English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News &
Editorials
For August 08/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2026/english.August
08.26.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be
required; and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be
demanded
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 12/42-48:
"The Lord said, ‘Who then is the faithful and prudent manager whom his master
will put in charge of his slaves, to give them their allowance of food at the
proper time? Blessed is that slave whom his master will find at work when he
arrives. Truly I tell you, he will put that one in charge of all his
possessions. But if that slave says to himself, "My master is delayed in
coming", and if he begins to beat the other slaves, men and women, and to eat
and drink and get drunk, the master of that slave will come on a day when he
does not expect him and at an hour that he does not know, and will cut him in
pieces, and put him with the unfaithful. That slave who knew what his master
wanted, but did not prepare himself or do what was wanted, will receive a severe
beating. But one who did not know and did what deserved a beating will receive a
light beating. From everyone to whom much has been given, much will be required;
and from one to whom much has been entrusted, even more will be demanded."
Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related
News & Editorials published on August 07-08/2026
The Sixth Anniversary of the Beirut Port Explosion By The Terrorist
Hezbollah: The Crime of the Century and the Obstruction of Justice/Elias Bejjani/August
04/2026
Lebanon and the Political Parties: Free Existence or No Existence… From the Tide
of Abdel Nasser to the “Black Magic” of Clientelism… Mount Lebanon Rejects a
Single Color/Rima Youssef Saad - Coordinator in the “The Other Choice”
Movement/August 07/2026
Lebanon, Israel shortlist countries that could send troops to verify Hezbollah
disarmament
Israel targets Lebanese army in al-Mansouri, wounding soldier
US reportedly presses Israel to de-escalate in Lebanon
Israel refuses to withdraw from more south Lebanon areas at talks
Majdal Zoun explosion reignites tensions between Netanyahu, Katz and the army:
The details
US told Israel that Hezbollah did not commit any violation
US says Lebanon, Israel 'much closer' to agreeing pilot zone expansion
Al-Rahi meets Aoun, calls for national unity after Rome talks
Pope Leo XIV renews Archbishop Soueif’s appointment to Vatican dicastery for
human development
LBCI sources: Government meeting Monday to accelerate logistical preparations
for transporting Iraqi fuel to Lebanon by tanker trucks
Deputy PM Mitri hands President Aoun report documenting Israeli violations of
international humanitarian law
Fuel prices: Gasoline drops by LBP 7,000, diesel rises by LBP 10,000
Lebanon's Zahrani oil facilities seen as strategic asset amid search for new
regional energy routes
Peace Is a Process, Not an Event Accomplished by a Magician's Spell/Hazem
Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat/August 07/2026
The Devil's Song/Sanaa Al-Jak/Nidaa Al-Watan/August 8, 2026
Dialogue is available in Damascus… but conditional in Baabda/Clara Jaha/Nidaa Al
Watan/August 8, 2026
Efforts to Integrate the SDF Regained with International Support/Laura Yamin/Al-Markazia/August
7, 2026
Drone Death/Joseph Habib/Nidaa Al Watan/August 7, 2026
Rome… A State TestJoe Rahal/Nidaa Al Watan/August 8, 2026
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published on August 07-08/2026
Intelligence indicates Iran, proxies preparing attacks on Saudi Arabia:
Senior source
Trump Says He Thinks War with Iran Will End ‘Pretty Soon’
US official: We expect a deal soon between Iran and Oman on Strait of Hormuz
Iran debates Hormuz wording as Trump says deal’s ‘moving along’
US cracks down on Iran’s ruling elite moving hundreds of millions of dollars
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan sign key defense agreement
Turkey says defense deal with Saudi, Pakistan 'not aimed at any particular
country'
Saudi intel chief in Baghdad to discuss regional security with Iraq PM
UAE’s ADNOC says three vessels hit this week while transiting Hormuz
What is the Patriot missile system and why are supplies depleted worldwide?
Three members of Yemen government forces, two civilians dead in Houthi attacks:
Report
Houthi attack wounds 11 civilians in Saudi Arabia, Riyadh-led coalition says
Mexico and Peru say reestablishing relations after asylum spat
US Senate passes sweeping Russia energy sanctions, next stop US House
US appeals court blocks Trump’s $400 million White House ballroom project
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials
from miscellaneous sources published
on August 07-08/2026
Is Trump Covering for Xi as China Supplies Weapons to Iran?/Gordon G.
Chang/Gatestone Institute/August 7/2026
How Arab parties could hold the key to ending the Netanyahu era/David Powell/Al
Arabiya English/07 August ,2026
Iran… and the Strategy of Stalling and Scattering the Fronts/Kifah Mahmood/Asharq
Al-Awsat/August 07/2026
Confronting the Aggression: The State or the Militia?/Radwan al-Sayyed/Asharq
Al-Awsat/August 07/2026
Redundancies: The difficult side of resilience/Cornelia Meyer/Al Arabiya
English/07 August ,2026
Question: What is the meaning of Jacob wrestling with God?/GotQuestions.org/August
07/2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets on August 07/2026
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese
Related News & Editorials published on August 07-08/2026
The Sixth Anniversary of the Beirut Port Explosion By The
Terrorist Hezbollah: The Crime of the Century and the Obstruction of Justice
Elias Bejjani/August 04/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/08/132851/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2obIBOSX9gA
(Isaiah 33: 01) Woe to you, destroyer, you who have not been destroyed! Woe to
you, betrayer, you who have not been betrayed! When you stop destroying, you
will be destroyed; when you stop betraying, you will be betrayed.
On the sixth anniversary of the Beirut Port explosion, we look back at August
04/2020—a dark day that witnessed one of the largest non-nuclear catastrophes in
modern history. This horrific blast resulted in the deaths of over 200 people,
thousands of severe injuries, the displacement of hundreds of thousands, and the
transformation of half of Lebanon’s capital into a crippled city overflowing
with destruction and ruins.
First: The Criminal Nature of the Cargo and Its Regional Uses
The Beirut port explosion was not a coincidence or mere administrative
negligence, but rather the inevitable result of storing about 2,750 tons of
ammonium nitrate for years without the bare minimum of safety standards or
regard for human life. Multiple international and local intelligence and
judicial reports have confirmed the following:
The Connection to the Syrian Regime and Hezbollah: Investigations showed that
the shipment arriving on suspicious vessels was largely intended for uses beyond
the local market. Parts of this ammonium nitrate—similar to materials imported
through convoluted methods by the Syrian regime with logistical support from
Hezbollah—were used to manufacture the barrel bombs that destroyed Syrian cities
and claimed the lives of thousands of innocent civilians.
International Networks and External Evidence: European investigations and
security agencies (particularly in Germany, Cyprus, and Britain) revealed that
Hezbollah cells were involved in storing similar explosive materials or linked
ammonium nitrate shipments in European countries to carry out terrorist
operations, reflecting the cross-border nature of the party’s logistical and
financial activities tied to Iran’s Quds Force.
Second: The Course of the Explosion and Evidence of Hezbollah’s Responsibility
Technical data and security testimonies consistently indicate that Hezbollah
exercised de facto security and administrative control over the port facilities
(specifically Warehouse 12 and its surroundings) through a network of loyal
officials, corruption, money laundering, and smuggling operations maintained for
years to serve its military and financial power.
When the disaster struck, the threads of truth gradually began to untangle
regarding who brought these materials in and who protected their storage,
prompting the party to use various methods of intimidation to prevent any
uncovering of the facts.
Third: Assassinations and Direct Intimidation to Conceal the Truth
Hezbollah and its security apparatus resorted to a series of direct
assassinations and systematic intimidation to silence anyone possessing
technical or security information regarding the port and its shipments, most
notably:
Assassination of Security and Technical Cadres: Such as the assassination of
retired port customs colonel Mounir Abu Rjeili, retired brigadier general Joe
Skaff, and photojournalist Joe Bejjani, who was assassinated in cold blood
outside his home in the town of Kahaleh after documenting sensitive data related
to the site.
Direct Threats to Investigators: Led by prominent Hezbollah security official
Wafiq Safa, who stormed the Palace of Justice and delivered clear, explicit
threats of terror and intimidation to former investigator Fadi Sawan and current
Judicial Investigator Judge Tarek Bitar, using the well-known phrase (“Qashtilina,”
meaning the removal of the judge by force and coercion).
Obstructing Justice through Force of Arms and Political Vacuum: The party
escalated its obstruction of the investigation by refusing to lift immunities,
launching political slander and intimidation campaigns, targeting the judiciary
continuously, and ultimately freezing the sessions of the judicial investigator
through obstructive lawsuits and political-security maneuvers. This completely
paralyzed the Lebanese judiciary and protected wanted ministers, deputies, and
former security officials affiliated with its axis.
Fourth: The Cry of the Victims’ Families and the National Stance
On this painful anniversary, the Committee of the Families of declarative Beirut
Port Explosion Victims holds continuous protests in front of the Emigrant statue
and judicial headquarters, raising pictures of loved ones who fell victim to
militia-backed crime, negligence, and corruption. These families embody
Lebanon’s living conscience, demanding an end to the dominance of weapons and
intimidation over the Lebanese judiciary, the completion of investigations with
absolute transparency, and the accountability of everyone involved—whether
through importation, storage, cover-up, or obstruction.
Conclusion
"Give glad tidings of killing to the killer, even if after a while, and give
glad tidings of poverty to the adulterer, even if after a while."
In short, the Beirut port explosion was not a mere accidental incident or
natural disaster, but rather a full-fledged terrorist crime resulting from the
dominance of an illegitimate weapons system over state capabilities and vital
ports. Lebanon cannot rise, nor can a secure and stable future be built, unless
the cycle of impunity is broken, the judiciary is freed from the grip of
intimidation, and the whole truth is revealed to the public so that every
criminal and negligent party receives a just punishment.
The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
Lebanon and the Political Parties: Free Existence or No
Existence… From the Tide of Abdel Nasser to the “Black Magic” of Clientelism…
Mount Lebanon Rejects a Single Color
Rima Youssef Saad - Coordinator in the “The Other Choice” Movement/August
07/2026
(Translated from Arabic)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/08/156499/
Lebanon today is facing an existential crisis that goes beyond financial and
political collapse to strike at the depth of its unique model founded on freedom
and pluralism. The Christian presence in this East, particularly the Maronite
presence, was never merely a demographic weight or an isolated geography;
rather, it was a vital synonym for the culture of difference, freedom of opinion
and expression, and the right to political criticism without fear. When these
freedoms are targeted or tamed in favor of totalitarian projects, the space does
not narrow only for Christians; rather, Lebanon falls into the very ailment of
its existence as a nation-message, a state historically linked to Mount Lebanon,
which constituted a natural and intellectual fortress for the defense of
independence.
This mountain was not merely rugged terrain; through successive ages and
persecutions, it transformed into a “refuge for minorities” and a homeland of
free thought. Since the era of the Mamluks and the Ottomans, it opened its arms
to everyone fleeing religious oppression or political repression, consecrating
itself as an oasis of safety that allows distinction and diversity in a
surrounding environment inclined toward uniformity. This refuge role became
strikingly evident in the middle of the twentieth century, specifically during
the rise of pan-Arab nationalism under President Gamal Abdel Nasser. When the
“United Arab Republic” swallowed political pluralism and suffocated the press,
Mount Lebanon became the first and only destination for free people,
intellectuals, and Christian and Muslim elites who fled nationalization and the
suppression of freedoms. Thus, the mountain consolidated its ability to protect
diversity through its intellectual and political stubbornness and its resistance
to attempts to dissolve the entity into transnational totalitarian molds.
Here, a moment of frankness with our people, our elders, and our youth is
necessary. You who claim to have inherited this rich history: you have made it a
prisoner of a bitter political reality passing through a stage of disguised
repression, where the system of corruption, security enclaves, and vague
judicial allegations exploits reality to besiege voices that do not submit to it
and are not packaged in its favor.
To those of you who are swept behind the king-like leader and reject any truth,
your blind dependency has reached the point of deifying him and valuing his
person above the nation and above the truth, forgetting your bitter reality and
your squandered rights, driven by narrow interests, promised jobs, and temporary
gains. This blind obedience does not protect you; rather, it turns you into a
group deprived of the qualities that distinguish you from other creatures—namely
ethics and humanity—and transforms you into fuel for electronic armies and
campaigns of moral assassination on social media platforms.
You do not accept the opinion of others when confronted with naked facts. More
dangerously, you throw yourselves into the swamp of cancelling the other and
threatening his person, freedom, dignity, and right to raise his voice simply
because he differs from you or criticizes with the aim of preserving you and
your survival in your homeland before anything else.
You have fallen victim to the “black magic” practiced by some corrupt party
leaders who, instead of offering the “common good” and protecting their
community, poisoned it with honey. They bewitched you and the rest of the
followers, exploited you, and contributed to increasing the burden of the
socio-economic crisis, bringing Christian society to its present condition of
emptied institutions, economic collapse, and moral disintegration.
They are turning their parties into closed ideological models resembling the
“single-color party,” eliminating intellectual and political pluralism and any
word that contradicts their mood, exactly as repressive regimes and totalitarian
ideological parties in the region have done, such as the Baath Party or models
that melt the individual into the party machine. These are strange and hybrid
models that in no way resemble the history of traditional Lebanese parties, nor
have they attained the genius of Lebanese thought, which is fundamentally based
on diversity, freedom of expression, and free political interaction.
Constructive criticism of party institutions and leaderships is a national and
moral duty in order to correct the course and limit rampant corruption,
domination, monopolization of decision-making, and your deification of the
leader, which has placed Christian Maronite society in particular in a
predicament of structural retreat and elite fragmentation as a result of narrow
clientelist conflicts that have weakened its historic role as a safety valve for
public freedoms and a refuge for the oppressed.
This intellectual decline represents a dangerous coup against the principles
that shaped the Lebanese conscience even in the darkest conditions of war, when
there was a deep awareness that strength does not lie in a single party or a
single opinion. This can be summarized in a statement made by the martyred
President Bashir Gemayel in 1977 during a meeting between him and the Zahle
resistance fighters, where his orientation was clear:
“I do not want to make all of Zahle Kataeb; I want diversity.”
The concern of the “great leaders,” even at the height of war, was to preserve
the vitality and pluralism of the Lebanese fabric and to reject melting society
into one color. The protection of Christian society and the Lebanese mosaic is
not achieved by building psychological walls, suppressing the inside, or fearing
the other, but through restoring intellectual and political initiative and
establishing Mount Lebanon as a center of safe refuge for every independent
thought.Return to those whom you quote, to the thought of the great Charles
Malik, one of the architects of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, who
believed that the role of the Maronites is inseparable from the quality of their
human and universal mission when he said:
“The Maronites were given a country whose society is free, pluralistic, and in
which Christianity is free. Freedom is their most precious heritage just as it
is the heritage of Muslims… Christians, and especially the Maronites, must
convince their partners in the homeland, with gentleness and with the patience
of a sound and responsible mind, of this intellectual honor. And where there is
no freedom from the beginning, you cannot bring it by magic and from
nothing.”The Christian presence derives its exceptional legitimacy from its
ability to create a space of freedom in which everyone can breathe freely. This
imposes upon the generations that carry the torch the duty to return to this
heritage so that they may be a driving force for their society and a fortress
against dictatorships, not a tool in narrow power-sharing conflicts.
Sincere political criticism of reality requires liberation from dependency on
individuals and clientelism before confronting others. Once we lose our
pluralistic advantage and our intellectual freedom, we become like someone
firing a mercy bullet at himself, and nothing will remain except a body without
a soul, deprived of moral judgment. Our duty is to protect the free word so that
Mount Lebanon may remain, as it was in times of persecution, a beacon of
thought, resistant to taming and swallowing, and, most importantly, resistant to
internal despotism before external despotism.
Lebanon, Israel shortlist countries that could send troops
to verify Hezbollah disarmament
Reuters/07 August ,2026
Lebanon and Israel have agreed a shortlist of countries that could send troops
to verify the disarmament of Hezbollah under a US-brokered agreement, a Lebanese
official said on Friday, with the United States due to pick countries from the
list. The official declined to identify any of the countries on the shortlist or
say how many there were. Another Lebanese official and two foreign diplomats
have previously told Reuters that Israel and the United States had vetoed
France. The list was produced during meetings between Lebanon and Israel at the
US embassy in Rome this week, the latest round of talks on how to implement a
June 26 deal that links Israel’s progressive withdrawal of troops from Lebanon
to the disarmament of Hezbollah, which would be “verified” by a third party.
Hezbollah is not a party to the agreement and has refused to give up its
arsenal. “We have reached a short list of countries. We decided which parties
were impossible for each and set the potential actors,” the Lebanese official
said. “The Americans will now decide, and could pick more than one
country.”There was no immediate response from Israel’s foreign ministry to
Reuters questions on the shortlist. When asked about the shortlist, a State
Department spokesperson said the talks were “productive on the technical and
expert levels” but did not provide further details.
Lebanon rejects private security firms
The United States has been trying to broker an end to fighting between Israel
and the Iran-backed Lebanese armed group Hezbollah, which has raged since March
in parallel with the wider US-Israeli war against Iran.Two days after the US and
Israel attacked Iran on February 28, Hezbollah fired at Israel in solidarity
with Tehran. Israeli forces responded with aerial bombardments and a ground
assault, seizing a strip of land extending about 10 km (6 miles) deep into
southern Lebanon. More than a million Lebanese civilians were forced to flee
their homes. The Lebanese official said Beirut had rejected an earlier proposal
for private security companies to play the role of third-party verifier of
Hezbollah’s disarmament.“All of the actors proposed are countries. We still need
to discuss exactly how this would work, how many forces would be deployed and
how they would work with the Lebanese army,” the official said. A framework for
the presence of foreign troops in Lebanon would also need to be agreed, possibly
by housing them under a UN peacekeeping force in Lebanon, UNIFIL, whose mandate
is due to expire at the end of this year. The Lebanese official said that would
require a new UN Security Council resolution, which the US and Israel were now
willing to consider in what he called a breakthrough. Other possibilities
include housing the troops under a separate UN agency or through a memorandum of
understanding with Lebanon. The talks did not, however, produce an agreement on
the next area from which Israeli troops would withdraw so that Lebanese troops
could take control. Beirut had proposed Bint Jbeil and Khiam, two large towns
that have been hit hard by air strikes and where Israeli troops have razed
entire neighborhoods.
The next round of talks is set for early September, the official said.
Israel targets Lebanese army in al-Mansouri, wounding
soldier
Naharnet/07 August ,2026
The Lebanese Army entered the southern town of al-Mansouri overnight to clear
roads after Israeli shelling and strikes. To obstruct the Lebanese soldiers from
deploying in the town and clearing the roads for residents to return, the
Israeli military targeted the army's bulldozer, dropped sound bombs and carried
out airstrikes, lightly wounding a soldier. Meanwhile, Israeli troops detonated
houses in Wadi al-Houjeir, set fire to a water station in Shaqra and shelled the
southern border town of Mays al-Jabal. The Israeli army carried out strikes in
the south on Wednesday and Thursday, including on al-Mansouri and ordered the
residents of the town to evacuate, in what it called retaliation for the deaths
of two soldiers on Wednesday in an explosion in south Lebanon.
US reportedly presses Israel to de-escalate in Lebanon
Naharnet/07 August ,2026
Washington has informed Israel through intensive contacts of the need to
de-escalate in Lebanon, sources told Al-Arabiya on Friday. “Washington has
stressed to the Lebanese side its commitment to the success of negotiations with
Israel,” the sources said. The United States told Israel that it supports the
Rome negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, the sources added.
Israel refuses to withdraw from more south Lebanon areas at talks
Agence France Presse/07 August ,2026
Israel refused in talks on Thursday to withdraw from more areas of south Lebanon
unless the Lebanese army had full control of an initial two "pilot zones", a
Lebanese presidential source told AFP. The seventh round of negotiations between
Lebanon and Israel was held in Rome under U.S. auspices, aimed at ending
hostilities between Israel and the militant group Hezbollah that have become a
second front in the Middle East war. The Lebanese source told AFP, on condition
of anonymity, that the talks had "not yielded definitive results regarding the
pilot zones".While the outlook from Beirut was dim, a U.S. State Department
spokesperson told AFP that the talks were "productive".In June, Israel and
Lebanon agreed a framework deal that involves the disarmament of Hezbollah, a
gradual withdrawal of Israeli forces from south Lebanon and the deployment of
the Lebanese army to the region, starting in two "pilot zones".
The Lebanese army began deploying on July 21 to a southern village whose
outskirts were controlled by the Israeli army and which was one of the first two
"pilot zones". It has reinforced its presence in the second zone. "Lebanon is
keen to move on to new areas, whereas the Israeli side insists on verifying (the
implementation in) the first two zones before proceeding to the next stage," the
Lebanese source added. The U.S. official said "the two sides are a lot closer on
what needs to be done to advance and expand the pilot zone process".
The Lebanese source said agreement was reached on a "shortlist" of countries
that might oversee the implementation.An Israeli official said the plan's
expansion was "not automatic" and would only grow if the Israeli government sees
results. "Since the pilot began only about two weeks ago, it is still too early
to assess its performance. Therefore, at this stage, there is no immediate
expectation that it will be expanded," the official said. The pilot zone plan is
the first test of the framework agreement. But Hezbollah has repeatedly rejected
the direct talks and refuses to surrender its weapons. Alongside the talks, the
Israeli army carried out strikes in the south on Thursday, calling it
retaliation for the deaths of two soldiers on Wednesday in an explosion.
Majdal Zoun explosion reignites tensions between Netanyahu,
Katz and the army: The details
LBCI/07 August ,2026
The explosion in Majdal Zoun, which killed and wounded Israeli soldiers, has
deepened divisions in Israel, with tensions now extending beyond the military
and political establishments to the country's political leadership. The rift
intensified after preliminary findings indicated the blast was caused by Israeli
munitions.Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Defense Minister Israel Katz
discussed the initial findings of the investigation, which concluded that
Hezbollah had not violated the ceasefire and that the Israeli army's immediate
strikes following the explosion had not been properly planned. Netanyahu, who
has faced growing criticism from Washington, where U.S. officials have urged
Israel to reduce its attacks and threats against Lebanon, has reportedly clashed
with Katz. According to Israeli media reports, Netanyahu sharply criticized Katz
for blaming the army, saying troops had failed to follow orders to clear and
demolish every building before entering it, as happened with the booby-trapped
building in Majdal Zoun. Under increasing U.S. pressure over the Lebanon front,
the Israeli army has recommended maintaining its position against withdrawing
from southern Lebanon until Hezbollah is disarmed. It also urged the political
leadership to reduce Israel's reliance on the United States. The army says
Hezbollah continues to plan attacks against Israel and considers explosive
drones one of its main security concerns. Katz said the biggest challenge is the
absence of an effective way to counter such drones. A security official added
that acquiring a commercial drone and fitting it with explosives is "as easy as
kicking a ball," making the threat difficult to eliminate.
US told Israel that Hezbollah did not commit any violation
Naharnet/07 August ,2026
The United States conveyed a message to Israel stating that Hezbollah did not
violate the ceasefire agreement, urging it to refrain from retaliation, in the
wake of the deadly blast that killed two Israeli soldiers in Majdal Zoun, an
Israeli security official told Israel’s public broadcaster. The source added
that Washington asked Israel to avoid escalation, fearing it would negatively
impact the Rome negotiations, noting that Israel's assessment was that the
explosive device had been planted before the ceasefire. Israel had blamed the
deadly incident on Hezbollah and retaliated by limited attacks on south Lebanon
that killed one person and wounded more than 10 others.
US says Lebanon, Israel 'much closer' to agreeing pilot
zone expansion
Naharnet/07 August ,2026
U.S. State Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a statement that the
seventh round of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel was “fruitful” amid
ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon. “Lebanon and Israel are much closer to
reaching an agreement on advancing and expanding the pilot zones process,”
Pigott said, as the latest round of direct talks wrapped up in Rome, Italy.
Al-Rahi meets Aoun, calls for national unity after Rome talks
Naharnet/07 August ,2026
Maronite Patriarch Beshara al-Rahi met on Friday with President Joseph Aoun, a
day after a seventh round of Israeli-Lebanese talks concluded in Rome. Following
the meeting, Patriarch al-Rahi praised President Aoun’s stances as "honorable"
and "patriotic," emphasizing that maintaining national unity remains paramount.
He called on all Lebanese to rally behind the Lebanese State and its public
institutions to safeguard the country and confront mounting regional challenges.
The Patriarch also reaffirmed the Holy See’s steadfast support for the country,
noting that the Vatican remains firmly committed to Lebanon’s stability.Al-Rahi
quoted the president as saying the talks in Rome were "successful" but "Israel
has to cooperate a little."
Pope Leo XIV renews Archbishop Soueif’s appointment to
Vatican dicastery for human development
LBCI/07 August ,2026
The Maronite Archdiocese of Tripoli's media office announced that the Holy See
has renewed the appointment of Archbishop Youssef Soueif to the Vatican's
Dicastery for Promoting Integral Human Development for a new five-year term.In a
statement, the archdiocese said the dicastery is one of the Holy See's principal
institutions. It was established by Pope Francis to advance the Church's mission
in the fields of social justice, human rights and integral human development,
based on the Church's social teaching. The dicastery works to uphold human
dignity and promote a culture of peace by responding to crises and addressing
the root causes of conflict. It also prioritizes refugees, migrants and
vulnerable communities, while supporting sustainable development, environmental
protection, humanitarian relief and international coordination in response to
disasters and social and economic challenges.
Archbishop Soueif thanked Pope Leo XIV for entrusting him with the role and
pledged to continue carrying out the dicastery's mission. He also expressed his
readiness to respond to current humanitarian and social challenges in a spirit
of love and human solidarity. The statement concluded: "We accompany our
archbishop with our prayers for the success of this mission, for the good of
humanity and the promotion of hope, forgiveness and peace."
LBCI sources: Government meeting Monday to accelerate
logistical preparations for transporting Iraqi fuel to Lebanon by tanker trucks
LBCI/07 August ,2026
Sources told LBCI that a meeting will be held Monday afternoon, chaired by Prime
Minister Nawaf Salam, to follow up on plans to transport Iraqi fuel to Lebanon
by tanker trucks and establish a roadmap to accelerate the logistical
preparations needed before the operation begins. The meeting is expected to
include the ministers of energy, finance and public works, along with
representatives from customs and General Security. Discussions will focus on the
condition of the northern border crossings with Syria and the work needed to
speed up their rehabilitation, as the overland transport of Iraqi fuel cannot
begin until the crossings are reopened. They are still not ready. Meanwhile,
Energy Minister Joe Saddi will visit the oil facilities in Tripoli on Monday
morning between 8:30 and 10:30 a.m. to assess the condition of the storage tanks
and infrastructure and determine the rehabilitation work needed to receive and
store Iraqi fuel transported by tanker trucks ahead of its re-export. He will
also inspect the roads leading to the facilities and assess their capacity to
handle the expected tanker traffic, similar to the current route used to
transport Iraqi oil to Baniyas in Syria.According to LBCI sources, the issue has
not yet entered the implementation stage. Monday’s meeting aims to identify the
gaps and measures needed to put the necessary logistical and administrative
infrastructure in place. This comes after the Iraqi side expressed, during the
prime minister’s latest visit to Baghdad, its readiness to export Iraqi fuel
through the oil facilities in Tripoli.
Deputy PM Mitri hands President Aoun report documenting
Israeli violations of international humanitarian law
LBCI/07 August ,2026
Deputy Prime Minister Tarek Mitri handed President Joseph Aoun a report by the
National Committee for International Humanitarian Law documenting Israel’s
serious violations of international humanitarian law during the latest war. They
also discussed an international initiative to renew commitment to international
humanitarian law, as well as a summit to be held in Amman in December for this
purpose, organized by the International Committee of the Red Cross and overseen
by a number of Arab and foreign heads of state.
Fuel prices: Gasoline drops by LBP 7,000, diesel rises by LBP 10,000
LBCI/07 August ,2026
On Friday, August 7, 2026, the prices of 95 and 98 octane fuel decreased by LBP
7,000, while diesel increased by LBP 10,000 and gas remained unchanged.
The current prices for hydrocarbon derivatives are as follows:
* Gasoline 95 octane: LBP 2,461,000
* Gasoline 98 octane: LBP 2,479,000
* Diesel: LBP 2,352,000
* Gas canister: LBP 1,175,000
Lebanon's Zahrani oil facilities seen as strategic asset amid search for new
regional energy routes
LBCI/07 August ,2026
Lebanon's Zahrani oil facilities have re-emerged as a potential strategic energy
hub. While the infrastructure remains significant, its future role depends on
political stability, regional cooperation, and major rehabilitation efforts. The
Zahrani oil facilities consist of three main components: storage tanks, an
offshore loading terminal, and a refinery. Beginning on November 10, 1950, the
complex received Saudi crude oil transported from the Kingdom's Eastern Province
through the Trans-Arabian Pipeline (Tapline), which crossed Saudi Arabia,
Jordan, and Syria before reaching southern Lebanon.
Successive Arab-Israeli wars, Israel's occupation of the Golan Heights and
Lebanon's civil war ultimately brought Saudi oil shipments through the pipeline
to an end. As regional efforts intensify to identify alternative oil transport
routes that bypass the Strait of Hormuz, the Zahrani oil facilities are being
considered as one of the options.The storage tanks once fed crude oil by gravity
to the offshore loading terminal, where pipelines extended into the
Mediterranean to mooring points used by oil tankers. A control room regulated
the flow through the terminal's four export outlets, but modernization efforts
ceased after pipeline operations were suspended. The Zahrani complex also housed
a refinery that supplied part of Lebanon's domestic demand for petroleum
products, particularly gasoline and diesel. The refinery is no longer
operational.
Although the return of Saudi crude through the historic pipeline is not
considered realistic in the foreseeable future, officials and experts say the
facilities could still play several strategic roles if regional conditions
improve. One proposal envisions transporting Iraqi oil to the Tripoli oil
facilities in northern Lebanon before extending a pipeline to Zahrani, allowing
Iraqi crude to be exported from the southern terminal. Another scenario would
see the facilities serving as an export platform for natural gas, and oil should
commercially viable reserves be developed in Lebanon's offshore blocks,
particularly in the south. The site could also be expanded as a regional hub for
importing and storing refined petroleum products. Ziad El Zein, director of the
Zahrani oil facilities, described the complex as a vital and strategic national
asset that complements the Tripoli oil installations. He said that while
numerous proposals have been put forward for the site's future, the priority is
for authorities to make clear decisions and move toward implementation so
Lebanon can reclaim its place on the region's economic and energy map.
Peace Is a Process, Not an Event Accomplished by a
Magician's Spell
Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat/August 07/2026
Some Lebanese are inclined to reject any peace with Israel - now, tomorrow, and
the day after - regardless of who is in power. Others lean toward full peace and
normalization with it, "now, now, not tomorrow," regardless of who is in power.
Both faces of this impulse, rendering turn people into machines that fight
Israel and turning them into machines robotically infatuated with it, are
driven, more than anything else, by sectarian communities’ hatred of one another
and their desire to subjugate one another. While those who hold the former view
see the world as a realm of hostility and war as the only medium of exchange
among human beings, however, those who hold the latter give themselves the power
to say "be, and it is", convinced that there was no history before them and that
they are now founding it by their own hands. And so, against the worst of
conservative tendencies, the wish to preserve the "constants" of war and enmity
as a "human nature," stand the worst of revolutionary tendencies, the wish to
overcome emotion, the familiar, and the complexity of reality all at once, by an
act of will usually entrusted to one person or a few people. In fact, the roots
of this way of thinking, whose adherents imagine they can turn everything upside
down, are ancient and deep. The Old Testament, for instance, often tells of a
single person who, through the power of his righteousness, can save a people and
shape the fate of an entire community: after the episode of the golden calf,
Moses' intervention spared a whole people from destruction. In Christianity, the
resurrection of Christ transformed the relationship between God and humanity by
triumphing over death and atoning for the sin. Greek mythology, in turn, held
that humanity acquired technology and knowledge only after Prometheus dared to
steal fire from the gods.
The truth is that every major transition, including the transition from
deep-rooted, chronic hostility to comprehensive peace, is a process. Where it
succeeds, it develops over time toward progressively higher stages. It is
certainly not a mythic event achieved in a single decisive stroke. We are not
dealing here with a moment like the Fall from Paradise or the Israelites' exodus
from Egypt.
Deeply entrenched hostilities do not, therefore, become peace and full
normalization overnight. In the most historical cases, gradual progress and the
accumulation of achievements broadly prevail. France and Germany went from
hostility to peace only in a series of stages: beginning in 1951 with the
European Coal and Steel Community, then the 1963 Élysée Treaty of friendship and
cooperation, whose aim was to make war "politically and psychologically
inconceivable." And though the US-Vietnam war ended in 1975, diplomatic
relations between the two countries were not established until 1995, after which
trade expanded and investment began to flow. Between the end of apartheid in
South Africa and the broader national reconciliation came constitutional
negotiations and elections, the founding of the Truth and Reconciliation
Commission, and sustained efforts to dispel mutual fears. Even today, the
Egyptian-Israeli Camp David agreement of 1979 is accompanied with a "cold
peace".None of this is said in order to propose a binding "model" for the
Lebanese-Israeli future. It is said, rather, to help put an end to the
triumphant chants that are counting on a magician's spell, or on the push of a
button as a key to history.
Naturally, in processes like these, the initiatives of individuals and groups
play a part, hindering or hastening them, just as progress and a succession of
achievements pull the process forward, while stumbling and the squandering of
achievements pull it back. There is also the courage or hesitation of leaders,
and a community's cultural readiness and background - whether encouraging or
discouraging.In the cases at hand, it would be illogical, indeed inhumane, to
demand that Lebanese whose relatives were killed and whose homes and villages
were burned fall in love with Israelis led by Netanyahu and Ben-Gvir. In the
same sense, Israelis among the families of the "Al-Aqsa Flood" victims would
rebuff a demand equally hasty and glib. How much more so when, in Lebanon's
case, the matter of withdrawal has not yet been clearly settled, while the
surrounding Arab environment, which may accept the principle of peace, is wary
of the principle of infatuation."Love one another" will be neither effective nor
possible in conditions like these; and in Lebanon, the enmity Hezbollah deserves
will not translate into a certificate of innocence granted to the Israelis.
Here, too, history supplies useful lessons. There is a famous descriptive
phrase, "caught between two fires," that holds for Poland's position between
Russia and Germany; for Korea between America and both Russia and China; for
Afghanistan during the "Great Game" between Britain and Russia; for the Kurds,
who suffered the pain of being torn among warring neighbors; and, of course, for
the Lebanese. In all these cases, the weaker party's interest may converge with
the interest of one of the two great powers brutalizing it. Yet "objective
analysis" and cold calculation do not necessarily equal the emotional state that
follows direct personal harm. What holds for calculating machines most likely
does not hold for human beings. And if the balance of power and necessity impose
silence here and endurance there, they do not impose falling into an unrequited
love that stirs pity for the lover.
The Devil's Song
Sanaa Al-Jak/Nidaa Al-Watan/August 8, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
From the "virtues of proxy wars" to the "vices of the framework agreement," a
journey has left the Lebanese hanging precariously on high-voltage lines,
reviving the bitter feeling of the horrors that are hindering their natural
progress toward a future they can dream of, define, and build upon.Those who
lived through the successive wars on this land, whether those fought between
internal factions or those waged by the Israeli enemy, understand the bitterness
of this feeling and relive it these days, even if they are far from the dying
villages of Jabal Amel, while those who sold their people illusions of victory
and the ability to throw the enemy into the sea continue to do so. The deep
divisions that the Lebanese are experiencing, across all religious, sectarian,
cultural, social, and class affiliations, are neither right nor healthy. It is
neither right nor healthy for each of these affiliations to remain trapped in
closed-minded convictions, detached from the other side, as if some are waiting
for Israel to succeed in eliminating Hezbollah so they can regain their
security, while those on the opposite side are waiting for Hezbollah to overcome
the state and sell the country's fate to Iran, which will then tame the United
States and force it to compel Israel to withdraw from Lebanon. This, they hope,
will restore their glory, pride, and contempt for treacherous collaborators,
even at the cost of their homes and families. The fate of the negotiations
remains hostage to an impossible equation in the foreseeable future. On one
hand, Israel links its withdrawal from the Lebanese territories it occupies to
the disarmament of Hezbollah, the severing of its funding sources, and the
dismantling of all military infrastructure associated with or supporting it.
Israel justifies its aggression as a legitimate means of protecting itself and
its citizens, insisting on pitting the army against Hezbollah, while
simultaneously raising the bar for its impossible demands in the negotiation
rounds. On the other hand, Hezbollah refuses to discuss the fate of its weapons
and demands a complete Israeli withdrawal, the return of residents to their
villages, the release of prisoners, and reconstruction. Its Secretary-General,
Naim Qassem, claims that "the path of direct negotiations has brought Lebanon
nothing but shame, humiliation, disappointment, and gratuitous concessions,"
presenting his party as "the only negotiating force that controls the land and
the field, and which possesses the power to offer what the state cannot." He
ignores the fact that Hezbollah is at its weakest point on the ground, having
launched a battle in which it cannot achieve any victory, allowing Israel to
control the territory, destroy the last house in every village it has occupied
or is under its fire, and uproot the last olive tree in fields now scorched.
Israel insists on remaining in its expanding border strip wherever it sees fit
and can. It is the devil's song that gnaws at the nerves of those who cannot
help but remain outside this impossible equation, while those who embrace this
equation prefer the continuation of war and occupation to avoid losing their
axis. Thus, both Hezbollah and Israel continue their exchange of services, which
come at a price, while the Lebanese pay with their lives, their security, their
economy, and the future of their children.
Dialogue is available in Damascus… but conditional in
Baabda
Clara Jaha/Nidaa Al Watan/August 8, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
When the president of the republic is accused of treason for defending the
state, the dispute is no longer political, but rather becomes a direct attack on
him personally and on the legitimacy of the state and its institutions. This is
where the danger lies in the latest speech by Hezbollah Secretary-General Sheikh
Naim Qassem: accusing President Joseph Aoun of treason and inciting against him,
and delegitimizing state institutions because they are trying to reclaim the
decision of war and peace. Qassem went too far, further deepening the divide
among the Lebanese, who are already split over the form of the nation and state
they want, despite his awareness, like other political figures, that the state's
monopoly on weapons has become a firm Arab and international decision, and that
the debate is no longer about the principle itself, but rather about the
mechanism and timing of its implementation. So why go to a point of no return to
the state's embrace? Hezbollah decides on war and retains its weapons, while the
state bears the cost of bloodshed, destruction, and displacement, and is then
condemned for negotiating to regain what Lebanon lost in a war that proved these
weapons incapable of protecting it.
This equation encapsulated the essence of the speech. Qassem, who described the
direct negotiations as having brought nothing but "shame, humiliation,
disappointment, and concessions," accused the government of being "an accomplice
to Israel," and went further in targeting President Aoun, claiming he had
transformed from an "arbiter" into a "participant." However, he failed to answer
the fundamental question: Who gave Israel the pretext to expand its occupation,
destroy villages, and displace the people of the South? Did the concessions
begin at the negotiating table, or on the day Hezbollah decided to wage a "war
of support" from outside the state for the first and second time, linking
Lebanon to the Strait of Hormuz and a regional conflict whose beginning and end
remain unknown to the Lebanese? This conflict is redrawing the regional and
international balance of power, with Hezbollah merely a pawn in one of its
games. Diplomatic sources following the situation closely told Nidaa Al-Watan
that Qassem's speech is not aimed at derailing negotiations as much as it seeks
to improve Hezbollah's position in any future settlement by shifting the
discussion from the surrender of weapons to "dialogue with the party." According
to this interpretation, what is needed is not a dialogue about implementing the
principle of the state's monopoly on the use of force, but rather a
renegotiation of the principle itself, granting Hezbollah a role as a parallel
partner to the state in determining Lebanon's security future. This was the
position of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who traced the root of the problem back
to Hezbollah's unilateral decision-making regarding "futile proxy wars" and its
alignment of Lebanon with external axes. Salam's response was not a personal
squabble, but rather a confrontation between two concepts of sovereignty:
sovereignty exercised by the state with a unified army and decision-making
authority, and another that Hezbollah demands the state exercise while exempting
itself from its obligations. Observers noted the diminished presence of Iran in
Qassem's recent speeches, questioning whether this reflects a decline in
Tehran's role and influence in Lebanon following the failure of the US-Iranian
negotiations in Switzerland and the separation of the two tracks, in parallel
with the progress of the Rome negotiations, despite their complexities and
difficulties.
Hezbollah's Pragmatism on the Road to Damascus
The most surprising point in Qassem's speech was his announcement that he would
not object to a public meeting with the Syrian leadership "at the appropriate
time and at the discretion of both parties," after expressing his hope that
Syria would succeed in establishing justice and remain united and stable. This
is a clear pragmatic shift from a party that fought for years in defense of the
Assad regime to a party that seeks to turn a new page with the authority that
rose from its ashes, without any review or apology for its military role in
Syria. The irony is that Qassem is opening the door to dialogue with the Syrian
leadership, against whom his party waged a bloody confrontation, while
simultaneously setting conditions for dialogue with his own country's president.
This president, who has given him opportunity after opportunity for fifteen
months to address the issue of weapons, is known to have been committed to
stability and to maintaining neutrality among all Lebanese during the most
difficult periods of division. How can dialogue be possible in Damascus, yet
conditional or even rejected in Baabda? Sources familiar with the matter
considered talk of dialogue between the new Syrian leadership and Hezbollah
premature and somewhat exaggerated, despite Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa and
his Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani's assertions that they would not object
to sitting down with Hezbollah at the negotiating table if "the common interest
of both countries so requires." These sources confirmed to Nidaa al-Watan that
efforts to bring the two sides closer stem more from wishes and aspirations than
from reality, noting that Saudi Arabia has set specific conditions for al-Sharaa's
contact with Hezbollah, while it shares with Qatar and Turkey a rejection of any
Syrian military intervention in Lebanon, even a single step. According to the
sources, mending the rift between the Syrian leadership and Hezbollah cannot be
achieved through a single dialogue session, as it requires several steps and
involves a deep Syrian wound that may take decades to heal. The sources
questioned: How will the Syrians deal with Hezbollah? Will it be through
inter-group dialogue? Or is it a dialogue with the Lebanese state, especially
since President al-Sharaa had previously extended an official invitation to
President Aoun to visit Damascus and hold a bilateral summit to open a new
chapter between the two countries?
Efforts to Integrate the SDF Regained with International
Support
Laura Yamin/Al-Markazia/August 7, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
Al-Markazia - Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa received Mazloum Abdi, commander
of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and Ilham Ahmed, head of foreign
relations for the Autonomous Administration, at the People's Palace in Damascus
on Tuesday. Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Deir ez-Zor Governor Ziad al-Ayesh
were also present. The meeting focused on completing the implementation of the
January 29 agreement and following up on the integration process within state
institutions. After the meeting with the Syrian president, Abdulkarim Omar, the
Autonomous Administration's representative in Damascus, stated that no official
announcement had yet been made regarding a final agreement on the dissolution of
the SDF and the Autonomous Administration's institutions. He added,
"Negotiations are currently underway to reach a national formula that guarantees
Syria's unity and stability and preserves the rights of all Syrians." This
meeting came a day after al-Sharaa received Nechirvan Barzani, president of the
Kurdistan Region of Iraq, who played a significant role in mediating between the
transitional authorities and the SDF. In a post on the website "X," Abdi
described Barzani's visit to Syria as "historic," noting that the latter "has
always played a significant role in supporting the Kurdish cause in Syria and
Kurdistan in general." This visit followed a European tour by Abdi that included
Italy, France, Belgium, and the Netherlands, during which he held meetings with
European officials to discuss the future of northeastern Syria, the integration
of the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), and "strengthening Kurdish rights."
According to diplomatic sources speaking to "Al-Markazia," the rapid pace of
developments in the region has somewhat slowed the process of building a new
Syria and has somewhat diminished international interest in this process.
However, it continues and is progressing, albeit slowly, towards its goal. These
sources indicate that the movement towards Kurdish integration falls within this
context. Barzani's visit to Damascus and Abdi's European tour paved the way for
the meeting between al-Sharaa and Abdi, which revived efforts to integrate the
Kurds and revived the January 29 agreement, with American and European support.
Communication continues between these parties, Damascus, and the SDF to
strengthen ties and reach mutually acceptable and reassuring understandings.
This is what transpired at Tuesday's meeting, the sources continue. While it did
not achieve a breakthrough or bring anything new, it emphasized that dialogue is
essential for reaching an understanding. This understanding is considered
necessary for a new Syria that satisfies all its components and preserves their
rights, and for a Syria that the international community engages with and
supports. The key to any support, the sources conclude, is seeing Syria
transition from an era of authoritarianism, tyranny, and injustice to an era of
diversity and the protection of freedoms.
Drone Death
Joseph Habib/Nidaa Al Watan/August 7, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
Drones of all kinds have changed the rules of the game in conflicts,
high-profile security operations, and complex relief and environmental missions.
Battlefields and disaster-stricken areas are no longer the exclusive domain of
manned vehicles. Drones have become the number one player on active fronts and
behind enemy lines. They locate targets, monitor their movements, gather
intelligence, and eliminate them when ordered. Military confrontations have
become more difficult for the weaker side, with drones relentlessly pursuing its
personnel like blazing dragons. The challenges on the ground are becoming
increasingly dangerous for soldiers with the intrusion of artificial
intelligence into the equation. There is no safe haven to hide anymore. If you
are not technologically superior, you are doomed. This week, the world was
shaken by a terrifying video documenting just one scene from Russia's
"human-hunting safari" operations. Shocking footage shows a vegetable vendor in
Kherson trying to escape and take cover from a low-flying, explosive-laden drone
that pursues him near his truck before detonating itself next to him. The man
miraculously survived. However, many others were not so fortunate and paid with
their lives. In response to Russian attacks, Kyiv is excelling in "drone
warfare" on both the defensive and offensive fronts. The saying "necessity is
the mother of invention" certainly rings true; the Ukrainian example is a prime
example. Kyiv has brought the flames of war deep into Russian territory thanks
to drones, and Ukraine's reach has become so long that it can strike almost any
point within the Russian Federation. Kyiv has focused on targeting oil
refineries and energy infrastructure, triggering an unprecedented fuel crisis in
Russia. It has also deliberately targeted logistics centers belonging to
Wildberry, nicknamed the "Russian Amazon," across the entire Russian territory.
Nor can we ignore the "hybrid war" and the "ship-sinking war" raging with aerial
and naval drones. Kyiv seeks to influence Russian public opinion and pressure
the Kremlin to negotiate an end to the war.
Drones have become an indispensable "negotiating weapon"; they can deliver
powerful and painful messages, as is happening in the Middle East. Drones are
the most potent weapon in Tehran's arsenal and that of its proxies. The mullahs'
regime is working to improve its position on the regional chessboard, and its
most prominent pawn is the drone, which it uses to threaten freedom of
navigation, straits, and energy infrastructure, thus imposing a significant new
reality. If deployed skillfully, drones can create a "turning point" and shift
the balance of power over time. Therefore, armies and organizations worldwide
are preparing for future wars with them. Educational institutions have even
begun using drones to counter attackers. This year, schools in several US states
will be equipped with plastic drones capable of speeding through hallways,
smashing windows, pepper-spraying and ramming armed individuals. Welcome to the
age of wonder. Adding to the excitement is the growing indication that
intelligent, autonomous combat robots are on the verge of entering military
service. Buckle up, because the journey ahead is long, arduous, and fraught with
danger.
Rome… A State Test
Joe Rahal/Nidaa Al Watan/August 8, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
The Rome negotiations are no longer just another round of talks between Lebanon
and Israel; they have become a pivotal juncture that could determine the course
of the next phase on the security, political, and economic levels. They come at
a highly sensitive regional moment, where American and European efforts
intersect with Lebanon's declared desire to consolidate stability on its
southern border and complete the implementation of the arrangements stemming
from the framework agreement. This would guarantee respect for Lebanon's
sovereignty, the fulfillment of mutual obligations, and the creation of
conditions for a more stable phase. This round is particularly significant
because it follows a series of diplomatic moves that have brought Lebanon back
into the international spotlight, most notably the meeting between President
Joseph Aoun and US President Donald Trump in Washington. This meeting was
followed by a US reaffirmation of its continued support for Lebanon's stability,
strengthening the capabilities of the Lebanese army, and continuing to sponsor
the negotiation process aimed at consolidating security and preventing the
region from sliding into a new confrontation. The resumption of negotiations in
Rome reflects the continued conviction among the sponsoring parties that
diplomatic solutions remain the most realistic path to addressing the
outstanding issues. Lebanon's priority revolves around achieving an Israeli
withdrawal from the remaining disputed territories, in parallel with
strengthening the deployment of the Lebanese army in accordance with existing
arrangements. This would consolidate state authority and reduce the potential
for escalation. However, several sensitive issues still require further
agreement, including implementation mechanisms, guarantees, and timing. The
success of this round of talks hinges on the willingness of all parties to
translate political understandings into concrete, implementable steps. The
importance of the Rome negotiations extends beyond their security dimension to
encompass economic implications. Establishing stability in the south is a
prerequisite for launching reconstruction projects, attracting investment, and
restoring confidence in the Lebanese economy. Furthermore, the success of this
process would enhance opportunities for cooperation with Arab states,
particularly the Gulf states, which have repeatedly linked expanding their
economic cooperation with Lebanon to a stable environment, effective state
institutions, and serious financial and administrative reforms. At the same
time, these negotiations remain part of a broader regional context, connected to
security developments in the Middle East and international efforts to reduce
tensions and contain potential escalation. Therefore, any progress achieved in
Rome will not be confined to the southern border; it could contribute to
improving Lebanon's diplomatic standing, opening a new window for strengthening
its relations with its Arab and international partners, and attracting the
necessary support for its economic recovery. However, the success of this path
will remain contingent on the actual implementation of what is agreed upon. Past
experiences have shown that agreements alone are insufficient unless accompanied
by a clear political will, effective follow-up mechanisms, and guarantees that
maintain stability. Hence, the true measure of the success of the Rome
negotiations will not be in the final statements, but in the tangible results on
the ground, whether in terms of consolidating calm, strengthening the role of
state institutions, or providing a more secure environment that allows for the
reconstruction of the south and the return of economic activity. Ultimately,
Rome represents an important political opportunity for Lebanon, but it is not an
end in itself. Its success will be measured by its ability to translate
understandings into practical realities that consolidate stability, strengthen
the state's presence, and open the door to a new phase in which security is the
gateway to reform, and reform is the foundation for restoring Arab and
international confidence, thus serving Lebanon's long-term national interest.
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on August 07-08/2026
Intelligence indicates Iran, proxies preparing attacks on Saudi Arabia:
Senior source
Al Arabiya English/07 August ,2026
There is “credible intelligence” that suggests Iran-backed proxies and the IRGC
are preparing to attack Saudi Arabia, a senior Saudi source told Al Arabiya
English late Thursday.
The Saudi source said there were “multiple credible intelligence reports”
indicating coordination between Yemen’s Houthis, Iraqi militias, and Iran’s
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to prepare attacks against Saudi Arabia. The
source said the reports were particularly alarming as they come while the
Kingdom continues efforts to promote de-escalation and peaceful solutions, with
negotiations moving in a positive direction. Saudi Arabia will not hesitate to
take all necessary measures to respond to any aggression, the source added.This
comes shortly after Iraqi sources said they had information indicating that
armed factions intend to launch drone attacks against “neighboring countries
with drones within 48 hours.”Potential attacks may target civilian and energy
facilities, including critical infrastructure, airports, and ports, the Saudi
source said. According to the Saudi source, some of the intelligence gathered
includes observations of missiles and drones being repositioned in preparation
for potential simultaneous attacks. On US-Saudi cooperation, the source said
coordination remains “very strong” at all levels, including between the two
militaries.
Trump Says He Thinks War with Iran Will End ‘Pretty Soon’
Reuters/07 August ,2026
US President Donald Trump on Thursday told reporters that he believed the war
with Iran would be over soon and said the armed forces were experiencing issues
with supplies of some weapons."I think it's going to end pretty soon. I
don't think they can go much longer," Trump said in the Oval Office in a
reference to Iran. Reuters reported on Tuesday that the US Army had used up
much of its global stockpile of highly accurate long-range missiles during its
five-month war with Iran. When asked about the status of munitions stockpiles,
Trump said the country had an almost unlimited supply of certain weapons but
acknowledged inventories of others were limited. "We have certain types of
munitions that are very powerful, that we have unlimited, virtual unlimited
supply. We have others where it's a little bit tighter," Trump said.
Trump said US defense companies were building more production plants, including
facilities for Patriot and Tomahawk missiles.
US official: We expect a deal soon between Iran and Oman on
Strait of Hormuz
Reuters/07 August ,2026
Progress is being made between Iran and Oman on the Strait of Hormuz and “we
expect a deal soon,” a US official told Reuters on Friday.“There is progress
between Oman and Iran on the Strait, and we expect a deal soon,” the official
said.“Once a deal is announced to restore commercial shipping without
impediments, the United States will lift its blockade of Iranian ports,” the
official said. “As always, US actions will continue to be performance-based and
tied to Iran’s implementation of its commitments,” the official said.
Iran debates Hormuz wording as Trump says deal’s ‘moving
along’
Bloomberg/07 August ,2026
Iranian lawmakers are debating the wording of a proposed deal with Oman on the
Strait of Hormuz, with US President Donald Trump insisting an agreement is
getting closer. Trump said the talks are “moving along” and gave no additional
comment when asked about progress by White House reporters late Thursday.Iran’s
Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said earlier this week that an
understanding with Oman had been reached “in principle,” and state TV cited one
lawmaker on Friday as saying the final text and details of an agreement with
Muscat will be announced “soon.”Some Iranian politicians are pushing for clauses
such as a ban on US and Israeli ships from the waterway, the semi-official Fars
news agency reported, a condition that would defy Washington’s demand for free
passage despite a lack of US- or Israeli-flagged commercial ships globally.
Other modifications reported by Fars include an Iranian demand for compensation
from “hostile countries,” a proposed ban on cargo related to Israel, and a fee
structure covering services like insurance and environmental costs.It’s also
unclear whether Iran’s Mojtaba Khamenei has given his assent to the proposal, a
condition for it to go ahead. Iranian officials have said that communicating
with him takes time.A deal on the management of the strait has become key to
expectations for a further pick up in energy flows, which have continued despite
recent outbreaks of hostilities, albeit at lower levels than before the US and
Israel attacked Iran at the end of February. A reopening of the crucial
chokepoint would also likely pave the way for a return to broader negotiations
between the US and Iran to end the war. Fars said late Thursday that Iranian
naval forces had struck “hostile targets” at the entrance to the strait, citing
an unnamed source, an indication that tensions remain high. Brent crude oil held
steady at about $82 a barrel, after gaining almost 4% in the previous
session.Mediators discussing a deal with Iran for the Strait of Hormuz are
concerned that the nation’s diplomats may not be able to guarantee compliance
with any agreement reached, the Wall Street Journal reported. Mediators cited by
the paper say Tehran’s lead negotiators are under growing pressure from hardline
officials to eke out more explicit references to Iran’s role in the strait and
clearer benefits.
One a few US- or Israeli-flagged commercial ships have sailed in and out of the
Gulf since the war started. It remains to be seen how broadly Iran might
interpret a ban on them, as the complex nature of vessel ownership and
management means some shipping companies with US or Israeli ownership or
investment could be viewed as having links to those countries.
Trump has insisted for months that navigation through Hormuz must be resumed,
threatening fresh attacks on Iran if it fails to reopen the waterway. Any
temporary routes through the strait won’t be subject to approvals, permissions,
tolls or charges, a US official said Thursday in response to reports on the
latest proposals. Tehran says a full reopening would require the lifting of the
American maritime blockade, something the US hasn’t indicated whether it’s ready
to do. Fars, citing an informed source at Iran’s Foreign Ministry, said the
draft agreement with Oman foresees Iranian management over the entry of vessels
into Hormuz, with the exit being overseen jointly by both countries. They
envisage transit through a “central corridor,” with traffic via the two other
routes that are currently in limited use to cease within a “specified
timeframe,” the agency reported. Trump, who stepped back from his most recent
threats to resume military attacks on Iran, said Thursday that the US is
involved in negotiations, but declined to say whether an agreement had been
reached.“We control it, but they can always shoot something,” Trump said of the
vital waterway earlier Thursday. Many previous claims of an imminent deal have
proven unfounded, and it’s not clear if the Iran-Oman proposals will be enough
to get traffic flowing again. On Thursday, Iran’s lead negotiator with the US,
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, mocked the White House for repeatedly making threats
and then climbing down, calling it “theater diplomacy on loop.” Visible traffic
through the Strait of Hormuz remains limited, with only limited cargoes from
Middle Eastern producers ferried through as part of a shuttle program involving
help from the US military and vessels turning off their transponders.
US cracks down on Iran’s ruling elite moving hundreds of millions of dollars
Al Arabiya English/07 August ,2026
The US issued new sanctions on Friday against banks, exchange houses and
facilitators accused of helping Iran’s ruling elite move hundreds of millions of
dollars. The Treasury Department issued sanctions to dismantle what it called a
web of currency exchange houses and shell companies. “Through these networks,
Tehran accessed oil revenue and evaded sanctions designed to curb its
destabilizing activities, laundering funds using front companies,” State
Department Spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a separate statement.Pigott said the
latest action demonstrates the Trump Administration's continued maximum pressure
on Iran by cutting off resources the regime uses to threaten regional stability,
support terrorism, and advance its military capabilities. “By targeting the
banks, exchange houses, and individual facilitators that operate this illicit
system, the United States makes clear that those who help Iran evade sanctions
will face serious consequences,” he said. Pigott also said the US was committed
to working with its regional partners to close “every avenue” Iran uses to fund
its destabilizing activities, adding that Iran’s continued support for terrorism
and regional aggression would carry “a steep and lasting cost.”
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan sign key defense
agreement
Associated Press/07 August ,2026
Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Pakistan signed a defense agreement on Friday that
would treat an attack on one as an attack on all three, Turkish and Pakistani
officials said, solidifying cooperation between the three regional powers at a
time of growing security concerns.
The agreement was signed in the Saudi holy city of Mecca during a meeting
between Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Turkish President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan and Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The agreement between the
three Sunni Muslim-majority states brings together oil-rich Saudi Arabia and
nuclear power Pakistan as well as Turkey, which has NATO's second-largest army
and a rapidly growing defense industry. It would increase cooperation and
deterrence at a time of increased regional uncertainty and threats from the war
in Iran. "The agreement is intended to strengthen collective deterrence against
any act of aggression, and stipulates that any armed attack against any one of
the three states shall be regarded as an attack against them all," the Pakistani
Foreign Ministry and Turkey's presidential communications directorate said in
identical statements. "It further provides for the enhancement of all aspects of
defense cooperation among the three States," the statements said, adding that
the agreement was called the "Mecca Joint Defense Agreement."Earlier, Turkish
media reports said it is likely to allow joint military exercises and training,
technology transfers and the sharing of intelligence. Saudi Arabia, whose
critical infrastructure and oil facilities have come under attack as part of the
war in Iran, has been looking to diversify its defense partnerships. In
September, Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed a mutual defense pact that also
defines any attack on either nation as an attack on both.
The agreement also comes amid rising tensions between Turkey and Israel over
Gaza and other regional conflicts, including the war in Iran and Lebanon. A
Turkish government official described the agreement as "purely defensive in
nature," saying the sides have pledged mutual support only for defense. The
official, who spoke on condition of anonymity because he was not authorized to
discuss the issue publicly, insisted that the deal is "not against any specific
actor" and was open for other regional countries to join. The agreement does not
abrogate or replace any bilateral or multilateral agreements between these
states or with other states and organizations, the official added. In Islamabad,
defense analyst Abdullah Khan described the agreement as a natural evolution and
formalization of decades of strategic ties among Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, and
Turkey, saying a changing regional security environment and the evolving nature
of warfare had increased the need for closer cooperation.
Khan said the pact was "purely defensive" and not directed against any country,
with collective deterrence intended to raise the cost of aggression and prevent
conflict.
The analyst said three countries bring complementary strengths to the
arrangement: Pakistan's military experience and expertise in managing
escalation, Saudi Arabia's economic strength and regional influence, and
Turkey's advanced defense technology and industrial capabilities.
Sharif arrived on Thursday for a three-day visit accompanied by a high-level
delegation that includes Army Chief Field Marshal Asim Munir. Erdogan traveled
to Saudi Arabia on Friday.
In addition to discussing ways to help defuse tensions between the United States
and Iran, the three leaders were expected to explore expanding trade, economic
ties and broader security cooperation, officials said. Pakistan's Foreign
Ministry said that while Sharif's visit took place against the backdrop of
heightened tensions in the Gulf, it extends beyond the immediate crisis and is
aimed at strengthening bilateral relations and boosting coordination on regional
and international issues.
Turkey says defense deal with Saudi, Pakistan 'not aimed at
any particular country'
LBCI/07 August ,2026
Turkey insisted on Friday that its joint defense pact signed with Saudi Arabia
and Pakistan amid the U.S.-Iran war was "not aimed at any particular
country.""The Mecca Agreement, which is not aimed at any particular country,
will strengthen the shared security and collective deterrence of the three
nations... thereby making significant contributions to the preservation of peace
and stability in our region," Burhanettin Duran, the Turkish presidency's
communications director, posted on X. AFP
Saudi intel chief in Baghdad to discuss regional security
with Iraq PM
Al Arabiya English/07 August ,2026
Khalid al-Hmeidan met with Ali al-Zaidi and conveyed a renewed invitation for
the prime minister to visit Riyadh
Saudi Arabia’s head of General Intelligence visited Baghdad on Friday to discuss
regional security developments with Iraq’s prime minister. Khalid al-Hmeidan met
with the Iraqi premier, Ali al-Zaidi, and conveyed a renewed invitation for the
prime minister to visit Riyadh, according to al-Zaidi’s office.The pair spoke
about bolstering joint cooperation on regional security matters, and al-Zaidi
reaffirmed Baghdad’s commitment to serving both countries’ interests.On
Thursday, a senior Saudi source said there were “multiple credible intelligence
reports” indicating coordination between Yemen’s Houthis, Iraqi militias, and
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to prepare attacks against Saudi
Arabia. Saudi Arabia has said Iran-backed militias in Iraq attacked the Kingdom
multiple times. It also carried out joint strikes with the United States last
month in response to militia attacks emanating from Iraq. For his part, al-Zaidi
said his position was firm in not allowing Iraqi territory to be used for
attacks against any other country. The two officials on Friday agreed to
continue sharing information and intelligence between Riyadh and Baghdad on this
matter.
UAE’s ADNOC says three vessels hit this week while
transiting Hormuz
Bloomberg/07 August ,2026
Abu Dhabi National Oil Company (ADNOC) said on Friday said three of its vessels
were attacked by missiles and drones while transiting the Strait of Hormuz this
week, taking its total tally since the start of the Iran war to 15.The United
Arab Emirates’ biggest oil producer said it’s taking all necessary steps to meet
customer needs while protecting its staff and assets, according to an emailed
statement. The attacks have resulted in one fatality and 20 injuries so far, it
added.“ADNOC remains firmly focused on meeting customer requirements despite an
exceptionally challenging environment,” the company said. “We continue to be
significantly impacted by unprovoked attacks on our people and our assets.”The
US and Israel attacked Iran at the end of February, sparking a regional war that
has continued, with brief ceasefires, ever since. The conflict has largely
blocked ship traffic out the Gulf via the Hormuz chokepoint. ADNOC has also
suffered attacks on its facilities, including the country’s biggest refinery and
main natural gas processing plant. The statement didn’t comment on the status of
other facilities. While much of the transit via the Strait of Hormuz remains
choked off, ADNOC has moved more crude through it than any other producer over
the past two months. Throughout the Iran war, ADNOC has used its own vessels and
chartered tankers to shuttle crude and refined products, often under cover of
darkness and with military escort, out of the Gulf where the barrels can be
transferred to other ships.The UAE has also been able to route oil through a
cross-country pipeline skirting Hormuz. The ADNOC statement called for freedom
of navigation and safe passage, as talks continue between Iran and Oman on a
deal to reopen parts of the Strait, likely with restrictions.
What is the Patriot missile system and why are supplies
depleted worldwide?
Reuters/Published: 07 August ,2026: 07:03 PM GST
First used in the 1991 Gulf War, the US Patriot air defense system has seen
demand spike sharply this year, with supplies of interceptor missiles depleted
by Ukraine’s war against the Russian invasion and the widening war in the Middle
East. Ukraine is urgently seeking more Patriot interceptors to defend against a
nightly barrage of Russian ballistic missile strikes. But the Iran war has
drained arsenals in the US and the Gulf, and some European countries are holding
onto missiles they may need for their own defense. Following are some details
about the Patriot air defense system, one of the most advanced weapons in the US
arsenal:
What is the Patriot system?
Patriot, short for Phased Array Tracking Radar for Intercept on Target, is a
mobile surface-to-air missile defense system built by US weapons maker Raytheon
Technologies that can be used in all kinds of weather and at long range.
Developed in the 1980s, the Patriot system has been modernized over the past
decades, expanding its capabilities and reach. It is slated to remain in service
through 2048. A typical battery includes radar and control systems, a power
unit, launchers, and support vehicles. The system can intercept aircraft,
tactical ballistic missiles and cruise missiles, depending on the interceptor
used.
What can the Patriot system do?
The system has different capabilities depending on the type of interceptor used.
The earlier PAC-2 interceptor uses a blast-fragmentation warhead that detonates
in the vicinity of a target, while the PAC-3 family of missiles uses more
accurate “hit-to-kill” technology to physically collide with the target.
Raytheon makes the PAC-2 GEM-T interceptor, which can defeat smaller,
short-range ballistic missiles, cruise missiles or enemy aircraft. Lockheed
Martin, the world’s largest arms maker, builds the more advanced PAC-3 Missile
Segment Enhancement (MSE), which can hit longer-range ballistic missiles, cruise
missiles, aircraft and also hypersonics. In July, Lockheed introduced a new
interceptor, the PAC-3 Adapted Capability Effector (ACE), which it says will
cost half as much while still be able to target short-range ballistic missiles,
aircraft and cruise missiles. The system’s radar has a range of over 150 km (93
miles) and can simultaneously track up to 100 potential targets, the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) said in 2015. Although not originally
designed to intercept hypersonic weapons, in May 2023 the US confirmed Ukraine
had used the Patriot system to shoot down a Russian Kinzhal missile, which
Moscow claims is hypersonic. Countries closely guard details about the number of
targets destroyed by Patriot systems, although Ukraine said in January it had
destroyed 250 targets, including 140 ballistic missiles. Patriot has also
destroyed dozens of Iranian ballistic missiles in the Gulf, although details
have not been released.
How widely is it used?
Raytheon has built and delivered over 240 Patriot fire units, according to its
website. Raytheon and Lockheed together have manufactured thousands of
interceptor missiles. Nineteen countries now operate the Patriot system,
according to Raytheon, including the US, Germany, Poland, Ukraine, Japan, Qatar,
Saudi Arabia and Egypt. Sixteen have the newest PAC-3 MSE missiles. Six to eight
countries have requested additional missiles to replenish their depleted stocks.
How much does it cost?
A newly produced single Patriot battery costs over $1 billion, including $400
million for the system and $690 million for the missiles in a battery, according
to the Center for Strategic and International Studies (CSIS). Patriot PAC-3
interceptors are estimated at around $4 million to $5 million per missile.
Specific inventory numbers are classified, but CSIS estimates that about 65
percent of US Patriot interceptors were expended between February and July, with
less than 850 left on hand, down from 2,330 before the Iran war began.
Are countries buying more Patriots to boost inventories?
The US has approved the sale of 5,250 interceptors to Bahrain, Kuwait, Qatar,
and the United Arab Emirates for replenishment. The US is also pressing ahead
with talks on allowing Ukraine to make Patriot interceptor missiles, even after
President Donald Trump cast doubt on such a deal, sources familiar with the
discussions said. The talks include an option for Ukraine to build some
components for final assembly elsewhere in Europe. Last month, the US Army
awarded Lockheed Martin a contract worth up to $58.6 billion to produce Patriot
interceptor missiles.
Three members of Yemen government forces, two civilians dead in Houthi attacks:
Report
Al Arabiya English/07 August ,2026
A Houthi drone attack on Yemen’s Marib province killed three members of the
government force on Friday and wounded another four, a Yemeni military source
told AFP.“Three killed and four wounded in a preliminary toll from the Houthi
drone attack on the Harib area, in the south of Marib,” the source said,
requesting anonymity to discuss sensitive matters.Earlier on Friday, Yemeni
sources told Al Arabiya English that Houthi missiles struck a camp for displaced
people in the outskirts of Marib, killing two and wounding 14, according to
Yemeni medical sources. The sources also said that they witnessed the
Iran-backed group launch missiles from Sanaa shortly before the strike.State TV
reported that Yemeni air defenses downed a number of drones launched by the
Houthis over Marib. With AFP
Houthi attack wounds 11 civilians in Saudi Arabia,
Riyadh-led coalition says
Agence France Presse/07 August ,2026
Yemen's Houthis late Thursday wounded 11 people in an attack on southern Saudi
Arabia, a Riyadh-led coalition said, the highest toll in the kingdom from an
attack by the rebels in years. The attacks come as Yemen is increasingly drawn
into the U.S.-Israeli war with Iran, with the rebels stepping up attacks against
both Yemen government forces and neighboring Saudi Arabia, a key U.S. ally and
supporter of the internationally recognized Yemeni government. Casualties in
Thursday's attack included seven Saudis, including a four-year-old who sustained
second-degree burns, and a woman, two Egyptians, a Yemeni and a Pakistani,
coalition spokesman General Turki al-Maliki said in a statement carried by the
official Saudi news agency. The attack was carried out in the Najran region, on
the border with Yemen, he added. Saudi Arabia has been leading a military
coalition supporting Yemen's government against the Houthis since 2015. Earlier
on Thursday, the Houthi rebels killed at least 58 Yemeni government troops in
missile and drone attacks on military positions in central and eastern Yemen,
according to a military source. Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the
strikes targeted government forces in response to what he described as a
Saudi-backed military build-up.Yemen's defense ministry vowed to respond "at the
appropriate place and time".Yemen, already battered by more than a decade of
war, has increasingly been drawn into the regional confrontation centered on
Iran. The Houthis, who control the Yemeni capital Sanaa and much of northern
Yemen, have abandoned a 2022 truce with the Saudi-backed government that had
largely held despite expiring, announcing a maritime blockade of Saudi ports.
The rebels have since been hitting Saudi ships and have intensified attacks on
Yemeni government forces. Last month, they killed 16 troops aligned with the
government south of the Red Sea port city of Hodeidah, according to medical
sources.
The conflict has killed hundreds of thousands of people and triggered a major
humanitarian crisis.
Mexico and Peru say reestablishing relations after asylum
spat
LBCI/07 August ,2026
Mexico and Peru announced the reestablishment of diplomatic ties on Friday,
following a months-long split over Mexico's granting of asylum to a Peruvian
ex-prime minister who was being investigated for alleged coup plotting.The
governments of leftist Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and her newly
inaugurated, right-wing Peruvian counterpart Keiko Fujimori, "considering the
historic bonds of brotherhood, friendship, and cooperation that unite Mexico and
Peru, agreed on this date to resume diplomatic relations between the two
States," they said in a joint statement. AFP
US Senate passes sweeping Russia energy sanctions, next
stop US House
Reuters/07 August ,2026
The US Senate easily passed sweeping Russia sanctions legislation on Friday,
advancing a long-delayed measure backed by the late Senator Lindsey Graham and
setting the stage for consideration by the House of Representatives as soon as
next month.
Graham, a South Carolina Republican, was among Kyiv’s most outspoken allies in
Congress in its four-year-old war against Russia, and the bill aims to increase
economic pressure on Moscow over its invasion of Ukraine.It also includes
expanded sanctions on Iran sought by President Donald Trump as lawmakers moved
to finally hold a vote on the measure well over a year since it was first
introduced on April 1, 2025.The Senate’s Republican leaders had not brought the
bill up for a vote because of resistance from Trump, who had kept decisions on
sanctions at the White House, not Congress, since starting his second term in
January 2025. The Senate voted 86 to 11 to pass the “Lindsey O. Graham
Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act of 2026,” which would impose sanctions on
Russian officials and authorize stiff tariffs on China, India and other
countries to reduce their dependence on Russian oil and gas. Broad support for
tougher sanctions on Russia may not be enough to secure House passage, with some
lawmakers wary that new tariff powers for Trump could raise costs for US
importers and consumers while exposing Republicans to political blowback.
Trump’s fellow Republicans control slim majorities in both the House and Senate.
Only one Senate Republican, Rand Paul of Kentucky, voted against the bill. The
chamber erupted into applause after the late senator’s sister, Darline Graham,
who was appointed to fill his seat, read out the final tally. Before passing the
bill, the Senate rejected an amendment sponsored by Paul and Democratic Senator
Ron Wyden of Oregon that would have removed the tariff powers.Paul likened
tariffs to taxes on American consumers. “Increasing taxes on Americans will not
end Putin’s war in Ukraine,” he said before the amendment vote.
Trump gets new tariff authorities
If it is approved by the House and signed into law by Trump, the measure would
allow the president to impose tariffs of up to 100 percent on countries that are
major consumers of Russian energy, including India, Japan and some countries in
the European Union, and leave it to his discretion to lift them. But the
legislation’s backers insist the tariffs are narrow enough that they would do
their intended job of reducing Russian energy revenue that funds its war on
Ukraine without negative consequences.“These tariffs have one purpose, to make
it more costly for countries to keep buying the Russian energy to fund Putin’s
war,” said Senator Jeanne Shaheen of New Hampshire, the top Democrat on the
Senate Foreign Relations Committee, in remarks urging “yes” votes. Bill
supporters said the agreement is the best opportunity for Congress to pass
legislation to support Ukraine and a strong bipartisan Senate vote would provide
momentum for it to pass the House. Graham had announced shortly before his
sudden death on July 11 that he and Trump agreed finally to move forward with
the legislation, for which Graham had been advocating for well over a year.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who attended Graham’s funeral in
Washington and met with Trump, watched an early procedural vote on the bill last
week. He said the sanctions legislation would hit Russia’s ability to finance
the war, while sending a powerful signal about US support for the Ukrainian
people. “It’s also a big signal to Europe, big signal to Ukraine, big support of
our people, so I’m very thankful,” Zelenskyy told reporters at the time. The
bill’s backers said the legislation lets the president impose targeted tariffs
on imported goods from countries that buy the vast majority of Russian oil or
gas and enable Russia’s evasion of sanctions. They said the bill limits these
tariffs to the five largest importers of Russian crude oil or gas and the top
five countries that aid Russia’s energy sanctions evasion. The measure includes
a provision to prevent a lapse in sanctions authority that restricts funding for
Iranian energy and weapons.
US appeals court blocks Trump’s $400 million White House
ballroom project
LBCI/07 August ,2026
A U.S. federal appeals court on Friday ordered President Donald Trump’s
administration to stop construction on a $400 million ballroom on the site of
the White House's demolished East Wing, dealing the Republican leader a major
setback in a case testing his presidential authority.
The Washington-based U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit
in a divided 2-1 order upheld a preliminary injunction won by the National Trust
for Historic Preservation, which sued last year after the administration tore
down the East Wing and began building a 90,000-square-foot (8,360-square-meter)
ballroom without seeking authorization from Congress. "Whether or not a massive
ballroom should be constructed is for Congress to decide and is not a matter for
Executive self-help," the panel's majority wrote. "Congress has not ceded
unfettered authority to the Executive Branch to dramatically redesign, reshape,
and reconstruct the White House — the People’s House — to fit a particular
President’s desires."The appeals court placed its ruling on hold for 14 days to
allow the Trump administration to appeal to the U.S. Supreme Court. Reuters
The Latest LCCC analysis & editorials from
miscellaneous sources published
on August 07-08/2026
Is Trump Covering for Xi as China Supplies Weapons to Iran?
Gordon G. Chang/Gatestone Institute/August 7/2026
"The whole notion of a 'private sector' in China is fanciful..." — Roger
Robinson former chairman of the United States-China Economic and Security Review
Commission, to Gatestone Institute, August 3, 2026.
China's regime has sold more than MANPADs to Iran. The CM-302 missiles Iran
fired at the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group during the ongoing war —
President Donald Trump said Iran fired 101 of them — were Chinese. There are
images of Chinese military transports, during the war, landing in Iran after
turning off their transponders.Moreover, after the fighting started on February
28, Iran, according to Financial Times reporting, had access to the satellite of
a private Chinese company — the TEE-01B of Earth Eye Co. — and was using the
imagery to target U.S. military assets in the region. Almost certainly, imagery
from this asset resulted in the March 1 strike on Kuwait that killed six
American servicemembers. China has also allowed the Aerospace Force of Iran's
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps to use the commercial ground stations of
Emposat, a Chinese company.
So far, China's MANPADs have not killed Americans during the war. On April 3,
however, Iranian fire took down a U.S. Air Force F-15E over southwestern Iran.
It appears the Iranians used a Chinese MANPAD. The fact remains that the Chinese
regime is determined to kill Americans, and the Trump administration is not
stopping it... The flow of Chinese weapons is, from all accounts, continuing.
The Chinese regime is determined to kill Americans, and the Trump administration
is not stopping it. According to Reuters, China plans to sell Iran up to 400
shoulder-launched anti-aircraft missiles, commonly known as MANPADs. On April 3,
Iran took down a U.S. Air Force F-15E, apparently using a Chinese MANPAD. "I am
confident that within the Chinese system, if there are private sector actors,
and we gave the Chinese the name of the company we believed may be dealing with
the Iranians, that I am confident the Chinese leadership will make sure that
private sector actors do not transact in those kind of weapons," Treasury Sec.
Scott Bessent told Edward Lawrence of Fox Business on July 30. Bessent was
reacting to a July 28 Reuters report that a "Chinese supplier," acting through a
Hong Kong intermediary, was planning to sell Iran up to 400 shoulder-launched
anti-aircraft missiles, commonly known as MANPADs (man-portable air-defense
systems). The Chinese regime has not been taking Bessent seriously. In June,
Treasury imposed sanctions on Chinese and Hong Kong individuals and companies
facilitating the transfer of weapons, including MANPADs, to Iran. China's
transfers of MANPADs are not the work of rogues. The Communist Party runs a
near-total surveillance state, and no enterprise, state-owned or private, could
sell weapons to Iran — or do anything else for that matter — without the regime
knowing about it.Privately owned companies in China do not operate independently
of the Party, especially when their actions can affect relations with friends
such as Iran and enemies such as the United States."Bessent implied that a
'private sector actor,' without the knowledge of China's leadership, was sending
the weapons," Charles Burton of the Sinopsis think tank told Gatestone. "There
is no commercial venture in China that does not have a Communist Party branch
controlling the board of directors. It is inconceivable that any weapons exports
come out of China except as directed by China's central authorities."
"The whole notion of a 'private sector' in China is fanciful and serves only to
reinforce one of Beijing's most prized propaganda tools," Roger Robinson, former
chairman of the United States-China Economic and Security Review Commission,
said to this publication. "This MANPAD case illustrates the benefits for the CCP
of being able to distance itself from egregious national security behavior that
it conceives and fully intends to implement."
China's regime has sold more than MANPADs to Iran. The CM-302 missiles Iran
fired at the Abraham Lincoln Carrier Strike Group during the ongoing war —
President Donald Trump said Iran fired 101 of them — were Chinese. There are
images of Chinese military transports, during the war, landing in Iran after
turning off their transponders.Moreover, after the fighting started on February
28, Iran, according to Financial Times reporting, had access to the satellite of
a private Chinese company — the TEE-01B of Earth Eye Co. — and was using the
imagery to target U.S. military assets in the region. Almost certainly, imagery
from this asset resulted in the March 1 strike on Kuwait that killed six
American servicemembers.
China has also allowed the Aerospace Force of Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard
Corps to use the commercial ground stations of Emposat, a Chinese company.Trump,
speaking from the Oval Office the day after the Reuters report, said he would be
"disappointed" if China were to supply weapons to Iran. He also said Xi had
repeatedly assured him that China would not do so.So far, China's MANPADs have
not killed Americans during the war. On April 3, however, Iranian fire took down
a U.S. Air Force F-15E over southwestern Iran. It appears the Iranians used a
Chinese MANPAD.
The fact remains that the Chinese regime is determined to kill Americans, and
the Trump administration is not stopping it. Many believe that Trump is issuing
warnings to China in private, but so far the president has not shown the
political will to do anything effective. The flow of Chinese weapons is, from
all accounts, continuing. "The greatest immorality," said Ronald Reagan in a 60
Minutes interview with Mike Wallace, "is for a government to ask its young men
to fight and die for their country if it isn't a cause that that country is
willing to win."
**Gordon G. Chang is the author of Plan Red: China's Project to Destroy America,
a Gatestone Institute distinguished senior fellow, and a member of its Advisory
Board.
**Follow Gordon G. Chang on X (formerly Twitter)
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22774/china-supplying-iran-weapons
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute
How Arab parties could hold the key to ending the
Netanyahu era
David Powell/Al Arabiya English/07 August ,2026
The parliamentary elections in Israel, scheduled for October 27, are widely
predicted to be the most consequential in the country’s history. They will be a
referendum on the record of Benjamin Netanhyahu, the dominant figure in Israeli
politics for the last 30 years.
This will be first time Israelis can deliver their verdict on how far Netanyahu
was to blame for the deadly Hamas attacks of October 7, 2023, the worst in the
country’s history, and on his prosecution of the subsequent wars – not only on
Hamas in Gaza but against Iran itself and the other militias it sponsors in
Lebanon, Iraq and Yemen.And the indications are that Netanyahu’s Likud party,
and his current coalition government could lose power to the “Change” bloc of
right, center and left-wing parties. Yashar, the major party in this opposition
bloc, is led by a relative newcomer to politics – Gadi Eisenkot. This
plain-speaking former Israeli chief of staff, whose parents came from Morocco
and who lost both a son and a nephew in the Gaza war, is a plain-speaking
military man, in contrast to the smooth-talking Netanyahu. But Likud election
advertisements that have mocked Eisenkot’s less than fluent English do not seem
to have dented his public appeal. Eisenkot has in recent months overtaken not
only Netanyahu but also the more established anti-Netanyahu politicians –
Neftali Bennett, Yair Lapid, and Benny Gantz – as the most popular politician in
Israel. Bennet and Lapid joined forces in April this year in a bid to enhance
their electoral prospects, but have lost out to the fast-rising Eisenkot as the
main challenger to Netanyahu.The key issues in the forthcoming election are not
only Netanyahu’s attempts to blame others for the October 7 catastrophe and
prevent an independent inquiry that would likely find him at least partly
responsible. In the year before those attacks, Netanyahu’s coalition attempted
to weaken Israel’s supreme court, the only effective check on executive power in
the country. This prompted months of massive street protests in Tel Aviv and
other cities by Israelis who saw this as an attack on the foundations of the
country’s democracy. Netanyahu’s attempts to curb the power of the attorney
general, the country’s chief law officer, was similarly seen by many as a
dangerously authoritarian move.
But perhaps the most controversial act by Netanyahu has been his willingness to
placate political parties in his coalition which represent Haredis –
ultraorthodox Jews – by offering exemption from military service for young
Haredi men. It is a legal requirement of all Israelis – apart from Arab citizens
– to do military service. Even in peace time this exemption for Haredis was seen
by secular Israelis as grossly unfair. But in a time of war, when nearly a
thousand young Israelis have been killed and six times that number wounded,
allowing thousands of Haredi men to dodge the draft has led to resentment and
anger across society. Not only the majority of the public but also the army,
which is grappling with a severe manpower shortage after three years of war,
fiercely opposes Netanyahu’s attempts to circumvent the Supreme Court ruling in
2024 that young Haredi men cannot continue to evade military service. This is no
longer a left-right issue in Israeli politics. Netanyahurom the non-Haredi
religious community, traditional supporters of Netanyahu, account for around
half of all casualties in the last three years of war. They and their families
are outraged at his sanctioning of draft dodging simply to keep Haredi parties
inside the coalition. And even some Likud members of parliament have publicly
opposed Netanyahu over this. The anger over these issues, and over Netanyahu’s
failure to make good on his promise to achieve “total” victory, either over
Hamas, Hezbollah or Iran itself, is reflected in the opinion polls. In recent
weeks they show a consistent decline in support for Netanyahu, with his party
forecast to lose around ten of its current 32 seats in the Knesset.
After elections in Israel, major parties always have to rely on support from
smaller ones to give them enough Knesset seats to form a government. That is why
Netanyahu has been keen to placate the Haredi parties and why he offered extreme
right leaders of minor parties, like Itamar Ben-Gvir and Bezalel Smotrich,
ministerial posts in return for their support. If Netanyahu is ousted from
power, these two ministers are unlikely to return to power. And this could go
some way to calming the explosive situation in the West Bank where extremist
settlers are attacking Palestinian communities with impunity, thanks to the
active support they enjoy from both Finance Minister Smotrich and National
Security Minister Ben-Gvir.
The question therefore is not only whether Eisenkot’s party emerges as largest
after the election, but whether the anti-Netanyahu opposition can form a stable
centrists coalition and marginalize the extreme right. And the key element in
helping him cross the 61-seat threshold in the Knesset could be the Arab
parties. They have traditionally been reluctant to join Israeli governments,
seeing them as inimical to the interest of Arab citizens. But the Ra’am party,
let by Mansour Abbas joined the short-lived Neftali Bennett government in 2021,
and is apparently willing to do so again. Abbas, wrote last month that he
expected his party to win seven Knesset seats in October and to become the king
maker in an anti-Netanyahu government.
The Change bloc leaders have been wary of saying they would work with Arab
parties like Ra’am, worried that the Netanyahu campaign’s oft repeated claim
that his political rivals would be puppets of the Arab parties could cost them
support. But Eisenkot has not ruled out the idea, insisting only that Arab
parties accept the idea of universal military or national service and accept
Israel as a Jewish state, something that Abbas did back in 2021.With memories
fresh in Israel of the Hamas attack from Gaza nearly three years ago, support
for withdrawal from the West Bank and establishment of a Palestinian state is
now down at around 30 percent. But while the opposition candidates have
consequently campaigned more on security and regional integration than a
two-state solution, Eisenkot has not ruled it out in the same way as Netanyahu
and his coalition partners have for the last four years.
With three months still to go before the October election, it is premature to
write off Benjamin Netanyahu, the longest serving prime minister in Israel’s
history. But given the anger at the legacy of his latest four years in power,
the long Netanyahu era could be coming to an end. And the consequences could be
profound both for Israel and its neighbors.
Iran… and the Strategy of Stalling and Scattering the
Fronts
Kifah Mahmood/Asharq Al-Awsat/August 07/2026
Looking at Iranian conduct in the Middle East through the lens of isolated
events is no longer sufficient to understand what is happening. The escalation
unfolding across multiple arenas — from the Gulf to the Kurdistan Region of
Iraq, Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen — does not appear, in the view of many
observers, to consist merely of separate reactions. Rather, it forms part of a
strategic approach based on a simple principle: the greater the pressure on
Tehran, the wider the area of tension becomes beyond its borders. According to
this interpretation, geography is not an objective in itself, but a means of
buying time.
In recent years, the region has become an interconnected theater of crises. The
nuclear issue, the missile program, regional influence, and the security of
maritime routes have all converged into a single equation. Whenever negotiations
or international pressure approach a decisive stage, new crises emerge in more
than one arena, reshuffling the international community's priorities and
reducing its focus on the core issues concerning Iran. In this regard, analysts
believe that one of the main objectives of this strategy is to shift
international attention away from the nuclear program and toward the management
of regional crises. When navigation in the Gulf or the Red Sea, energy security,
or the stability of neighboring countries become the daily headlines, discussion
of uranium enrichment and the future of the nuclear program is pushed into
second place, even if only temporarily. For a state that has been engaged in
complex negotiations for years, time is not a secondary consideration, but one
of its most important sources of leverage. Some experts therefore argue that
Tehran treats time as a strategic resource. Every postponed round of
negotiations and every regional crisis that captures international attention
gives it additional room to preserve its scientific, industrial, and military
capabilities and to continue developing its programs within the limits allowed
by political and economic circumstances.
Whether one agrees with this interpretation or not, it is clear that the time
factor has remained present throughout most stages of negotiations between Iran
and the West. By contrast, a number of countries in the region appear to have
recognized the nature of this equation. The Gulf states, which in recent years
have faced attacks and threats targeting energy facilities, maritime security,
and their airspace, have generally adopted a policy of strengthening their
defenses, containing escalation, and avoiding being drawn into a broad regional
confrontation. Some may interpret this conduct as caution, but it can also be
viewed as a strategic choice intended to prevent any party from turning Gulf
territory into an open battlefield.The same applies to Jordan, which has
addressed the security challenges surrounding it with the mindset of a state
determined to protect its borders and stability without being dragged into an
expanded confrontation. The Kurdistan Region, despite the security tensions and
repeated pressure it has faced, has likewise maintained an approach that favors
political and diplomatic containment, recognizing the sensitivity of its
geographical position and the complexity of the Iraqi landscape. As tensions
concerning the security of the Red Sea and the Mediterranean have intensified,
Egypt has emerged as a party directly concerned with protecting one of the
world's most important maritime routes. Cairo, too, has demonstrated its
determination to safeguard its strategic interests and prevent conflicts from
spreading into its national territory, without becoming involved in
confrontations that would widen the scope of the war. Thus, the common
denominator among the Gulf states, Jordan, the Kurdistan Region, and Egypt has
been an effort to narrow the area of conflict rather than expand it.
The military dimension, however, is not the only matter of concern. Some believe
that the more serious challenge lies in the fragility of certain domestic
environments in the region.
In countries suffering from political or sectarian divisions, or from weak state
institutions — as is the case in Yemen, Iraq, and Lebanon — external crises are
more capable of generating internal ones. This makes building the nation-state
and strengthening citizenship and the rule of law essential components of
national security, rather than merely reform projects. Another question remains:
Why have Türkiye and Pakistan, so far, remained outside the circles of direct
escalation? This may be due to the particular nature of each country's
relationship with Iran, as well as geopolitical balances that make the cost of
opening new fronts high for all parties. The Middle East, however, has
repeatedly demonstrated that maps of tension are not fixed and that today's
calculations may differ from tomorrow's. The most pressing question concerns the
American and European position. Does the West seek to bring the conflict with
Iran to a decisive conclusion, or merely to manage it and prevent it from
exploding?The answers differ, but many observers believe that crisis management,
however successful it may be in avoiding a comprehensive confrontation, may also
give all parties additional time to rearrange their positions. This makes the
conflict increasingly complex as time passes. Ultimately, the most important
question may not be: Where will the next crisis erupt? Rather, it may be: Who
benefits from prolonging it? If time constitutes a strategic resource in the
calculations of states, preventing it from being turned into a tool for
deepening crises is no less important than preventing wars from breaking out in
the first place. The experience of recent years has shown that the countries
that relied on internal cohesion, restraint, and the primacy of state logic over
emotional reaction were the most capable of protecting their stability,
regardless of how fiercely the winds of the region blew.
Confronting the Aggression: The State or the Militia?
Radwan al-Sayyed/Asharq Al-Awsat/August 07/2026
It is only natural to feel indignation and anger toward an enemy like Israel,
which in recent years has known nothing but killing, destruction, and blocking
any prospects for peace. However, two issues have become highly pressing, even
if they appear distinct. The first is the vacillation between information and
opinion. The second is militias and their weapons, which have become detrimental
to both human life and the built environment. In the conflict between
information and opinion, it is observable that media and communication outlets
report dozens of pieces of information about a single event within minutes.
Analysts then repeat this information without offering a clear conclusion or an
opinion that advocates for change, except perhaps occasionally suggesting that
strikes will increase.The most prominent case in this context is Iranian
aggression against Arab states. With the exception of a few observers, who are
mostly non-Arabs, speakers and writers merely list the facts, and if they add
anything at all, it is to predict the worst. Their justification for this
restraint is that deciding what should be done is the prerogative of states, not
individuals. One analyst even remarked: "I said something and was told: 'Stop
philosophizing; we know best what we are doing, and you do not possess
sufficient information!'"Information does not only address the event and its
immediate damage, but also covers capabilities and the potential for a response.
Therefore, we as Arabs have no excuse for restraint or neutrality, because a
well-considered opinion in one direction or another will not provoke anyone's
objection, whether it is acted upon or not. It is well-known that all Arabs did
not want a war between the United States and Iran. Amid Trump's recent intention
to launch a major attack, Arab and Islamic nations, led by Saudi Arabia,
appeared opposed to it, preferring to resort to negotiations for three reasons:
first, the aggressiveness of the Iranian response and its specific targeting of
Arabs; second, the destruction inflicted upon facilities and human life in Iran
and other countries; and third, Iran's return to deploying militias to breach
the security of Arab states.
Avoiding the escalation of conflicts with partners like Trump and Israel, whose
actions are intertwined with blackmail and deals, is a positive step and a move
with strategic dimensions. However, within this context, this major issue
warrants collective and consultative reflection among specialists and interested
parties. What is required now is the development of collective policies that are
not limited to attempting to ward off harm from adversaries or allies. These
policies should draw upon long-standing experiences with the US and Iran, as
well as leverage the soft power of the Gulf states.
The Gulf nations do not only possess influence derived from energy ownership,
but also from strategic alliances, ownership of institutions within Arab and
Islamic domestic spheres and worldwide, and the fact that nearly 40 million
people from around the globe work within them. Critical and urgent reflection on
all these matters would be highly beneficial if undertaken for the long term. In
this case, there is no difference between an official actor and a researcher in
think tanks and institutions exploring alternatives.
The other matter is the weapons of militias in Gaza, Iraq, and Lebanon. In these
three locations, and perhaps elsewhere, efforts are underway to disarm militias
in order to save states and entities. A militia is an infiltration that is
difficult to resolve, whether in terms of its weapons, political influence, or
seized institutions.In Trump’s comprehensive agreement for Gaza, approval was
granted to disarm Hamas and the other brigades. However, Hamas subsequently
refused unless the Israelis withdraw from Gaza, while the Israelis assert that
disarming Hamas must precede any withdrawal. Without endorsing Israel’s claims,
what use do Hamas's weapons serve after the slaughter and genocide? Furthermore,
is it in the best interest of Gaza for Hamas itself to remain? This organization
bears partial responsibility for the war of annihilation, and as the saying
goes: "If you have no shame, do as you wish."
Hamas itself should step away from the scene after the defeat, but this is the
nature of militias, whether they claim an ideological doctrine or are a
political organization that lost in battle.
As for the Iraqi militias, which have had no function since 2018 other than
looting, plundering, and seizing assets, the Iranians have returned to utilizing
them against neighboring countries. This is not their first aggression; tens of
thousands of them killed and looted in Assad's Syria before they fled in 2024.
These groups operate against the state, despite receiving salaries from it. They
have ceased to be of any use following the defeat of ISIS. However, weapons have
brought them wealth and influence, and now the Revolutionary Guard has tasked
them with aggression.The Iraqi government wants to remove them, but can it?The
third problem is with Hezbollah, which is clashing with the Lebanese government
that seeks to disarm it. Having provoked Israel last time, Israel occupied and
destroyed dozens of towns and hundreds of villages, and displaced the
population. Hezbollah reproaches the government for negotiating with Israel
after its defeat: yet, with whom else should it negotiate? And what is the need
for its weapons, most of which has been destroyed, and is no longer fit for
liberation nor for justification? It is a choice between either states or the
militias working for Iran, which also include the Houthis in Yemen. They must be
dismantled urgently so they do not fabricate a new battle for survival.
Redundancies: The difficult side of resilience
Cornelia Meyer/Al Arabiya English/07 August ,2026
The world is waiting for an agreement between Iran, Oman and the US that would
guarantee free passage through the Strait of Hormuz. Under the current
parameters being discussed, vessels would travel through separate inbound and
outbound lanes for an initial period of two months, with no transit charges.
However, Israeli and US-flagged vessels would not be permitted to pass through
the strait, a condition that is unlikely to be accepted by Washington. If
anything, the last six months have taught us that redundancies in infrastructure
matter when the going gets tough. Saudi Arabia started constructing the
East-West pipeline in the 1980s during the Iran-Iraq war and over the years
built it up to a capacity of 7 million b/d, including 5 million b/d for crude
exports and 2 million b/d for refineries on the west coast.
The UAE built its Habshan-Fujairah pipeline with an initial capacity of 1.5
million b/d, also designed to circumvent the Strait of Hormuz. Both Saudi Arabia
and the UAE showed great foresight in building what was, at the time, redundant
infrastructure. The countries and their national oil companies were willing to
bear the cost of assets that did not necessarily yield an immediate financial
return.Fast forward to 2026 and the global economy owes a debt of gratitude to
that farsightedness. Between the two pipelines, just shy of half the crude
originally routed through Hormuz could still make it to markets. The situation
looks different for refined products.
Even so, getting crude to global markets has become more cumbersome.
The Bab al-Mandeb has emerged as another critical choke point, forcing Saudi
Arabia to reroute some shipments north through the Suez Canal while also making
use of the SUMED pipeline to the Mediterranean, which has a capacity of around
2.5 million barrels per day.
Only a limited number of tankers can transit the Suez Canal, as many of the
largest crude carriers are too big for the relatively shallow waterway. And with
more than 80 percent of crude shipments passing through the Strait of Hormuz
typically bound for Asia, diverting supplies via the Mediterranean can add
roughly 30 to 40 days to the journey.The point is that the foresight of
governments in the Gulf has significantly softened the blow to global oil
markets, even if the alternatives are more complicated and more expensive.
Hormuz, however, was never just about oil and oil products. It is also an
important route for ammonium-based fertilizer, sulfuric acid, which is required
to produce fertilizer from phosphate, aluminum, helium and LNG, among other
commodities.
Many of these goods could potentially be transported by rail to the Gulf of
Oman, the west coast of Saudi Arabia, or through Jordan, Syria or Iraq to
Turkey.All of the above holds true except for LNG, which cannot get around sea
transport from the point of liquefaction.That is why GCC countries and Iraq have
increased efforts to connect through pipelines and rail networks that would
allow them to circumvent the Strait of Hormuz.Discussions on the $55 billion
Multi Overland Export Network of the GCC have gathered momentum, as have plans
for greater pipeline connectivity to Saudi Arabia’s west coast.
Blackstone, KKR and Brookfield agreed to a $16 billion deal to take a stake in
Kuwait’s national oil pipeline network. Billions are also planned for railway
and rail links that would enable solid products such as fertilizer and aluminum
to bypass the Strait of Hormuz. Safe passage through Jordan, Syria and Iraq
becomes important here.A US-Saudi consortium is also evaluating three GCC
locations outside the Strait of Hormuz for a refining and export hub project.
The investment sums are eye-watering, but needs must, and some of these
pipelines, railways and refineries will be built. The problem is that they will
take time, in many cases years, to complete. These investments are welcome, but
they are alternatives, or redundancies. As soon as Hormuz is reliably open
again, which itself could take considerable time, shippers will return to the
less complicated and cheaper sea route.
This brings us to the question of financing redundancies.In most cases, this is
done by the state or a nationally owned company that is not beholden to
quarterly profit reporting and can afford to sit on a non-yielding asset until
it is needed and becomes valuable. The East-West pipeline is a case in point. In
the meantime, public-private partnership structures could be considered to make
investment in redundancies possible, particularly where they are needed to keep
trade and global supply chains going. This is not an easy subject, but the last
six months have shown that it is pivotal that we start thinking more seriously
about resilience and redundancy.
Question: What is the meaning of Jacob wrestling with
God?
GotQuestions.org/August 07/2026
Answer: Genesis 32:22–32 recounts the puzzling story of Jacob in an all-night
wrestling match. His opponent is a man who refers to himself as “God” (verse
28). Later, Jacob also refers to the man he struggled with as “God” (verse 30).
To know Jacob’s story is to know his life was a never-ending struggle. Jacob’s
family was characterized by deep-seated hostility. Jacob was a con artist who
had been conned, a liar who had been lied to, and a manipulator who had been
manipulated. In many ways, he lived up to his name Jacob, which literally means
“heel-catcher” and carries the sense of “one who follows after to supplant or
deceive.”
God had promised Jacob that through him would come a great nation through whom
the whole world would be blessed (Genesis 28:10–15). Still, Jacob was a man full
of fears and anxieties. His brother, Esau, had vowed to kill him. His uncle,
Laban, had cheated him for years. His two wives had an adversarial relationship
with each other.
After he fled Laban’s ill-treatment, Jacob and his family camped in a spot
chosen for him by angels (Genesis 32:1–2). From there, he sent messengers with a
gift to his estranged brother, Esau, and they returned with the news that Esau
was on his way with 400 men (Genesis 32:3–6). Fearing the worst, Jacob divided
his family and herds so that, in case one group fell victim to Esau’s men, the
other group might escape. Jacob prayed for the Lord’s help and then sent several
caravans of lavish gifts ahead of him in hopes of pacifying Esau. Finally, Jacob
sent his wives and children across the River Jabbok with all the rest of his
possessions (Genesis 32:22–23).
Alone in the desert wilderness, Jacob had the ultimate restless night. A
stranger visited Jacob, and they wrestled throughout the night until daybreak,
at which point the stranger crippled Jacob with a blow to his hip. Even then,
Jacob held on. He must have known there was something supernatural about this
stranger, because he demanded a blessing from him (Genesis 32:26). The stranger
then gave Jacob a new name: Israel, which likely means “he struggles with God”
(Genesis 32:28).
The stranger gave the reason for Jacob’s new name: “Because you have struggled
with God and with humans and have overcome” (Genesis 32:28). Jacob asks for the
stranger’s name, but the man declines to give it—Jacob knew with whom he
wrestled. And then Jacob receives what he wanted: a blessing (Genesis 32:29).
Jacob limped for the rest of his life, but he “saw God face to face” (Genesis
32:30) and received God’s blessing. In his weakness, he was strong. The next
morning, God’s blessing of Jacob was evident. Esau, the brother Jacob had
feared, received him gladly (Genesis 33).
In Western culture and even in our churches, we celebrate wealth, power,
strength, confidence, prestige, and victory. We avoid weakness, failure, and
doubt. Though we know that a measure of vulnerability, fear, and discouragement
comes with life, we tend to view these as signs of failure or even a lack of
faith. However, we also know that, in real life, naïve optimism and the glowing
accolades of glamour and success are a recipe for discontent and despair. Sooner
or later, the cold, hard realism of life catches up with most of us. The story
of Jacob pulls us back to reality. Frederick Buechner characterized Jacob’s
divine encounter at the Jabbok River as the “magnificent defeat of the human
soul at the hands of God” (The Magnificent Defeat, HarperOne, 1985, p. 18). It’s
in Jacob’s story we can easily recognize our own elements of struggle: fear,
darkness, loneliness, vulnerability, emptiness, exhaustion, and pain.
Even the apostle Paul experienced discouragement and fear: “We were harassed at
every turn—conflicts on the outside, fears within” (2 Corinthians 7:5). But, in
truth, God does not want to leave us with our trials, our fears, our battles in
life. What we come to learn in our conflicts is that God proffers us a
corresponding divine gift. He comes to us and manifests Himself to us in our
struggles. It is through Him that we can receive the power of conversion and
transformation, the gifts of freedom, endurance, faith, and courage.
In the end, Jacob does what we all must do. In his weakness and fear, he faces
God. Jacob was separated from all others and from his worldly possessions, and
that’s when he grapples all night for what is truly important. It was an
exhausting struggle that left him crippled. It was only after he wrestled with
God and ceased his struggling, realizing that he could not go on without Him,
that he received God’s blessing (Genesis 32:29).
Selected Face Book & X tweets
on August 07/2026
Gideon Sa'ar | גדעון סער
Aside from the investiture ceremony of the President of Colombia,
I held an excellent meeting with true friends of Israel: the extraordinary
President of Argentina, @JMilei, along with the General Secretary of the
Presidency, Karina Milei, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, @pabloquirno We
discussed the advances in bilateral relations between our countries, as well as
the distortions existing in the system of international institutions and the
ways to address them. Thank you, Javier, dear brother, for your courage, your
leadership, and your sincere friendship with the Jewish people and the State of
Israel. 🇮🇱🇦🇷
Senator Ted Cruz
Today, the Senate passed the Lindsey O. Graham Sanctioning Russia and Iran Act.
Lindsey devoted his life to keeping America safe and standing up to our enemies.
This bill will help deprive Putin’s war machine of the resources it needs to
threaten America and our allies while keeping the pressure on Iran. A fitting
tribute to Lindsey’s life and legacy.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent
Iran’s shadow banking system is buckling under Economic Fury, and the regime is
running out of ways to move money. Every facilitator that keeps the regime
afloat is putting a target on its own back. Treasury will continue to expose
these networks and cut them off from the U.S. financial system.
Tommy Pigott
Following Iran’s attacks against commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz, the
United States is sanctioning six entities and one individual that support
illicit digital asset activities. We will continue to deny the regime the
resources it needs to threaten its neighbors and innocent vessels, support
terrorism, and advance its nuclear ambitions.
Barak Ravid
A diplomat from one of the mediating countries told me that the Iranian
negotiation team is awaiting final approvals from Iran's Supreme National
Security Council regarding the deal with Oman and the United States. "We expect
this approval soon," the diplomat said.
Mike Pompeo
https://x.com/mikepompeo/status/2085788073804128646/video/1
Adversaries like Iran, China, and Russia share the same belief as the DSA - that
America is fundamentally corrupt, in decline, and needs to be replaced. We must
all do the hard wor
Tom Harb
Hezbollah’s tunnels don’t stop at the border ,they run through Lebanon’s
Historic Castles and its mountains. MTV Lebanon reports that American sources
described what was discussed behind closed doors in the Rome negotiations:
Israel presented maps documenting a Hezbollah tunnel network extending beyond
South Lebanon beneath Beaufort Castle but under the historic Baalbek Castle with
routes reportedly reaching into the mountains of the Jbeil and Kesrwan
districts, and as far as Mukhtara in the Chouf.
This means Hezbollah has spent two decades burying its war machine under a
Crusader fortress, under Lebanon’s Roman temples, through Mount Lebanon’s
Christian heartland, and at the doorstep of the Druze community , turning every
region of the country into a potential battlefield without its people’s consent.
UNESCO must act to protect Beaufort, Baalbek, and Lebanon’s other threatened
world heritage sites. Lebanese presidents, army and security chiefs , and
defense ministers since 2006 who knew or should have known that Hezbollah was
digging tunnels and burying weapons under castles, temples, and mountains must
be investigated and held accountable. Silence and complicity had a price, and
Lebanon’s civil society has paid it for twenty years. Hezbollah must be
dismantled. Its leaders, financiers, and contractors must be prosecuted not just
for the war they started, but for the danger they buried under every stone of
Lebanese heritage and every home in Lebanese soil.
Nadim Koteich
Iran’s most valuable argument is often made by people with no connection to
Iran.
Tehran benefits when its preferred conclusions emerge independently from
respected universities, journals and think tanks. This is ideological arbitrage:
converting Western self-criticism into Iranian strategic advantage. The pattern
is old. Stalin had fellow travelers like George Bernard Shaw. Maoism attracted
others. Sartre embraced revolutionary violence, Castro and even intervened for
Andreas Baader. Jean Genet championed the Black Panthers and Palestinian
fedayeen. Today the language is less revolutionary: complexity, resilience,
legitimacy, inclusion. The temptation remains the same: sophistication becomes
bias.
Nadim Koteich
Despite being a good story, this article reads less like an investigation than a
polished Hezbollah reconstruction narrative. Its central claim is that Israel
knew Hezbollah’s old hierarchy, but is now confronting a new generation it “does
not know.”The timeline makes that very hard to take seriously. On November 23,
2025, Israel killed Haytham Ali Tabtabai, Hezbollah’s postwar military chief and
a central figure in rebuilding the organization.
Less than five months later, on April 8, Israel struck more than 100 Hezbollah
command centers and military sites across Beirut, the Bekaa and the south in
roughly ten minutes.
Senior operational personnel were caught inside that command architecture.
Israeli intelligence compromised their meeting through a combination of
electronic signatures, IP addresses, and human intelligence.That is very
difficult to reconcile with the claim that Israel knew Hezbollah’s old
generations but is now facing a new hierarchy it “does not know.” Hezbollah has
clearly rebuilt some capacity to fight. What remains far less convincing is that
it has rebuilt its capacity to hide.And without solving the intelligence
penetration that devastated it in 2024, decentralization, new commanders and new
technology may improve resilience without fixing Hezbollah’s fundamental
vulnerability.