English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News
& Editorials
For April 01/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them: It is
better for you to have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation
destroyed
Holy
Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 11/47-54:"So the chief priests
and the Pharisees called a meeting of the council, and said, ‘What are we to do?
This man is performing many signs.If we let him go on like this, everyone will
believe in him, and the Romans will come and destroy both our holy place and our
nation.’But one of them, Caiaphas, who was high priest that year, said to them,
‘You know nothing at all! You do not understand that it is better for you to
have one man die for the people than to have the whole nation destroyed.’He did
not say this on his own, but being high priest that year he prophesied that
Jesus was about to die for the nation, and not for the nation only, but to
gather into one the dispersed children of God. So from that day on they planned
to put him to death. Jesus therefore no longer walked about openly among the
Jews, but went from there to a town called Ephraim in the region near the
wilderness; and he remained there with the disciples."
on March 31-April 01/2026
Israel, Lebanon's Rulers, the Army, Security Forces, and UNIFIL Bear
Responsibility for the Martyrdom of George and Elias Said, Sons of Debl/Elias
Bejjani/March 29/2026
Vidio-Link/Rakan Diab, the dutiful son of Ain Ebel, bears witness to the
struggle and history of his town’s people, and to their steadfastness, their
faith, and their church. An intervention from SAT/7 Alarabia
Israel says it struck senior Hezbollah commander and senior member in Beirut
Trump’s UN envoy calls on international community to support Lebanon's govt,
army
Netanyahu reportedly says any US-Iran deal won't end Lebanon war
Israel to destroy ‘all houses’ near Lebanon border, defense minister says
Two fronts, two paths: Israel seeks Iran deal, expands Lebanon war
Israel says will occupy parts of south Lebanon even after war
Israeli projectile hits open area in Mar Roukoz-Dekwaneh, circumstances unclear
Israel strikes Dahieh, warns residents of Bir Hassan building
Israeli projectile hits open area in Mar Roukoz-Dekwaneh, circumstances unclear
Lebanese Army withdrawal sparks concern in Rmaych, Ain Ebel and Debl: The
details
Latest developments: Israeli strikes and Hezbollah attacks
Indonesia Urges Respect for International Law After Peacekeepers Killed in
Lebanon
Ten European countries urge 'safety' of UN peacekeepers in Lebanon
Israel’s UN Envoy: Hezbollah actions put UNIFIL at risk; we do not intend to
remain in Lebanon
Lebanon’s UN Envoy condemns IRGC threats and calls for diplomacy in region
Aoun says negotiation remains the only solution
EU calls attacks on UN Lebanon peacekeepers 'grave violation' of law
We might end up with expanded buffer zone in south Lebanon, UNIFIL chief says
Israel says four soldiers killed in south Lebanon clashes
UN envoy says 'Lebanon is a shadow of its former self' since Israeli invasion
More than 200,000 people crossed from Lebanon into Syria in March
Report: US diplomat says no problem with Lebanon's Shiites
Displaced Lebanese shelter in Beirut as war escalates
Report: Iran told Hezbollah to reject Aoun's initiative
Report: Iran tells US will keep hitting Israel if Lebanon not included in deal
Smotrich says committed to making Litani River 'new security border of Israel'
FBI says Michigan synagogue attack was 'Hezbollah-inspired'
Lebanon asks Ukraine embassy to hand over suspected Mossad agent
Lebanon denounces Israel's 'clear intention' for new occupation
Hezbollah condemns Israeli Knesset approval of Palestinian prisoner execution
law
Lilian Jabbour Schmid Prayer For Lebanon
The War on Hezbollah-The Iranian Terrorist Proxy Continues/LCCC website
links to several important news websites
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on March 31-April 01/2026
Third American aircraft carrier heads for Middle East after departing US
waters
CENTCOM commander makes surprise visit to Israel to discuss Iran war
US ready to thwart any potential Iranian attacks, White House says
Iran Fires Missiles across Middle East as Trump Threatens Oil Hub
Trump says Iran war won't last 'much longer', Hormuz will reopen 'automatically'
after US exit
Trump says nations upset by high fuel prices should 'go get your own oil'
Next days in Iran war will be 'decisive', says Hegseth
Rubio says US hopeful after private talks with Iran officials
Netanyahu says Israel will continue to ‘crush’ Iran’s ‘terror regime’
Gulf allies privately urge Trump to keep fighting until Iran is decisively
defeated
Satellite images begin to show damage wrought by Iran war
Qatar says Gulf states 'unified' in calling for war de-escalation
Horror and fear in West Bank as Israel approves hanging convicted Palestinians
Canada opposes Israeli death penalty law for Palestinians
Al-Sharaa says Syria will stay out of Iran conflict unless it faces aggression
Pope Leo urges Trump to find ‘off-ramp’ to end Iran war
China, Pakistan call for Iran peace talks, normal navigation in Strait of Hormuz
Shelly Kittleson identified as American journalist kidnapped in Iraq
The Prospects of the European Right… After France's ‘Local’ Elections!/Eyad Abu
Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/March 31/2026
The War on Hezbollah-The Iranian Terrorist Proxy Continues/LCCC website
links to several important news websites
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on March 31-April 01/2026
Syria: Christians, Other Minorities Under Genocidal Attack During Leadership of
Ahmed Al-Sharaa/Uzay Bulut/Gatestone Institute/March 31, 2026
The Prospects of the European Right… After France's ‘Local’ Elections!/Eyad Abu
Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/March 31/2026
Regional quartet offer Trump a final off-ramp/Osama Al-Sharif/Arabnews/March 31,
2026
Passover: A celebration of human interdependence/Rabbi Marc Schneier/Arabnews/March
31, 2026
Egypt seeks to prevent region being redrawn by force/Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy/Arabnews/March
31, 2026
on March 31-April 01/2026
Israel, Lebanon's Rulers, the Army, Security Forces, and UNIFIL Bear
Responsibility for the Martyrdom of George and Elias Said, Sons of Debl
Elias Bejjani/March 29/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/03/153204/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-DRar8yT9dU
With profound anger and sorrow, the Lebanese people and the conscience of the
free world mourn the two wronged martyrs, George Said and his son Elias, who
were killed by Israeli fire on the road linking their village, Debl, and the
town of Rmeish. This heinous crime is not merely a "military error," but a
direct targeting of peaceful, unarmed citizens who never bore arms nor belonged
to schemes of strife or to the terrorist "Hezbollah" axis that has brought ruin
and destruction upon Lebanon and the South.
The two martyrs were on a mission of survival, seeking sustenance and medicine
for their people in the besieged village of Debl, only to fall drenched in blood
on a "humanitarian corridor." Due to Hezbollah’s criminality and its futile
Iranian jihadist wars—and because of the Lebanese state's negligence (army and
security forces) and the indifference of the international UNIFIL forces—this
path has turned into a death trap lurking for the innocent.
What the village of Debl faced yesterday with the martyrdom of two of its sons,
preceded days ago by the fall of three martyrs in the town of Ain Ebel and the
targeting of the shepherd of Rmeish, is the dear blood tax paid by Christians in
Southern Lebanon as the price for clinging to their roots and history. They are
the children of this holy land trodden by the feet of Lord Christ and His Virgin
Mother, raised in faith on soil kneaded with the blood, sweat, and conviction of
their ancestors. They remain steadfast against all projects of uprooting and
displacement—whether Palestinian, leftist, pan-Arabist, Baathist, or Iranian.
Today, Southern Christians stand with pride and resilience, bare-chested before
the terrorism of the Iranian-backed jihadist Hezbollah. The group has turned
their towns and villages into missile platforms and open battlefields for the
account of the Tehran regime, completely disregarding the safety and security of
residents who refuse displacement and cling to the land they redeem today with
their lives.
Full and absolute responsibility for the dire situation in Southern Christian
villages and towns rests upon:
The Falsely Named "Lebanese State": Hijacked in its decision-making, rulers,
officials, and sovereignty by Hezbollah.
The Lebanese Army and Security Forces: Which abandoned their constitutional duty
to protect citizens, leaving Southern Christian border villages to face their
fate alone, caught between the hammer of occupation and the anvil of terrorism.
The International UNIFIL Forces: Who are called upon today to exercise their
actual role in protecting civilians and securing humanitarian corridors. There
is no use for "peacekeeping forces" content with the role of a spectator,
issuing reports while the innocent are slaughtered.
However, the greatest responsibility is borne by the terrorist Hezbollah, which
occupies South Lebanon and takes its residents hostage for regional adventures,
unconcerned by the destruction of villages or the displacement of their people.
The cry of Debl's parish priest, Father Fadi Falflé, along with the cries of
Christian residents and municipal and electoral figures, is the cry of a people
who reject humiliation. These are a people who refuse to leave their land and
will not be intimidated by the machine of death. The Christian presence in the
South will remain a solid rock upon which all projects foreign to Lebanon's
identity and history shatter.
Mercy to the martyrs George and Elias Said, and to the martyrs of Ain Ebel and
Rmeish. Shame to everyone who conspired or remained silent in the face of these
crimes.
Vidio-Link/Rakan
Diab, the dutiful son of Ain Ebel, bears witness to the struggle and history of
his town’s people, and to their steadfastness, their faith, and their church. An
intervention from SAT/7 Alarabia
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/03/153309/
Rakan Diab is a struggling young man from the steadfast southern Christian town
of Ain Ebel. Rakan refused to leave Ain Ebel and dedicated all his activity to
serving its people and their steadfastness, and he believes in the right of his
people and his town to remain in the sacred Lebanese South, and he refuses—as do
the rest of the residents of the Christian villages and towns in the South—to
abandon their homeland, their cedar, and their Lebanon rooted in history.
Despite all the difficulties and sacrifices, Rakan and the people of his town
Ain Ebel, and like them the residents of the Christian villages and towns, are
steadfast, remaining, and attached to their land and to the soil that was
blessed by the Lord Christ and his mother, the Virgin Mary. Rakan, in this
intervention via Sat Arabica channel, explains the situation of his resisting
town and its heroic resistance history.
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/03/153309/
Israel says it struck senior
Hezbollah commander and senior member in Beirut
Reuters/April 01, 2026
Israel’s military said on Wednesday it carried out two separate strikes in
the Beirut area a short while ago targeting a senior Hezbollah commander
and another senior member of the group. The military did not provide
further details on their identities or the outcome of the strikes.
Trump’s UN envoy calls on
international community to support Lebanon's govt, army
Al Arabiya English/31 March/2026
US President Donald Trump’s envoy to the United Nations on Tuesday said the
international community must support Lebanon’s government and army as they seek
to assert sovereignty across the country and “beat back Hezbollah.”“We must
support the Government of Lebanon and the Lebanese Armed Forces as they exercise
sovereignty – and we’ve heard a lot of talk about sovereignty today – but as
they exercise sovereignty, the duly elected Government of Lebanon, over all of
Lebanon’s territory and beat back Hizballah, a group that hides behind civilians
while threatening their neighbors, a terrorist group that has a long history of
hiding weapons, fighters, and caches of rockets in schools, hospitals, and
civilian homes,” US Ambassador the UN Mike Waltz said. Speaking at a UN Security
Council briefing on the situation in Lebanon, Waltz said international efforts
needed to refocus on supporting Lebanese state institutions, reducing the risk
to peacekeepers, and pressing Hezbollah and its main backers, Iran, to cease
their destabilizing activities. “We, the United States, will continue to work
with Council members, regional partners, troop‑contributing countries, and the
parties on the ground to reduce tensions, support Lebanon’s sovereignty, and
make a better future for the Lebanese people,” Waltz said.France called for the
UNSC briefing following the killing of multiple UN peacekeepers based in
Lebanon. Waltz called on the world to reserve judgment until the United Nations
concludes its investigations.
Hezbollah and Israel have been engaged in cross-border fire since the
Iran-backed group decided to enter the war following the killing of Iran’s
supreme leader. Since then, Israel has begun invading southern Lebanon, once
again, with the hopes of establishing a so-called buffer zone and defeating
Hezbollah. Multiple wars between Hezbollah and Iran since the early 80s have
failed to alter the status quo.
Netanyahu reportedly says any US-Iran deal won't end
Lebanon war
Naharnet/March 31/2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has told senior U.S. officials that
any future agreement between Washington and Tehran would not stop Israel's war
in Lebanon, according to a report published Monday. The Israel Hayom daily said
Netanyahu conveyed the message during recent closed-door talks with senior
officials in U.S. President Donald Trump's administration. According to the
newspaper, Netanyahu said any agreement reached between the United States and
Iran would not apply to the Lebanese front. "Israel will continue to take
advantage of the opportunity to eliminate Hezbollah even if there is an
agreement between Trump and Iranian officials," the report said.The newspaper
also said Netanyahu rejected a French proposal to halt the war against Hezbollah
in exchange for French President Emmanuel Macron's commitment to help resolve
the situation. According to the report, Netanyahu believes Israel now has an
opportunity to significantly improve its security situation by pushing Hezbollah
beyond the Litani River. A senior Israeli official quoted by the newspaper said
the United States had accepted Israel's position. "Lebanon does not matter to
President Trump," the official said. Israel has pounded Lebanon with airstrikes
and launched a ground offensive in southern Lebanon since a cross-border attack
by Hezbollah on March 2. ىLebanese authorities say at least 1,247 people have
since been killed and 3,690 injured in Israeli attacks. The escalation came amid
a joint U.S.-Israeli offensive on Iran, which has killed more than 1,340 people
since Feb. 28. Iran has retaliated with drone and missile strikes targeting
Israel and U.S. bases in Gulf countries.
Israel to destroy ‘all houses’ near Lebanon border, defense
minister says
Reuters/31 March/2026
Israel will destroy all homes in Lebanese villages near the border and 600,000
people who fled the south will not be allowed home until northern Israel is
secure, the defense minister said on Tuesday, vowing to inflict Gaza-like
destruction in the area. Israel Katz reiterated Israeli plans to establish a
buffer zone in southern Lebanon, saying that it would maintain control over a
swathe of territory up to the Litani River once the war with Iran-backed
Hezbollah group ended. More than 1.2 million people have been displaced and
another 1,200 have been killed in Lebanon since Israel launched an offensive
against Hezbollah on March 2, ignited by the group’s decision to open fire in
support of Tehran in the regional war. The Litani River meets the Mediterranean
about 30 km (20 miles) north of Israel’s border, and the area between it and the
Israeli border amounts to nearly a 10th of Lebanon’s territory. The Israeli
military earlier this month ordered residents to leave swathes of the south, the
Hezbollah-controlled southern suburbs of Beirut, and the group’s political
heartlands in eastern Lebanon.
‘Rafah’ model
“At the end of the operation, the IDF will establish a security zone inside
Lebanon — a line of defense against anti-tank missiles — and will maintain
security control over the entire area up to the Litani River, including the
remaining Litani bridges,” Katz said in a statement. Israeli forces would
eliminate Hezbollah’s elite Radwan fighters who infiltrated the south and
destroy all weapons, he said. Displaced residents would not be allowed to return
south of the Litani “until the safety and security of residents of northern
Israel is guaranteed,” he added. “All houses in villages near the Lebanese
border will be destroyed, in accordance with the model used in Rafah and Beit
Hanoun in Gaza, in order to permanently remove the threats near the border to
northern residents,” he said.
Hezbollah fired 5,000 drones, missiles
Israeli military spokesperson Lieutenant Colonel Nadav Shoshani said that
Hezbollah had fired almost 5,000 drones, rockets and missiles at Israel during
the conflict. The Israeli military also announced a new wave of strikes it said
were targeting Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut’s southern suburbs. The war is
the second major conflict between Israel and Hezbollah since 2024. Israel dealt
Hezbollah heavy blows in the last war, killing its leader Hassan Nasrallah and
thousands of its fighters. The Lebanese health ministry has reported that 1,247
people have been killed in Israeli strikes in Lebanon, including 124 children
and 52 medics. Sources told Reuters last week that more than 400 Hezbollah
fighters had been killed. The Israeli military has reported that 10 of its
soldiers have been killed in fighting with Hezbollah, a group founded by Iran’s
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps in 1982 to export the Islamic Revolution and
fight Israeli forces who invaded that year.
Two fronts, two paths: Israel seeks Iran deal, expands Lebanon war
LBCI/March 31/2026
As the fifth week of the "Lion's Roar" war unfolds, U.S.-Israeli consultations
are intensifying over developments on both the Iran and Lebanon fronts, amid
Israeli insistence on separating the two scenes. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu reiterated this position to U.S. President Donald Trump, stressing
that Israel intends to continue its military campaign against Hezbollah even if
a ceasefire is reached with Iran. Military coordination has also been a key part
of the discussions. Commander of United States Central Command Brad Cooper held
talks in Tel Aviv with Israeli Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir on regional
developments and the growing possibility of ending the war with Iran while
maintaining operations in Lebanon. At the same time, Israeli Defense Minister
Israel Katz said Israeli forces would remain in South Lebanon even after the war
ends. Katz also sought to reassure Israelis concerned about mounting casualties
among soldiers fighting Hezbollah, as the Israeli army acknowledged the
challenges of confronting the group in ground operations. Amid the ongoing
conflict, Israeli messaging has also focused on internal Lebanese dynamics.
Israeli officials have indicated that military efforts are aimed at dismantling
Hezbollah's presence in Shiite areas, while suggesting that Christian regions
would not be targeted. Analysts say such messaging echoes past strategies used
during earlier phases of Israel's involvement in South Lebanon, raising concerns
about a potentially more dangerous and prolonged scenario if current patterns
continue.
Israel says will occupy parts of south Lebanon even after war
Agence France Presse/March 31/2026
Defence Minister Israel Katz on Tuesday said Israel's military would occupy a
swathe of southern Lebanon even after the end of the current war against the
Hezbollah armed group. "At the end of the operation, the IDF will establish
itself in a security zone inside Lebanon, on a defensive line against anti-tank
missiles, and will maintain security control over the entire area up to the
Litani," Katz said in a video statement published by his ministry, referring to
a river around 30 kilometers from the border. Katz said hundreds of thousands of
displaced Lebanese residents would be "completely prevented" from returning
until north Israel's security was ensured, adding that: "All the houses in the
villages adjacent to the border in Lebanon will be demolished in accordance with
the Rafah and Beit Hanoun model in Gaza."
Israeli projectile hits open area in Mar Roukoz-Dekwaneh, circumstances unclear
Naharnet/March 31/2026
A projectile, that likely came from an Israeli warplane, on Tuesday hit an open
area near a car company's parking lot in the Mar Roukoz-Dekwaneh area east of
Beirut, creating a large crater in the ground and damaging vehicles and a nearby
kiosk but causing no injuries. The sound of a warplane could be heard in a video
of the incident that was accidentally filmed by a man from a nearby hill. The
man apparently thought that an airstrike would target Beirut's southern suburbs.
"Lebanese security forces have cordoned off the site of the strike, which hit an
area considered to be part of Dekwaneh, but there is no evidence that it was a
targeted attack, and its causes and circumstances remain unclear," MTV said "A
team from the Army Engineering Regiment inspected the targeted site in the Mar
Roukoz-Dekwaneh area. The inspection revealed that the missile landed near a
company's parking, damaging a large number of vehicles and leaving a deep crater
in the ground," the National News Agency said. Earlier, NNA and other media
outlets had erroneously reported that the "strike" had hit "an apartment" in
nearby Mansourieh. Residents of the region heard an explosion and saw black
smoke rise from the area, which contains many factories and furnished rental
apartments. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army.
Israel strikes Dahieh, warns residents of Bir Hassan
building
Agence France Presse/March 31/2026
A strike hit Beirut's southern suburbs on Tuesday, AFPTV's live broadcast
showed, after the Israeli military renewed its warning for residents to leave as
it attacks the area.
The strike came shortly after Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the
military would occupy a swathe of southern Lebanon even after the end of the war
against the armed group. Israeli warplanes also broke the sound barrier over
Lebanon in Beirut, Sidon and south Lebanon. Later in the day, the Israeli army
warned residents of a building in the densely populated neighborhood of Bir
Hassan on the border of Ghobairi to evacuate ahead of a strike. The region is on
Dahieh's outskirts and has not been evacuated. Israel’s military said it has
begun a new wave of airstrikes on Hezbollah infrastructure in Beirut.
Israeli projectile hits open area in Mar Roukoz-Dekwaneh,
circumstances unclear
Naharnet/March 31/2026
A projectile, that likely came from an Israeli warplane, on Tuesday hit an open
area near a car company's parking lot in the Mar Roukoz-Dekwaneh area east of
Beirut, creating a large crater in the ground and damaging vehicles and a nearby
kiosk but causing no injuries. The sound of a warplane could be heard in a video
of the incident that was accidentally filmed by a man from a nearby hill. The
man apparently thought that an airstrike would target Beirut's southern suburbs.
"Lebanese security forces have cordoned off the site of the strike, which hit an
area considered to be part of Dekwaneh, but there is no evidence that it was a
targeted attack, and its causes and circumstances remain unclear," MTV said "A
team from the Army Engineering Regiment inspected the targeted site in the Mar
Roukoz-Dekwaneh area. The inspection revealed that the missile landed near a
company's parking, damaging a large number of vehicles and leaving a deep crater
in the ground," the National News Agency said. Earlier, NNA and other media
outlets had erroneously reported that the "strike" had hit "an apartment" in
nearby Mansourieh. Residents of the region heard an explosion and saw black
smoke rise from the area, which contains many factories and furnished rental
apartments. There was no immediate comment from the Israeli army.
Lebanese Army withdrawal sparks concern in Rmaych, Ain Ebel
and Debl: The details
LBCI/March 31/2026
Residents gathered in the center of the town and in front of the local police
station to protest the withdrawal of Lebanese security forces from their area,
warning that the move would leave them facing serious security risks.
The situation has raised alarm among residents of Rmaych, Ain Ebel, and Debl,
who say they fear both displacement and insecurity if the Lebanese Army and
security forces fully withdraw from the area. Residents said they had previously
asked displaced people to leave their towns to avoid giving Israel a pretext to
enter or occupy the villages. They also noted that their communities had already
suffered casualties during the war and now find themselves facing renewed danger
following requests for Lebanese Army and security forces to withdraw completely
from the area. Residents of the three towns said they do not want to leave their
land and do not want the state to abandon them, especially after the price they
say they have paid over decades. They are calling on authorities to reverse the
decision to withdraw security forces. They stressed that the presence of the
Lebanese Army and security forces has been essential in escorting supply convoys
and fuel deliveries and ensuring they could reach the towns. According to
residents, about 11,000 people remain determined to stay in their homes,
insisting only that the state not leave them to an uncertain and dangerous fate.
Latest developments: Israeli strikes and Hezbollah attacks
Naharnet/March 31/2026
At least nine people were killed Tuesday in Israeli strikes on south and east
Lebanon.
The Israeli army targeted al-Qantara, al-Qasmiyeh, Yater, Deirkifa, Zawtar,
Shehabiyyeh-Kfardounin, Majdalzoun, Mansouri, al-Qlayleh, Henniyyeh, Ebba, Rshaf,
Kafra, Dayr a-Zahrani, Srifa, Ebl al-Siqi, Khiam, and Jebshit in south Lebanon,
while artillery shells hit Wadi Serbine, Touline, Qabrikha, Majdal Selem and the
outskirts of Beit Leef. In the country's east, strikes targeted Sohmor, Yohmor
and Qalya in west Bekaa.Hezbollah meanwhile claimed attacks on troops and
Merkava tanks in Ainata, Naqoura, Bayyada, Beit Leef, Aitaroun and on the
Qantara-Taybe road.
In north Israel, Hezbollah targeted Misgav Am, Ma'alot-Tarshiha, the Philon Base
south of Rosh Pinna, Krayot north of Haifa, and the city of Nahariya. The
attacks were carried out with artillery shells, suicide drones and rockets,
Hezbollah said.
Indonesia Urges Respect for International Law After Peacekeepers Killed in
Lebanon
Asharq Al Awsat/March 31/2026
Indonesia urged warring parties in the Middle East "to respect international
humanitarian law" after three of its peacekeepers were killed in Lebanon. "The
safety of peacekeeping troops must be the top priority. All parties to the
conflict are urged to respect international humanitarian law and ensure the
security of peacekeeping personnel," defense ministry spokesman Rico Ricardo
Sirait said in a statement. Three United Nations peacekeepers from Indonesia
were killed in two separate incidents in southern Lebanon after a bloody weekend
in which Lebanese journalists and medics were killed in Israeli strikes. Two
peacekeepers were killed on Monday after an explosion from an unknown origin
destroyed their vehicle near Bani Hayyan in south Lebanon, the UN Interim Force
in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said in a statement. Two other soldiers were wounded in the
blast.Another Indonesian soldier was killed overnight Sunday into Monday when a
projectile exploded near one of the group's positions close to the southern
Lebanese village of Adchit al-Qusayr. Another peacekeeper was critically injured
at the time. The death on Sunday was the first among the UN's peacekeeping force
in the new war between Israel and Lebanese armed group Hezbollah which erupted
on March 2."These are two separate incidents and we are investigating them as
two separate incidents," said UNIFIL's spokesperson Kandice Ardiel. In response
to the first death, Indonesia's foreign ministry said on Monday the deceased
peacekeeper was one of its citizens and that three others were injured by
"indirect artillery fire".Indonesia condemned the incident and said any harm
to peacekeepers is unacceptable, while reiterating its condemnation "of Israel's
attacks in southern Lebanon."The country's Foreign Minister Sugiono called on
Tuesday in a post on social media website X for an emergency UN Security Council
meeting and "for a swift, thorough, and transparent investigation" into the
"heinous attack" after speaking with UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres.
Israel's military said early on Tuesday it is aware of the reports regarding the
two incidents and they are being reviewed thoroughly to determine whether they
resulted from Hezbollah or the military's activity. Guterres said attacks on
peacekeepers are grave violations of international humanitarian law and may
amount to war crimes."We strongly condemn these unacceptable incidents -
peacekeepers must never be a target," the UN peacekeeping chief Jean-Pierre
Lacroix told reporters in a briefing on Monday.
PARAMEDICS, JOURNALISTS KILLED
UNIFIL is stationed in southern Lebanon to monitor hostilities along the
demarcation line with Israel - an area that is at the heart of clashes between
Israeli troops and Iran-backed Hezbollah fighters. Lebanon was pulled into the
war in the Middle East when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in solidarity
with Tehran, two days after Iran was attacked by Israel and the United States.
Hezbollah's attack prompted a new Israeli ground and air offensive. More than
1,240 people have been killed in Israeli strikes on Lebanon, according to
Lebanese authorities. They include more than 120 children, nearly 80 women and
dozens of paramedics. More than 400 Hezbollah fighters have been killed since
March 2, according to two sources familiar with Hezbollah's count. The Israeli
military issued evacuation warnings to residents of six villages in Lebanon's
western Bekaa region on Monday, in the first such warning for those areas.The
military said the warning was prompted by what it described as militant activity
in the area, without providing further details. Fresh airstrikes hit several
towns in southern Lebanon on Monday and at least one strike hit Beirut's
southern suburbs. The Israeli military said strikes in Beirut targeted
commanders responsible for coordination between Hezbollah and Palestinian armed
groups. At least 10 paramedics were killed over the weekend in Israeli strikes,
according to the Lebanese health ministry. Three journalists were killed in an
Israeli strike on their car on Saturday. The Israeli military has accused
Hezbollah operatives of posing as Lebanese paramedics, and has said that some
journalists it killed were part of the group's intelligence or military wing. It
has not publicly provided evidence to support those claims. Lebanon's health
ministry has denied that any ambulances or health facilities are used for
military purposes. Lebanon's presidency has said that targeted journalists are
"civilians performing a professional duty." Israel has said it intends to
control a buffer zone up to the Litani River, which runs about 30 km (20 miles)
north of the Lebanese border with Israel. Its ground troops have been pushing
into Lebanese border towns and demolishing homes in the area. Israel's military
said on Monday that a sixth soldier had been killed in fighting in southern
Lebanon. Lebanon's armed forces said that a Lebanese soldier had been killed in
an Israeli airstrike. At least nine Lebanese soldiers have been killed by
Israel. Lebanon's army has not been fighting Israeli forces.
Ten European countries urge 'safety' of UN peacekeepers in
Lebanon
Agence France Presse/March 31/2026
Ten European countries, including France and the United Kingdom, Tuesday urged
all sides to ensure the safety of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon
after three peacekeepers were killed in recent days. "We urge all parties, under
all circumstances, to ensure the safety and security of UNIFIL personnel and
premises, in accordance with international law," the foreign ministers of
Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, France, Greece, Italy, Malta, the Netherlands,
Portugal and the United Kingdom, as well as the European Union's top diplomat,
said in a joint statement.
Israel’s UN Envoy: Hezbollah actions put UNIFIL at
risk; we do not intend to remain in Lebanon
LBCI/March 31/2026
Israel’s representative to the United Nations said that Hezbollah has been
positioning rocket launchers close to UNIFIL sites, adding that Israel is
coordinating with the peacekeeping force to reduce the risk. The envoy urged
UNIFIL troops to remain in their protected positions to limit casualties,
stressing that while Israel acknowledges statements issued by the Lebanese
government and Hezbollah, they are insufficient. “We cannot ignore the bigger
picture, which is the actions of Hezbollah and the Lebanese government,” he
said. Addressing France’s envoy, Israel’s representative commented on Iran’s
ambassador to Lebanon, saying: “The guest is no longer a guest and behaves as if
he owns the place. Your condemnation was delivered diplomatically.”
He also reiterated that Israel has no desire to remain in Lebanon.
Lebanon’s UN Envoy condemns IRGC threats and calls for
diplomacy in region
LBCI/March 31/2026
Lebanon’s representative to the United Nations condemned threats by Iran’s
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) to target U.S. universities, saying
such actions endanger regional stability. He also warned that Lebanese citizens
continue to pay a heavy price due to the ongoing conflict between Israel and
Hezbollah, and called for an immediate halt to Israeli incursions in southern
Lebanon. The envoy criticized Hezbollah for dragging Lebanon into war despite
the government’s openness to dialogue with the group. He emphasized that history
has shown sustainable peace cannot be achieved through occupation and stressed
that only diplomatic solutions can deliver a just and lasting peace.
Aoun says negotiation remains the only solution
Naharnet/March 31/2026
President Joseph Aoun affirmed Tuesday that Lebanon welcomes the support offered
by French President Emmanuel Macron to "help it confront the ongoing Israeli
escalation against Lebanese territory and to reach a ceasefire and begin
negotiations based on the negotiating initiative announced a few days ago."
This came during his meeting with the French Minister Delegate to the Ministry
of the Armed Forces, Alice Rufo. Aoun stressed that "war will not lead to any
practical result, but will only increase the suffering of the Lebanese people,
while negotiation remains the only solution capable of restoring security and
stability to the region."He noted that "Israel continues to refuse to respond to
Lebanese, Arab, and international calls to stop its war on Lebanon and begin
negotiations that guarantee its sovereignty over all its territory, particularly
in the south up to the international border, and enable the Lebanese Wrmy to
redeploy and extend the authority of the state with its legitimate military
forces." He also welcomed the desire expressed by European and non-European
countries to maintain a military presence in southern Lebanon after the UNIFIL
withdrawal is completed by the end of 2027. For her part, Rufo conveyed to Aoun
the greetings of Macron and his reaffirmation of support for Lebanon during
these difficult times, as well as his support for the president's declared
positions, especially the negotiation initiative and the decisions of the
Lebanese government.
EU calls attacks on UN Lebanon peacekeepers 'grave violation' of law
Agence France Presse/March 31/2026
The EU on Tuesday demanded an investigation into attacks on United Nations
peacekeepers in Lebanon, after three Indonesian troops were killed amid fighting
between Israel and Hezbollah. "We call for a thorough investigation to shed
light on these grave attacks. These attacks are a grave violation of
international law, are totally unacceptable and must stop immediately," EU
spokesman Anouar El Anouni said.
We might end up with expanded buffer zone in south Lebanon,
UNIFIL chief says
Associated Press/March 31/2026
Jean-Pierre Lacroix, the United Nations’ peacekeeping chief, told reporters
Monday that it looks like Israel is expanding a buffer zone in southern Lebanon.
He said that given Israeli military statements and actions, "it certainly looks
like we might end up with, I would call it, an expanded buffer zone in southern
Lebanon."He added, "Now what width, what breadth, what size, what all of this,
of course, is very difficult to assess." Israel’s Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu said on Sunday that he had ordered the military to “further expand” a
security zone in Lebanon. “In Lebanon, I have just ordered the military to
further expand the existing security zone,” Netanyahu said in a video statement.
“This is intended to definitively neutralize the threat of invasion (by
Hezbollah fighters) and to keep anti-tank missile fire away from the border,” he
added.
Israel says four soldiers killed in south Lebanon clashes
Agence France Presse/March 31/2026
The Israeli military said on Tuesday four soldiers had been killed in combat in
southern Lebanon as Hezbollah claimed attacks on troops in Ainata, Naqoura,
Bayada, Beit Leef, Aitaroun and on the Qantara-Taybe road. A military statement
named three soldiers from the same battalion who "fell during combat" and a
separate statement said another soldier, who had not yet been publicly named,
had died in the same incident. The deaths bring the total number of troops
killed in the war to 10. More than 260 troops had been injured, 22
seriously.Another soldier was severely wounded and a reservist moderately
wounded, according to the second statement. The army also claimed it had
captured a Hezbollah member in south Lebanon. Israel's army spokesperson had
ordered the residents of west Bekaa and villages and towns south of the Zahrani
river to evacuate north. Overnight into Tuesday, Israel targeted Bint Jbeil,
Rshaf, Baraashit, Yater, Dweir, Ebba, Jebsheet, Deirkifa, al-Qasmiyeh,
Majdalzoun, Qlayleh, Kafra, Mansouri and Dayr al-Zahrani, while also shelling
and striking villages on the border region where its troops are trying to
advance.
UN envoy says 'Lebanon is a shadow of its former self'
since Israeli invasion
Associated Press/March 31/2026
Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaer, the U.N. special coordinator for Lebanon, issued a
scathing statement Monday, saying that the humanitarian impact in southern
Lebanon as Israel trades fire with Hezbollah has reached devastating levels. The
envoy detailed the three U.N. peacekeepers and nine Lebanese paramedics killed
in just the last few days as a snapshot of the death toll that now stands at
more than 1,240. “One thing is clear: the longer this goes on, the harder it
will be to come back from,” Hennis-Plasschaer said. “As maximalist rhetoric
abounds, the prospect of a negotiated settlement is a daunting one. But we must
start somewhere.”She added that while “tactical military gains may produce
short-term wins, on and off the battlefield,” they do risk “long-term damage to
the stability and prosperity both Lebanese and Israelis deserve.”
More than 200,000 people crossed from Lebanon into Syria in
March
Associated Press/March 31/2026
UN’s refugee agency said more than 200,000 people crossed from Lebanon into
Syria in March after the Israeli war. The vast majority – nearly 180,000 – were
Syrians returning to their war-battered country, in addition to more than 28,000
Lebanese. "Most are people fleeing the intense Israeli bombardments. They arrive
exhausted, traumatized and with very, very few belongings," UNHCR’s
representative in Syria, Aseer Al-Madaien, told a U.N. briefing in Geneva by
video from Damascus.The agency has already helped more than 3 million people
displaced both within Syria and abroad who’ve returned home following the fall
of President Bashar Assad in December 2024.Unlike the 2024 Israel-Hezbollah war,
when Lebanese could flee across the border without visas, the current Syrian
government has restricted the entry of Lebanese unless they have residency in
Syria, a Syrian spouse or parent, or other exceptional circumstances.
Report: US diplomat says no problem with Lebanon's Shiites
Naharnet/March 31/2026
There is no problem between the United States and Lebanon's Shiites, whom "we
view as having been and still being a fundamental political component in the
country," a prominent diplomat at the U.S. Embassy in Beirut has been quoted as
saying.
"No party, whether external or internal, can ignore their role in political life
and their size in the equation that governs Lebanon. Rather, the problem lies
with Hezbollah, which is implementing a foreign agenda through its close ties to
the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and receiving instructions from it," Asharq al-Awsat
newspaper quoted the diplomat as saying. He was also quoted as saying that
Hezbollah is the side that obstructed the completion of the plan prepared by the
Army Command and adopted by the government to enforce the state's monopoly on
weapons.
Displaced Lebanese shelter in Beirut as war escalates
Associated Press/March 31/2026
Hundreds of thousands of Lebanese displaced by the escalating war between Israel
and Hezbollah have poured into Beirut, seeking refuge wherever space is
available.Families from southern Lebanon and the southern suburbs of the capital
known as Dahieh, where Hezbollah has its main operations and support base, are
now living in makeshift tents along the Beirut corniche, in classrooms turned
into shelters, a sports stadium and even inside hospitals. Entire communities
have been uprooted, forced to flee their homes as airstrikes and evacuation
orders have emptied villages and neighborhoods. The sudden influx into Beirut
has transformed public spaces and strained limited resources.
Report: Iran told Hezbollah to reject Aoun's initiative
Naharnet/March 31/2026
Iran has linked Lebanon to its front against Israel and made its inclusion in
negotiations for a ceasefire a precondition for any agreement. In remarks to An-Nahar
newspaper, diplomatic sources revealer that when President Joseph Aoun presented
his initiative for negotiations, Tehran "instructed Hezbollah to reject
it.""This suggests that the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) was behind
the decision to activate the Lebanese front and is insisting on continuing the
confrontation," the sources said.
Report: Iran tells US will keep hitting Israel if Lebanon not included in deal
Naharnet/March 31/2026
Iran has sent a "clear message" to Washington: if the negotiated solution does
not include a cessation of the Israeli war on Lebanon and the commencement of
negotiations, Tehran will treat the United States and Israel separately, a media
report said. "In other words, it will adhere to the ceasefire and agreement with
the Americans, but Israel will remain a target for its missiles," a political
source familiar with the negotiations told al-Joumhouria newspaper. The source
added: "The situation changes by the hour, and new factors influence the
negotiations on the main stage, namely Iran. So how much more so in Lebanon,
which is an extension of the main stage? The latest factor is the Houthi threat
to close the Bab al-Mandab Strait, which will inevitably raise the price of oil
-- a major concern for (U.S. President Donald) Trump in global markets." The
source pointed out that "increasing the level of military pressure will expedite
finding a way to stop the war. Lebanon can only wait and see how things unfold."
He revealed that several external parties are working to prepare the ground for
negotiations in Lebanon, particularly France and Egypt, in parallel with the
Turkish-Saudi initiative to end the war in the region.
Smotrich says committed to making Litani River 'new
security border of Israel'
Naharnet/March 31/2026
Far-right Israeli Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich announced Monday that Israel
is "committed to making the Litani River the new security border at the end of
this war."This line "will remove the threat and restore the sense of security,
and allow children in the north to grow up without fear," he said. In his
statements, Smotrich emphasized that this is "not just a military objective, but
a promise to our citizens," referring to the residents of Kiryat Shmona, Metula,
Shlomi, and other border settlements, adding: "This time they will return to
their homes to stay."
FBI says Michigan synagogue attack was 'Hezbollah-inspired'
Associated Press/March 31/2026
An armed man who crashed his pickup truck into a major Detroit-area synagogue
earlier in March was inspired by Hezbollah and had sought to inflict as much
damage as he could on Jewish people, the FBI said Monday. Ayman Ghazali made a
video just minutes before the attack at Temple Israel in West Bloomfield
Township, saying he wanted to "kill as many of them as I possibly can" in the
large Jewish congregation, said Jennifer Runyan, head of the FBI in Detroit, who
announced the new information. Ghazali, 41, sat in the parking lot for a few
hours on March 12 before smashing his F150 through doors and into the hallway of
an early childhood education area, striking a security guard. He then exchanged
gunfire with another guard before fatally shooting himself. No one else among
the 150 children and staff was injured. It was a "Hezbollah-inspired act of
terrorism purposely targeting the Jewish community and the largest Jewish temple
in Michigan," Runyan said. He sent two final videos to a sister overseas about
10 minutes before launching the assault, she said. "This is the largest
gathering place for Israelis in the State of Michigan in the United States,"
Runyan quoted him as saying in Arabic. "I have booby-trapped the car. I will
forcefully enter and start shooting at them. God willing, I will kill as many of
them as I possibly can."
Assault rifle and a lot of ammunition
The FBI cited videos and other images discovered on Ghazali's social media
accounts in which he embraced vengeance and Hezbollah's militant ideology.
Runyan said he searched for Michigan synagogues and Jewish cultural sites a few
days earlier before settling on Temple Israel, even looking up the time for
lunch. Runyan said there was no way to know whether Ghazali knew children would
be present at the time. Ghazali bought an AK-style rifle and 300 rounds of
ammunition from a gun store on March 9 and practiced at a shooting range, she
said. His Ford F150 was stocked with commercial-grade fireworks and containers
with more than 30 gallons (113 liters) of gasoline. The truck caught fire after
barreling into the synagogue, Runyan said, though there was no explosion.
Detroit-area U.S. Attorney Jerome Gorgon noted that Hezbollah in 1983 drove a
massive truck bomb into U.S. Marine barracks in Beirut, Lebanon. "That is
exactly what this terrorist did a few weeks ago in our backyard," Gorgon said,
speaking along with Runyan.
Family ties to Hezbollah
The FBI did not release the entirety of Ghazali's videos and materials but
showed screengrabs and quotes from several of the recordings. Ghazali, who lived
in Dearborn Heights, came to the U.S. in 2011 on an immediate relative visa as
the spouse of a U.S. citizen and was granted U.S. citizenship in 2016, according
to the Department of Homeland Security. His family ties to Hezbollah were
publicly disclosed soon after the synagogue attack. Israel's military said a
brother, Ibrahim Ghazali, was a Hezbollah commander in Lebanon who was killed
there on March 5. A Detroit-area mosque held a memorial service for the brother
and other family members who also died. Ghazali's ex-wife had called police in
Dearborn Heights around the time of the synagogue attack to warn that he seemed
distraught and suicidal after losing family during the Israeli airstrike,
according to 911 audio. The strike came days into the Iran war with Israel and
the U.S. that began Feb. 28. Founded in 1982 during Lebanon's civil war,
Hezbollah initially was devoted to ending Israel's occupation of southern
Lebanon. Israel withdrew by 2000, but Hezbollah has continued its battle and
seeks Israel's destruction. The U.S. has designated Hezbollah as a terrorist
group since 1997. Hezbollah is also a political party with lawmakers in the
Lebanese parliament and a presence in most Lebanese governments for decades.
Temple Israel, which has more than 12,000 members, is part of Reform Judaism,
the largest branch of the religion in North America, which emphasizes
progressive values such as social justice and gender equality. The congregation
is the second-largest, according to the Union for Reform Judaism. The attack was
the latest in a spate of recent attacks targeting religious buildings — which
has intensified fear among religious leaders and worshippers worldwide.
Lebanon asks Ukraine embassy to hand over suspected Mossad
agent
Agence France Presse/March 31/2026
Lebanon has asked Ukraine's Beirut embassy to hand over a man taking refuge
there who is suspected of working with Israel's Mossad spy agency, a senior
security official and a Hezbollah source told AFP. Lebanon and Israel have
officially been at war for decades, and Lebanese security services have arrested
dozens of people on suspicion of working for Israel, many of whom were recruited
online following the country's economic collapse beginning in 2019. The
Hezbollah source said it had detained a Syrian-Palestinian national, who also
holds Ukrainian citizenship, in September after he parked a motorbike on a road
leading to Beirut airport through the city's southern suburbs — where Hezbollah
exercises a de facto security role. The motorbike "was planted with an explosive
device disguised as a battery," the source said, requesting anonymity to discuss
security issues. Hezbollah held the man until its war with Israel erupted
earlier this month. On March 6, Israel’s military struck a building in the
southern suburbs next to where he was imprisoned, enabling him to escape to the
Ukrainian embassy, the source added. Lebanon’s General Security agency said it
managed to arrest five alleged members of the group that had been working with
the man and referred them to the judiciary. Hassan Choukeir, head of General
Security, told AFP that "the Ukrainian embassy in Lebanon contacted us on March
10 requesting us to authorize its citizen… who was present there and had lost
his passport, to leave through Beirut airport."
Lebanon denounces Israel's 'clear intention' for new
occupation
LBCI//March 31/2026
Lebanon denounces Israel's 'clear intention' for new occupation
Lebanon denounced what it called Israel's plans for "a new occupation of
Lebanese territory" on Tuesday, after Israel said it would establish a "security
zone" in the country. Defense Minister Major General Michel Menassa said the
remarks by his counterpart Israel Katz were "no longer mere threats", but
reflected "a clear intention to impose a new occupation of Lebanese territory,
forcibly displace hundreds of thousands of citizens, and systematically destroy
villages and towns in the south". Katz also said Israel would have "security
control" up to the Litani river, an idea which Menassa denounced as "a deepening
of the aggression against Lebanese land and national sovereignty". AFP
Hezbollah condemns Israeli Knesset approval of Palestinian
prisoner execution law
LBCI/March 31/2026
Hezbollah issued a statement responding to what it described as the Israeli
Knesset’s approval of a law allowing the execution of Palestinian prisoners,
condemning the move as a continuation of what it called systematic Israeli
terrorism and part of a broader policy of genocide against the Palestinian
people. The statement said the decision was “an aggressive measure issued by a
barbaric and artificial entity that does not recognize international law or
adhere to any moral standards,” describing the law as a dangerous attempt to
institutionalize executions, legitimize deliberate killing, and provide legal
cover for practices it claims Israel has carried out for decades against
Palestinian prisoners through torture, deliberate medical neglect, and other
forms of abuse. Hezbollah also said that Israel had reached this level of
“arrogance and criminality” due to what it described as international silence
and failure to act over Israeli actions and attacks against civilians, including
children, women, journalists, hospitals, schools, and shelters in Palestine,
Lebanon, Yemen, and Iran. The statement added that continued international
inaction and failure to respond to what it described as Israeli violations of
international and humanitarian law would only encourage further crimes and the
continuation of what it called genocide against the Palestinian people.
Hezbollah expressed full solidarity with Palestinian prisoners and the
Palestinian people, and called on the international community and institutions,
including the United Nations, the United Nations Human Rights Council, and the
International Committee of the Red Cross, to take urgent action, assume their
legal and humanitarian responsibilities, and work to ensure protection for
Palestinian prisoners held in Israeli prisons.
Lilian
Jabbour Schmid Prayer For Lebanon
March 31/2026
Prayer asking God to remove the Iranian regime and its current Ambassador from
Lebanon, we are not against human beings, but against the evil spirit behind
them.
“Father God, I lift Lebanon before You.
I call for Your justice to rise and Your order to stand.
Every structure that mocks rightful authority let it be uprooted.
Every foreign influence that refuses lawful boundaries let it be restrained.
Every spiritual power that hides behind diplomacy to dominate a nation—let it be
exposed and removed.
Bless the ambassador as a human being but strip away every illegitimate
assignment attached to him.
Surround Lebanon with Your angels of governance, truth, and protection.
Restore dignity to her institutions, courage to her leaders, and peace to her
people.
Let what is unlawful be uprooted and let what is righteous be established.”
What This Prayer Actually Does
Spiritually, it:
• Cuts off illegitimate spiritual authority
• Weakens the networks that empower defiance
• Strengthens lawful governance
• Protects the people caught in the crossfire
• Keeps your heart clean and free of vengeance
It does not force a person to leave; it removes the spiritual scaffolding that
allows the defiance to stand.
In Jesus name we take authority to cut off the power of the Iranian regime and
its proxies in the every part of the Lebanese Government, by the blood of Jesus
we do cleansing and ask God and St Michael to remove any evil power from our
Government in Jesus name. Amen
Lilian Jabbour Schmid
Global Prayer Coordinator
Bjorn and Lilian Schmid
Prayer Coordinators
Spheres of Influence
https://prayerstrategy.org/books/
The War on Hezbollah-The Iranian Terrorist Proxy Continues/LCCC website
The just war being waged by the United States and Israel against Iran and its
proxies—devils, terrorists, drug traffickers, and mafia networks—continues
relentlessly and will not stop before their complete defeat.
To follow the news, below are- links to several
important news websites:
National News Agency (Lebanon)
https://www.nna-leb.gov.lb/ar
Nidaa Al Watan
https://www.nidaalwatan.com/
MTV Lebanon
https://www.mtv.com.lb/
Voice of Lebanon
https://www.vdl.me/
Asas Media
https://asasmedia.com/
Naharnet
https://www.naharnet.com/
Al Markazia News Agency
https://almarkazia.com/ar
LBCI (English)
https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/en
LBCI (Arabic)
https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/ar
Janoubia Website
https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/ar
Kataeb Party Official Website
https://www.kataeb.org
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports
And News published
on March 31-April 01/2026
Third American aircraft carrier heads for Middle East after departing US
waters
Al Arabiya English/31 March/2026
A third US aircraft carrier is heading to the Middle East, according to sources
familiar with the matter, as Washington maintains a heightened military presence
in the region.The USS George H.W. Bush is expected to replace one of the two
carriers already deployed, which have played a central role in ongoing US-Israel
operations targeting Iran. The USS Abraham Lincoln and the USS Gerald R. Ford
have been operating at sea for months, supported by their carrier strike groups.
The US military has also deployed thousands of additional Marines and sailors to
the region in recent days.
CENTCOM commander makes surprise visit to Israel to discuss
Iran war
Al Arabiya English/31 March/2026
The top US general for the Middle East overseeing military operations against
Iran visited Israel this week to discuss the joint attacks, the United States
Central Command (CENTCOM) said Tuesday. CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper met with
senior Israeli military leaders during a visit from March 29-30 as regional
tensions remain high. Cooper held discussions with the Israeli military’s chief
of the general staff, Lt. Gen. Eyal Zamir. “The two leaders discussed progress
made during ongoing operations to eliminate Iran’s ability to project power in
meaningful ways outside its borders,” CENTCOM spokesman Capt. Tim Hawkins said.
“They also reaffirmed the strength of the US-Israel defense partnership and
emphasized the importance of continued coordination,” Hawkins added. Hawkins
also revealed that Cooper stopped at multiple locations throughout the Middle
East to visit US troops that are taking part in what the United States has
dubbed Operation Epic Fury. Separately, Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said that he
had visited US troops in the region over the weekend.It remains unclear when and
where Hegseth visited, but the Pentagon published photos of his trip.
US ready to thwart any potential Iranian attacks, White House says
LBCI/March 31/2026
The White House said on Tuesday that the U.S. military is prepared to thwart any
potential Iranian attacks, in response to threats by Iran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps against American companies in the region. A White
House official, speaking on condition of anonymity, said: “The U.S. military is
ready—and has been ready—to thwart any Iranian attacks, as demonstrated by a 90%
decline in ballistic missile and drone attacks carried out by this regime.”
Iranian state media earlier reported that the IRGC had threatened to target U.S.
companies in the region starting April 1, in response to attacks on Iran.
Iran Fires Missiles across Middle East as Trump Threatens Oil Hub
Asharq Al Awsat/31 March/ 2026
Iran fired missiles across the Middle East on Tuesday as its capital was hit by
fresh explosions, after US President Donald Trump threatened the country's key
oil export hub, power stations and desalination plants.Israeli Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu, Trump's partner in attacking Iran, said more than half of
his military aims had been achieved, but both leaders refused to put a timeline
on an operation that has ignited a month-long regional war and jolted global
markets. As sirens rang out in Jerusalem, Israel's military said it had
responded to fresh Iranian missiles, while local Iranian media reported new
explosions in Tehran that caused "power outages in parts" of the capital, said
AFP.Israel's military also reported Tuesday that four more of its soldiers had
been killed in combat in southern Lebanon, where the war has spilled and where
they are clashing with Iranian-backed Hezbollah. Before the latest strikes on
Tehran, Israel issued a warning on X to residents of an area in the west of the
city saying it would "attack military infrastructure" there. Iran, meanwhile,
fired a new salvo of missiles at Gulf nations. In Dubai, four people were
wounded by falling debris from intercepted projectiles while an Iranian attack
sparked a fire at a Kuwaiti oil tanker in the city's port, said authorities in
the financial hub whose reputation for stability has been shaken by the
conflict. In Saudi Arabia, authorities said they intercepted eight ballistic
missiles. Trump warned Monday that if Iran did not strike a war-ending deal --
which included reopening the vital Strait of Hormuz shipping lane -- US forces
would destroy "all of their Electric Generating Plants, Oil Wells and Kharg
Island (and possibly all desalinization plants!)." But the Wall Street Journal
reported he also told aides he was willing to end the war even if the strait
remains largely closed --likely strengthening Tehran's control on the waterway.
Refusing to back down, an Iranian parliamentary committee voted to impose tolls
on vessels in the strait, the passageway through which one-fifth of global oil
passes, and completely ban ships from the United States and Israel. The strait
had been open before the war, but Secretary of State Marco Rubio has recently
spoken of building a "coalition" to oppose the Iranian tolling plan. "It sets an
incredible precedent," Rubio told Al-Jazeera of the tolls. "So this means that
nations can now take over international waterways and claim them as their own,"
Rubio said of the waterway the US president recently called the "Strait of
Trump".
- War 'beyond halfway point' -
Trump said the United States was speaking to a "more reasonable regime" in
Tehran, which has denied any talks and accused him of lying about negotiations
as cover while readying a ground invasion. For Israel's part, Netanyahu said his
military had achieved key objectives including "wiping out" industrial plants in
Iran and coming "close to finishing their arms industry". "It's definitely
beyond the halfway point. But I don't want to put a schedule on it," Netanyahu
told US broadcaster Newsmax.The war, and the spiraling price of oil, has been
unpopular in the United States, where Rubio again said Monday that it would last
"weeks" more and not months.Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi, whose
country is feeling the economic pinch of the war, appealed directly to Trump to
find an offramp.
"Please, help us to stop the war; you are capable of it," Sisi told a press
conference.
Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar, whose country is acting as an intermediary
between Tehran and Washington, was set to travel to Beijing for talks Tuesday on
"global issues of mutual interest" with counterpart Wang Yi. Dar hosted foreign
ministers from Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Türkiye in the Pakistani capital on
Sunday, saying Islamabad was ready to host talks between the United States and
Iran in the "coming days". Trump has claimed to be in direct contact with senior
Iranian figures whom he has not identified publicly. But Iranian foreign
ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei again denied any negotiations, saying the
United States had sent only a request to talk via intermediaries, including
Pakistan. After weeks of strikes, residents of Tehran painted a picture of a
city that is still clinging to some routine despite tight security. "When I make
it to a cafe table, even for a few minutes, I can almost believe the world
hasn't ended," said Fatemeh, 27, a dental assistant. "And then I go back home,
back to the reality of living through war, with all its darkness and weight."
Lebanon pounded -
On another front, Israel has relentlessly pounded Lebanon, including central
Beirut, as it seeks to deliver a heavy blow to Iranian ally Hezbollah, which
fired rockets in response to the killing of Iran's supreme leader, Ali Khamenei.
The UN mission in Lebanon said that two Indonesian peacekeepers were killed when
"an explosion of unknown origin destroyed their vehicle", with two other
peacekeepers wounded, one seriously. Another Indonesian peacekeeper was killed
on Sunday. The Israeli military said early Tuesday that it had opened an
investigation to determine if it or Hezbollah was responsible.
France, a key player in Lebanon, called for an urgent UN Security Council
meeting, which was subsequently scheduled for Tuesday at 1400 GMT. Economy
ministers and central bankers from the G7 club of rich countries, meanwhile, met
in Paris to discuss the war's consequences, with many countries introducing
energy-saving measures. Market experts warned that any US ground operation or
wider Iranian retaliation could send oil prices to levels not seen since the
2008 commodity boom. Adding pressure, Yemen's Iranian-backed Houthi group over
the weekend fired missiles and drones at Israel, posing a threat to shipping on
the Red Sea in addition to the Gulf.
Trump says Iran war won't last 'much longer', Hormuz will
reopen 'automatically' after US exit
Naharnet/March 31/2026
U.S. President Donald Trump told The New York Post on Tuesday that he believes
the Iran war is likely to end soon and that other nations can reopen the Strait
of Hormuz themselves — after he posted to social media a video of huge
explosions near Isfahan that he said hit “a lot of stuff.”“We’re not going to be
there too much longer. We’re obliterating the s–t out of them right now, it’s a
total obliteration,” the U.S. president said in a phone interview. “But we won’t
have to be there much longer — but we have more work to do in terms of killing
their offensive, whatever offensive capability they have left.” “Well, I think
it’ll automatically open, but my attitude is, I’ve obliterated the country. They
have no strength left, and let the countries that are using the strait, let them
go and open it… because I would imagine whoever’s controlling the oil will be
very happy to open the strait," he said. Trump has railed against U.S. allies
for not volunteering for a multinational flotilla to force the crucial waterway
open. Pressed on a Wall Street Journal report that said he was willing to end
the war without reopening the strait, Trump said: “I don’t think about it, to be
honest. My sole function was to make sure that they don’t have a nuclear weapon.
They’re not going to have a nuclear weapon. When we leave the strait will
automatically open.”Trump declined to divulge what exactly the overnight
airstrikes hit near Isfahan, a major city outside of which Iran operated a
nuclear facility, but said he was surprised at the size of the explosion, which
he said showed a substantial on-the ground payload. “I’d rather not say, but
you’ll learn soon enough. They were rather large, weren’t they?” Trump said.
“It’ll come out, but it was just another one of their wonderful areas that we
took care of,” he went on. “That was a beauty. That was a beauty. That was stuff
that we blew up. That was some explosion,” Trump marveled. “It was actually
bigger than we thought, meaning they had a lot of stuff. Well, we’re taking away
their nuclear capability, and we’ve achieved regime change. You know, we’re
dealing right now with a totally different group of people, and they’re much
more reasonable than previous, much more reasonable," he added.
“And that is truly regime change.”
Trump declined to say if he was considering dispatching his negotiating team —
including special envoy Steve Witkoff and Vice President JD Vance — to Pakistan
or another country. “I don’t want to say that,” Trump said. “I can’t talk to you
about this stuff, all of it. Okay? I just can’t talk to you. It’s so ridiculous,
right? What do you want me to give, my strategy? Do you want me to give you my
strategy?” Despite forecasting a rapid end to the war, Trump has left his
options open by also deploying thousands of U.S. troops to the region for
possible land assaults — including two Marine Corps amphibious ready groups and
Army parachute specialists.
Trump says nations upset by high fuel prices should 'go get your own oil'
Agence France Presse/March 31/2026
U.S. President Donald Trump said nations upset by high fuel prices should "go
get your own oil" as Iran maintains its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz. His
comments in a social media post on Tuesday came as average U.S. gas prices shot
past $4 a gallon. He expressed his frustration toward allies that have been
unwilling to help the U.S. reopen the critical passageway. He also said they
should buy from the U.S. because "we have plenty."
Next days in Iran war will
be 'decisive', says Hegseth
Agence France Presse/March 31/2026
Pentagon chief Pete Hegseth said Tuesday that the next days of the Iran war will
be "decisive" while refusing to rule out U.S. ground forces playing a role in
the conflict. Hegseth also revealed during a news conference — his first in
nearly two weeks — that he had visited U.S. troops in the Middle East over the
weekend, and said that talks on ending the conflict were "gaining strength.""The
upcoming days will be decisive. Iran knows that, and there's almost nothing they
can militarily do about it," Hegseth said. Asked about concerns among some of
President Donald Trump's base about the possible use of ground troops in Iran,
Hegseth declined to tip his hand. "You can't fight and win a war if you tell
your adversary what you are willing to do, or what you are not willing to do, to
include boots on the ground," he said. "If we needed to, we could execute those
options on behalf of the president of the United States and this department. Or
maybe we don't have to use them at all — maybe negotiations work," Hegseth said.
The Pentagon chief said talks on ending the war were making progress even as the
more than month-long U.S.-Israeli military campaign against the Islamic republic
continued. "They are very real. They are ongoing, they are active, and I think,
gaining strength," Hegseth said of the negotiations. He also said he had made an
unannounced trip to visit U.S. troops taking part in operations against Iran.
"We were on the ground in CENTCOM on Saturday for about half the day. For
reasons of operational security, so those troops are not targeted, the places
and bases will not be named," Hegseth said, referring to the U.S. command
responsible for the region. "Suffice it to say, the trip was an honor. I had a
chance to bear witness, and I witnessed the best of America," he said. General
Dan Caine — the top U.S. military officer — spoke alongside Hegseth, saying that
U.S. forces have struck more than 11,000 targets so far. The United States
"continues to destroy Iran's ballistic missile and [drone] capabilities. We
remain focused on interdicting and destroying the logistical and supply chains
that feed these programs," he said. And "we continue to assert dominance over
the Iranian navy. We remain focused on targeting their mine laying capability,
their naval assets," Caine added.
Rubio says US hopeful after private talks with Iran
officials
Agence France Presse/March 31/2026
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Monday voiced hope for working with
elements within Iran's government, saying the United States privately had
received positive messages, AFP reported. Rubio said there were internal
"fractures" inside Iran and that the United States hoped that figures with
"power to deliver" take charge. "We are hopeful that that's the case," Rubio
told ABC News program "Good Morning America." "There are clearly people there
talking to us in ways that previous people in charge in Iran have not spoken to
us in the past, some of the things they're willing to do," he said.
US attacks Iranian nuclear site, Tehran hits oil tanker off Dubai coast
Associated Press/March 31/2026
The United States hit the central Iranian city of Isfahan early Tuesday, sending
a massive fireball into the sky, and Tehran struck a fully loaded Kuwaiti oil
tanker in the Persian Gulf. The attacks were testament to the intensity of the
monthlong war the U.S. and Israel launched against Iran, which has maintained
its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, closing off the vital waterway for global
energy shipments, sending oil prices skyrocketing and roiling world markets.
U.S. President Donald Trump, who has been insisting there is progress in
diplomatic talks toward a ceasefire, shared video of the attack on Isfahan, with
fiery explosions lighting up the night sky. Isfahan is home to one of three
sites earlier attacked by the U.S. military in June and some of Iran's highly
enriched uranium is likely stored or buried or there. Meanwhile, Israel said
another four soldiers had been killed in its invasion of Lebanon, as were two
more United Nations peacekeepers, prompting the U.N. Security Council to
schedule an emergency session for later Tuesday. Iran launches new attacks on
Gulf neighbors and hits oil tanker in Dubai waters. Spot prices of Brent crude,
the international standard, hovered around $107 a barrel in early trading, up
more than 45% since the war started Feb. 28 when the U.S. and Israel attacked
Iran. U.S. gas prices jumped past an average $4 a gallon for the first time
since 2022. Iran's stranglehold on the Strait of Hormuz, the waterway leading
out of Persian Gulf through which a fifth of the world's oil is transported
during peacetime, has driven up global oil prices, as have its attacks on Gulf
regional energy infrastructure. In response to growing Gulf Arab anger, Iranian
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi insisted Tuesday that Tehran is only targeting
U.S. forces. Several states have been encouraging Washington to continue the war
until Iran's military capabilities are destroyed. "Our operations are aimed at
enemy aggressors who have no respect for Arabs or Iranians, nor can provide any
security," Araghchi wrote on X. "High time to eject U.S. forces." Despite these
words, attacks on civilian targets continued as an Iranian drone hit a Kuwaiti
oil tanker in Dubai waters, sparking a blaze that was later put out, the Dubai
Media Office said. Four people in Dubai were also wounded when debris from an
intercepted drone fell into a residential area and loud explosions could be
heard later from another attack on the city. Air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain,
while Saudi Arabia's Defense Ministry said it had intercepted three ballistic
missiles launched toward Riyadh, and falling debris from a drone intercepted
southeast of the capital caused minor damage to six homes. Sirens were also
heard in Jerusalem and loud explosions were heard not long after Israel's
military warned of an incoming missile barrage from Iran.
Israel and US launch new wave of strikes on Iran
Israel and the U.S. launched a new wave of strikes on Iran, hitting Tehran in
the early morning hours. The video shared by Trump appeared to show a massive
attack on Isfahan, where NASA fire-tracking satellites suggest the explosions
happened near Mount Soffeh. Iran has not yet confirmed the attack. A satellite
image taken just before the 12-day war in June between Iran and Israel suggests
Tehran transferred a truckload of highly enriched uranium to its nuclear
facility at Isfahan. The image shows a truck loaded with 18 blue containers
going into a tunnel at the Isfahan Nuclear Technology Center about two weeks
before the U.S. bombed the site. Analysts determined that the truck likely
carried most or all of Iran's stockpile of uranium enriched up to 60% purity.
That's a short, technical step to weapons-grade levels of 90%.
Eyes on Kharg Island as more US assault troops head to region
Trump has said this week that "great progress is being made" in talks with Iran
to end military operations. But he said if a deal is not reached "shortly," and
if the Strait of Hormuz is not immediately reopened, the U.S. would broaden its
offensive by "completely obliterating" power plants, oil wells, Kharg Island and
possibly even desalination plants. The U.S. has also ordered an additional 5,000
Marines and 1,000 paratroopers to the region, joining tens of thousands of
troops already there. Trump has openly talked about the possibility of trying to
seize Kharg Island, Iran's main oil export hub, and Iran has accused the U.S. of
using diplomacy to stall until more troops can be brought in. The U.S. already
has targeted military positions on Kharg. Iran has threatened to launch its own
ground invasion of Gulf Arab countries and to mine the Persian Gulf if U.S.
troops set foot on its territory. Twice during Trump's second term, the U.S. has
attacked Iran during high-level diplomatic talks, including with the Feb. 28
strikes that started the current war.
Peacekeepers killed in Lebanon as Israel battles Hezbollah
The U.N. Security Council planned to convene an emergency session Tuesday after
officials said three peacekeepers in southern Lebanon had been killed in less
than 24 hours. The U.N. peacekeeping mission in the region where Israel is
battling the Iran-backed Hezbollah did not say who was responsible for the
deaths. In Iran, authorities say more than 1,900 people have been killed, while
19 have been reported dead in Israel. Two dozen people have been killed in Gulf
states and the occupied West Bank. In Lebanon, officials said more than 1,200
people have been killed, and more than 1 million have been displaced. Ten
Israeli soldiers have died in Lebanon, including the four announced Tuesday,
while 13 U.S. service members have been killed in the war.
Netanyahu says Israel will continue to ‘crush’ Iran’s ‘terror regime’
Al Arabiya English/31 March/2026
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said on Tuesday that Israel would press ahead
with its military campaign against Iran, declaring that it would continue to
“crush” Tehran’s “terror regime.”“The campaign is not over,” he said in a
televised statement. “We will continue to crush the terror regime.” Netanyahu’s
comments came shortly after Iran’s President Masoud Pezeshkian said his country
had the “necessary will” to end the war with Israel and the United States, but
was seeking guarantees that the conflict would not be repeated. In his
statement, delivered on the eve of the Jewish Passover holidays, Netanyahu said:
“We had to act, and we acted.”“We have remained steadfast in our mission and we
have changed the face of the Middle East,” he added, asserting that despite the
ongoing war, Israel had emerged as a “regional power.” With AFP
Gulf allies privately urge Trump to keep fighting until Iran is decisively
defeated
Associated Press/March 31/2026
Gulf allies of the United States, led by Saudi Arabia and the United Arab
Emirates, are urging President Donald Trump to continue prosecuting the war
against Iran, arguing that Tehran hasn't been weakened enough by the monthlong
U.S.-led bombing campaign, according to U.S., Gulf and Israeli officials. After
private grumbling at the start of the war that they were not given adequate
advance notice of the U.S.-Israeli attack and complaining the U.S. had ignored
their warnings that the war would have devastating consequences for the entire
region, some of the regional allies are making the case to the White House that
the moment offers a historic opportunity to cripple Tehran's clerical rule once
and for all. Officials from Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and
Bahrain have conveyed in private conversations that they do not want the
military operation to end until there are significant changes in the Iranian
leadership or there's a dramatic shift in Iranian behavior, according to the
officials, who were not authorized to comment publicly and spoke on the
condition of anonymity. The push from the Gulf nations comes as Trump vacillates
between claiming that Iran's decimated leadership is ready to settle the
conflict and threatening to further escalate the war if a deal is not reached
soon. All the while, Trump is struggling to rally public support at home for a
war that's left more than 3,000 dead across the Mideast and is shaking the
global economy. Yet the U.S. leader is sounding increasingly confident that he
has the full support of his most important Mideast allies — including some that
were hesitant about a new military campaign in the lead-up to the war. "Saudi
Arabia's fighting back hard. Qatar is fighting back. UAE is fighting back.
Kuwait's fighting back. Bahrain's fighting back," Trump told reporters on Air
Force One on Sunday evening as he made his way to Washington from his home in
Florida. "They're all fighting back."The Gulf countries host U.S. forces and
bases from which the U.S. has launched strikes on Iran, but have not joined the
offensive strikes.
Gulf allies support the war to varying degrees
While regional leaders are broadly supportive now of the U.S. efforts, one Gulf
diplomat described some division, with Saudi Arabia and the UAE leading the
calls for increasing military pressure on Tehran. The UAE has emerged as perhaps
the most hawkish of the Gulf countries and is pushing hard for Trump to order a
ground invasion, the diplomat said. Kuwait and Bahrain also favor this option.
The UAE, which has faced more than 2,300 missile and drone attacks from Iran,
has only grown more irritated as the war grinds on and the salvos threaten to
tarnish its image as the safe, pristine and monied hub for trade and tourism of
the Mideast. Oman and Qatar, which historically have played the role of
intermediary between the long economically isolated Iran and the West, have
favored a diplomatic solution. The diplomat said Saudi Arabia has argued to the
U.S. that ending the war now won't produce a "good deal," one guaranteeing
security for Iran's Arab neighbors. The Saudis say an eventual war settlement
must neutralize Iran's nuclear program, destroy its ballistic missile
capabilities, end Tehran's support for proxy groups, and also ensure that the
Strait of Hormuz cannot be effectively shutdown by the Islamic Republic in the
future as it has during the conflict. About 20% of the world's oil flowed
through the waterway before the war.
Achieving those goals would require a sharp course correction by the theocracy
that has been in charge of the country since the 1979 Islamic Revolution or its
removal. Senior Emirati officials, meanwhile, have become more pointed in their
rhetoric toward Iran. "An Iranian regime that launches ballistic missiles at
homes, weaponizes global trade and supports proxies is no longer an acceptable
feature of the regional landscape," Noura Al Kaabi, a minister of state at the
UAE's Foreign Ministry, wrote in a column published Monday by the state-linked,
English-language newspaper The National. She added: "We want a guarantee that
this will never happen again." The White House declined to comment for this
story about the deliberations with Gulf allies. But Secretary of State Marco
Rubio on Monday underscored that the U.S. and its Gulf Arab allies are in sync
about Iran. "They are religious zealots who can never be allowed to possess a
nuclear weapon because they have an apocalyptic vision of the future," Rubio
said of Iran in an appearance on ABC's "Good Morning America." "And all of their
neighbors know that, by the way, which is why all of their neighbors have been
supportive of the efforts we're conducting."
Saudi crown prince urges US not to let up
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the kingdom's de facto leader, has told White
House officials that a further defanging of Iran's military capabilities and
clerical leadership serves the long-term interest of the Gulf region and beyond,
according to a person who has been briefed on the conversations. Still, the
Saudis are sensitive to the fact that the longer the conflict goes on the more
opportunity Iran has to carry out strikes on the kingdom's energy
infrastructure, the heartbeat of its oil-rich economy. A Saudi government
official underscored that the kingdom ultimately wants to see a political
solution to the crisis, but its immediate focus remains safeguarding its people
and critical infrastructure. Iran's foreign minister early Tuesday insisted
Tehran's attacks on the Gulf Arab states only target U.S. forces, even after
assaults have hit civilian targets. "Iran respects the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia
and considers it a brotherly nation," Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi
wrote on X, sharing a photo purportedly showing damage to an American aircraft
at a Saudi air base. "Our operations are aimed at enemy aggressors who have no
respect for Arabs or Iranians, nor can provide any security. ... High time to
eject U.S. forces." Trump, in recent days, has sought to spotlight that most of
the Gulf countries have stood in lockstep with his administration as the U.S.
prosecutes the war, noting how they've coalesced in the thick of crisis as he
criticizes NATO allies for not joining the U.S. in the fight. On Friday, he
heaped praise on Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and United Arab Emirates
for showing "bravery" as the war has unfolded. The president, speaking at an
event in Miami sponsored by the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, was particularly
effusive about the Saudi crown prince, hailing him as a "warrior" and a
"fantastic man."
Trump also alluded to the fact that the Gulf countries were hesitant about his
and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's decision to launch the war, but
have since rallied. "They weren't thinking this was going to happen, nobody
was," said Trump, referring to Iran launching thousands of retaliatory salvos
around the Gulf. "And they turned against them and really became very powerfully
aligned. And they were with us, but they weren't with us very obliquely. They
were with us."
Will Gulf allies join the fight?
Trump has yet to call on Gulf nations to take part in offensive operations.
One factor may be that the administration might have calculated that it's not
worth the complications that come with crowding the skies with additional
militaries beyond Israel. Three American fighter jets were mistakenly downed by
friendly Kuwaiti fire in the first days of the conflict in the midst of an
Iranian air assault. All six crew members safely ejected from the F-15E Strike
Eagles. And six American service members were killed on March 12, when their
KC-135 refueling aircraft crashed in western Iraq. Another factor is that only
UAE and Bahrain are among the Gulf states that have formal diplomatic relations
with Israel, adding a layer of complication to their calculus, notes Yasmine
Farouk, the Gulf and Arabian Peninsula project director at the International
Crisis Group. But Iran has warned it will attack its neighbors' critical
infrastructure, including desalination plants used to provide drinking water to
the region, if Trump follows through on his threat to strike Iran's power plants
if it doesn't open the Strait of Hormuz by April 6. "The absence of a clear
objective, the absence of the trust that the United States is really going to go
until the end and finish the jobs … it's making some of them reluctant," Farouk
said. "But if there is a consequential or mass casualty (event) in one of those
countries, then it would be justified for them to become a belligerent."
Satellite images begin to show damage wrought by Iran war
Associated Press/March 31/2026
Satellite images are beginning to be released giving a glimpse into the toll of
the Iran war, with ships ablaze in an Iranian port and destroyed buildings at
American bases in the region. Information has so far been scarce about the
damage being done across the Middle East, particularly when it's inside closed
military facilities, since the war started on Feb. 28. The images come from
Planet Labs PBC, a San Francisco-based firm used by media outlets, including The
Associated Press. Planet Labs has put a two-week delay on its imagery becoming
public, citing concerns its imagery could be used by "adversarial actors."
High-resolution images also have been published by competing firms. Other
providers, like the U.S. Geological Survey, have been publishing
lower-resolution imagery as well that's been useful. The United States and
Israel have been striking a wide variety of targets, including leadership
figures in Iran, military bases, missile and air defense sites and positions of
the paramilitary Revolutionary Guard and its volunteer force, the Basij. Iran
has responded with drone and missile fire targeting Israel and nearby Gulf Arab
nations. Here's a look at what's visible in a selection of Planet Labs'
pictures, as well as others.
Burning ships in Bandar Abbas, Iran
Some of the most dramatic images from Planet Labs so far have been in Bandar
Abbas, home to a major Iranian military port next to the crucial Strait of
Hormuz connecting the Persian Gulf to the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea.
Images taken on March 2 show ships ablaze at the port. The U.S. military's
Central Command has been targeting Iran's naval assets and says it has sank or
damaged more than 100 Iranian vessels so far in the war. Israeli airstrike hits
Iran's Parchin military baseز Planet Labs' images from March 6 show damage to
several buildings at the Parchin military base outside Tehran, Iran's capital.
The International Atomic Energy Agency suspects Iran in the past conducted tests
of high explosives that could trigger a nuclear weapon. Iran long has insisted
its nuclear program is peaceful, though the IAEA, Western intelligence agencies
and others say Tehran had an active weapons program up until 2003. Israel's
military said its Parchin strikes hit "infrastructure used for the production of
essential components for the development of various weapons." The site has been
linked to Iran's ballistic missile program as well.
Major impact at 5th Fleet headquarters in Bahrain
The island kingdom of Bahrain, home of the U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, has seen heavy
Iranian fire targeting both military bases and oil installations. A March 1
image by Planet Labs shows a major building at the base destroyed, as well as
two radomes — geodesic domes covering radar antennas — likely by Iranian missile
and drone fire. A later, March 6 Planet Labs photo showed another building
damaged. The Navy has not offered a clear breakdown in the damage done so far at
the base, but Iran has repeatedly claimed to have attacked it. Online videos
have also shown incoming fire targeting the base. During the 12-day war in June,
Iran attacked and destroyed a similar radome at Al Udeid Air Base in Qatar, used
for secure communications.
Damage seen at Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base
An Iranian attack targeted Qatar's Al Udeid Air Base and caused damage there. A
March 1 photo from Planet Labs shows damage to one of the buildings at the
massive air base serving as the forward headquarters of the U.S. military's
Central Command, which is prosecuting the war. Qatar and the U.S. have not
acknowledged the damage.
Strike at Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base
An Iranian attack also targeted Saudi Arabia's Prince Sultan Air Base and caused
damage there, according to a March 15 photo. Satellite images show damage to UAE
air base
Satellite images, taken March 15 by an Airbus Defense and Space Pléiades Neo
satellite and analyzed by the AP, show damage at Abu Dhabi's Al Dhafra Air Base.
Damage can be seen at one set of hangars to the northwest of the facility.
Another hangar to the southeast of the facility appears shredded by fire, with
an adjacent hangar sustaining roof damage. It's unclear what was in the hangars.
Al Dhafra typically hosts some 2,000 American troops and has served as a major
base of operations for everything from armed drones to F-35 stealth fighters in
recent years. The U.S. military for years only vaguely referred to Al Dhafra as
a base in "southwest Asia" before the UAE became more willing to acknowledge the
American presence there.
French naval base hit in Abu Dhabi
In Abu Dhabi, the capital of the United Arab Emirates, there's damage seen at
France's Camp de la Paix naval base. Satellite images from March 3 show damage
to two large hangarlike buildings at the facility. The base is near Zayed Port,
in Abu Dhabi, and close to its Cultural District that includes the Louvre Abu
Dhabi and other major museums both open and still under construction.
Fires seen burning
The U.S. Geological Survey's Landsat satellites also have been key in spotting
major fires. Imagery from Landsat taken on Monday showed a fire at Dubai
International Airport after an Iranian drone strike set a fuel tanker ablaze at
the world's busiest airport for international travel, causing a plume of noxious
black smoke. Another fire was also seen on Monday at Oman's southern port in
Salalah, which came under attack from suspected Iranian drones on March 11,
though Tehran has denied launching them in its campaign targeting Gulf Arab
states. The fire apparently has been burning since then.
Qatar says Gulf states 'unified' in calling for war de-escalation
Agence France Presse/March 31/2026
The Gulf states are unified in calling for a de-escalation of the Middle East
war, Qatar said Tuesday as Tehran launched new strikes against its neighbors.
"Our understanding is that there is a very unified position in the Gulf on
calling for the de-escalation and an end to the war," Qatar's foreign ministry
spokesman Majed al-Ansari told a regular news briefing.
Horror and fear in West Bank as Israel approves hanging convicted Palestinians
Associated Press/March 31/2026
Hundreds of protesters took to the streets across the embattled Palestinian
territories Tuesday in outrage after Israel's parliament passed a measure
establishing the death penalty by hanging for Palestinians convicted of
murdering Israelis. Palestinians young and old held sit-ins and marches in the
Israeli-occupied West Bank, the territory where the new law is most sweeping. It
orders West Bank military courts — which try only Palestinians — to make the
death penalty the default sentence for those convicted, except in special
circumstances. "Time is running out and silence is deadly," read the signs
carried by protesters in the central West Bank city of Nablus, which showed an
animation of a prisoner wearing the Palestinian keffiyeh scarf next to a noose.
"Stop the law to execute prisoners, before it's too late." The bill passed its
final vote in the Israeli parliament late Monday, to cheers and applause.
Israel's firebrand minister of national security, Itamar Ben-Gvir, who
spearheaded the push for the legislation, described the law as long overdue and
a sign of strength and national pride. The law is set to take effect in 30 days
but its implementation could be delayed by pending court proceedings at Israel's
highest tribunal. The measure is not retroactive and won't apply to current
prisoners. Still, it signaled an extreme hardening of Israeli penal policy that
elicited fear from the protesters for all Palestinian prisoners in Israeli jails
— emblems of national resistance. "You are the symbol of struggle, You are the
symbol of steadfastness," the protesters in Nablus chanted, some holding up
signs with the faces of friends and family currently in Israeli prisons. The
Fatah political party announced a general strike in the northern part of the
West Bank for Wednesday. Palestinian officials released statements saying the
death penalty measure violated international law and asking other countries to
intervene. The Palestinian Foreign Ministry called for sanctions on Israel's
parliament and its suspension from international bodies. "The law represents a
critical turning point in the formalization of extrajudicial killings under a
legal guise," the statement said. "The Ministry stresses that this law, in its
essence, constitutes an institutionalized policy of field executions based on
discriminatory and racist standards." The bill's passage was the culmination of
a yearslong push by Israel's far right to escalate punishment against
Palestinians convicted of attacking Israelis. After the vote, Ben Gvir
celebrated by popping champagne, in a video he posted to X. A coalition of
Israeli rights groups and opposition lawmakers announced they were launching a
petition to Israel's Supreme Court to declare the law null and void. Amnesty
International has said that the use of the death penalty under the new measure
could violate the right to life and the prohibition of torture and other cruel,
inhuman or degrading treatment or punishment, as enshrined in international law.
In Gaza, dozens joined a demonstration in front of the headquarters of the Red
Cross where women in hijab held up large framed photographs of well-known
Palestinian prisoners like Marwan Barghouti. The law extends also to Israeli
courts, giving them the option of imposing the death penalty on Israeli citizens
convicted of nationalistic murder — language that legal experts say effectively
confines those who can be sentenced to death to Palestinian citizens of Israel
and excludes Jewish citizens.
Canada opposes Israeli death penalty law for Palestinians
LBCI/March 31/2026
Canada said on Tuesday it strongly opposes the Israeli parliament’s approval of
a law that would make execution by hanging an automatic sentence for
Palestinians convicted in military courts of carrying out attacks that resulted
in deaths.Canadian Foreign Minister Anita Anand said in a statement: “This
discriminatory law adds to a growing list of measures that encourage illegal
settler violence and dehumanize the Palestinian people. Canada strongly opposes
its implementation.”Reuters
Al-Sharaa says Syria will stay out of Iran conflict unless
it faces aggression
Reuters/31 March/2026
President Ahmed al-Sharaa said on Tuesday that Syria will stay out of the
US-Israeli war against Iran unless it is subject to aggression and has no
diplomatic solutions. “Unless Syria is targeted by any party, Syria will remain
outside any conflict,” the Syrian president said at an event hosted by think
tank Chatham House in London. “We do not want Syria to be an arena of war. But
unfortunately, today, things are not governed by wise minds. The situation is
volatile and random,” the president said. The month-long conflict has spread
across the region, killing thousands, disrupting energy supplies, and
threatening to send the global economy into a tailspin. “We want Syria to have
ideal relationships with the entire region, with Lebanon, Iraq, Turkey, Saudi
Arabia, and world powers like the UK, France, Germany and the US. I think that
Syria is qualified to start a strategic relationship network,” he said,
responding to a question on whether Syria would stay neutral while the conflict
goes on. Syria has been keen to stay on the sidelines of the regional conflict
that has pulled in neighboring countries, including Lebanon, where armed group
Hezbollah is locked in fighting with Israeli ground troops, and Iraq, where
Iran-aligned factions have launched drone and rocket attacks. Syria sent
thousands of troops to its western border with Lebanon and its eastern border
with Iraq earlier this month. Syria’s defense ministry said the deployment was
part of efforts to “protect and control the borders amid the escalating regional
conflict.” “We had enough war. We paid a large bill. We are not ready for
another war experience,” Syria’s president said.
Pope Leo urges Trump to find ‘off-ramp’ to end Iran war
Reuters/31 March/2026
Pope Leo urged US President Donald Trump on Tuesday to look for an “off-ramp” to
end the Iran war, in an unusual direct appeal from the pontiff to the president
to end the expanding regional conflict. “I’m told that President Trump has
recently stated that he would like to end the war,” said Leo, the first pope
from the United States. “Hopefully he’s looking for an off-ramp,” the pope told
journalists outside his residence in Castel Gandolfo, near Rome. “Hopefully he’s
looking for a way to decrease the amount of violence.”Leo, who is known for
choosing his words carefully, rarely makes direct appeals to national leaders
but he has been stepping up criticism of the Iran war in recent weeks. On
Sunday, in unusually forceful remarks, the pope said that God rejects the
prayers of leaders who start wars and have “hands full of blood.”The month-long
Iran conflict, started by joint US-Israeli airstrikes on Iran on February 28,
has spread across the region, killing thousands, disrupting energy supplies and
threatening to send the global economy into a tailspin. Leo lamented on Tuesday
the number of people who have been killed and said he hoped the violence could
end before Easter on April 5. “There have been so many deaths, including
innocent children,” the pope said. “Let’s continually appeal for peace.”“There
are too many people who promote fighting, violence (and) war,” said Leo.
China, Pakistan call for Iran peace talks, normal navigation in Strait of Hormuz
Reuters/Published: 31 March ,2026
China and Pakistan on Tuesday called for an immediate ceasefire in the Middle
East, urging peace talks to start as soon as possible and the restoration of
normal navigation in the Strait of Hormuz, as their foreign ministers met in
Beijing.Both countries have called for talks to end the US-Israeli war with
Iran, now in the fifth week. Islamabad has previously said it is ready to
facilitate peace talks between Washington and Tehran. Pakistan, which shares a
more than 900 km border with Iran, has emerged as a key mediator, building on
its courtship of US President Donald Trump and its reputation as a relatively
neutral player with long-standing ties to Iran. “Dialogue and diplomacy are the
only feasible ways to resolve conflicts,” China and Pakistan said in a
five-point initiative put forward during the meeting. “China and Pakistan
support the parties concerned in initiating negotiations, and all sides should
commit to resolving disputes through peaceful means.”The initiative said the
sovereignty, territorial integrity, national independence and security of Iran
and Gulf countries should be safeguarded, and called for the protection of
civilians, civilian infrastructure and peaceful nuclear facilities. Wang Yi and
Mohammad Ishaq Dar also said the safety of waterways must be ensured, including
that of ships and crews stranded in and around the Strait of Hormuz, a strategic
chokepoint now at the center of global energy and shipping concerns. China and
Pakistan called on all parties to “arrange for civil and commercial vessels to
pass through safely as soon as possible and restore normal navigation in the
strait at an early date,” the initiative said.
Shelly Kittleson identified as American journalist kidnapped in Iraq
Al Arabiya English/31 March/2026
The American journalist kidnapped in Iraq on Tuesday has been identified as
Shelly Kittleson, Al Arabiya English can confirm. Earlier, two police sources
said a female journalist holding a US passport was kidnapped in Baghdad by
unknown parties. The Iraqi interior ministry did not disclose her nationality,
but said one suspect had been arrested and that efforts were ongoing to free the
journalist. The State Department said an individual with ties to Iran-backed
Kata’ib Hezbollah, believed to be involved in kidnapping US journalist Shelly
Kittleson, was detained by Iraqi authorities. The State Department also said it
previously warned Kittleson of threats against her and will continue to
coordinate with the FBI to ensure her release as quickly as possible. Police
sources said they were still chasing a vehicle in which she was taken by force
by four men in civilian clothes. The search is focused in the eastern part of
the capital where the kidnappers’ vehicle was headed, police sources added. An
Israeli-Russian graduate student from Princeton University was kidnapped by an
Iran-aligned Shia militia group during a research trip to Iraq in March 2023 and
was released in 2025. With Reuters
The Prospects of the European Right… After France's ‘Local’
Elections!
Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/March 31/2026
French voters made their voices heard in the municipal elections of mid-March,
whose insights into the trajectory of the far-right National Rally party, led by
Marine Le Pen and her protege Jordan Bardella, were followed closely. The party
first rose to prominence in the early 1970s as the National Front, which was led
by its founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, Marine's father. Its rise in the decades since
has been striking, as it evolved from an anti-immigrant populist opposition
movement into a genuine "party of power" that boasts over 100,000 members and
nationwide support. The party's transformation into a force to be reckoned is
not only reflected in its consolidation in parliament and local councils but
also its success in reaching the decisive second round of presidential elections
three times (in 2002, 2017, and 2022). While the numbers suggest that the far
right has secured its place in at least the second round, there is another
important element to consider: in all three instances, traditional right and
left-wing parties (along with centrists, environmentalists, and others) formed
tactical electoral alliances with the sole aim of preventing the far-right
candidate from reaching the Elysee: Jean-Marie Le Pen in 2002, and Marine Le Pen
in 2017 and 2022. Such tactical alliances sought to create a bulwark against an
"extremist threat" inherently demand that traditional parties compromise on
significant elements of their platforms and find some common ground. One might
argue that such alliances have both advantages and drawbacks. Political parties
exist, after all, to offer voters a perspective on public affairs, social and
security developments, and economic and monetary priorities. When two or more
parties are compelled to unite behind a single candidate, they inevitably
abandon elements of their platform that reflect their supporters' priorities.
Unlike ideologically rigid "cadre parties," traditional parties often pay a
heavy price for compromise and lose credibility with their base, which could
drift toward candidates or parties that more directly represent their core
concerns.Most traditional parties in democratic countries were shaped by
exceptional figures who strengthened their standing among supporters. In
Germany, not every chancellor has matched the stature of Konrad Adenauer or
Willy Brandt. In Britain, figures like Winston Churchill or Margaret Thatcher do
not come often, and in France, not every post–World War II president can be
compared to Charles de Gaulle on the right or François Mitterrand on the left.
The departure of such figures, whether through death or retirement, often
deprives their parties of their political legacy and charismatic appeal.
Meanwhile, changing conditions and rising challenges across Europe have
engendered several key shifts:
1. The collapse of the Eastern Bloc after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the
Soviet Union reshaped Europe's political map, elevating the European Union as a
bloc confronting a new Russia and undermining the communist left.
2. Rapid technological development has dealt a severe blow to the labor market.
Robotics, the information revolution, and now artificial intelligence weaken
labor unions- and, with them- the socialist and communist parties. In their
place, "niche issue" parties have emerged: environmental, regional (including
separatist parties), and single-issue movements such as those focused on LGBTQ+
rights or abortion.
3. Meanwhile, migration (especially from the Global South) has intensified,
driven by population growth, development disparities, economic and political
crises, and civil wars.
Against this backdrop, doubts have emerged about what once seemed a durable
broad consensus. Just as the British distanced themselves from a unified
"European identity," Germans and Italians seem to have forgotten the horrors of
Nazism and fascism, flirting with their return. Meanwhile, segments of the
French working class, especially less skilled workers, have directed their
frustration at immigrants, leading many former activists to shift from the
communist left to nationalist extremism.
The recent French municipal elections do not, of course, predetermine the
outcome of future legislative or presidential elections. They do, however,
provide a useful snapshot of emerging opportunities, shifting priorities, and
the issues mobilizing voters and parties. The far right's results show that it
is not the "destiny" of French democracy. It failed to achieve major
breakthroughs, particularly in large cities, but maintained its strong showing
in the rural south and in certain urban areas with large immigrant populations.
The socialists, in their various wings, have preserved a presence after
appearing to be on the brink of decline and wither like the communists had.
The traditional moderate right (and the centrists) have demonstrated their local
appeal and capacity to produce leaders capable of speaking effectively to their
constituencies.
Unlike in Britain, however, where the Greens have made notable gains, France's
Green lost votes this time. This setback undoubtedly holds lessons for their
allies and competitors alike.
News of
the ongoing war between Iran on one side and the US and Israel on the other. The
news is abundant, fragmented, and difficult to keep track of as it evolves
constantly. For those wishing to follow the course of the war, the following are
links to several television channels and newspapers:
Asharq Al-Awsat Newspaper
https://aawsat.com/
National News Agency
https://www.nna-leb.gov.lb/ar
Al Arabiya/Arabic
https://www.alarabiya.net/
Sky News
https://www.youtube.com/@SkyNewsArabia
Nidaa Al Watan
https://www.nidaalwatan.com/
Al Markazia
https://www.nidaalwatan.com/
Al Hadath
https://www.youtube.com/@AlHadath
Independent Arabia
https://www.independentarabia.com/
The Latest
LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on March 31-April 01/2026
Syria: Christians, Other Minorities Under Genocidal Attack During Leadership of
Ahmed Al-Sharaa
Uzay Bulut/Gatestone Institute/March
31, 2026
Christians in Syria are once again under attack by Islamic groups affiliated
with the country's jihadist regime, headed by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a
former al-Qaeda leader also known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani.
Following al-Sharaa's December 2024 seizure of power in Syria, persecution of
religious minorities, including Christians, Druze and Alawites, has skyrocketed
as the country undergoes a process of radical Islamization.
U.S. President Donald J. Trump should never have allowed HTS and al-Sharaa – who
justifiably had a $10 million bounty placed on his head by the U.S. State
Department – to use Syria to entrench Sunni Islam by jihad (holy war). Al-Sharaa
should be replaced at once.
Jihad is not a local problem. If it is rewarded with an internationally
recognized government in Syria, jihad will spread like wildfire across the
globe.
Following President Ahmed al-Sharaa's December 2024 seizure of power in Syria,
the jihadist regime's persecution of religious minorities, including Christians,
Druze and Alawites, has skyrocketed as the country undergoes a process of
radical Islamization.
Christians in Syria are once again under attack by Islamic groups affiliated
with the country's jihadist regime, headed by President Ahmed al-Sharaa, a
former al-Qaeda leader also known as Abu Mohammad al-Julani.
On March 22, the Ethnikos Association of Latakia-Antaradus (EALA) -- a
Canada-based non-profit that advocates for the human rights of Syria's Alawite
and Rum (Greek) communities -- issued a statement about the escalating attacks
on Christians in Syria:
"Credible, firsthand reports indicate a serious and rapidly deteriorating
security situation [is occurring] for Christians in Kfarbo (Hama Governorate),
Mhardeh (Hama Governorate), Al-Suqaylabiyah (Hama Governorate), Wadi al-Nasara
(Homs Governorate), and surrounding areas....
"[A]rmed groups affiliated with the Syrian Ministry of Defense identified as
'Bedouins' have carried out acts of desecration, violent and armed assault, and
attempted abductions of Christian women, while state authorities have failed to
intervene and largely ignored the repeated citizens' complaints while allowing
armed militants to operate with impunity.
"Key Incidents
"The Church of the Holy Martyrs, located at the northern entrance of Mhardeh,
was seized by armed militants identified as 'General Security,' a branch of the
Syrian Ministry of Defense and government forces. The church has been converted
into a military site, and Christian religious symbols have been deliberately
destroyed....
"The armed Bedouin groups, operating alongside or under the effective control of
government-affiliated forces, have entered the Christian towns of Kfarbo,
Mhardeh, [and] Al-Suqaylabiyah, where they are actively carrying out:
Armed robberies
Destruction of Christian cultural and religious symbols
Vandalism and desecration of cemeteries across all three towns
"Armed Bedouins are consistently harassing, threatening, and terrorizing
Christian residents, including issuing explicit threats....
"Multiple attempted abductions of Christian girls have been reported. These
attempts were only prevented by the intervention of local civilians.
Perpetrators escalated the situation by drawing knives against those who
intervened, with no response from government forces.
"Explicit death threats were issued against a Christian girl for not wearing the
Islamic headscarf.
"An additional attempted kidnapping in Mhardeh was reported.
"A Christian family in Kharbeh was robbed at gunpoint inside their home. Armed
perpetrators held the family at gunpoint while looting the house."
Following al-Sharaa's December 2024 seizure of power in Syria, persecution of
religious minorities, including Christians, Druze and Alawites, has skyrocketed
as the country undergoes a process of radical Islamization.
Videos of Muslim children marching in Damascus are widely posted on social
media. The children are seen chanting jihadist slogans, including phrases
meaning that "I will make myself ammunition." These chants are directed straight
at Christians and Jews.
On February 12, a video was posted in which elementary school children marched
at the Damascus Book Fair, chanting "Allahu Akbar" and "Gaza is our motto" —
slogans widely associated with Hamas. The X account Greco-Levantines Worldwide
commented that "a new generation is being shaped around militant narratives with
potentially far-reaching consequences."
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), the terror group led by al-Sharaa, has, since it
overthrew the Assad regime in late 2024, increasingly subjected Alawite, Druze
and Christian civilians to targeted killings, arbitrary arrests, abductions,
sexual violence, destruction and seizure of property, forced displacement, and
other atrocities. Digital media provide evidence demonstrating the genocidal
intent of the regime and its affiliated forces.
On February 27, Ethnikos Association of Latakia-Antaradus published a
comprehensive report documenting these atrocities:
"This report documents serious, widespread and sustained violations committed
against Alawite and Christian civilian communities in coastal and
western-central Syria between December 2024 to present.
"The evidence establishes that violence against these communities began
immediately following the collapse of the state authority on 8 December 2024,
intensified through repeated attacks, and culminated in large-scale massacres
along the coast in March 2025 and the Mar Elias Church attack.
"Contrary to portrayals or reports that frame the coastal massacre as a sudden
rupture or reaction to isolated developments, the findings demonstrate a clear
and uninterrupted trajectory of escalation.
"These violations occurred across multiple locations, consistently targeting the
same civilian communities and carried out by the same perpetrators,
demonstrating a coherent and repeated or recurring pattern rather than isolated
or opportunistic acts."
Many women and children, the report noted, were abducted from Christian, Alawite
and Druze communities:
"The girls affected are members of minority communities and therefore face
guaranteed risk once removed from their family and community protection,
including exposure to sexual violence, forced disappearance, human-trafficking
and killing.
"Despite the gravity of these cases, they have received little sustained
attention and remain insufficiently documented. This report therefore
prioritizes their documentation to ensure visibility, support urgent protective
measures and facilitate accountability."
The report added that, since December 2024, Christians in Syria have been
suffered escalating persecution. The first recorded incident involved the
vandalization of a Greek church and its cemetery. The second was a murder: a
married couple, Sam and his wife Helena, were killed in their home by HTS
terrorists. The report notes:
"Subsequent cases reveal repeated attacks and a broader environment of
anti-Christian racism that has become normalized. Christians have increasingly
been targeted. The documented violations span multiple governorates and include
armed attacks on churches, desecration of cemeteries and Christian symbols,
harassment, arbitrary arrest, seizure of property and incitement.
"In Homs governorate, the town of Al-Qusayr has been repeatedly targeted, with
attacks directed exclusively at Christian homes. Reports document grenades being
launched at residences, gunfire directed at homes while occupants slept, and
arson attacks setting Christian homes on fire. In addition, a series of
arbitrary arrests resulted in the detention of Christian residents.
"In the Hama governorate, the town of Suqaylabiyah has been attacked more than a
dozen times. These attacks included the destruction of Christian symbols,
attempted suicide bombings, and the deployment of Islamist preachers to harass
and force local Christians to convert. As a result of sustained and targeted
hostility, the local church was forced to close permanently.
"These actions form part of a broader campaign of ethnic cleansing and forced
displacement. By systematically targeting Christian communities, perpetrators
aim to compel the residents to flee. This strategy has proven to be effective in
several locations, including the town of Maaloula. On 26 December 2024, Maaloula
was reported to have been under attack for 15 consecutive days, during which a
Christian family was killed by HTS militants.
"The following day, Greco-Levantines Worldwide and the World Council of Arameans
issued an urgent appeal, reporting that the town's population had rapidly
declined with fewer than 200 residents remaining as HTS militants had ordered
Christian residents to be expelled. The organizations called for urgent
international intervention and the deployment of neutral forces. Despite this
urgent appeal, no measures were taken to assist. On 28 December, video footage
documented buses departing Maaloula filled with displaced residents. In the
recordings, individuals are heard mocking and celebrating the forced exodus of
the town's Christian population."
The report emphasizes the "vulnerability faced by Christian communities that
they too will suffer the same fate if they speak out. In Latakia and Tartous,
the use of graffiti targeting Christians has become prevalent. Homes and shops
belonging to Christians and Alawites are marked, while shops belonging to
Muslims are left unharmed." It adds:
"In April, a video recorded and released by HTS documented three young
Christians who had been physically assaulted and had their heads shaved. Two of
the victims show clear signs of physical abuse, with visible blood on their
faces. In the footage, the victims were ordered to face the camera and state,
'Tell everyone that you are a Christian, you pig.'
"In June 2025, a large-scale massacre against Christians was perpetrated at the
Mar Elias (Saint Elias) Greek Orthodox Church in Damascus. The attacker entered
the church and began shooting, threw a grenade, and then detonated himself,
killing 30 Christians and injuring 54. Meanwhile, other Christian villages awoke
to graffiti in their areas threatening, 'Your turn is coming next.'"
Meanwhile, Syria's new regime has altered the school curricula to impose the
Islamist ideology which explicitly demonizes religious minorities. Jews and
Christians are referred to as "to those who are damned." Previously, "martyrdom"
was described as a sacrifice for the homeland. Now it is defined as "martyrdom
is dying for the sake of Allah." Similarly, governance by law and justice has
been replaced with "governance by the Sharia of Allah." In addition, the entire
science unit covering evolution and the origin of life has been removed.
The report notes:
"The distribution of anti-Christian leaflets has emerged as one of the methods
for incitement. A leaflet distributed in the country stated: 'It has become
clear to the Muslims that Christianity is a false religion. It is forbidden to
allow the people of misguidance (Christians) to remain among the Muslims.
Therefore, Christians must either become Muslim, pay jizya, or be expelled.
There is no coexistence. Prepare yourselves.'
"These violations continue unabated. Arson attacks increasingly target the
coastal regions where native Christian and Alawite communities reside.
Humanitarian aid has been intentionally withheld where one resident testified:
'They pretend to give aid to Christians and Alawites, but it is a lie. Aid is
distributed to Sunni Muslims only.' Kidnappings and ransom demands have become
another method of persecution and extortion."
The report includes examples of incitement to genocide by Muslims affiliated
with Sharaa's regime:
"A threatening letter detailing explicit incitement to religious violence was
issued by a Sunni Muslim Islamist terror group, 'Ansar al Sunnah,' promising to
genocide Christians. The message states: '[we will] Kill your men, widow your
women, orphan your children.' It also permits the shedding of 'Christian blood'
as it will 'purify the soul.'
"On 6 July 2025, a declaration to commit ethnic cleansing in Safita of Tartous
was made. Leaflets threatening Christians were distributed to the residents
stating, 'It has become clear to the Muslims that Christianity is a false
religion. It is forbidden to allow the people of misguidance and corruption
(Christians) to remain among the Muslims. Therefore, Christians must either
become Muslims, pay jizya or be expelled. There is no peace or coexistence.
Prepare yourselves.'
"A sermon delivered in a mosque on 11 March (shortly after the coastal massacre)
stated: 'Take the knife and slaughter them, that is their medicine. That is the
cure for them. Forget diplomacy, there is no such thing, and it means nothing to
us. Solve it by killing them, rise in jihad for the islamic ummah.'
"In another audio broadcast, an HTS militant issued orders over radio, stating:
'To the mujahideen, do not let a single one of them from the Alawites alive.
Slaughter all of those pigs. Even the good or honorable among them, slaughter
them. Have mercy on none, the elderly, the children are all for slaughter. Every
single one of them. These are all pigs, we don't want them. After you kill them,
take them to the sea and throw them into the sea for the fish to feed.'
"On 12 January 2025, in a video footage an HTS member said, 'Latakia is 80%
Sunni Muslim, not Alawite. We reject claims that it is Alawite. Latakia and the
coast are Sunni Muslim. This is our land, and they will all be killed.'
"On 16 January 2025, a video footage shows an HTS militant mocking the coastal
dialect and telling a group of Alawite children, 'if any of you ask for a
secular state, we will kill you all.'
"On 6 March 2025, a video footage shows the speaker of a mosque announcing the
'call for jihad,' calling all the men in the mosque to participate in the
killings. The crowd responds by celebrating and chanting, 'Allahu akbar!'
"On 7 March 2025, the Syrian regime took control of Sham TV and broadcasted
coded sectarian incitement, saying: 'Throw them in the sea so the fish don't go
hungry in the land of the Umayyads.'
"On 7 March 2025, a video footage taken by HTS shows a masked militant, mocking
the bodies of six deceased civilians while singing, 'We've come to feed you
death. The sword is the only way, and the coast we have conquered.'
The report also notes:
"No area in Syria can be credibly described as safe or designated for Christian
protection. А limited exception exists in areas detached from Damascus and
governed under local protection, such as the Druze majority governorate of
Suwayda. The absence of HTS has corresponded with a reduced scale of documented
violence."
Hay'at Tahrir al-Sham clearly has genocidal intent towards religious minorities
in Syria, who need their own defense forces and local autonomy. Western nations
urgently need to provide direct aid.
U.S. President Donald J. Trump should never have allowed HTS and al-Sharaa – who
justifiably had a $10 million bounty placed on his head by the U.S. State
Department – to use Syria to entrench Sunni Islam by jihad (holy war). Al-Sharaa
should be replaced at once.
Jihad is not a local problem. If it is rewarded with an internationally
recognized government in Syria, jihad will spread like wildfire across the
globe.
***Uzay Bulut, a Turkish journalist, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at
Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22398/syria-christians-minorities-genocidal-attack
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
The Prospects of the European Right… After France's ‘Local’ Elections!
Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/March
31/2026
French voters made their voices heard in the municipal elections of mid-March,
whose insights into the trajectory of the far-right National Rally party, led by
Marine Le Pen and her protege Jordan Bardella, were followed closely.
The party first rose to prominence in the early 1970s as the National Front,
which was led by its founder Jean-Marie Le Pen, Marine's father. Its rise in the
decades since has been striking, as it evolved from an anti-immigrant populist
opposition movement into a genuine "party of power" that boasts over 100,000
members and nationwide support.
The party's transformation into a force to be reckoned is not only reflected in
its consolidation in parliament and local councils but also its success in
reaching the decisive second round of presidential elections three times (in
2002, 2017, and 2022).While the numbers suggest that the far right has secured
its place in at least the second round, there is another important element to
consider: in all three instances, traditional right and left-wing parties (along
with centrists, environmentalists, and others) formed tactical electoral
alliances with the sole aim of preventing the far-right candidate from reaching
the Elysee: Jean-Marie Le Pen in 2002, and Marine Le Pen in 2017 and 2022. Such
tactical alliances sought to create a bulwark against an "extremist threat"
inherently demand that traditional parties compromise on significant elements of
their platforms and find some common ground.
One might argue that such alliances have both advantages and drawbacks.
Political parties exist, after all, to offer voters a perspective on public
affairs, social and security developments, and economic and monetary priorities.
When two or more parties are compelled to unite behind a single candidate, they
inevitably abandon elements of their platform that reflect their supporters'
priorities. Unlike ideologically rigid "cadre parties," traditional parties
often pay a heavy price for compromise and lose credibility with their base,
which could drift toward candidates or parties that more directly represent
their core concerns.
Most traditional parties in democratic countries were shaped by exceptional
figures who strengthened their standing among supporters. In Germany, not every
chancellor has matched the stature of Konrad Adenauer or Willy Brandt. In
Britain, figures like Winston Churchill or Margaret Thatcher do not come often,
and in France, not every post–World War II president can be compared to Charles
de Gaulle on the right or François Mitterrand on the left. The departure of such
figures, whether through death or retirement, often deprives their parties of
their political legacy and charismatic appeal.
Meanwhile, changing conditions and rising challenges across Europe have
engendered several key shifts:
1. The collapse of the Eastern Bloc after the fall of the Berlin Wall and the
Soviet Union reshaped Europe's political map, elevating the European Union as a
bloc confronting a new Russia and undermining the communist left.
2. Rapid technological development has dealt a severe blow to the labor market.
Robotics, the information revolution, and now artificial intelligence weaken
labor unions- and, with them- the socialist and communist parties. In their
place, "niche issue" parties have emerged: environmental, regional (including
separatist parties), and single-issue movements such as those focused on LGBTQ+
rights or abortion.
3. Meanwhile, migration (especially from the Global South) has intensified,
driven by population growth, development disparities, economic and political
crises, and civil wars.
Against this backdrop, doubts have emerged about what once seemed a durable
broad consensus. Just as the British distanced themselves from a unified
"European identity," Germans and Italians seem to have forgotten the horrors of
Nazism and fascism, flirting with their return. Meanwhile, segments of the
French working class, especially less skilled workers, have directed their
frustration at immigrants, leading many former activists to shift from the
communist left to nationalist extremism.
The recent French municipal elections do not, of course, predetermine the
outcome of future legislative or presidential elections. They do, however,
provide a useful snapshot of emerging opportunities, shifting priorities, and
the issues mobilizing voters and parties. The far right's results show that it
is not the "destiny" of French democracy. It failed to achieve major
breakthroughs, particularly in large cities, but maintained its strong showing
in the rural south and in certain urban areas with large immigrant populations.
The socialists, in their various wings, have preserved a presence after
appearing to be on the brink of decline and wither like the communists had.
The traditional moderate right (and the centrists) have demonstrated their local
appeal and capacity to produce leaders capable of speaking effectively to their
constituencies.
Unlike in Britain, however, where the Greens have made notable gains, France's
Green lost votes this time. This setback undoubtedly holds lessons for their
allies and competitors alike.
Regional quartet offer
Trump a final off-ramp
Osama Al-Sharif/Arabnews/March 31, 2026
The four-way foreign ministers’ meeting held in Islamabad on Sunday may be the
region’s best — and last — chance to arrest the slide toward full-scale war in
the Arabian Gulf and beyond. Bringing together Saudi Arabia, Turkiye, Egypt and
Pakistan, the gathering represented a genuine opportunity for countries directly
impacted by the US-Israeli military campaign against Iran to forge a unified
front and present a credible initiative for de-escalation and an eventual
peaceful resolution. In a video statement, Pakistani Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar
said the foreign ministers discussed “possible ways to bring an early and
permanent end to the war” in the Middle East. He added that all sides had
expressed confidence in Pakistan’s facilitation and that China “fully supports”
the initiative to host potential US-Iran talks in Islamabad.Pakistan has emerged
as a key mediator between Tehran and Washington since the US and Israel attacked
Iran on Feb. 28, prompting counterattacks from Tehran on American interests, as
well as oil and other infrastructure in Gulf Arab countries.
Pakistan’s unique standing — maintaining ties with both the Iranian leadership
and the White House — gives it leverage
Gulf Cooperation Council countries, having condemned Iran’s unprovoked attacks
on energy, civilian and military targets, stressed the need to find a diplomatic
solution to the crisis, while calling for efforts to consolidate their common
defense.
Pakistan has earned a valuable role in this crisis that no other regional actor
currently plays: a communication channel between Tehran and Washington. Its
unique standing — maintaining ties with both the Iranian leadership and the
White House — gives it leverage that could translate into real diplomatic
movement. That potential is reinforced by the backing of the three other powers
at the table: Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Turkiye. Together, they carry the
political weight to make Washington listen.
Riyadh, Ankara and Cairo have already staked out a principled and consistent
position: while they have condemned Iran’s attacks against Gulf states, they
have firmly opted for a political resolution over military escalation. That
stance reflects both strategic calculation and regional responsibility — and it
gives the Islamabad meeting a solid foundation on which to build a unified
regional initiative. The message from Islamabad dampens calls for a US ground
incursion against Iran. Any such move would not only extinguish whatever
diplomatic prospects remain but also dramatically raise the stakes for Gulf
states that have so far managed to stay on the sidelines. The message also calls
for an immediate ceasefire and a return to negotiations — giving both Washington
and Tehran a face-saving framework to step back from the brink. There has not
yet been a clear reaction from Washington on the Islamabad meeting and
statement. President Donald Trump sent mixed messages over the weekend and into
Monday, saying that talks are ongoing with an Iranian leadership that wants a
deal but then warning on social media that if a deal is not reached, “we will
conclude our lovely ‘stay’ in Iran by blowing up and completely obliterating all
of their electric generating plants, oil wells and Kharg Island.” In an
interview with the Financial Times on Monday, Trump said he would like to “take
the oil in Iran,” while not ruling out a ground operation.
Iranian officials were quoted as saying that America’s 15 conditions for an end
to the war were one-sided, unrealistic and served only American and Israeli
interests. Tehran formally conveyed this assessment to Pakistan without issuing
an official reply directly to Washington. While there was no formal American
response to Iran’s five-point demands, US analysts said they could never be
accepted by the White House. Iran had denied that direct talks were being
conducted with the US but welcomed the Pakistani initiative. A negotiated deal
remains possible. Both sides will have to make compromises but that route must
be explored extensively. Trump had given Iran until April 6 to reach a deal or
else he would carry out his threat. Meanwhile, global financial and energy
markets are fluctuating amid uncertainties over how the conflict will end. More
than a month of heavy strikes against Iran’s nuclear and industrial base has
weakened the country considerably, but Tehran’s ability to launch drones and
missiles against its Gulf neighbors and Israel does not appear to have been
completely degraded. In fact, both the US and Israel have suffered serious
shortages in missile interceptors. Added to this, the war is costing the US
billions of dollars and it now appears it will last for at least a few more
weeks.What Gulf countries should make clear is their rejection of any US
escalation in the form of a ground invasion or the destruction of Iranian power,
oil and desalination plants. A desperate Iranian retaliation would almost
certainly target Gulf power and desalination infrastructure, with catastrophic
consequences. Possible US and Israeli strikes on Iran’s nuclear facilities —
particularly those near the Arabian Gulf coast — could also unleash deadly
radiation clouds that would affect the region for decades.
After a month of heavy bombardment of Iranian strategic sites, the priority now
is to reach a deal that will reopen the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran has
effectively shut down. Iran’s nuclear program has been either destroyed or
rendered offline for many years — that objective of the war has largely been
achieved. The program’s future can be settled through negotiations. The war has
also dealt a serious blow to the global economy, especially the economies of the
Gulf. Trump must take the interests of these countries into account as he
ponders his next move. A takeover of Kharg Island or an attempt to loosen Iran’s
grip on the Strait of Hormuz would almost certainly prove inconclusive and
militarily uncertain — and its effects on the Gulf, the region, and the world
would be devastating. A negotiated deal remains possible. Both sides will have
to make compromises but that route must be explored extensively, with the
interests of all parties taken into consideration. One important caveat: what
the US and its regional allies seek may not align with the objectives of Israeli
Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
The statement from Islamabad challenges Washington’s current trajectory and
Israel’s maximalist war aims. It may not be welcomed by either. But it may also
be the only credible off-ramp left — and the region’s most powerful states owe
it to themselves, and to the broader Middle East, to take it.
**Osama Al-Sharif is a journalist and political commentator based in Amman. X:
@plato010
Passover: A celebration of human interdependence
Rabbi Marc Schneier/Arabnews/March 31, 2026
The festival of Passover, which the Jewish people observe this year at the
beginning of April, is the cornerstone of Jewish identity. The defining message
of Passover is enduring: we, too, were strangers in pharaonic Egypt, 3,300 years
ago.
For the Jewish people, this is not merely a historical recollection, it is a
moral imperative. Because we know the experience of subjugation and oppression,
we are commanded to stand with those who are vulnerable and persecuted and to
work toward the dignity and freedom of all people.
This ethic has shaped Jewish life for generations. We are commanded to stand
with those who are persecuted and to work toward the dignity and freedom of all
people. Across decades, the Jewish community has been at the forefront of the
pursuit of civil rights, social justice and interfaith understanding. From the
American civil rights movement of the 1950s and 1960s to modern interfaith
engagement across the Arabian Gulf and the broader Muslim world, these
relationships have been fostered on a shared belief that human dignity must
transcend division.
Judaism teaches that every human being is created in the image of God and Islam
affirms that same truth. Both traditions call on us to protect the stranger, to
uplift the oppressed and to pursue justice with humility and compassion. These
are not abstract ideals. They are binding responsibilities.
Passover provides the framework for this reflection.Each year at the Passover
ritual meal, known as the Seder, we proclaim: “Let all who are hungry come and
eat.” This declaration affirms that freedom must be inclusive and that no one
should be excluded from dignity. The Talmud teaches that one cannot fully
rejoice in their own liberation while others remain in need. Equally central is
the commandment that in every generation, each person must see themselves as if
they personally went out of slavery. This teaching demands empathy and
accountability. It requires us to internalize the experience of oppression so
that we act with urgency and responsibility in the present.Knowing that we were
once strangers, we must also recognize that no community can afford to stand
alone. The challenges we face today, including rising antisemitism and
Islamophobia, deepening divisions and the erosion of trust between faith
communities, require more than rhetoric. They demand renewed commitment to
partnership, honesty and shared responsibility. Judaism and Islam remind us that
humanity is one family created by God. That shared belief has guided decades of
interfaith engagement and has brought Muslim and Jewish leaders closer together
in ways once thought impossible. Knowing that we were once strangers, we must
also recognize that no community can afford to stand alone. Our shared faith
traditions teach that we are bound together not only by memory but by
responsibility — and that responsibility requires clarity, reciprocity and the
willingness to stand with one another.
The Passover festival celebrates our interdependent, interconnected and
interrelated family of values, ideals and responsibilities.
Rabbi Marc Schneier is President of the Foundation for Ethnic Understanding and
a noted adviser to many Gulf states.
Egypt seeks to prevent region being redrawn by force
Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy/Arabnews/March 31, 2026
Egypt’s stance on the ongoing war in the region cannot be understood as a
simple, one-dimensional position. Cairo is using a multilayered policy built on
containment, political de-escalation, strategic caution, economic defense and
internal discipline. Its objective is to prevent the war from reshaping the
region by force, while at the same time avoiding being drawn into the front
lines, militarily or politically.
This is why its official rhetoric may appear measured, even subdued, at moments
when public sentiment runs hotter and expectations from allied and friendly
countries are higher. This apparent gap has made Egypt’s position vulnerable to
misinterpretation and, at times, exploitation. It has even fueled social media
clashes between users in Gulf countries and their counterparts in Egypt, often
in a populist tone that does more harm than good. At the official diplomatic
level, Egypt’s position has been largely consistent, calling for de-escalation,
protecting Arab states from the fallout of war, maintaining open channels with
all parties and pushing for political solutions rather than entrenching the
logic of conflict. In practice, Cairo has translated this into active engagement
with Tehran, Arab capitals, Washington and other international actors,
repeatedly stressing that a military solution is neither viable nor sustainable.
At the regional level, Egypt has sought to balance two positions that may appear
contradictory at first glance
Egypt has also cautiously welcomed any signs of de-escalation, including some
recent language from US President Donald Trump, while emphasizing the need to
translate such signals into a genuine political track rather than leaving them
as mere statements.
At the regional level, Egypt has sought to balance two positions that may appear
contradictory at first glance. On the one hand, it has condemned attacks
targeting Arab states and reaffirmed its solidarity with the security of the
Gulf and Jordan. On the other, it has resisted allowing that solidarity to
evolve into open military alignment or a broader regional war. In other words,
Egypt’s message is clear: yes to the security of Arab states, but no to turning
the region into a theater of full-scale confrontation.
This “calm” Egyptian stance, so described by various parties, has not always
been well received across different levels in Gulf countries. Many had expected
a stronger, faster and more vocal response condemning Iranian attacks on Arab
states, along with an immediate and unequivocal declaration of support for the
Gulf. These expectations were shaped by the close relations built over recent
years.
While officials on both sides — including Egyptian Foreign Minister Dr. Badr
Abdelatty in a recent meeting with Egyptian journalists and media leaders — have
affirmed that relations remain unaffected, it would be unrealistic to deny that
something has shifted in the atmosphere.
Observers note that, in such a climate, institutions and responsible voices on
both sides can play a critical role in containing the wave of tension and verbal
exchanges unfolding on social media, which are often driven by emotional,
sometimes populist, rhetoric and at times inflamed by actors intent on pouring
fuel on the fire. Managing this moment is essential to prevent it from hardening
into a more difficult and lasting rift. Evaluation and reassessment are
necessary — but through channels that bring people together rather than drive
them apart.
On the security front, Egypt has adopted a clearly defensive posture. It is
acutely aware that any broad escalation would directly affect the Suez Canal,
the security of Sinai, the Gaza border, and the flow of global trade and energy.
Its focus, therefore, is on internal stability and preparedness, not military
engagement. The priority is to prevent the spillover of chaos into Egypt itself.
Economically, the war represents a direct and immediate strain. Rising energy
prices, disrupted shipping routes, increased insurance and transport costs,
currency pressures and strain on foreign reserves all weigh heavily on Cairo’s
calculations. This is not a distant conflict for Egypt, it is a daily economic
challenge, which makes de-escalation not just a political preference but an
economic necessity.
This context helps explain the recurring questions about the Egyptian public’s
stance. Many expect visible public demonstrations of opinion, yet the reality is
that public expression in Egypt has been shaped by political and regulatory
constraints for years. This does not mean the absence of opinion, it means that
it is expressed differently: through social media, public discourse and symbolic
gestures.
There is clear sympathy for the Palestinian cause and broad rejection of
escalation. There is also a firm rejection and condemnation of Iranian attacks
on Gulf states. At the same time, there is genuine economic anxiety, which makes
public sentiment complex and layered rather than uniform.
What makes Egypt’s position the subject of such intense debate is not its
weakness but its weight
This intersection of political anger and economic concern produces a cautious
balance in the public mood: solidarity and frustration on the one hand and fear
of the consequences of war on the other. This is why public expression may seem
less loud than some expect, even though it is no less profound.
As for those seeking to exploit the situation, several actors are at play. Some
political currents — most notably groups linked to the Muslim Brotherhood and
segments of the opposition abroad — are attempting to use the war to portray the
Egyptian state as hesitant or disconnected from public sentiment. For these
actors, every regional crisis is an opportunity to reassert relevance or exert
pressure.
There is also a broad media landscape, both traditional and digital, that seeks
to leverage any ambiguity in Egypt’s position, framing it variously as weakness,
complacency or excessive pragmatism. In an era where markets and perceptions
shift with every statement, each word becomes part of a wider media contest.
Egypt is not absent from the scene. It is moving with careful, delicate
calculation. It is attempting to balance four core priorities: preventing a
comprehensive regional collapse, safeguarding Arab security, preserving the
trajectory of the Palestinian cause, and avoiding severe domestic economic and
security repercussions.
The debate surrounding public opinion in Egypt reflects, in part, a
misunderstanding of how expression operates within the country and a failure to
grasp the layered nature of Egyptian society, historically, culturally and
socially. It is also fueled by deliberate attempts from certain quarters to
exploit the moment and disrupt intra-Arab relations.
What makes Egypt’s position the subject of such intense debate is not its
weakness but its weight. Egypt remains a central actor in the equation of
regional stability and any shift in its position has the potential to alter the
balance of the entire region.
**Dr. Abdellatif El-Menawy has covered conflicts worldwide. He is the author of
“The Copts: An Investigation into the Rift between Muslims and Copts in Egypt.”
X: @ALMenawy
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on March 31/2026