English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News
& Editorials
For February 10/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Everyone who acknowledges me before others, the Son of Man also will acknowledge
before the angels of God but whoever denies me before others will be denied
before the angels of God
Saint Luke 12/08-12/:”‘And I tell you, everyone who acknowledges
me before others, the Son of Man also will acknowledge before the angels of God;
but whoever denies me before others will be denied before the angels of God. And
everyone who speaks a word against the Son of Man will be forgiven; but whoever
blasphemes against the Holy Spirit will not be forgiven. When they bring you
before the synagogues, the rulers, and the authorities, do not worry about how
you are to defend yourselves or what you are to say; for the Holy Spirit will
teach you at that very hour what you ought to “
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on February
09-10/2026
Farewell, Regina Kantara.. The Knight
of Sovereignty and Free Speech/Elias Bejjani/February 08/2026
Who Was Saint Maroun, After Whom the Maronite Church Is Named?/Elias Bejjani/February
09/2026
To USA Senator Lindsey Graham: Yes, Hezbollah Is A terrorist, Criminal &
Jihadist Iranian Armed Proxy/Elias Bejjani/February 08/2026
Saint Maroun's Prayers
In the Absence of Formal Ceremonial Protocols... Al-Rahi to President Aoun: We
pray that you and your aides can confine arms, implement the ceasefire, and
enforce Resolution 1701
Israel kidnaps Jamaa al Islamiya official, kills 3 in south Lebanon
Israeli attacks on Lebanon kill four, including security officer and child
USCENTCOM chief praises Lebanese Army for discovering Hezbollah tunnel
Netanyahu-Trump talks near: Israel expands Lebanon attacks while seeking US
green light on Iran
Tripoli's unsafe buildings: Risk survey shows major blind spots
Lebanon's government plan to address issue of buildings at risk of collapse in
Tripoli—Overview
Building collapse in Lebanese city Tripoli kills 15
Qassem praises Aoun and Salam, says 'sedition' foiled
Lebanon surprised after Kuwait includes hospitals on 'terror' list
Lebanon Warns of Economic Fallout as Syria Bars Foreign Trucks
Kuwait Targets Hezbollah’s Health Network With New Terrorism Designations
Lebanon calls for pressure to be put on Israel to prevent violations of
international law
In the numbers: Lebanon’s winter tourism rebounds as ski season lifts hotel
occupancy
The Maronite Identity and Divine Providence: Reflections on a Conversation with
Dr. Charles Malik/Antoine Najem (From The Archive)/February 09/2026
What the LAF Chief’s Visit to the U.S. Revealed/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This is
Beirut/February 09/2026
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on February
09-10/2026
US
issues fresh guidance to ships transiting Strait of Hormuz as Iran tensions
simmer
Iran’s supreme leader urges Iranians to show ‘resolve’ against foreign pressure
Secretary of Iran's top security body says to visit Oman Tuesday
Tehran 'will continue to massacre people' if not stopped, Iranian chess
grandmaster tells Euronews
Iran arrests reformists as crackdown on dissent widens, reports say
Iran ready to dilute its enriched uranium if 'all sanctions are lifted'
Iran Sentences Nobel Peace Laureate Mohammadi to Six Years in Prison
US issues fresh guidance to vessels transiting Strait of Hormuz as Iran tensions
simmer
Eight Muslim countries condemn Israel's 'illegal' West Bank control measures
UK calls on Israel to reverse its move to expand control over West Bank
UN decries ‘preventable human rights catastrophe’ in Sudan’s al-Fashir
Saudi Crown Prince hosts Prince William in Diriyah tour
Anti-Daesh coalition issues joint statement after Riyadh meeting
US set to relinquish several senior NATO command posts
Shibani Meets Barrack in Riyadh
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published
on February
09-10/2026
Whither
the Hamas solidarity movement?/Ben Cohen/Jewish News Syndicate/February 09/2026
South Africa Rejects Israeli Water Assistance to Carry Water for Hamas/David
May/Real Clear World/February 09/2026
Al-Sharaa through Lebanese eyes/Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al-Awsat/February 09/2026
The urgent need for a peaceful settlement on Iran/Chris Doyle/Arab News/February
09, 2026
Trump redoubles efforts to end the Ukraine war/Con Coughlin/Arab News/February
09, 2026
X Platform Selected twittes for 09/2026
The Latest
English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on February
09-10/2026
Farewell, Regina Kantara.. The Knight of Sovereignty and Free Speech
Elias Bejjani/February 08/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/02/151966/
In a sudden moment of time, the knight has dismounted from the saddle of her
struggle. Advocate Regina Kantara has departed, leaving behind a legacy of
dignity that absence can never erase. Regina was not merely a lawyer carrying
case files; she carried the cause of a nation in her heart, defending its soil
in every arena of the struggle for freedom, sovereignty, and independence.
Regina has left this fleeting world to walk the paths of light toward the
heavenly dwellings, where there is no pain or sorrow, but an eternal peace
befitting a soul weary from the longing for absolute justice.
We bid her farewell with hearts faithful to the words: “The Lord gave, and the
Lord hath taken away; blessed be the name of the Lord.”
Who Was Saint Maroun, After Whom the Maronite Church Is Named?
Elias Bejjani/February 09/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/02/95781/
The Feast of Saint Maroun
For more than 1,600 years, Maronites in Lebanon and throughout the world have
celebrated the annual commemoration of Saint Maroun on the ninth of February.
Each year, over ten million Maronites honor the founder of their Christian
Catholic Church—Maroun the priest, the hermit, the spiritual father, the leader,
and the saint. On this sacred day, Maronites remember their long and often
painful history since the fourth century, reflecting on both times of suffering
and moments of triumph. They look back at the past, assess the present, and
contemplate the future. Above all, they pray for peace, democracy, and freedom
in Lebanon—their homeland—and across the world.
The Origins of Saint Maroun
Who was Saint Maroun? How did he establish his spiritual movement? Where did he
live, and who are the people who carry his name? According to the late Lebanese
philosopher and historian Fouad Afram Al-Bustani, Saint Maroun was born and
raised in the city of Kouroch. This city lies northeast of Antioch (present-day
Turkey) and northwest of Hierapolis (Manbij), the capital of Euphrates Syria.
Kouroch still exists today, located about 15 kilometers northwest of the city of
Azaz and roughly 70 kilometers north of Aleppo in Syria.
The Hermit of Mount Semaan
Historians Father Boutrous Daou and Fouad Afram Bustani recount that Maroun
chose to live on Mount Semaan—formerly known as Mount Nabo, named after the
pagan god Nabo. Geographically, the mountain lies between Antioch and Aleppo. At
the time, it was completely abandoned and desolate.
The ruins of an ancient pagan temple on the mountain attracted Maroun. After
purifying the site, he used the structure only for celebrating Mass and offering
the Holy Eucharist, while spending the rest of his life outdoors. He devoted
himself entirely to prayer, fasting, and extreme asceticism, depriving his body
of all comfort and exposing himself to sun, rain, hail, and snow. His holiness,
faith, and miraculous healing powers soon became widely known. Thousands of
believers sought him for guidance, healing, and spiritual counsel. Saint Maroun
was also a learned and compelling preacher, unwavering in his belief in Christ
and Christianity.
A Mystic and Spiritual Reformer
Saint Maroun was a mystic who pioneered a unique ascetic and spiritual path that
attracted followers from across the Antiochian Empire. As a zealous missionary,
he sought not only to heal physical ailments but also to restore the souls of
pagans and Christians alike. His reputation reached great heights. Around 405
AD, Saint John Chrysostom sent him a letter expressing deep admiration and
asking for his prayers. Saint Maroun’s spirituality was profoundly monastic and
holistic. He saw no separation between the physical and spiritual worlds, using
the material world as a means to deepen his union with God. Through prayer and
solitude, he transcended physical suffering and entered into an intimate,
mystical relationship with the Creator. His spiritual magnetism drew hundreds of
monks and priests who became his disciples and devoted followers.
The Spread of the Maronite Mission
After Saint Maroun’s death, his disciples spread the Gospel throughout the
Antiochian Empire—modern-day Syria, Lebanon, Turkey, Iraq, Jordan, and Israel.
They built hundreds of churches, monasteries, and schools, becoming known for
their faith, devotion, and perseverance. Saint Maroun died peacefully around the
year 410 AD at the age of seventy, surrounded by his disciples. He wished to be
buried beside his spiritual mentor, the monk Zabena, in the town of Kena near
Kouroch. However, this wish was not fulfilled. Residents of a nearby town took
his body, buried it there, and built a grand church over his grave, which became
a major Christian shrine for centuries. Its ruins still stand today.
Persecution and the Rise of the Maronite Nation
Following his death, Saint Maroun’s disciples built a major monastery near the
Orontes River (Nahr Al-Assi) along the Syrian-Lebanese border. For centuries,
this monastery stood as a beacon of faith, education, holiness, and martyrdom.
In the early tenth century, during one of the most brutal periods of Christian
persecution, the monastery was destroyed, and more than 300 Maronite priests
were massacred. The surviving monks fled to the mountains of Lebanon. There,
together with the Marada and the native Lebanese population, they laid the
foundations of the Maronite nation, transforming Lebanon’s mountains into a
stronghold of faith, endurance, and resistance.
Saint Maroun and Lebanon
The Maronite presence in Lebanon began early, particularly through Saint
Maroun’s disciple Abraham of Cyrrhus, known as the Apostle of Lebanon.
Recognizing the persistence of paganism in the region, Abraham worked to convert
the population to Christianity by spreading Saint Maroun’s teachings.
Saint Maroun is thus regarded as the father of the spiritual and monastic
movement that became the Maronite Church. This movement profoundly influenced
northern Syria, Lebanon, Cyprus, and eventually many countries worldwide where
Maronites settled. Today, the largest Maronite community outside Lebanon is in
Brazil, home to more than six million Lebanese descendants following major waves
of emigration in the early twentieth century.
The Maronite Identity
The renowned historian Fouad Afram Boustani (1904–1994) described the Maronite
faith as one of intelligence, life-affirmation, unwavering Catholic belief, love
for others, continuous struggle for righteousness, openness to all
civilizations, and readiness for martyrdom. The Maronites played a central role
in establishing the modern state of Lebanon, making it a refuge for persecuted
minorities in the Middle East. They embraced and practiced pluralism and
multiculturalism, helping create Lebanon’s unique national identity. Since the
fourth century, the Maronites and Lebanon have been inseparable—each defining
the other. Throughout history, the Maronite people transformed defeat into
victory, sorrow into joy, and despair into hope. Through faith, sacrifice, and
perseverance, they fulfilled the four pillars of nationhood: land, people,
civilization, and political independence. They have always fought for their
rights and never surrendered to despair.
Prayer to Saint Maron
O Saint Maron, man of prayer, sacrifice, and freedom, intercede for us before
God. Pray for Lebanon,
wounded and occupied, that it may be healed from its pain and freed from
injustice, corruption, and fear.
O spiritual father of the Maronites, lead your people back to your faith, to the
values of holiness, truth, courage, and fidelity, to love of Christ and devotion
to Lebanon. Pray for peace in our troubled world,
for all who suffer and are oppressed, that light may overcome darkness, truth
overcome falsehood,
and hope overcome despair. Through your intercession, O Saint Maron, protect
Lebanon and its people,
and strengthen our faith. Amen.
To USA Senator Lindsey Graham: Yes, Hezbollah
Is A terrorist, Criminal & Jihadist Iranian Armed Proxy
By constitutional standards and in accordance with all relevant international
resolutions, the majority of the Lebanese people affirm that Hezbollah is a
terrorist organization and a group of outlaws.
Elias Bejjani/February 08/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/02/151924/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lqk5riyDsXw&t=47s
All you need to say is simply 'Yes' or 'No'; anything beyond this comes from the
evil one. (Matthew Bible 05/37)
Hezbollah: The Root and Lineage of Terrorism
Elias Bejjani/ X Platform/February 06/ 2026
“Hezbollah, the fundamentalist Khomeinist organization, is the mother, father,
grandfather, and entire lineage of terrorism.”“Hezbollah is a terrorist—one
million times a terrorist—criminal, drug manufacturer and trafficker, money
launderer, fundamentalist gang of thugs, and an enemy of Lebanon, the Lebanese
people, and all universal principles of peace.
The priority is liberation from the mullahs’ regime and all its criminal arms
Elias Bejjani/X Platform/February 06/2026
“Whatever the method, whatever its nature or components, what matters is that it
leads to the downfall of the demonic mullahs’ regime and the dismantling of its
octopus-like terrorist and fundamentalist arms—first and foremost Hezbollah in
Lebanon.There will be no peace in the Middle East before the fall of the
mullahs’ regime.”
A Political Slap, Not a Diplomatic Incident
The swift withdrawal of U.S. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham from his meeting
with Lebanese Army Commander General Rodolphe Haykal was not a routine protocol
matter. It was a political slap that exposed the deep dysfunction within
Lebanon’s ruling authority—military and political alike—in dealing with the most
dangerous terrorist, theocratic, and criminal armed organization in Lebanon’s
modern history: Hezbollah.
Graham’s question was direct and unambiguous: Is Hezbollah a terrorist
organization?
The answer was confused, hesitant, and burdened with all the failures of the
Lebanese state: “No, not in the Lebanese context.”
A Revealing Answer
With this response, General Haykal did not merely make a misjudgment. He
provided further proof that Lebanon’s ruling class remains unable—or
unwilling—to call things by their proper names, and unwilling to bear the cost
of truth, even when that truth is constitutional, legal, and internationally
documented.
Senator Graham said what needed to be said and wrote on X platform what needed
to be written. He reminded the Lebanese authorities of what they deliberately
try to forget: Hezbollah has been designated a terrorist organization since 1997
by both Republican and Democratic U.S. administrations. Its hands are stained
with American blood, from the Marine barracks bombing to a long list of
cross-border terrorist operations. When Graham stated that no military partner
can be trusted if it denies this reality, he was expressing the position of a
state—not a personal or emotional reaction.
The Answer That Should Have Been Given
In Lebanon, reactions varied. Many retired military officers, politicians, and
citizens rightly argued that the answer should have been professional and
constitutional: “I am a military officer who executes state decisions. It is not
within my authority to decide whether Hezbollah is a terrorist organization.
This question should be directed to the government.” Such an answer would have
protected the Lebanese Army’s institutional role and spared it from political
double standards.
Hezbollah: An Illegal Armed Group by Constitution
The answer that Hayal gave actually reflects the confusion of Lebanon’s
political authority—still hostage to Hezbollah’s dominance and incapable of
acknowledging that it is an Iranian, sectarian, criminal terrorist organization
involved in drug production and trafficking, political assassinations, and every
form of illicit trade.
More dangerously, Hezbollah was never legally legitimate in Lebanon. It was
imposed by force under the cover of the Syrian Baathist occupation, which lasted
until 2005. Hezbollah was the only armed group exempted from disarmament under
the Taif Accord, which explicitly mandated the disarmament of all militias and
the extension of state authority over all Lebanese territory.
The so-called formula of “the army, the people, and the resistance” is a
constitutional aberration. It appeared only in ministerial statements, which
have no legislative value. Legislation belongs exclusively to Parliament, and
Parliament has never legalized Hezbollah as a resistance force. Under the
Lebanese Constitution, Hezbollah is therefore an illegal armed group.
The Lebanese State Has Already Decided
This reality is no longer subject to interpretation. The current Council of
Ministers, headed by Prime Minister Nawaf Salam and attended by President Joseph
Aoun, adopted a clear majority decision in its sessions of August 5 and August 7
of last year, classifying Hezbollah—like all other armed groups—as illegal. This
decision was taken in implementation of: The ceasefire agreement between Lebanon
and Israel (approved unanimously by the Hezbollah-led government of Najib Mikati),
UN Security Council Resolutions 1559, 1701, and 1680, The Armistice Agreement,
And the Taif Accord.
Accordingly, the Lebanese state itself has dismantled what remained of the false
political and rhetorical cover of the so-called “resistance.” Even the wooden
and imposed “army, people, and resistance” formula has collapsed. Official state
language now refers to Hezbollah simply as an armed group.
What Is Required Today
What Lebanon needs today is not gray rhetoric or ambiguous answers, but clear,
independent, constitutional, and sovereign decisions—free from fear,
appeasement, submission, and political acrobatics. Constitutionally and in
accordance with all UN resolutions related to Lebanon, the Lebanese government
must:
Officially declare Hezbollah a terrorist organization,
Expel its ministers from government and its MPs from Parliament,
Dismantle all its military, educational, and financial institutions,
Confiscate its weapons,
Arrest its leaders and refer them to the judiciary,
Fully implement the Constitution and all U*N resolutions.
Final Conclusion
Hezbollah is the father, mother, and entire lineage of terrorism, organized
crime, and mafia-style criminality. States are not built through appeasement,
and sovereignty is not restored through denial.
Simply, Those officials and politicians who lack the courage to give a clear
answer are unfit for the positions they occupy.
NB/The enclosed image was generated using artificial intelligence and is not a
genuine photograph.
Saint Maroun's Prayers
In the Absence of Formal Ceremonial Protocols... Al-Rahi to President Aoun: We
pray that you and your aides can confine arms, implement the ceasefire, and
enforce Resolution 1701
Al-Markazia/February 09, 2026 (Translated from Arabic)
At 11:00 AM today, President of the Republic General Joseph Aoun and the
Lebanese First Lady, Mrs. Neemat Aoun, participated in the Divine Liturgy held
at St. George’s Maronite Cathedral in downtown Beirut to mark the feast of St.
Maron, the patron saint of the Maronite community. Also in attendance were
Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri, Prime Minister Dr. Nawaf Salam, and his
spouse, Mrs. Sahar Baasiri.
The Mass was presided over by Maronite Patriarch Mar Bechara Boutros al-Rahi,
assisted by the Archbishop of the Maronite Archdiocese of Beirut, Bishop Paul
Abdel Sater, and Bishop Khalil Alwan, along with a group of priests. The service
was attended by official, political, diplomatic, and military figures, as well
as religious dignitaries. The liturgy was served by the choirs of Our Lady of
Sin el-Fil, Our Lady of Hadath, and St. Joseph - Beirut, led by Father Fadi Touq
al-Antouni.
Upon their arrival at the church entrance, President Aoun and the First Lady
were received by Bishop Abdel Sater. They then proceeded inside, where they
shook hands with Speaker Berri and Prime Minister Salam and greeted those
present. The President then lit a candle before the relics of St. Maron.
The Mass was attended by Melkite Greek Catholic Patriarch Youssef Absi, Syriac
Catholic Patriarch Mar Ignatius Joseph III Younan, Armenian Catholic Patriarch
Raphael Bedros XXI Minassian, several bishops from various Christian
denominations, superiors general of religious orders, and the Apostolic Nuncio
to Lebanon, Monsignor Paolo Borgia.
Also in attendance were the spouse of former President Amine Gemayel, Mrs. Joyce
Gemayel; Mrs. Solange Gemayel; former Prime Minister Fouad Siniora; and former
Deputy Prime Ministers Samir Moqbel, Ghassan Hasbani, and Saadeh Al Shami.
Participants also included Deputy Speaker of Parliament Elias Bou Saab, Deputy
Prime Minister Tarek Mitri, and several ministers: Michel Mansa (Defense), Ahmad
Al-Hajjar (Interior and Municipalities), Youssef Reji (Foreign Affairs and
Emigrants), Adel Nassar (Justice), Yassin Jaber (Finance), Amer Bissat
(Economy), Paul Morcos (Information), Joe Sadi (Energy and Water), Charles El-Hage
(Telecommunications), Ghassan Salamé (Culture), Fadi Makki (Administrative
Development), Joe Issa El-Khoury (Industry), Laura Lahoud (Tourism), Mohammad
Haidar (Labor), and Kamal Shehade (Displaced and Technological Affairs). In
addition, the service was attended by former ministers, Arab and foreign
ambassadors accredited to Lebanon, current and former Members of Parliament, the
Dean of the Consular Corps Joseph Habis, Central Bank Governor Karim Said,
President of the Constitutional Council Judge Tannous Mechleb, heads of
regulatory bodies, several directors-general, senior judges, heads of security
agencies, heads of professional syndicates, university presidents, political,
educational, and media figures, and a large crowd of the faithful.
Israel kidnaps Jamaa al Islamiya official, kills 3 in
south Lebanon
Dalal Saoud/UPI/February 09/2026
An Israeli force early Monday kidnapped an official with the "Jamaa al Islamiya,"
a Lebanese Sunni group and an ally of the Palestinian militant movement Hamas,
while three people, including a child, were killed in separate Israeli attacks.
Israeli soldiers infiltrated the village of Hebbariyeh in southern Lebanon about
3 miles north of the Israeli border shortly after midnight and "abducted" the
group's official, Atwi Atwi, from his home, according to a statement by "Jamaa
al Islamiya." The statement said Atwi was taken to "an unknown location after
his family was terrorized and assaulted." It condemned the kidnapping and held
the Israeli occupying forces responsible for his safety. The group said the
abduction was part of a campaign to "terrorize local residents and force them to
abandon their villages and land," and called for Atwi's release. An Israeli Army
spokesman confirmed that Israeli soldiers carried out an intelligence-led raid
on a building inside Lebanese territory, and arrested a senior Jamaa Islamiya
official, who was taken to Israel for "further questioning."According to Israeli
English-language websites, the Army spokesman said that weapons and combat
equipment were seized at the site.
They also quoted Israeli security and military officials as saying the decision
to capture Atwi, rather than target him in a strike, "stemmed from the
significant intelligence value expected from his interrogation, including
information related to Hezbollah" and to gather intelligence on the group's
activities in Lebanon and Syria. The raid, they said, was wrapped up early
Monday morning, and there were no reports of clashes during the operation.
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, who inspected villages in southern Lebanon
over the weekend, condemned Atwi's abduction as "a blatant violation of
Lebanon's sovereignty" and a breach of the Nov. 27, 2024, cease-fire agreement
brokered by the United States and France to end the war between Israel and
Hezbollah. Salam tasked the Lebanese Foreign Ministry with taking immediate
action through the United Nations and called for the release of all Lebanese
detainees held by Israel.
Atwi's kidnapping raises the total number of Lebanese held by Israel to 24,
including 20 captured during the Hezbollah-Israel war and after the truce
agreement. The Israeli army confirmed the attack in Yanouh, saying it killed
Ahmad Ali Salami, Hezbollah's artillery commander, who had recently been working
"to rebuild the group's artillery capabilities." The army added that it was
investigating the incident after reports of civilian casualties in Lebanon.Since
the 2024 cease-fire, Israel has operated with near-total freedom in Lebanon,
continuing strikes on alleged Hezbollah sites and arms depots and killing
suspected Hezbollah operatives. It also refused to withdraw from five strategic
positions in south Lebanon, release Lebanese prisoners and blocked displaced
prisoners from returning to their largely destroyed villages.The Iran-backed
group, severely weakened during the war that erupted after it opened a support
front for Gaza on Oct. 8, 2023, has kept a low profile and refrained from
retaliating while the Lebanese Army took control of the area south of the Litani
River. As it quietly attempts to reorganize its ranks and secure new channels
for rearming and funding, Hezbollah has refused to fully disarm as long as
Israel does not abide by the truce accord.
Israeli attacks on Lebanon kill four, including security
officer and child
Agence France Presse/February 09/2026
Israeli attacks on Lebanon killed four people on Monday including a Lebanese
security forces member and his child, hours after the Israeli army seized a
member of Islamist group Jamaa Islamiya. Israel frequently strikes Lebanon
despite a November 2024 ceasefire aimed at ending more than a year of
hostilities with Hezbollah. On Monday, Lebanon's health ministry said an Israeli
strike on the village of Yanouh in the south killed three people. The Israeli
military said the strike targeted Ahmad Ali Salameh, who it alleged was one of
Hezbollah's artillery officers and had been working to restore the group's
capabilities. In addition to Salameh, the strike killed a member of Lebanon's
security forces and his three-year-old child, who were passing by, according to
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA). The Israeli military said the
incident was "under review" after it was made "aware of the claim that
uninvolved civilians were killed".Later on Monday, the health ministry reported
that Israeli gunfire killed one person in the border village of Aita al-Shaab,
with the Israeli military saying it killed a Hezbollah member. It alleged he was
"gathering intelligence on (Israeli) troops and operated to rehabilitate
Hezbollah’s terrorist infrastructure in southern Lebanon". In addition to
recurring attacks, the Israeli army still has troops deployed on five border
positions in Lebanon it deems strategic.Monday's incidents come hours after the
Jamaa Islamiya group, an ally of Palestinian militants Hamas, accused Israel of
seizing one of its officials, Atwi Atwi, from his home in the Hasbaya district,
south Lebanon, and taking him to an unknown location. The group, which has
claimed responsibility for multiple attacks against Israel during the war with
Hezbollah, condemned "the Israeli occupation forces' infiltration".The Israeli
military said that it "apprehended a senior terrorist" in the group who was then
"transferred for further questioning in Israeli territory". Atwi's capture came
hours after Prime Minister Nawaf Salam completed a two-day visit to the south,
which suffered extensive damage during the conflict with Hezbollah, with
thousands displaced.Salam in a statement condemned Atwi's "abduction", calling
it a "blatant attack on Lebanese sovereignty, a violation of the ceasefire
agreement and "a breach of international law".Hezbollah meanwhile called on the
state to "take deterrent measures and firm and clear positions, and to act
immediately at all political, diplomatic and legal levels, and to work seriously
to protect citizens".Lebanon accuses Israel of having abducted several other
citizens since the start of the hostilities. Hezbollah lawmaker Hussein al-Haj
Hassan said last month that Israel was holding "20 Lebanese prisoners", noting
that 10 had been abducted "inside Lebanese territory after the ceasefire".
Lebanon says Israel must release these detainees and withdraw from the border
positions it retains, in addition to halting air strikes on Lebanon.
USCENTCOM chief praises Lebanese Army for discovering
Hezbollah tunnel
LBCI/February 09/2026
U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) Commander Adm. Brad Cooper congratulated the
Lebanese Armed Forces for what he described as the discovery of a "massive
underground Hezbollah tunnel," the second such find in the past two months. In a
statement, Cooper said the tunnels were being used by "non-state actors" to
store ammunition, missiles, and attack drones, adding that dismantling them
helps promote peace and stability in Lebanon and across the region. He also
praised the work of a U.S.-led "mechanism team," saying it is helping enforce
commitments made by Israel and Lebanon.
Netanyahu-Trump talks near: Israel expands Lebanon attacks
while seeking US green light on Iran
LBCI/February 09/2026
Israel has shown little hesitation in demonstrating its ability to reach any
point and target it chooses inside Lebanon, as tensions continue to rise along
the border. In that context, Israel described the abduction of a senior official
from the Islamic Group in the Hasbaya area, identified as Atwi Atwi, from his
home in the village of Habbariyeh as a necessary step. Israeli officials framed
the operation as falling under the terms of the ceasefire agreement and as part
of efforts to maintain Israel's deterrence, not only in Lebanon but across
multiple fronts. Israeli intelligence officials, according to reports cited in
Israel, argued that detaining Lebanese individuals and interrogating them
remains important to obtain new information. Separately, Israel said it has
opened an investigation into the killing of three Lebanese civilians during an
operation in the village of Yanouh. The strike targeted a Hezbollah member and
was carried out earlier in the day, according to Israeli accounts. The field
developments coincided with reports of a newly formed Israeli military unit,
referred to as the "Defense Unit," operating within the 91st Brigade. The unit's
stated mission includes crossing into Lebanese territory under the pretext of
border defense and northern security. Amid growing speculation that any
potential U.S. strike on Iran could trigger repercussions on the Lebanese front,
Israel has stepped up its operations inside Lebanon. Analysts said the goal
appears to be to weaken Hezbollah and isolate it by reducing its targets and
limiting its operational options. The escalation comes ahead of Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu's talks with U.S. President Donald Trump in
Washington on Wednesday. Israeli media have continued to circulate intelligence
reports focused on Iranian ballistic missiles and what has been described as an
underground "missile city."
Israel is believed to be seeking U.S. assurances that would allow it to strike
Iran in the timing and manner it considers appropriate. However, Israeli
security and political officials have been divided over the prospect of such an
attack. Reports said some officials have advised Netanyahu against rushing into
an agreement with Trump on military action, amid concerns that Israel's home
front may not be sufficiently protected and that air defense systems may not be
capable of fully countering a large-scale Iranian missile response.
Tripoli's unsafe buildings: Risk survey shows major blind spots
LBCI/February 09/2026
A municipal survey in Lebanon's northern city of Tripoli has identified hundreds
of buildings as structurally dangerous, but recent collapses have raised
concerns about the reliability of the risk classification and the lack of
funding for detailed engineering inspections. The study, carried out by the
Tripoli municipality in cooperation with the Order of Engineers, found that
around 1,000 buildings in the city could be considered hazardous. It singled out
105 buildings as "high risk" and potentially at risk of collapse. However, two
buildings that collapsed on January 24 and February 8 were not among the 105
flagged as the most dangerous, despite having been inspected as part of the
survey. Municipal authorities later reinforced seven other buildings, reducing
the number of structures categorized as high risk to 96, including 31 classified
as heritage buildings.The collapses have fueled questions over how the city
determined which buildings were most at risk, and what standards were used to
classify them. According to information obtained by LBCI, the assessment was
conducted as a rapid visual inspection rather than a comprehensive engineering
study. Engineers relied on what is commonly known as a "rapid test assessment,"
documenting visible structural concerns without performing technical testing.
The rapid assessment focused on three main factors: the condition of the
building's structural frame and beams, the state of the foundations, and cracks
that could pose immediate danger to pedestrians. A full structural evaluation
would typically require testing the strength of concrete and steel
reinforcement, analyzing load-bearing capacity, examining soil and foundation
conditions, and, in some cases, opening structural elements to confirm their
internal condition. None of those steps was carried out. Officials said the
municipality lacks the funding needed to conduct complete engineering
assessments across the city. In the absence of detailed studies, uncertainty
remains over the safety of buildings that were inspected but not classified as
high risk, as well as other structures that may not have been surveyed.
Residents and local officials have warned that public safety will require
clearer planning and more serious solutions to address Tripoli's aging and
deteriorating buildings.
Lebanon's government plan to address issue of buildings at
risk of collapse in Tripoli—Overview
LBCI/February 09/2026
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam chaired a broad meeting at the Grand Serail
on Monday to follow up on emergency measures to address cracked and structurally
unsafe buildings in the northern city of Tripoli. Salam said the meeting, which
lasted about three and a half hours, brought together Interior Minister Ahmad
Hajjar, Justice Minister Adel Nassar, Social Affairs Minister Haneen Sayed, and
Tripoli officials. Speaking to reporters afterward, Salam said Tripoli's
municipality will issue evacuation orders for 114 buildings deemed at risk of
collapse. The evacuations will be carried out in phases over a period not
exceeding one month. He said families forced to leave their homes will receive
housing assistance for one year, to be paid quarterly. Salam said a list of
temporary shelters has been identified through the disaster management committee
in the North Lebanon governorate, with additional shelters to be secured if
needed. He added that the Social Affairs Ministry will provide aid and enroll
displaced families in Lebanon's Aman social support program, while the Public
Health Ministry will cover health needs and link affected families to primary
health care centers. Salam said the Higher Relief Committee will begin
reinforcing buildings that can be stabilized and demolishing those considered
beyond repair. The committee will also complete a wider assessment, building on
the municipality's initial surveys in coordination with the Order of Engineers.
He also noted that the Council for Development and Reconstruction (CDR) will
begin assessing the condition of infrastructure, particularly the water and
sewage networks.
Building collapse in Lebanese city Tripoli kills 15
Reuters/February 09, 2026
Civil defense teams rescued eight people from the rubble of the collapsed
buildings in the Bab Al-Tabbaneh neighborhood. A number of aging residential
buildings have crumbled in Tripoli in recent weeks
The death toll from the collapse of residential buildings in the Lebanese city
of Tripoli rose to 15 after search and rescue operations ended, Lebanon’s
National News Agency said on Monday, citing the civil defense chief. Civil
defense director general Imad Khreiss said rescue teams rescued eight people
from the rubble of the collapsed buildings in the northern city’s Bab Al-Tabbaneh
neighborhood. Officials said on Sunday that two adjoining buildings had
collapsed. Abdel Hamid Karimeh, head of Tripoli’s municipal council, said he
could not confirm how many people remained missing. Earlier, the head of
Lebanon’s civil defense rescue service said the two buildings were home to 22
residents. A number of aging residential buildings have collapsed in Tripoli,
Lebanon’s second-largest city, in recent weeks, highlighting deteriorating
infrastructure and years of neglect, state media reported, citing municipal
officials.
The Lebanese cabinet said following a meeting that the city’s municipal council
is set to issue a decision to evacuate 114 buildings at risk of collapse within
a period not exceeding one month. Temporary housing assistance would be made
available for families being evacuated for one year, Lebanese Prime Minister
Nawaf Salam said on X. Karimeh said the issue of unsafe buildings in Tripoli was
longstanding and driven by multiple factors, including construction violations,
years of disorder, weak oversight and a lack of regular maintenance, partly
linked to restrictive rent control laws that discourage owners from investing in
repairs.He said many buildings in the city were between 60 and 70 years old and
had exceeded their structural lifespan without undergoing essential maintenance,
increasing the risk of collapse. The problem, he added, exceeded the capacity of
the municipality and residents alone, calling for direct state intervention.
Authorities have begun providing temporary shelter to displaced families, while
Lebanon’s Higher Relief Committee is offering housing allowances for up to three
months, Karimeh said. He added that charities, the Ministry of Social Affairs
and international organizations were coordinating to provide assistance, saying
the aim was to secure a minimum acceptable level of support for affected
households.
Qassem praises Aoun and Salam, says 'sedition' foiled
Naharnet/February 09/2026
Hezbollah chief Sheikh Naim Qassem on Monday stressed that "the central problem
facing Lebanon is the Israeli-American aggression." "How can we prevent this
aggression? We cannot prevent it with words, nor can we prevent it by relying on
the American tyrant. Rather, we prevent it with force, and we prevent it with
solidarity and unity," Qassem said in a televised speech. "From day one, there
has been incitement to stir a sedition between the army, the people and the
Resistance, but thank God, the awareness on both sides led to nipping the
sedition in the bud. Consequently, the sedition they wanted to create in order
to ruin the country and eliminate this capability in Lebanon did not
materialize," the Hezbollah leader added. Qassem also noted that there has been
"pressure" on President Joseph Aoun from "all the major powers and Arab states"
that "continues unabated."
"Why are they pressuring the president? They are pressuring him to take measures
that would create a rift between him and us -- that is between the state, with
its leadership, and the resistance and its supporters," Qassem said. He added
that "it is true that there are differences in approach on some issues" between
Aoun and Hezbollah, but added that "from a national standpoint, we are both in
favor of stopping the aggression.""We both want to liberate Lebanon, we both
reject strife, and we both share the desire to revive Lebanon. Let no one try to
drive a wedge between us and the President of the Republic," Qassem stressed.He
also said that MP Mohammad Raad's recent visit to Aoun was "a positive one,
allowing for follow-up, coordination, managing differences, and confronting
challenges by ensuring the state fulfills its responsibility to protect its
people.""We will proceed together responsibly, and later discuss the strategy --
the national security strategy -- through national cooperation. Together, we can
build a strong and dignified Lebanon," Qassem pointed out. He cautioned that the
current stage is "the one that shapes the future.""Through national unity and
cooperation between the state, the army, the government, the people and the
resistance, we will build Lebanon's future. Any retreat, defeat or surrender
will remove Lebanon from the map of independent nations," he warned. Qassem also
praised the visit of Prime Minister Nawaf Salam to southern Lebanon."This visit
is positive, and it is an important step on the path to building Lebanon, and I
will tell you frankly: the most important thing about this visit is that he
said, 'We will rebuild and we will not wait for the aggression to stop,'" Qassem
added.
Lebanon surprised after Kuwait includes hospitals on
'terror' list
Naharnet/February 09/2026
Lebanon's health ministry expressed surprise and said it would seek
clarification after Kuwait inscribed several private hospitals in the
Mediterranean country on its "terror" list on Sunday. Kuwait's foreign ministry
issued a circular indicating that it had listed the eight hospitals as part of
regulations related to "combatting terrorism.".The facilities are all owned or
run by Hezbollah or affiliated organizations, and are located in south and east
Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs -- all strongholds of the Iran-backed
group, which Kuwait's circular did not mention. Lebanon's health ministry said
it received the Kuwaiti statement "with great surprise", adding it had not been
provided with "any information or notification from any Kuwaiti entity about
this matter.""The hospitals mentioned in the statement are registered with the
syndicate of private hospitals in Lebanon and carry out their role in providing
treatment and health services to all Lebanese without exception," the health
ministry statement said. It called the facilities "an essential part of the
Lebanese health system", and said it would contact the relevant authorities to
request clarification and "protect Lebanon's health system."It noted that
"Kuwait has numerous joint projects with the ministry... and has been among the
most prominent countries that have stood by the health system during the
successive crises that Lebanon has faced". The latest move was "unprecedented
and inconsistent" with the Gulf country's usual approach, it added. The eight
hospitals include two in Beirut's southern suburbs, an area Israel heavily
bombarded during hostilities with Hezbollah that largely ended with a November
2024 ceasefire. They also include the Salah Ghandour hospital in south Lebanon's
Bint Jbeil, which is run by the Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Committee.
The hospital's grounds and its surroundings were struck in 2024 during the
hostilities between Israel and Hezbollah. Earlier this month, the ministry
condemned what it called threats against south Lebanon hospitals after reports
the Israeli military had dropped leaflets warning residents that Hezbollah
operatives were using a hospital in Bint Jbeil.
Lebanon Warns of Economic Fallout as Syria Bars Foreign
Trucks
This is Beirut/February 09/2026
Lebanese transport unions sounded the alarm on Monday after Syria imposed new
restrictions on foreign trucks entering its territory, a move they say threatens
Lebanon’s land transport sector and risks disrupting trade flows between the two
countries. The decision, issued by Syria’s General Authority for Border
Crossings and Customs under its director general Qutaiba Ahmad Badawi, bars
non-Syrian trucks from entering the country via land crossings. Under the new
rules, foreign cargo must be unloaded inside customs zones and transferred onto
Syrian trucks, with an exception made only for transit vehicles, which must be
escorted by customs authorities. The decision runs counter to what Lebanese
officials describe as a new phase of cooperation between Beirut and Damascus
following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad’s regime. Lebanese Deputy Prime
Minister Tarek Mitri has publicly noted that the current Syrian government does
not interfere in Lebanon’s internal affairs and has pursued agreements designed
to rebuild trust between the two neighbours, most notably, a treaty signed on
February 6, 2026 to transfer more than 300 Syrian prisoners from Lebanese jails
to Syria.
Unions warn of immediate impact on Lebanon’s economy
Reacting to the measure, Bassam Tleiss, head of Lebanon’s road transport unions,
said the decision would have “direct and negative repercussions” on drivers,
traders, industrialists, and workers across the sector, particularly those
transporting food and perishable goods that cannot withstand delays.
Tleiss stressed that the situation is made worse by the fact that Syrian trucks
continue to enter Lebanon and operate normally, while Lebanese trucks are now
barred from Syria. “This threatens the livelihoods of hundreds of families and
undermines a vital economic artery,” he said.
After contacting Public Works and Transport Minister Fayez Rassamny and
Lebanon’s director general of land and maritime transport, Tleiss said he was
informed the issue is under “serious follow-up” with Syrian authorities,
including coordination with Damascus and Syria’s deputy prime minister, in an
effort to reach solutions that protect the interests of both countries.Fragile
economic ties The decision comes at a sensitive moment for bilateral relations,
as Lebanon struggles with economic recovery and relies heavily on overland
routes through Syria for exports and regional trade.Union leaders warned that
unless swift diplomatic engagement takes place, the restrictions could deepen
economic strain, disrupt supply chains, and further weaken already fragile
commercial ties between Beirut and Damascus.
Kuwait Targets Hezbollah’s Health Network With New
Terrorism Designations
This is Beirut/February 09/2026
Kuwait added eight Lebanese hospitals to its national terrorism list on Monday
in an effort to target service sectors that Hezbollah incorporates into its
cashflow. This development grows the list of sanctioned Lebanese entities by the
Kuwaiti government, which notably includes the Hezbollah-affiliated financial
apparatus Al Qard Al Hassan. The named hospitals are part of what is often
described as a “health force” that supports Hezbollah’s ecosystem alongside its
political and military wings. Hezbollah’s health infrastructure has been a key
tool for Hezbollah to access funds and resources from Lebanese state
institutions, according to Nidaa al-Watan. Lebanon’s Ministry of Public Health
has sizable funding that contains a notable portion of the national budget:
approximately $480 million in 2025. Some of the financial resources directed
towards Lebanon’s national budget come from international aid and remittances,
which incentivizes governments such as Kuwait to ensure their resources do not
get funneled into Hezbollah’s financial apparatus. Following the 2020 port blast
in Beirut, a public financing scandal arose when hospitals in Hezbollah’s
network received funding increases compared to hospitals that suffered more
damage and treated more casualties from the blast radius. Nidaa al-Watan
outlined the example of the al-Rasoul al-A’zam Hospital receiving an additional
5.5 billion Lebanese pounds in 2020 despite seeing no explosion damage. Even
with sanctions, hospitals have been a tool to access funding from the Lebanese
state. Several Hezbollah-affiliated hospitals, including the aforementioned al-rasoul
al-A’zam hospital, have been subject to U.S. scrutiny but provide employee
salaries and budget allocations through Lebanese ministries in cash when bank
accounts are frozen. As Hezbollah has faced setbacks in its influence and
support systems, it has become increasingly dependent on resources allegedly
siphoned from Lebanese state ministries such as the Ministry of Public Health.
The Bashar al-Assad regime facilitated Hezbollah’s smuggling of goods through
Syria ranging from arms and military hardware to drugs, pharmaceuticals, and
physical cash. These networks have been significantly cut back by Ahmed al-Sharaa
leadership. Additionally, Iran’s financial resources are increasingly limited,
decreasing the amount of Iranian fiscal support directed towards Hezbollah. The
organization can no longer safely rely on these sources to finance their
operations. Kuwait’s sanctions against the eight Lebanese hospitals were
announced amidst a wave of sanctions carried out by western governments,
including the U.S. and EU, targeting the Iranian shadow fleet, the IRGC, and key
Iranian officials. The U.S. congress also introduced a bill last week to propose
sanctioning any individuals in the Lebanese government obstructing its upcoming
parliamentary elections.
Lebanon calls for pressure to be put on Israel to
prevent violations of international law
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/February 10, 2026
BEIRUT: Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has instructed the Ministry of
Foreign Affairs to act with the UN to put pressure on Israel to disclose the
fate of a Lebanese citizen abducted by the Israeli army early on Monday.
Israelis reportedly crossed into Lebanese territory, entering the town of
Habbariyeh in the Hasbaya District, and abducted the citizen from his home.
This incursion and abduction is the first of its kind since the cessation of
hostilities between the countries.
Meanwhile, Israel continued its airstrikes on Monday, killing three people,
including a 4-year-old child, when a civilian vehicle was targeted.
A sniper also shot another person in the border town of Ayta ash Shab, who
reportedly later died. Atwi Atwi was the man added to the list of Lebanese
prisoners in Israel, bringing the total to 24. Three of the prisoners were
captured before the last Israeli war on Lebanon. An Israeli force from the 210th
Brigade in the Mount Dov area reportedly infiltrated from the Ruwaisat Al-Alam
outpost toward Sadanah Hill, traveling on foot for about an hour before reaching
a house on the outskirts of Habbariyeh. The soldiers stormed the house and
handcuffed Atwi’s wife. Atwi, 65, attempted to resist but was captured and taken
toward Israeli border positions. The abducted official was the former mayor of
Habbariyeh and the head of the Islamic Group in Hasbaya and Marjeyoun, an ally
of Iran-backed Hezbollah in its recent war. He works in social and humanitarian
affairs in the area, according to several residents. An Israeli army statement
confirmed Atwi’s abduction in a “nighttime operation” which had been formulated
on intelligence information gathered in recent weeks. The statement added that
he was transferred to Israel for interrogation and that weapons were found
inside the building.
The statement also affirmed that the Israeli army would continue its operations
to eliminate “threats on the northern front.”
The Israeli escalation came a day after Salam’s visit to the border region,
which left residents in the south with the impression that “the state stands
with them.”In a statement issued on Monday, Salam said that “the incident
constitutes a blatant assault on Lebanon’s sovereignty, a violation of the
declaration of cessation of hostilities, and a flagrant breach of international
law.”He stressed that “it will remain a national priority, and the state will
follow up on it through all diplomatic and legal channels in place.”
The local municipality convened a meeting with a delegation from the UN Interim
Force in Lebanon to brief it on the incident, and residents of the area of the
abduction organized a protest expressing their fear that “Israeli practices
prevalent in the 1970s could return, when Israeli soldiers used to infiltrate
deep into populated areas.”Bassam Hammoud, deputy head of the political bureau
of the Islamic Group in Lebanon, said that the group was “committed to the
decisions of the Lebanese state and to what has been approved under the
cessation of hostilities agreement.”
Hammoud added: “We have taken no actions outside the framework of this
agreement, whether military, field-based, or otherwise. And even if they found a
rifle inside the house (belonging to Atwi), so what? Is there any Lebanese home
that does not have a rifle inside?”
The Islamic Group issued a statement which held “the Israeli occupation fully
responsible for any harm that may befall the abducted individual.”
Meanwhile, the Israeli army said that it had targeted a civilian vehicle near
the town of Yanouh, describing the attack as “an airstrike to assassinate
Hezbollah’s Head of Artillery Ahmad Ali Salami, in (the) Yanouh area.”
The Israeli army said in a statement: “Ahmad carried out numerous terror attacks
throughout the war against IDF troops and Israel, and recently operated to
rehabilitate Hezbollah’s artillery capabilities from within the civilian
population in Lebanon, in violation of the ceasefire understandings.”
The airstrike killed Salami, 4-year-old Ali Hassan Jaber and his father Hassan.
Lebanese Interior Minister Ahmad Al-Hajjar condemned the attack, noting that
Hassan Jaber was “a member of the Internal Security Forces who was killed while
passing by with his son near the site targeted by the Israeli airstrike in the
town of Yanouh.”Al-Hajjar also condemned the abduction of Atwi from his home,
describing the act as “an unacceptable transgression and a flagrant violation of
Lebanese sovereignty and security.”The Israeli army claimed that it was “aware
of allegations indicating that uninvolved civilians had fallen as a result of
the strike,” explaining that, prior to carrying it out, “measures were taken
aimed at limiting subsequent harm to civilians, including the use of precision
munitions and the conduct of aerial surveillance, and it regrets any harm that
befell uninvolved civilians.”It added: “The Israeli army is working to reduce
damage as much as possible, and the incident is under review.”
In the numbers: Lebanon’s winter tourism rebounds as ski
season lifts hotel occupancy
LBCI/February09/2026
The long-awaited ski season has begun, with tourists — both foreign and
Lebanese, expatriates and residents — gearing up as holidays start in Lebanon
and neighboring countries, driving hotel occupancy higher and filling most rooms
in Beirut and the mountain regions, a trend that underscores the country’s
return as a regional destination for winter tourism. According to the Lebanese
Hotel Association, hotel bookings for February reached 55% in Beirut and rose to
70% in the higher Keserwan region, including Kfardebian and surrounding areas.
These figures were confirmed by LBCI after contacting hotels in Beirut and
Kfardebian. In a sample of four well-known hotels in Beirut, occupancy for the
current month reached 65%. In Kfardebian, LBCI statistics based on 12 of the
area’s 19 hotels showed an overall occupancy rate of 75%. A breakdown by
nationality shows that foreign and Arab tourists accounted for the highest share
of hotel occupancy in Beirut, while Lebanese guests dominated hotel stays in
Kfardebian. Arrival figures through Beirut airport also point to a sharp
increase compared with the same period last year, with arrivals rising by as
much as 300% for some nationalities. The most notable increases were recorded
among Qatari and Kuwaiti travelers. Between Jan. 19 and Feb. 4, arrivals
included 3,106 Kuwaitis, up from 764 during the same period last year; 779
Qataris, compared with 227; 7,832 Iraqis, compared with 7,005; and 5,987
Egyptians, compared with 1,537.
LBCI statistics show that these four nationalities topped hotel bookings in
Beirut during the period. In contrast, Lebanese nationals accounted for the
largest share of hotel bookings in Kfardebian. Lebanese and foreign tourists
alike have filled hotel rooms in both urban and rural areas this winter, while
Lebanon’s tourism season continues beyond the colder months.
The Maronite Identity and Divine Providence: Reflections on a Conversation with
Dr. Charles Malik
Antoine Najem (From The Archive)/February 09/2026
One night while working together, alone in his house in the Rabieh area during
the shelling of 1981, after midnight, Dr. Charles Malik suddenly rose from his
seat and addressed me in a booming voice, saying: “Do you know, Antoine, that
you, the Maronites, are not good people?” I replied, “What do you mean?”
He said: “You are not good people. But do not be afraid.”God will not abandon
you. He may punish you and be harsh with you. But do not be afraid. Just as the
Lord struck His chosen people, the Jews, to educate them and bring them back to
their senses while preserving and protecting them from extinction to fulfill His
promise, He will also preserve and protect you. But He will educate you as well
and make you pay for your sins.
I said, with a hint of a smile: “If the Lord deals with His people in this way
and keeps them, it is so that the awaited Messiah may come. But what Messiah
will come from us?” He replied, shouting: “Do not mock! Do not mock! You know
history. Have you not noticed that all the Eastern Christian sects have
diminished in number and geographical spread, except for the Maronites? Have you
not noticed that the Maronites alone have grown in number and expanded
geographically despite the calamities that befell them, especially during the
Mamluk period? They even established Greater Lebanon, where they became the
primary leaders.”
I said: “Yes, and what does that mean?”
He said: “God wants to achieve something very, very important through you. And
you alone are capable of achieving it.”
I replied (with astonishment and confusion): “What is this very, very important
matter?” He said: “I do not know. I have not been given the gift of insight into
God’s intentions. But the mission is crucial.”
At this point, I entered into a debate with him. I made it clear that he was
either joking with me or that some vision or inspiration led him to believe what
he believed. When he insisted on not answering, I told him: “I will remain here
in this room for as long as God wills, and I will not leave until you convey to
me what is on your mind regarding this matter.”
When he saw my determination and insistence, he said: “I will tell you. But do
you promise me that you will not reveal the secret?” I promised him. He said:
“God wanted Lebanon to be on the borders of Palestine, that is, a neighbor to
the Jewish state that will later be established. God has preserved the Maronites
and expanded their existence because He will bring the Jews of Israel into the
Christian faith through them. Therefore, the existence of Lebanon is not a
coincidence.” There is a linguistic and Eastern compatibility between the Jews
and the Maronites. Thus, the Jews will become Christians through them.
I fell silent, astonished. Moments passed during which I felt unable to think. I
could not comment on what he had said.
It was something that transcended me to infinity. But I remembered that Dr.
Malik had mentioned something similar in one of his brilliant articles published
in the magazine “Lebanese Chapters.”
As soon as I returned home, with dawn approaching, I reviewed the relevant issue
of the magazine. I reread the lengthy article titled “The Much Required.”
Here are some excerpts from it:
“Aramaic… a language and civilization, a well from which both Hebrew and Arabic
have drawn. Aramaic is a background of both these languages and civilizations,
while neither Hebrew nor Arabic serves as a background for Aramaic in the same
sense. The Maronites today are the living, free heirs of this background…Who
knows then, what divine providence has in store regarding their relationship
with Arabs and Jews? The fundamental Semitic kinship between the Maronites,
Arabs, and Jews may have, in divine providence, a fateful impact on the
development of this region inhabited by the three peoples and three
civilizations. We said that a secret lies in the mere existence of the Maronites,
and this fateful impact may be the key to this secret. Only God knows the
secret. Certainly, the Maronites do not fully know it yet, nor does anyone in
Lebanon or outside of Lebanon…”
Dr. Malik adds: “…If God exists and with Him His providence over everything in
existence, including, and above all, humanity and its fate, is it not
reasonable, even expected, that the survival of the Maronites, with their
ancient Aramaic heritage, has an eternal significance in this very moment, in
this very place, where the Jews are reviving their heritage, life, and
independent identity…”
He also adds:
“Who knows what providence has in store for them (the Maronites) as a result of
the pains, trials, and tribulations they are undergoing? If we contemplate, in
the light of faith, the reality of all these ten gifts, and what challenges may
lie ahead, we would be astonished by the possibilities that the future may hold
for the Maronites and Lebanon.”
In summarizing “the much required” from the Maronites, Dr. Malik states: “Fifth
– to ensure that the existence of the Maronites and their survival have a
profound and mysterious significance, and to seek this secret with eagerness and
passion.
Sixth – to ensure that this hidden secret does not confine itself to Lebanon
alone, but extends far beyond and deeper than it.”
It must be emphasized from the outset that Dr. Charles Malik’s words – who he is
in the world of Orthodox Christianity – do not mean at all that Christianity is
confined to Maronitism, or that the Maronites are “the sole possessors of
Christianity and that Christianity among others is incomplete or false.” This is
something that should not be subject to the slightest doubt or suspicion. If Dr.
Malik sees that “the Maronites are responsible for it (for free Christianity)
before divine providence,” it is based on, in his view, the existing objective
data that impose “the much required from them specifically” within the limits of
“the much given to them.” Moreover, this is not the place to evaluate what Dr.
Malik has proposed in his vision. Furthermore, it is an honor and a
responsibility for God to assign someone – even without merit – a role in His
divine plan. I pray fervently that Dr. Malik’s intentions are understood in
their true essence, and that they are not misinterpreted by evil intentions.
What the LAF Chief’s Visit to the U.S. Revealed
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This is Beirut/February 09/2026
Lindsey Graham portrayed his meeting with Rodolphe Haykal, which collapsed
within minutes, as a complete debacle. The U.S. senator asked the Lebanese Armed
Forces (LAF) chief if Hezbollah was a terrorist organization. Haykal’s
reply—“not in the Lebanese context”—prompted Graham to walk out in fury,
insisting that any group responsible for murdering 241 U.S. Marines in the 1983
Beirut bombing deserves the terrorist label without qualification. Graham was
correct, and his outburst cemented the narrative of a humiliating failure. Yet
the full picture tells a different story. While the walkout was a public slap in
the face, Haykal’s other high-level meetings in Washington proved far more
constructive. The trip was not a disaster; rather, it exposed Lebanon’s chronic
refusal to confront its greatest internal threat—Hezbollah. As a transnational,
violent non-state actor, Hezbollah is indisputably a terrorist organization. The
U.S. and more than a dozen states worldwide have designated it as such for
decades of atrocities. Beirut, however, continues to dodge this reality. In a
country fractured by sectarian loyalties—between Shia Hezbollah supporters and
Sunni Muslim Brotherhood and Al-Qaeda sympathizers—officials fear that any firm
stance could ignite sectarian strife.
This calculated cowardice amounts to national suicide. By refusing to name evil,
Lebanon allows that same force to paralyze the state, hijack its foreign policy,
and drag the nation toward collapse. Haykal himself is not the villain here. As
LAF commander, he is a military officer bound by civilian orders. For a time,
Haykal flirted with politics, saying that Israel’s control of five border
hilltops and its policing of Hezbollah obstructed his mission to disarm the
militia. LAF has since abandoned this line, having presumably completed
Hezbollah’s disarmament south of the Litani River. Haykal is obliged to echo
Beirut’s official, nonsensical policy line, which portrays Israel as the
perpetual enemy while pretending that Hezbollah does not exist. The
responsibility for this policy stance lies with President Joseph Aoun and Prime
Minister Nawaf Salam. Since taking office a year ago, Aoun has tiptoed around
confronting Hezbollah, convinced that, as a Maronite Christian leader, any clash
with the Shia-dominated, Iran-backed militia would be branded sectarian
aggression and plunge Lebanon into civil war. This fear is rooted in the toxic
Ottoman millet system, which has warped Lebanese politics since 1920 by locking
power into confessional quotas and prioritizing sectarian loyalty over Lebanon’s
national interest. It is a disastrous formula that guarantees dysfunction.
Aoun’s timidity is inexcusable. He needs to assert that his presidency stands
for all citizens—Shia included—without allowing Hezbollah or Speaker Nabih Berri
to claim a special authority over the Shia community.
Aoun must override Hezbollah’s veto, speak directly to Shia communities about
their genuine welfare, and enforce uniform laws. This requires disarming
Hezbollah’s illegal arsenal—the single greatest obstacle to stability—and
growing the economy to generate revenue for reconstruction and for funding a
professional army free from militia influence. Lebanon does not need new
leaders; it needs an entirely new operating system, one that ignores sectarian
identity and enforces the rule of law equally. Regionally, Lebanon must embrace
strict neutrality, pursue peaceful relations with all its neighbors—including
Israel—and break free from poisonous alignments, distancing itself from Iran,
Turkey, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt. Beirut’s foreign policy should be
oriented toward what benefits the country’s trade and economy. Iran’s nuclear
program and Gaza’s ruin are background noise, irrelevant to Lebanon’s survival.
Instead, Beirut should actively engage the U.S., the global power courted by
every capital. To secure Washington’s support, Lebanon must align decisively
with U.S. priorities and distance itself from Tehran and Saudi Arabia. To give
credit where it is due, Beirut already relies heavily on Washington. The
relationship between the LAF and U.S. Central Command (CENTCOM) is robust, far
stronger than the political ties between the two countries.Through the military
lens, Haykal’s visit succeeded decisively. In Pentagon meetings and elsewhere,
he detailed progress in disarming Hezbollah, outlined remaining challenges, and
received praise along with commitments for expanded cooperation. U.S. officials
pressed for a faster pace in Hezbollah’s disarmament, but their skepticism never
turned into doubt about continued aid from Washington or accusations of LAF
complicity with the group.
The LAF functions as a genuine—if cautious and resource-strapped—U.S. partner in
a volatile region, and that partnership is worth strengthening. While Haykal has
many flaws, blaming him for Lebanon’s dysfunctional politics is unfair. As LAF
commander, his job is to execute cabinet directives.
When Hezbollah leader Naim Qassem openly vows to retain his militia’s weapons
and side with Iran against America, it falls to Aoun and Salam to order judicial
action against the illegal armed group. Only then would Haykal be tasked with
enforcement—and he must be held accountable if he fails.
Until Hezbollah is outlawed, expecting Haykal to brand Hezbollah as a terrorist
organization in official settings is asking him to take a political stance
beyond his remit as a military officer in Lebanon’s democracy.
Haykal’s trip was no catastrophe. It underscored Lebanon’s need for courageous
leadership to dismantle Hezbollah’s dominance, adopt genuine neutrality, and
cement its alliance with the U.S. Without these steps, Lebanon will remain
trapped in failure. The real question isn’t how bad the visit was—it’s how much
longer Beirut can afford to avoid the fight for its own future.
The Latest
English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on February
09-10/2026
US issues fresh guidance to ships transiting Strait of Hormuz as Iran tensions
simmer
Reuters/09 February/2026
The United States issued fresh guidance on Monday to commercial vessels
transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for Middle East oil
supplies, as tensions simmered between Washington and Tehran over Iran’s nuclear
program. Iran has in the past threatened to close down the Strait of Hormuz, a
portion of which lies within its territorial waters, and has at times seized
commercial ships and oil tankers moving through the area alleging smuggling. The
US Department of Transportation’s Maritime Administration advised US-flagged
commercial vessels to stay as far from Iran’s territorial waters as possible and
to verbally decline Iranian forces permission to board if asked, according to
the guidance. “It is recommended that US-flagged commercial vessels transiting
these waters remain as far as possible from Iran’s territorial sea without
compromising navigational safety,” according to the guidance posted on its web
site. It also said crews should not forcibly resist Iranian forces if they
board. “If Iranian forces board a US-flagged commercial vessel, the crew should
not forcibly resist the boarding party,” it said. Iran’s top diplomat said on
Friday that nuclear talks with the US mediated by Oman were off to a good start
and set to continue, in remarks that could help allay concern that failure to
reach a deal might nudge the Middle East closer to war. While both sides have
indicated readiness to revive diplomacy over Tehran’s long-running nuclear
dispute with the West, Washington has said it also wants the talks to cover
Iran’s ballistic missiles, support for armed groups around the region, and human
rights. President Donald Trump ratcheted up the pressure on Iran on Friday with
an executive order imposing a 25 percent tariff on imports from any country that
“directly or indirectly” purchases goods from Iran, following through on a
threat he made last month.
Iran’s supreme leader urges
Iranians to show ‘resolve’ against foreign pressure
AFP/09 February/2026
Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei on Monday called on his compatriots to show
“resolve” ahead of the anniversary of the 1979 Islamic Revolution this week.
Since the revolution, “foreign powers have always sought to restore the previous
situation,” Ali Khamenei said, referring to the period when Iran was under the
rule of shah Reza Pahlavi and dependent on the United States.“National power is
less about missiles and aircraft and more about the will and steadfastness of
the people," the leader said, adding: “Show it again and frustrate the enemy.”
Secretary of Iran's top security
body says to visit Oman Tuesday
Agence France Presse/February09/2026
The secretary of Iran's top security body said he will visit Oman on Tuesday, as
the Gulf sultanate mediates nuclear talks between the Islamic republic and the
United States. Ali Larijani will head a delegation that "will meet with senior
officials of the Sultanate of Oman and discuss the latest regional and
international developments, as well as bilateral cooperation at various levels",
according to a statement posted on his Telegram account on Monday.
Iran and the United States resumed dialogue in Oman on Friday for the first time
since the 12-day Iran-Israel war last June, which was briefly joined by the U.S.
military.
Tehran 'will continue to massacre people' if not stopped, Iranian chess
grandmaster tells Euronews
Adnan Leal/Euronews/February09/2026
Iranian chess grandmaster living in exile Mitra Hejazipour has called on
international powers to help end the government's deadly crackdown on
protesters, as casualty figures from the demonstrations continue to rise.
Hejazipour told Euronews' morning show Europe Today on Monday that protests that
began in late December over economic collapse and have since evolved into
demands for regime change were a “bloody massacre that killed more than 30,000
Iranians.”Hejazipour said the Tehran regime was to blame for the "brutal
repression" and described how military weapons were used with "snipers from
rooftops" firing on protesters. The grandmaster, who was expelled from Iran's
national team in 2020 for removing her headscarf during a competition in Moscow,
has become a vocal critic of the Islamic Republic from Paris, where she now
lives. She said she saw Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi, son of Iran's last shah, as
"a legitimate leader for the transition phase" and a person who would "establish
a democratic system in Iran.”
Negotiations a 'dead end situation'
Hejazipour believes democracy will not happen in Iran with the consent of the
current regime and that negotiations with the leadership in Tehran cannot lead
to a positive outcome. Trying to reach a deal is a “dead-end situation,”
according to Hejazipour, who said that“a majority of Iranians support a military
intervention” to overthrow the government. Without such intervention — proposed
by US President Donald Trump — the regime “will continue to massacre the
people,” Hejazipour added. When asked about European responses, Hejazipour said:
"I didn't see enough support in European countries."Protests began on 28
December 2025, sparked by a currency collapse and persistent hyperinflation, but
quickly turned into nationwide anti-regime demonstrations, prompting Tehran's
violent crackdown and a complete information blockade. Human rights
organisations and insiders in Iran have reported that anywhere from 6,000 to
30,000 are feared killed in the suppression, although precise casualty figures
remain difficult. Authorities have also detained tens of thousands across the
country. In mid-January, the US president urged Iranians to keep protesting,
stating "help is on the way". However, Trump has held off on an intervention
following a restart in US-Iran talks and what Washington said was a pledge by
Tehran to halt the crackdown, including any executions of arrested
demonstrators. Meanwhile, Washington has positioned its aircraft carrier USS
Abraham Lincoln and accompanying naval and air forces in the Middle East, both
to pressure Tehran and to maintain strike capability should Trump order military
action.
Iran arrests reformists as crackdown on dissent widens, reports say
BBC/Sebastian Usher - Middle East
analyst/February 9, 2026
The head of Iran's main reformist coalition, Azar Mansouri, is among at least
five prominent opposition figures reported to have been arrested in recent days.
The move represents a widening of the regime's crackdown on dissent in response
to the mass anti-government protests in January. Iranian human rights groups
have said they have confirmed the killing of more than 6,000 protesters when
security forces brutally put down the demonstrations - and they have suggested
that the final figure could be much higher. Mansouri had called for the truth of
what happened not to be covered up.In a statement last week, she said: "We will
not allow the blood of these dear ones to be consigned to oblivion or the truth
to be lost in the dust."The other reformists who are reported to have been
arrested include Hossein Karroubi. He is the son of Mehdi Karroubi, who stood as
a reformist presidential candidate in a disputed election in 2009 that sparked
mass protests and was subsequently held under house arrest for many years. The
spokesman for the reformist coalition, Javad Emam, is also reported to have been
detained, along with two other members, Ebrahim Asgharzadeh and Mohsen Aminzadeh.
The prosecutors' office in Tehran has accused those arrested of "targeting
national unity" and acting in league with the US and Israel.Machine guns to
machetes: Weapons that massacred thousands in Iran. The campaign is a blow to
President Masoud Pezeshkian, whose election in 2024 owed much to reformist
support. He had expressed a more conciliatory view of the protesters, but
appears to have been largely sidelined. Pezeshkian has also called for an
inquiry into the protests, but the weakness of both his personal position and
that of the presidency itself within the Iranian theocratic system appears to
have been exposed once again. The crackdown on the prominent reformists sends a
signal that more moderate voices are being further silenced, just days after
Iranian and US officials held talks on trying to reach a deal on Iran's nuclear
programme. Both sides have described the initial discussions in Oman as
positive, although no concrete progress appears to have been made so far. In
another indication that hardliners in Iran are still calling the shots, the
semi-official Tasnim news agency says that Ali Larijani - a close adviser to the
Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei and secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security
Council - is to head to Oman for talks with Omani mediators on Tuesday.
Negotiations with the Trump administration are said to be focusing on Iran's
nuclear programme. That's led protesters inside Iran and their supporters
outside to bemoan an apparent change of approach by the US from its initial
stance of vowing a decisive response if the regime killed people participating
in the demonstrations.The huge build-up of US military forces in the region
remains in place, with its threat of an all-out attack on Iran. The Iranian
regime is hoping to avert this through negotiations and possible concessions.
But this latest move against what's left of the opposition is likely to make
building any sense of trust with Washington more elusive.
Iran ready to dilute its enriched uranium if 'all sanctions are lifted'
FRANCE 24/February 09/2026
Iran is prepared to dilute its highly enriched uranium if the US lifts all
sanctions on the country, the head of its atomic energy agency said Monday after
talks resumed with Washington. "In conclusion, in response to a question about
the possibility of diluting 60 percent enriched uranium ... the head of the
Atomic Energy Agency said that this depends on whether all sanctions would be
lifted in return," the official IRNA news agency reported, referring to agency
chief Mohammad Eslami, without specifying whether this included all sanctions on
Iran or only those imposed by the US. Diluting uranium means mixing it with
blend material to reduce the enrichment level, so that the final product does
not exceed a given enrichment threshold. Before US and Israeli strikes on its
nuclear facilities in June last year, Iran had been enriching uranium to 60
percent, far exceeding the 3.67 percent limit allowed under a now-defunct
nuclear agreement reached with world powers in 2015. Western countries, led by
the US, suspect Tehran is seeking to develop nuclear weapons, a claim denied by
Iran. According to the UN's nuclear watchdog, Iran is the only
non-nuclear-weapons state enriching uranium to 60 percent. It is also unknown
where more than 400kg of highly enriched uranium that Iran possessed prior to
the war has ended up, with UN inspectors last recording its location on June 10.
Such a stockpile could allow Iran to build more than nine nuclear bombs if
enrichment reached 90 percent. US President Donald Trump has repeatedly called
for Iran to be subject to a total ban on enrichment, a condition unacceptable to
Tehran and far less favourable than the 2015 agreement. Iran maintains it has a
right to a civilian nuclear programme under the provisions of the Nuclear
Non-Proliferation Treaty, to which it and 190 other countries are signatories.
(FRANCE 24 with AFP)
Iran Sentences Nobel Peace
Laureate Mohammadi to Six Years in Prison
This is Beirut/February 09/2026
An Iranian court sentenced Nobel Peace Prize winner Narges Mohammadi to a
six-year prison term, her lawyer told AFP on Sunday. "She has been sentenced to
six years in prison for gathering and collusion to commit crimes," lawyer
Mostafa Nili said, adding that she had also received a two-year ban on leaving
the country. Mohammadi was also handed a one-and-a-half-year prison sentence for
propaganda activities and is to be exiled for two years to the city of Khosf in
the eastern province of South Khorasan, the lawyer stated. Under Iranian law,
jail sentences run concurrently. Nili expressed hope that due to Mohammadi's
health issues, she could be temporarily "released on bail to receive
treatment".He added that the verdict issued was not final and could be appealed.
Over the past quarter-century, Mohammadi, 53, has been repeatedly tried and
jailed for her vocal campaigning against Iran's use of capital punishment and
the mandatory dress code for women. Mohammadi has spent much of the past decade
behind bars and has not seen her twin children, who live in Paris, since 2015.
In December 2024, she was released for three weeks on medical grounds related to
"her physical condition after the removal of a tumour and a bone graft",
according to her lawyer. Even behind bars, the Nobel laureate has not been
silent, staging protests in the prison yard and going on hunger strikes.
Mohammadi won the peace prize in 2023, primarily for her campaigning against the
death penalty in Iran. Her children collected the award on her behalf, as she
was in prison at the time. Human rights groups, including Amnesty International,
say Iran carries out more executions each year than any other country except
China, for which no reliable figures are available.AFP
US issues fresh guidance to
vessels transiting Strait of Hormuz as Iran tensions simmer
Reuters/February 09/2026
Feb 9 (Reuters) - The United States issued fresh guidance on Monday to
commercial vessels transiting the Strait of Hormuz, a key shipping lane for
Middle East oil supplies, as tensions simmered between Washington and Tehran
over Iran’s nuclear program.Iran has in the past threatened to close down the
Strait of Hormuz, a portion of which lies within its territorial waters, and
has at times seized commercial ships and oil tankers moving through the area
alleging smuggling. The U.S. Department of Transportation’s Maritime
Administration advised U.S.-flagged commercial vessels to stay as far from
Iran’s territorial waters as possible and to verbally decline Iranian forces
permission to board if asked, according to the guidance. "It is recommended
that U.S.-flagged commercial vessels transiting these waters remain as far as
possible from Iran’s territorial sea without compromising navigational safety,"
according to the guidance posted on its web site.It also said crews should not
forcibly resist Iranian forces if they board. "If Iranian forces board a
U.S.-flagged commercial vessel, the crew should not forcibly resist the boarding
party," it said. Iran's top diplomat said on Friday that nuclear talks with the
U.S. mediated by Oman were off to a good start and set to continue, in remarks
that could help allay concern that failure to reach a deal might nudge the
Middle East closer to war. While both sides have indicated readiness to revive
diplomacy over Tehran's long-running nuclear dispute with the West, Washington
has said it also wants the talks to cover Iran's ballistic missiles, support
for armed groups around the region, and human rights. President Donald Trump
ratcheted up the pressure on Iran on Friday with an executive order imposing a
25% tariff on imports from any country that "directly or indirectly" purchases
goods from Iran, following through on a threat he made last month.
Eight Muslim countries
condemn Israel's 'illegal' West Bank control measures
Agence France Presse/February 09/2026
Saudi Arabia and seven other Muslim countries on Monday condemned new Israeli
measures to tighten control of the West Bank and pave the way for more
settlements on the occupied Palestinian territory. Saudi Arabia, Jordan, the UAE,
Qatar, Indonesia, Pakistan, Egypt and Turkey "condemned in the strongest terms
the illegal Israeli decisions and measures aimed at imposing unlawful Israeli
sovereignty," a Saudi foreign ministry statement said.
UK calls on Israel to
reverse its move to expand control over West Bank
Reuters/10 February/2026
Britain on Monday called on Israel to reverse its decision to expand control
over the West Bank, joining Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates in
criticizing the move. “The UK strongly condemns the Israeli Security Cabinet’s
decision yesterday to expand Israeli control over the West Bank,” the British
government said. Critics have said Israel’s move to ease settlement expansion
and widen its powers in the West Bank went in the direction of annexing occupied
land. “Any unilateral attempt to alter the geographic or demographic make-up of
Palestine is wholly unacceptable and would be inconsistent with international
law. We call on Israel to reverse these decisions immediately,” the British
government added.
UN decries ‘preventable
human rights catastrophe’ in Sudan’s al-Fashir
AFP/09 February/2026
The atrocities unleashed on al-Fashir in Sudan’s Darfur region last October were
a “preventable human rights catastrophe,” the UN rights chief said Monday,
warning they now risked being repeated in the neighboring Kordofan region.
Giving the UN Human Rights Council an update on the situation in al-Fashir,
Volker Turk decried the horrific scenes after the paramilitary Rapid Support
Forces (RSF) unleashed a “wave of intense violence,” following 18 months of
brutal siege. “Thousands of people were killed in a matter of days, and tens of
thousands fled in terror,” he said, stressing the need to “hold those
responsible accountable, and to make sure this never happens again.” The
Sudanese regular army and the RSF have been at war since April 2023, with the
conflict killing tens of thousands of people, displacing millions more and
triggering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. The UN High
Commissioner for Human Rights said that during a recent visit to Sudan, he had
heard first-hand accounts from survivors of the al-Fashir violence, and had
“rarely seen people so traumatized.”“They consistently reported mass killings
and summary executions of civilians... both inside the city and as people fled,”
Turk said, also saying he heard of widespread torture, rape and sexual
violence.“Survivors also spoke of seeing piles of dead bodies along roads
leading away from al-Fashir, in an apocalyptic scene that one person likened to
the Day of Judgment,” he said. Such atrocities were predictable and preventable,
he added. His office, he pointed out, had “sounded the alarm about the risk of
mass atrocities in the besieged city of al-Fashir for more than a year”.“The
threat was clear, but our warnings were ignored,” he lamented. While the RSF was
responsible for the atrocities committed in al-Fashir, he insisted that the
international community had a responsibility to “do better.” “If we stand by,
wringing our hands while armies and armed groups commit well-flagged
international crimes, we can only expect worse to come,” he warned. Turk said he
was currently “extremely concerned that these violations and abuses may be
repeated in the Kordofan region,” where fighting has intensified since al-Fashir’s
capture. Civilians were “at risk of summary executions, sexual violence,
arbitrary detention” and family separation, and voiced particular alarm at
repeated drone strikes by both sides, he added. In just over two weeks leading
up to February 6, Turk said his office had documented “some 90 civilians were
killed and 142 injured in drone strikes.”The strikes, which were carried out by
both the RSF and the Sudanese army, “struck a World Food Program convoy,
markets, health facilities and residential neighborhoods in South and North
Kordofan,” he said.
Saudi Crown Prince hosts Prince William in Diriyah tour
Al Arabiya English/09 February/2026
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman received Britain’s Prince William in
Diriyah on Monday during the heir to the British throne’s first official visit
to Saudi Arabia. The Crown Prince accompanied William on a tour of Diriyah –
regarded as the birthplace of the Saudi state and the capital of the First Saudi
State – the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported. According to SPA, the
tour included an overview of traditional Najdi architecture in the historic At-Turaif
district, where William viewed palaces associated with the early Saudi rulers. A
commemorative photo was also taken in front of Salwa Palace, once the center of
government during the First Saudi State. The visit also included a presentation
on the Diriyah project’s master plan, SPA added. William arrived in Riyadh
earlier on Monday.The visit, due to conclude Wednesday, aims to highlight
growing trade, energy, and investment ties ahead of the two countries marking
100 years of diplomatic relations. Saudi Arabia is seen as one of Britain’s most
important strategic partners in the Middle East. Trade in goods and services
between the two countries was £17.2 billion ($23.5 billion) in the year to June
30, 2025.
Anti-Daesh coalition issues
joint statement after Riyadh meeting
SPA/February 10, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia hosted a meeting of senior diplomatic and defense officials
from the Small Group of the Global Coalition to Defeat Daesh in Riyadh on
Monday. Saudi Vice Foreign Minister Waleed Elkhereiji opened the meeting, which
was co-chaired by US Special Envoy for Syria Ambassador Tom Barrack.
Participants expressed their appreciation to the Kingdom for hosting the meeting
and for its continued role in supporting regional and international efforts to
counter terrorism and promote stability. Participants welcomed the comprehensive
agreement between the Government of Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces,
including the permanent ceasefire and arrangements for the civil and military
integration of northeast Syria. They noted the Government of Syria’s stated
intention to assume national leadership of counter-Daesh efforts and expressed
appreciation for the sacrifices made by the Syrian Democratic Forces in the
fight against Daesh. Participants also thanked the Government of Iraq for
its continued leadership in the Defeat Daesh campaign. The participants
reaffirmed their priorities, including the swift transfer and safeguarding of
Daesh detainees, third-country repatriation, the dignified reintegration of
families from Al-Hol and Roj camps to their communities of origin, and continued
coordination with Damascus and Baghdad on the future of the Defeat Daesh
campaign in Syria and Iraq. Participants welcomed the Syrian government as the
90th member of the D-Daesh Coalition. Coalition members underscored their
readiness to work closely with the Syrian government and encouraged members to
provide direct support to Syrian and Iraqi efforts. Coalition defense officials
highlighted the close coordination between diplomatic and military lines of
effort. Participants received briefings on the current Defeat Daesh campaign,
including ongoing detainee transfer operations. Officials commended Iraq’s
efforts to securely detain Daesh fighters and welcomed Syria’s assumption of
responsibility for detention facilities and displacement camps housing Daesh
fighters and their family members. Participants reiterated the need for
countries to take responsibility for and repatriate their nationals from Iraq
and Syria. Coalition members thanked Iraq for its leadership and recognized that
the transfer of detainees into Iraqi custody is essential to regional security.
They reaffirmed their shared commitment to defeating Daesh in Iraq and Syria and
pledged continued support to both governments in securing Daesh-affiliated
detainees.
US set to relinquish
several senior NATO command posts
AFP/09 February/2026
The United States will hand over two top regional commands in NATO to European
countries, diplomats said Monday, as President Donald Trump presses allies to
take greater responsibility for their defense. Washington will transfer
leadership of NATO’s Naples command, which focuses on the alliance’s south, to
Italy and leadership of its Norfolk command in Virginia, focusing on the
alliance’s north, to Britain. The United States will meanwhile take over the
command of NATO’s maritime forces, based in the United Kingdom. The changes,
first reported by French outlet La Lettre, will likely take months to be
implemented, two NATO diplomats told AFP, speaking on condition of anonymity.
“It’s a good sign of burden shifting in practice,” a diplomat said. The
shuffling of NATO command positions comes as Washington has said it could reduce
its defense presence in Europe to focus on other threats like China. But
military superpower Washington will still remain central as it will have control
of NATO’s core air, land and sea commands and retain the top position of Supreme
Allied Commander Europe. European countries have already ramped up military
budgets in the face of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine and last year agreed to hike
NATO’s defense spending target.Trump has rattled faith in the reliability of the
United States and last month plunged the alliance into crisis by making claims
on Greenland. But US NATO ambassador Matthew Whitaker separately on Monday
insisted that the US leader was looking to strengthen, rather than “dismantle,”
NATO by making Europe step up. “We’re trying to make NATO stronger, not to
withdraw or reject NATO, but make it work like it was intended as an alliance of
32 strong and capable allies,” Whitaker said.
Shibani Meets Barrack in
Riyadh
Asharq Al Awsat/9 February/2026
Syrian Foreign Minister, Asaad al-Shibani, met on Monday in Riyadh with US
Special Envoy for Syria, Tom Barrack, the Syrian Foreign Ministry reported via
its Telegram channel. According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the
meeting took place on the sidelines of the meeting of political leaders of the
International Coalition to Defeat ISIS. Al-Mikdad, accompanied by General
Intelligence Chief Hussein al-Salama, arrived in Riyadh on Sunday to participate
in the Coalition’s discussions. On February 4, the UN Security Council warned
during a session on threats to international peace and security that the
terrorist group remains adaptable and capable of expansion. The council
emphasized that confronting this evolving threat requires comprehensive
international cooperation grounded in respect of international law and human
rights.
The Latest
LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous
sources published
on February
09-10/2026
Whither the Hamas solidarity movement?
Ben Cohen/Jewish News Syndicate/February 09/2026
Advocates are less careful, compared to their antecedents, about distinguishing
between Jews and Israelis, and utterly disinterested, to the point of contempt,
when it comes to the various divides within Israeli society. With the war in
Gaza fading from the headlines, at least for now, where does that leave the
global solidarity movement with Hamas?After more than two years of college
encampments and mass demonstrations, accompanied by a dizzying rise in
antisemitic hate crimes, fissures in the movement are increasingly discernible.
On the one hand, you have what might be called the traditional solidarity
movement—long in the tooth organizations whose actions over the last
two-and-a-half years have commanded the support of assorted celebrities and
politicians. On the other, you have a more radical wing that, in addition to
lionizing Hamas and Iran, is increasingly brazen when it comes to expressing
hatred of Israel in openly antisemitic terms.
What unites these two wings is still far greater than what divides them. Both
endorse the libel that the war in Gaza was a “genocide” against Palestinian
Arabs. Both denounce Zionism as a form of racism and eagerly push the myth that
the Zionist movement “collaborated” with the Nazis during the Shoah. Both
actively support the so-called BDS movement that calls for boycotting, divesting
from and sanctioning Israel. Both advocate a “solution” to the conflict that
would replace the sovereign, democratic Jewish state with a single Arab state
stretching “from the river to the sea.” Both regard the Islamic Republic of Iran
as a force for progress, angrily opposing Israeli and U.S. military action
against a regime that in the last month has murdered more than 30,000 of its
citizens. Where they part company, at least to some degree, is on the knotty
question of the Jews. In the traditional movement, attacking Jews as Jews is
still seen as a counterproductive tactic; hence the deployment of “Zionist,”
along with the pejorative “zio,” both of which essentially function as code
words. Additionally, the traditional movement has always made a great show of
the handful of Jewish activists whose backing it has won, parading them as
“Exhibit A” when countering claims of antisemitism. When it comes to the fate of
the Jews gathered in Israel, the general consensus has been that they should
become citizens of “Palestine,” rather than being expelled outright. A large
part of the reason why stems from the origins of the Palestinian solidarity
movement in the radical ferment of the late 1960s. Many left-wing opponents of
Zionism in Europe and North America highlighted the influence of Matzpen, a tiny
group of Israeli Trotskyists mainly living abroad, whose rhetoric about severing
the Israeli Jewish working class from its Zionist overlords in favor of unified,
socialist Palestine chimed with the then zeitgeist.
The 2020s are different, however. While socialists are again raising their red
flags, they are less careful, compared to their antecedents, about
distinguishing between Jews and Israelis, and utterly disinterested, to the
point of contempt, when it comes to the various divides within Israeli society.
That shift in attitude has opened a space for a newer and more extreme version
of the Palestinian solidarity movement. Often led by second- or third-generation
Palestinians born abroad, without refugee status but with citizenship of their
countries of residence, they include such groups as “Within Our Lifetime” in the
United States and the newly formed “Anti Zionist Movement” in the United
Kingdom. Led by the shamelessly antisemitic Palestinian-American agitator
Nerdeen Kiswani, “Within Our Lifetime”—so named because its supporters believe
that they will still be alive when the State of Israel is destroyed—has played a
central role in the violent demonstrations outside synagogues in several cities,
ostensibly protesting events that market and sell property in Israel. On its
website, the group explains that its “anti-Zionism” is what informs its
opposition to any form of “normalization” with Israel, Israelis and their
sympathizers. “The liberation of Palestine requires the abolition of zionism
(sic),” it declares. At worst, this is a call for the elimination or expulsion
of every single Jew in Israel, as well as the proscribing of Zionist and
pro-Israel organizations outside. At best, it consigns those Jews who remain in
historic Eretz Israel to the status of a depleted, hated minority. This
antisemitic program has been eagerly developed by “Within Our Lifetime’s”
cousins across the ocean. Some of the individuals involved with the “Anti
Zionist Movement” in the United Kingdom have already achieved notoriety for
their screeds on social media, as well as their frequent appearances on Iranian
propaganda channels like Press TV.
One of its leaders is a Palestinian doctor working in the British health-care
system, Rahmeh Aladwan, who has been arrested on more than one occasion for her
online rants against “jewish (sic) supremacy.” Last November, Aladwan was
suspended from practicing medicine over her antisemitic posts.
Alongside Aladwan is David Miller, a professor who was fired from Bristol
University for his harassment of Jewish students. Miller has been a key player
in what can legitimately be described as the “Nazification” of the
pro-Palestinian movement. His social-media feed is infested with barbs against
“the Jewish Empire” and “pax Judaica.” He has harshly criticized other pro-Hamas
figures, among them former British Labour Party leader Jeremy Corbyn and current
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, for being insufficiently attuned to the fact
that “Jewish supremacy” lies at the root of the conflict in the Middle East. A
fanatical supporter of Iran, he loudly cheered the regime’s campaign of
repression against the latest wave of protests.
Even more worryingly, many parents of children attending Jewish schools in the
United Kingdom have been revulsed by Miller’s creepy postings about the
imperative to target these and other Jewish institutions as Zionist interlopers.
Miller and Aladwan were due to appear on Feb. 8 at the official launch of the
Anti Zionist Movement in the city of Birmingham, whose police force banned fans
of the Israeli soccer team Maccabi Tel Aviv last November. At the last moment,
the organizers were forced to seek another venue after their chosen location
wisely opted to cancel the event. The decision was an ideal opportunity for the
Anti Zionist Movement to argue that this was yet more proof that Britain is also
“Zionist-occupied” territory. One of their scheduled speakers, the Press TV
“reporter” Latifa Abouchakra, blamed the “Zionist lobby” for the decision,
adding pointedly: “But we’re Palestinians, we’re used to fighting Jewish
supremacists.”The Anti Zionist Movement is a natural partner of Palestine
Action, the violent group recently designated as a terrorist entity by the
British authorities. Both share a similar political outlook and impatience with
more established groups like the Palestine Solidarity Campaign. Given the
historic tendency of some anti-Zionist activists to embrace terrorism—from the
Red Army Faction in Germany in the 1970s to the Democratic Socialists of America
supporter who last year murdered two Israeli embassy staffers in Washington,
D.C.—there is every possibility that the radical wing of the Palestine
solidarity movement will follow suit, on both sides of the Atlantic.
*Ben Cohen is a senior analyst with the Foundation for the Defense of
Democracies (FDD) and director of FDD’s rapid response outreach, specializing in
global antisemitism, anti-Zionism and Middle East/European Union relations.
https://www.jns.org/whither-the-hamas-solidarity-movement/
Read in Jewish News Syndicate
South Africa Rejects Israeli Water Assistance to Carry Water for Hamas
David May/Real Clear World/February
09/2026
https://www.realclearworld.com/articles/2026/02/07/south_africa_rejects_israeli_water_assistance_to_carry_water_for_hamas_1163519.html
Pretoria just booted Israel’s top diplomat for an unforgivable offense: trying
to help rural South Africans access clean water.
Instead of focusing on the well-being of its citizens, the South African
government is picouthking fights with the United States and its allies.
In its January 30 announcement, S Africa’s Department of International Relations
and Cooperation (DIRCO) declared Israeli Charge d’Affaires Ariel Seidman persona
non grata, giving him 72 hours to vacate the country. DIRCO accused Israel of
committing “a series of unacceptable violations of diplomatic norms and practice
which pose a direct challenge to South Africa’s sovereignty,” including “the
repeated use of official Israeli social media platforms to launch insulting
attacks” against South African President Cyril Ramaphosa. The posts in question
are rather bland. After Ramaphosa called on Israel to release South Africans
detained for trying to breach the blockade of Gaza, the Israeli embassy stated
that Jerusalem was deporting the lawbreakers and that South African taxpayers
would foot the bill. After Ramaphosa objected to the United States skipping the
G20 summit being held in South Africa, the South African president declared,
“boycott politics doesn’t work.” But Ramaphosa’s statement contradicts his
African National Congress (ANC) party’s boycott politics targeting Israel.
Pointing out the hypocrisy, the Israeli Embassy called it “A rare moment of
wisdom and diplomatic clarity from President Ramaphosa.” Social media squabbles
mask the real cause of the kerfuffle. David Saranga, head of Israel’s digital
diplomacy initiative and an unofficial ambassador to South Africa, recently
visited the country. The king of the Xhosa nation, South Africa’s second-largest
ethnic group, hosted Saranga in the country’s Eastern Cape region last week.
During the meeting, Saranga promoted South Africans’ right to access clean water
and had an Israeli nonprofit demonstrate how it can improve the lives of remote
South African communities.This is a particularly sensitive issue for the ANC as
the Eastern Cape faces severe water shortages during an election year. The
Democratic Alliance, the country’s second-largest party, blames government
failure and mismanagement for infrastructure deficiencies in the region. Rolling
blackouts, pervasive potholes, and decaying infrastructure typify ANC-led South
Africa.While failing on domestic issues, the ANC has made hostility toward
Israel a pillar of its foreign policy. South Africa recalled its ambassador to
Israel in 2018 and downgraded its embassy to a liaison office in 2019 over
violence on the Gaza border. Tensions escalated a month after Hamas’s atrocities
in southern Israel — in November 2023 — when South Africa called Israel’s
response a “genocide” and recalled its diplomats. Pretoria’s decision to take
Israel to the International Court of Justice in December 2023 on spurious
genocide charges removed any doubt that it was engaged in diplomatic warfare
against the Jewish state.The ANC’s fight with Israel put South Africa on the
wrong side of the United States. Shortly after taking office, U.S. President
Donald Trump mentioned Pretoria’s hostility toward Israel in an executive order
that cut all aid to South Africa. The executive action also noted South Africa’s
worrying ties to Iran. Just last month, as the regime in Tehran was waist-deep
in the blood of an estimated tens of thousands of murdered protesters, South
Africa hosted a naval delegation that included Iran, Russia, and China. The
exercise was part of South Africa positioning itself as a pillar of the
anti-Western bloc led by the U.S. adversaries that are also serial human rights
violators.This is far from the first time that South Africa has cut off its nose
to spite its face in relations with Israel. In 2016, Israel warned South Africa
that Cape Town could face serious water shortages. The South African government
ignored or rejected Israeli offers of assistance, opting instead to partner with
Iran — the same Iran that is currently considering moving its capital because of
water mismanagement. Two years later, Cape Town came dangerously close to “Day
Zero” — the day the taps would go dry.Though Pretoria repeatedly rejects water
assistance from Israel, it gladly carries water for Hamas on the international
stage and conducts naval exercises with Russia, China, and Iran. The South
African government fails its citizens by picking fights with Israel, rejecting
Israeli assistance, and aligning with despotic U.S. adversaries.
**David May is a research manager and senior research analyst at the Foundation
for Defense of Democracies (FDD). For more analysis from the author and FDD,
please subscribe HERE. Follow David on X @DavidSamuelMay. Follow FDD on X @FDD.
FDD is a Washington, DC-based, nonpartisan research institute focusing on
national security and foreign policy.
Al-Sharaa through Lebanese
eyes
Ghassan Charbel/Asharq Al-Awsat/February 09/2026
The Lebanese politician said he was at a loss every time he thought about Syrian
President Ahmad Al-Sharaa. He has an intriguing and complex past that merits
deep study to understand the major transformation he has gone through. He
admitted that he was alarmed when he saw the 40-something man take over Damascus
after the downfall of Bashar Assad’s regime. He was quick to clarify however: “I
was never sorry to see the collapse of the Assad regime. In the end, those who
deserve to fall will fall. He mismanaged the legacy he inherited and did not
amend the several deep flaws inside the ruling system. “He believed that running
the palace means being able to run Damascus, and that running Damascus means
running the whole of Syria. He never acknowledged the massive suffering or the
terrible figures and statistics. Oppression, poverty and despair. He couldn’t
build trust with the everyday Syrian. He never dared to open a window and, when
he did, he was quick to close it. He banked on fear in making the people
submit,” added the politician.
Moreover, Assad “lost the image of the strong leader after the withdrawal of
Syrian troops from Lebanon in the wake of Rafik Hariri’s assassination. After
the eruption of the Syrian revolt, one thing was clear: Qassem Soleimani was in
control of Syria, more so than Hafez Assad’s son. The same could be said of
Hassan Nasrallah. Assad was the weakest player in that triangle.”
In one year, he managed to transform the country into a player after it had been
a playground under Assad
The politician acknowledged that in the early days following Al-Sharaa’s
assumption of power, he feared that “he would run Syria as Abu Mohammed Al-Golani,
who spent years in Iraqi jail.”The politician said that the Beirut-Damascus
route was mandatory for anyone who wanted to become involved in public life. The
exception was a few who resisted the two Assads’ insistence on running Lebanon
and making it subservient to Damascus. Those traveling that route hoped Damascus
would learn from Beirut a degree of openness in terms of the economy and
flexibility in regional and international politics. That never happened. Assad’s
Syria’s ties with Turkiye teetered between love and hate before seating itself
in the so-called Axis of Resistance. Today, the politician wonders why Beirut
has not learned from Damascus, especially in terms of setting priorities,
decision-making and building regional and international credibility.
The politician said that Al-Sharaa, after spending years in Idlib, took the
major decision of returning to the Syrian map and rearranging its dreams within
its borders. He abandoned dreams that could lead to regional conflicts, adopting
instead the slogan of “Syria first,” meaning saving Syria’s unity, rebuilding
its economy and returning refugees and the displaced. In one year, he managed to
establish Syria’s regional and international presence, transforming the country
into a player after it had been a playground under Bashar Assad.
The key to this was Al-Sharaa’s handshake with US President Donald Trump, at the
encouragement of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman. Trump lifted the Caesar
Act sanctions and other obstacles soon after. Another test: Al-Sharaa knew that
Russia was waiting for an opportunity to eliminate him in Idlib. He never gave
in to the need for revenge. Instead, he realized the importance of Russia in
overcoming the past, deliberately “forgetting” the demand for Assad’s
deportation so that he can stand trial. And so, Al-Sharaa entered the Kremlin
and, in turn, Europe. The network of international relations allowed Al-Sharaa
to deliver the message that the new Syria was focused on bolstering its
stability and working toward prosperity. The new Syria is not concerned with
policies of destabilizing its neighbors or meddling in their internal affairs.
The network of relations helped lead to a solution with the Syrian Democratic
Forces based on the principle that the new Syria is a home for all its
components. It is definitely in Lebanon’s interest to raise the slogan of
‘Lebanon first’ and form normal and fair relations with Syria
With complete pragmatism, Al-Sharaa realized that the new balance of power
established after the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation and the ensuing savage Israeli war
demanded that Syria quit the military aspect of the conflict with Israel.
These were all tough decisions for a man emerging from the Al-Nusra Front and
Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham. The politician now asked two important questions about the
future. First, can the Iranian leadership rearrange its policies and quit
meddling in regional affairs? Can it return from the dream of changing the
features of the region through violations, parallel armies and “resistance” and
turn to a dream of stability inside its own map and pursue prosperity and
investment? The point is for Iran to become a normal state. Iran is an important
country in the region that boasts vast means, in contrast to its current economy
and the dire conditions its people and currency are enduring.
The second question is can Hezbollah return from its costly regional trip and
rearrange its papers and ambitions as a normal party that enjoys massive support
inside its environment, while abandoning its arsenal and goals that go beyond
Lebanon’s ability to endure? The politician said the new balance of power is
stark and painful. Israel is a savage country with vastly superior technology
and the international community does not want another war along the Israeli
border.
The Lebanese politician’s comments may not reflect the position of all Lebanese
people, but the majority feels that way. It is definitely in Lebanon’s interest
to raise the slogan of “Lebanon first” and form normal and fair relations with
Syria. It should benefit from the reconstruction in Syria and restore regional
and international trust in its ability to establish a state that is serious
about reconstruction and building the economy.
Rebuilding a prosperous Lebanon is the best response to Benjamin Netanyahu’s
barbaric policies. Obstructing the Lebanese government’s efforts will only cost
Lebanon the opportunity to get out of the abyss and lead the world to leave it
to its own fate at the bottom of the new Middle East that is taking shape.
*Ghassan Charbel is editor-in-chief of Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper. X: @GhasanCharbel
The urgent need for a
peaceful settlement on Iran
Chris Doyle/Arab News/February 09, 2026
The first round of the latest series of talks between the US and Iran appears to
have progressed in Oman. Further negotiations are slated for this week. Hope
lingers. The prize is huge. An Iran that no longer pursues a nuclear path would
be a major victory for nuclear disarmament at a time when Russia and the US no
longer have any nuclear arms treaties binding them. Failure looks as if it would
trigger war in the form of US military strikes. President Donald Trump has the
military capabilities assembled in the region. War is always risky. War never
has many certainties. Trump knows full well that kicking off a war is far easier
than ending one. War may happen soon by design but also as a result of a
flashpoint, a misunderstanding between sides where trust is extinct. What would
be bombed? What would be the objective and would it be in any way achievable? It
is unlikely Trump would sanction strikes to achieve regime change, as he knows
this does not tend to happen. But an epidemic of wishful thinking still infects
the thinking of too many external fly-by-night observers. Degrading Iran’s
capabilities is conceivable — for example, a decapitation strike. But this is
not simple and, as with any strikes, civilian casualties could mount up. And how
long would the strikes last — days, weeks or months?
An epidemic of wishful thinking still infects the thinking of too many external
fly-by-night observers
The Iranian leadership has some unsavory options in a full-blown war scenario.
Ballistic missiles may still be dispatched toward Israel. Blocking the Strait of
Hormuz, even partially, is another possibility, causing an immediate and
damaging hit to the global economy. One can only guess at the sleeper cells Iran
might unleash if the regime’s survival is threatened. To counter that,
proponents of military action may argue that many of the worst-case scenarios
did not materialize in last year’s 12-day war. This time around, however, the
Iranian leadership may see it as a fight to the death.
All this is happening in the wake of arguably the largest protests in recent
Iranian history and the subsequent brutal crackdown, which killed thousands. A
war will not reincarnate the thousands killed in the protests. For those
Iranians dreaming of regime change, bombing from on high has a patchy record of
success. Many envisage a large portion of Iranians closing ranks in the face of
any US or US-Israeli strikes on Iran. It risks a “blitz” effect, whereby
Iranians may tap into patriotic, nationalistic feelings. Many Iranians want to
be able to handle their domestic challenges internally.
Let’s face reality. There are zero easy fixes for all the issues involving Iran.
Every option has risks. Regime collapse could see the end of the Iranian state,
with an enduring breakdown of law and order leading to a huge refugee crisis and
interethnic strife. With Iran’s population of nearly 100 million and numerous
identity groups, this would make the Iraq and Syria crises look like minor
squabbles. Collapse could see some form of military takeover, with the removal
of the theocratic classes from power. A deal could ensure regime survival, even
its prolongation, which would not be attractive to those that oppose it.
One risk is that a deal is done too hastily and is not properly worked out, left
riddled with holes and gaps
What about a deal? Time will be pressing. Trump is clearly not going to wait
months, maybe not even weeks. He is pressuring other states to end their
business dealings with Iran, threatening a 25 percent tariff on those that
continue such trade. One risk is that a deal is done too hastily and is not
properly worked out, left riddled with holes and gaps. A weak deal could be one
of the worst outcomes. The Iranian negotiators could have alternative careers as
poker players. What might a deal include? It could be narrow or broad; partial
or full. In public, both sides proclaim their red lines. Iranian officials claim
that any deal will only focus on the nuclear issue. The Trump administration
insists Iran’s ballistic missile program and regional conduct are also on the
table. One assumes a major freeze on its nuclear program leading to its
dismantling is a core part of any draft, with sanctions relief included.
But is a broader deal possible? The Iranian leadership has relied on its allies
across the region, from Hezbollah to Hamas and the Houthis, as a deterrent to
military strikes and a means to disrupt whole swathes of the Middle East.
Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Palestine and Yemen would benefit massively from less
Iranian interference. It costs the Iranian regime too, as sustaining these
groups is a drain on its depleted financial resources. Perhaps the greatest
unknown is, as ever, the array of ambitions among the Iranian leadership, often
stubborn to extreme, unwilling to be seen to cave in to external bullying. All
should be wary of running the clock down on a negotiated path forward. If
“sense” and “sanity” made decisions, an Iran deal would have been signed ages
ago. Trump craves a deal. The Middle East wants to see a nuclear-free Iran
playing a responsible role in the region, not an inflammatory one. Iranians
crave sanctions relief, for their economy to lift off and for the horrors of war
to be avoided.
**Chris Doyle is director of the Council for Arab-British Understanding in
London. X: @Doylech
Trump redoubles efforts to end the Ukraine war
Con Coughlin/Arab News/February 09, 2026
US President Donald Trump’s peace-making skills are being tested to the limit as
he seeks to seal a deal to end the Ukraine conflict. Trump has spent much of his
first 13 months back in the White House trying to resolve a conflict that is now
close to entering its fifth year and shows no sign of ending.
For his part, Vladimir Putin continues to press ahead with his “special military
operation” to achieve his stated objectives in Ukraine. Russia last week
launched yet another missile attack against Ukraine’s energy infrastructure,
plunging large areas of the country into darkness during one of the coldest
times of the year. The attack took place despite Trump’s claim that he had
received a personal assurance from Putin that the Russians would cease attacking
Ukraine’s main cities for a week so that the country’s civilian population did
not suffer further privations in the depths of Ukraine’s bitter winter. Trump
told a televised Cabinet meeting in Washington that he had “personally asked
President Putin not to fire into Kyiv and the various towns for a week, and he
agreed to do that. It was very nice. A lot of people said, ‘Don’t waste the
call, you’re not going to get that.’ And he (Putin) did it.”
Within days of Trump making his announcement, though, Russia launched one of its
largest missile attacks against Ukraine, primarily targeting its energy sector.
Russia’s attacks came as officials gathered for a fresh round of talks aimed at
ending the conflict
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky said that Moscow had used a record number
of ballistic missiles to target Ukraine’s energy sector despite the “energy
truce” Trump claimed to have negotiated with Putin.
The combined missile and drone strikes hit power plants and infrastructure in
Kyiv and multiple locations, causing “the most powerful blow” so far this year,
according to private energy company DTEK. The strikes were launched as
temperatures dropped to minus 20 degrees Celsius and left more than 1,000 tower
blocks in the capital without heating once again, while also damaging a power
plant in the eastern city of Kharkiv beyond repair. Meanwhile, thousands of
people in Russia’s Belgorod region were also without power and heating following
a Ukrainian air attack.
Zelensky said Russia was “choosing terror and escalation” rather than diplomacy
to end the war and called for “maximum pressure” on Moscow from Ukraine’s
allies. The attacks came as officials from the US, Ukraine and Russia gathered
for a fresh round of talks aimed at ending the conflict.
Despite the ferocity of the attack, Trump continued to insist that Putin had
kept his word, claiming that the attack only took place after the agreed time
period for the truce had expired, a claim that was hotly contested by the
Ukrainians. “He kept his word,” said Trump of Putin’s promise. “We’ll take
anything, because it’s really, really cold over there.”
Russia’s insistence on maintaining its assault on Ukraine at a time when the
focus is supposed to be on resolving the conflict is no doubt designed to
increase the pressure on both Trump and Zelensky to make territorial concessions
to end the war, a demand that has been bitterly resisted by Kyiv.
“We await the reaction of America to the Russian strikes,” Zelensky said as
American, Russian and Ukrainian officials gathered for a second round of
discussions in Abu Dhabi. “It was the US proposal to halt strikes on energy
during diplomacy and severe winter weather. The president of the United States
personally made the request. Russia responded with a record number of ballistic
missiles.”
The Ukrainian leader also called for the US Congress to finally approve new
sanctions against Russia. “The US Congress has long been working on a new
sanctions bill and there must be progress on it. European partners can take
decisive steps regarding the earnings of Russian oil tankers for the war. Russia
must feel pressure so that it moves in negotiations toward peace,” Zelensky
said. Negotiators have so far been upbeat about the talks, describing them as
“substantive” and “productive.” Rustem Umerov, Ukraine’s chief negotiator and
the head of its National Security and Defense Council, said the work of
negotiators had so far been “focused on concrete steps and practical solutions”
to ending the war. The Russian side is again represented by military
intelligence chief Igor Kostyukov, who has been sanctioned in the West over his
role in the invasion, which began on Feb. 24, 2022, along with other senior
intelligence officials.Negotiators have so far been upbeat about the talks,
describing them as ‘substantive’ and ‘productive’
Ahead of the talks, Kremlin spokesperson Dmitry Peskov told reporters that the
“doors for a peaceful resolution” to the conflict, which has killed tens of
thousands of people on both sides, “remain open.” The importance Trump is
attaching to the talks is reflected in the strength of the US delegation, which
is being led by White House special envoy Steve Witkoff and Trump’s son-in-law
Jared Kushner, both of whom have become fixtures in the Trump administration’s
diplomatic efforts to end the war in Ukraine.
US Secretary of the Army Daniel Driscoll and NATO Supreme Allied Commander
Europe Alex Grynkewich are also part of the American delegation. At the same
time as the trilateral talks to end the Ukraine conflict are taking place,
separate bilateral discussions are being held by Russian and American officials,
with the Russian delegation being led by Kremlin envoy and Russian Direct
Investment Fund CEO Kirill Dmitriev.
“We are actively working with the Trump administration to restore Russia-US
economic relations, including through the Russian-American Economic Cooperation
Group,” Dmitriev said.
The fact that Trump has sent such a high-ranking delegation to participate in
the talks reflects the American side’s determination to reach a deal with the
Kremlin on a broad range of topics, with the Ukraine conflict being just one of
the issues that are up for discussion. Whether Trump can conclude his ambitious
plan to establish a new era of US-Russia cooperation will ultimately depend on
whether he can persuade Putin to end his costly military campaign in Ukraine.
**Con Coughlin is one of Britain’s leading journalists and an international
best-selling author. His previous posts include Executive Defense and Foreign
Affairs Editor with London’s Daily Telegraph. He is a leading expert on global
conflict, international security and the Middle East.
This column first appeared in Al-Majalla.
X
Platform Selected twittes for 09/2026
Tur Levnon ܛܘܪ ܠܒܢܢ
“It has been given to the Maronites a country with a free and pluralistic
society, where Christianity is free—a rare thing in the Middle East. What is
required of them is that they not accept anything that would diminish Lebanon's
freedom."
- Charles Malek
Shadi khalloul
In the evening of St. MAROUN Holiday, I am delighted and proud to speak with my
Maronite Syriac Aramaic brothers & Sisters from Lebanon and diaspora about our
life in Israel and achievements as Israeli Christian Aramaic Association NGO for
recognizing our Aramaic identity in Israel. This is very important step to build
unity and overcome the fears imposed by political Pan Arab Islamic system on
native Christians.
Peace will come soon..
ME24 - Middle East 24
https://x.com/i/status/2020958596851269743
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu declared that the time has come for
war, calling on the United States to provide military backing and portraying the
moment as a critical turning point. Citing scripture, he said:
“The Bible says there is a time for peace and a time for war. This is a time for
war.”
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
for inviting me to talk about #Saudi Arabia's regional realignment:
"What should keep MBS awake at night is not Israel or Iran—it’s the Saudi
economy. Until Saudi leadership internalizes that reality—and recognizes
normalization with Israel as an economic necessity rather than a political
favor—Hussain sees little reason to expect a near-term course correction."
Lindsey Graham
To our so called regional allies: If you think for one moment
leaving the ayatollah and his murderous regime in power is a good idea after all
the pushback from the Iranian people, you’re living in a dream world.
It is now past time for the region to bravely and coherently stand up to the
murderous ayatollah, who is slaughtering his people and is a religious Nazi.
To Turkey, Qatar, Egypt etc: Your desire to keep the status quo and ignore the
just demands of the Iranian people is, in my view, beyond out of line with
American national security interests and it is also out of line with common
decency. President Trump said, “Keep protesting, help is on the way.” He will be
on the right side of history. I believe him to be a man of his word.
Freedom for Iran.
Mount Lebanon
Both Patriarchs, Antoun Arida and Elias Hoyek, believed that if Lebanon gave
itself over to Arab control, whether by calling it Arab, by sharing our land
with Arab factions under what we falsely label a national Lebanese identity, or
by placing it within what is known as the Arab League, it would mark the end of
the Maronites in their own ancestral homeland.Today, sadly, we see parties that
claim to be Christian pushing to Arabize what remains of the Maronites. And when
it comes to the Patriarchate, there is much that troubles the heart. Voices are
coming out of Bkerke that are not the voice of the Patriarch, voices that seem
ready to pull us back into the same Arab framework that has brought Lebanon
nothing but wars, instability, and destruction. So the question remains: when
will what is left of the Maronites wake up, come back to their senses, and
reaffirm that their true belonging is to Mount Lebanon alone?