English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News
& Editorials
For April 28/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
He woke up & rebuked
the wind & the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to them
Where is your faith?
Luke 08/22-25: “One day he got into a boat with his disciples, and he said to
them, ‘Let us go across to the other side of the lake.’ So they put out, and
while they were sailing he fell asleep. A gale swept down on the lake, and the
boat was filling with water, and they were in danger.They went to him and woke
him up, shouting, ‘Master, Master, we are perishing!’ And he woke up and rebuked
the wind and the raging waves; they ceased, and there was a calm. He said to
them, ‘Where is your faith?’ They were afraid and amazed, and said to one
another, ‘Who then is this, that he commands even the winds and the water, and
they obey him?’”
Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related
News & Editorials published on April 27-28/2026
Elias Bejjani: Video and Text/ A Critical Reading of Samir Geagea’s Sunday
Appearance on Al-Jadeed TV
Elias Bejjani/Text and Video: The Anniversary of the Syrian Army's Withdrawal
from Lebanon Is Marked by Defeat and Disappointment/Elias Bejjani/April 26/2025
Jumblatt's opposition to a full peace with Israel is worthless and carries no
weight because the majority of the Lebanese Druz community are elsewhere/
Elias Bejjani/April 25/2026
Lebanon seeks to stabilize fragile truce, bridge internal divisions as Israeli
strikes intensify
Israel’s Netanyahu says Hezbollah rockets, drones require more ‘military action’
Israel should not have permanent buffer zone in Lebanon: Rubio
“Israel has no territorial claims on Lebanon. There isn’t some part of Lebanon
that Israel claims belongs to them,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
Lebanon president responds to Hezbollah: Taking country to war is ‘treason’
Israel Defense Minister Says Hezbollah Chief ‘Playing with Fire’ That Will ‘Burn
Lebanon’
Aoun contacts US over escalation, Washington reportedly promises to follow up
Report: Aoun, Berri, Salam to hold consultations, new ceasefire MoU to be issued
Israel begins reducing forces in south Lebanon
Israel says striking 'Hezbollah sites' in south and Bekaa
Hezbollah leader vows to confront Israel, liberate 'every inch' of occupied land
Zamir warns Israeli troops against looting and vandalism in Lebanon
UNIFIL holds memorial in Beirut for Indonesian peacekeeper killed in south
Lebanon
UN Special Coordinator Plasschaert visits Israel to discuss Lebanon truce
Geagea says Aoun, Salam doing 'what must be done' to end war
Lebanon Says Israel Strikes Kill 14 in Deadliest Day Since Truce
Did Israel’s War on Lebanon Drive Syrian Refugees Back Home?
Syria’s Sharaa, Lebanon’s Jumblatt Discuss Sweida Fallout, Reject ‘Alliance of
Minorities’
Hezbollah and Israel swap threats and strikes across Lebanon’s border
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on April 27-28/2026
Israel army chief says 2026 ‘likely to be year of fighting’ on all fronts
Iran proposes reopening Strait of Hormuz, delaying nuclear deal
Iran’s Araghchi blames US for failure of talks after landing in Russia
US reviews latest Iranian proposal to end war stalemate
France says Iran must make ‘major concessions’ to end Middle East crisis
Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers discuss regional developments
Putin pledges support for Iran in talks with Araghchi in Russia, says he wants
peace
Germany’s Merz says Iran is humiliating US as talks stall
Russian, Iranian defense officials hold talks, TASS reports
White House blames ‘left-wing cult of hatred’ for Trump dinner shooting
UK’s King Charles arrives in US to shore up Trump ties
Iraqi president nominates Ali al-Zaidi as PM-designate
Iranian defence official holds talks with Russian, Belarusian ministers
Islamic State militants kill at least 29 in an attack on a village in
northeastern Nigeria
Mystery deepens over Mojtaba Khamenei's condition after Iran unveils ‘martyr’
mural
Bahrain strips 69 people of citizenship over Iran support
on April 27-28/2026
Iran offers to reopen Strait of Hormuz if US lifts its blockade and the
war ends, officials say/SAMY MAGDY, JON GAMBRELL and ELENA BECATOROS/AP/April
27, 2026
The Bullet, the President, and the Battle for the Image/Ghassan Charbel/Asharq
Al-Awsat newspaper/27 April 2026
Naval blockade flips the equation: Tehran suffocates while Trump seizes
initiative/Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya English/27 April ,2026
Iran, the Arab Gulf and the nonstate actor dilemma/Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab
News/April 27, 2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets for April 27/2026
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on April 27-28/2026
Elias Bejjani: Video and Text/ A Critical Reading of Samir Geagea’s Sunday
Appearance on Al-Jadeed TV
A Coup Against All His Positions Following His Meeting with
Yazid bin Farhan and His Receipt of the Arab and Turkish "Firman" Calling for
the Obstruction of Peace Between Lebanon and Israel.
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/04/153970/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jpsK0y53EtY
April 27/2026
Elias Bejjani’s Analysis / These are the clauses of the Saudi "Firman" expressed
by Samir Geagea in his interview with Al-Jadeed TV on Sunday, April 26, 2026:
He retreated from supporting the meeting between [General Joseph] Aoun and
Netanyahu, giving a vague response without a direct answer.
He focused on what he calls the "Deep State" to justify his participation in a
"peace government" and everything that has transpired since, under Hezbollah’s
occupation, including the election of Michel Aoun. This includes covering for
the party’s occupation, sharing spoils with Aoun and his son-in-law, and passing
an electoral law that deprived expatriates of their constitutional rights—the
list goes on.
When asked who this "Deep State" is (which he has recently been singing and
tweeting about), he became confused and stuttered, failing to name Hezbollah or
Berri. He settled for saying it consists of the judiciary, the security forces,
and the army.
He gave a vague response to the question: "What if Hezbollah does not hand over
its weapons?" His answer was a coup against his own proposal regarding Chapter
VII and placing Lebanon under international trusteeship.
The heresy of demanding compensation from Hezbollah instead of prosecuting it,
isolating it, and banning it from political activity.
Blatant ambiguity in all his answers and his refusal to disclose what took place
between him and Prince Yazid bin Farhan.
His sudden meeting with Samy Gemayel immediately following the Saudi "Firman"
overnight, without announcing the topics discussed or issuing an official
statement
Elias Bejjani/Text and Video:
The Anniversary of the Syrian Army's Withdrawal from Lebanon Is Marked by Defeat
and Disappointment
Elias Bejjani/April 26/2025
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S6t5nn80VRA&t=222s
Moses looked north, toward the mountains of Lebanon, and said, “And this
mountain?” God answered and said, “Close your eyes. This mountain is my own
property (endowment -glebe). Your feet shall not tread upon it, neither you nor
he who comes after you (Deuteronomy-Old testament)
It was reported that Ka‘b al-Ahbar said: "Mount Lebanon is one of the eight
mountains that will carry the Throne on the Day of Judgment." It was also
reported that Abu al-Zahiriyya said: "Mount Lebanon is one of the eight bearers
of the Throne on the Day of Judgment.
April 26, 2005, is not merely a date to remember—it marks the end of a long and
painful chapter that began in 1976, when the Syrian army entered Lebanon and
began suppressing the free will of the Lebanese people.
Today, the Lebanese commemorate the withdrawal of the Assad regime’s brutal army
from their homeland—a retreat marked by humiliation, defeat, and disgrace. This
historic exit was the result of persistent, peaceful, and honorable pressure by
the Lebanese people of the Cedar Revolution, backed by international and
regional support. However, the vacuum left by the Syrian occupation was swiftly
filled by the Iranian army’s proxy—Hezbollah, a terrorist, sectarian militia
that now occupies Lebanon, strips it of its sovereignty, and suppresses its free
citizens and their independent leaders.
The key difference between these two brutal occupations lies in their form: the
Syrian Ba’athist occupation was carried out by a foreign force supported by
traitorous Lebanese factions. That regime has now collapsed, its
atrocities—including those against its own people—fully exposed. In contrast,
the Iranian occupation continues through Hezbollah—an armed gang composed of our
own people from the Shiites community, who have been misled and manipulated.
Their decisions, allegiance, funding, arms, culture, and ideological direction
are entirely dictated by Iran’s clerical regime. Since 1982, this regime has
worked tirelessly to dismantle the Lebanese state and replace it with a
theocracy governed by the concept of Wilayat al-Faqih (Guardianship of the
Islamic Jurist).
Despite countless international, Arab, and regional resolutions—and despite
almost daily, devastating Israeli strikes—Hezbollah remains in a state of
arrogant denial. It refuses to acknowledge the defeat reflected in the ceasefire
agreement and continues its threats and provocations. Meanwhile, Lebanon’s new
leadership—its president and cabinet—remain hesitant and submissive, appeasing
Hezbollah instead of taking a firm stand to set a clear timeline for disarmament
or to impose it by force. Hezbollah’s weapons are not pointed at Israel—they are
aimed at the Lebanese people.
Therefore, the Iranian occupation, executed through the treacherous, criminal,
jihadist, and Persian-backed Hezbollah, is far more dangerous than the previous
Syrian Assad occupation. Hezbollah was crushed in its confrontation with Israel,
and the myth of its so-called resistance has been shattered. For this reason,
every patriotic Lebanese citizen who believes in a Lebanon of peace,
coexistence, and sovereign purpose must rise against this occupation. They must
reject and expose every official, politician, or religious leader who enables
its survival.
Ultimately, evil can never triumph over good. Lebanon represents goodness, while
the Iranian jihadist occupation embodies evil. And because of that truth,
Lebanon will prevail—no matter how long the struggle takes. All occupying forces
will eventually suffer defeat, disgrace, and destruction.
Yet even more dangerous to Lebanon's identity, culture, and future than foreign
occupations are the shameful, narcissistic behaviors of many current and former
Lebanese politicians, clerics, and officials. Their hatred and envy resemble
that of Lucifer—the fallen angel cast out of heaven for defying the greatness of
God. These figures have similarly fallen, betraying Lebanon for personal gain
and power.
Yes, the Syrian army withdrew on April 26, 2005. But its domestic mercenaries
remain—especially Hezbollah, along with the toxic remnants of radical leftist
groups, Arab nationalists tainted by Nasserism, and frauds who continue to
deceive the public with empty slogans of resistance and liberation. These
forces, blinded by primitive instincts, hatred, and ignorance, are the true
enemies of Lebanon. They cloak themselves in hypocrisy and lies, peddling
slogans about “resistance,” “defiance,” and “throwing Jews into the sea,” all
while functioning as Trojan horses undermining Lebanon from within. With malice,
corruption, and violence, they actively sabotage efforts to restore sovereignty
and freedom—resorting to assassinations, invasions, terrorism, and mafia-like
intimidation.
Lebanon, with its divine message, ancient civilization, and sacred identity, has
endured for over 7,000 years. It is a flame that burns the hands of those who
try to destroy it. And in time, it will always rise up to crush those who insult
its dignity, freedom, and people.
On this solemn and truly national day, let us bow our heads in prayer for the
souls of our martyrs, for the return of our heroic, honorable refugees living in
exile in Israel, and for those still forcibly disappeared in the Assad regime’s
criminal prisons.
In the end, sacred Lebanon will endure—despite hardship and suffering—because
angels guard it, and because the Virgin Mother intercedes lovingly on its
behalf. Just as the Syrian occupation fell, so too will the Iranian one—whether
sooner or later, by God’s will.
Jumblatt's opposition to a full peace with
Israel is worthless and carries no weight because the majority of the Lebanese
Druz community are elsewhere.
Elias Bejjani/April 25/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/04/153897/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9NII99NsLmk&t=90s
Walid Jumblatt is one of the most dangerous politicians in Lebanon. He only
cares about his personal interests, not his community or the country. Looking at
his dark history of constant flipping and betrayals since he entered politics,
it is clear he is a pure opportunist. He has no permanent friends and has no
problem taking back his word at any time.
His latest statements prove his hatred for the Lebanese state and his submission
to its enemies. He recently said: "I refuse to ask the army to disarm
Hezbollah... the approach must be through negotiations... they (Hezbollah) are
the sons of the land and the fourth generation of fighters."
Along with Nabih Berri, he rejects true peace. These two trade in blood and
countries for their own gain. They are a duo that resents Lebanon's identity and
are always ready to help any foreign invader who uses Lebanon as a stage for the
"Resistance" lie.
Jumblatt’s recent words are just a promotion for a new "surrender" position.
This is an un-Lebanese stance that bows to the powerful. Meanwhile, Hezbollah
openly brags about being 100% Iranian, refuses to hand over its weapons, and
declares loyalty to Iran's Mullahs instead of Lebanon.
In reality, Hezbollah’s weapons represent occupation and terrorism. This
occupation must end to save the Lebanese state. Enough with Jumblatt and the
other "political merchants" who change their loyalties like they change their
clothes. If free people around the world had accepted this logic of surrender,
no country would ever be free today.
As a politician, Jumblatt used Palestinians, Syrians, Gaddafi, Iran, Hezbollah,
the "rotten Left," and even Saddam Hussein to fight fellow Lebanese. He then
turned against them all once they became weak. He exploited the "Cedar
Revolution" and then stabbed it in the back. Now, he is betting on the weapons
of the "terrorist, Persian, Jihadi party" (Hezbollah). We must not forget that
he admitted to conspiring against Saad Hariri’s government to help impose the
"Black Shirts" cabinet.
Jumblatt will surely turn on Hezbollah the moment they get weak to join whoever
is stronger. He was the main winner during the Syrian occupation and is now
benefiting from the Iranian influence. He displaced Christians and took their
land; his ownership of large areas in Damour is a clear example of his greed.
Simply put: we should ignore him. Do not enter any alliance with him. Keep him
in the category of "Neither Enemy Nor Ally." He cannot be trusted for future
planning. If he happens to stand with the sovereignists, treat him only as a
"Bonus"—but never as a permanent ally.
Honorable members of the Druze community must break his one-man rule. All
political players should leave him aside, and Arab countries—specifically Saudi
Arabia and Qatar—must stop funding him. This man is a political disaster who
would burn Lebanon for his own sake.
It is time for sovereignists to learn that Jumblatt cannot be trusted. To stop
his harm, keep him in the "Neither Ally Nor Enemy" box. Always keep him in front
of you, where you can see him—never behind your back or by your side.
Meanwhile, His political "acrobatics" no longer matter, because the majority of
the Lebanese Druze people now oppose his views and want a real state without
Hezbollah's influence.
Lebanon seeks to stabilize
fragile truce, bridge internal divisions as Israeli strikes intensify
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/April 27, 2026
BEIRUT: Lebanon has been pressing Washington to rein in Israel’s military
actions and has secured verbal guarantees that Beirut and its southern suburbs
will be spared further attacks, a senior Lebanese official told Arab News on
Monday.The diplomatic efforts come as Israeli strikes intensified on Monday in
the Bekaa Valley, casting doubt over the durability of a truce already under
strain. Despite the escalation, Lebanese officials insisted that progress toward
negotiations is contingent on stabilizing the ceasefire.“The transition to
direct Lebanese-Israeli negotiations will not take place at this time,” the
official source told Arab News, noting that discussions are on hold pending US
arrangements to set the date.Washington has not imposed conditions on Beirut,
but Lebanon continues to insist on a full ceasefire as a prerequisite for
entering formal talks. The ceasefire, announced by the US State Department
following the first-ever meeting between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors in
Washington on April 16, had been extended days later for three weeks after a
second round of talks. The extension briefly raised hopes of de-escalation in
Lebanon’s volatile political landscape. However, the situation deteriorated
rapidly after Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered intensified
strikes against Hezbollah positions inside Lebanon “with full force.”Since then,
repeated offences by both sides have left dozens of civilians dead or wounded,
including children, while fears of a broader escalation have resurfaced. The
source confirmed that no invitation has been extended for a meeting between
President Joseph Aoun and Netanyahu. On the ground, Israeli strikes have pushed
deeper into southern Lebanon, targeting areas beyond the so-called “Yellow
Line.” Towns such as Deir Aames, located more than five kilometers from the
unofficial boundary, were hit after residents received evacuation warnings,
while motorcyclists were also targeted in separate strikes.Hezbollah said it had
responded with rocket and drone attacks against Israeli positions along the
border and in occupied areas, claiming it had also downed several Israeli
drones.
At the same time, tensions within Lebanon are intensifying, particularly between
the state and Hezbollah over the direction of negotiations.
Aoun, speaking during a meeting at the Presidential Palace with displaced
residents from border areas, pushed back against criticism of the government’s
diplomatic approach.“Those who dragged us into war in Lebanon are now holding us
accountable for deciding to go to negotiations on the pretext of the lack of
national consensus, and I ask: When you went to war, did you first obtain
national consensus?” he said, rejecting accusations that engaging in talks
amounts to surrender. “What we are doing is not treason; rather, treason is
committed by those who take their country to war to achieve foreign interests.”
Aoun’s comments came after Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem announced the group’s
“categorical rejection” of direct negotiations with Israel and accused the
government of making what he called “a gratuitous and humiliating
concession.”The official source told Arab News that a potential meeting between
Aoun, Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri — a key
Hezbollah ally — is being considered as part of efforts to coordinate positions
and ease internal tensions, although no date has been confirmed. According to
the official source, Beirut is seeking to build on “the trilateral meeting” by
moving toward broader negotiations that would address security arrangements and
Hezbollah’s disarmament.The aim, he said, is to integrate Hezbollah within the
framework of the state, enforce a state monopoly on weapons, and ensure that
decisions on war and peace remain under government authority, potentially within
a ceasefire agreement similar to that made with Israel. Lebanese officials are
also working to secure broader regional backing, with Arab countries including
Saudi Arabia and Egypt engaging with Washington to support Lebanon’s position
and help stabilize the ceasefire.
MP Bilal Abdallah of the Progressive Socialist Party described negotiations as
unavoidable but urged caution in how Lebanon navigates the diplomatic process.
He welcomed US efforts to curb Israel’s escalation and stabilize the fragile
ceasefire. “The US has the right to propose what it deems appropriate and
Lebanon must respond with calm and measured steps that preserve the national
interest and internal unity,” he told Arab News. “Negotiation is essential and
should move forward quickly to prevent further losses,” he said, stressing that
the process should follow a phased approach starting with consolidating the
ceasefire, followed by securing Israeli withdrawal, the release of prisoners and
reconstruction. While acknowledging Lebanon’s limited leverage, he warned
against conceding too much. “Lebanon is not in a position of power,” he said,
but added that it “cannot exhaust all its cards and surrender to Israel.”
Israel’s Netanyahu says
Hezbollah rockets, drones require more ‘military action’
Al Arabiya English/27 April ,2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Monday that rockets and drones
possessed by Lebanese Hezbollah “demand further military action.”Netanyahu’s
comments came on the heels of US President Donald Trump announcing a three-week
extension of the initial 10-day ceasefire that he ordered earlier this month
between Lebanon and Israel. “There are still two central threats from Hezbollah:
the 122mm rockets and the drones. This demands a combination of operational and
technological activity,” he said in a statement issued by his office.with AFP
Israel should not have permanent buffer zone in Lebanon:
Rubio
“Israel has no territorial claims on Lebanon. There isn’t some part of Lebanon
that Israel claims belongs to them,” Secretary of State Marco Rubio said.
Al Arabiya English/28 April ,2026
Israel should not have a permanent buffer zone inside Lebanon, the top US
diplomat said on Monday, but added that the Lebanese army needed to disarm the
Iran-backed group. “Israel has no territorial claims on Lebanon. There isn’t
some part of Lebanon that Israel claims belongs to them,” Secretary of State
Marco Rubio said. “The problem Israel has is not with Lebanon. It’s with
Hezbollah inside of Lebanon.” Rubio was speaking after two rounds of talks
between Lebanon and Israel held in Washington at the ambassadorial level. US
President Donald Trump attended the latest round, which was held last week at
the White House. Rubio said the talks had been “very successful,” but stopped
short of saying Beirut would join the Abraham Accords in the near future. “I
mean, obviously that would be very promising, but we’re not at that point.”
Asked if Israel should have a buffer zone inside Lebanon indefinitely, Rubio
said, “No."“I think if you ask the Israelis, they would tell you the perfect
outcome is a strong Lebanese Government with a strong Lebanese Armed Forces who
is able to dismantle Hezbollah, to prevent them from these attacks and
ultimately to make sure that they don’t exist anymore as a military unit,” Rubio
said.
He said the current short-term problem was that the LAF may have the willingness
to confront Hezbollah, but they “do not at this moment have full capability to
address all of the threats that are emanating from Hezbollah inside of Lebanon.”
Rubio said the Israelis do not want to be in Lebanon permanently, but rather as
a “buffer zone to protect small arms and anti-tank missiles” from being launched
into Israel by Hezbollah. “But in the long term, Israel has made no territorial
claims on Lebanon,” he added.
Lebanon president responds to Hezbollah: Taking country to
war is ‘treason’
AFP, Beirut/27 April ,2026
Lebanon’s president said Monday direct negotiations with Israel aimed to end the
Israel-Hezbollah war, adding that those who dragged Lebanon to war were the ones
committing “treason”-- a jab at Hezbollah, whose leader called the talks a
“sin.” Lebanon and Israel’s US ambassadors met twice in Washington over the past
weeks, the first meetings of their kind in decades, for discussions that were
categorically rejected by Hezbollah. After the first round of talks, US
President Donald Trump announced a 10-day ceasefire that came into effect on
April 17, later announcing a three-week extension after the second round of
talks. “My goal is to reach an end to the state of war with Israel, similar to
the armistice agreement” of 1949, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun said in a
statement Monday. Lebanon and Israel, officially at war for decades, signed an
armistice agreement ending combat between the two states in 1949, after the 1948
Arab-Israeli war. “Was the armistice agreement a humiliation? I assure you that
I will not accept reaching a humiliating agreement.”Aoun’s statement came
shortly after Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem sharply criticized the government,
issuing a statement describing direct negotiations with Israel as a “grave
sin.”“We categorically reject direct negotiations with Israel, and those in
power should know that their actions will not benefit Lebanon or themselves,”
Qassem said in a statement, aired by the group’s TV channel Al-Manar. He called
on authorities to “back down from their grave sin that is putting Lebanon in a
spiral of instability.”He added that the Lebanese government “cannot continue
while it is neglecting Lebanon’s rights, giving up land, and confronting its
resistant people.” “We will not give up our weapons... and the Israeli enemy
will not remain on a single inch of our occupied land.”
National consensus
Aoun said “what we are doing is not treason. Rather, treason is committed by
those who take their country to war to achieve foreign interests.”Aoun has faced
intense criticism from Hezbollah and its supporters, who say his push for direct
talks with Israel does not have the consensus of Lebanon’s various communities.
The direct talks mark the latest point of contention after the government
decided to disarm the group last year and outlawed its military activities in
March. “Some want to hold us accountable over the decision to go to negotiations
on the grounds that there is no national consensus” over the talks, Aoun said.
“My question to them is: when you went to war, did you first obtain national
consensus?”Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2 by firing
rockets towards Israel to avenge the killing of Iranian supreme leader Ali
Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.
Fighting continues
Despite the ceasefire in Lebanon, attacks have not stopped, with the Israeli
army announcing Monday a new wave of strikes on the eastern Bekaa region and
southern Lebanon targeting “Hezbollah infrastructure.”Israel also said on Monday
that “over the past days, more than 50 terror infrastructure sites were
dismantled.” Lebanese state media reported a series of Israeli airstrikes in
several southern towns Monday, along with artillery shelling and demolition
operations in at least two towns. Israeli strikes have killed at least 36 people
since the truce went into force, according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health
ministry figures. Hezbollah has meanwhile claimed several attacks on Israeli
troops in southern Lebanon, as well as missile and drone launches at northern
Israel, saying it is responding to Israeli ceasefire “violations.”According to
details of the truce released by the US State Department, which said both
Lebanon and Israel agreed to it, Israel reserves the right to continue targeting
Hezbollah to respond to “planned, imminent, or ongoing attacks.” Hezbollah
strongly rejects this clause, saying the text of the agreement was not presented
to the cabinet, in which the group and its allies are represented. “Has the
government decided to work alongside the Israeli enemy against its own people?”
Qassem said. Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed more than 2,500 people since
March 2, according to Lebanese authorities.
Israel Defense Minister Says Hezbollah Chief ‘Playing with Fire’ That Will ‘Burn
Lebanon’
Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/27 April 2026
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz warned Monday that Hezbollah's defiance
would bring catastrophic consequences for Lebanon, after the group's leader
rejected proposed direct talks between Israel and Lebanon. "Naim Qassem is
playing with fire, and the fire will burn Hezbollah and all of Lebanon... If the
Lebanese government continues to take cover under the wing of the Hezbollah
terrorist organization -- fire will break out and engulf the cedars of Lebanon,"
Katz told UN envoy to Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, according to a
statement issued by his office. "If the Lebanese government continues to take
cover under the wing of the Hezbollah terrorist organization -- fire will break
out and engulf the cedars of Lebanon." Katz said that Lebanese President Joseph
Aoun was "gambling with the future of Lebanon", adding that Israel would not
accept a situation in which a ceasefire in Lebanon coexists with continued
attacks on Israeli forces and communities in northern Israel. He reiterated that
"the Lebanese government must ensure that Hezbollah is disarmed, first of all
south of the Litani up to the Blue Line, and afterwards throughout all of
Lebanon," referring to the river that cuts through southern Lebanon. Aoun on
Monday said that the direct talks with Israel were aimed at ending the conflict
with Hezbollah while accusing those who drew Lebanon into war of "treason", in
an implicit rebuke of the Iran-backed armed group. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem
on Monday rejected Lebanon's planned direct negotiations with Israel, calling
them a "grave sin" that will destabilize Lebanon. Lebanon and Israel's US
ambassadors held two meetings in Washington over the past weeks, the first of
their kind in decades. The first meeting led to a truce in the Israel-Hezbollah
war, while Beirut has been preparing for direct negotiations with the aim of
striking a peace deal with Israel. The two countries have officially been at war
since 1948. "We categorically reject direct negotiations with Israel, and those
in power should know that their actions will not benefit Lebanon or themselves,"
Qassem said in a statement, aired by the group's channel Al-Manar.
He called on authorities to "back down from their grave sin that is putting
Lebanon in a spiral of instability". He added that the Lebanese government
"cannot continue while it is neglecting Lebanon's rights, giving up land, and
confronting its resistant people". Lebanese authorities have repeatedly stated
that the goal of the US-sponsored negotiations is to stop the war, secure
Israel's withdrawal from southern Lebanon, and return displaced people to their
homes after the fighting forced more than a million people to flee. "These
direct negotiations and their outcomes are as if they do not exist for us, and
they do not concern us in the slightest," Qassem said. "We will continue our
defensive resistance for Lebanon and its people," he added. "No matter how much
the enemy threatens, we will not back down, we will not bow down, and we will
not be defeated. "We will not give up our weapons... and the Israeli enemy will
not remain on a single inch of our occupied land." Hezbollah drew Lebanon into
the Middle East war on March 2 by firing rockets at Israel to avenge the death
of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes. Since the truce
went into force on April 17, Israeli strikes have killed at least 36 people,
according to an AFP tally of Lebanese health ministry figures. Hezbollah has
meanwhile claimed several attacks on Israeli troops in southern Lebanon, as well
as missile and drone launches at northern Israel, saying it is responding to
Israeli "violations". According to details of the truce released by the US State
Department, which said both Lebanon and Israel agreed to it, Israel reserves the
right to continue targeting Hezbollah to prevent "planned, imminent, or ongoing
attacks". Hezbollah strongly rejects this clause, saying the text of the
agreement was not presented to the cabinet, in which the group and its allies
are represented. "Has the government decided to work alongside the Israeli enemy
against its own people?" Qassem said in his speech. Israeli attacks on Lebanon
killed more than 2,500 people since March 2, according to Lebanese authorities.
Aoun contacts US over
escalation, Washington reportedly promises to follow up
Naharnet/April 27, 2026
President Joseph Aoun spent all of Sunday holding contacts with officials in
Washington to follow up on the situation on the ground in the south and to curb
military escalation, a media report said on Monday. "The Americans promised to
follow up on the matter," the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported. The daily added
that a meeting may take place today in Baabda between President Joseph Aoun and
Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, possibly joined by Prime Minister Nawaf
Salam. If the meeting does take place, it will focus on the military
developments on the ground, the negotiations with Israel, the internal
situation, efforts to avert the threat of sectarian strife, and the management
of state affairs during this sensitive time, Nidaa al-Watan said.
Report: Aoun, Berri, Salam to hold consultations, new
ceasefire MoU to be issued
Naharnet/April 27, 2026
Extensive consultations will begin in Beirut among President Joseph Aoun,
Speaker Nabih Berri and PM Nawaf Salam, and also with the political forces, to
"pave the way for decisions described as pivotal that Lebanon must make
regarding the negotiation process between Lebanon and Israel," a media report
said on Monday. "While awaiting the crystallization of the next steps, the broad
outlines of which were established during the second round of talks between the
Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors at the White House, culminating in a meeting
with U.S. President Donald Trump, it was reported that a new U.S. memorandum
will be issued by the State Department outlining renewed instructions for the
ceasefire," An-Nahar newspaper reported. "This will be followed by intensified
communication between Beirut and Washington to determine the next steps during
the three-week period of the renewed truce," the daily said."The increasing
number of violations and breaches of the ceasefire in the south has become a
cause for growing concern, putting the truce to the test of the underlying
motives of both Israel and Hezbollah, and also strongly testing the U.S. push to
launch bilateral negotiations between Lebanon and Israel," the newspaper noted.
Israel begins reducing forces in south Lebanon
Naharnet/April 27, 2026
The Israeli army has begun reducing its forces in Lebanon and the remaining
forces continue their operations on the border within the framework of the
ceasefire restrictions, Israel's Maariv newspaper reported. "The first unit to
be disbanded is the 162nd Brigade, one of three brigades stationed in Lebanon.
The brigade's headquarters has been moved from the northern border to the south,
and other units are scheduled to leave Lebanon in the coming days to carry out
missions in other sectors," Maariv said. It continued: “Some forces , such as
two battalions from the 401st Brigade, were transferred to the 146th Division,
which was deployed as a combat division, while the 226th Reserve Paratrooper
Brigade maneuvered in the coastal sector. The 36th Division is currently the
maneuvering division in Lebanon, almost at full strength, with the Golani Air
Defense Brigade, the 7th Air Defense Brigade, and the Fire Brigade operating
under its command.”The newspaper stressed that "the decision to reduce forces
comes in the wake of the ceasefire and the prevention of the Israeli army from
advancing towards the Litani River," adding that the forces currently operating
in Lebanon are launching raids to clear the area up to the so-called yellow
line.
Israel says striking 'Hezbollah sites' in south and Bekaa
Agence France Presse/April 27, 2026
The Israeli military on Monday said it had begun hitting Hezbollah positions in
the Bekaa region, amid a ceasefire that began earlier this month. "The IDF has
begun to strike Hezbollah infrastructure sites in the Bekaa valley and in
additional areas across southern Lebanon," it said in a brief statement on
social media. The Israeli army carried out Monday strikes on Majdal Selem, al-Mansouri,
Tebnine, Kafra, Touline, Habboush, al-Sawwaneh, Yater, Froun, al-Jmayjmeh,
Sheaitiyeh and al-Qlayleh in south Lebanon, killing at least one person. Israeli
artillery also shelled Kfarshouba, al-Mansouri, Yohmor-Shqif, Yater, Tayr Harfa,
Majdalzoun, Zebqine, Henniyyeh, and Bouyout al-Seyyed, while troops in occupied
border towns detonated houses, including in Taybeh, Yaroun and Bent Jbeil. In
the Bekaa, the Israeli army struck Janta and Shaara. Hezbollah for its part
targeted troops on the outskirts of Kfarkela and later targeted a Merkava tank
in al-Qantara with an attack drone.
Hezbollah leader vows to confront Israel, liberate 'every
inch' of occupied land
Agence France Presse/April 27, 2026
Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem on Monday rejected Lebanon's planned direct
talks with Israel, calling them a "grave sin" that will destabilize Lebanon, as
he vowed to end the Israeli occupation of south Lebanon. Qassem said Hezbollah
will not give up its arms and people will return to their lands, vowing that
Israeli troops will not remain on "a single inch of our occupied land"."We
categorically reject direct negotiations with Israel, and those in power should
know that their actions will not benefit Lebanon or themselves," Qassem said in
a statement, calling on authorities to "back down from their grave sin that is
putting Lebanon in a spiral of instability". "These direct negotiations and
their outcomes are as if they do not exist for us, and they do not concern us in
the slightest," he added, saying "we will continue our defensive resistance for
Lebanon and its people"."No matter how much the enemy threatens, we will not
back down, we will not bow down, and we will not be defeated."
Zamir warns Israeli troops against looting and vandalism in
Lebanon
Agence France Presse/April 27, 2026
Israel's military chief of staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir issued a sharp
warning to troops about looting on Monday, and said using social media to spread
"questionable" messages was crossing "a red line". "The phenomenon of looting,
if it exists, is disgraceful and risks tarnishing the IDF as a whole. If such
incidents occurred, we will investigate them," he said in a statement, using the
acronym for the Israeli army. His remarks came after Israel's Haaretz newspaper
reported that troops in south Lebanon had been looting significant amounts of
civilian property, citing testimonies from troops and commanders in the field.
Footage has also emerged on social media of Israeli soldiers filming each other
joking around as they damaged property inside people's homes in what appeared to
be south Lebanon. Another image on social media showed a soldier using a
sledgehammer to smash a figure of Jesus that had fallen off a cross in southern
Lebanon. The Israeli military last week said two soldiers would receive 30 days
of military detention and be removed from combat duty over the incident. "IDF
conscripts and reservists must not use social networks as a tool for spreading
controversial messages and for self-promotion. This is a red line that must not
be crossed," Zamir warned. "Those who cross it will face disciplinary action,"
he said, adding: "Normalization of such behavior can be just as dangerous as
operational threats."In a separate statement to AFP, the military said it viewed
"any harm to civilian property, as well as acts of looting, with the utmost
severity and strictly prohibits such conduct". It said allegations of such
behavior were "thoroughly examined" and where proof was established,
"disciplinary and criminal measures" would be taken, "including prosecution".
Military police officers also conducted "inspections at northern border
crossings upon troops' exit from operational activity", it said, without
indicating whether any evidence of looting had emerged. Israeli rights group
Breaking the Silence said it was not collecting testimonies from troops in
Lebanon, but said looting and other such behaviors had "become really common"
since Israel began a ground invasion during the Gaza war that began in 2023.
UNIFIL holds memorial in Beirut for Indonesian peacekeeper
killed in south Lebanon
Naharnet/April 27, 2026
The United Nations' UNIFIL peacekeeping force said it held a memorial in Beirut
for an Indonesian peacekeeper who died on Friday after being wounded in a blast
in south Lebanon last month. A preliminary U.N. investigation found that an
Israeli tank shell caused the explosion. Head of Mission and Force Commander
Major General Diodato Abagnara honored the life and service of Corporal Rico
Pramudia, 31 of Indonesia in the ceremony held in Beirut. Pramudia is the fourth
Indonesian peacekeeper killed in south Lebanon in less than a month. "You came
here, far from home, to serve under the United Nations flag, to bring peace to
this land, and here, in the south of Lebanon, you gave everything," said Major
General Abagnara. "You gave everything you had for peace in this land. And for
this, you have all our respect.""As soldiers, as peacekeepers, we carry your
mission forward; we will remain steady; we will remain united; we will remain
vigilant," the UNIFIL head continued. "This is how we honor you. Your place
remains with us, in our actions, in our commitment, in our sense of
duty."Corporal Pramudia is survived by his wife and young son. When he arrived
in April last year to serve with UNIFIL, it was his first foreign
mission.Sunday’s ceremony at Beirut’s airport was also attended by Ambassador of
Indonesia to Lebanon, Dicky Komar; representative of the Lebanese Ministry of
National Defense and the Lebanese Army, Brigadier General Maroun Azzi; and
Colonel Allan Surya Lesmana from UNIFIL’s Indonesian contingent. "Attacks of
peacekeepers constitute grave violations of international humanitarian law and
of Security Council resolution 1701 and may amount to war crimes," UNIFIL said.
"They must be promptly investigated, and those responsible must be prosecuted
and held accountable."
UN Special Coordinator Plasschaert visits Israel to discuss
Lebanon truce
Naharnet/April 27, 2026
United Nations Special Coordinator for Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert began
Sunday an official visit to Israel where she is scheduled to meet with senior
Israeli officials. Discussions will focus on opportunities to consolidate the
cessation of hostilities and pave the way to lasting stability for communities
in Lebanon and northern Israel.
Geagea says Aoun, Salam doing 'what must be done' to end
war
Naharnet/April 27, 2026
Lebanese Forces leader Samir Geagea said Hezbollah is incapable of reaching a
deal to end the war, urging the group to let the government do its job. Geagea
told al-Jadeed on Sunday evening that President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister
Nawaf Salam are doing "what must be done" to get Lebanon out of the predicament
into which it was dragged. Geagea said Hezbollah is in no position to seek
political concessions and should instead be held accountable for the situation
into which it has dragged the country. He called on the state to take decisive
action to assert its authority across Lebanon through every available means.
"The decision to consider Hezbollah's armed activity illegal has remained merely
a decision on paper and was never implemented," he said, adding that the Taif
Agreement stipulates the full restoration of state sovereignty over every inch
of Lebanese soil. Geagea noted that despite Saudi Arabia's support for
legitimate Lebanese institutions, the kingdom is refraining from taking
initiatives because the Lebanese state is incapable of implementing its
decisions. "Saudi Arabia wants Lebanon to be a functional state," he said.
Geagea stressed that only President Aoun is responsible for managing the
negotiations, including their timing, the choice of the negotiators and how the
negotiations are held. Hezbollah leader Sheikh Naim Qassem rejected on Monday
Lebanon's planned direct talks with Israel, calling them a "grave sin" that will
destabilize Lebanon. "We categorically reject direct negotiations with Israel,
and those in power should know that their actions will not benefit Lebanon or
themselves," Qassem said in a statement, calling on authorities to "back down
from their grave sin that is putting Lebanon in a spiral of instability"..
Lebanon Says Israel Strikes Kill 14 in Deadliest Day Since
Truce
Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/27 April 2026
Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli strikes on the country's south on Sunday
killed 14 people, the deadliest day since a ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah
war came into force over a week ago. It came as Israel and the Iran-backed group
traded fresh accusations of breaching the fragile truce, with Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu saying the military was "vigorously" targeting Hezbollah and
the group vowing to keep responding to "violations". Israel's military has
carried out repeated strikes in Lebanon since the April 17 ceasefire, which on
Thursday was extended for three weeks, after six weeks of war in which Israel
also invaded the country's south.Israeli troops are operating inside an
Israeli-announced "yellow line", which demarcates a ribbon of Lebanese territory
around 10 kilometers (six miles) deep along the length of the border, where
residents have been warned not to return. Lebanon's health ministry said the
dead on Sunday included two women and two children, adding that 37 other people
were wounded. Israeli strikes have killed at least 36 people since the truce
began, according to an AFP tally of health ministry figures.Israel's military
said Sunday that one of its soldiers was killed "during combat" in southern
Lebanon, and six were wounded, four of them severely.
'Freedom of action' -
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported Israeli strikes in
multiple locations in the south on Sunday, both in areas where Israel issued an
evacuation warning and elsewhere. AFP correspondents reported heavy traffic
heading north as people fled following the warning and intensified raids.
"Hezbollah's violations are, in practice, dismantling the ceasefire," Netanyahu
told his weekly cabinet meeting. Tehran-backed Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the
Middle East war on March 2 by firing rockets at Israel to avenge the death of
Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei in US-Israeli strikes.
"We are acting vigorously in accordance with arrangements agreed with the United
States and, incidentally, also with Lebanon," Netanyahu said.Under the truce,
which came after a landmark meeting between Israeli and Lebanese officials that
angered Hezbollah, Israel reserves the right to respond to "planned, imminent or
ongoing attacks". "This means freedom of action not only to respond to
attacks... but also to pre-empt immediate threats and even emerging threats,"
Netanyahu said. Hezbollah said that Israel's "continued ceasefire violations...
and above all its continued occupation of Lebanese territory and violations of
its sovereignty will be met with a response". It said its fighters targeted
Israeli troops and positions in south Lebanon in response to ceasefire
violations and attacks on Lebanese villages.
More than 2,500 killed -
Israel's military issued evacuation orders for residents of seven towns and
villages in the south on Sunday. Shortly afterwards, the NNA said Israeli
warplanes struck in Kfar Tibnit, causing casualties, while a raid on Zawtar al-Sharqiyah,
another of the flagged villages, destroyed a mosque and another religious
building. The NNA also reported Israeli shelling in several border villages. AFP
correspondents saw clouds of grey smoke rise over Nabatieh al-Fawqa and several
other locations after Israeli strikes. Israel's military said it had struck
"rocket-launching terrorist cells and weapons storage facilities" after earlier
conducting "artillery and aerial strikes targeting terrorists and military
infrastructure sites" used by Hezbollah north of the so-called "yellow line".
Shortly after Netanyahu's remarks, the military said it had intercepted three
drones heading for Israeli territory. Lebanon's health ministry says Israeli
attacks have killed more than 2,500 people and wounded over 7,700 others since
the war erupted. The United Nations' UNIFIL peacekeeping force said it held a
memorial in Beirut for an Indonesian peacekeeper who died on Friday after being
wounded in a blast in south Lebanon last month. A preliminary UN investigation
found that an Israeli tank shell caused the explosion.
Did Israel’s War on Lebanon Drive Syrian Refugees Back
Home?
Beirut: Paula Astih/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/27 April 2026
Israel’s war on Lebanon has accelerated the return of Syrian refugees, but
officials and aid agencies say it has not by itself resolved, or fundamentally
transformed, the displacement crisis. Nearly one million Syrians remain in
Lebanon despite Israel’s wars on Lebanon when Hezbollah opened a “support front”
in solidarity with Hamas in 2023. Many refugees, meanwhile, still view remaining
in Lebanon as preferable to returning to a country where homes and jobs may no
longer exist. Others have left. According to the UN refugee agency (UNHCR), more
than 593,000 Syrian refugees have returned from Lebanon since January 2025,
while Syrian authorities estimate around 260,000 crossed back between March 2
and April 20, 2026 as hostilities intensified.Official figures show 95 Syrians
were killed and 130 wounded in the latest round of fighting between March 2 and
April 17.
For some, however, war has not changed the situation.
Faisal, a 41-year-old construction worker from Deir Ezzor living in Mount
Lebanon for a decade, said returning to Syria remains too uncertain. “Going back
now means returning to the unknown,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat. “Here, despite the
risks, I can still support my family.”Lebanese Social Affairs Minister Haneen
Sayed argued the rise in returns cannot be attributed mainly to war. She told
Asharq Al-Awsat that a government return plan adopted in June 2025 marked the
real turning point, supported by administrative facilitations, financial
incentives and coordination between Lebanese General Security and the UN refugee
agency. According to Sayed, 581,107 Syrians had returned before the latest
conflict erupted in early March, while another 198,404 left during the war.
“That shows return was already under way before the fighting,” she stated,
noting that many refugees could have moved to safer parts of Lebanon but instead
chose Syria, suggesting the government’s strategy was gaining traction. She said
Syrian authorities had also contributed through policies intended to facilitate
return and reintegration. Still, she stopped short of calling it a lasting
solution. “The displacement crisis is on its way to being resolved, but it has
not reached a final settlement,” she underlined, noting Lebanon was preparing a
review of the return plan later this year. At the same time, she warned the war
had created a new Lebanese internal displacement crisis, adding another
humanitarian burden. Lisa Abou Khaled, spokeswoman for the UNHCR in Lebanon,
said decisions to return still depend less on war than on conditions inside
Syria, including shelter, healthcare, education and livelihoods. The current
hostilities may have hastened returns for some, she told Asharq Al-Awsat, but
often as a forced response rather than a voluntary shift. “When refugees feel
they have no alternative but to return, our role is to reduce risks and support
them through the process,” she remarked. UNHCR provides returnees with
information, transport support and a $100 grant per person to help cover
immediate needs.
Syria’s Sharaa, Lebanon’s Jumblatt Discuss Sweida Fallout, Reject ‘Alliance of
Minorities’
Beirut: Youssef Diab/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/27 April 2026
A meeting in Damascus on Saturday between Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and
Lebanese Druze leader Walid Jumblatt focused on containing the fallout from
violence in Syria’s Sweida province, strengthening Lebanese-Syrian ties and
rejecting what both sides described as an “alliance of minorities.”
Jumblatt, former head of Lebanon’s Progressive Socialist Party, met Sharaa at
the People’s Palace in Damascus amid heightened regional tensions and strains
along the Lebanese-Syrian border. A statement from the PSP said the talks
stressed improving Lebanese-Syrian relations in a way that serves the common
interests of both countries, while rejecting the “alliance of minorities” theory
and emphasizing the social and geographic ties linking the two neighbors. The
statement reaffirmed Syria’s unity and called for addressing the aftermath of
the deadly unrest in Sweida, the predominantly Druze province in southern Syria.
A brief Syrian presidency statement said the two sides reviewed recent regional
developments.Accompanying Jumblatt to Damascus, Lebanese MP Hadi Abou Al-Hassan
said the talks focused on deepening bilateral ties based on respecting the
sovereignty and independence of each country, while recognizing longstanding
historical and social links. He told Asharq Al-Awsat Syria’s new leadership was
seeking to redefine relations with Lebanon after what he called the end of
Syrian tutelage following the fall of Bashar al-Assad. Abou Al-Hassan said “some
actors in Syria and Israel were trying to revive the idea of an ‘alliance of
minorities’, but that Damascus no longer viewed the concept as relevant and was
instead focused on its strategic Arab ties.”Saturday's talks also touched on
what he described as shared concerns over Israeli escalation against both
countries, including fears of a proposed “yellow line” security belt stretching
across southern Lebanon from Naqoura to Mount Hermon and potentially into
southern Syria. He noted that such concerns reflected worries over “a dangerous
Israeli plan that required coordination and joint efforts to
confront.”Developments in Sweida took up much of the discussions, particularly
given Jumblatt’s role in containing the repercussions and his rejection of calls
to attach the province to Israel or seek Israeli protection for the region. Abou
Al-Hassan said the talks stressed addressing the fallout from the violence and
building on a meeting in Amman involving Syria, Jordan and the United States.
Jumblatt also underscored “support for Syria’s unity and for a strong central
state guaranteeing equal rights for all citizens, while preventing any forces
from challenging state sovereignty,” he said. The meeting comes as
Lebanese-Syrian ties have improved through border coordination and
anti-smuggling efforts, despite Syrian concerns over reported weapons-smuggling
tunnels and reports of a security cell in Damascus allegedly linked to
Hezbollah, an ally of the ousted regime.
**Abou Al-Hassan said both countries needed to dispel mutual concerns and build
trust.
Hezbollah and Israel swap
threats and strikes across Lebanon’s border
Al Jazeera/April 27, 2026
Israel has threatened to “burn” all of Lebanon after Hezbollah reiterated its
defiance and rejection of peace talks as war across the border grinds on.
The Lebanon-based armed group on Monday condemned Beirut’s ongoing discussions
with Israel and again refused to end its campaign of strikes across the border
in the face of Israel’s persisting attacks on the south of the country. Israeli
Defence Minister Israel Katz retorted that defiance would bring catastrophic
consequences. Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem asserted in a statement that while
“sacrifices are great”, the Lebanese people have two options: “Liberation and
pride or occupation and humiliation.”The Iran-linked armed group has criticised
the Lebanon government for entering talks with Israel to seek an end to the
latest series of hostilities, which was sparked by the United States-Israeli war
on Tehran. “We are continuing our defensive resistance for Lebanon and its
people,” Qassem said. “We will not return to the pre-March [status quo]; we will
respond to the Israeli aggression and confront it. No matter what the enemy
threatens, we will not retreat, we will not bow down, we will not be
defeated.”Hezbollah resumed attacks against Israel on March 2, in response to
strikes that killed Iran’s Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Lebanon has
since outlawed Hezbollah’s military activities and held the first direct
negotiations with Israel since 1983. Qassem reiterated his rejection of those
talks and outlined pre-conditions for Hezbollah to enter any such dialogue,
including the end of “the aggression on land, sea and air,” Israel’s withdrawal
“from the occupied territories”, the release of prisoners, the return of all
displaced people and “reconstruction”.The Hezbollah leader also demanded that
Lebanon end direct talks and reverse its decision that “criminalises the
resistance”.Israeli Minister Katz responded by saying Qassem was “playing with
fire … [that] will burn Hezbollah and all of Lebanon”. “If the Lebanese
government continues to take cover under the wing of the Hezbollah terrorist
organisation, fire will break out and engulf the cedars of Lebanon,” he told
United Nations envoy to Lebanon Jeanine Hennis-Plasschaert, according to a
statement issued by his office. Lebanese President Joseph Aoun also entered the
rhetorical fray, saying that the direct talks with Israel were aimed at ending
the conflict with Hezbollah while accusing those who drew Lebanon into war of
“treason”, in an implicit rebuke of Hezbollah. Katz, however, accused Aoun of
“gambling with the future of Lebanon,” insisting that the Lebanese government
must ensure that Hezbollah is disarmed. Al Jazeera’s Zeina Khodr, reporting from
Beirut, said the Israeli military has been taken aback by Hezbollah’s ability to
resist Israel’s occupation of Lebanon’s southern territories. “Hezbollah in
recent days has increased the tempo of operations,” Khodr noted, reporting that
the group was “making it very difficult for [Israeli Prime Minister] Netanyahu
to claim that he has brought security to northern Israel by occupying territory
in southern Lebanon.”Despite the formal ceasefire, the Israeli army and
Hezbollah have continued to trade fire. The Israeli military on Monday reported
it had conducted strikes on what it called Hezbollah infrastructure sites in the
Bekaa Valley, in eastern Lebanon, as well as attacks targeting the towns of
Tibnin, Yater and Bint Jbeil in southern Lebanon. Hezbollah, meanwhile, claimed
attacks on Israeli forces within southern Lebanon, while the Israeli army said
sirens sounded in the town of Arab al-Aramshe after an aircraft was reported to
have entered northern Israel.According to Lebanon’s Health Ministry, Israeli
attacks have killed 2,521 people since March 2, with a further 7,804 wounded.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on April 27-28/2026
Israel army chief says 2026 ‘likely to be year of fighting’ on all fronts
AFP/27 April ,2026
Israel’s chief of staff Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir warned Monday that the
country’s military was likely to be fighting on multiple fronts throughout 2026,
as it fights wars against Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah. “Since 7
October (2023), the IDF has been engaged in fighting in an ongoing multi-front
campaign... 2026 is likely to be another year of fighting on all of those
fronts,” he said in a statement, referring to Hamas’s attack on Israel that
sparked the Gaza war. He also reiterated the urgent need for the military to
recruit more troops to handle the operational demands facing it.“Given the
growing tasks facing the IDF in the coming years, the urgent need facing the
state of Israel is to increase the number of military personnel and fighters,”
he said.
Iran proposes reopening Strait of Hormuz, delaying nuclear
deal
Al Arabiya English/27 April ,2026
Iran is offering to end its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz without addressing
its nuclear program, the Associated Press reported on Monday citing two regional
officials with knowledge of the proposal. Iran also wants the US to end its
blockade of the country as part of its proposal, AP reported citing the two
officials, whom it said spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the
closed-door negotiations. The new proposal, passed onto the US by Pakistan,
likely will not receive the backing of US President Donald Trump, who wants to
end Iran’s atomic program as part of an overall deal including the Strait of
Hormuz to make the ceasefire permanent. “We have all the cards. If they want to
talk, they can come to us, or they can call us,” Trump told Fox News Channel on
Sunday. Axios first reported Iran’s proposal. Axios for its part cited a source
as saying that Araghchi has made it “clear to the Pakistani, Egyptian, Turkish
and Qatari mediators over the weekend that there’s no consensus inside the
Iranian leadership about how to address the US demands.” The report also said
that Trump was expected to hold a Situation Room meeting on Iran on Monday with
his top national security and foreign policy team, according US officials.
On Saturday, Trump scrapped a planned trip to Islamabad by his envoys Steve
Witkoff and Jared Kushner. There had been hopes for a new round of talks, but
Trump later told Fox News he had scrapped the trip, saying there was no point
“sitting around talking about nothing.” With agencies
Iran’s Araghchi blames US for failure of talks after landing in Russia
AFP/27 April ,2026
Iran’s top diplomat blamed Washington on Monday for the failure of talks after
landing in Russia as part of a whirlwind diplomatic tour, with direct
negotiations between the warring parties seemingly at an impasse. Foreign
Minister Abbas Araghchi made the remarks in Saint Petersburg, where he is
expected to meet with Russian President Vladimir Putin, having sandwiched a trip
to Oman in between visits to main mediator Pakistan over the past few
days.Islamabad played host to the first and only round of unsuccessful talks
between Washington and Tehran, and Araghchi’s visit had fanned hopes for fresh
negotiations over the weekend, until US President Donald Trump scrapped a
planned trip by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner. “The US approaches
caused the previous round of negotiations, despite progress, to fail to reach
its goals because of the excessive demands,” Araghchi said Monday.
After calling off his emissaries’ trip, Trump told Fox News that if Iran wanted
talks, “they can come to us, or they can call us,” though he has said the
cancellation does not signal a return to hostilities. In a sign that backchannel
efforts were ongoing, the Fars news agency said Iran had passed “written
messages” to the Americans via Pakistan spelling out red lines, including
nuclear issues and the Strait of Hormuz. Fars news agency said the messages were
not part of formal negotiations, however. US media outlet Axios -- citing a US
official and two other sources with knowledge of the matter -- reported on
Sunday that Iran had sent a new proposal to end the war centered on reopening
the Strait of Hormuz and ending a US naval blockade there, with nuclear
negotiations postponed for a later stage. Iranian state news agency IRNA cited
the report without denying it.
Global issue
The ceasefire in the US-Israeli war with Iran has so far held, but its economic
shock waves have continued to reverberate globally. Iran has blockaded the
strait, cutting off flows of oil, gas and fertilizer and sending prices soaring,
raising fears of food insecurity in developing countries. In response, the US
has imposed a blockade of Iranian ports in the waterway and beyond. Trump faces
domestic pressure as fuel prices rise following Iran’s closure of Hormuz, with
midterm elections due in November. Polls show the war is unpopular among
Americans. The subject of the strait was on the agenda during Araghchi’s trip to
Oman, which lies on the other side of the waterway from Iran. “The safe passage
through the Strait of Hormuz is an important global issue. Naturally, as the two
coastal countries of this strait, we must speak with each other so that our
common interests are secured,” Araghchi said from Saint Petersburg.
Russian and Iranian state media confirmed Araghchi would speak with Putin,
citing officials from their respective governments. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary
Guard Corps, however, have said they have no intention of lifting their
market-shaking blockade, saying control of the Hormuz “and maintaining the
shadow of its deterrent effects over America... is the definitive strategy” of
Tehran. Oil prices were creeping up again on Monday, though lingering hopes that
a deal can eventually be reached have tempered the gains.
Violence in Lebanon
Violence, meanwhile, has continued on the war’s Lebanese front, in spite of a
recently extended ceasefire between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah.The two
sides traded blame over violations on Sunday, with Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu saying the military was “vigorously” targeting the group as both sides
claimed new attacks. Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2
by firing rockets at Israel to avenge the death of Iran’s supreme leader Ali
Khamenei, with Israel responding with strikes and a ground invasion.Netanyahu
told a weekly cabinet meeting that Hezbollah’s actions were “dismantling the
ceasefire,” while Hezbollah vowed to respond to Israeli violations and its
“continued occupation.”Lebanon’s health ministry said Israeli strikes on the
country’s south on Sunday killed 14 people, the deadliest day since the truce
came into force. AFP correspondents reported heavy traffic heading north as
people fled following the warning and intensified raids.Israel also reported a
soldier killed in combat in south Lebanon. The country maintains that under the
terms of the truce, it can act against “planned, imminent or ongoing
attacks.”“This means freedom of action not only to respond to attacks... but
also to pre-empt immediate threats and even emerging threats,” Netanyahu said.
US reviews latest Iranian proposal to end war stalemate
Reuters/27 April ,2026
US President Donald Trump discussed a new Iranian proposal on resolving the war
with Tehran with his top national security aides on Monday, as the conflict
remains in a stalemate with energy supplies from the region reduced. Iranian
sources earlier on Monday disclosed Tehran’s latest proposal, which would set
aside discussion of Iran’s nuclear program until the war is ended and disputes
over shipping from the Gulf are resolved. That is unlikely to satisfy
Washington, which says nuclear issues must be dealt with from the outset.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio said he thought Iran was trying to buy more time.
“We can’t let them get away with it,” he said in an interview with Fox News.
“They’re very good negotiators. They’re very experienced negotiators. We have to
ensure that any deal that is made, any agreement that is made is one that
definitely prevents them from sprinting toward a nuclear weapon at any point,”
Rubio said.Work to bridge gaps between the US and Iran has not halted, sources
from mediator Pakistan said, despite the absence of face-to-face diplomacy after
Trump called off a trip by his representatives over the weekend. Hopes of
reviving peace efforts have receded since the US president this weekend
announced he had scrapped a visit by his special envoy Steve Witkoff and
son-in-law Jared Kushner to Islamabad, the Pakistani capital, where Iranian
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi shuttled in and out twice during the weekend.
Araghchi also visited Oman and on Monday went to Russia, where he met President
Vladimir Putin and received words of support from a longstanding ally. With the
warring sides still seemingly far apart on issues including Iran’s nuclear
ambitions and access to the crucial Strait of Hormuz, oil prices resumed their
upward march on Monday, hitting a two-week high.Trump met his national security
team on Monday morning. “There was a discussion this morning that I don’t want
to get ahead of, and you’ll hear directly from the president, I’m sure, on this
topic very soon,” said White House spokeswoman Karoline Leavitt.Araghchi told
reporters in Russia that Trump had requested negotiations because the US has not
achieved any of its objectives. Islamabad reopens after lockdown to host talks
Senior Iranian sources, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Reuters the
proposal carried by Araghchi to Islamabad over the weekend envisioned talks in
stages, with the nuclear issue to be set aside at the start. A first step would
require ending the US-Israeli war on Iran and providing guarantees that
Washington cannot start it up again. Then negotiators would resolve the US
blockade and the fate of the Strait of Hormuz, which Iran aims to reopen under
its control. Only then would talks look at other issues, including the
longstanding dispute over Iran’s nuclear program, with Iran still seeking some
kind of US acknowledgment of its right to enrich uranium for what it says are
peaceful purposes. In a sign that no face-to-face meetings are planned any time
soon, streets reopened in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad, which had been locked
down for a week in anticipation of talks that never took place.
Pakistani officials said negotiations were still taking place remotely, but
there were no plans to convene a meeting in person until the sides were close
enough to sign a memorandum. Although a ceasefire has paused the US-Israeli
strikes on Iran that began on February 28, no agreement has been reached on
terms to end a war that has killed thousands, driven up oil prices, fueled
inflation and darkened the outlook for global economic growth. Iran has largely
blocked all shipping apart from its own from the Gulf through the Strait of
Hormuz since the war began. This month, the United States began blockading
Iranian ships.
At least six tankers loaded with Iranian oil have been forced back to Iran by
the US blockade in recent days, ship-tracking data showed, underscoring the
war’s impact on traffic. Iran’s foreign ministry on Monday condemned US seizures
of Iran-linked tankers as “outright legalization of piracy and armed robbery on
the high seas,” in a post on X. Between 125 and 140 ships usually crossed in and
out of the strait daily before the war, but only seven have done so in the past
day, according to Kpler ship-tracking data and satellite analysis from SynMax,
and none of them were carrying oil bound for the global market. With his
approval ratings falling, Trump faces domestic pressure to end the unpopular
conflict. Iran’s leaders, though weakened militarily, have found leverage with
their ability to stop shipping in the strait, which normally carries a fifth of
global oil shipments. Fighting has intensified in Lebanon, where Israeli strikes
killed 14 people and wounded 37 in the south on Sunday, according to the health
ministry, making it the deadliest day since a US-brokered ceasefire was
announced in mid-April. Iran says it will not hold talks on the wider conflict
unless a ceasefire also holds in Lebanon, which Israel invaded in March in
pursuit of the Iran-backed group Hezbollah, which fired across the border in
support of Tehran. Israel and Hezbollah blame each other for violating the truce
agreed between Israel and the Lebanese government in Washington and extended
last week.
France says Iran must make ‘major concessions’ to end
Middle East crisis
Al Arabiya English/27 April ,2026
France’s top diplomat said Monday that Tehran must be ready to make “major
concessions” in talks to end the Middle East crisis triggered by the US-Israeli
war with Iran. “There can be no lasting solution to this crisis unless the
Iranian regime agrees to major concessions and a radical shift in its stance,”
Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot told the UN Security Council. Barrot said that
Iran must show a way “to peaceful coexistence within its region and for the
Iranian people to be able to build freely their own future,” months after the
cleric-run state ruthlessly repressed mass protests. Barrot was attending a
session initiated by Bahrain in which dozens of countries made a joint call for
Iran to fully reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the gateway to the Gulf and one-fifth
of the world’s oil. In response to being attacked, Iran has moved to exert
control over the strait, saying it is setting up a toll system, defying warnings
from US President Donald Trump who has watched angrily as global oil prices
soar. Mike Waltz, the US ambassador to the United Nations, said that Iran’s
laying of mines violated international law. “Indiscriminate planting of mines in
international waterways – that makes Iran international criminal pirates of the
straits,” Waltz said. “Tehran admits to these crimes, but it’s so incompetent,
it also admits to not knowing where the mines are.”Trump has criticized NATO
allies for not assisting the United States in the war, although he has also
insisted the United States does not need help. Waltz said at the Security
Council: “Now is the time for a coalition of like-minded partners to step up and
step in with real capabilities and help.”Barrot said “the Iranian regime bears
the overwhelming responsibility for this situation,” pointing to its “obstinacy”
on its nuclear and ballistic missile programs and “its continual support for
terrorist groups.”With AFP
Saudi, Iranian foreign ministers discuss regional
developments
Al Arabiya English/27 April ,2026
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan received a phone call from his
Iranian counterpart Abbas Araghchi on Sunday, the Saudi Press Agency (SPA)
reported. “During the call, they discussed regional developments and efforts
aimed at de-escalation and easing tensions in the region,” SPA said.
Iranian state media said the foreign ministers discussed the latest regional
developments and ongoing diplomatic efforts. During the conversation, Araghchi
briefed Prince Faisal on Iran’s “latest diplomatic efforts aimed at ending the
war and reducing tensions,” Iranian state media reported. Araghchi departed
Islamabad for Moscow on Sunday, ping-ponging from capital to capital as
mediators hoped to keep peace talks between Tehran and Washington alive.
Putin pledges support for Iran in talks with Araghchi in
Russia, says he wants peace
Reuters/27 April ,2026
Russian President Vladimir Putin held talks with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas
Araghchi in St. Petersburg on Monday and told him he hoped the Iranian people
would weather what he described as a “difficult period” and that peace would
soon prevail.Russia has offered to mediate to try to help restore calm to the
Middle East following US and Israeli strikes on Iran, which Moscow has
condemned. It has also repeatedly offered to store Iran’s enriched uranium as a
way of defusing tensions, an offer the United States has not taken up. “For our
part, we will do everything that serves your interests and the interests of all
the peoples of the region to ensure that peace is achieved as quickly as
possible,” Putin told Araghchi, according to Russian state media. “Last week I
received a message from Iran’s supreme leader. I would like to ask you to convey
my most sincere thanks for this and to confirm that Russia, like Iran, intends
to continue our strategic relationship,” Putin added. Iran last year sealed a
20-year strategic partnership agreement with Moscow, Russia is building two new
nuclear units at Bushehr, the site of Iran’s only nuclear power plant, and Iran
supplied Russia with Shahed drones for use against Ukraine. Araghchi said
relations between Russia and Iran would continue to strengthen and thanked Putin
for Moscow’s support, the state RIA news agency reported.
Germany’s Merz says Iran is humiliating US as talks stall
Reuters/27 April ,2026
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz said on Monday Iran’s leadership was
humiliating the United States and getting US officials to travel to Pakistan and
then leave without results, in an unusually abrupt rebuke over the conflict.
Merz also said he not see what exit strategy the US was pursuing in the Iran
war- comments that underlined deep divisions between Washington and its European
NATO allies, which had already been festering over Ukraine and other issues.
“The Iranians are obviously very skilled at negotiating, or rather, very
skillful at not negotiating, letting the Americans travel to Islamabad and then
leave again without any result,” he said during a talk to students in the town
of Marsberg. “An entire nation is being humiliated by the Iranian leadership,
especially by these so-called Revolutionary Guards. And so I hope that this ends
as quickly as possible,” he added at the venue in the state of North
Rhine-Westphalia. US President Donald Trump has harshly criticized NATO allies
for not sending their navies to help open the Strait of Hormuz during the
conflict. The waterway has remained virtually shut, causing market turmoil and
unprecedented disruption in energy supplies. Merz reiterated that Germans and
Europeans were not consulted before the US and Israel started attacking Iran on
February 28, and that he had conveyed his skepticism directly to Trump
afterwards. “If I had known that it would continue like this for five or six
weeks and get progressively worse, I would have told him even more
emphatically,” Merz said, comparing it to previous US wars in Iraq and
Afghanistan. Hopes of reviving peace efforts have receded since Trump scrapped a
visit on Saturday by his envoys Steve Witkoff and Jared Kushner to Islamabad,
the Pakistani capital. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi traveled to
Russia on Monday after failed talks in Pakistan and Oman. Merz said it was
evident the Strait of Hormuz had been at least partially mined. “We have
offered, also as Europeans, to send German minesweepers to clear the strait,
which has obviously been mined in part,” he said. He said the conflict was
costing Germany “a lot of money, a lot of taxpayers’ money and a lot of economic
strength.”
Russian, Iranian defense officials hold talks, TASS reports
Reuters/27 April ,2026
Russian Defense Minister Andrei Belousov, who is visiting Kyrgyzstan, held talks
with Iran’s Deputy Defense Minister Reza Talaei-Nik, state-run TASS news agency
reported. Belousov reiterated Russia’s longstanding position that the Iran war
should be resolved exclusively through diplomatic means and said he was
confident Moscow and Tehran would continue to support one another.
White House blames ‘left-wing cult of hatred’ for Trump dinner shooting
AFP/27 April ,2026
The White House on Monday blamed what it called a “left-wing cult of hatred” for
a shooting at a gala correspondents dinner in Washington attended by President
Donald Trump. Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said the incident, for which a
suspect is due in court on Monday, was the third assassination attempt targeting
Republican Trump in the past two years. “The left-wing cult of hatred against
the president and all of those who support him and work for him has gotten
multiple people hurt and killed, and it almost did so again this weekend.”Trump
himself has pushed the barriers of presidential precedent in terms of using
language toward political opponents that critics say is polarizing and sometimes
violent.In a press conference minutes after the attack at the White House
Correspondents Dinner, Trump took a more conciliatory tone toward the media,
whom he has previously dubbed the “enemy of the people.” But Leavitt, who was on
stage with Trump at the dinner when the incident happened, said there had been
“systemic demonization” of the 79-year-old president. “Nobody in recent years
has faced more bullets and more violence than President Trump,” said Leavitt,
who returned from maternity leave to host the briefing at the White House.
“Those who constantly, falsely label and slander the president as a fascist, as
a threat to democracy, and compare him to Hitler to score political points, are
fueling this kind of violence,” she added.
UK’s King Charles arrives in US to shore up Trump ties
AFP/27 April ,2026
Britain’s King Charles III arrived in Washington Monday for a high-stakes state
visit aimed at salvaging frayed ties with Donald Trump, amid extra-tight
security following an attack on a gala dinner attended by the US president.
Tensions over the Iran war have rocked the so-called “special relationship”
ahead of a trip that was meant to mark the United States’ 250th anniversary of
independence from the British monarch’s ancestors. Charles and Queen Camilla
will now be using their four-day visit – their first time on American soil since
he became king in 2022 – to mount a diplomatic charm offensive targeting the
royalty-obsessed Trump. The royal couple arrived at Joint Base Andrews near
Washington on a plane with the Union Jack painted on the tail. Charles and
Camilla then descended red-carpeted steps to be greeted by Britain’s ambassador
Christian Turner and White House protocol chief Monica Crowley on the tarmac.
White House Press Secretary Karoline Leavitt said Monday the visit would “honor
the long-standing and special relationship between the United States and the
United Kingdom.” Trump and his wife Melania will greet the British royals at the
White House on Monday before hosting them for tea and a tour of a new beehive
installed by the First Lady. On Tuesday, the Trumps will meet Charles and
Camilla in the Oval Office and hold a state dinner. Charles will also become the
first British monarch to address Congress since his mother, the late queen
Elizabeth II, in 1991. The royals will visit New York on Wednesday, touring the
9/11 memorial, before departing Thursday for Bermuda for his first visit to a
British overseas territory as monarch.
‘No Churchill’
Buckingham Palace said the US visit would take place despite the shooting at the
annual White House Correspondents Dinner attended by Trump in Washington on
Saturday. Charles was “greatly relieved” that Trump and other guests were
unharmed, the palace added. Christian Turner, Britain’s ambassador to the US,
told a briefing in Washington late Sunday that after extensive discussions, “we
are all very confident that all appropriate security measures are in place” for
the state visit. But as the US leader’s war with Iran drives a rare wedge
between London and Washington, the visit has generated considerable controversy.
Trump has repeatedly lambasted British Prime Minister Keir Starmer over his war
opposition, alongside his government’s immigration and energy policies. The US
president has branded Starmer “no Churchill” – referring to wartime premier
Winston Churchill, who coined the phrase the “special relationship.” The pair
however spoke by phone Sunday, with Labour leader Starmer extending “his best
wishes” following “shocking scenes” at the gala the night before. Starmer has
publicly criticized the war, but defended the state visit. An early April YouGov
poll found 48 percent of Britons support cancelling it.
Elephant in room’
Trump has said King Charles’s visit could help repair transatlantic relations.
“He’s a friend of mine for a long time, so he’s coming, and we’re going to have
a great time, and he represents his nation like nobody else can do it,” Trump
told Fox News on Sunday. The US visit represents a personal test for Charles,
77, who has been battling cancer in recent years. But the king showcased his
diplomatic skills during 79-year-old Trump’s state visit to Britain last
September, with Royal Holloway University of London monarchy expert Craig
Prescott noting he is “generally very good” at navigating such occasions.
Prescott added that Charles would likely address the war – the “very big
elephant in the room” – in a coded way in his speech Tuesday to the US Congress.
Meanwhile, the scandal around late US sex offender Jeffrey Epstein threatens to
encroach on the highly choreographed tour. Charles has faced a major crisis over
the friendship his brother, the former prince Andrew, had with the late
billionaire, who died in prison in 2019.
Iraqi president nominates Ali al-Zaidi as PM-designate
AFP/27 April ,2026
Iraq’s newly elected president nominated businessman Ali al-Zaidi as the
country’s prime minister-designate on Monday, after he was endorsed by the
country’s main Shia alliance. “President Nizar Amede has tasked Ali al-Zaidi,
the candidate of the largest parliamentary bloc, with forming the new
government,” the presidency said in a statement. The announcement came shortly
after the Coordination Framework, an alliance of Shia factions with varying
links to Iran and that had initially nominated Nouri al-Maliki, endorsed al-Zaidi
to be its candidate. The Coordination Framework had initially backed powerbroker
al-Maliki to become the country’s next prime minister, but an ultimatum by US
President Donald Trump reshuffled the cards. In January, Trump threatened to
stop all support for Iraq if two-time ex-premier al-Maliki, who has close ties
to Iran, returned to power. On Monday, the Coordination Framework praised “the
historic and responsible stance” of al-Maliki and caretaker Prime Minister
Mohammed Shia al-Sudani “for withdrawing” their candidacies. Iraq has long
walked a tightrope between the competing influences of its allies, neighboring
Iran and its archfoe the United States. In Iraq, a nomination by the largest
Shia bloc effectively brings a candidate to power through presidential
appointment, but Trump’s threats left Iraqi leaders at a loss, forcing them into
intense discussions to settle on a new candidate.Seen as a compromise figure,
al-Zaidi is little known in political circles. He is a businessman, banker and
an owner of a television channel, and has never held a government post.
Iranian defence official
holds talks with Russian, Belarusian ministers
Reuters/April 27, 2026
MOSCOW, April 27 (Reuters) - Russian Defence Minister Andrei Belousov held talks
in Kyrgyzstan on Monday with Iran's Deputy Defence Minister Reza Talaei-Nik,
state-run TASS news agency reported. Belousov reiterated Russia's longstanding
position that the Iran war should be resolved exclusively through diplomatic
means and said he was confident Moscow and Tehran would continue to support one
another. Talaei-Nik also traveled to Belarus, one of Russia's closest allies,
where Belarus' Defence Ministry said he discussed the Middle East situation
with Defence Minister Viktor Khrenin. The ministry, quoted by the state BelTA
news agency, said both officials agreed that the sole way to resolve the
conflict was "a return to the sphere of a political-diplomatic settlement and
the intensification of the process of negotiations." The ministry statement said
the meeting "confirmed the mutual interest of Minsk and Tehran for a further
deepening of their joint interaction". In Moscow, Russian President Vladimir
Putin met Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi and praised the Iranian
people for battling to stay independent in the face of U.S. and Israeli
pressure and said Moscow would do all it could to help Tehran.
Islamic State militants kill at least 29 in an attack on a
village in northeastern Nigeria
ABUJA, Nigeria (AP)/April 27, 2026
Militants with the Islamic State group attacked a village overnight in
northeastern Nigeria, killing at least 29 people, authorities said Monday. It
was the latest violence in Africa’s most populous country that has long been
battling a complex security crisis. The attack took place late on Sunday in
Guyaku, a village in the Gombi local government area in the country's Adamawa
state, according to the state governor. The Islamic State group claimed
responsibility for the attack in a message on the Telegram messaging app.
Adamawa State Governor Ahmadu Umaru Fintiri denounced the attack as tragic and
unacceptable during a visit to the village on Monday. Vulnerable rural
communities regularly come under fire from Islamic extremists and bandits who
take advantage of Nigeria’s vast rural areas and security gaps. Among the most
prominent Islamic militant groups active in Nigeria are Boko Haram and its
breakaway faction, affiliated with the Islamic State group and is known as
Islamic State West Africa Province, or ISWAP. There is also the IS-linked
Lakurawa, as well as other “bandit” groups that specialize in kidnapping for
ransom and illegal mining.
Mystery deepens over Mojtaba Khamenei's condition after Iran unveils ‘martyr’
mural
Euronews Persian/April 27, 2026
A mural depicting Mojtaba Khamenei alongside dead Iranian commanders and
officials has gone viral in Iran, fueling speculation that the country's new
ayatollah may be dead or gravely wounded nearly two months after he was last
seen in public. The mural, unveiled in Mashhad Ardehal west of Kashan and titled
"Martyrs of the Epic Struggle," depicts deceased top Iranian military and
political leaders, including Qassem Soleimani, former President Ebrahim Raisi
and Islamic Republic founder Ruhollah Khomeini. The footage of the mural spread
rapidly on social media, sparking questions over the fate of the new supreme
leader and the son of late Ayatollah Ali Khamenei, who was killed in the initial
US-Israeli strikes on Tehran on 28 February. Iranian authorities have not
commented. This was not the only slip-up by the Tehran regime in recent days.
Tasnim News Agency, tied to the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC),
referred to Khamenei in a recent post as the "martyred leader of the
revolution." The Islamic Republic officials later said it was an error. Mojtaba
Khamenei has not appeared in any video or audio recording since strikes hit his
father's residence at the start of the war. Notably, a cardboard cutout was
presented to the public during the announcement as the new ayatollah, while his
first address to the nation was read on state-run media some two weeks after his
appointment.
What we know of Mojtaba's condition so far
International media outlets citing Iranian officials have reported Mojtaba
Khamenei sustained serious injuries in the 28 February attack but remained
mentally alert and involved in decision-making. Reports said he had undergone
multiple surgeries on his legs and arms and struggled to speak due to severe
burns to his face and lips. Other reports made claims he underwent plastic
surgery for his injuries as well and that Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian —
himself a doctor — was in charge of his recovery. Euronews could not
independently verify the claims. Ali Nikzad, deputy speaker of Iran's
parliament, added to the uncertainty during a recent television appearance when
he referenced what he called Khamenei's "first instruction" on the Strait of
Hormuz without mentioning any subsequent orders. US President Donald Trump and
Defence Secretary Pete Hegseth have both previously suggested Khamenei was
wounded and disfigured. Videos purportedly showing him have also circulated
online, with some users claiming they were AI-generated, further contributing to
doubts over his condition.
Bahrain strips 69 people of citizenship over Iran support
Daniel Tari and Reuters/April 27, 2026
Bahrain has stripped dozens of people of their citizenship for allegedly
supporting Iranian attacks on the country. Bahrain’s Ministry of Interior
announced on Monday that it had revoked the citizenship of 69 people, some of
whom were related, after accusing them of sympathising with Iran and “colluding
with foreign entities”. The move comes after Tehran carried out strikes on
facilities in Bahrain as part of the war launched against Iran by Israel and the
United States. The directive, issued by King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa, stated
that all 69 people were “of non-Bahraini origin”. Under Bahraini law, a person
can be stripped of citizenship if they are deemed to have caused harm to. the
country or shown disloyalty.The London-based Bahrain Institute for Rights and
Democracy described the move as “dangerous” and a clear violation of
international law. The organisation said the individuals had not been publicly
identified, and it remained unclear whether they had been arrested, whether they
were inside or outside Bahrain, and whether they held another nationality.
Iranian strikes
Tehran began striking its Gulf neighbours on February 28, shortly after Israel
and the United States began the war by launching attacks on Iran. Tehran accused
the targeted countries of allowing the US to conduct its strikes from their
territory. Iran’s retaliatory attacks reportedly caused significant damage to US
military sites across the region, including a Navy base in Bahrain, which was
hit by missiles and drones. Iran ceased its attacks on Gulf neighbours on April
9, following the introduction of a ceasefire brokered by Pakistan. Negotiations
to permanently end the war are ongoing three weeks later.
Bahrain’s Shia population has long accused authorities of marginalising them.
During the Arab Spring in 2011, mass protests against the country’s leadership
broke out. The Bahraini government has long blamed Iran for fomenting unrest
against it.
The Latest
LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on April 27-28/2026
Iran offers to reopen Strait of Hormuz if US lifts its blockade
and the war ends, officials say
SAMY MAGDY, JON GAMBRELL and ELENA BECATOROS/AP/April 27, 2026
CAIRO (AP) — Iran offered to end its chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz if the
U.S. lifts its blockade on the country and ends the war in a proposal that would
postpone discussions on the Islamic Republic's nuclear program, two regional
officials said Monday. U.S. President Donald Trump seems unlikely to accept the
offer, which was passed to the Americans by Pakistan and would leave unresolved
the disagreements that led the U.S. and Israel to go to war on Feb. 28. White
House press secretary Karoline Leavitt said Trump’s national security team met
Monday and was discussing Iran’s proposal. But she offered no detail about the
discussion or how the proposal was received. She said Trump would address it
later. With a fragile ceasefire in place, the U.S. and Iran are locked in a
standoff over the strait, through which a fifth of the world’s traded oil and
gas passes in peacetime. The U.S blockade is designed to prevent Iran from
selling its oil, depriving it of crucial revenue while also potentially creating
a situation where Tehran has to shut off production because it has nowhere to
store oil. The strait’s closure, meanwhile, has put pressure on Trump, as oil
and gasoline prices have skyrocketed ahead of crucial midterm elections, and it
has pressured his Gulf allies, which use the waterway to export their oil and
gas.
Renewed demands to end blockade
Frustration among many nations is mounting, with renewed demands Monday to end
the blockade that has had far-reaching effects throughout the world economy,
including raising the price of fertilizer, food and other basic goods. The
Iranian proposal would push negotiations on the country's nuclear program to a
later date. Trump said one of the major reasons he went to war was to deny Iran
the ability to develop nuclear weapons. The two officials with knowledge of the
proposal spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss the closed-door negotiations
between Iranian and Pakistani officials this weekend. Iran's proposal was first
reported by the Axios news outlet. The offer emerged as Iran’s foreign minister
visited Russia, which has long been a key backer of Tehran. It’s unclear what,
if any, assistance Moscow might offer now. Iran’s ability to choke off traffic
in the Strait of Hormuz, the narrow mouth of the Persian Gulf, has proved one of
its biggest strategic advantages in a war that has often boiled down to which
side can take more pain. Oil prices have risen steadily since the war began, and
tankers full of crude became stranded in the Gulf, unable to safely pass through
the strait to reach global distribution points.
On Monday, the spot price of Brent crude, the international standard, was
trading at around $109 per barrel, about 50% higher than when the war began.
Dozens of nations push for reopening of strait
Dozens of nations repeated calls to open the critical waterway in a joint
statement led by Bahrain. United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres told
the Security Council on Monday that the humanitarian toll is mounting. “These
pressures are cascading into empty fuel tanks, empty shelves — and empty
plates,” he said. German Chancellor Friedrich Merz criticized the U.S. for going
into the war with what he said was no strategy. “The problem with conflicts like
these is always the same: It’s not just about getting in. You also have to get
out,” Merz said. French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot blasted all sides. He
said the crisis began after the U.S. and Israel struck Iran without clear goals
"in a manner that flouts international law.”But he said Iran is responsible for
closing the passageway. “Straits are the arteries of the world. They are not the
property of any individual. They are not for sale, therefore, they cannot be
impeded by any obstacles, tolls, nor bribery,” he said.
Top Iranian diplomat meets Putin in Russia
Trump last week indefinitely extended the ceasefire the U.S. and Iran agreed to
on April 7 that has largely halted fighting. But a permanent settlement remains
elusive. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi met Monday with Russian
President Vladimir Putin in St. Petersburg, Russian state news agency Tass said.
Putin praised the Iranian people as “bravely and heroically fighting for their
sovereignty,” and he said Russia would do everything possible to bring peace to
the Middle East, Tass reported. Araghchi told a Russian state TV reporter that
the U.S. and its leaders “have achieved none of their goals” in the war. “That’s
why theyask for negotiation,” he said. “We are now considering it.”Iran’s top
diplomat said Iran and Russia “are strategic partners” and that their
“cooperation would continue.”The meeting came as Pakistan has been seeking to
revive stalled talks between Iran and the U.S., and negotiations had been
expected in Islamabad over the weekend. Instead, Trump called off a trip by his
envoys and suggested the talks could take place by phone instead. Iran wants to
persuade Oman, which shares the strait with Iran, to support a mechanism to
collect tolls from vessels passing through the strait, according to a regional
official who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to
discuss the matter. Oman’s response was not immediately clear. The official, who
is involved in mediation efforts, also said Iran insisted on ending the U.S.
blockade before new talks and that Pakistan-led mediators are trying to bridge
significant gaps between the countries.
Trump says Iran offered a ‘much better’ proposal
Trump told journalists Saturday that after he called off a trip by his envoys to
Pakistan, Iran sent a “much better” proposal. He did not elaborate but stressed
that one of his conditions is that Iran “will not have a nuclear weapon.” Iran
insists its program is peaceful, but the U.S. wants to remove Tehran’s stockpile
of highly enriched uranium, which could be used to build a bomb, should Tehran
choose to pursue one. Since the war began, at least 3,375 people have been
killed in Iran and at least 2,521 people in Lebanon, where fighting between
Israel and the Iran-backed Hezbollah militant group resumed two days after the
Iran war started. Another 23 people have been killed in Israel and more than a
dozen in Gulf Arab states. Fifteen Israeli soldiers in Lebanon, 13 U.S. service
members in the region and six U.N. peacekeepers in southern Lebanon have been
killed. The ceasefire between Israel and Hezbollah has been extended by three
weeks. Despite the truce, both sides continue to strike each other. Hezbollah
has not participated in the Washington-brokered diplomacy.
The Bullet, the President, and the Battle for the Image
Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper/27 April 2026
America, and so the world, are split. He inspires excitement in his supporters
and the hatred of his opponents. His enemies are many, and his supporters are
not few. Some say that his shadow weighs heavily on those who despise him - and
that among them are those who dream of erasing him, that a bullet is searching
for him. Either way, he dominates the screens, gushing when he adores and rails
when he hates. This applies to both individuals and states. Let us set aside the
latest episode at the White House Correspondents' Dinner. Donald Trump rushed to
preserve the image. His great test today lies in the Middle East and along the
shores of the Strait of Hormuz. Iran cannot stand his tone or his style. It
certainly resents his repeated boasts of destroying its warships and of sending
them on a one-way trip to the deep end. Iran hates that he brags about the
damage to its nuclear facilities and air forces. Iran resents that he summons it
to the negotiating table as though it were a defendant called to give testimony
at his own trial. It surely resents that in response to the closure of the
Strait of Hormuz, a blockade was imposed upon its blockade, undermining Iran’s
revenues, its storage capacity, and the bounty of its wells.
Iran has been swallowing cup after cup of poison since the man returned. Every
day, Iran thinks of how he is the man who ordered the killing of Qasem Soleimani
- the man who reshaped the contours of more than one map. Most dangerous of all,
however, he seeks to take Iranian-American relations off of the trajectory they
have been on since the revolution. He spoke of American soldiers who returned
from Iraq wrapped in flags or dragging prosthetic limbs as a result of
Soleimani's machinations. The same applies to Iran’s actions against Americans
in Beirut.
Trump, for his part, cannot stand the way Iran addresses his country and the
world. Iran speaks with an arrogance unmatched even by the Soviet Union, which
once sat atop a massive nuclear arsenal. The heirs of Mao Zedong, all the way
down to today's emperor, do not take this tone either. Trump believes Iran owes
its strength to the leniency of his predecessors and that the confrontation
should have begun 47 years ago when the revolution first incited against the
"Great Satan." He says Iran's fingerprints are evident in everything that has
targeted America in the Middle East, despite its attempts to cover up its
actions.
The battle for the image is the most important one of all. It is the real battle
for the master of the White House. For him, the image is an opportunity to
declare victory regardless of actual developments and details. First and last, a
leader addresses his soldiers and his public. No one likes the word defeat or
admitting to defeat. It is impossible for Trump to have his name associated with
defeat. He considers the battle’s outcome to be a forgone conclusions: he is a
strong man, the president of the most powerful country in the world, and the
supreme commander of the strongest army in history.
Moreover, the war did not come to him; he went to it. He chose it. So, he must
justify it and its human and financial costs. This man cannot return defeated or
with a humiliating agreement. He knows the press would sink its claws deeper
into his image if he were to return defeated. He knows his enemies are many, and
that countries near and far are waiting for the right moment to gloat and
celebrate his fall. That is why he cannot return from the war without results.
It is not true that the American-Iranian war began under Trump. This war is as
old as the Khomeinist revolution itself. The slogan "Death to America" was
raised at protests that preceded the Shah of Iran's departure. Signs that the
war had begun first appeared when Khomeini openly supported the students who had
taken Americans hostage at their embassy in Tehran. Their prolonged detention
was a way to humiliate the "American Satan." America could not free its hostages
by force; it had tried and failed. Its image was visibly wounded.
The war would enter a phase of direct killing when an unknown attacker - said to
be "Abu Zaynab" - stormed the headquarters of the Marines stationed in Beirut
and detonated his truck, leaving scores of casualties among American soldiers.
Washington chose to withdraw and pull back. The image of the United States
suffered another injury. The prestige of the American empire would be struck
again when the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps engineered kidnappings of
Western hostages in Lebanon, including several Americans. The game of
humiliation was clear: by detaining a hostage, Tehran's allies could drag a
great power into a "small cage." The country to which the hostage belongs itself
becomes a hostage unable to walk away from its citizen's fate and unable to risk
a rescue operation. Negotiations and concessions become inevitable. Some form of
humiliation becomes unavoidable.
What held true in the eras of his predecessors does not hold in his. Araghchi
arrived in Islamabad replaying the old game. He suggested his country would
behave as though the war had not happened or as though it had won it. Iran was
in no hurry and not seeking a way out. The IRGC generals also insisted on not
losing the battle for the image. The response came swiftly: Witkoff and Kushner
would not go begging for an appointment nor wait on the Iranian negotiator.
Not all the threads of what happened at the Correspondents' Dinner are clear.
Had a bullet succeeded in taking him out, the whole scene would have changed
entirely. All threads converge on this man. His powers are vast, and he himself
is stronger than his powers. The battle remains open. Do the IRGC generals
prefer playing at the edge of the abyss even at the risk of slipping into it?
This is a battle for image: not Trump's image alone, but the Supreme Leader's as
well. Can the wounded leader who has lost his family and his country's military
capabilities open the Strait of Hormuz under the pressure of Trump's blockade?
Can he renounce the nuclear dream and signal exhaustion to the proxies? And what
would remain of the revolution and its image if Khomeinist Iran agreed to end
its military conflict with America and Israel?
Naval blockade flips the equation: Tehran suffocates while Trump seizes
initiative
Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya English/27 April ,2026
US President Donald Trump has become less anxious, more focused, and more at
ease with himself and his decisions, having concluded that the naval blockade
imposed by the United States on Iranian ports is the most effective tool at this
stage. This blockade goes beyond the threat of bombing; it strikes the regime in
Tehran at its economic core and unsettles it more than direct military strikes,
while remaining relatively low-cost for the United States.
This shift has transferred anxiety from Trump to the ruling Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps in Tehran, whose leaders now recognize that time is no
longer on their side. The tactic of stalling and buying time is no longer
viable, as the naval blockade has effectively shut that window. What once served
as a negotiating tool has become an instrument of suffocation. This explains the
state of alert within the ruling structure, where the IRGC’s radical system
intersects with the clerical establishment in a struggle over decision-making
and survival.
Trump does not treat the naval blockade as a temporary option but as a central
pillar of his strategy. He has tied it to escalating economic sanctions, a
reordering of US military capabilities, and the designation of a target bank
inside Iran. In parallel, Israel stands ready to carry out what is required of
it, including qualitative operations or targeting figures representing hardline
positions within the IRGC. The US president erred when he boasted that his
policies had led to regime change in Iran, only to correct himself once it
became clear that the system remains committed to the doctrine of the Islamic
Republic. There is no such thing as moderation when it comes to implementing its
nuclear and missile doctrines, its network of proxies, and its suppression of
any internal attempt at change. The formula of avoiding direct targeting of the
regime while expecting it to alter its behavior under pressure has failed.
The Iranian army disappointed expectations that it might serve as a vehicle for
transition or adaptation capable of preventing total collapse. Trump had hoped
for a Venezuela-like model, but instead encountered a different reality governed
by ideology reinforced by a strategy of self-destructive defiance. He and his
team abandoned a policy of persuasion and inducements, including talk of a
“grand deal,” after discovering that the bazaar mentality and entrenched
obstinacy would not yield. The decisive shift came when the US military adopted
the naval blockade of Iranian ports to contain Iran’s threat to navigation in
the Strait of Hormuz.Iran responded with confusion and defiance. The blockade is
economically suffocating, and any retreat would be seen as surrender. This is
why the IRGC leans toward breaking the blockade by force, believing that
dragging the United States into military confrontation may be less costly than
remaining trapped in a “no war, no peace” situation.
The equation – an American blockade of ports in exchange for an Iranian blockade
of the Strait of Hormuz – has begun to burn Tehran’s own card. Closing the
strait is no longer an effective weapon but a strategic liability. The naval
blockade has crippled Iran’s ability to export its oil, leading to its
accumulation in storage. The shadow fleet is no longer able to bypass sanctions,
and floating oil shipments have lost their routes. The result is self-inflicted
economic suffocation.
This suffocation extends beyond Iran to China, which now faces direct costs. The
accumulation of Iranian oil harms its energy import interests, while Beijing
lacks the ability to break the blockade or impose a solution on Tehran. It faces
a stark choice: pressure Iran or continue paying the price of its intransigence.
In both cases, the naval blockade has become a multi-layered instrument of
pressure – not only on Iran, but also on those who benefited from the shadow
fleet and on other international actors now forced to reassess their alignments.
Prospects for returning to negotiations in Islamabad are receding. The
contradiction between Washington’s reliance on the blockade and Tehran’s
insistence on breaking it by force makes a return to the table increasingly
difficult. Pakistan is attempting to keep channels open but is operating under
severe time pressure as room for maneuver narrows.
Trump is trying to avoid being dragged into war on Iran’s terms, yet the United
States is simultaneously raising its military readiness. The US military
establishment awaits the political decision: Prolong the blockade or move toward
military action. The danger lies in the possibility that the IRGC may resort to
a provocative move, such as targeting a vessel or engaging US naval forces. Such
a step would quickly drive escalation. At that point, Trump may carry out what
he has threatened – “epic fury” – through comprehensive strikes on Iran’s
infrastructure. In this context, Kharg Island reemerges as a decisive factor in
the equation of victory and defeat. Controlling or neutralizing it could shape
the trajectory of the conflict, given its central role in Iran’s oil exports.
Internally, there is no change in the nature of the Iranian system. The IRGC
still holds decision-making power, and radical doctrine continues to govern
behavior. What exists is a struggle over influence within the system, not a
departure from it. Anxiety is rising within the ruling establishment – not only
because of economic and military suffocation, but also due to a deeper awareness
that internal rupture is inevitable sooner or later, after a major opportunity
was squandered.
Trump found himself under pressure from comparisons with Barack Obama, amid
criticism accusing him of retreat and inconsistency. These pressures pushed him
to hold his ground and avoid appearing to back down.
For that reason, he has decided that retreating is not an option. Any step
backward would be interpreted as a domestic political defeat. He is therefore
holding onto the naval blockade as a tool that delivers pressure without the
cost of war, shifting the burden of the crisis onto Iran.
On one level, the US president addressed concerns that any deal with Tehran
might focus narrowly on the nuclear issue while bypassing missiles, drones, and
Iran’s regional conduct through its proxies. These concerns cast doubt on his
credibility and on his willingness to distinguish himself from Barack Obama’s
agreement. On another level, the US administration’s forceful push toward the
Lebanese-Israeli track – by obliging Israel to halt fire and driving it toward
direct negotiations with the Lebanese state aimed at ending its occupation – has
restored a degree of credibility to American commitments.
Notably, the European Union has aligned with US efforts to empower the Lebanese
state and its army to implement the principle of exclusive state control over
arms, including the disarmament of Hezbollah, through proposals for European
forces that may intersect with supportive Arab involvement. This approach gives
the US initiative a necessary European and Arab dimension that strengthens
prospects for tangible progress.
Separating the Lebanese file from US–Iran negotiations in Islamabad was a
deliberate step to signal to the IRGC that it does not hold sole leverage in
Lebanon. The emerging US-European-Arab alignment to move Lebanon into a new
phase lays the groundwork for broader cooperation to contain Iranian adventurism
from the Strait of Hormuz and beyond.The naval blockade that eased the US
president’s anxiety and freed him from the burden of deal-making did not merely
suffocate Tehran; it also enabled him to seize another winning card, namely
imposing a direct negotiating track between Lebanon and Israel under high-level
US sponsorship and with his personal presence.
Iran, the Arab Gulf and the nonstate actor dilemma
Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib/Arab
News/April 27, 2026
Last week, I spoke at a seminar organized by the Eurasia Policy Council at the
House of Lords in London. The event was hosted by Lord Qurban Hussain and Prof.
Shabnam Delfani. The seminar was titled “From ceasefire to lasting peace: What
can the United Kingdom do to achieve lasting peace in the Middle East?” The
attendees and speakers agreed that peace in our region does not start and end
with an agreement between the US and Iran, but rather through an agreement
between Iran and its neighbors, namely the Arab Gulf states.
Nasim Far, the deputy head of the Iranian Embassy, stressed that Iran has no
hegemonic ambitions in the neighborhood and that the threat perceived by the
Gulf states has been fabricated by the Americans. He added that Iran seeks
brotherly relations with them. I addressed the key hurdle facing a normal
relationship between the two sides of the Gulf: Tehran’s proxies. The Iranian
diplomat said they do not call them proxies, as they consider them to be
legitimate liberation movements. However, he did strike a conciliatory tone by
saying that Iran does not want to undermine neighboring states’ security and is
open to discussing security concerns with them.
The big question is how can Iran solve the issue of its proxies with its
neighbors? It is important to examine the nature of the proxies in order to know
how to handle them. Iran could use its influence over these groups to contribute
to reconciliation instead of being the cause of division
Iran has been under sanctions since 1979. It has not been able to make alliances
with regional countries or renew its arsenal due to its animosity with the US.
So, it resorted to unconventional methods to create deterrence. It built
alliances with like-minded groups inside various countries. It mainly engaged
with Shiite minorities. However, it did not restrict itself to them. It is also
an ally of Hamas in Palestine, even though that group is Sunni. These proxies
created a deterrence, as well as becoming tools for pressure and influence. Late
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei used to say that Lebanon’s Hezbollah was on the
“front lines” of Iran’s defense against Israel. Iran’s influence in Iraq, which
was projected through allied militias, was also used to pressure the US.However,
its relationships with these proxies differ. Hezbollah is a child of the Iranian
revolution, while Iran came and engaged with existing movements like Hamas and
the Houthis. While these are public movements, it is believed Iran has also been
behind many sleeper cells in the region. The UAE last week announced the arrest
of members of a group that was operating covertly in the country and plotting
terrorist activities.
How can the issue of Iran’s proxies or allies be solved? As I have mentioned in
a previous article, Iran does not have an on and off switch for its proxies.
They have, at least partly, a domestic agenda. They have grievances against
their governments and use Iran’s support against their own states. Here, Iran’s
role could change from a spoiler to a facilitator. It could use its influence
over these groups to play a positive role and contribute to reconciliation
instead of being the cause of division.
Saudi Arabia and Iran could reach an arrangement that brings stability and saves
Lebanon from civil war
The two proxies that would need immediate attention are the one that is the most
important to Saudi Arabia, the Houthis, and the one most important to Iran,
Hezbollah. Iran can help Yemen and show goodwill to the Kingdom by encouraging
the Houthis to engage in constructive talks with the legitimate Yemeni
government that could result in them joining the state under a federal
structure. The other issue, which is more complicated, is Hezbollah. On this,
Iran needs Saudi Arabia’s help. Hezbollah is currently fighting Israel. Today,
Iran and Saudi Arabia have more in common on Lebanon than one might think.
Neither country wants Lebanon to normalize relations with Israel for free. Saudi
Arabia insists that it will not normalize with Israel unless the latter
recognizes a Palestinian state. In the meantime, Israel and the US are bullying
Lebanon into “peace.” Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has reportedly
threatened Lebanese President Joseph Aoun that, if he does not meet with him in
Washington, he will come on the back of a tank and shake Aoun’s hand at the
Baabda Palace, alluding to a possible invasion.
Saudi Arabia is adamant on the integrity of Lebanese territory and will not
accept it ceding an inch of its soil to Israel. Adviser to the Saudi foreign
minister Prince Yazid bin Farhan last week visited Lebanon to make sure it was
committed to the Taif Agreement that ended the civil war. However, once the war
is over, what will happen to Hezbollah? For sure, disarmament will be put on the
table again. If conducted by force, it could lead to civil unrest and even civil
war. The group and Iran need a graceful exit, as part of which Hezbollah can
become a political party and relinquish its military activities. On this, Saudi
Arabia and Iran could reach an arrangement that brings stability and saves the
country from the civil war that Israel has been scheming. Iran and the US might
be negotiating in Islamabad, but on the issue of Tehran’s proxies, the most
beneficial move would be for Iran to negotiate with its neighbors.
**Dr. Dania Koleilat Khatib is a specialist in US-Arab relations with a focus on
lobbying. She is co-founder of the Research Center for Cooperation and Peace
Building, a Lebanese nongovernmental organization focused on Track II.
Selected Face
Book & X tweets for April 27/2026
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
https://x.com/i/status/2048801440756281762
1. I'm one of those who have blamed the Lebanese government for being all words
and no action, but today, I have to say kudos to Lebanese President Aoun for
going where no one before him had gone in Lebanon. He's doing this at a great
personal risk to his life, at the time Hezbollah has publicly threatened him
with assassination. He called them treasonous, demanded exclusive allegiance to
Lebanon.
2. Hezbollah was planning to revive the April 1996 Agreement, confine military
conflict to the southern part of Lebanon, which would have deflected away
attention from his continues armament to winning territory back from Israel.
It's good that Israel didn't play this game and put instead Hezbollah targets
across Lebanon in play.
3. Direct talks between Lebanon and Israel should continue as the off ramp for
Hezbollah for when it's beaten enough and agrees to UNSCR 1701 (surrendering its
arms to the state). Disarming Hezbollah is the goal for both the civilian and
military tracks that complement each other.
Nadim Koteich
The path to a stable, prosperous Lebanon requires a total decoupling from the
Palestinian cause.
Whether it is tying Lebanon’s wars to the conflict in Gaza or conditioning
Lebanon’s peace on the creation of a Palestinian state, the result is the same:
Lebanese sovereignty remains a hostage to external variables. Linking Lebanon’s
fate to Palestine in any capacity, positive or negative, is just two sides of
the same coin. For Lebanon to function as a normal
state, its security and stability must be treated as an independent, domestic
priority. Real progress starts when Lebanese interests are no longer used as
leverage in a regional equation that the country cannot control.
David M Friedman
Back in 2022, the Biden and Lapid administrations agreed to give Lebanon 100% of
the maritime gas fields that were in dispute with Israel. The theory was that
this would empower the Lebanese government and disenfranchise Hezbollah.
I opposed the deal then, recalling how this dispute could have been settled for
close to an even split of the gas rights during the first Trump administration.
I thought the proposed “deal” would achieve exactly the opposite of its stated
intent: it would empower Hezbollah and give it bragging rights over a
pro-Hezbollah concession.
I take no comfort or pride in being right. But I do urge all to learn from
history. Any deal in Lebanon must unequivocally result in the removal of
Hezbollah from its control of the country.
David Friedman on gas deal: ‘No one imagined 100% to Lebanon and 0% to Israel’