English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News
& Editorials
For April 05/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Great Sunday of
the Resurrection/Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the
tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had
already been rolled back.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Mark 16/01-08:”When the sabbath
was over, Mary Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought
spices, so that they might go and anoint him. And very early on the first day of
the week, when the sun had risen, they went to the tomb. They had been saying to
one another, ‘Who will roll away the stone for us from the entrance to the
tomb?’ When they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had
already been rolled back. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man,
dressed in a white robe, sitting on the right side; and they were alarmed.But he
said to them, ‘Do not be alarmed; you are looking for Jesus of Nazareth, who was
crucified. He has been raised; he is not here. Look, there is the place they
laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter that he is going ahead of you to
Galilee; there you will see him, just as he told you.’ So they went out and fled
from the tomb, for terror and amazement had seized them; and they said nothing
to anyone, for they were afraid.”
Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related
News & Editorials published
on April 04-05/2026
Joseph
Aoun’s last refuge is silence and prayer, and fear of the Final Judgment
Day/Elias Bejjani/April 05/2026
Holy Saturday: When Light Triumphed Over Darkness, and Hope Over Despair/Elias
Bejjani/April 04/2025
Good Friday: The Day of Greatest Love and Perfect Sacrifice/Elias Bejjani/April
03/2026
Lebanon death toll rises to 1,422 amid ongoing Israeli attacks
Israeli forces destroy 17 UN peacekeeper cameras in south Lebanon: UN official
US Embassy in Beirut on high alert after potential threat: What actually
happened
Israeli army issues evacuation warning for Tyre and surrounding areas
Israeli military says soldier killed in Lebanon fighting
Israel strikes Tyre in South Lebanon after evacuation warnings
Displaced residents of south Lebanon’s Alma al-Shaab keep Easter traditions
alive
Israel strikes Beirut southern suburbs at dawn
Israel army urges evacuation of Syria-Lebanon crossing ahead of strikes
Al-Rahi says Iran violating sovereignty through Hezbollah, slams Israeli attacks
Strike destroys West Bekaa bridge after Israeli army warning
The Evolution of Military Tactics in the Ongoing War in Lebanon/Colonel Charbel
Barakat/April 04/ 2026
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 04-05/2026
Trump
gives Iran 48 hours to make deal or face ‘Hell’
Iran leaves door open for peace talks as hunt for missing US pilot continues
Mediators reportedly working on 'middle ground solution' between US, Iran
Iran-US negotiations: Latest developments
Iran, US race to find crew member of crashed American fighter jet
US arrests relatives of slain Iranian commander Soleimani
Turkey says second Turkish-owned ship has crossed Hormuz strait
Israel army says identified missile launched from Yemen
Several injured in Israel by Iran missile fire: Medics
Israel preparing for attacks on Iranian energy sites, awaits US green light:
Reuters
Iran says Iraq shipping free to cross Strait of Hormuz
Russia evacuates 198 workers from Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant amid airstrike
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy arrives in Istanbul for talks with Turkey’s Erdogan
UAE condemns attack on embassy in Damascus, urges Syria to ensure protection
Fire hits Kuwait oil complex as Iranian drone attacks continue
Iraq-Iran border crossing at Shalamcheh back to normal after closure due to
attacks
French boats set sail to join Gaza aid flotilla
The War on Hezbollah-The Iranian Terrorist Proxy Continues/LCCC website
links to several important news websites
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on April 04-05/2026
Strait
of Hormuz fallout shows no country is immune/Cornelia Meyer/Al Arabiya
English/04 April/2026
Why an Arab national security force will never work/Mamdouh AlMuhaini/Al Arabiya
English/04 April/2026
Breaking point as US allies look beyond Trump era/Andrew Hammond/Arab News/April
04, 2026
X Platform & Facebook Selected twittes on April 04-05/2026
The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese
Related News & Editorials published on April 04-05/2026
Joseph Aoun’s last refuge is silence and prayer, and fear of
the Final Judgment Day
Elias Bejjani/April 05/2026
It is almost certain, in the view of a wide segment of the Lebanese—both at home
and in the diaspora—that everything Joseph Aoun will say today on the
anniversary of Christ’s Resurrection will lack national, sovereign,
constitutional, and Maronite value. This is because words that are not followed
by actions are scattered dust. As the Holy Bible teaches us in the Epistle of
Saint James: “Thus also faith by itself, if it does not have works, is dead”
(James 2:17).
Since the man’s path, beginning with the “oath speech,” has lacked the actions
that embody those promises, his words today will be nothing more than an echo of
emptiness in truth and credibility, and a manipulation of the “Word,” which is
God who became incarnate and became man, as stated in the Gospel of Saint John:
“In the beginning was the Word, and the Word was with God, and the Word was God…
And the Word became flesh and dwelt among us” (John 1:1–14).
Personally, sincerely I wish that Aoun would spend his day today in Bkerki,
praying, silent, and seeking forgiveness, because his tongue has never reflected
the aspirations of the free, but rather has spoken—and continues to speak—the
agendas of Hezbollah, the terrorist enemy of Lebanon and the Lebanese, and Nabih
Berri, who is corrupt and a fomenter of strife, and among those who have
deliberately and knowingly worked toward the destruction and downfall of the
country.
What is required of Aoun—Maronite, Lebanese, and constitutionally—is that he
respect, even if only once, his position, his oath, and the aspirations of the
free and sovereign Lebanese people. Yet he surrounds himself with an army of
“jihadist,” fundamentalist, and opportunistic advisors—most of whom come from
the school of Michel Aoun, who has fallen joyfully into the temptations of
“Lucifer,” the king of demons—and with individuals hostile to Lebanon and
everything Lebanese, belonging to Hezbollah, the Amal Movement, the Syrian
Social Nationalist Party, and groups resembling the scribes and Pharisees, as
well as merchants and people of financial interests.
What is required of Aoun is not to make matters worse through empty rhetoric
that debases the word, especially since he assumed the presidency through a
Parliament whose legitimacy and legality are contested. We remind those who are
celebrating what he will say today that he “will not perform miracles,”
particularly in light of many files surrounded by questions… and God knows best.
In conclusion, if Aoun speaks—and we hope he does not, so as not to further
disappoint people—he will not dare to align himself with the constitution or
international resolutions, nor will he call things by their proper names.
Meanwhile, all his previous positions have lacked any real action confronting
Hezbollah’s terrorism, its weapons, and its Persian domination over the state.
Likewise, all his approaches, proposals, and initiatives have been submissive,
appeasing Berri’s corruption and avoiding confrontation with the brazenness,
indecency, and moral corruption of Hezbollah’s leaders.
Before concluding, I, ask: will the Holy Spirit descend upon Joseph Aoun today
and command the security forces and the army to enter the Iranian embassy, expel
the insolent ambassador, and sever diplomatic relations between Lebanon and
Iran?
Will we be surprised today by a different Joseph Aoun than the one we have known
for years? Perhaps only if the Holy Spirit comes upon him and he decides, in
repentance, to cast off the garment of appeasing Berri and flattering the “Party
of Satan, Hezbollah,” and arm himself with patriotism, courage, and the faith of
“al-Bashir.” However, these hopes will most likely not be fulfilled, because his
path so far has been in a different direction. Accordingly, the man’s last
refuge remains silence, prayer, and fear of the Final Judgment Day.
Holy Saturday: When Light Triumphed Over Darkness,
and Hope Over Despair
Elias Bejjani/April 04/2025
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/04/142476/
Each year, in the stillness of contemplation and the sacred anticipation of the
Resurrection, the Church commemorates one of the most profound and spiritually
rich moments in the journey of redemption: Holy Saturday—the day that stands
between the agony of the Cross and the glory of the Resurrection.
This is not a day of mourning, but a day of radiant hope. It is the silent
threshold before Easter dawns—the moment when Christ passed through death to
illuminate humanity’s path to eternal life. On this sacred day, the earth may
have closed over the body of Jesus, but heaven remained open, and hope was alive
and burning.
Even in death, Jesus was not absent from the world. He descended into Hades,
into the depths of human suffering and death, to break the chains of bondage and
liberate the souls held captive.
“For You will not abandon my soul to Hades, nor will You allow Your Holy One to
see decay.”(Acts 2:27, quoting Psalm 16:10)
These prophetic words, spoken by St. Peter in his sermon at Pentecost, remind us
that even as Christ lay in the tomb, the work of salvation was still unfolding.
Holy Saturday was not an empty pause between death and life, but rather a sacred
fullness, a divine mystery where the first rays of resurrection pierced the
heart of darkness.
On the dawn of that first Easter Sunday, the women came to the tomb with sorrow
in their hearts and spices in their hands. But what they found there changed
everything: “And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord
descended from heaven and came and rolled back the stone and sat on it… But the
angel said to the women, ‘Do not be afraid, for I know that you seek Jesus who
was crucified. He is not here, for He has risen, as He said.’”(Matthew 28:2,
5–6)
Fear and confusion turned to awe and sacred joy. The One who was crucified was
no longer in the grave. The tomb was not a symbol of absence, but rather of
divine presence revealed in a new and glorious way. Christ’s resurrection became
the eternal flame of hope—igniting faith in hearts and dispersing every shadow
of despair.
Holy Saturday is a sacred invitation to every believer not to remain in the
shadow of the cross, but to look forward to the radiance of the promised glory.
As Jesus foretold: “The Son of Man is going to be delivered into the hands of
men, and they will kill Him. And after He is killed, He will rise on the third
day.”
(Mark 9:31)
On this day, we contemplate the eternal conflict between life and death, and we
rejoice in the victory of light over darkness. The Resurrection was not merely a
past event—it is the foundational truth of our Christian faith. It proclaims
that love is stronger than hatred, that forgiveness triumphs over vengeance, and
that hope rises above every fear and despair.
“If the Spirit of Him who raised Jesus from the dead dwells in you, He who
raised Christ Jesus will also give life to your mortal bodies through His Spirit
who dwells in you.”(Romans 8:11)
On Holy Saturday, we do not simply recall an ancient story—we renew our hope in
the promise of the Resurrection. We draw strength to face the struggles, pain,
and disappointments of this world, knowing that injustice may crucify the
righteous, but the light of Christ will rise from the grave.
“For I consider that the sufferings of this present time are not worth comparing
with the glory that is to be revealed in us.”(Romans 8:18)
Let us remember, in the sacred silence of this day, that the grave is never the
final word. The sorrow will give way to joy, and the darkness will bow before
the eternal dawn. Christ is alive forever, and He calls us to walk as children
of the light, never surrendering to hopelessness, but clinging always to the
promise of the empty tomb.
Let us ignite within our hearts today the unquenchable flame of faith and hope.
Let us rejoice, because darkness has not and will never overcome the light.
Christ is risen—not as a memory, but as a living and eternal presence in the
life of every believer.
“Christ is risen from the dead, trampling down death by death, and upon those in
the tombs bestowing life.”
Glory to You, O Lord, who turned the sorrow of Holy Saturday into the dawn of
Resurrection, and who transformed the darkness of the grave into a light that
never fades.
*The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
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.”
*The author, Elias Bejjani, is a
Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
Lebanon death toll rises to
1,422 amid ongoing Israeli attacks
LBCI/April 04/2026
The Ministry of Public Health released its daily report on the ongoing Israeli
attacks in Lebanon. The report shows that the death toll since March 2 has risen
to 1,422, while the number of wounded has climbed to 4,294.
Israeli forces destroy 17 UN peacekeeper cameras in south
Lebanon: UN official
AFP/April 04, 2026
BEIRUT: Israeli forces destroyed 17 surveillance cameras linked to the United
Nations peacekeepers’ main headquarters in southern Lebanon in 24 hours, a UN
security official told AFP on Saturday. Since the start of the Israel-Hezbollah
war on March 2, the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has been caught in the
crossfire in the country’s south, with Hezbollah launching attacks on Israel and
its troops, and Israeli forces pushing into border towns.The official, who
requested anonymity, said “17 of the headquarters’ cameras have been destroyed
by the Israeli army” in the coastal town of Naqura.
UNIFIL spokeswoman Kandice Ardiel told AFP on Saturday that “the cameras appear
to have been destroyed by some kind of laser.”She added that “(Israeli) soldiers
are present in Naqura and have been undertaking massive demolitions of buildings
in the village this week.”Earlier this week, Ardiel told AFP that “not only have
these demolitions destroyed civilian homes and businesses, but the strength of
the blasts have caused damage to UNIFIL’s headquarters.”Three Indonesian
peacekeepers from the UN force have been killed in two separate incidents over
the past week.UNIFIL also reported Friday an “explosion” in one of its bases
near Odaisseh in south Lebanon that wounded three personnel, adding that they
“do not yet know the origin of the explosion.”The Israeli army accused Hezbollah
of firing “a rocket that landed in a UNIFIL outpost.”The UN office in Jakarta
said on Saturday the wounded were Indonesian. Indonesia condemned the incident
as “unacceptable,” saying “these events underscore the urgent need to strengthen
protection for UN peacekeeping forces amid an increasingly dangerous conflict
situation.”According to the UN, 97 force members have been killed in violence
since its establishment in 1978 to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces
after they invaded Lebanon.
US Embassy in Beirut on high alert after potential threat:
What actually happened
LBCI/April 03/2026
Was the U.S. Embassy in Beirut really about to be targeted on Friday? The
question arose after a security alert inside the embassy compound forced
employees to take shelter for about 15 minutes. According to available
information, the alert was not local but originated in the United States as part
of a centralized warning system activated when there is intelligence about a
potential threat to a U.S. embassy in regions experiencing military escalation.
As such, the warning did not necessarily indicate that the embassy in Lebanon
was the intended target. Within minutes, staff complied with security procedures
before being instructed to leave the shelters once the threat at the suspected
target location had passed. So far, there is no official information confirming
which embassy or facility was the potential target. However, reports have
circulated of threats affecting more than one diplomatic mission in the region,
including the U.S. Embassy in Saudi Arabia. What is certain is that this was not
a routine drill, as is often conducted inside the embassy, particularly during
periods of conflict. Rather, it was a real alert that prompted immediate
mobilization and direct communication with the Lebanese army deployed around the
embassy. According to the information, the embassy notified the army of a
possible threat and asked whether any suspicious movement had been detected in
its direction. The army confirmed that it had not identified any threat in its
vicinity. This development comes as the U.S. Embassy has been issuing near-daily
statements urging Americans not to travel to Lebanon and advising those already
in the country to prepare for any emergency, citing the volatile, unstable
security situation and potential risks to institutions linked to the United
States, including universities.
Israeli army issues evacuation warning for Tyre and surrounding areas
LBCI/April 03/2026
The Israeli army has issued an urgent evacuation warning to residents of Tyre
and nearby areas, including Hammadiyeh, Zqouq El Mufdi, and Borj El Chmali. In a
statement, the Israeli army spokesperson, Avichay Adraee, said Hezbollah’s
activities in the area are forcing it to carry out intensified operations,
adding that it does not intend to harm civilians. The army urged residents to
evacuate immediately from their homes in accordance with a designated map and
move north of the Zahrani River, citing safety concerns amid ongoing military
activity.
Israeli army warns of imminent strikes on Masnaa crossing,
urges evacuation
LBCI/April 03/2026
The Israeli army issued an urgent warning to all individuals in the Masnaa
border crossing area along the Lebanese-Syrian border, as well as to travelers
on the M30 road. In a statement, the Israeli army said it intends to carry out
airstrikes on the crossing in the near future, alleging that Hezbollah is using
the Masnaa crossing for military purposes and to transfer weapons. The warning
urged all those present near the crossing, and within the area marked in red on
the referenced map, to evacuate immediately. It added that remaining in the area
could put lives at risk.
Israeli military says soldier killed in Lebanon fighting
LBCI/April 03/2026
The Israeli military said a soldier had been killed on Saturday in fighting in
southern Lebanon, where its forces are engaged in clashes with Hezbollah
militants. "Sergeant First Class Guy Ludar, aged 21, ... fell during combat in
southern Lebanon," the military said.The latest fatality brings the number of
Israeli soldiers killed in south Lebanon to 11 since the army began ground
operations against Hezbollah last month. AFP
Israel strikes Tyre in South Lebanon after evacuation
warnings
AFP/04 April/2026
Israel’s military renewed its strikes on the southern Lebanese city of Tyre on
Saturday after issuing evacuation warnings, following attacks on nearby
buildings that damaged a hospital in the city. Israel has carried out strikes
across Lebanon and launched a ground invasion in the south since March 2, when
Hezbollah entered the war in the Middle East on the side of its backer Iran. The
Israeli army struck three buildings it had warned people to evacuate, according
to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency (NNA). An AFP correspondent said a
missile hit an 11-storey building northeast of Tyre, completely destroying it
and reducing it to a pile of rubble that covered a nearby gas station. A second
raid on a five-story building near the city levelled half of it, leaving the
other half standing. The third strike was on the Burj al-Shamali Palestinian
refugee camp, southeast of the city. Tens of thousands of people have left Tyre,
but around 20,000 remain, including 15,000 displaced from surrounding villages,
despite Israeli evacuation warnings covering most of the city and a broad swathe
of the south. Saturday’s Israeli warning followed strikes that wounded at least
11 people, including three civil defense members, and damaged a major hospital,
the health ministry in Beirut said. The director of the Lebanese Italian
Hospital told the NNA that it would “remain open to provide the necessary
medical care” despite the damage. Overnight strikes destroyed two buildings
nearby, an AFP correspondent saw, shattering windows and also causing suspended
ceilings to collapse in the hospital, management said. A wave of attacks hit the
Tyre area on Saturday, including one on its port that struck a small boat and
damaged others moored nearby, the correspondent said.
Another Israeli airstrike targeted and completely destroyed a mosque in the town
of Baraashit in the Bint Jbeil district, the NNA reported.
‘Unacceptable’ attacks
Dawn strikes also targeted Beirut’s southern suburbs, a largely evacuated
Hezbollah stronghold that has been attacked repeatedly during more than a month
of war. In a statement on Saturday, Israel’s military said it had “completed an
additional wave of strikes targeting command centers belonging to the Quds Force
Lebanon corps in Beirut,” referring to the Iranian Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps’ (IRGC) foreign operations arm, and “two headquarters of the (Palestinian
Islamic Jihad).”After attacking a bridge in the West Bekaa region in eastern
Lebanon on Friday “to prevent the transfer of reinforcements and military
equipment,” Israel hit it again on Saturday, destroying it completely, the NNA
said.West Bekaa is right above Lebanon’s south, where Israeli troops have been
advancing on the ground. The NNA also reported that, in Shebaa near the eastern
side of the Israeli border, Israeli forces abducted a man at around 3:00 am on
Saturday. It was at least the third time Israeli forces have seized someone from
south Lebanon after infiltrating their home since the war with Hezbollah began.
The Iran-backed group claimed responsibility Saturday for a series of attacks on
northern Israeli towns and Israeli troops in Lebanese border towns, particularly
Marun al-Ras, Hula and Ainata. The war has displaced upwards of a million people
in Lebanon and killed more than 1,400 people in the country, including 54 medics
and three Indonesian UN peacekeepers in the south. On Saturday, a strike on al-Hawsh
near Tyre wounded 18 people, and a strike on Habbush in the Nabatiyeh district
killed at least two children and wounded 22 people, according to Lebanon’s
health ministry. The United Nations force said on Friday that three peacekeepers
were wounded in a blast inside a UN facility near Odaisse and were rushed to
hospital.
Jakarta slammed the incident as “unacceptable” after the UN office there
confirmed the wounded were Indonesian. Indonesia’s government said “these events
underscore the urgent need to strengthen protection for UN peacekeeping forces
amid an increasingly dangerous conflict situation”. On Saturday, a UN security
official told AFP that Israeli forces destroyed 17 surveillance cameras linked
to UNIFIL’s main headquarters in Naqura. The UN peacekeeping force has been
caught in the crossfire in southern Lebanon since the start of the war, with
Hezbollah launching attacks on Israel and its troops, and Israeli forces pushing
into border towns.
Displaced residents of south Lebanon’s Alma al-Shaab keep
Easter traditions alive
LBCI/April 03/2026
There is nothing more beautiful than the sight of children happy on Easter, but
in Alma al-Shaab, southern Lebanon, war is stealing every moment of joy. Today,
every drawing on a child’s face is a dream sweeter than reality, and every laugh
and song is a defiance of pain. They bear no responsibility for what is
happening. Displaced by war, they have been forced from their homes and have
become the hope in their parents’ eyes. From this scene begins the story of Alma
al-Shaab, a village whose residents were all forced to leave, yet carried it
with them wherever they went. On Holy Saturday, there was always a gathering in
the village, now abandoned, and that tradition has endured. As in years past,
residents came together in their churches to pray and remember those who are
gone. While the tradition remains unbroken, the setting has changed, with the
Holy Saturday celebration now held in Beirut.
Though the church is far from the village, it remains close to the hearts of its
people. It is not only a Mass being celebrated; it is an effort by the people of
Alma al-Shaab to recreate a piece of their village, with all its small details,
in a new place, so that everything remains as it was, even as everything has
changed.
Israel strikes Beirut southern suburbs at dawn
Agence France Presse/April 03/2026
The Israeli military said Saturday it had begun striking "Hezbollah
infrastructure" in Beirut's southern suburbs after it destroyed a bridge in West
Bekaa to allegedly prevent the Iran-backed group's reinforcements from crossing.
An AFP journalist heard two loud explosions in the capital within half an hour
early Saturday and saw smoke billowing from one of them. Local media reported
two strikes on Beirut's southern suburbs, a locality that has been a target of
Israeli strikes in recent days as the military presses on with its ground
invasion in the country's south. Lebanon was drawn into the Middle East war on
March 2 when Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel to avenge the U.S.-Israeli
attack that killed Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Hezbollah also
said that it was retaliating to 15 months of Israeli violations of the 2024
ceasefire agreement and Israel's continued occupation of parts of south Lebanon.
On Friday, the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) said a blast at
one of its positions in the country's south near the border wounded three
peacekeepers, the third similar incident in days. Israel's military had warned
that it would target two adjacent bridges over the Litani River in the area "to
prevent the transfer of reinforcements and military equipment".The Lebanese
state-run National News Agency (NNA) said: "Israeli warplanes targeted the
bridge that links Sohmor with Mashghara, leading to its destruction."Lebanese
local media reported that a second bridge was also hit.
The strikes in Sohmor continued into early Saturday, with the NNA reporting the
town's center being hit twice as warplanes roared in the skies. Israel has
previously struck five other bridges over the Litani in the country's south,
including most of the main routes crossing the waterway. The river runs around
30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the Israeli border, an area where Israel has
said it wants to maintain "security control". Also in Sohmor, two people were
killed and 15 wounded in an Israeli strike that hit "as worshippers were leaving
the town's mosque" after Friday prayers, according to Lebanon's health ministry.
Lebanese authorities say more than 1,300 people have been killed in a month of
hostilities.
'No longer afraid' -
UNIFIL spokesperson Kandice Ardiel said an explosion inside a U.N. position
injured three peacekeepers, adding that the origin was unknown. Israel's army
accused Hezbollah of launching a rocket that hit the post. On the edge of the
southern suburbs of Beirut, Christians marked Good Friday in Shiyah with a
procession around Saint Maroun Church. Resident Hala Farah, 62, said she had
never before missed the religious rites, even during repeated conflicts in the
country. "We're always here, we have to hold on for the future of our children,"
she told AFP at the entrance to the overflowing church. Another worshipper,
Patricia Haddad, 32, said she was no longer afraid of the bombardments. "We got
used to it, unfortunately," she said. Israel's army has said it has struck more
than 3,500 targets across Lebanon since last month, while Hezbollah said it had
carried out 1,309 operations against Israeli targets. On Sunday, an Indonesian
peacekeeper was killed when a projectile exploded in a UNIFIL position, while
another blast the following day killed two more Indonesian troops. According to
the U.N., 97 force members have been killed in violence since UNIFIL was first
established to monitor the withdrawal of Israeli forces after they invaded
Lebanon in 1978. The force's mandate expires at the end of this year.
Israel army urges evacuation of Syria-Lebanon crossing
ahead of strikes
Agence France Presse/April 03/2026
The Israeli military said on Saturday it would strike the main crossing between
Syria and Lebanon, urging people to evacuate immediately. Israel has carried out
strikes across Lebanon and launched a ground invasion in the south since March
2, when the Iran-backed Hezbollah entered the war in the Middle East.
"Due to Hezbollah's use of the Masnaa Crossing for military purposes and
smuggling of combat equipment, the IDF (army) intends to carry out strikes on
the crossing in the near future," said the military's Arabic-Language spokesman,
Avichay Adraee. "For your safety, we urge everyone near the crossing and anyone
in the area marked in red on the map to evacuate immediately," he wrote on X,
sharing the marked map. A Lebanese security source at the Masnaa border crossing
told AFP they were "currently evacuating the crossing following the Israeli
threat". In Syria, the General Authority for Borders and Customs' public
relations director, Mazen Aloush, said the crossing, known as Jdeidet Yabous on
the Syrian side, was "exclusively for civilian use and is not used for any
military purposes". Aloush added that "in light of the circulating warnings and
out of concern for the safety of travellers, traffic through the crossing will
be temporarily suspended until any potential risks subside".The Masnaa crossing
is the main crossing between Lebanon and Syria, making it a vital trade route
for both countries and Lebanon's main land gateway to the rest of the region.
Israel previously struck the crossing in October 2024, during its previous war
with Hezbollah. The crossing remained closed until Lebanese and Syrian
authorities began repair works after a ceasefire the following month.
Al-Rahi says Iran violating sovereignty through Hezbollah,
slams Israeli attacks
Naharnet/April 03/2026
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi on Saturday said Iran is violating Lebanon's
sovereignty "through Hezbollah," in comments related to the war that has been
raging since March 2. "Our hearts ache for the victims of the war imposed on
Lebanon by Hezbollah and Israel, for the displaced, for the destroyed homes, and
for those steadfastly enduring isolation from the world, in violation of
international laws that call for the protection of civilians and the
establishment of humanitarian corridors to deliver essential supplies such as
food, medicine, and other necessities," al-Rahi said in his annual Easter
message. "The demand for humanitarian corridors is not merely a humanitarian
plea, but an international legal obligation," he added, referring to residents
of Christian towns in south Lebanon. "The church continues its efforts to help
Lebanon regain its peace, territorial sovereignty, and independent political
decision-making," al-Rahi said. He warned that "Lebanon is facing a dangerous
existential situation due to the violation of its sovereignty by Iran through
Hezbollah and by Israeli aggression against its territory."Al-Rahi added:
"Lebanon remains committed to the oath of office taken by President Joseph Aoun,
the ministerial statement of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's government, the
Lebanese government resolutions of August 5 and 7, 2025, and March 2, 2026, and
the relevant U.N. Security Council resolutions 1559, 1680 and 1701."
Strike destroys West Bekaa bridge after Israeli army
warning
Agence France Presse/April 03/2026
Israel destroyed a bridge in West Bekaa on Friday, Lebanese official media
reported, after Israel's military warned it would hit two bridges in the area to
prevent possible transfer of reinforcements to Hezbollah. "Israeli warplanes
targeted the bridge that links Sohmor with Mashghara, leading to its
destruction," the state-run National News Agency said. Israel's military had
warned that "in order to prevent the transfer of reinforcements and military
equipment... the IDF (army) intends to target the Sohmor and Mashghara bridges",
publishing a map identifying two bridges within around 100 meters of each other.
The Evolution of Military
Tactics in the Ongoing War in Lebanon
Colonel Charbel Barakat/April 04/ 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/04/153393/
I. Hezbollah’s Strategy of Attrition
Hezbollah, guided by the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC), meticulously
studied the IDF’s behavior in previous conflicts and formulated its plans
accordingly. Their primary objective was to inflict maximum casualties on the
Israeli army, aiming to exhaust the IDF to the point where it would seek a
ceasefire and withdrawal. For Hezbollah and its Iranian patrons, "victory" is a
matter of perception. To them, human loss and material devastation are
secondary; they believe that "mothers will bear more fighters," while the burden
of reconstruction is forcibly placed on the state and its allies. Meanwhile,
Iranian support remains reserved strictly for the party’s own survival and its
cadres.
II. The Shift in Israeli Military Doctrine
The IDF, however, appears to have learned from history and adapted to its
enemies' tactics. Moving away from traditional maneuvers, they have adopted a
policy of systematic destruction combined with luring fighters into "cages"
where they can be neutralized. Hezbollah’s strategy relied on tunnels and weapon
caches hidden beneath residential homes, waiting to ambush Israeli forces and
destroy their vehicles. The updated Israeli response counters this by:
Depopulating target areas of civilians first.
Engaging in skirmishes to lure fighters into towns and cities.
Leveling the structures with the combatants inside, followed by bulldozing the
debris to open supply routes and ensure total control once it is confirmed no
survivors remain under the rubble.
III. Field Realities: Khiam, Bint Jbeil, and Tebnine
The city of Khiam serves as a stark example. While "Resistance" media outlets
claimed the city had not fallen, the reality a week later suggests that those
inside were killed and will never emerge alive.
A similar fate may await Bint Jbeil, once dubbed the "Graveyard of Invaders." We
anticipate a different outcome within days—one where Hezbollah might not
disclose the number of those killed under the rubble, as seen in Al-Khayyam, Al-Tayyiba,
and Al-Qantara and other frontlines. As for Tebnine, the hometown of Speaker
Nabih Berri, it remains to be seen if he has successfully ensured it remains
free of fighters to avoid the same destruction.
IV. Future Prospects and a Call to Action
With the Israeli Defense Minister threatening a scorched-earth buffer zone
extending eight kilometers, it is clear that ruin follows wherever "resistance"
is stationed.
Residents of Tyre, Nabatieh, and the Beqaa Valley—from Mashghara to Hermel—must
demand that the Lebanese state take charge of security and disarm by all means
the terrorist Hezbollah as well as all other armed militias. They must seek the
departure of these jihadist and terrorist pro Iranian fighters to avoid seeing
their cities mirror the post-war state of Gaza, especially as the "Wilayat al-Faqih"
system in Tehran faces potential collapse, leaving its local proxies trapped.
V. The Collapse of Ideology and "Asabiyyah"
Ideologues who followed the Iranian Mullahs—often displaying a sense of
superiority over their fellow citizens—leveraged their weapons not just against
Israel, but to bully the Arab world and the West. Their projects of hegemony and
illicit activities have now led them to a bitter reality.
The rapid decline of this movement challenges Ibn Khaldun’s sociological theory,
which posits that "Asabiyyah" (social cohesion) typically lasts four
generations. This movement’s collapse is occurring before its first generation
of leaders has even passed, a result of arrogance, IRGC-funded hubris, and a
total loss of political balance.
Conclusion
The era of religious wars in the Middle East is nearing its end, giving way to a
new era of regional cooperation based on mutual respect and sovereignty. We take
no pleasure in this suffering; rather, we feel a deep regret for those we once
considered patriotic equals, only to watch them sell their country at the first
opportunity to the highest bidder for a pittance.
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 04-05/2026
Trump gives Iran 48 hours to make deal or face ‘Hell’
AFP/04 April/2026
US President Donald Trump on Saturday said Iran had 48 hours left to make a deal
on opening the vital Strait of Hormuz or face “Hell.”“Remember when I gave Iran
ten days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT,” Trump wrote on his Truth
Social platform. “Time is running out – 48 hours before all Hell will reign down
on them,” the president said Saturday, adding: “Glory be to GOD!” Trump had
initially threatened on March 21 to “obliterate” Iran’s power plants, beginning
with the country’s biggest, “if Iran doesn’t FULLY OPEN, WITHOUT THREAT, the
Strait of Hormuz, within 48 HOURS.”Two days later, however, he said “very good
and productive conversations” were being held with Iranian authorities, and that
he had postponed any strikes on power plants for five days. He later again
pushed the deadline back, to expire at 8:00 p.m. Monday (0000 GMT Tuesday).
Iran leaves door open for peace talks as hunt for missing
US pilot continues
Al Arabiya English/04 April/2026
Iranian forces were hunting for a missing US pilot on Saturday from one of two
warplanes downed over Iran and the Gulf, raising the stakes for Washington as
the war entered its sixth week with scant prospect of peace talks in sight. The
incidents show the risks still facing US and Israeli aircraft over Iran, despite
assertions by President Donald Trump and his Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth that
US forces had total control of the skies. The prospect of a US service member
alive and on the run in Iran comes days after Trump threatened to bomb Iran
“back to the Stone Ages” in a war that has killed thousands, sparked an energy
crisis and threatened lasting damage to the world economy. With Iran’s
leadership defiant since the start of the war, its foreign minister in principle
left the door open for peace talks with the US via mediation from Pakistan, but
gave no sign of Tehran’s willingness to bow to Trump’s demands.“We are deeply
grateful to Pakistan for its efforts and have never refused to go to Islamabad.
What we care about are the terms of a conclusive and lasting END to the illegal
war that is imposed on us,” Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on X.Trump on
Saturday repeated his threats to intensify attacks on Iran if it failed to reach
a deal, or open the key Strait of Hormuz waterway.“Remember when I gave Iran ten
days to MAKE A DEAL or OPEN UP THE HORMUZ STRAIT. Time is running out – 48 hours
before all Hell will reign down on them. Glory be to GOD!” he said in a post on
Truth Social.
As hostilities continued, Iran attacked an Israel-affiliated vessel with a drone
in the Strait of Hormuz, setting the ship on fire, Iran’s state media said on
Saturday, citing the commander of the navy of the Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps (IRGC).Iran has virtually shut the strait, which normally carries about a
fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas.
Iran touts new air defense systems
Iranian fire brought down a two-seat US F-15E jet, officials in both countries
said, while two US officials said the pilot ejected from an A-10 Warthog fighter
aircraft that crashed in Kuwait after being hit by Iranian fire.Two Black Hawk
helicopters engaged in the search for the missing pilot were hit by Iranian fire
but made it out of Iranian airspace, the two US officials told Reuters.The scale
of injuries to the crew was unclear. Iran’s IRGC said it was combing a
southwestern area near where the pilot’s plane came down, while the regional
governor promised a commendation for anyone who captured or killed “forces of
the hostile enemy.”Iran has been pummeled by air power since the US and Israel
began their attacks on February 28. The Khatam al-Anbiya joint military command
said it used a new air defense system on Friday, which targeted a US fighter
jet, three drones and two cruise missiles.“The enemy should know that we rely on
new air defense systems built by the young, knowledgeable, and proud people of
this country, unveiling them one after another in the field,” a Khatam al-Anbiya
spokesperson said, according to Iran’s state media. The IRGC said it had
targeted various areas in Israel in a wave of missiles and drones. It also
claimed to have targeted US HIMARS rocket launcher batteries and Patriot missile
batteries in the region, according to a statement read on state TV. Increasingly
frustrated with the political fallout from the war, Trump is considering a
broader cabinet shake-up in the wake of Attorney General Pam Bondi’s removal
this week, people familiar with the discussions said. Any potential reshuffling
could serve as a reset for the White House as it confronts rising gas prices,
falling ratings and worries for Republicans heading into November’s midterm
elections. Iranian state media reported airstrikes at a petrochemical zone in
southwestern Iran, with five people reported injured so far. A projectile also
hit an auxiliary building near the perimeter of Iran’s Bushehr nuclear plant,
the Tasnim news agency said, killing one person. The operations of the plant
were unaffected. Russia’s state nuclear company Rosatom evacuated a further 198
of its staff from the site on Saturday, Russian news agencies reported, in
evacuations already planned before the latest incident. The Israeli military
meanwhile said it had carried out “a wave of strikes” on Tehran. Israel has been
waging a parallel campaign against Iran-backed Hezbollah in Lebanon after the
militant group fired at Israel in support of Iran. Early on Saturday, Israel’s
military said it was striking the militants’ infrastructure sites in Beirut.
With Reuters
Mediators reportedly working on 'middle ground solution'
between US, Iran
Naharnet/04 April/2026
Mediators from Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt are still working on a ceasefire plan
between the U.S. and Iran, the Israeli Public Broadcasting Corporation reported
on Saturday. Sources meanwhile told Israel's Channel 12 that "regional forces
are working to reach a middle ground solution that would narrow the gap between
the demands of Washington and Tehran."
Iran-US negotiations: Latest developments
Naharnet/04 April/2026
Over the last ten days the U.S. and Iran have held indirect negotiations through
Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey to try and reach a deal of a ceasefire in return for
opening the strait of Hormuz. No significant progress has been achieved so far,
U.S. news portal Axios reported on Saturday.
The indirect negotiations have been led by U.S. Vice President JD Vance and
Iran's speaker of parliament Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, with the mediation of
Pakistani military chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir. White House envoy Steve
Witkoff and the foreign ministers of Iran, Pakistan, Turkey and Egypt are also
involved in the indirect negotiations, Axios said. According to two sources
involved in those talks, the mediators are still trying to get the parties to
meet directly. But so far with little success. One of the sources said Iran has
thus far rejected any proposal for a temporary ceasefire and demanded a
permanent end to the war with clear guarantees that the U.S. won't attack again.
The mediators are now working on possible confidence-building measures as a path
to direct talks, but it's unclear if anything can be achieved by the Monday
deadline set by U.S. President Donald Trump.
Iran, US race to find crew member of crashed American
fighter jet
Agence France Presse/04 April/2026
Iranian and American forces raced each other Saturday to recover a crew member
of the first U.S. fighter jet to go down inside Iran since the start of the war.
Tehran said it had shot down the F-15 warplane, while U.S. media reported United
States special forces had rescued one of its two crew members, with the other
still missing. Iran's military also said it downed a U.S. A-10 ground attack
aircraft in the Gulf, with U.S. media saying the pilot was rescued. The war
erupted more than a month ago with U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran that killed
supreme leader Ali Khamenei, triggering retaliation that spread the conflict
throughout the Middle East, convulsing the global economy and impacting millions
of people worldwide. U.S. Central Command did not immediately respond to a
request for comment on the loss of the F-15, but White House Press Secretary
Karoline Leavitt said: "The president has been briefed." President Donald Trump
told NBC the F-15 loss would not affect negotiations with Iran, saying: "No, not
at all. No, it's war."
'Valuable reward' -
A spokesperson for the Iranian military's central operational command said "an
American hostile fighter jet in central Iranian airspace was struck and
destroyed by the IRGC Aerospace Force's advanced air defense system.""The jet
was completely obliterated, and further searches are ongoing."An Iranian
television reporter on a local official channel said anyone who captured a crew
member alive would "receive a valuable reward".The U.S. military has announced
the loss of several aircraft during Iran operations, including a tanker that
crashed in Iraq and three F-15s shot down by Kuwaiti friendly fire. Retired U.S.
brigadier general Houston Cantwell, who has 400 hours of combat flight
experience, said a pilot's training would likely kick in before he or she
parachutes to the ground. "My priority would be, first of all, concealment,
because I don't want to be captured," he told AFP. Mohammad Ghalibaf, the
speaker of Iran's parliament, mocked the Trump administration. He wrote on X:
"After defeating Iran 37 times in a row, this brilliant no-strategy war they
started has now been downgraded from 'regime change' to 'Hey! Can anyone find
our pilots? Please?' "Wow. What incredible progress. Absolute geniuses."
US arrests relatives of slain Iranian commander Soleimani
Al Arabiya English/04 April/2026
Two family members of slain Iranian military commander Qassem Soleimani have
been arrested in the United States after their residency permits were rescinded,
the US State Department said Saturday. “Last night, the niece and grandniece of
deceased Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps Major General Qassem Soleimani were
arrested by federal agents following Secretary of State Marco Rubio’s
termination of their lawful permanent resident (LPR) status,” a department
statement said. It identified the niece as Hamideh Soleimani Afshar. Her
daughter was not named. Both “are now in the custody of US Immigration and
Customs Enforcement (ICE),” the statement said, without specifying their
whereabouts. Soleimani, who led the IRGC’s foreign operations arm, was killed in
a US drone strike while he was in the Iraqi capital Baghdad in January 2020 –
the final year of President Donald Trump’s first term in the White House. “As
identified by both press reporting and her own social media commentary,
Soleimani Afshar is an outspoken supporter of the totalitarian, terrorist regime
in Iran,” the State Department said. It also said she had “praised the new
Iranian Supreme Leader” Mojtaba Khamenei and “denounced America as the ‘Great
Satan.’”Soleimani Afshar’s husband has also been barred from entering the United
States, the statement said.The daughter and son-in-law of another slain Iranian
official, security chief Ali Larijani, have also had their legal status
terminated.
Both “are no longer in the United States and are barred from future entry,” the
statement said.Larijani, secretary of Iran’s Supreme National Security Council,
was killed on March 17 in an Israeli strike. “The Trump Administration will not
allow our country to become a home for foreign nationals who support
anti-American terrorist regimes,” Rubio said in a post on X.
Turkey says second Turkish-owned ship has crossed Hormuz
strait
Agence France Presse/04 April/2026
A second Turkish-flagged ship has crossed the war-torn Strait of Hormuz,
Turkey's Transport Minister Abdulkadir Uraloglu said Saturday. Iran has closed
the Strait of Hormuz, a key global waterway, since the U.S.-Israeli strikes on
Iran started on February 28 set off the Middle East conflict and sent global oil
and gas prices soaring. Uraloglu said that on February 28 there were 15 ships
belonging to Turkish shipowners waiting to go through the strategic strait. "Two
of these 15 made the crossing," he told the private CNN Turk channel. "This is
explained by our initiatives and also by the fact that they were using Iranian
ports or carrying goods coming from or bound for Iran". Uraloglu did not say
when the second ship crossed the strait. The first vessel had passed through,
with Iranian permission, on March 13. The two ships are the Rozana and Neraki,
according to CNN Turk. The minister said only nine of the blocked ships had
sought permission to pass through the strait and that the transport and foreign
ministries was trying to help them. "Four of them have not requested to leave.
Two of them are power-generation vessels and are stationed on site. The other
two are waiting for the situation to calm down," he added.
Israel army says identified missile launched from Yemen
LBCI/04 April/2026
The Israeli military said Saturday it had detected a missile launched from Yemen
towards Israeli territory, the fifth time it has detected such an attack since
the start of the Middle East war. "The army has identified the launch of a
missile from Yemen toward Israeli territory, aerial defense systems are
operating to intercept the threat," the military said. AFP
Several
injured in Israel by Iran missile fire: Medics
AFP/04 /2026
Israeli emergency services said its crew treated five people who were injured
Saturday in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas after Iran fired several rounds of
missiles toward Israel. Since midnight, seven waves of Iranian missiles have
been launched towards Israel, according to the Israeli military. Israel’s Magen
David Adom emergency services said a 45-year-old man was treated for minor
injuries from glass shrapnel in the central city of Bnei Brak and taken to
hospital. As the day progressed, rescue teams said they had treated three
additional casualties – two men in their 20s hit by glass fragments and one
injured by blast. A 52-year-old man “lightly injured by the blast wave” was also
transferred to a hospital in Ramat Gan, in central Israel, the emergency service
said. In a residential neighborhood of Ramat Gan, AFP images showed the top
floor of a house completely blown out, exposing its gutted interior, with a
crushed bookcase and an exercise bike amid the debris. Numerous impact marks
were visible on the walls. Nearby, another home was largely destroyed, stripped
of its outer walls, according to AFP photographs. “All this is from shrapnel,”
Joy Frankel, a social worker told AFP near one of the impacted sites.According
to several local media outlets, including The Times of Israel, a cluster
munition missile fired from Iran on Saturday morning landed near the Kirya
military base in Tel Aviv, not far from the defense ministry. The military said
its air defenses were working to down missiles fired from Iran, each a time it
announced incoming projectiles. Since February 28, the United States and Israel
have conducted joint strikes against Iran, prompting the Islamic Republic to
retaliate with daily missile barrages targeting Israel and several neighboring
countries across the region.
Israel preparing for attacks on Iranian energy sites,
awaits US green light: Reuters
LBCI/04 April/2026
Israel is preparing to attack Iranian energy facilities but is awaiting a green
light from the United States, a senior Israeli defense official said on
Saturday, adding that any such attacks would likely come within the next week.
The comments came after U.S. President Donald Trump issued a 48-hour
ultimatum, sharpening focus on whether Washington would back further Israeli
military action against Iran.
Iran says Iraq shipping free to cross Strait of Hormuz
LBCI/04 April/2026
Iran will allow Iraqi shipping to pass through the Strait of Hormuz, despite its
broader blockade of the key sea lane at the mouth of the Gulf, its military
command said Saturday. "We announce that our brotherly country of Iraq is exempt
from any restrictions we have imposed on the Strait of Hormuz, and these
restrictions only apply to enemy countries," spokesman Ebrahim Zolfaghari told
state television.AFP
Russia evacuates 198 workers from Iran’s Bushehr nuclear
plant amid airstrike
AFP/04 April/2026
Russia started a planned evacuation of 198 workers from Iran’s Bushehr atomic
plant shortly after a US-Israeli projectile hit near the facility, Russian state
media said on Saturday. This was a third evacuation from the facility in
southern Iran on the Gulf coast, which was built with Moscow’s help, with about
100 Russian staff remaining there by now. The area around Bushehr has been
struck four times during this war. The latest attack on Saturday saw one person
– a guard at the facility – killed, but did not damage the plant itself,
according to Iranian state media. “As planned, we began the main phase of the
evacuation today,” Russia’s nuclear agency Rosatom head Alexey Likhachev was
quoted as saying by Russia’s TASS news agency. “About 20 minutes after that
ill-fated strike, buses set off from Bushehr station towards the
Iranian-Armenian border (with) 198 people, to be precise – this is the largest
evacuation,” he added. Likhachev also said that Russia informed the US and
Israel about the evacuation. “The likelihood of a risk of damage or a potential
nuclear incident is, unfortunately, only increasing, as has been confirmed by
this morning’s events,” the Rosatom CEO said. The agency plans to keep only a
skeleton staff at Bushehr amid the threat of further strikes. The Russian
foreign ministry slammed the “evil” US-Israeli attack and urged a cessation of
hostilities on Iranian nuclear facilities immediately.
Ukraine’s Zelenskyy arrives in Istanbul for talks with Turkey’s Erdogan
AFP/04 April/2026
readUkrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy arrived in Istanbul on Saturday for
security talks with Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The visit comes a
day after Erdogan spoke with Russian President Vladimir Putin, who accused Kyiv
of attempting to target the gas pipeline between Russia and Turkey that also
supplies several European countries. “Arrived in Istanbul, where important
meetings are scheduled. Substantive talks have been prepared with the President
of Turkiye, Recep Tayyip Erdogan,” said Zelensky on X. “We are working to
strengthen our partnership to ensure real protection of people’s lives, advance
stability and guarantee security in our Europe, as well as in the Middle East,”
he added. The Turkish presidency also confirmed the visit, saying that the
meeting will focus on “efforts towards a ceasefire and a lasting solution,
particularly within the framework of the Istanbul process.”
An AFP correspondent saw a heavy police presence around the Dolmabahce Palace on
the shores of the Bosphorus, which also hosted several rounds of talks between
Moscow in Kyiv in the past. Zelenskyy will also meet Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew, the spiritual leader of most Christian Orthodox churches. This
takes place a week before Orthodox Easter, which is celebrated in both Ukraine
and Russia on April 12. Kyiv has been pushing for a truce over the Orthodox
Easter holidays that would include a halt in attacks on energy infrastructure.
Russia, which is seeking a permanent settlement rather than a brief ceasefire,
said it had not seen any “clearly formulated” proposals from Kyiv. Ukraine has
struck Russian energy infrastructure throughout the more than four-year war in a
bid to weaken Moscow’s ability to finance its offensive. Russian strikes on
Ukrainian energy facilities have cut power and heating to millions of people
since the beginning the war in 2022.
UAE condemns attack on embassy in Damascus, urges Syria to ensure protection
Al Arabiya English/04 April/2026
The United Arab Emirates on Saturday condemned what it described as “acts of
rioting” and an attack targeting its embassy in Damascus, calling on Syrian
authorities to ensure the protection of diplomatic missions. ideos circulating
on social media had showed protesters gathered outside the embassy. In a
statement, the UAE foreign ministry expressed “strong condemnation and
denunciation” of the unrest, attempted vandalism, and assaults that targeted its
embassy and the residence of the head of its mission in the Syrian capital. The
ministry said it rejected what it described as “unacceptable abuses” against the
country’s national symbols. It also underscored the need to protect diplomatic
premises and staff in accordance with international law, particularly the Vienna
Convention on Diplomatic Relations, which guarantees the inviolability of
diplomatic missions and their personnel. The UAE called on Syria to fulfill its
obligations to secure the embassy and its staff, investigate the circumstances
surrounding the incident, prevent any recurrence, and take all necessary legal
measures to hold those responsible accountable.Hours earlier, Syria’s foreign
ministry had reaffirmed its “firm and unwavering” rejection of any attacks or
attempts to approach foreign embassies and diplomatic premises in the country.
In a statement carried by state media, the ministry said diplomatic missions are
protected under international law and represent “a symbol of relations between
states and peoples.”It also condemned any offensive slogans or actions directed
at foreign states. The ministry acknowledging citizens’ right to express their
views but said that this must be done within the framework of the law and
without undermining public security or approaching diplomatic missions.
Fire hits Kuwait oil complex as Iranian drone attacks continue
Arab News/April 05, 2026
KUWAIT CITY: A fire broke out at Kuwait's Shuwaikh oil sector complex — home to
the oil ministry and Kuwait Petroleum Corporation (KPC) headquarters — following
a drone attack early Sunday, the state news agency KUNA reported. No injuries
were recorded, and emergency and firefighting teams responded to the scene. The
Kuwaiti military confirmed its air defenses were actively intercepting missiles
and drones targeting the country. "Kuwaiti Air Defenses are currently responding
to hostile missile and drone threats," the army posted on X, clarifying that any
explosions heard were the result of interception operations. Separately, KUNA
reported that an Iranian drone struck a government ministries complex, causing
extensive material damage but no casualties. The Ministry of Finance
subsequently directed employees to work remotely on Sunday. Kuwait's Public
Authority for Minors Affairs (PAMA) also shuttered its main building, citing
"the exceptional circumstances the country is going through."The attacks are the
latest in an ongoing campaign since the US-Israeli-Iran war began on February
28. On Saturday alone, Kuwaiti defenses engaged nine ballistic missiles and 19
drones. Since the conflict's outbreak, Kuwait has faced a cumulative total of
327 ballistic missiles, nine cruise missiles, and 709 drones, according to the
defense ministry. • With Reuters & AFP
Iraq-Iran border crossing at Shalamcheh back to normal after closure due to
attacks
Reuters/04 April/2026
Passenger movement has returned to normal at the Shalamcheh border crossing
between Iraq and Iran after it was closed following airstrikes on the Iranian
side that killed an Iraqi citizen, security sources and the state news agency
said on Saturday. The crossing serves as one of the main routes for imports to
Iraq of vegetables and other food supplies from Iran, traders and border
officials say. Any prolonged disruption can quickly affect supplies to local
markets. The sources said at least five Iraqis were seriously wounded in the
strikes, which hit a passenger reception area on the Iranian side. Iraqi police
recovered the body of a man, while the wounded were taken to hospital, most in
critical condition. A few hours after the strikes near Shalamcheh, Iraqi border
authorities also briefly halted movement at the Safwan crossing with Kuwait
after reporting explosions on the Kuwaiti side, Iraqi security and border
officials said. The officials added they saw drones hovering overhead moments
before the blasts.
French boats set sail to join Gaza aid flotilla
AFP/04 April/2026
Some 20 French boats set sail from Marseille on Saturday to join up with an
international flotilla making a renewed effort to break an Israeli blockade and
deliver aid to Gaza, AFP reporters saw. “Gaza, Marseille is with you” shouted
around a thousand people who had come to the docks to support the initiative.
The ships, mostly sailboats, set off to a round of applause and songs shortly
after 5:00 pm (1500 GMT) to join the “Global Sumud Flotilla,” named after a
Gazan fisherman. The international flotilla of some 100 boats, mostly setting
sail from Barcelona on April 12, will head towards Gaza around April 20,
according to the organizers. A week-long stopover is planned in southern Italy
for “non-violence training.”“The goal is to give Palestine more visibility.
We’re not talking about it much right now, because of the international
context,” said Manon, a crew member who declined to give her full name. In late
2025, an initial flotilla of about 50 boats, composed of political figures and
activists such as Sweden’s Greta Thunberg, was boarded by the Israeli navy –
illegally according to the organisers and Amnesty International.The crew members
were arrested and expelled by Israel.
The Gaza Strip, governed by Hamas, has been under an Israeli blockade since
2007. Israel and the Palestinian Islamist movement accuse each other of
violating a ceasefire that came into effect on October 10, 2025, after two years
of war.
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 04-05/2026
Strait of Hormuz
fallout shows no country is immune
Cornelia Meyer/Al Arabiya English/04 April/2026
The world waited with bated breath for President Trump’s address to the nation
on April 2. Presidential addresses to the nation are rare and usually laden with
important messages. Anticipation was high and many expected to see the blueprint
on how and when the US planned to end the Iran war. In anticipation of the
speech, oil prices fell well below the $100/b mark for WTI and around that price
point for Brent. The speech made anybody none the wiser. There was no timeline
for how the US expected to end the war. Worse, President Trump stated that the
Strait of Hormuz was not the problem of the United States, but of Asia, Europe
and other nations who depended on oil, oil products and LNG for free passage
through the Straits. Markets reacted swiftly: After the speech Brent jumped by
close to 10 percent in intraday trading. Where does this leave the world? To be
frank: In a lurch. The Strait of Hormuz is a vital waterway through which 20
percent of oil, products and LNG have to pass. Thirty percent of nitrogen based
fertilizer are dependent on this narrow waterway as are urea, plastics, helium,
aluminum, etc. – all of which are vital inputs to the global supply chain
designed to power the world’s economy.
In other words, the Strait of Hormuz is crucial to keep the wheels of global
prosperity churning. True, the US is more independent of Middle Eastern energy
flows than ever, but its allies in Asia and Europe are suffering from the
de-facto closure of the Strait.
While President Trump has a point in terms of relative US independence of the US
to global oil supplies, what is happening now is a humongous economic shock to
the entire world economy to which no nation, not even the US is immune. It is a
supply shock comparable to what we have seen during COVID-19 in terms of a
demand shock. A supply shock is worse: This is not just about demand recovering,
it is about bringing sufficient supplies on the market to quench the thirst of
the global economy for oil, products, LNG and other important industrial inputs
passing through the Straits of Hormuz.
It is easy for the US to say that the Straits are the problem of other nations
and that the US is more or less energy independent. However, a global economic
downturn will spare no one, not even the United States.
So, where are we going with the Strait of Hormuz, if there is no resolution once
the US withdraws? If and when the US and Israel leave the Strait, neighboring
countries and geographies dependent on the narrow waterway need to find a
solution. International law of the seas regulates waterways such as the Strait
of Hormuz. However, who will find a solution for free passage of the waterway
and who will police it? There is the IMO (International Maritime Organization)
and the United Nations Convention of the Law of the Sea. But the UN is
underfunded and lacks the teeth necessary to enforce international maritime
regulations. The UK had assembled a “coalition of the willing” to deal with
reopening the Strait after the conflict had ended. More than 40 countries,
including EU nations, GCC countries, Canada, ROK, Japan, etc. participated.
Looking at the broad range of participants, this may have been encouraging.
However, in the end one will need to find a solution, requiring an Iranian
buy-in. In other words, a lot will depend on the GCC nations’ ability to
negotiate with the Islamic Republic.After the speech, there were more US/ Israel
sorties obliterating Iranian infrastructure followed by Iranian attacks against
GCC oil and gas infrastructure. GCC countries had no vote in US/ Israeli attacks
on Iran. Indeed, they had warned against possible consequences and are now very
unfairly affected by the fall out. This war has opened a Pandora’s box on how
important geopolitical nod of the Strait of Hormuz are for the physical supply
of oil, gas, product, and other important inputs when it comes to the global
economy. Now that the “Jeanie is out of the bottle” it will take considerable
diplomatic efforts to ensure the free passage of ships through the Straits. We
are in for a rocky few months or even years. In the meantime, please spare a
thought for the developing nations which will be most hit by escalating prices
and lack of availability of fuel, products and fertilizer – lacking the
financial resources to gain access.
Why an Arab national security force will never work
Mamdouh AlMuhaini/Al Arabiya English/04 April/2026
It is natural, during major crises like the one we are experiencing now, for new
ideas to emerge or for old ones to be revived. One of the most frequently
discussed ideas these days is the call to establish a unified Arab national
security force.
But the best thing proponents of this idea could do is stop promoting it. In
reality, it is not a viable concept, neither in theory nor in practice. This is
why Gulf states have not adopted it, despite facing direct Iranian attacks. The
problem is that its advocates are placing unrealistic expectations on the Arab
system, asking it to do what it was never designed to do. The Arab League is
useful for coordinating political positions and providing legitimacy, but not
for building military strategies, managing wars, or forming unified armies.
So why does the idea of Arab national security appear unworkable?
The first reason is the absence of agreement on a common enemy.
During World War II, the United States, Britain, and the Soviet Union united
against a clear and defined enemy: Nazism. After the war, NATO was established
to counter the Soviet Union. In other words, alliances are built on a shared and
clearly defined threat. In the Arab world, this condition does not exist. During
the liberation of Kuwait, Arab states were divided between supporters and
opponents. Today, despite Gulf countries facing one of the most significant
attacks in their history, there are still those who do not view Iran as an
adversary. So how can a joint force be built without agreement on who it is
meant to confront?The second reason is the fragility of several Arab states.
Some are engulfed in civil wars, others suffer from internal divisions or
external interference, while others face legitimacy disputes or deep economic
crises. Military alliances are not built on theory alone, but on the strength of
the states that compose them. Looking at NATO’s experience, its success lies not
only in military capability, but also in political cohesion and a strong
economic foundation. The alliance’s annual defense spending exceeds one trillion
dollars, giving it sustained deterrence and a clear advantage over its rivals.
The third reason is the public factor.Through their political discourse and
media, many governments in the region have mobilized their populations with a
concentrated mix of ideological rhetoric against the United States and the West.
When crises arise, these same governments often fear public backlash. Across
large segments of the Arab public, there is sympathy for Iran simply because it
is seen as opposing the United States and Israel, while the damage suffered by
Gulf states is overlooked. At times, this sentiment runs counter to official
government positions, which may express solidarity with Gulf countries but are
either unable or unwilling to reshape a narrative that has been built over
decades. The question then becomes: How can an Arab national security framework
be formed if the public does not recognize the common enemy it is meant to
confront? Instead of rallying to support fellow Arab states, governments may
find themselves facing domestic anger. For these reasons and others, the concept
of Arab national security remains unrealistic. Its advocates are doing little
more than attempting to revive a dead idea, like applying makeup to a lifeless
body.
Breaking point as US allies look beyond Trump era
Andrew Hammond/Arab News/April 04, 2026
US President Donald Trump’s first term of office strained relationships with
much of the world, especially Europe. However, the shockwaves from his second
presidency since 2025 may now mean that even more consequential tipping points
are approaching in relationships between the US and its major allies with
profound implications for international relations. Much of Europe, and indeed
many other key countries across the world, are preparing more seriously than
they did from 2017 to 2021 for break points from the US. These countries know
that even if Trump does not seek an unconstitutional third term of office, one
of his Make America Great Again proteges, such as Vice President JD Vance, may
well be the 2028 Republican nominee.
Vance was widely criticized in Europe, in particular, after his speech at the
Munich Security Conference last year. It was there that he made the
extraordinary assertion that the Continent’s main security threat comes not from
Russia, but from erosion of democratic norms inside the region, including
alleged censorship, and suppression of populist voices. While much of Europe is
hoping for the best, including a Democrat victory in the 2028 US presidential
election, many states believe it is increasingly important to prepare for other
scenarios. The UK, for example, this week announced an intensification of its
Brexit reset with the EU, partially in response to cooling ties with Trump.
Since Trump took office again in 2025, a steady stream of US actions has
challenged core, long‑standing assumptions in Europe and beyond about shared
interests and mutual restraint, sapping trust among long-standing allies.
In Europe, where this dynamic has perhaps come into sharpest focus, it is
accelerating shifts toward more strategic autonomy. This includes defense
independence, energy diversification, and economic measures to protect against
US coercion.
Frustration is boiling over among long-standing loyalists.
Of course, these dynamics are not wholly new. Last June, the Pew Global Research
Project found that perceptions of the US had already nosedived under the second
Trump administration compared with a year before in the last phase of Joe
Biden’s presidency. In many countries surveyed, there was already a double-digit
reduction in the percentage of people with an overall favorable view of the US.
This includes in Poland from 77 percent to 55 percent; Sweden 47 percent to 19
percent; Spain 48 percent to 31 percent; Netherlands 48 percent to 29 percent;
Germany 49 percent to 33 percent; and France 46 percent to 36 percent.
Moreover, research from the European Council on Foreign Relations in January
showed significantly more people in several key European nations perceive the US
as a “necessary partner with which we must strategically cooperate” rather than
an “ally that shares our interests and values.” In the UK, the relevant data is
53 percent and 25 percent, respectively; the so-called EU10, including France
and Germany, 51 percent and 16 percent; and Switzerland 42 percent and 8
percent.
Recent actions by the Trump team have only increased economic and political
concerns. Proof of this includes the frustration boiling over among
long-standing loyalists to the US leader, including UK Prime Minister Keir
Starmer and German Chancellor Friedrich Merz, who this year are publicly
disagreeing with him for the first time. The resulting series of US presidential
threats and public rebukes may weaken these alliances further.
EU policymakers have grown increasingly uneasy.
Tensions with allies first became apparent this year in the controversy over
Trump’s territorial designs on Greenland when he appeared to leave open the
possibility of military action, and threatened key European nations with
additional tariffs. This prompted France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, the UK,
and Denmark to issue an extraordinary joint statement that “Greenland belongs to
its people. It is for Denmark and Greenland, and them only, to decide on matters
concerning Denmark and Greenland.”
During the Greenland debacle, which has faded away from view for now, the EU
even left open the option of imposing retaliatory tariffs, and also a so-called
trade bazooka, the Anti-Coercion Instrument. This was created in 2023 to deal
with the threat posed by China which has been called a “systemic rival” to the
EU. The ACI would allow the EU to change customs duties or take other
trade-related actions to deter or respond to coercion from the US.
These remarkable developments have fed into a wider reassessment of US power in
key Europe nations, including in the economic domain. For example, Washington
and Brussels last year reached a landmark tariff agreement under which the EU
committed to buying $750 billion of US liquefied natural gas, oil, and nuclear
energy. However, as transatlantic trust has ebbed, EU policymakers have grown
increasingly uneasy about the implications, in the words of European Energy
Commissioner Dan Jorgensen, of “replacing dependence on Russian gas with heavy
dependence on US supply.” This assessment is felt especially strongly in
Germany, the EU’s largest economy, where LNG imports now derive overwhelmingly
from the US. It is no surprise that Merz has begun actively diversifying,
including with outreach to Qatar and the UAE.
Of course, Washington has pushed back strongly against European criticism that
US energy could be weaponized. US Energy Secretary Chris Wright, for instance,
asserted that “Commissioner Jorgensen’s comments are rather unfortunate. The US
is a rock solid supplier of energy. You can’t have a better partner.” He also
argued that US energy exports have been increasingly central to Europe’s
security since Russia’s invasion of Ukraine in 2022.
Nonetheless, there is growing economic and political concern in much of Europe.
For many, ongoing developments have showcased a renegade Trump team that is
increasingly willing to pursue strategic objectives unilaterally and to pressure
allies when convenient. The result is a growing urgency in European debates
about how to rebalance relations in an era of seemingly ever more volatile US
behavior.
• Andrew Hammond is an associate at LSE Ideas at the London School of Economics.
X Platform & Facebook Selected twittes
on April 04-05/2026
Ronnie Chatah
My father was Lebanon’s ambassador to the US when Israel unilaterally withdrew
in May 2000. Prior to his post as Syrian foreign minister, Walid Mouallem was
then-Syria’s ambassador in Washington, DC and he used to visit the Lebanese
embassy almost every night in the weeks prior to May 24-25, worried the Israelis
were leaving. His concern was not just Syria’s position through occupation but
Hezbollah’s weapons, fearing Israel’s exit would come back to haunt them. Shebaa
& every other justification came thereafter. It started with several disputes on
the Blue Line that could easily be solved through the UN. After Syria quit
Lebanon it turned into a Tafkiri threat. With Hamas in the crosshairs it morphed
into a unified arena front for Gaza. When Hassan Nasrallah was killed & Bashar
al Assad fled there was no one left but Ali Khamenei. And now, with his killing,
it’s transformed into the most existential of reasons: Greater Israel. False
narratives get us nowhere. Hezbollah fought to keep the Assad regime from
falling & is doing the same for the IRGC & Iran. It killed local opponents that
challenged their position & deliberately brought the Israelis back to Lebanon.
Not to settle our land or to steal our water, & not for any centuries-old
Zionist text. But to force them to reestablish the buffer zone they abandoned.
Religitimizing armed resistance & maintaining Lebanon as a battefield. A
condition designed for the likes of Walid Mouallem.
Tom Harb
South Lebanese villages need Humanitarian corridor into Israel !
Senator @LindseyGrahamSC, thank you for your strong leadership and for holding
the LAF under General Haykal accountable. Their failure against Hezbollah and
talk of abandoning Christian villages in the South is dangerous and
unacceptable.We urge you and the US administration to press the Lebanese
government @nawafsalam and Ministry of Justice @adelnasar_ to lift legal
barriers preventing coordination with Israel, especially for humanitarian
reasons.
South Lebanese villages urgently need safe passes and direct coordination with
the IDF and Israel for medicine, medical care, hospitals, supplies, and
essential aid to save civilian lives.This practical step would protect innocents
and show real compassion alongside strength against terror. Appreciate your
continued focus on this critical issue.@realDonaldTrump @LBpresidency @LebarmyOfficial
@usembassybeirut
Shadi khalloul שאדי ח'לול
sharing a Lebanese Christian influencer Tony Boulus interview. Yes, peace from
strength is possible and Christian Lebanese always dreamed about peace with
Israel and vice versa. We pray for a new different Lebanon where peace can be
formed. Blessed Good Friday!
Ivanka Trump
Fan account
April 3. A U.S. pilot rescued in Iran is now under the care of American forces.
An American military pilot, whose F-15E fighter jet was shot down over Iranian
territory, has been successfully evacuated and is now safe. U.S. forces are
currently focused on locating the second crew member. According to CNN sources,
the rescued pilot has already been transferred to U.S. custody. He is under
medical supervision and receiving all necessary care. His condition has not been
disclosed, but officials confirm that the evacuation from enemy territory was
successful. At the same time, a large-scale search and rescue operation is
underway in the region. Military personnel are making urgent efforts to
determine the location and fate of the second crew member. His status remains
unknown, and there is no information yet on whether he survived the crash.
Lindsey Graham
To say that I have been disappointed in the Lebanese Armed Forces’ leadership
under General Haykal and their willingness to take on Hezbollah is an
understatement. Now, the LAF is openly talking about abandoning Christian
villages in
Lindsey Graham
To say that I have been disappointed in the Lebanese Armed Forces’ leadership
under General Haykal and their willingness to take on Hezbollah is an
understatement. Now, the LAF is openly talking about abandoning Christian
villages in the South, subjecting them to Hezbollah attacks and trying to blame
Israel. To the Lebanese government, this is a very dangerous decision and you
will be held accountable for the consequences of this decision if Christian
villages are attacked by Hezbollah. The LAF under the leadership of General
Haykal has been a tremendous failure when it comes to fighting Hezbollah.
Joyce Karam
Iran regime is growing more defiant and confident. Not in a rush for
negotiations or ceasefire. It’s cutting side deals on Hormuz routes (French and
Japanese ships crossed), maintains firing capability, clamping down
domestically.
Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו
@netanyahu
Translated from Hebrew
https://x.com/i/status/2040058618435825929
Listen to Tony Bulus, Lebanese journalist and influencer >>