of the party’s Istanbul provincial head over alleged irregularities in a 2023 congress. Speaking at a CHP event in Istanbul, party chairman Ozgur Ozel called on Turks to gather and demonstrate against the court decision and the crackdown against his party, as well as the police measures to set up barricades around the headquarters and restrict public access to it. “From here, I invite all democrats and CHP members whom my words and voice reach to, to protect the home of Ataturk in Istanbul,” he said, referring to Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, modern Turkiye’s founder. The CHP’s youth wing also called on all Istanbul residents to gather at the party’s provincial headquarters at 2000 GMT. The party will also organize another demonstration on Monday at 0700 GMT, it said.

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources on September 07-08/2025
Gaza’s Invasion
Tariq Al-Homayed/Asharq Al-Awsat/September 07/2025
Everyone is warning against an Israeli invasion of the Gaza Strip, condemning it and denouncing statements made by (Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu and members of his extremist cabinet. But the real question here is the one I posed to an Arab diplomat: "Don’t you see that the invasion has already begun?" He replied: "It's almost over!"Israel has not ceased its destruction of Gaza for a single moment. Since Hamas and its allies carried out the October 7 operation two years ago, every phase of Netanyahu’s campaign against Gaza has come under a different pretext, a different political media plan, different statements and an ongoing war. Netanyahu’s stated pretext is the same as Hamas’: the hostage issue. However, it's evident that Netanyahu has little concern for the hostages, while Hamas has nothing but this card, which it used just days ago by releasing videos of Israeli captives in Gaza.
Netanyahu believes that Hamas - the very group he empowered and exploited to entrench Palestinian division and derail all efforts toward a Palestinian state - committed the ultimate sin with the October 7 attack. He sees this as an opportunity to be remembered in history as the one who, just as he exploited Hamas, was the one who ended it. Meanwhile, Hamas has no political plan, no clear exit strategy, and so far appears to be on a suicide mission. This is demonstrated by some statements suggesting that Israeli hostages will be on the battlefield alongside Hamas fighters during any ground invasion.
Such statements signal a suicidal scenario. The reason is simple: these statements don’t put pressure on Netanyahu. On the contrary, they relieve internal pressure on him and give him international justification. That’s why (US) President (Donald) Trump said Hamas must release all living hostages at once in order to stop the war. This undermines all ideas of phased hostage or prisoner exchanges and represents US support for Netanyahu, while no one is talking about Hamas. Internationally, everyone is focused on stopping the war and ensuring Hamas is not given another chance to rule Gaza.
As Netanyahu is continuing the "invasion" of Gaza in practice, he rejects the idea of returning authority to the Palestinian Authority and hints at annexing the West Bank so that negotiations will be about the post-Authority phase and not about engaging with it. That’s why I believe the invasion has already begun; what's left is to finish off Gaza through displacement - by various means, none of which are voluntary - because the reality on the ground reinforces the idea that Gaza is now unlivable.
Therefore, Netanyahu knows exactly what he wants. His objectives extend beyond retaining power, recovering hostages, or destroying Hamas. He wants to redefine the rules of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict and reshape the political Palestinian entity after this war.
He also seeks to reshape the region. His offer to help disarm Hezbollah is evidence to that. Hezbollah is also floundering, hoping to maintain the same balance of power in Lebanon. Netanyahu, however, has his sights set on Iran militarily. And despite how clear all this is, Hamas does not seem to know what it wants, aside from its desire to rule Gaza. It holds no cards except the hostages. Moreover, Hamas is incapable of building bridges with the Palestinian Authority, which faces a real threat and has become a victim of Hamas, even though it was supposed to be the savior. It’s a grim picture, but it suggests that the Israeli invasion is nearing its end - not just beginning.

The Drums of War Are Beating in Tripoli
Dr. Jebril El-Abidi/Asharq Al-Awsat/September 07/2025
The drums of war are playing in the Libyan capital, Tripoli. Are we on the brink of another devastating conflict?
Fighting in Tripoli is neither new nor surprising. Conflict has been raging, leaving the city on a knife’s edge every night and morning, since 2011. Nonetheless, this time feels different. A bone-breaking battle seems imminent, as ideologically driven militias subordinate to foreign actors seek to eliminate their rivals. The escalation should be seen as part of a broader map of local conflicts. Armed clashes are breaking out in several regions of the country, often under the pretext of “extending the authority of the state.” In reality, this is merely a struggle to empower some militias over others and to allow them to gain ground in Tripoli. It has nothing to do with restoring the authority of the state whatsoever - the state has been absent from the capital since 2011. Civil war in Libya, especially in Tripoli, would be catastrophic for all local parties. Libyan blood has already fueled conflicts that serve foreign agendas, and as happened before, everyone would lose. I believe that those beating the drums of war will end up playing them alone. The only way out of this crisis is through dialogue and negotiation; Libyan voices should be heard, not silenced. Dialogue is the solution. Even if it fails once, it will not necessarily fail the second time, but dialogue must be genuine, flexible, and without prior conditions; every side must be willing to take a step back.
We have always made the same call: dialogue, dialogue, and then more dialogue. If it does not happen, we are all heading straight toward civil war. The brigades in and around Tripoli would inevitably be sucked into the clashes, backing one side or another. The tragedy is that these brigades further regional or ideological objectives rather than seeking to establish a national army. Any advance to the capital will be seen as a purely territorial move - an act of war. Libyan politics remains paralyzed by rivalries, power struggles, and thirst for power. State legitimacy has been eroded, and reliance on militias has deepened. Guns make the rules, not the law, dragging the country toward the abyss, and the dark tunnel that leads to full-blown civil war.
The very definition of “civil war” - a conflict fought between groups of a single population - should compel us to reexamine what is happening in Tripoli today. These clashes are not mere skirmishes; they are battles between militias with tribal and regional loyalties vying for influence. Maybe we should rethink our reluctance to call Libya’s unrest by its real name.Many factions in Libya take their orders from foreign actors, playing dangerous games, shuffling the cards and sowing chaos, pushing toward the partition of the country and surrendering it to the rule of party militias. The goal is to recreate a Lebanon-style scenario in Libya. Hollow political leaders are being propped up by foreign-backed factions as parallel armies deliberately cripple state institutions.
And yet, not all leaders have behaved the same way. Some have genuinely strived to establish a civil state that guarantees equal citizenship for all Libyans, rejects ethnic divisions, and refuses to be beholden to foreign allegiances. Libya will only change direction by freeing itself from all forms of sectarian, tribal, ethnic, or partisan fanaticism. A united, indivisible nation must be defended instead. Both inside and outside Libya, several actors are actively seeking to wreck the country and rip it apart. If war erupts in Tripoli, it will be catastrophic for everyone. There will be no victor. Collective defeat is a foregone conclusion. It is therefore up to Libya’s wise elders, tribal leaders, and sensible figures to prevent this descent to war and silence those who are beating the drums of civil strife.

From Peace Laureate to Press Jailer: The Authoritarian Transformation of Muhammad Yunus
Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury/Gatestone Institute/September 07/2025
The silencing of Bangladesh's media is not just about censorship -- it is part of a larger transformation of the country into a breeding ground for radical Islamist politics that threatens the stability of the entire region.
By criminalizing the press, Yunus is dismantling the very institutions that could hold his interim regime accountable, while empowering Islamist groups that thrive in darkness.
Ansar al-Islam, the Bangladeshi franchise of Al-Qaeda, openly justifies murdering secular writers and bloggers by branding them "enemies of Islam."
Yunus's reliance on Islamist allies such as Jamaat-e-Islami undermines this role by pushing Bangladesh into a trajectory that will likely make it hostile to US interests.
If Bangladesh descends further into authoritarianism and Islamist radicalization, it risks becoming another Afghanistan -- a sanctuary for extremist groups with transnational ambitions. Washington cannot afford to remain silent while an unelected regime dismantles democracy and silences the media in Bangladesh.
Yunus has promised elections in February 2026, but his Islamist allies are already signaling their intention to sabotage the process. If the media remains silenced, if journalists remain in prison, the path is clear: Bangladesh will be robbed of its democracy and its people robbed of their voice.
Bangladesh stands at a dangerous crossroads. The persecution of journalists under Yunus is not merely an assault on freedom of expression - it is the deliberate dismantling of democracy itself. Every day that Monjurul Alam Panna and other journalists remain behind bars, Bangladesh moves closer to becoming another Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
If Yunus's regime is not challenged now, Bangladesh will not just lose its democracy -- it will proceed to export instability across South Asia.
Since the Islamist-backed coup of 2024 that installed Muhammad Yunus in power, Bangladesh has witnessed an unprecedented assault on freedom of the press. Journalists have been dragged to jail under trumped-up charges, assaulted in courtrooms, and criminalized under the vague Anti-Terrorism Act. Pictured: Yunus speaks on June 11, 2025 in London, United Kingdom. (Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)
For years, Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has been synonymous with the brutal silencing of dissent, turning his country into one of the world's largest prisons for journalists. Today, shockingly, Bangladesh -- once hailed as a moderate Muslim democracy -- is following the same dangerous path under the unelected, military-backed rule of Nobel laureate Muhammad Yunus.
Since the Islamist-backed coup of 2024 that installed Yunus in power, the country has witnessed an unprecedented assault on freedom of the press. Journalists have been dragged to jail under trumped-up charges, assaulted in courtrooms, and criminalized under the vague Anti-Terrorism Act. The once vibrant Bangladeshi media, long known for its resilience, is now suffocating under a regime that increasingly mirrors Taliban-style authoritarianism.
This is a tragedy not only for Bangladesh. The repression unfolding in Bangladesh carries far-reaching consequences for South Asia's fragile security balance, for US strategic interests in the Indo-Pacific, and for India's fight against Islamist extremism along its vulnerable eastern frontier. The silencing of Bangladesh's media is not just about censorship -- it is part of a larger transformation of the country into a breeding ground for radical Islamist politics that threatens the stability of the entire region.
Bangladesh: The new jailer of journalists
According to the Deutsche Welle:
"There have been more than 354 journalists harassed, 74 cases of violence reported, 113 criminal charges filed, and press credentials revoked for 167 journalists, according to the [Rights and Risks Analysis Group] report."
Unsurprisingly, Yunus's officials dismissed the report as "a wildly misleading piece of disinformation". But such denials have become routine. From repressing minorities to intimidating journalists, the regime consistently refutes what is visible to the naked eye.
Beh Lih Yi, Asia program coordinator at the Committee to Protect Journalists, has condemned the campaign of repression:
"We are disturbed by the apparently baseless detentions and criminal cases against journalists, and incidents of media groups' offices being targeted and vandalized. These assaults on press freedom must end. They create a chilling effect on the media."
The chilling effect is, of course, deliberate. By criminalizing the press, Yunus is dismantling the very institutions that could hold his interim regime accountable, while empowering Islamist groups that thrive in darkness.
Case study: The arrest of Monjurul Alam Panna
The arrest of journalist Monjurul Alam Panna on August 28, 2025, illustrates the new climate of fear. Panna was seized from the auditorium of Dhaka Reporters Unity while attending a discussion on "Our Great Liberation War and the Constitution of Bangladesh". The program was violently disrupted by protestors who had already threatened the event online.
The International Federation of Journalists condemned Panna's arrest, and noted that he and 15 others were rounded up on charges that had been fabricated. In court the following day, Panna was paraded in a bulletproof vest and helmet as if he were a dangerous terrorist. On September 4, shocking images circulated of police officers choking him inside the court premises. The message was unmistakable: in today's Bangladesh, even the walls of justice are weaponized against the media.
Panna's case is not alone -- it is a symbol of how the Yunus regime is criminalizing journalism itself.
Extremists flourish as journalists are silenced
The most disturbing paradox is that while independent journalists are being silenced, Islamist extremists are enjoying growing freedom. Ansar al-Islam, the Bangladeshi franchise of Al-Qaeda, openly justifies murdering secular writers and bloggers by branding them "enemies of Islam." These extremist narratives are tolerated, if not encouraged, by the state's unwillingness to confront them.
In July 2025, the political party Islami Andolan Bangladesh -- nicknamed "Congregation of the island of Monai" and advocating Islamic sharia law for Bangladesh -- vowed to remake the country in the image of Taliban-ruled Afghanistan.
Jamaat-e-Islami, Yunus's key political ally, is also advancing the same goals while supporting the indefinite tenure of the unelected interim regime. The convergence of state repression and Islamist radicalism is transforming Bangladesh into a ticking time bomb for South Asia.
Global concern and rights groups' alarm
The crackdown has drawn international criticism. Earlier this year, a coalition of major human rights organizations -- including Amnesty International, ARTICLE 19, Human Rights Watch, PEN America, and the Committee to Protect Journalists - issued a joint statement warning of escalating attacks:
"We note with alarm the number of arrests and incidents of harassment and violence against individuals and human rights defenders exercising their right to freedom of expression in Bangladesh. The government has an obligation to guarantee the right to freedom of expression, including protecting people from attacks by non-state actors".
The International Society for Human Rights added:
"Bangladesh's vibrant media landscape is facing an increasingly alarming threat, with a worrying rise in violent attacks and legal cases targeting journalists".
It further noted that police and political activists have beaten journalists with sticks and hammers, placing Bangladesh among the most dangerous countries for journalists in South Asia.
Strategic concerns for the United States
For Washington, the persecution of journalists in Bangladesh is not simply a human rights issue -- it is a matter of strategic urgency. The United States has long viewed Bangladesh as a partner in its Indo-Pacific strategy, particularly as a counterweight to China's growing influence in South Asia. Yunus's reliance on Islamist allies such as Jamaat-e-Islami undermines this role by pushing Bangladesh into a trajectory that will likely make it hostile to US interests.
If Bangladesh descends further into authoritarianism and Islamist radicalization, it risks becoming another Afghanistan -- a sanctuary for extremist groups with transnational ambitions. Such a development would not only destabilize South Asia but also endanger US security interests across the region. Washington cannot afford to remain silent while an unelected regime dismantles democracy and silences the media in Bangladesh.
India's growing alarm
For India, the stakes are even higher. Bangladesh shares a long, porous border with India's sensitive northeastern states, where separatist insurgencies and communal tensions simmer. A Bangladesh modeled on the Taliban would provide a fertile ground for cross-border terrorism, fueling instability in Assam, West Bengal, and Tripura.
Indian intelligence agencies have already warned of Jamaat-e-Islami and other Islamist groups attempting to infiltrate northeastern India with the support of Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence. The systematic silencing of Bangladesh's media, by eliminating the watchdogs who could expose such subversive plots, only accelerates this danger.
India has invested heavily in regional connectivity projects, energy cooperation, and counter-terrorism coordination with Bangladesh. All of these gains are now at risk. If Dhaka turns into a safe haven for extremists under the cover of Yunus's authoritarianism, New Delhi may be forced to radically rethink its security and diplomatic posture.
Democracy under siege
An independent media is universally regarded as the fourth pillar of democracy. Yet under Yunus's rule, it is being systematically dismantled. Ironically, Yunus -- once celebrated as a Nobel Peace Prize laureate -- now presides over one of the harshest crackdowns on freedom of expression in Bangladesh's history. His administration's use of the judiciary, police and Islamist groups to suppress dissent demonstrates how far the country has strayed from its former democratic norms.
Yunus has promised elections in February 2026, but his Islamist allies are already signaling their intention to sabotage the process. If the media remains silenced, if journalists remain in prison, the path is clear: Bangladesh will be robbed of its democracy and its people robbed of their voice. Bangladesh stands at a dangerous crossroads. The persecution of journalists under Yunus is not merely an assault on freedom of expression - it is the deliberate dismantling of democracy itself. Every day that Monjurul Alam Panna and other journalists remain behind bars, Bangladesh moves closer to becoming another Taliban-ruled Afghanistan. The international community cannot afford silence. Washington must recognize that a radicalized Bangladesh undermines its Indo-Pacific strategy, while New Delhi needs to prepare for the grave security risks that will most likely spill across its borders. Both the United States and India, along with Europe and other democracies, need to speak with one voice: journalism is not a crime, and silencing the press is a betrayal of fundamental shared values. If Yunus's regime is not challenged now, Bangladesh will not just lose its democracy -- it will proceed to export instability across South Asia. The world seriously needs to act-- without hesitation -- before the voice of freedom in Bangladesh is silenced, perhaps forever.
**Salah Uddin Shoaib Choudhury is an award-winning journalist, writer, and Editor of the newspaper Blitz. He specializes in counterterrorism and regional geopolitics. Follow him on X: @Salah_Shoaib
© 2025 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Houthi attacks and Israeli responses
Hassan Al-Mustafa/Arab News/September 07, 2025
In late August, Israel launched a new phase of confrontation with the Houthi group, as it targeted a command operations room in the Yemeni capital, Sanaa, killing Prime Minister Ahmed Ghaleb Nasser Al-Rahawi and several members of the Houthi government. The operation, backed by intelligence efforts, marked a strategic shift from a limited maritime confrontation to direct strikes targeting Houthi political and administrative leaders. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz described the operation as a “crushing blow.”
Abdul-Malik Al-Houthi’s response did not take long, as he sought in a speech to raise the morale of his supporters, considering that “the assassination of civilian ministers will not weaken Yemen but will rather increase its determination and steadfastness.” Meanwhile, Acting Prime Minister Mohammed Ahmed Muftah vowed revenge, accusing Washington and Tel Aviv of leading an “intelligence empire” that had infiltrated Yemen.
In the days that followed the Israeli strike and the accompanying mobilization on both sides, tensions continued to mount, as the Houthis in Sanaa buried 12 officials, followed by the launch of missiles and drones toward Israel. The Israeli army announced the interception of one missile on Sept. 3 after an alert in Tel Aviv, while another was reported to have fallen in an open area. At the same time, the Houthis announced they had targeted the oil tanker Scarlet Ray in the Red Sea, a step that raised great concern, especially since it poses a threat to energy security and navigation in the Red Sea and raises the risk level.
The Israeli response to the Houthis was not limited to the airstrike but included escalatory symbolic rhetoric. Katz threatened to unleash the biblical plagues on the Houthis, affirming that Israel “will complete all 10 plagues” until the threat is eliminated. This rhetoric reflects a desire for psychological deterrence as well as physical, especially since some Houthi missiles have reached sensitive areas inside Israel. But this rhetoric does not obscure the challenge Tel Aviv faces, as every Israeli airstrike means the possibility of a new Houthi response, even if limited, extending the war of attrition and increasing the likelihood of escalation, including the targeting of new areas.
Despite the above, researcher April Longley Alley of the Washington Institute for Near East Policy pointed out that “none of the dead were Houthi military or political decision-makers. In fact, the majority of these officials … were not part of the Houthi movement at all .” She added: “In effect, the Israelis eliminated a largely figurehead government.” This description raises a question about the strike’s effectiveness and whether it enhanced deterrence or instead gave the Houthis a pretext to tighten their internal grip and unify their supporters against an external enemy that all Yemenis share a hatred for.
The option pursued by the Houthis of expanding the maritime confrontation will multiply the risks to global trade.
In light of these developments, the options before the Houthis seem complicated. Continued escalation with missiles and drones establishes them as the last active faction in the so-called Axis of Resistance, after Iran, Lebanon’s Hezbollah and the Iraqi factions ceased targeting Israel and Hamas and Islamic Jihad lost their ability to strike Tel Aviv. This grants the Houthis a symbolic gain but also places them under increasing Israeli strikes and mounting humanitarian pressures, especially with the spread of cholera and the decline of the health system’s capacity in the areas they control.
Also, the option pursued by the Houthis of expanding the maritime confrontation will multiply the risks to global trade and may call for intervention by an international coalition, which could impose suffocating isolation on them. On the other hand, tactical de-escalation represents an opportunity to regroup, but it may weaken their popularity at home and force them to confront the economic and service-related problems Yemenis suffer from.
Israel also faces a dilemma. Continuing the “decapitation” strategy grants it the image of a power capable of penetrating Sanaa, but it does not stop the threat to navigation or guarantee halting the missiles, particularly since Israeli intelligence on the Houthis is not of the same quality as that which it has on Hezbollah or Hamas. Likewise, expanding the targeting to include infrastructure could exacerbate the humanitarian crisis and expose Israel to international criticism. As for betting on the factor of time, it is tied to its ability to bear the cost of military operations thousands of kilometers away amid other regional priorities.
The US, despite its clear support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s government, has nevertheless given signals of preferring the political path. In May, President Donald Trump announced that “we will stop the bombings” after reaching an understanding with the group to halt its attacks on American ships. But any new Houthi escalation could bring Washington back to military options to protect navigation, especially if its direct interests are put at risk.
This complex military and political reality makes it clear that Israeli strikes alone will not grant Tel Aviv security, just as a Houthi escalation will not entrench legitimacy for the group. The most realistic path is through parallel tracks, which include ending the war in Gaza as the broader spark, protecting international navigation in the Red Sea and launching an inclusive Yemeni political process in which the Houthis return as a political player and not a rebellious armed faction. Without these steps, the region will remain hostage to a vicious cycle of escalation that threatens its political and economic future.
**Hassan Al-Mustafa is a Saudi writer and researcher interested in Islamic movements, the development of religious discourse and the relationship between the Gulf Cooperation Council states and Iran. X: @Halmustafa

Shanghai grouping commits to a multipolar world order
Talmiz Ahmad/Arab News/September 07, 2025
The optics of last week’s Shanghai Cooperation Organization Summit at Tianjin in China captured as much world attention as the rhetoric. The most striking picture was that of the Russian, Chinese and Indian leaders smiling warmly and chatting amicably among themselves. An observer described them as signaling “a unified front in pursuit of multipolarity, economic resilience and collective security … a strategic recalibration of international order.”
Another important event was the bilateral meeting between Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Chinese President Xi Jinping on the sidelines of the summit, which had brought the former on his first visit to China in seven years. Xi noted the “historic responsibility” of the two countries “to bring about a multipolar world order … and to make our true contributions to peace and prosperity in Asia and around the world.”
Modi in turn affirmed that they were “partners rather than rivals” and that the interests of the 2.8 billion people of the two countries “are tied to our cooperation.”
The Shanghai Cooperation Organization emerged from a platform set up in the 1990s to address border issues between China, Russia and the Central Asian republics that had emerged from the breakup of the Soviet Union. From 2001, it began to meet at summit level. India and Pakistan joined as full members in 2017, while Iran and Belarus joined in 2024. The organization also has 16 “partner states” from the South Caucasus, South and Southeast Asia and the Middle East.
Together, its members make up 80 percent of the Eurasian landmass, 40 percent of the world’s population and 23 percent of global gross domestic product. The organization’s functioning is avowedly shaped by the “Shanghai spirit,” a commitment to mutual respect, reciprocal benefit, equality, consultation, respect for diverse civilizations, and the pursuit of joint development.
The Tianjin summit was the 25th Shanghai Cooperation Organization conclave. It took place from Aug. 31 to Sept. 1 against the backdrop of several members’ deteriorating ties with the US. In particular, on Aug. 27, the US imposed penal tariffs on Indian exports, bringing the total to 50 percent, effectively making most Indian exports, valued at several billion dollars, uneconomical. Russia is largely isolated in Europe and already subject to Western sanctions due to the Ukraine war, while China is already subjected to US hostility and is expected to face crippling tariffs shortly. The organization is therefore viewed as an entity that stands in opposition to the US-led world order.
At the inauguration of the summit, Xi described the grouping as a force promoting “a new type of international relations.” Modi described its three pillars as: security, connectivity, and opportunity for cooperation and reform. He advocated a role for the organization in promoting multilateralism and an “inclusive world order.”
The summit has clearly injected new vigor, a sense of purpose and contemporary resonance into the organization.
The Tianjin Declaration that emerged from the summit has been described by an Indian diplomat as linking “vision with muscle.” It carries forward the ideas of earlier summits, while imbuing them with clarity, drive and, where required, institutional support.
On economic cooperation, it supported the idea of a “Greater Eurasian Partnership,” the setting up of a Shanghai Cooperation Organization development bank and greater use of national currencies in settlements between members. China has pledged funding through grants of $280 million for 100 “small and beautiful” projects and $1.4 billion as loans to members of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization Interbank Consortium.
India’s theme of “One Earth, One Family, One Future” at the G20 summit in New Delhi in 2023 was included in the Tianjin Declaration as part of the common vision, presented by China, of “building a community with a shared future for humanity.” These visions will shape a new “Initiative on World Unity for a Just Peace, Harmony and Development.”
The Tianjin summit has clearly injected new vigor, a sense of purpose and contemporary resonance into the 25-year-old organization by pulling it out of the narrow confines of Eurasia and placing it on the world stage. This has been made possible by the obvious camaraderie between the leaders of India, China and Russia, referred to by observers as a “new troika axis” that poses an effective challenge to Western hegemony over world affairs and backs its replacement by a multipolar global order.
This is not a mere tactical and short-term response to the impulsiveness and excesses of the US president. It is a carefully shaped strategic approach by the three principal players, who understand that a new world order can only emerge if they operate in tandem and withstand the pressures of Western divide-and-rule policies that have proven so detrimental to the interests of the Global South in the past.
There are important challenges that the three states still need to address. The most important among them are Sino-Indian divisions relating to the border and rivalries in South Asia and the Indian Ocean, along with possible Sino-Russian competition in Central Asia.
The Russia-India-China alignment, which dates back to 2006 but has not been functional since 2020, can offer a useful platform to ensure that these issues do not evolve into confrontations and conflicts. Only then will the Shanghai Cooperation Organization effectively oppose “hegemonism and power politics,” as demanded by Xi, and achieve Modi’s vision of “a multipolar world and a multipolar Asia.”
*Talmiz Ahmad is a former Indian diplomat.

Global South must take lead on sustainable growth
Saliem Fakir and Prabhat Upadhyaya/Arab News/September 07, 2025
The deluge of crises over the past five years, from the COVID-19 pandemic to wars in Ukraine and Gaza to Washington’s destructive tariff policy, has put the postwar global order under immense pressure. Multilateral institutions, including the UN and the World Trade Organization, are struggling to respond effectively to an increasingly complex geopolitical landscape, where international cooperation is being steadily supplanted by great power politics. Amid this economic fragmentation and political disarray, the Global South and philanthropic organizations must take a pragmatic approach to protecting development gains and pursuing climate resilience. That means building issue-based coalitions, strengthening domestic institutions and making the most of opportunities to lead on the global stage, such as South Africa’s current G20 presidency and India’s turn as BRICS chair in 2026.
Perhaps most consequential is Brazil’s role as host of this year’s UN Climate Change Conference, COP30, which is expected to focus on delivering past commitments and scaling up outcomes. Equally important will be the updated Nationally Determined Contributions, which all signatories of the Paris Agreement must submit, ideally within the next month.
According to the UN Environment Programme’s 2024 Emissions Gap Report, there is a need for Nationally Determined Contributions that are better aligned with the agreement’s pathway for limiting the rise in global temperatures to 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial levels. More ambitious Nationally Determined Contributions will, in turn, require greater international collaboration and reforms to the global financial architecture.
Action has become imperative. Despite the falling cost of renewable energy, fossil fuel use continues to grow. As a result, climate change and biodiversity loss have accelerated. Meanwhile, efforts to close the climate finance gap have fallen short. The New Collective Quantified Goal on Climate Finance agreed at COP29 in Baku, Azerbaijan, is grossly inadequate and the situation looks set to deteriorate, as America retreats inward and other developed countries significantly increase defense spending.
Likewise, progress on the UN Sustainable Development Goals has stalled, owing to a persistent $4 trillion annual financing gap. While progress has been real and substantial, it remains fragile and unequal. As flows of official development assistance dry up and global debt reaches a record high, developing innovative ways to mobilize domestic and foreign capital has become an urgent priority.
With that goal in mind, the Fourth International Conference on Finance for Development recently established a reform-oriented global financing framework and committed to a rules-based multilateral trading system. The conference also launched the Borrowers’ Forum, a platform that enables debt-distressed countries to negotiate collectively.
Global South countries are learning not to pin their hopes on the rich world’s empty promises. As a result, they are shifting their focus to implementation.
Global South countries are learning not to pin their hopes on empty promises. They are shifting their focus to implementation.
Brazil launched an Action Agenda for COP30, while South Africa’s G20 presidency has highlighted the nexus of climate, development and debt. Faced with unsustainable debt levels and prohibitive borrowing costs, Global South, particularly African, governments must improve fiscal resilience to scale up long-term investments in climate action and respond quickly to climate-related shocks.
This by no means absolves developed countries of their financial obligations under Article 9 of the Paris Agreement, but it represents a pragmatic imperative for Global South countries that do not want their climate and development priorities held hostage to great power politics. In such an environment, philanthropic organizations must reassess their role in helping national and regional actors achieve development and climate goals. That means confronting financing gaps in low- and middle-income countries, as well as the transition risks that all countries face, while addressing existing priorities such as inflation, unemployment and social unrest, which implies the need to expand social protection for the most vulnerable.
But instead of taking an “everything everywhere all at once” approach, philanthropies must be more focused on expanding their reach, while also improving coordination among themselves. This is especially true in Africa, where only a handful of large philanthropic organizations are based.
The Just Energy Transition Partnerships in South Africa, Vietnam and Indonesia have shown that philanthropies can play a valuable role in establishing government-led country platforms for coordinating public- and private-sector finance in service of development and climate goals. Philanthropic organizations can provide early financing, support capacity building and bring other actors, including community groups and small and medium-size enterprises, on board. Another priority should be situating climate action in a development context. In Africa, that means helping countries reduce their debt overhangs, strengthen fiscal resilience and devise credible investment plans for facilitating climate action. All of this should build the countercyclical economic momentum needed for sustainable growth. But it requires philanthropies to start engaging with the multilateral processes, using their flexibility, risk tolerance and trust-building capacity to advance the Global South’s interests by strengthening institutional and human capacity.
To deliver on-the-ground results in climate-vulnerable countries confronting a confluence of global crises, philanthropies must collaborate with governments, grassroots organizations and development banks, concentrating on supporting systemic change as much as on providing relief. That will require staying focused on strategic climate and development objectives and being prepared to manage trade-offs.
The new age of great power politics will eventually pass. But Global South governments and philanthropic organizations cannot afford to bide their time until then. Instead, they must take concrete steps toward ensuring sustainable growth and strengthening international partnerships. The only way to emerge from this era of disorder is to confront it head-on.
**Saliem Fakir is Founder and Executive Director of the African Climate Foundation.
Prabhat Upadhyaya is Adviser on the G20 and Multilateral Affairs to the African Climate Foundation. ©Project Syndicate

Slected X tweets For September 07/2025
Einav Halabi
The Druze sect in Syria chose the most suitable personality to lead it because of his wisdom and strong leadership qualities. We do not need fools from Bani Umayyah, or anyone else who follows a terrorist like Abu Muhammad al-Julani to tell us who our sheikh is or who we are.

Elie Al Hindy
The canonisation of Carlo Acutis & Pier Giorgio Frassati shines as a beacon for today’s youth—reminding us that holiness is not distant, but lived in everyday courage, faith, and love. Two young saints, two timeless