English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News
& Editorials
For April 03/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Great Friday of the Crucifixion/These things occurred so that the scripture
might be fulfilled, ‘None of his bones shall be broken.’ And again another
passage of scripture says, ‘They will look on the one whom they have pierced
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 19,31-37/Since it was the
day of Preparation, the Jews did not want the bodies left on the cross during
the sabbath, especially because that sabbath was a day of great solemnity. So
they asked Pilate to have the legs of the crucified men broken and the bodies
removed. Then the soldiers came and broke the legs of the first and of the other
who had been crucified with him. But when they came to Jesus and saw that he was
already dead, they did not break his legs. Instead, one of the soldiers pierced
his side with a spear, and at once blood and water came out. (He who saw this
has testified so that you also may believe. His testimony is true, and he knows
that he tells the truth.) These things occurred so that the scripture might be
fulfilled, ‘None of his bones shall be broken.’ And again another passage of
scripture says, ‘They will look on the one whom they have pierced.’
Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related
News & Editorials published on April 02-03/2026
Good Friday: The Day of Greatest Love and
Perfect Sacrifice/Elias Bejjani/April 03/2026
Holy Thursday – A Celebration of Love, Sacrifice, and Divine Mysteries/Elias
Bejjani/April 02/2026
An interview with Engineer Alfred Madi, President of the "Other Choice" movement
and founder of the Bashir Gemayel Academy
Video link to an interview with the distinguished media personality Nadim
Koteich
Interview with Father Tony Khadra, Father Charbel Khoury, and Poet Nizar Francis
Video-Link from EWTN News and EWTN/Christianity in Lebanon: A Rock of Faith
Lebanese army explains reasons for withdrawal from the south as war enters
second month
Israel says Hezbollah chief to pay ‘heavy price’ for attacks during Jewish
holidays
Was the crashed Batroun drone headed to Hamat airbase?
Hezbollah targets north Israel, troops in south Lebanon
Israel slowly crawls into south Lebanon amid stiff resistance and occupation
fears
European nations say Israel-Hezbollah fighting 'must cease'
Israel says Hezbollah chief to pay 'heavy price' for Jewish holiday attacks
UN aid chief worried about lengthy Israel-Hezbollah conflict
IOM warns of 'alarming' risk of long-term mass displacement in Lebanon
Report: Egyptian initiative stalls despite Berri's involvement
A month into war, Lebanon’s prime minister says no end in sight
Salam says joint Hezbollah-Iran attacks not in Lebanon's interest
Syrian troops uncover tunnel network on Lebanon border
Aoun, Salam continuing efforts to halt war despite deadlock
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 April 02-03/2026
Iran fires missiles at Israel and Gulf
neighbors as Trump talks of winding down war
Iran says preparing joint Hormuz navigation protocol with Oman
Trump says Iran war almost over, warns of weeks more heavy strikes
UK gathers more than 30 countries to plot ways of reopening Strait of Hormuz
Trump announces destruction of Iran's tallest bridge
Iran's military vows 'crushing' attacks against US, Israel after Trump threats
Trump says Iran war almost over, warns of weeks more heavy strikes
Strikes put Iran’s largest steel plants out of action: Companies
GCC chief urges UN action to secure Hormuz shipping
Putin, Saudi prince seek more efforts to end Mideast war
Macron says military operation to 'liberate' Strait of Hormuz 'unrealistic'
In Israel's north, war-weary residents feel abandoned by government
Iran says preparing joint Hormuz navigation protocol with Oman
Bahrain hopes for vote on revised Hormuz resolution on Friday
Trump fires Pam Bondi as US attorney general, White House official says
Russian strikes kill two in Ukraine, wound dozens
Argentina expels Iran’s charge d’affaires
UN chief warns world on ‘edge of a wider war’
The War on Hezbollah-The Iranian Terrorist Proxy Continues/LCCC website
links to several important news website
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on April 02-03/2026
Egypt's Dangerous Muslim Brotherhood
Organization/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/April 02/2026
Preparing for the post-Iran war era/Hani Hazaimeh/Arab News/April 02/2026
Iran regime likely to face the same fate as Saddam/Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab
News/April 02/2026
Climate change and human health in Southern Africa/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab
News/April 02/2026
The UK-Gulf partnership: Standing together in the face of conflict/John
Healey/Al Arabiya English/02 April/2026
The Middle East’s new era of infrastructure warfare/Abdullah F. Alrebh/Al
Arabiya English/02 April/2026
X Platform & Facebook Selected twittes on April 02/2026
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese
Related News & Editorials published on April 02-03/2026
Good Friday: The Day of Greatest Love and Perfect Sacrifice
Elias Bejjani/April 03/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142417/
At the heart of history, on a hill called Golgotha outside the walls of
Jerusalem, the greatest scene of divine love was written: Jesus Christ, the
incarnate Son of God, was crucified to redeem humanity from the bondage of sin
and death. This is Good Friday — a day of sorrow, yes, but also a day of hope; a
day of the Cross, yet in essence, a day of complete love.
The cross, once a tool of shame and torment, was transformed in Christ into a
throne of the Kingdom and an altar of redemption. Jesus carried the cross not
for any sin He had committed, but for the sins of the whole world. As the
prophet Isaiah wrote: “He was wounded for our transgressions, He was crushed for
our iniquities…” (Isaiah 53:5).
In the cross we see the full revelation of divine love — a love without limits,
one that moved Jesus to willingly offer Himself: “Greater love has no one than
this, than to lay down one’s life for his friends” (John 15:13). This is perfect
sacrifice: God giving Himself on our behalf so that we may return to Him free
and justified.
The Word Became Flesh: God With Us in Our Pain.
Good Friday is not just a commemoration of the crucifixion. It is also a
proclamation of the mystery of the Incarnation. God did not remain distant in
the heavens but “the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:14). Jesus
shared in everything human — in joy and sorrow, in hunger and fatigue, in cries
and tears, even in death itself.
Christ’s suffering on the cross bears witness that God does not observe human
suffering from afar — He enters into it. He is the God who understands human
pain — not in theory, but through experience. “For we do not have a high priest
who is unable to empathize with our weaknesses, but one who has been tempted in
every way, just as we are—yet He did not sin” (Hebrews 4:15).
In the peak of His agony, Christ forgave His executioners: “Father, forgive
them, for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34). From the cross, He
opened the doors of forgiveness to all — to the thief on the right, to the
soldiers, to all of humanity. This is the essence of Good Friday: love stronger
than death, and forgiveness more powerful than hate.
Though Good Friday appears to be a day of grief, it is not the end of the story
— it is its beginning. The cross is never separate from the resurrection.
Christ’s death is the seed through which eternal life blossoms. Through His
suffering, we passed from death to life, from darkness to light.
Good Friday calls us not only to weep for the crucified Christ but to open our
hearts to the risen One — the One who loved us to the end and rose to give us
life. It is a call to faith, to hope, and to walk with Jesus on the path of the
cross, knowing that suffering is not the end, but the beginning of resurrection.
Let us carry our crosses each day with trust and hope, knowing that the One who
died for us is alive, and that “the love of Christ compels us…” (2 Corinthians
5:14).
On Good Friday, we do not only see a raised cross — we hear the voice of divine
love calling us: “Behold, I have loved you to the uttermost.”
Holy Thursday – A Celebration of Love,
Sacrifice, and Divine Mysteries
Elias Bejjani/April 02/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/04/38445/
On the Thursday preceding Good Friday—the day when Jesus was crucified—Catholics
around the world, including our Maronite Eastern Church, commemorate Thursday of
the Holy Mysteries. This sacred day is also known as Washing Thursday, Covenant
Thursday, and Great and Holy Thursday. It marks the Last Supper of Jesus Christ
with His twelve Apostles, as described in the Gospels. It is the fifth day of
the Holy Week of Lent, followed by Good Friday, Saturday of the Light, and
Easter Sunday. At its core, Christianity is a faith of love, sacrifice,
honesty, transparency, devotion, hard work, and humility. During the Last
Supper, Jesus reaffirmed and embodied these divine values. In this solemn and
meaningful setting, He performed several key acts that laid the spiritual
foundation of our faith: He ordained His Apostles as priests, commanding them to
proclaim God's message: “You are the ones who have stood by me in my trials. And
I confer on you a kingdom, just as my Father conferred one on me, so that you
may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom and sit on thrones, judging the
twelve tribes of Israel.” (Luke 22:28–30)
He warned against betrayal and spiritual weakness, teaching that temptation and
evil can overcome those who detach themselves from God, lose faith, or worship
earthly treasures. Even Judas Iscariot, whom Jesus Himself had chosen, fell to
Satan’s temptation: “But behold, the hand of him who betrays me is with me on
the table. The Son of Man will go as it has been decreed. But woe to that man
who betrays him!” (Luke 22:21)
He washed His Apostles’ feet, setting an eternal example of humility, love, and
service: “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. “You call
me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. Now that I, your
Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s
feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.”
(John 13:12–15)
When the Apostles began arguing about who among them was the greatest, Jesus
responded with a powerful lesson in modesty: “The kings of the Gentiles lord it
over them... But you are not to be like that. Instead, the greatest among you
should be like the youngest, and the one who rules like the one who serves. For
who is greater, the one who is at the table or the one who serves? Is it not the
one who is at the table? But I am among you as one who serves.” (Luke 22:24–27)
Thursday of the Holy Mysteries is so named because during the Last Supper, Jesus
instituted two of the most sacred sacraments of the Church: the Eucharist and
the Priesthood.
“Then He took a cup, gave thanks, and said, ‘Take this and share it among
yourselves. For I tell you I will not drink again from the fruit of the vine
until the kingdom of God comes.’ And He took bread, gave thanks and broke it,
and gave it to them, saying, ‘This is my body given for you; do this in
remembrance of me.’ In the same way, after the supper He took the cup, saying,
‘This cup is the new covenant in my blood, which is poured out for you.’” (Luke
22:17–20)
On this Holy Day, the Maronite Church relives the spirit of the Last Supper
through reverent prayers, liturgies, and longstanding sacred traditions: The
Patriarch blesses the Holy Chrism (Myron), along with the oils used for baptism
and anointing, which are then distributed to all parishes. During the Holy Mass,
the priest washes the feet of twelve parishioners—often children—to symbolize
Jesus’ act and the humility of service.
The faithful visit seven churches, a ritual signifying the fullness of the seven
sacraments of the Church: Priesthood, Eucharist, Holy Oil, Baptism,
Confirmation, Anointing of the Sick, and Service. It also honors the seven
stations believed to be visited by the Virgin Mary as she searched for her Son
after His arrest: the place of detention, the Council of the Priests, Herod’s
palace (twice), Pilate’s headquarters (twice), and finally Calvary. This
tradition is believed by some scholars to have originated in Rome, where early
Christian pilgrims visited the Seven Pilgrim Churches as a form of penance:
Saint John Lateran, Saint Peter, Saint Mary Major, Saint Paul Outside the Walls,
Saint Lawrence Outside the Walls, Holy Cross in Jerusalem, and traditionally
Saint Sebastian Outside the Walls. For the Jubilee Year 2000, Pope John Paul II
substituted the Sanctuary of the Madonna of Divine Love for Saint Sebastian.
The Mass of the Lord’s Supper is marked by the ringing of bells, which then fall
silent until the Easter Vigil. Worshipers spend the evening in prayer and
contemplation before the exposed Blessed Sacrament, meditating on the Agony in
the Garden of Gethsemane, where Jesus spent His final night before His
crucifixion.
Following the homily and foot washing, the Eucharist is solemnly processed to
the Altar of Repose, where it remains throughout the night. The main altar is
then stripped bare—along with all others in the church—symbolizing Christ’s
humility and the anticipation of His Passion. Before celebrating the
Resurrection on Easter Sunday, Christians live the Paschal Mystery beginning
with Thursday of the Sacraments, continuing through Good Friday, and culminating
in Saturday of the Light. Because He loves us and desires our eternal salvation,
Jesus Christ willingly endured suffering, pain, humiliation, and death on the
Cross—for our sake. Let us pray on this Holy Day that we may always remember His
love and sacrifice, and strive to live lives of true faith, humility,
forgiveness, and service.
An
interview with Engineer Alfred Madi, President of the "Other Choice" movement
and founder of the Bashir Gemayel Academy, through which he boldly presents—from
a Bashirist and sovereignist background—a sharp critical reading of the
political and security reality in Lebanon.
The interview was conducted by journalist Patricia Samaha from the "Transparency
on YouTube" platform
April 02/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/04/153374/
Summary of headlines from the interview with Engineer Alfred Madi
(Summarized and formulated by Elias Bejjani with absolute freedom)
1. Lebanon as a "Transit Point" Rather Than an "Arena"
Madi argues that Lebanon is no longer merely an "arena" for the conflicts of
others but has been transformed into a "transit point" for external ideological
agendas (previously Arab, and currently Iranian) to fight Israel. He believes
this shift is the primary reason for the undermining of Lebanese sovereignty and
the displacement of its people.
2. Stance on Displacement and the "Do Not Rent to Shia" Slogan
Madi defended his controversial statement, "Do not rent to the Shia," explaining
that it is not sectarian but rather a "preventative measure" to protect the host
environment (specifically Christian areas) from:
Demographic Change: Fears that temporary displacement could turn into permanent
residency, altering the identity of certain regions.
Security Risks: The possibility of Hezbollah or Iranian Revolutionary Guard
elements being among the displaced, which could expose host areas to Israeli
bombardment.
3. Criticism of the Political Class and Bashir Gemayel’s Legacy
Madi holds the political class that governed after Bashir Gemayel responsible
for failing to maintain the state and the decision-making power over war and
peace.
He praises the era of Bashir Gemayel, viewing it as a model that aimed to
restore national sovereignty and dignity.
4. Relations with Israel and the "Treason" Label
He argues that calls for peace or neutrality should not be classified as
treason, noting that other Arab countries have normalized relations without
being accused of betrayal.
He defends former members of the "South Lebanon Army" (SLA), considering them
heroes who followed state orders to protect their areas, and criticizes the
continued labeling of them as collaborators.
5. Hezbollah and Iranian Influence
Madi explicitly calls for the disarmament of Hezbollah and an end to what he
describes as "Iranian occupation," asserting that the continued existence of
weapons outside the state's framework is the main cause of war and destruction.
He believes Israel will not withdraw from the south unless it secures its
borders, regardless of the group's presence.
6. Future Vision and Proposed Solutions
He suggests "Confederalism" as a more realistic solution than federalism at this
stage due to the intensity of national divisions.
He emphasizes the necessity of "International Neutrality" for Lebanon to remove
it from the axis of regional conflicts.
He calls for holding all officials accountable for the corruption and ruin that
has befallen the country.
Madi concludes by asserting that the Christian and free Lebanese existence is at
risk, and that restoring the state requires courageous decisions that transcend
narrow power-seeking calculations.
Video link
to an interview with the distinguished media personality Nadim Koteich
A realistic and visionary reading of the war on Iran, its consequences, the
Trumpian strategy, and the heresies, superstitions, and stupidity of the Left,
the Pan-Arabists, and Political Islam.
Apri 02/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/04/153362/
Journalist and media personality Nadim Koteich said that what appears to be a
contradiction in the statements of U.S. President Donald Trump is not confusion,
but rather part of a deliberate strategy based on keeping everyone in a state of
anticipation and uncertainty. He added that Trump is not measured by what he
says as much as he is understood by his actions, pointing out that the
management of this type of warfare relies on ambiguity and obfuscation more than
clear statements. Koteich explained that Iran will not return to what it was
before the war, considering that what happened has significantly changed the
structure of the regime, but it does not necessarily mean it has become more
rational; rather, it may have become more hardline and dangerous.
Interview
with Father Tony Khadra, Father Charbel Khoury, and Poet Nizar Francis
MTV/April 02, 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/04/153368/
Elias Bejjani/An exceptional interview in every sense of the word and for all
the lessons it holds. It is conducted precisely at the right time—the season of
humility and the occasion of Jesus washing the feet of His disciples. It is a
soulful, faithful, and sincerely Gospel-centered interview, distinguished by its
profound simplicity.
Video-Link
from EWTN News and EWTN/Christianity in Lebanon: A Rock of Faith
EWTN News and EWTN/Apr 01/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/04/153349/
When Pope Leo XIV landed in Lebanon he echod the words of Pope John Paul II,
"Lebanon is a Message". In this EWTN News special, Colm Flynn travels to Lebanon
to learn about the historical pressures faced by its Christians, as well as how
they live today in one of the Middle East’s most complex societies. Speaking to
major religious and political figures, as well as the ordinary Lebanese people,
we hear first hand how war, economic crises, corruption, and emigration have
decimated the country. In various interviews Flynn examines the slogan that
Lebanon is a message, speaking to those who believe it to be a living reality,
and those who see it as a dream that may never be reached. Filmed during the
visit of Pope Leo, the programme also talks to the youth of the country, and
meets inspiring young Lebanese Christians who are taking the future into their
own hands. –
Time table for the Interview
0.00-Opening: Lebanon under fire
0:26 – Welcome to Lebanon & Our Lady of Lebanon
1:07 – Can Christians and Muslims coexist?
2:33 – War, collapse, and the roots of Lebanese faith
3:04 – Who is St. Charbel? Monk, hermit, intercessor
5:16 – Early Christianity and the Maronite Church
6:12 – Bishop Michel: Lebanon as a Christian–Muslim “message”
9:22 – Pope Leo meets Muslim leaders & coexistence ideal
13:28 – “We’re tired”: Emigration and disillusionment
23:00 – Young Muslims react to the Pope’s arrival
24:09 – “They should all burn in hell”: Professor Roula on corruption
29:42 – Hezbollah, power, and a fragile state
32:00 – The Beirut port explosion: a nation shattered
33:16 – Joseph the firefighter: a brother’s sacrifice
39:06 – Life as a Christian in Zahle: beauty and hardship
41:12 – Addiction, orphans, and a rehabilitation center
43:20 – Lebanon’s political “mosaic” and rising Hezbollah influence
51:07 – Pope Leo’s youth rally: “You are the present”
52:58 – Amal’s blindness, journalism, and carrying the cross
55:02 – Young Christians stay, build media, and keep St. Charbel’s flame
Lebanese
army explains reasons for withdrawal from the south as war enters second month
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/April 02/2026
BEIRUT: The Lebanese army has withdrawn from several border positions in
southern Lebanon, in what one official described as a necessary move to avoid
any direct confrontation with Israeli forces and prevent heavy losses as the war
between Israel and Hezbollah escalates. The redeployments on Wednesday followed
Israeli shelling near army positions and repeated demands for Lebanese troops to
leave certain positions, military and other official sources in Lebanon said.
“Military units deployed in the south received calls from Israel to evacuate,”
an official told Arab News. “One army checkpoint was even hit by Israeli
shelling, killing soldiers, after it refused to evacuate.” The Lebanese army
said the withdrawal was intended to prevent units from being surrounded or
isolated in the event of a wider Israeli ground incursion, which could have left
soldiers cut off from command and supply lines. Maj. Gen. Abdul Rahman Shuhaitli
told Arab News that the military command feared troops could end up besieged and
effectively fall under Israeli control if lines of communication with commanding
officers were cut.
“Once communication between the soldiers and their superiors is severed, it’s
impossible to predict what will happen after they are effectively taken
hostage,” he said. “Nothing deters Israel from such actions. In this context,
the Lebanese army is trying to preserve itself until it is able to carry out its
missions once a ceasefire is in place.” Shuhaitli stressed that a direct
confrontation with Israel was never under consideration, given the Lebanese army
is operating under government orders and there has been no state declaration of
war.
The withdrawal sparked protests in Lebanon, however, particularly in Christian
border villages where residents had refused to leave their homes and said the
departure of the army has left them unprotected. The army command responded by
emphasizing its commitment to “standing with the residents to the fullest extent
possible, by maintaining a force of soldiers in those towns.”However, the
security personnel, including army and internal security forces, will remain in
place without appearing in uniform, military chiefs said. The redeployment comes
a month into a war between Israel and Hezbollah that has caused widespread
destruction and mass displacement across Lebanon. More than 1.2 million people
have been displaced, while Israeli strikes have killed more than 1,300 people
and wounded 3,935, according to official figures. The war began on March 2,
shortly after the US and Israel began their military campaign against Iran on
Feb. 28, when Hezbollah launched attacks on Israeli positions. This prompted a
large-scale Israeli air and ground campaign across southern Lebanon, the Bekaa
Valley and the southern suburbs of Beirut. There has been mounting criticism,
from opponents of Hezbollah and some political groups, of the state and the army
for failing to assert their authority south of the Litani River, despite their
previous claims that most of the area had been cleared of Hezbollah weapons.
Shuhaitli said the course of the fighting had shown that both Israel and
Hezbollah had long been preparing for this latest round of conflict, with the
latter adopting guerrilla-style tactics using small mobile units armed with
anti-tank weapons in an attempt to slow Israeli advances. From a military
standpoint, he added, such tactics might not halt a ground incursion but could
impede Israeli forces and prevent them from holding territory for extended
periods. UN peacekeeping forces were facing similar pressure from Israel to
evacuate positions in the vicinity of areas where Israeli forces are operating,
Shuhaitli noted. “The Lebanese army is the guarantor of security and enjoys the
trust of the majority in Lebanon,” he said, adding that the army’s current
priority is to preserve its forces so it can carry out its duties once a
ceasefire agreement is reached.
Israel says Hezbollah chief to pay ‘heavy price’ for
attacks during Jewish holidays
AFP/02 Apri/2026
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday warned that Hezbollah chief
Naim Qassem would pay an “extraordinarily heavy price” for escalating attacks
during the ongoing Jewish holidays.“I have a clear message for Naim Qassem...
you and your associates will pay an extraordinarily heavy price for the
intensified rocket fire directed at Israeli citizens as they gathered to
celebrate Passover Seder,” Katz said in a video statement. “You will be
consigned to the depths of hell alongside Nasrallah, Khamenei, Sinwar and the
other fallen figures of the axis of evil,” he said, referring to the former
leaders of Hezbollah, Iran, and the Palestinian movement Hamas, who have been
assassinated by Israel over the past two and half years. “The Hezbollah
terrorist organization you now lead, and its supporters in Lebanon, will bear
the full and severe consequences,” Katz added. His warning followed claims by
Hezbollah that it had carried out a series of rocket attacks on northern Israel
late Wednesday and early Thursday, as Israeli Jews began marking the Passover
holidays. Katz also reiterated that Israeli forces “will clear Hezbollah and its
supporters from southern Lebanon, maintain Israeli security control throughout
the Litani area, and dismantle Hezbollah’s military capabilities across
Lebanon.”Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war in early March when
Tehran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets towards Israel to avenge the attack
that killed Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei. Israel has responded with
massive strikes across Lebanon and a ground offensive.
Was the crashed Batroun drone headed to Hamat airbase?
Naharnet/02 April/2026
MP Ghayath Yazbek of the Lebanese Forces said Thursday that an "Iranian-made"
drone that crashed earlier in the day in the Batroun district had been headed to
the nearby Hamat airbase, which is used by U.S. forces, suggesting that
Hezbollah and Iran were behind it. "They have lost their political and national
compass, and now they are losing their compass in the field of aviation. The
Party of Iran (Hezbollah) is following (late Palestinian leader) Abu Iyad's path
to fight Israel. After the missile attack on Jounieh and Kesrwan, an
Iranian-made drone crashed in the central region of Batroun. Of course, there
are no military targets there other than Hamat Air Base, which is located just a
few kilometers from the drone's crash site," Yazbek said. "And of course, I
don't believe that whoever sent it intended to check on the displaced people
sheltering in this peaceful, hospitable and quiet area," he added.
Yazbek accordingly called on the state to end its "continued hesitation,
paralysis, and refusal to put an end to these blatant violations." "Before it is
too late, the state must loudly and clearly confront the leaders of the
Revolutionary Guard who are wreaking havoc in Lebanon ... These areas must not
be violated, and their inhabitants must not be subjected to danger, destruction
and death," Yazbek went on to say. A picture circulating online meanwhile showed
the phrase "Death to America" handwritten in Persian on the drone's wing. Media
reports said the drone hit a tall tree in the Batroun district town of Assia,
around 15 to 20 kiolmeters from the Hamat Airbase.
Hezbollah targets north Israel, troops in south Lebanon
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
Hezbollah said its fighters launched drones and rockets at northern Israel on
Thursday, with the Israeli military's Home Front Command saying air raid sirens
were activated across the border. In north Israel, Hezbollah targeted Even
Menachem, Ga'aton, Wadi Hunin, Yir'on, Malikiyah, Avivim, Metula, Kiryat Shmona,
Safad, Beit Hillel, Misgav Am and Kiryat Ata east of Haifa, with attack drones
and rocket salvos. The group also targeted Israeli troops and tanks in Qantara,
al-Bayyada, Taybeh, Kfarkela, Rshaf, Beit Leef, Qawzah, and Ainatha in south
Lebanon.
Israeli artillery meanwhile violently shelled Rashaya al-Fakhar, Zawtar, Arnoun,
Yohmor-Shqif, and al-Khiam amid fierce clashes with Hezbollah. Troops also
detonated houses and burned farmlands in the southern border villages of Khiam,
Naqoura, Bayyada, and Debel, and strikes targeted Debbine, Marjaoun and Shebaa.
The National News Agency said troops advancing into border villages were
burning, destroying, and bulldozing houses and lands there. Israel had announced
plans to destroy all homes in Lebanese villages near the border to create a
strategic buffer zone and secure northern Israel. Elsewhere in south Lebanon,
Israel struck Kafra, Bint Jbeil, Tiri, Dallefeh, Blat, Mansouri, Kfarseer,
Zebdine, Harouf, and al-Ramadieh. Seven people were killed in the strikes. On
Wednesday night, Hezbollah said it targeted with rocket salvos an Israeli base
in the occupied Golan heights, Kfar Giladi, Metula, Misgav Am, Nahariya, Shomera,
Ma'ayan Baruch and Kfar Yuval in north Israel. It also claimed rocket and
suicide drones attacks on soldiers in south Lebanon's Bayyada, Deir al-Seryan,
Qantara, Markaba, Odaisseh, Qawzah, Rob Tlatine, and Ainatha. In addition to
attacks on troops and Merkava tanks in south Lebanon, Hezbollah has also
recently claimed attacks on drones. On Wednesday and Thursday, Hezbollah said it
shot down Hermes 450 drones and intercepted an Israeli warplane and a helicopter
over south Lebanon with surface-to-air missiles. In al Batroun, north of Beirut,
an unidentified drone crashed in an open wooded area on the outskirts of the
village of Asia. The incident caused only material damage, with no casualties
reported among civilians.
Israel slowly crawls into south Lebanon amid stiff resistance and occupation
fears
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
A month into Israel's war against Hezbollah, invading Israeli troops are
gradually advancing in south Lebanon, raising fears for the area's fate
following the last Israeli occupation that lasted nearly two decades. Since war
erupted last month, Israeli officials have said Israel intends to establish a
"security zone" inside Lebanon.More recently, Defense Minister Israel Katz said
the military "will establish itself in a security zone inside Lebanon ... and
will maintain security control over the entire area up to the Litani" river,
around 30 kilometers from the border.
What is happening on the ground and how far could Israel go?
- What's happening in south Lebanon? -
The Israeli military previously issued unprecedented evacuation orders for
swathes of the country's south. An Israeli military source told AFP that four
army divisions are currently deployed across the country's northern border. A
Western military source in south Lebanon said "the Israelis are advancing one
axis at a time" and destroying border villages as they go. The source told AFP
on condition of anonymity that Israeli forces had taken the strategic town of
Khiam, located along the eastern stretch of the shared border. Hezbollah, which
drew Lebanon into the Middle East war last month with rocket fire towards
Israel, has been claiming repeated attacks on Israeli troops in south Lebanon,
where Israel's military says 10 soldiers have been killed in combat. The
Iran-backed group is not halting Israeli troops' advance "but is seeking
symbolic victories such as the destruction of Merkava tanks", the Western
military source said.
In 1982, the Israeli army reached the outskirts of Beirut in just four days;
Hezbollah emerged shortly thereafter to resist the occupation. Today, a month
into a new ground invasion, Israeli troops remain bogged down in border clashes
with Hezbollah fighters in areas such as Khiam, Taybeh, Naqoura, and Shamaa.
David Wood, senior Lebanon analyst at the International Crisis Group, told AFP
that as Israel pushes further inside Lebanon, "it is entering a style of warfare
that might actually suit Hezbollah better, in this sort of guerrilla hit-and-run
style of fighting". Lebanon's army has announced troop "repositioning and
redeployment" in parts of the south where Israel is advancing. A Lebanese
military source said Israeli soldiers have advanced up to 10 kilometers in some
places, and Lebanon's army, which has limited means, fears it will be targeted
or encircled.
Israeli fire has killed one on-duty Lebanese soldier. United Nations
peacekeepers deployed in south Lebanon have been powerless to stop the fighting,
with three of their troops also killed.
What does Israel want?
Katz has said Israel would control south Lebanon up to the Litani, and vowed
that hundreds of thousands of south Lebanon residents will not return until
northern Israel's security is guaranteed. Lebanese Defense Minister Michel
Menassa this week denounced "a clear intention to impose a new occupation of
Lebanese territory". U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher has warned that south Lebanon
could become another occupied territory in the Middle East. But Eyal Zisser, a
Lebanon expert at Tel Aviv University, cautioned against taking Katz's
announcements at face value. "He's good at making statements, but you always
have to check first of all if it is in full agreement" with what Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu says, he told AFP's Jerusalem bureau. Netanyahu has
ordered troops to "further expand" a so-called security zone in south Lebanon
"to definitively neutralize the threat of invasion (by Hezbollah militants) and
to keep anti-tank missile fire away from the border". Military analyst and
retired Lebanese army general Khalil Helou told AFP that Hezbollah has
"recruited people from southern towns" for decades, giving the group "local
power" that Israel fears could be further exploited if southerners return.
New occupation?
Israel has previously tried to create a buffer zone in southern Lebanon.
Following a first invasion in 1978, Israeli troops returned four years later,
entering Lebanon all the way to Beirut to drive out Palestinian militias.
Hezbollah was born in response to the 1982 invasion. Israel withdrew gradually
but kept an area up to 20 kilometers deep inside Lebanese territory until 2000,
when it pulled out under persistent pressure from Hezbollah. Lebanese are
increasingly concerned about a return to a similar scenario. In its last war
with Hezbollah and even after a November 2024 ceasefire, Israeli troops damaged
or destroyed swathes of border villages and towns through strikes, controlled
demolitions and the wrecking of agricultural areas. Zisser said Israel
maintaining control of the area south of the Litani was technically feasible.
"But you need to make a decision and you need to decide how to do it, (whether)
to occupy the entire territory and establish yourself there" or not, he said.
Wood meanwhile cautioned that an occupation would create "new security threats"
for Israel. "If Israel denies people the right to return to their ancestral
homes, then armed resistance groups will emerge or will continue to take up this
struggle," he said.
European nations say Israel-Hezbollah fighting 'must cease'
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
Eighteen European countries on Thursday urged Israel and Hezbollah to stop
fighting as their latest conflict reached one month and with fears over Israeli
plans to control part of southern Lebanon post-war. "Israeli military operations
in Lebanon and Hezbollah's attacks must cease," the foreign ministers of the
countries including Italy, Spain, Belgium, Poland and Ireland said in a joint
statement. "We urge Israel to fully respect Lebanon's sovereignty and
territorial integrity, and call on all parties, both Hezbollah and Israel, to
halt military action," the statement said. Lebanon was sucked into the Middle
East war after Tehran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel to avenge the
U.S.-Israeli attack that killed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei.Israel has responded with massive strikes across Lebanon and a ground
offensive. Lebanese authorities say the hostilities have so far killed more than
1,200 people and displaced more than one million others. The European ministers
said they were "appalled by the dramatic situation" in Lebanon and called for an
end to "unjustified and unacceptable" attacks on civilian targets such as
healthcare personnel, aid workers and journalists. They pledged to continue
providing humanitarian relief for the Lebanese population and called on the
international community "to mobilize further" to help the country. Earlier this
week, Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said the country's military would
occupy a swathe of southern Lebanon even after the current war against Hezbollah
has ended.
The comments have raised fears for the area's fate following the last Israeli
occupation that lasted nearly two decades. The European nations "strongly
encouraged" Israel to hold direct negotiations with the Lebanese authorities and
said reform efforts by Lebanon's government "must be supported instead of being
undermined". "Efforts to support stabilization in Lebanon are instrumental to
lasting peace and security in the Middle East. De-escalation is urgently needed.
Diplomacy must prevail," they said.The countries include: Spain, Austria,
Belgium, Croatia, Cyprus, Estonia, Finland, Iceland, Italy, Ireland, Latvia,
Luxembourg, Moldova, Norway, Poland, San Marino, Slovenia and Sweden.
Israel says Hezbollah chief to pay 'heavy price' for Jewish
holiday attacks
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz on Thursday warned that Hezbollah chief
Sheikh Naim Qassem would pay an "extraordinarily heavy price" for escalating
attacks during the ongoing Jewish holidays. "I have a clear message for Naim
Qassem... you and your associates will pay an extraordinarily heavy price for
the intensified rocket fire directed at Israeli citizens as they gathered to
celebrate Passover Seder," Katz said in a video statement. Israeli media reports
said that Hezbollah has fired more than 100 rockets toward Israel since the
start of the Jewish holidays.
UN aid chief worried about lengthy Israel-Hezbollah
conflict
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
U.N. aid chief Tom Fletcher on Thursday expressed concern that the conflict
between Israel and Hezbollah in southern Lebanon could be long-lasting,
potentially resulting in a "fresh occupation." "One depressing impression I had,
and I think it's shared by so many people in Lebanon -- there was a sense of
despair and despondency and anxiety," Fletcher told a press conference via
videolink from Syria, after a brief trip to Lebanon. "There's a sense that this
is likely to be a long-running conflict, and that even if we reach some sort of
moment where the actors declare victory on the U.S.-Israel-Iran conflict, that
that may not bring to an end to the Israel-Hezbollah conflict anytime soon." He
said one of his major worries was "a real danger of a fresh occupation, of a
fresh occupied territory in southern Lebanon."Fletcher also expressed fears
about the possible fracturing of "national cohesion" in Lebanon, noting "the
importance of all Lebanese parties pulling together in this moment of real
fragility and concern, as so many people are on the move."Lebanon was sucked
into the Middle East war after Tehran-backed militant group Hezbollah launched
rockets at Israel to avenge the U.S.-Israeli attack that killed Iran's supreme
leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Israel has responded with massive strikes across
Lebanon and a ground offensive. Lebanese authorities say the hostilities have so
far killed more than 1,300 people and displaced more than a million others.
IOM warns of 'alarming' risk of long-term mass displacement
in Lebanon
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
International Organization for Migration chief Amy Pope told AFP on Thursday in
Beirut that the prospects for prolonged mass displacement in Lebanon, where
Israel and Hezbollah are at war, were "very alarming". "I think those prospects
are very alarming because you look right now at the level of destruction that's
happening and... the further destruction that has been threatened," she said
when asked about the possibility of prolonged mass displacement. "There are
parts of the south that are being completely flattened... even if the war ends
tomorrow, that destruction remains and there needs to be a rebuilding," she
said, noting the reconstruction requires funding, resources and peace. "Unless
we start to see those things come into place, that means that people will be
displaced now for who knows how long," she added. Lebanon says more than one
million people have been displaced since the country was drawn into the Middle
East war last month when the Tehran-backed Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel
to avenge the U.S.-Israeli attack that killed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah
Ali Khamenei. Israel has responded with massive strikes across Lebanon and a
ground invasion, and has issued sweeping evacuation warnings for swathes of
south Lebanon and Beirut's densely populated southern suburbs. Authorities say
more than 136,000 people are staying in collective shelters including schools
and stadiums. Pope said the current displacement crisis was "far more severe"
than during the previous hostilities between Hezbollah and Israel which a 2024
ceasefire sought to end. She noted the high number of displaced people, shelters
struggling to cope and the fact that some people have been unable to return home
after being displaced during the previous round of hostilities.
Report: Egyptian initiative stalls despite Berri's
involvement
Naharnet/02 April/2026
The Egyptian intelligence's initiative for a ceasefire between Hezbollah and
Israel remains stalled "in the study and consultation phase," with no final
response yet from either side, despite Speaker Nabih Berri's involvement in the
negotiations, sources told the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper. A week after the
Egyptian delegation's visit to Beirut, the mediation "remains confined to
initial ideas due to the stalemate on the ground," the report said. "The final
word appears to hinge on decisions made by Tehran and Tel Aviv, thus diminishing
hopes for a near-term ceasefire on Lebanese soil," the report added.
A month into war, Lebanon’s prime minister says no end in sight
Reuters/02 April/2026
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said on Thursday there was no end in sight
to a war that had already displaced a million people over the last month, as
families fleeing Israeli strikes said they were exhausted by repeated rounds of
conflict. Lebanon is entering the second month of conflict between Iran-backed
armed group Hezbollah and Israel, which has pledged to occupy swathes of
southern Lebanon as part of a “security zone” to protect its own northern
residents. “Lebanon has become a victim of a war - one whose outcomes and end
date no one can predict,” Salam told reporters on Thursday after a meeting of
his cabinet. “The positions of Israeli officials, and the practices of their
army, reveal far-reaching goals, including a significant expansion in the
occupation of Lebanese territories, dangerous talk about establishing buffer
zones or security belts, and the displacement of more than one million
Lebanese,” Salam said.Israel’s assertion that its military will retain control
of southern Lebanon has fueled fears of a long-term occupation, after a
two-decade Israeli presence ended in 2000. Salam said his government would
redouble diplomatic and political efforts to end the war. A call by Lebanese
President Joseph Aoun for direct talks with Israel has so far received no
response.
Salam salutes Lebanese still in south
Israel has continued to carry out strikes on Lebanon after a 2024 ceasefire
ended its last war with Hezbollah, while keeping troops stationed on five
hilltop positions in southern Lebanon.Israel launched a full-scale air and
ground campaign after Hezbollah fired into Israel on March 2 in solidarity with
Iran after the US and Israel began their war on Tehran. Salam, without naming
Hezbollah, condemned coordinated attacks carried out with Iran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps. More than 1,300 people have been killed in Israeli
strikes and about a fifth of Lebanon’s population has been displaced. Israel has
issued evacuation orders covering around 15 percent of Lebanese territory.“I
want to direct the biggest salute to our people who are staying in their
hometowns and villages in the south, and want to reiterate that we stand by
them,” Salam said. Tens of thousands of Lebanese have remained in their homes in
southern Lebanon, even as Lebanese troops withdraw from the area to avoid
confronting Israeli troops. They include around 9,000 Lebanese Christians living
in a cluster of border towns, who told Reuters they were determined to stay
despite the advancing military operations.
Lebanese want wars to stop
Salam also stressed the need to preserve internal stability as the war strains
Lebanon’s sectarian political faultlines.Some communities have been reluctant to
host displaced families. As the war drags on, Lebanon is examining ways to house
those families in the long-run. Mohammad al-Badran, a Syrian who had lived for
years in Beirut’s southern suburbs, said he and his family were turned away when
they sought refuge in a mountainous area outside the capital. Badran, his wife
and their four children - the youngest of whom was born barely two weeks before
the war started - are now sleeping in a makeshift tent area in the capital. His
10-year-old daughter, Nour, can hear the sound of Israeli strikes on the nearby
southern suburbs. “The sound is loud, the children are crying, and I feel like
the missiles are flying above us,” she said. Ali al-Aziz, who also fled the
southern suburbs, told Reuters that Israel should withdraw from Lebanon so that
the conflict could end and he could go back home. “We want the war to end once
and for all. Not for a war to happen every year or every ten years,” he said.
Salam says joint Hezbollah-Iran attacks not in Lebanon's
interest
Naharnet/02 April/2026
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam reiterated, after a cabinet session at the Grand
serail, his commitment to efforts aiming at stopping the Israeli war. Salam
condemned joint Hezbollah-Iran attacks on Israel and said they do not serve
Lebanon's national interests. The Prime Minister saluted the steadfast civilians
who remained in their villages in south Lebanon, vowing to secure their
essential needs, likely referring to residents of the Christian-majority towns
of Rmeish and Ain Ebel, who have remained in their homes despite the escalating
conflict.
Syrian troops uncover tunnel network on Lebanon border
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
In rugged terrain along the Syrian-Lebanese border, yellow bulldozers raised
earthen berms in front of armored vehicles while soldiers combed through tunnels
they said were used by Hezbollah, as Syria reinforces its side of the border.
Syria is seeking to stay out of the regional war, whose flames have reached
neighboring Lebanon, where Hezbollah is fighting a fierce conflict with Israel.
In rural Qusayr, Syrian soldiers showed an AFP photographer -- granted
permission by the defense ministry to film the deployment for the first time
since reinforcements were brought in a month ago -- several cross-border tunnels
that the army has discovered in recent weeks.Mohammad Hammoud, the official in
charge of Syrian border posts facing Lebanon, told AFP the army discovered by
"combing the border areas... a network of tunnels connecting the two countries
that were used to smuggle weapons and drugs".
An AFP photographer saw at least five such tunnels, including one whose entrance
was dug in the basement of a house, with concrete steps descending into narrow,
dark passageways. Other tunnels in the mountainous area were equipped with
electrical wiring and ventilation systems. In another house leading to a tunnel
entrance, a picture of the late Hezbollah chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah hung on
the wall, alongside another of the late Iranian general Qasem Soleimani. A
Syrian army field commander said Hezbollah used the tunnels. The rural Qusayr
area serves as a crossroads linking Syria's western Homs province to the
Lebanese Bekaa Valley.
Coordinating with Beirut
It became a bastion of Hezbollah influence after the Lebanese group's
intervention in support of former ruler Bashar al-Assad in 2013 during Syria's
civil war. Since Assad's ouster in December 2024 by an alliance of factions led
by new President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Hezbollah's supply lines from Syria have been
cut off and the new Islamist authorities in Damascus say they are coordinating
with Beirut to combat smuggling and to control crossings. On March 28, Syrian
authorities announced the discovery of a tunnel near a village in Homs province
linking Syrian territory to Lebanon, saying that "Lebanese militias" used it for
smuggling. Israel has announced multiple times that it attacked border
crossings, saying the aim was to prevent military supplies from reaching
Hezbollah. An AFP correspondent saw sites damaged by Israeli strikes, including
destroyed buildings near one tunnel. Nearby, Syrian soldiers were on foot patrol
and one fighter stood watching a Lebanese army position from a distance. On
March 4, the Syrian authorities announced a reinforcement of the army on the
border with Lebanon, deploying "armored vehicles, soldiers, rocket launchers,
and reconnaissance battalions to monitor border activities and combat
smuggling". The goal, it said, was "securing and controlling the border amid the
escalation of the ongoing regional war".According to a diplomatic source, "the
Damascus government has been pressured to intervene in Lebanon to end
(Hezbollah's) threat in the region, but it refused".
No military action
Syria dominated Lebanon for decades following a military intervention in the
latter's 1975-1990 civil war, withdrawing only in 2005, making any new military
involvement a fraught proposition. But a Syrian military source told AFP on
Wednesday that "the Syrian army has no intention of any military action, and its
mission is currently limited to border control only". Although Syria has not yet
been dragged into the regional conflict, on March 10 Damascus accused Hezbollah
of shelling Syrian army positions near Serghaya, west of Damascus. On the same
day, Sharaa and Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, in a telephone call, stressed
the need to "control the border" and prevent "any security breakdown". Sharaa
reiterated on Tuesday that his country wanted to remain out of the conflict, in
a discussion with the Chatham House think tank during a visit to Britain."So
long as Syria is not directly targeted by any party, it will remain outside this
conflict," he said. "Fourteen years of war in Syria are enough. We have paid a
very heavy price, and we are not ready to go through a new experience."
Aoun, Salam
continuing efforts to halt war despite deadlock
Naharnet/02 April/2026
President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam are determined to continue
their contacts, hoping that will lead to international intervention to halt the
fighting in south Lebanon, ministerial sources said. U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon
Michel Issa meanwhile traveled to Washington for the Easter holiday and also to
follow up on efforts to end the conflict on the Iranian front, the sources told
Asharq al-Awsat newspaper.He had previously told Lebanese state officials that
disarming Hezbollah is a prerequisite for pressuring Israel to cease fire.
The sources also confirmed that Aoun remains steadfast in his call for direct
negotiations with Israel. "He seizes every opportunity to reiterate his
position, aiming to convey to the international community that Lebanon refuses
to have its fate tied to Iran, and that there is no alternative to the
diplomatic option of negotiating with Israel," the sources added.
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 April 02-03/2026
Iran fires missiles at Israel and
Gulf neighbors as Trump talks of winding down war
Associated Press/02 April/2026
Iran fired more missiles at Israel and Gulf Arab states Thursday, demonstrating
Tehran's continued ability to attack even as U.S. President Donald Trump claimed
the threat from the country was nearly eliminated and predicted the war would
end soon. Iran's strikes on its neighbors along with its chokehold on the Strait
of Hormuz have disrupted the world's energy supplies with effects far beyond the
Middle East. That has proved to be Iran's greatest strategic advantage in the
war. Britain planned to hold a call with nearly three dozen countries about how
to reopen the strait, through which 20% of all traded oil passes in peacetime,
once the fighting is over.Trump has insisted the strait, which was open to
traffic before the U.S. and Israel launched their war on Iran, can be taken by
force — but said it is not up to the U.S. to do that. In his address to the
American people Wednesday night, he encouraged countries that depend on oil
passing through Hormuz to "build some delayed courage" and go "take it."
Iran continues to strike Israel and Gulf countries
Iran responded defiantly to Trump's speech, in which the American president
claimed U.S. military action had been so decisive that "one of the most powerful
countries" is "really no longer a threat."A spokesman for Iran's military
insisted Thursday that Tehran maintains hidden stockpiles of arms, munitions and
production facilities. "The centers you think you have targeted are
insignificant, and our strategic military productions take place in locations of
which you have no knowledge and will never reach," Lt. Col. Ebrahim Zolfaghari
claimed. Just before Trump began his address — in which he said U.S. "core
strategic objectives are nearing completion" — explosions were heard in Dubai as
air defenses worked to intercept an Iranian missile barrage. Less than a
half-hour after the president was done, Israel said its military was also
working to intercept incoming missiles. Sirens sounded in Bahrain, home to the
U.S. Navy's 5th Fleet, immediately after the speech. Attacks continued across
Iran on Thursday, with strikes reported in multiple cities. More than 1,900
people have been killed in Iran during the war, while 19 have been reported dead
in Israel. More than two dozen people have died in Gulf states and the occupied
West Bank, while 13 U.S. service members have been killed.More than 1,200 people
have been killed and more than 1 million displaced in Lebanon, home to
Iran-backed Hezbollah militants who are fighting Israel, which has launched a
ground invasion. Ten Israeli soldiers have also died there.
Nearly three dozen nations will talk about securing the Strait of Hormuz
Iranian attacks on some two dozen commercial ships, and the threat of more, have
halted nearly all traffic in the waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the
open ocean. The 35 countries speaking Thursday, including all G7 industrialized
democracies except the U.S., as well as the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain,
signed a declaration last month demanding Iran stop blocking the strait. British
Prime Minister Keir Starmer said the countries will discuss "viable diplomatic
and political measures" to resume shipping. But no country appears willing to
try to open the strait by force while the war is raging. There is a concern that
Iran might limit traffic through the strait even after U.S. and Israeli attacks
on it cease. The idea of an international effort has echoes of the "coalition of
the willing," led by the U.K. and France, that was assembled to underpin
Ukraine's security in the event of a ceasefire in that war. The coalition is, in
part, an attempt to demonstrate to Washington that Europe is doing more for its
own security in the face of frequent criticism from Trump. The U.S. has
presented Iran with a 15-point plan for a ceasefire, but Trump didn't say
anything in his speech about the diplomatic efforts or bring up his April 6
deadline for Iran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz or face severe retaliation.Oil
prices rise again even as Trump suggests the war could end soonز The conflict is
driving up prices for oil and natural gas, roiling stock markets, pushing up the
cost of gasoline and threatening to make a range of goods, including food, more
expensive. On Thursday, Brent crude, the international standard, rose again and
was at $108 in spot trading, up about 50% from Feb. 28 when Israel and the U.S.
started the war. Though the oil and gas that typically transits the strait is
primarily sold to Asian nations, Japan and South Korea were the only two
countries from the region joining Thursday's call about the strait. The supply
of jet fuel has also been interrupted by the conflict, with consequences for
travel worldwide.
Iran says preparing joint Hormuz navigation protocol with
Oman
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
Iran said on Thursday it was drafting a peacetime protocol that would supervise
maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman, state media reported,
with Tehran's closure of the vital oil corridor roiling the global
economy.Deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi told Russia's Sputnik state
media that the protocol would apply after the ongoing war with the United States
and Israel had ended, setting basic rules to manage ship movements, the IRNA
news agency said. "We are currently finalizing the drafting of this protocol
and, once it has been finalized internally, we will undoubtedly begin
negotiations with the Omani side in order to reach a joint protocol," he said.
Oman has yet to report any such negotiations. Its foreign minister said last
month his country was "working intensively to put in place safe passage
arrangements for the Strait of Hormuz".
UK gathers more than 30 countries to plot ways of reopening Strait of Hormuz
Associated Press/02 April/2026
Almost three dozen countries will meet Thursday in an effort to exert diplomatic
and political pressure to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, a vital shipping route
that has been choked off by the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran.British Prime
Minister Keir Starmer said the virtual meeting chaired by Foreign Secretary
Yvette Cooper "will assess all viable diplomatic and political measures we can
take to restore freedom of navigation, guarantee the safety of trapped ships and
seafarers and to resume the movement of vital commodities."Iranian attacks on
commercial ships, and the threat of more, have halted nearly all traffic in the
waterway that connects the Persian Gulf to the rest of the globe's oceans,
shutting a critical path for the world's flow of oil and sending petroleum
prices soaring. The U.S. is not among the countries attending Thursday's
meeting. Trump has said securing the waterway is not America's job, and told
U.S. allies to "go get your own oil."No country appears willing to try and open
the strait by force while fighting rages and Iran can target vessels with
anti-ship missiles, drones, attack craft and mines. But Starmer said Wednesday
that military planners from an unspecified number of countries will meet soon to
work on how to ensure security for shipping "after the fighting has stopped." In
the meantime, 35 countries including the U.K., France, Germany, Italy, Canada,
Japan and the United Arab Emirates have signed a statement demanding Iran stop
its attempts to block the strait and pledging to "contribute to appropriate
efforts to ensure safe passage" through the waterway. Thursday's meeting is
considered a first step, to be followed by "working-level meetings" of officials
to hammer out details. Starmer said resuming shipping "will not be easy," and
will require "a united front of military strength and diplomatic activity"
alongside partnership with the maritime industry. The international effort idea
has echoes of the international "coalition of the willing" that has been
assembled, led by the U.K. and France, to underpin Ukraine's security after a
future ceasefire in that war. The coalition is, in part, an attempt to
demonstrate to the Trump administration that Europe is stepping up to do more
for its own security.The urgency of stronger continental defenses has been
reinforced by Trump's renewed suggestion that the U.S. could pull out of NATO.
Trump announces destruction of Iran's tallest bridge
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
U.S. President Donald Trump said Thursday the tallest bridge in Iran had been
destroyed, hours after threatening to bomb the country "back to the Stone
Ages."Trump posted footage on social media of smoke rising from the B1 bridge in
Karaj, around 20 miles (35 kilometers) southwest of Tehran -- and warned that
there would be further destruction unless Iran comes to the table to end the
five-week war. "The biggest bridge in Iran comes tumbling down, never to be used
again – Much more to follow! IT IS TIME FOR IRAN TO MAKE A DEAL BEFORE IT IS TOO
LATE, AND THERE IS NOTHING LEFT OF WHAT STILL COULD BECOME A GREAT COUNTRY!"
Trump said. Iranian state television had earlier reported two U.S.-Israeli
strikes on the bridge. "A few minutes ago, the American-Zionist enemy once again
targeted the B1 bridge in Karaj," state TV said, adding that an initial strike
had caused two civilian casualties.It said the later attack took place as
emergency teams were deployed to the site to help victims of the first strike.
The B1 bridge, which was still under construction, is considered the Middle
East's tallest according to Fars/Iranian media, with a 447-foot (136-meter)
column.
Trump delivered a speech Wednesday in which he argued that the war launched by
the United States and Israel on February 28 was almost over -- even as he
threatened to bomb Iran "extremely hard" if it didn't bow to his demands."Over
the next two to three weeks, we are going to bring them back to the Stone Ages,
where they belong," he said in his first prime-time address to the nation on the
war.
Iran's military vows 'crushing' attacks against US, Israel
after Trump threats
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
Israel said it came under Iranian missile fire on Thursday after U.S. President
Donald Trump threatened to bomb the Islamic republic into the "Stone Ages" in
the coming weeks.Iran's military vowed on Thursday to carry out "crushing"
attacks against the United States and Israel after Trump's threats. "With trust
in Almighty God, this war will continue until your humiliation, disgrace,
permanent and certain regret, and surrender," said the military's operational
command Khatam Al-Anbiya in a statement carried by state TV. "Await our more
crushing, broader, and more destructive actions."
Trump says Iran war almost over, warns of weeks more heavy strikes
Associated Press/02 April/2026
President Donald Trump said U.S. forces will "finish the job" in Iran soon as
"core strategic objectives are nearing completion," offering a full-throated
defense of the war Wednesday night in his first national address since the
conflict began more than a month ago. He used his platform before a wide
audience to tout the success of the U.S. operations and argue that all of
Washington's objectives have so far been met or exceeded, but said Iran would
continue to face a barrage of attacks in the short term. "We are going to hit
them extremely hard over the next two to three weeks," Trump said. "We're going
to bring them back to the Stone Ages, where they belong."But Trump also spent
much of an address that lasted just under 20 minutes repeating many things he
had already said in recent weeks and providing few new details. The speech
appeared unlikely to move the needle of public sentiment at a time when polling
shows many Americans feel the U.S. military has gone too far in Iran and as gas
and oil prices remain high. The effect on global financial markets was more
immediate, with oil rising more than 4% and Asian stocks falling after Trump's
comments about the U.S. continuing to hit Iran hard. "Tonight, I'm pleased to
say that these core strategic objectives are nearing completion," Trump said. He
also acknowledged American service members who had been killed and added: "We
are going to finish the job, and we're going to finish it very fast. We're
getting very close."
The president didn't mention the possibility of sending U.S. ground troops into
Iran. Nor did he reference NATO, the trans-Atlantic alliance he has railed
against for not helping the U.S. secure the critical Strait of Hormuz, where a
chokehold by Iran has sent energy prices soaring. He also didn't say anything
about negotiations with Iran or bring up his April 6 deadline for Iran to reopen
the waterway or face severe retaliation from the U.S.Trump encourages other
countries to take the Strait
Trump ticked through a timeline of past American involvement in conflicts and
noted that the ongoing war in Iran had lasted just 32 days, seeming to appeal to
the public for more time to achieve the mission.
"World War I lasted one year, seven months and five days," he said. "World War
II lasted for three years, eight months and 25 days." Trump, who was referring
to the time the U.S. was involved in those wars, also added references to Korea,
Vietnam and Iraq. He also noted that in "these past four weeks, our armed forces
have delivered swift, decisive, overwhelming victories on the battlefield." He
said U.S. military action had been "so powerful, so brilliant" that "one of the
most powerful countries" is "really no longer a threat" — even as Iran kept up
its attacks on Israel and Persian Gulf neighbors early Thursday.Trump also
seemed to suggest he had ruled out going into Iran to get its enriched uranium.
"The nuclear sites that we obliterated with the B-2 bombers have been hit so
hard that it would take months to get near the nuclear dust," he said. "And we
have it under intense satellite surveillance and control. If we see them make a
move, even a move for it, we'll hit them with missiles very hard again." The
president encouraged countries reliant on oil through the Strait of Hormuz to
"build some delayed courage" and go "take it."
Hours before the speech, Trump said, 'We could just take their oil'
Trump's comments in his address were more measured than some of his previous
remarks, including earlier Wednesday at a White House Easter lunch.
Of Iran, he told his assembled guests: "We could just take their oil. But you
know, I'm not sure that the people in our country have the patience to do that,
which is unfortunate.""Yeah, they want to see it end. If we stayed there, I
prefer just to take the oil," Trump said. "We could do it so easily. I would
prefer that. But people in the country sort of say: 'Just win. You're winning so
big. Just win. Come home.' And I'm OK with that, too, because we have a lot of
oil between Venezuela and our oil."
The media was not permitted to watch the president's remarks at the lunch, but
the White House uploaded video of the speech online before taking it down. The
White House did not return requests for comment from The Associated Press on the
video and why it was taken down.
In the lunch — unlike in the subsequent speech — the president also reiterated
some of his complaints about NATO allies for their reluctance to get involved in
securing the Strait of Hormuz while suggesting that Asian countries could also
step up to reopen the waterway. "Let South Korea, you know, we only have 45,000
soldiers in harm's way over there, right next to a nuclear force -- let South
Korea do it," Trump said of efforts to reopen the strait. "Let Japan do it. They
get 90% of their oil from the strait. Let China do it."In a social media post
Wednesday morning, meanwhile, Trump also wrote that "Iran's New Regime
President" wanted a ceasefire. It wasn't clear to whom the U.S. president was
referring since Iran still has the same president. Iran's Foreign Ministry
spokesman, Esmail Baghaei, called Trump's claim "false and baseless," according
to a report on Iranian state television.
Hours before Trump's address, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian posted a
lengthy letter in English on his X account appealing to U.S. citizens and
stressing that his country had pursued negotiations before the U.S. withdrew
from that path. "Exactly which of the American people's interests are truly
being served by this war?" he wrote.
Trump's objectives have shifted since the war started
Since the war began on Feb. 28, Trump has offered shifting objectives and
repeatedly has said it could be over soon while also threatening to widen the
conflict. Thousands of additional U.S. troops are currently heading to the
Middle East, and speculation abounds about why. Trump has also threatened to
attack Iran's Kharg Island oil export hub.Adding to the confusion is what role
Israel — which has been bombing Iran alongside the U.S. — might play in any of
these scenarios. Trump has been under growing pressure to end the war that has
been pushing up the cost of gasoline, food and other goods. The price of Brent
crude, the international standard, is up more than 40% since the start of the
war.
Strikes put Iran’s largest steel plants out of action:
Companies
AFP/ 02 April/2026
Iran’s two largest steel plants have been forced out of action by several waves
of US and Israeli attacks, the companies have said. “Our initial estimate is
that restarting these units will take at least six months and up to one year,”
Mehran Pakbin, deputy head of operations at the Khuzestan Steel Company, was
quoted as saying by the Mizan Online website on Thursday. Mobarakeh Steel
Company in the central province of Isfahan said that its “production lines have
completely shut down following the high volume of attacks.”Both plants have
suffered repeated strikes since last week. “All modules and steelmaking furnaces
of this industrial complex have been damaged,” Pakbin was quoted by Mizan as
saying. Mobarakeh Steel said late Wednesday on its website that after the
attacks, “continuation of operations is not possible.”Iran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) have since launched missile and drone strikes
on industrial areas across the region and Israel in retaliation for the attacks
on the steel plants.The IRGC also threatened further retaliation if such attacks
happened again. Steel is a strategically important material used in industrial
and military production, including of missiles, drones and ships. Iran has been
at war with the United States and Israel since February 28, when strikes killed
the country’s supreme leader and triggered a conflict that has since spread
across the region.
GCC chief urges UN action to secure Hormuz shipping
Al Arabiya English/02 April/2026
Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem al-Budaiwi on Thursday called
on the UN Security Council to adopt a resolution guaranteeing freedom of
navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.Iran has effectively shut down the key
waterway – which carries around a fifth of global oil consumption – in
retaliation for US-Israeli strikes that began in late February. Reopening the
strait has become a priority for governments worldwide as energy prices surge.
Al-Budaiwi told the Security Council that Gulf countries are facing “heinous
Iranian aggression,” adding that GCC states have an inherent right to
self-defense. The conflict began on February 28, when the United States and
Israel launched strikes on Iran that killed its supreme leader, triggering a
broader regional war. Tehran has since responded with drone and missile attacks
across the region, including strikes on neighboring countries that say they are
not involved and have not allowed their territory to be used for attacks.
Several Arab and Islamic countries – including all GCC members – have faced
repeated Iranian strikes since the conflict began. Al-Budaiwi also warned that
threats by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia to close the Bab al-Mandeb Strait
point to an expanding conflict.
Putin, Saudi prince seek more efforts to end Mideast war
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
Russian President Vladimir Putin on Thursday called for intensifying political
and diplomatic efforts to end the Middle East war during a phone call with Saudi
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. "Both sides emphasized the need for a rapid
cessation of hostilities and the intensification of political and diplomatic
efforts to achieve a long-term settlement of the conflict," the Kremlin said in
a read-out of the call. The call comes after Ukraine signed an air defense deal
with Saudi Arabia as the Gulf nation grapples with Iranian drone attacks.
Macron says military operation to 'liberate' Strait of
Hormuz 'unrealistic'
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
French President Emmanuel Macron said on Thursday that U.S. and Israeli strikes
on Iran will not provide a durable solution to the issue of Tehran's nuclear
program and that Trump cannot keep "contradicting" himself every day on Iran. "A
targeted military action, even for a few weeks, will not allow us to resolve the
nuclear issue in the long term," Macron said in South Korea. "If there is no
framework for diplomatic and technical negotiations, the situation can
deteriorate again in a few months or a few years," he said. Macron said that a
military operation to liberate the Strait of Hormuz would be "unrealistic".
"There are those who advocate for the liberation of the Strait of Hormuz by
force through a military operation, a position sometimes expressed by the United
States," Macron said in South Korea. "It is unrealistic because it would take an
inordinate amount of time and would expose anyone crossing the strait to coastal
threats from the (Iranian) Revolutionary Guards, who possess significant
resources, as well as ballistic missiles, (and) a host of other risks." He said
Trump was undermining NATO by creating "daily doubt about his commitment" to the
North Atlantic alliance. "If you create daily doubt about your commitment, you
hollow it out," Macron said during a state visit to Seoul, adding that there is
"too much talk... going off in all. On another note, Macron described Trump's
comments about his marriage as "neither elegant nor up to standard". "I call up
France, Macron -- whose wife treats him extremely badly. Still recovering from
the right to the jaw," Trump had said on Wednesday, referring to a 2025 news
video that appeared to show Brigitte Macron shoving the French president's face.
In Israel's north, war-weary residents feel abandoned by
government
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
Whenever war rocks northern Israel, residents of Kiryat Shmona live their lives
to the rhythm of rocket sirens. Young people have left the city, and those who
remain feel neglected by the government. Some mere three kilometers from
Lebanon, this northern settlement is living through its second war in less than
three years, not counting Israel's 12-day war with Iran last June, or the war
with Hamas in Gaza. Residents say they trust the army will once and for all
"deal with Hezbollah," the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group targeting the north
with rockets and rocket-propelled grenades. But they feel tired of living in
fear of projectiles from the sky and want to be heard by the government. A
lower-income city mainly housing Jews of Moroccan origin, Kiryat Shmona has
almost always voted for Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's right-wing Likud
party. But in a recent video that went viral on social media, mayor Avichai
Stern accused the government of neglecting his city under attack. "The
government doesn't understand Kiryat Shmona. It doesn't understand what our
children are going through," Ayala Amar, a 56-year-old educational assistant,
told AFP. "There are no jobs here, there is nothing. We live in a half-empty
city. If we were in Tel Aviv or in Haifa, they would invest funds," said the
mother of quadruplets. Like all northern residents, Amar and her family were
evacuated during the last conflict with Hezbollah, which broke out in the wake
of Hamas' unprecedented October 7, 2023 attack which triggered the Gaza war.
They returned to Kiryat Shmona after a ceasefire took effect at the end of 2024.
"And now it's starting again. It never ends," she sighed, as artillery fire
towards Lebanon echoed outside. This time, however, the government has decided
not to evacuate residents of the north and sent ground troops to try and clear
south Lebanon of Hezbollah fighters.
Nights in shelter
Adva Cohen also returned after an initial evacuation in 2023.Today, the
38-year-old mother of four spends her life between her home and the few meters
separating it from the municipal shelter. She sleeps there every night, with her
neighbor and friend Olga, a mother of six. "In Kiryat Shmona there is simply no
life," Cohen said. Her nail salon has been closed since the fighting resumed on
March 2. "The government is doing its best, I suppose. But it needs to see us,
to listen to us -- the residents of the region on the front line," she said as
she laid out mattresses in the shelter for the night. "It's exhausting. We don't
have a place to breathe, to go have a coffee -- just the basics," said Cohen,
who longs to "find calm, silence again." Passover, the Jewish holiday beginning
Wednesday evening, and her twins' birthday next week will both be held in the
shelter.
Live like Tel Aviv
Of Kiryat Shmona's 25,000 pre-October 7 population, less than half remain. "Half
of the people are elderly, and the second half are babies," said Raz Malka, a
25-year-old who chose to move back to Kiryat Shmona after his studies "so as not
to let the city die.""The nation has to understand that... we want to live the
life here under the same terms as anyone living in Tel Aviv and in every part
(of the country)," he said. "People need development, they need infrastructure,
they need services," he added, accusing the government of having "abandoned"
Kiryat Shmona. According to Mayor Stern, who responded in writing to AFP's
questions, "of the roughly 10,000 residents who remained in the city, about one
in four depends on social services." One clinic operates in Kiryat Shmona, but
the nearest general hospital is in Safed, 40 kilometers (25 miles) to the south.
Most businesses have shut down and relocated their activity, like Margalit
Startup City, an ambitious FoodTech complex inaugurated in 2021 that was meant
to symbolize regional development. But with the war on the northern front --
which sprang up in retaliation for the U.S.-Israeli attacks on Iran launched on
February 28 -- security remains the "absolute priority" for the mayor of Kiryat
Shmona. He is calling for more shelters and for the evacuation of the most
vulnerable. "I am aware of your great hardship," Netanyahu said Sunday in a
statement addressed to northern residents. Assuring that he had instructed
officials to assist northern communities "very generously," he asked them for
their "continued patience."
Iran says preparing joint Hormuz navigation protocol with Oman
Agence France Presse/02 April/2026
Iran said on Thursday it was drafting a peacetime protocol that would supervise
maritime traffic through the Strait of Hormuz with Oman, state media reported,
with Tehran's closure of the vital oil corridor roiling the global economy.
Deputy foreign minister Kazem Gharibabadi told Russia's Sputnik state media that
the protocol would apply after the ongoing war with the United States and Israel
had ended, setting basic rules to manage ship movements, the IRNA news agency
said. "We are currently finalizing the drafting of this protocol and, once it
has been finalized internally, we will undoubtedly begin negotiations with the
Omani side in order to reach a joint protocol," he said. Oman has yet to report
any such negotiations. Its foreign minister said last month his country was
"working intensively to put in place safe passage arrangements for the Strait of
Hormuz".
Bahrain hopes for vote on revised Hormuz resolution on Friday
Reuters/02 April/2026
Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdullatif bin Rashid al-Zayani told the United
Nations Security Council on Thursday he hopes for a council vote on Friday on a
resolution Bahrain has drafted to protect commercial shipping in and around the
Strait of Hormuz. Oil prices have surged since the US and Israel struck Iran at
the end of February, kicking off a conflict that has now exceeded a month and
effectively closed the strait to shipping traffic.Bahrain has presented Security
Council members with a fourth draft of a resolution that would authorize “all
necessary means” to protect commercial shipping in and around the Strait.
It had previously dropped an explicit reference to binding enforcement in a bid
to overcome objections from other nations, particularly Russia and China, and
the latest draft seen by Reuters sets a six-month time limit for the steps. “We
look forward to a unified position from this esteemed Council during the vote
that will take place on the draft resolution tomorrow, God willing,” al-Zayani
told a meeting of the 15-member council, which Bahrain currently chairs. He said
Iran’s “unlawful and unjustified attempt to control international navigation in
the Strait of Hormuz” threatened the interests of nations and peoples around the
world and “requires a decisive response.”While effectively authorizing use of
force “in the Strait of Hormuz and adjacent waters, including within the
territorial waters of littoral States within or bordering the Strait,” the
latest draft specifies that such steps should be “defensive in nature.”On
Wednesday US President Donald Trump vowed to continue attacks, but did not lay
out a plan to re-open the strait, which sent oil prices even higher as his words
raised concerns that the US may not play a major role in ensuring safe passage
for shippers through the crucial waterway.Diplomats say the latest resolution
been placed under a so-called silence procedure until noon (1600 GMT) on
Thursday and will proceed to a vote if no Security Council member objects by
that time.
Trump fires Pam Bondi as US attorney general, White House official says
Reuters/02 April/2026
US President Donald Trump has removed Attorney General Pam Bondi from her post,
a White House official said on Thursday, following mounting frustration with her
performance, including her handling of investigative files related to the late
financier and sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. Trump had also reportedly grown
frustrated that Bondi was not moving quickly enough to prosecute critics and
adversaries who he wanted to face criminal charges. In a social media post,
Trump praised Bondi as a “Great American Patriot and a loyal friend” and said
she will move to a job in the private sector. Trump said Deputy Attorney General
Todd Blanche, his former personal lawyer, will lead the Justice Department in
the interim. During her tenure as the top US law enforcement official, Bondi was
a combative champion of Trump’s agenda and dismantled the Justice Department’s
longstanding tradition of independence from the White House in its
investigations. But it was repeated criticism over the Epstein files, including
from Trump allies and some Republican lawmakers, that came to dominate her
tenure. Bondi was accused of covering up or mismanaging the release of records
on the DOJ’s sex trafficking investigations into Epstein, a financier who
cultivated ties with an array of wealthy and powerful figures.
Political headache
The issue created political headaches for Trump and drew renewed scrutiny of his
past friendship with Epstein, which he has said ended decades ago. Her ouster
could lead to a shake-up in strategy at the Justice Department and potentially a
renewed push to deploy the US legal system against Trump’s targets.
Bondi is the second senior Trump official to be ousted recently. Trump removed
Homeland Security Secretary Kristi Noem on March 5 following criticism of her
management of the agency and Trump’s immigration agenda. Bondi, a former
Republican state attorney general in Florida, said she worked on restoring the
Justice Department’s focus on violent crime and rebuilding trust with Trump’s
supporters after federal prosecutors twice criminally charged Trump during his
years out of power. Bondi also faced criticism over the removal of dozens of
career prosecutors who worked on investigations disfavored by Trump, with
critics accusing her of abandoning the DOJ’s traditional focus on even-handed
justice. Bondi defended the rollout of the Epstein files, saying the Trump
administration had been more transparent on the issue than previous presidents
and that DOJ lawyers worked on a compressed timeline to review reams of
material.
Sparring with lawmakers
During a combative hearing before a House of Representatives panel in January,
Bondi responded to criticism with political attacks directed at lawmakers. She
refused to apologize or look at Epstein victims and their relatives who attended
the proceedings. Bondi early last year played into fevered speculation about the
Epstein files, saying a client list was on her desk for review. But after an
initial release included material that had largely already been public, the DOJ
and FBI declared in July that the case was closed and that no further
disclosures were warranted. The move prompted an eruption of criticism and
eventually a bipartisan law passed in November requiring the Justice Department
to release nearly all of its files. The release of roughly 3 million pages of
records still did not quell the controversy, as lawmakers criticized redactions
in the files and the disclosure of the identities of some Epstein victims. The
Republican-led House Oversight Committee voted to subpoena Bondi and she was set
to testify on April 14.
Russian strikes kill two in Ukraine, wound dozens
AFP/02 April/2026
Russian strikes across Ukraine on Thursday killed at least two people and
wounded dozens, officials said, as Moscow stepped up its deadly attacks amid
stalled peace talks.In the southeastern Kherson region, Russia attacked “with
artillery, mortars and UAVs,” the regional prosecutor’s office said on social
media.A 42-year-old man was killed when a drone hit a civilian car, and 16 other
people -- including a teenage boy and three police officers -- were wounded in
air attacks and artillery shelling, it added. In the Chernigiv region, north of
the capital Kyiv, Russia attacked with a ballistic missile, head of Chernigiv
City Military Administration Dmytro Bryzhynsky said on Telegram. “As a result of
the attack, the premises of an enterprise were damaged. According to preliminary
reports, one person was killed,” Bryzhynsky said. At least nine people have been
wounded in strikes on Druzhkivka in the embattled Donetsk region in Ukraine’s
east, regional official Vadym Filashkin wrote on social media. “The city is
under constant enemy fire -- today is no exception,” Filashkin said, adding that
Russia attacked Druzhkivka with aerial bombs, damaging two administrative
buildings and a private house.
Russia fired more drones at Ukraine in March than in any month since it launched
its 2022 invasion, an AFP analysis showed Thursday. The analysis, which used
daily reports published by Ukraine’s air force, showed Russia fired at least
6,462 long-range drones into Ukraine last month -- up nearly 28 percent over
February and the second straight monthly increase.
Argentina expels Iran’s charge d’affaires
Reuters/02 April ,2026
Argentina’s government declared Iran’s charge d’affaires, Mohsen Tehrani,
“persona non grata” and expelled him from the country, Argentina’s Foreign
Minister said in a statement on Thursday. The measure orders Tehrani to leave
the country within 48 hours. The decision comes in response to a statement
released on Wednesday by Iran’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, which accused
Argentina’s president Javier Milei, an ally of US president Donald Trump, and
his foreign minister Pablo Quirno, of being complicit in military attacks on its
territory.
Argentina’s Foreign Minister said Iran’s claims “contain false, offensive, and
unfounded accusations against the Argentine Republic and its highest
authorities.”Earlier this week, the Milei government had designated the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) a terrorist organization.
UN chief warns world on ‘edge of a wider war’
AFP/02 April/2026
UN chief Antonio Guterres warned Thursday that the Middle East conflict risked
spiraling into a wider war, as he called for an immediate halt to US-Israeli
strikes on Iran and Iranian attacks on its neighbors. “We are on the edge of a
wider war that would engulf the Middle East with dramatic impacts around the
globe,” the secretary-general told reporters in New York.
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 April 02-03/2026
Egypt's Dangerous Muslim Brotherhood Organization
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone
Institute/April 02/2026
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22399/egypt-dangerous-muslim-brotherhood
Details emerging from recent investigations are chilling.
These men are not "political activists." They are terrorists embedded in an
organized network. The Muslim Brotherhood has long mastered the art of dual
messaging. To the West, it presents itself as a network of charities, activists,
community leaders and political organizers. Yet the same organization is, in
Egypt and elsewhere, linked to terror cells, assassins, and attempts to carry
out mass-casualty attacks.
By failing to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization in
its entirety, Western governments are allowing it to entrench itself
politically, financially, and socially within Western societies.
If the US and its allies are truly committed to confronting extremism, they
seriously need to confront the Muslim Brotherhood in all its forms, not just
when it explodes into violence.
A full designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization would
disrupt its funding networks, restrict its operations and send a clear message
that extremism, whether disguised as political activism or expressed through
terrorism, will not be tolerated.
The Muslim Brotherhood has long mastered the art of dual messaging. To the West,
it presents itself as a network of charities, activists, community leaders and
political organizers. Yet the same organization is, in Egypt and elsewhere,
linked to terror cells, assassins, and attempts to carry out mass-casualty
attacks. If the US and its allies are truly committed to confronting extremism,
they seriously need to confront the Muslim Brotherhood in all its forms, not
just when it explodes into violence.
Many Westerners, it seems, still choose to believe a lie: that the Muslim
Brotherhood organization is a political and social movement that can be engaged,
moderated, and safely accommodated within democratic systems.
This belief is both mistaken and dangerous.
Recent developments in Egypt expose an alarming reality that should shake not
only the Egyptians, but also the US and other Western countries.
In late March, the Egyptian Ministry of Interior announced that security forces
successfully dismantled a major terrorist infrastructure linked to the Muslim
Brotherhood's armed wing, HASM (Harakat Sawaid Misr, "Arms of Egypt Movement").
Details emerging from recent investigations are chilling.
At the center of the plot was Mahmoud Mohamed Abdel Wanis, a prominent member of
HASM who confessed to receiving advanced military training, including in sniper
tactics, explosives, and anti-aircraft weaponry.
The plot included directing terrorists Ahmed Mohamed Abdel Razek, Ahmed Ghoneim
and Ihab Abdel Latif Mohamed Abdel Qader to carry out a series of attacks
against security facilities across Egypt.
According to the Egyptian authorities, Abdel Wanis received multiple sentences
in terrorism-related cases, including life imprisonment for attempting to target
the presidential aircraft in 2022.
Abdel Wanis targeted several prominent figures, including the attempted
assassination of the late Judge Nagy Shehata in 2015. He was further involved in
the assassinations of army Major General Adel Ragaey in October 2016 and police
Lieutenant Colonel Maged Abdel Razek in April 2019.
Abdel Wanis also murdered three people and wounded four others in an attack on
the Agizi checkpoint in Monufia in August 2016. Nearly a year later, he murdered
two police personnel and wounded 17 others in a bomb attack on a police training
center in Tanta, Gharbia in April 2017.
The Ministry of Interior stated that Abdel Wanis was also involved in a car
bombing attack, in which 20 people were murdered and another 47 wounded, outside
the National Cancer Institute in Cairo in August 2019.
HASM founder Hossam Menoufi was arrested by Egyptian authorities after his
flight from Sudan to Turkey made an emergency landing in Luxor in 2022.
These men are not "political activists." They are terrorists embedded in an
organized network. The Muslim Brotherhood's strategy goes far beyond bombs and
bullets. It also relies on propaganda, deception and long-term infiltration.
Egyptian authorities have documented the movement's extensive efforts to
weaponize online news outlets and social media platforms to incite unrest,
spread disinformation, and destabilize the state from within.
According to official findings, Muslim Brotherhood terrorists have established
media platforms designed to inflame public anger, recruit followers, and prepare
the ground for violence. The Midan Foundation, described by authorities as
HASM's "political and media arm," was found to have spread fake news, false and
misleading information, and rumors about Egypt's domestic affairs to incite
Egyptians to resort to violence against the state.
The combination of terrorism and recent torrents of information warfare is
precisely what makes the Muslim Brotherhood so dangerous. Since its founding in
1928, the organization has pursued a consistent objective: to reshape society
according to its ideological vision of conquering the world for Islam and
establishing a Caliphate. Through a mix of religious outreach, social services,
media influence, and political activism -- as well as terrorism -- it seeks to
establish Islamist rule based on Sharia law. The Muslim Brotherhood slogan,
"Islam is the solution," is not merely rhetoric. It is a strategy for gaining
power, pursued step by step.
Egypt designated the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization in 2013.
Since then, the state's security services have repeatedly exposed networks
involved in financing, planning, and executing terror attacks.
In 2019, Egyptian authorities targeted "19 economic entities which are secretly
run by the [Muslim Brotherhood] leaders," estimated to be worth 250 million
Egyptian pounds (about $15 million at that time), that were allegedly being used
to fund activities to destabilize the state. Egyptian authorities also thwarted
a plot orchestrated by leaders of the Muslim Brotherhood in Turkey, with the aid
of accomplices in Egypt, designed to undermine security and stability in the
latter country.What the Muslim Brotherhood does in Egypt, however, quickly
spreads.
Muslim Brotherhood-linked networks have long been operating across Europe and
the US, often under the banner of advocacy groups, and civil society and
community organizations. The Muslim Brotherhood and its followers promote a
worldview that rejects core Western principles such as secular governance,
individual liberties, and the separation of religion and state.
The organization, in addition, has a long history of embedding itself within
educational institutions, charities, and political advocacy networks to
influence public discourse and policymaking and gradually normalize its
ideology, based on the notion that Islam is a comprehensive worldwide system
governing all aspects of life.All this is not accidental. It is how the
organization operates.
The latest revelations from Egypt should serve as a wake-up call. The Muslim
Brotherhood is not merely a political movement. It is a disciplined ideological
organization that combines political activism, propaganda and violence to
achieve its goals. The Muslim Brotherhood has long mastered the art of dual
messaging. To the West, it presents itself as a network of charities, activists,
community leaders and political organizers. Yet the same organization is, in
Egypt and elsewhere, linked to terror cells, assassins, and attempts to carry
out mass-casualty attacks.
This is not a contradiction. It is a strategy.
By failing to designate the Muslim Brotherhood as a terrorist organization in
its entirety, Western governments are allowing it to entrench itself
politically, financially, and socially within Western societies.
If the US and its allies are truly committed to confronting extremism, they
seriously need to confront the Muslim Brotherhood in all its forms, not just
when it explodes into violence.A full designation of the Muslim Brotherhood as a
terrorist organization would disrupt its funding networks, restrict its
operations and send a clear message that extremism, whether disguised as
political activism or expressed through terrorism, will not be tolerated.
*Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
*Follow Khaled Abu Toameh on X (formerly Twitter)
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
Preparing for
the post-Iran war era
Hani Hazaimeh/Arab News/April 02/2026
The Middle East stands at a dangerous inflection point. The confrontation
involving Iran, Israel and the US is not merely another episode in a long cycle
of regional tensions — it is a strategic stress test that has exposed
vulnerabilities, recalibrated deterrence and forced all actors to confront an
uncomfortable reality: the regional order is fragile and its future will not
wait for indecision. Crucially, the conflict has also underscored that the
Iranian agenda — rooted in regional expansion, proxy warfare and strategic
penetration into Arab arenas — is no less dangerous to Arab security and
stability than the Israeli one. Both trajectories, though different in method,
ultimately converge in undermining Arab sovereignty, eroding state institutions
and fragmenting the region into competing spheres of influence.
What distinguishes this moment is not simply the scale of confrontation but the
exposure of strategic ceilings. For years, Israel has cultivated an image of
overwhelming military superiority, projecting an aura of deterrence that
discouraged direct confrontation. Yet the dynamics of the Iran war have
complicated that narrative.The assumption of invincibility has been shaken
because the conflict has revealed the structural limits of all actors’ power.
Geography remains a decisive constraint. A state with limited territorial depth
and high population density cannot sustain prolonged, multifront warfare without
facing severe economic, military and societal strain.
What distinguishes this moment is not simply the scale of confrontation but the
exposure of strategic ceilings
At the same time, Iran’s regional approach has also been laid bare. Its reliance
on asymmetric warfare, proxy militias and indirect escalation has allowed it to
extend influence across multiple Arab theaters without engaging in full-scale
conventional war. Yet this model, while tactically effective, carries long-term
strategic risks. It destabilizes fragile states, fuels sectarian divisions and
creates permanent zones of tension that ultimately threaten the broader regional
order, including Iran’s own strategic environment.
At the center of Israel’s current trajectory stands Benjamin Netanyahu, a
warmonger whose political survival has long been intertwined with a doctrine of
perpetual crisis. Netanyahu has mastered the politics of fear, repeatedly
framing Israel as a nation under existential threat and positioning himself as
its indispensable guardian. But the post-Iran war landscape may prove less
forgiving. Domestically, Netanyahu faces mounting pressure. The Israeli public,
already fatigued by years of political paralysis and repeated elections, is
increasingly divided over the cost of continuous confrontation. Economic strain,
security anxieties and growing distrust in political leadership are converging
in ways that could reshape the country’s internal political map. In such a
climate, the temptation to open new fronts — whether in Gaza or Lebanon —
becomes not merely a military calculation but a political survival tactic. War,
in this context, is no longer solely about national security; it becomes a tool
for extending political longevity. Yet this approach is inherently
unsustainable. Escalation for political survival deepens instability, invites
retaliation and accelerates the erosion of deterrence rather than reinforcing
it. It also risks miscalculation in an increasingly interconnected conflict
environment, where local escalations can rapidly expand into regional
confrontations. Israeli society must confront a fundamental question: Can
lasting security be achieved under leadership that depends on perpetual crisis
to maintain relevance?
If Israelis genuinely seek peace — and there are clear segments within society
that do — the path forward lies not in further militarization but in political
recalibration. Leadership that prioritizes diplomacy over domination and
coexistence over coercion is not a sign of weakness but a prerequisite for
sustainable security. The continuation of settlement expansion, periodic
military campaigns and the marginalization of political solutions will only
entrench cycles of violence rather than resolve them.
The conflict has once again demonstrated that regional security cannot only be
outsourced to external powers
For the Arab world, the implications of this war are even more profound. The
conflict has once again demonstrated that regional security cannot only be
outsourced to external powers, nor can it be managed through fragmented national
strategies. The absence of a unified Arab security framework has created
strategic vacuums that external actors — both regional and international — have
repeatedly exploited. This is where the concept of a joint Arab defense
architecture becomes critical. Whether under the framework of a revitalized
Peninsula Shield or a broader “Arab Shield,” the need for structured,
institutionalized military cooperation is no longer theoretical — it is urgent.
Such a framework, bringing together key states like the Gulf countries, Jordan
and a stabilizing Syria, could fundamentally reshape the region’s security
equation. However, the effectiveness of such an alliance will depend on more
than military coordination. It will require political alignment, intelligence
integration and economic interdependence. A credible deterrence posture is built
not only on capabilities but on cohesion and clarity of purpose. Without these
elements, any alliance risks remaining symbolic rather than operational.
Equally important is the need to redefine the concept of security itself.
Security is no longer limited to territorial defense; it encompasses economic
resilience, energy security, cyber capabilities and social stability. The Arab
region must adopt a comprehensive security doctrine that addresses both
traditional and nontraditional threats, including the destabilizing effects of
proxy conflicts and ideological polarization. The post-Iran war era will not be
defined solely by battlefield outcomes but by strategic adaptation. For Israel,
this means confronting the internal contradictions of its leadership and
reassessing its reliance on force as a primary instrument of policy. For Iran,
it requires reconsidering the long-term costs of expansion through proxies and
the sustainability of its regional posture. For Arab states, it demands a
transition from reactive policies to proactive, coordinated strategies.The cost
of inaction is already visible — in the devastation of Gaza, the fragility of
Lebanon and the broader erosion of regional stability. These are not isolated
crises; they are interconnected symptoms of an unbalanced regional order.
**Hani Hazaimeh is a senior editor based in Amman. X: @hanihazaimeh
Iran regime likely to face the same fate as Saddam
Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/April 02/2026
Who is winning the war between the US, Israel and Iran? The coverage in many
Western media outlets clearly indicates that Iran is the major winner. The
reality is that sections of the Western media have framed the conflict with two
separate definitions of victory. For the US to be victorious, it must
successfully install a new regime with a stable political system. For the
Iranian regime to be the winner, it simply has to remain in power, no matter how
much it is weakened. What the media does not know is what the ultimate
objectives of the US’ Operation Epic Fury and Israel’s Operation Roaring Lion
are. What are they really looking to achieve and what would be considered a
successful outcome? Faced with this uncertainty, the Western media has too often
stuck to the narrative that, as long as the Iranian regime remains in place and
continues firing missiles, it is the winner.
There is no doubt that Tehran is a master of asymmetric warfare. It is the
regime’s signature. This is what terrorism and armed proxies have delivered for
it over recent decades — at the cost of destroying the lives of millions of
Lebanese, Syrians and Iraqis. This is what it is still pursuing during this war.
Due to its importance to global oil flows, the entire focus is now on the Strait
of Hormuz blockade. Some Western media outlets have translated this into proof
that the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps is a master of asymmetric warfare and
the clear current victor.
The war is depicted as lacking clear objectives and coverage focuses mainly on
Iranian offensive strikes. Another important point is that, because Europeans
were neither warned about nor prepared for this war, there is widespread
resentment and spite toward the US and Israel. This is evident in the series of
analysts and experts appearing on news channels. The war is depicted as lacking
clear objectives and coverage focuses mainly on Iranian offensive strikes. Yet,
if we look at the totality of this coverage — including experts close to
decision-making centers in European capitals — a real fear emerges: the fear of
having no control, not only over this war but over the global scene as a whole.
This coverage is therefore attempting to shift that fear into the narrative of a
major US military failure.
President Donald Trump’s declarations have created even more confusion among
these journalists. They do not understand or know what is coming. One might ask:
Is that not a net positive for the military operations? Would the US and Israel
really want the IRGC to know exactly what was happening and what they were
planning? This is also unfamiliar territory for the media. During the last Iraq
war, President George W. Bush issued a clear ultimatum with a clear goal: the
removal of Saddam Hussein’s regime. With boots on the ground, this objective was
achieved swiftly. But the day-after scenario was a failure due to the Iranian
regime’s infiltration. There is also strong anti-Trump sentiment in most Western
legacy media, in the US as well as in Europe. Since the war in Gaza, and with
few exceptions in France, Benjamin Netanyahu is similarly criticized. The left
strongly influences the portrayal of the Iranian regime as the oppressed and the
US as the oppressor.
Everything the regime has done — or is doing, including terrorism and killings —
is framed as defensive, justified by the threat of the US military. Some media
coverage has therefore given both the military advantage and the moral high
ground to the regime, absolving it of decades of violent, terrorist and
murderous activity. Decades of exporting terror are reframed as resistance.
Unsurprisingly, this echoes in Lebanon, with Hezbollah even being depicted as
heroic. Similarly, attacks on the Gulf countries are emphasized, yet when
condemnation is required — as it was for the US and Israeli strikes — the media
largely looks the other way. They fail to mention that these countries have not
participated in the attacks and remain defensive. The reality is that some in
the media are pleased by these strikes. Spite and resentment guide this way of
thinking. The Gulf countries, which have become the center of global
geopolitical negotiations and a destination for some of Europe’s brightest
minds, have been seen as deserving these blows for surpassing European capitals
in terms of relevance. While some European militaries have been supportive on
the ground, analysts and former diplomats on television stations and social
media — such as Gerard Araud, the former French ambassador to the US, Israel and
the UN — have been reposting and promoting anti-Gulf ideas, aligning even with
representatives of the Iranian regime. Moreover, in the West, leftist movements
are politically aligned with the Greens, who despise anything fossil-fuel
related. They understand that the regime targets energy supplies to pressure the
West and the US to halt the war — and this is music to their ears.The left
strongly influences the portrayal of the Iranian regime as the oppressed and the
US as the oppressor
Yet, despite this noise, what does the situation on the ground tell us? The
US-Israeli military campaign has delivered overwhelming strikes that have
dismantled key pillars of Iran’s military power. These joint operations have
left the regime with an estimated 1,000 or fewer operational missiles, zero
meaningful production ability, a functionally annihilated navy and severely
limited defensive or retaliatory options. This renders the regime’s offensive
arsenal and nuclear ambitions effectively neutralized. According to the
Institute for the Study of War, the number of ballistic missiles, cruise
missiles and drones launched by the Iranian regime has severely declined in the
past month. US assessments report an 83 percent to 95 percent drop in drone
volume. This indicates two things: first, the degradation of the regime’s
capacity; and, second, a shift from heavy strikes to a lower frequency but
consistent launches. High interception rates and the use of less costly ways to
intercept projectiles are also undermining the regime’s strategy. While severe
damage can still occur, the Iranian regime’s objective has failed. To the ire of
sections of the Western media, the Gulf countries remain strong and firm.
There is no doubt about the outcome of this war. Despite some media coverage and
the Strait of Hormuz blockade, this regime has been defeated, along with its
proxies. It was struck in the same way it has lived and, as the saying goes, he
who lives by the sword, dies by the sword. Those in the media who once stood
silent in the face of the Iranian regime’s violations of international law are
now vocal about US actions, with their hatred for Trump amplified in this
coverage.
While we do not yet know who will succeed any surviving Khamenei in Iran, the
regime is likely to face the same fate as that of Saddam Hussein and other rogue
states in the region. The day after will bring the prosperity that the region
has long been robbed of. Just don’t rely on the Western media to cover it.
**Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of SpaceQuest Ventures, a space-focused
investment platform. He is CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.
Climate change and human health in Southern Africa
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/April 02/2026
Climate change should not only be understood as an environmental phenomenon, but
also as a critical and systemic threat to human health.
Scientific evidence indicates that climate change is affecting the essential
determinants of health, such as clean air, safe drinking water, nutritious food
and secure shelter. This ratchets up existing health burdens and creates new
ones across the world.
Between 2030 and 2050, climate change is projected to cause about 250,000
additional deaths per year from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea and heat stress.
This will have direct costs for global health systems. More importantly, regions
with weaker health infrastructure, particularly in low‑income countries, will
bear the most severe impacts. To address the issue effectively, we must first
understand the mechanisms through which climate change affects health. This
process has many interrelated dimensions.Southern Africa exemplifies how climate
change magnifies existing health vulnerabilities and reveals structural gaps
To begin with, rising global temperatures and more frequent extreme weather
events, such as heat waves, floods and droughts, directly increase morbidity and
mortality. Indirectly, this also disrupts food and water systems and increases
mental health stresses arising from displacement, as well as the loss of
livelihoods. Climate change can also be viewed as a threat multiplier. On the
one hand, it exacerbates health risks already experienced by vulnerable
populations. And on the other, it disproportionately affects those least
responsible for greenhouse gas emissions. Recent scientific analyses further
highlight the emerging dimensions of climate‑related health risks. A study
recently published in The Lancet Global Health projects that climate change is
contributing to a growing physical inactivity crisis by reducing safe
opportunities for outdoor movement as temperatures rise. This inactivity, linked
to chronic conditions such as cardiovascular disease and diabetes, could result
in hundreds of thousands of additional premature deaths annually by mid‑century.Within
this global context, Southern Africa, one of the world’s most vulnerable
regions, exemplifies how climate change magnifies existing health
vulnerabilities and reveals structural gaps. The Southern African Development
Community countries — including Angola, Botswana, Malawi, Mozambique, Namibia,
South Africa, Zambia and Zimbabwe — contribute an insignificant share of global
greenhouse gas emissions yet face disproportionate climate‑induced health risks
due to high socioeconomic vulnerability. Projections highlight that Southern
Africa is experiencing warming at a rate higher than the global average, with
potential temperature increases up to several degrees Celsius by the end of the
21st century.Such warming increases heat stress and susceptibility to
heat‑related illnesses, particularly among outdoor laborers, children and the
elderly. It also affects other vulnerable populations that lack access to
adequate cooling infrastructure and healthcare support. Heat stress not only
leads to acute morbidity, including heat exhaustion and heat stroke, but also
contributes to renal and cardiovascular stress.
Infectious diseases are another pressing concern. Changing temperature and
precipitation patterns expand the potential range of diseases such as malaria
and dengue. Furthermore, compromised water and food systems due to droughts or
flood damage heighten risks of waterborne and foodborne illnesses. These
illnesses disproportionately affect infants, children and other vulnerable
populations. Another issue is that environmental degradation and food insecurity
in one nation can strain regional markets and cross‑border supply chains. This
impacts food access and economic stability in neighboring countries. Such ripple
effects show that health security, when it comes to climate change, cannot be
confined to one place.Unfortunately, mental health burdens are also often
overlooked in climate discussions. The mental health consequences of climate
change warrant considerable attention. Repeated exposure to extreme weather
events, loss of homes and livelihoods, and chronic stress contribute to
heightened rates of anxiety, depression and other psychosocial disorders. The
interplay of climate change with human health in Southern Africa points to
another important issue: the transboundary dimension of climate health risks.
Health challenges triggered by climate change in one region or national context
do not remain isolated. Instead, they reverberate regionally and globally
through paths such as migration, infectious disease spread and economic
interconnectedness.Health challenges triggered by climate change in one region
or national context do not remain isolated. In addition, displacement due to
climate disasters can result in cross‑border movements that stress regional
health systems. This interconnectedness again affirms that climate change is not
solely an environmental or economic challenge but a global public health concern
requiring a collective response. As a result, it is critical to bring up the
principles of climate justice and equity. Those people most vulnerable to
climate‑induced health impacts — often in low‑income countries or marginalized
communities — have contributed the least to the historical accumulation of
greenhouse gas emissions. Yet they bear disproportionate health burdens,
highlighting a fundamental inequity. High‑emitting nations should provide
assistance to these countries, including financial support and investments in
climate‑resilient infrastructure and health services. In general, we should
integrate health considerations into climate policy at national and
international levels as well.In a nutshell, the nexus between climate change and
human health should not be overlooked. In Southern Africa, as in many vulnerable
regions, climate change is amplifying health risks. These risks include the
physiological, infectious, nutritional and psychosocial domains, with many
effects that extend beyond national borders.As a result, it is vital to
recognize climate change as a central determinant of health. And we need genuine
international cooperation rooted in the principles of climate justice. Without
such collective action, the health consequences of climate change will continue
to worsen.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political scientist.
X: @Dr_Rafizadeh
The
UK-Gulf partnership: Standing together in the face of conflict
John Healey/Al Arabiya English/02 April/2026
As I reflect on my visit to the Gulf this week, an expression – shared in Arabic
and English – comes to mind: الصديق وقت ضيق. A friend in need is a friend
indeed. It is easy to speak of partnership in moments of calm, when solidarity
costs nothing. The real test of any alliance emerges under pressure. The scale
of the challenge our friends in the region have faced is extraordinary. Iran has
fired more than 3,500 ballistic missiles and drones over ten countries in a
month. They have targeted airports, desalination plants, energy facilities, and
civilian neighborhoods indiscriminately.
The armed forces and governments of the Gulf have responded at extraordinary
pace, under sustained pressure, while keeping populations safe and essential
services running. Across Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Kuwait, the UAE and
beyond, they have done so with professionalism, resilience, and calm. I am
deeply grateful to every nation in the region that has worked to protect the
many thousands of British nationals living, working, and transiting through the
Gulf. And I am proud of how Britain has stood with our friends in this immensely
challenging time. From the first day of this conflict, UK Armed Forces have been
participating in coordinated defensive efforts in the region. Typhoons and F-35s
are patrolling the skies over Bahrain, Jordan, Qatar, the UAE and Cyprus -
protecting against Iranian attacks. We have more jets in this region than at any
point in the last fifteen years – including the joint UK-Qatari 12 Squadron, who
I visited this week. I have extended the deployment of those UK Typhoon jets
which are flying missions from Qatar. In Bahrain, we have deployed a Lightweight
Multiple Launcher fire group, with British specialists embedded alongside
Bahraini forces to integrate this system directly into their already robust
defenses.In Kuwait, Rapid Sentry – a UK ground-based air defense missile system
– has now arrived, and the RAF’s ORCUS system is operating, boosting protection
against the persistent drone threat. And to Saudi Arabia, we’re deploying Sky
Sabre which will be integrated into the defenses in the region following a
successful recce by a UK team. The equipment and teams will deploy this week. In
the UAE and Jordan, British personnel, counter-drone specialists, and airspace
management experts are contributing to the collective defensive effort every
single day. And at sea, HMS Dragon is operational in the Eastern Mediterranean,
reinforcing the wider defensive posture that protects the approaches to the
region. This week, I was struck by the distinct character of our individual
partnerships, but also by a common thread running through all of them.
These are deep, enduring relationships built through years of shared training,
shared operations, and a shared vision for regional stability. They have proven
their worth under the most serious of pressures. In difficult times, true
friendships reveal themselves. The partnerships Britain has built across the
Gulf have shown their value once again. Working with our friends in this region
has guided us throughout this conflict and will continue to guide us long after
the current crisis has passed.
The Middle East’s new era of infrastructure warfare
Abdullah F. Alrebh/Al Arabiya English/02 April/2026
The Middle East is entering a dangerous phase in which de-escalation faces
serious structural obstacles. The shift from backchannel diplomacy to the
projection of military power signals a growing reliance on coercive pressure
rather than durable negotiation. When so much political capital is invested in
maximum pressure, finding a credible off-ramp becomes increasingly difficult. A
temporary pause in hostilities may avert immediate catastrophe, but it will not
resolve the deeper strategic imbalance. At best, it may give proxy networks time
to adapt, harden, and consolidate their positions. Historically, certain
regional actors served as essential conduits for delicate negotiations. Today,
the search for new diplomatic venues reflects the fragmentation of those
traditional channels. This development suggests that the established frameworks
are under strain, shaped by escalating tensions and the unpredictable logic of
US electoral politics. In Washington, foreign policy remains vulnerable to
domestic partisan division, while in Tehran, economic pressure continues to test
the legitimacy of leadership and intensify internal volatility. Beijing, despite
its economic leverage, appears unwilling to spend the political capital required
to play a more decisive mediating role. What is emerging is not simply another
round of military confrontation, but a shift toward infrastructure warfare.
Critical civilian and economic systems are now part of the battlefield. Energy
grids, water desalination facilities, ports, and supply chains have become
strategic targets because they shape the resilience of modern states. In such a
conflict, the collapse of essential services can produce effects far beyond the
immediate battlefield. A disruption that lasts only a few days can trigger
cascading failures across transportation, food distribution, communications, and
public order.
This is what makes the idea of a short window so important. In highly
interconnected societies, even a brief shock can generate outsized consequences.
If a conflict were to remove a significant share of global oil supply or
threaten access to water in major urban centers, it would cross a threshold that
no major power could ignore. At that point, the issue would no longer be a
regional dispute alone; it would become a broader international crisis.
Gulf states have so far responded with restraint, prioritizing stability in
support of their ambitious economic transformation agendas. But as attacks on
critical infrastructure become more routine, those states will be forced to
recalibrate. Active deterrence, rather than passive endurance, will increasingly
shape their strategic thinking. Prolonged infrastructure warfare would divert
resources away from long-term development projects and toward defense,
resilience, and emergency protection. Even so, the adaptive capacity of these
states suggests delay and adjustment rather than a complete derailment of their
long-term goals.
The geographic scope of the confrontation is also expanding. The Houthis have
become a critical force multiplier, and their asymmetric operations in the Red
Sea have transformed a regional dispute into a global supply-chain crisis. Their
actions have exposed the fragility of maritime security and underscored how
quickly local conflict can disrupt international commerce. Beyond the Red Sea,
sleeper networks and other asymmetric tools raise the possibility of
cyberattacks, sabotage, and localized disruptions far beyond the region,
increasing political costs for Western capitals.
This conflict also reflects the erosion of the traditional security umbrella
that once defined the region. The era in which states relied almost exclusively
on unquestioned guarantees from Washington is fading. Regional powers are now
diversifying their defense partnerships and investing more heavily in local
deterrence and resilience. That shift is not merely tactical; it is a response
to the volatility of US domestic politics and the uncertainty of future
foreign-policy commitments.
Ultimately, this conflict is likely to accelerate a lasting strategic
transformation. States in the region will increasingly treat infrastructure
resilience as a core element of national security, on par with conventional
military defense. The result will be a more multipolar regional order, one
shaped by localized defense arrangements, diversified alliances, and greater
attention to critical civilian infrastructure. Western media often struggles to
capture these deeper strategic and sociological dynamics, focusing instead on
the immediate spectacle of airstrikes and military escalation. But the real
story is broader: the Middle East is entering an era in which resilience,
infrastructure, and domestic stability will matter as much as battlefield power.
X Platform & Facebook Selected twittes
on
April 02/2026
Colm Flynn
I travelled to Lebanon during Pope Leo XIV’s visit to hear from Christians
living through the country’s constant struggles - war, corruption, economic
crisis, and emigration. Many still believe Lebanon is a message to the world.
Others fear that message is slipping away. Watch the full documentary here:
Tom Harb@HarbTom
·Lebanese MP @OusamaSaad1 is a thug who wants endless war with Israel.
He just submitted a draft law banning all contact with Israel, calling it high
treason, while ignoring Iran’s militias destroying Lebanon.This dinosaur chooses
hatred and poverty over peace and prosperity.US Treasury: sanction him now.
Lebanon deserves better than warmongers.
Rob Jetten
Today I spoke with President Joseph Aoun of Lebanon @LBpresidency
. We discussed the conflict between Israel and Hezbollah, and its grave
consequences for the Lebanese people.Hezbollah must immediately cease all its
activities and disarm, and Israel must prevent any further escalation of the
conflict. All parties must comply with international law. I emphasised the
importance of de-escalation and direct diplomacy between Lebanon and Israel,
which could help achieve a lasting resolution to this conflict.The Netherlands
supports the Lebanese government’s efforts to restore full control over the
country’s territory. To that end, I announced that the Netherlands will provide
€13.5 million in humanitarian aid and support for the Lebanese armed forces.