English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For  January 12/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit
Saint Mark 01/01-08: “The beginning of the good news of Jesus Christ, the Son of God. As it is written in the prophet Isaiah, ‘See, I am sending my messenger ahead of you, who will prepare your way; the voice of one crying out in the wilderness: “Prepare the way of the Lord, make his paths straight” ’, John the baptizer appeared in the wilderness, proclaiming a baptism of repentance for the forgiveness of sins. And people from the whole Judean countryside and all the people of Jerusalem were going out to him, and were baptized by him in the river Jordan, confessing their sins. Now John was clothed with camel’s hair, with a leather belt around his waist, and he ate locusts and wild honey. He proclaimed, ‘The one who is more powerful than I is coming after me; I am not worthy to stoop down and untie the thong of his sandals. I have baptized you with water; but he will baptize you with the Holy Spirit.”.

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 11-12/2026
The Imperative of Toppling the Mullahs’ Regime, Dismantling Its Terrorist Arms, and Liberating the Iranian People from the Nightmare of Wilayat al-Faqih/Elias Bejjani/January 08/2026
Video-Link from FOX news to an important interview (In English) with Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi addresses the on going revolution In Occupied Iran
Video & Text of an interview with President Aoun: Army fulfilling its duties with its capabilities, Decision on exclusive state control of weapons continues to be enforced
Israeli airstrikes destroy residential complex east of Sidon after residents received warnings
Israeli army strikes south Lebanon after warning
Extensive Israeli Escalation and a Decisive Presidential Message to "The Party"
Belt of Fire in the South: 45 Strikes The latest in Bint Jbeil
Israeli army claims it struck tunnel entrances used by Hezbollah in South Lebanon
From conflict zone to state control: Lebanese Army reshapes the south
After a "Fiery Day": Hezbollah Member Targeted in Bint Jbeil
Financial Times" Uncovers the Threads of the Relationship Between Venezuela and Hezbollah

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 11-12/2026
Deaths from Iran protests reach more than 500, rights group says
Son of ousted shah tells Fox 'prepared to return to Iran' at first opportunity
UN chief ‘shocked’ by violence in Iran, urges restraint: Spokesman
‘Rioters’ must not disrupt Iranian society: President Pezeshkian
Iran says US bases and ships ‘legitimate target’ if attacked
Israel on high alert for possibility of US intervention in Iran, sources say
Israel’s Netanyahu hopes Iran will soon be freed from ‘tyranny’
Deaths from Iran protests reach more than 500, rights group says
US backs Saudi conference gathering Yemen’s southern factions
Calm, stable conditions prevail in Aden
Israel says EU should label Iran’s IRGC as ‘terrorist organization’
Israeli fire kills three people in Gaza, three months on from truce
Palestinian ministry says Israeli forces killed man in West Bank
Britain to develop new ballistic missile for Ukraine’s defense
Ukraine’s military says it struck Lukoil drilling platforms in the Caspian Sea
China voices support for Somalia after top diplomat postpones visit

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on January 11-12/2026
The era of direct US power has begun, moving past intimidation and persuasion/Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya English/11 January/2026
The Secret Hamas-NGO Relationship/Robert Williams/Gatestone Institute./January 11/2026
Trump's Jihadist 'Board of Peace'/Uzay Bulut/Gatestone Institute/January 11/2026
How Do al-Qaeda and Iran Converge in Syria?/Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al-Awsat/January 11/2026

The Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on January 11-12/2026
The Imperative of Toppling the Mullahs’ Regime, Dismantling Its Terrorist Arms, and Liberating the Iranian People from the Nightmare of Wilayat al-Faqih
Elias Bejjani/January 08/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/01/150884/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_3kbnJVaYOs
From the very moment Ayatollah Khomeini set foot in Tehran in February 1979—arriving from Paris aboard an Air France flight—the Middle East entered a dark tunnel from which it has yet to emerge. The so-called Iranian “revolution,” driven by an alliance of mullahs and leftist forces against the Shah’s rule, was not merely a domestic popular uprising. Rather, it was the product of strange ideological alliances, international complicity, and covert operations, later exposed in intelligence documents revealing significant U.S. involvement. These dynamics led to the removal of the Shah and the handover of power to an extremist sectarian current bearing a dictatorial, expansionist, imperial, and transnational terrorist project.
The Expansionist Project: An Empire of Militias
From its first day, the mullahs’ regime adopted the doctrine of “exporting the sectarian revolution” under the guise of Wilayat al-Faqih—a concept that recognizes neither national sovereignty nor international borders. This ideology gave rise to armed terrorist proxies fully subordinate to Tehran’s command, transforming Lebanon and several Arab states into arenas of influence and de facto Iranian provinces.
In Lebanon, Hezbollah confiscated the state’s sovereign decision-making, turning the country into a missile platform and a large open-air prison.
In Iraq, Syria, and Yemen, Iranian-backed militias destroyed the social fabric and national institutions, spreading chaos, poverty, devastation, and civil wars.
Contradictory Alliances
The mullahs’ regime did not limit its support to Shiite proxies. It also entered into pragmatic alliances with Sunni political-Islam groups, most notably the Muslim Brotherhood and its offshoots—such as Hamas, al-Qaeda, Boko Haram, and others—in order to destabilize Arab states and undermine moderate regimes.
A Black Record: Domestic Repression and External Terror
Internally, the mullahs transformed Iran—from a promising nation with a great civilizational heritage—into a vast prison. Since 1979, the regime’s criminal record has been endless:
Mass executions, including the liquidation of thousands of political opponents, most notoriously during the 1988 massacres.
Assassinations, targeting intellectuals and dissidents both inside Iran and abroad.
The Collapse of the State
Today, the Iranian people suffer from water and electricity shortages, collapsing education, the absence of an independent judiciary, and the repression of personal freedoms—while the country’s wealth is squandered on financing foreign wars and missile and nuclear programs.
The Nuclear Threat: A Sword Hanging Over the World
The regime’s pursuit of nuclear capabilities is not peaceful, as it claims, but rather a protective shield for its terrorist project. Granting a regime driven by apocalyptic and destructive messianic ideologies access to nuclear weapons would place the entire world under the threat of nuclear blackmail and constitute a direct danger to global peace.
The Moment of Truth: The Third Revolution and the National Alternative
Today, for the third time, the Iranian people—across all components of society—are rising up, openly rejecting this regime.
Their demands are clear: the return of Iran to the international community and the restoration of its national identity, embodied by Prince Reza Pahlavi as a symbol of historical legitimacy and stability. Accordingly, the international community—Arab and Western alike—must abandon the failed policy of “containment” and move decisively to support the liberation of the Iranian people. A free Iran is a strategic regional and global interest, as it would mean a safer Middle East, the end of political Islam in both its Shiite and Sunni forms, and the cessation of global terrorism financing.
Hezbollah: Iran’s Tool for the Destruction of Lebanon and the Exhaustion of the Region
No assessment of Iranian subversion is complete without confronting the demonic functional role played by Hezbollah in Lebanon. This organization has never been a national project; it is merely a faction of Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, speaking with a Lebanese accent and operating as mercenaries in every sense of the word. Hezbollah has dragged Lebanon into futile and devastating wars in service of Tehran’s agenda—starting with the 2006 war that destroyed infrastructure and displaced hundreds of thousands of Lebanese to improve Iran’s negotiating position, and culminating in the 2023 war against Israel under the pretext of “supporting Gaza,” a war in which the Lebanese people had no stake. Southern Lebanon was turned into scorched earth, sacrificed on the altar of the mullahs’ nuclear ambitions.
Hezbollah’s terrorism has not been confined to Lebanon. It has functioned as a transnational mercenary army in the service of Tehran:
In Syria, it participated in the slaughter of the Syrian people and supported the collapsing Assad regime, contributing to one of the largest demographic-engineering and forced-displacement operations in modern history. In Yemen and the Gulf, it provided military and technical support to the Houthi militia targeting the security of Saudi Arabia and the UAE, while operating espionage and sabotage cells and carrying out assassinations, kidnappings, bombings, and acts of chaos in Kuwait and Bahrain.
The Greatest Crime: Against Lebanese Shiites
Hezbollah’s gravest crime has been committed against the Shiite community in Lebanon itself. The party hijacked its free political will, turning it into a hostage of its project through extremist sectarian indoctrination, brainwashing young people and throwing them into endless wars. It isolated Lebanese Shiites from their national and Arab environment and transformed their towns and villages into weapons depots and missile platforms, sacrificing entire generations for the survival of the Wilayat al-Faqih regime in Tehran.
Liberating Lebanese Shiites from this terrorist ideological grip is the essential gateway to restoring the kidnapped Lebanese state.
Conclusion
All free nations must cooperate to topple the mullahs’ regime and dismantle its terrorist arms. A fundamental structural truth must be acknowledged: Lebanon will not regain its sovereignty and independence, nor will Gaza, Damascus, or Baghdad emerge from chaos and collapse, unless the head of the snake in Tehran is severed.
Hezbollah is nothing more than a sectarian functional tool of the Iranian regime. When the root falls, the branches inevitably collapse. Lebanon’s true liberation and independence begin with the fall of the Wilayat al-Faqih regime—so that the Middle East may once again become a region of construction rather than militias and death.
Elias Bejjani is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Email: phoenicia@hotmail.com
Website: https://eliasbejjaninews.com

Video-Link from FOX news to an important interview (In English) with Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi addresses the on going revolution In Occupied Iran
11 January/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/01/151007/
Exiled Iranian crown prince sends message to Trump: ‘SEAL THIS LEGACY’
Exiled Crown Prince Reza Pahlavi discusses surging protests in Iran, the regime’s internet blackout and his plan for a transition and free elections as tensions rise between Iran and the United States

Video & Text of an interview with President Aoun: Army fulfilling its duties with its capabilities, Decision on exclusive state control of weapons continues to be enforced
NNA/January 11/2026  https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/01/151002/
In an interview with "Tele Liban" Channel marking one year of his presidency, General Joseph Aoun said the roadmap for his term remains his inaugural address, in which he outlined his responsibilities drawn from 42 years of military service, including eight years as army commander. Aoun acknowledged that not all goals can be achieved in a single year, but said progress made so far cannot be denied. He considered that Lebanon has succeeded in balancing national sovereignty, efforts to recover its occupied land, and the preservation of civil peace and internal stability, despite major internal, regional, and international challenges. "We maintained stability, prevented collapse, and are working to re-establish the authority of the state," he said, emphasizing that Lebanese citizens seek national consensus and civil peace. "During this year, 2,240 decrees were issued, including 1,249 ordinary decrees and 951 decrees adopted by the Cabinet. The Cabinet held 45 sessions and issued 1,038 decisions," Aoun continued to indicate, considering that effective governance depends on actual practice. At the security level, Aoun said the Lebanese Army continues to carry out its duties, including in the south, reaffirming commitment to enforcing the state’s monopoly on weapons. He noted that weapons have also been withdrawn from several camps, describing the process as gradual due to the army’s limited resources and its wide-ranging responsibilities, from internal security to border control, counterterrorism, and combating drug trafficking. "The army is fulfilling its duties with the resources and information it possesses; this is what is important and fundamental: that the mission entrusted to the army is accomplished. Naturally, we will continue to enforce the decision to restrict weapons to all armed groups, and we must not forget the Palestinians in the south," Aoun maintained.

Israeli airstrikes destroy residential complex east of Sidon after residents received warnings
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/January 11, 2026
BEIRUT: Israeli warplanes on Sunday launched at least 43 airstrikes on valleys and mountains in southern Lebanon, north of the Litani River, an area that remains outside the Lebanese army’s current plan to consolidate weapons under state control.
Lebanon classified the attacks as violations of the ceasefire agreement. Israeli army spokesman Avichai Adraee issued a warning to residents of a large residential complex in Kfar Hatta, instructing them to evacuate before its demolition.
BACKGROUND
Israel has kept up regular strikes in Lebanon despite a November 2024 cease- fire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities between it and Hezbollah.
Kfar Hatta is in the Sidon district, 8 km east of the coastal city of Sidon. To the south, it borders a large valley with numerous caves and the Siniq River. In a post with a map of the compound, Adraee stated that the Israeli army “will attack, in the near future, Hezbollah’s military infrastructure in the village to counter its prohibited attempts to rebuild its activities there.”Adraee addressed “the residents of the compound marked in red on the attached map and the buildings adjacent to it: You are located near a compound used by Hezbollah. For your safety, you are obliged to evacuate it immediately and move at least 300 meters away.”The civilian residents of the compound and the town appealed to the Lebanese army command to inspect the site and ensure it was clear of any Hezbollah military structures. Media reports indicated that the army contacted UNIFIL forces to request an inspection of the site to prevent it from being targeted. Meanwhile, Lebanese Civil Defense personnel blocked the road between Kfarhatta and Kfarmelki. However, the Israeli army proceeded with its warnings and carried out a preliminary raid before launching a heavy bombardment of the compound (10 airstrikes), leaving dozens of families homeless. The successive Israeli airstrikes (33 airstrikes), carried out in less than two hours, targeted the area between Wadi Barghaz, Mahmoudiya, and Al-Brij — the outskirts of Jbaa in the Iqlim Al-Tuffah region — as well as the Jabbour and Qatrani heights and the outskirts of Rihan. These areas had already been targeted by Israeli airstrikes last week. Israeli reconnaissance aircraft flew at low altitude over the entire Bekaa Valley, reaching as far as Hermel. An Israeli source told media outlets that the Israeli army targeted six Hezbollah tunnels with 25 missiles.
Adraee claimed that the Israeli strikes were a response to Hezbollah’s violations of the ceasefire agreements, alleging that the army was attacking Hezbollah weapons depots in southern Lebanon.
He stated: “Over the past few months, Hezbollah activity has been observed at these sites. This activity at the targeted sites constitutes a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon. The army will continue to work to eliminate any threat.”
The Israeli army stated that it “attacked tunnel entrances used to store weapons inside several Hezbollah military sites in southern Lebanon.”On Friday, Israel escalated its aerial operations in Lebanon with a series of intense and simultaneous raids targeting various areas in the south and the Bekaa Valley, part of a broader effort to increase military pressure on Hezbollah, which refuses to relinquish its weapons north of the Litani River. The escalation coincided with the Lebanese government’s announcement of the completion of the first phase of its plan to confine weapons south of the Litani River. A subsequent plan to contain Hezbollah’s weapons north of this line is expected to be adopted as a preliminary step, given the vast area in which the Lebanese army is required to operate to complete the weapons confiscation plan.
The Israeli army expressed doubts about the Lebanese army’s ability to fulfill its mission. The Ceasefire Monitoring Mechanism is scheduled to hold its next meeting in Ras Al-Naqoura on Jan. 17. President Emmanuel Macron welcomed the “encouraging statements issued by the Lebanese authorities regarding the restoration of the state’s monopoly on weapons.”He posted on X: “This process must be pursued resolutely. The second phase of the plan will be a crucial step. All parties must fully respect the cessation of hostilities agreement and restore Lebanon’s complete sovereignty.” Macron affirmed that France, along with its partners, “remains fully committed to Lebanon and its army,” noting that “an international conference will be held soon in Paris to provide Lebanon and its army with the concrete means to guarantee this sovereignty.”

Israeli army strikes south Lebanon after warning
AFP/11 January/2026
The Israeli army struck an area of southern Lebanon on Sunday after issuing an evacuation warning, Lebanese state media said, with the military saying it attacked Hezbollah infrastructure. The strikes came days after the Lebanese military said it had completed disarming Hezbollah south of the Litani River, the first phase of a nationwide plan, though Israel has called those efforts insufficient. Lebanon’s official National News Agency (NNA) reported that “enemy warplanes launched more than 10 raids on the threatened location” in the town of Kafr Hatta, which lies north of the Litani, noting “significant damage” to buildings there. The Israeli military said it was “striking Hezbollah infrastructure in several areas” shortly after issuing an evacuation warning for Kafr Hatta. Israel has kept up regular strikes in Lebanon despite a November 2024 ceasefire that sought to end more than a year of hostilities between it and Hezbollah. Earlier on Sunday, the Israeli army announced it had carried out strikes on what it said was Hezbollah infrastructure elsewhere in the south “in response to Hezbollah’s continuous violations of the ceasefire understandings.”The NNA reported “a series of violent Israeli strikes” on Jezzine, Mahmudiyeh and Al-Dimasqiyeh, as well as “more than 10 strikes” on Al-Bureij, all in southern Lebanon. Most of the targeted areas are located north of the Litani. Under heavy US pressure and fearing expanded Israeli strikes, Lebanon has committed to disarming the Iran-backed militant group, which was badly weakened by its war with Israel. Lebanon’s army said Thursday that it had “achieved the objectives of the first phase” of its disarmament plan, covering the area south of the Litani - around 30 kilometers (20 miles) from the Israeli border - with the intention to extend it to the rest of the country. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office said in response that the ceasefire “states clearly, Hezbollah must be fully disarmed.”Lebanon’s efforts, it added, “are an encouraging beginning, but they are far from sufficient, as evidenced by Hezbollah’s efforts to rearm and rebuild.”Despite the truce, Israel has also maintained troops in five south Lebanon areas it deems strategic.

Extensive Israeli Escalation and a Decisive Presidential Message to "The Party"
Nidaa Al-Watan/January 12/2026   (translated from Arabic)
The appearance of President Joseph Aoun yesterday evening, marking one year of his term, featured stances that intersected with security developments, reflecting the ongoing issue of Hezbollah’s weapons—which the group remains clung to even after the first phase of the plan to restrict arms south of the Litani River. President Aoun approached this heated file, which reached a new peak yesterday with dozens of Israeli raids, in a manner that solidified the official state choice: continuing the "application of the decision to restrict arms to state forces across all armed groups." He emphasized that the Army "is performing its duties with the capabilities and information at its disposal."
Addressing Hezbollah without naming them, the President said: "These weapons were created for a specific mission when the Army was not present at the time. The circumstances in which these weapons existed no longer prevail; they have vanished, and the Army is now present. The Lebanese State, through its armed forces, is responsible for the security and protection of citizens across all Lebanese territory." He went further, stating: "In the view of some, these weapons were capable of deterring Israel, achieving withdrawal, and preventing aggression—and I supported that. However, their continued existence has become a burden on their own environment and on Lebanon as a whole. Let us be wise and realistic, and correctly read the regional and international circumstances around us. Therefore, this is not just about Resolution 1701; rather, these weapons have completed their mission and no longer serve a deterrent role."
He continued: "I want to say to the other side: it is time to be rational. Either you are truly part of the state, or you are not. You have ministers and MPs representing you in the state; put your hands in the hand of the state, and it will guarantee protection. The time has come for the state to assume the responsibility of protecting its people and land. One segment of the population is no longer required to bear this burden while all of Lebanon suffers the consequences. It is time to prioritize the power of logic over the logic of power." He noted that the solution lies in returning to the Armistice Agreement, or slightly amending it, in addition to the Ceasefire Agreement, calling for their implementation first "and then we shall see how things proceed."
President Aoun highlighted Lebanon’s commitment to "positive neutrality" and the refusal to let it become a "platform that threatens the stability of other countries," noting that he informed Hamas that they must not conduct any military actions, otherwise, its members would be deported. On another note, he denied the presence of senior officers from the former Syrian regime in Lebanon, stating that such rumors are incorrect according to security reports and investigations conducted by Army Intelligence.
We Have an Existing Election Law
Regarding the electoral law and the upcoming elections, President Aoun said: "We have a law in force. Regulatory decrees must now be enacted according to the existing law. The government has done its duty by submitting a draft law, and the ball is now in Parliament's court. Following the principle of respecting authorities, the government has acted; let the Parliament step up and do its duty. I personally speak with Speaker Berri and tell him: decide what you will do and which law you will rely on so we know how to proceed." He added: "Expatriates are not just checkbooks; they have the right to participate in political decision-making."
He stressed: "It is forbidden for the elections to be postponed or not held. This is a constitutional milestone and it will be carried out." He considered that a "technical delay" of a month or two is not a postponement, "but to postpone for a year or two, or to renew the Parliament’s term—no, that is prohibited and unacceptable."
Rescheduling the "Mechanism" Meeting
On another front, a high-ranking political source told Nidaa Al-Watan that it is likely the meeting of the "Mechanism" Committee, scheduled for the 17th of this month, will be moved to the 18th or 19th. This comes after it was noted that the original date falls on Saturday, an official holiday for the Israeli side, which could hinder the meeting's required format and affect the level of representation. The source explained that Lebanon has recently received clear Israeli messages, conveyed through international envoys visiting Beirut, centering on a direct warning: Israel has prepared a "massive destructive military plan" should Hezbollah intervene in any potential war between Israel and Iran. These messages are not categorized as media intimidation but are presented as serious data intended for Lebanese decision-makers.
Attempt to Broker a Deal with "The Party"
Prominent political circles indicated to Nidaa Al-Watan "worrisome" reports regarding talks circulating between three Arab and Western capitals to avoid an Israeli strike in exchange for "giving something to Hezbollah" regarding its weapons. The sources added: "This talk is rejected and will not happen, primarily because Hezbollah is still clinging to its weapons, and the Lebanese political forces as a whole refuse to surrender these weapons in exchange for powers granted to the Party. On the contrary, the Party's weapons must be surrendered in exchange for sanctions on the Party and Iran due to what they have brought upon Lebanon over 35 years." These circles noted that the United States is not moving in a direction favorable to such a "trade-off."
Raids and Targets Across the South
On the ground, after a fiery day of continuous raids in the south, an Israeli drone executed a strike yesterday evening targeting a car with a guided missile in the city of Bint Jbeil. According to press information, the individual targeted and killed was Mohammad Adel Al-Saghir, a member of the Bint Jbeil municipality. About an hour after the Bint Jbeil raid, an enemy drone targeted a motorcycle in the town of Yater, resulting in two injuries. Yesterday afternoon, the Israeli army carried out a "warning strike" on the town of Kfar Hatta after issuing an evacuation order for one of its buildings, followed by a series of violent raids that could be heard in Sidon and its eastern outskirts. It was reported that Israeli aircraft launched more than 10 raids on the threatened location (forming a "belt of fire"), causing massive destruction to buildings. An Israeli military spokesperson announced: "For the second time today, we are attacking Hezbollah infrastructure in areas of southern Lebanon." Large numbers of residents from southern Lebanon were reported to have displaced toward Beirut due to yesterday's violent Israeli escalation.
Cabinet Session Tomorrow
In other news, the Cabinet will hold a session tomorrow afternoon, Tuesday, at the Grand Serail, to discuss developments in the general financial situation and ways to improve resource management and the available options for required reform.

Belt of Fire in the South: 45 Strikes The latest in Bint Jbeil
Al-Modon/ January 12/ 2026  (translated from Arabic)
In a violent Israeli escalation in Southern Lebanon, and following a series of raids targeting several southern areas this afternoon—including an assault on the town of Kfar Hatta following an Israeli military threat to bomb a residential complex—an Israeli drone executed a strike this evening targeting a car in the Al-Maslakh neighborhood of Bint Jbeil. The Public Health Emergency Operations Center of the Ministry of Public Health announced in a statement that the Israeli strike on the car in Bint Jbeil resulted in the martyrdom of a citizen. IDF spokesperson Avichay Adraee stated: "The Israeli Air Force recently attacked a Hezbollah operative in the Bint Jbeil area." Hours after the car was targeted, reports emerged of a strike on the town of Yater, while other sources suggested Israeli forces dropped a sound bomb on a rooftop in the town, with no injuries recorded. This coincided with a traffic accident in the same vicinity, resulting in two injuries being transported from the scene.
Targeting Kfar Hatta
Israeli warplanes targeted the threatened area in Kfar Hatta after the IDF issued an evacuation warning for a specific complex. Hostile aircraft launched more than 10 raids on the site, creating a "belt of fire" that caused massive destruction to buildings.
Commenting on the escalation, the Israeli military announced it "attacked 7 Hezbollah infrastructures in several areas of Southern Lebanon." Adraee claimed that the IDF targeted an underground site used for storing weapons, alleging that the site had been flagged to the Lebanese Army a week ago but was not fully dismantled. Preliminary information indicated that the Lebanese Army and a UNIFIL force headed to Kfar Hatta following appeals from residents to inspect the threatened area. The targeted site is a large residential complex comprising at least 10 buildings. Due to the intensity of the strikes, reports indicate a large-scale displacement of residents from Southern Lebanon toward Beirut.
Summary of Strikes: Total strikes: Approximately 45 (33 within a single hour earlier in the day).
Key Locations: Wadi Barghaz, Al-Mahmoudiya, Jabal al-Rayhan, Dimashqiya, Basliya, Jabbour heights, and Jbaa. IDF Justification: "Response to continuous violations of ceasefire agreements."

Israeli army claims it struck tunnel entrances used by Hezbollah in South Lebanon
LBCI/January 11/2026
The Israeli army said it carried out airstrikes targeting tunnel entrances used to store weapons at several Hezbollah military sites in South Lebanon. In a post on X, Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee claimed the strikes hit tunnel openings that were used for storing what he described as combat equipment inside multiple Hezbollah military positions in the south. Adraee added that, over the past months, Hezbollah activity had been detected at these sites, which he claimed constitutes a violation of the understandings between Israel and Lebanon. He said, ''The Israeli army will continue to act to remove what it considers any threat to Israel.''

From conflict zone to state control: Lebanese Army reshapes the south
LBCI/January 11/2026
Since the establishment of Israel, South Lebanon has been a flashpoint and a theater for non-state armed actors. At various stages, the area was used by Palestinian armed factions, later by Lebanese leftist groups in their different forms, and eventually by Hezbollah — reflecting the weakness of state authority. Today, after decades of this reality, the region is for the first time under the full control of the Lebanese army. The number of troops deployed in the area has increased from 4,000 to 10,000 personnel — the first such deployment since Lebanon’s independence. This full deployment was carried out over the past months across the entire sector, with the exception of points that remain occupied by Israel. The first deployment of the Lebanese army south of the Litani River since the establishment of the border strip in 1978 took place after the July 2006 war, under the framework of U.N. Security Council Resolution 1701. From one regiment and two brigades, the army’s presence has expanded to two regiments, two brigades, special units, and specialized engineering units tasked with transporting and dismantling weapons and ammunition. Since 2006, the Litani River had served as a route for transporting weapons toward confrontation zones. For the first time, the army has sealed all gaps — 11 crossings along the river — reinforcing its fixed and mobile checkpoints across the sector, which now number 35. The army’s mission expanded from preventing weapons transport to dismantling installations and seizing arms. In this context, it carried out more than 330 joint operations with the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) and 1,230 operations independently. The number of seized items exceeded 200,000, including installations, weapons, and ammunition — a figure reflecting the scale of Hezbollah’s arsenal in the area. The mission did not stop at technical measures. Protecting civilians was a core component of the plan, alongside safeguarding sovereignty.
To that end, the army established 22 permanent observation posts facing occupied points and 12 temporary observation posts in sensitive areas, aimed at preventing friction between civilians and the Israeli army. Along the border, Israeli forces continued incursions even after the ceasefire. The Lebanese army responded by sealing 10 border gaps, including in Blida and Yaroun. For decades, Palestinian refugee camps also constituted security zones outside formal state control. Today, the Borj El Chmali, Rashidieh, and al-Buss camps, located south of the Litani, are under army authority for entry and exit, through 45 crossing points established at their entrances. In parallel with its operations in the south, the army continued its missions in eastern and northern Lebanon, where illegal arms-smuggling routes from Syria exist. Over the past year, it closed 199 crossings in the Bekaa Valley and 373 in the north. All of this has been carried out amid continued Israeli violations by air, land, and sea, which have exceeded 6,000 incidents since the agreement to halt hostilities.
Despite this, the Lebanese army continues its mission — calmly, steadily, and at great cost.

After a "Fiery Day": Hezbollah Member Targeted in Bint Jbeil
Al-Markazia/January 11/2026  (translated from Arabic)
Following a day of continuous bombardment, an Israeli drone targeted a car with a guided missile in Bint Jbeil this Sunday evening. The Ministry of Health confirmed one death. Press reports identified the target as Mohammed Adel Al-Saghir, a member of the Bint Jbeil municipal council. An hour later, a drone targeted a motorcycle in Yater, injuring two people. This followed the "warning strike" and subsequent heavy bombardment of Kfar Hatta. Military Developments: The IDF claimed to have targeted 6 tunnels used for weapon storage in Southern Lebanon using 25 missiles. Israeli Channel 15 reported that the Air Force used approximately 30 bombs in these strikes. High-altitude and low-altitude reconnaissance flights were reported over the Bekaa Valley, Baalbek, and the Tyre coastline.

Financial Times" Uncovers the Threads of the Relationship Between Venezuela and Hezbollah
Al-Modon/January 11/2026  (translated from Arabic)
An investigation by the British newspaper "Financial Times," conducted from Beirut and London, has shed light on an illicit relationship between Hezbollah and Caracas that dates back to when ousted Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro served as the country’s Foreign Minister. The investigation recalls a widely publicized visit Maduro made to Damascus in 2007, during whih he met with then-Syrian President Bashar al-Assad while en route to Tehran.According to the newspaper: "Officially, Maduro was in the region to strengthen his country's ties with nations that shared a mutual hostility toward Washington. However, behind closed doors," the paper claims his visit had another objective: a secret meeting with a senior Hezbollah leader who is considered a key figure in the group's external operations. Citing three individuals familiar with the details, the paper reports that the previously undisclosed meeting took place in a hotel in central Damascus, marking the first known instance of Maduro meeting directly with a member of Hezbollah. The report continues: "Washington has repeatedly, particularly under recent Republican administrations, accused Venezuelan officials of complicity with Hezbollah in drug trafficking and illicit financial activities, while several of Maduro’s allies have faced U.S. criminal investigations based on these links. These relations have come under renewed scrutiny following the daring dawn raid by U.S. forces in Caracas last week to arrest Maduro."Maduro faces extensive charges related to drug trafficking. He appeared before a New York court on Monday, where he pleaded not guilty to four counts, including "narcoterrorism," conspiracy to import cocaine, and weapons possession. While the indictment does not explicitly mention Hezbollah or Iran, U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio stated in an interview the day after Maduro's arrest that Venezuela had "grown closer to Hezbollah" and its Iranian patron.
The newspaper quotes an intelligence official and another person familiar with the file, stating that Hezbollah developed relations with government officials in Caracas during the era of the late President Hugo Chávez, and these ties were further strengthened under Maduro. One insider remarked: "Suddenly, Hezbollah’s activities began to expand: drug trafficking, money laundering, passport schemes, weapons, and intelligence—all conducted under diplomatic cover." Both Hezbollah and Venezuelan authorities have denied these allegations.
Project Cassandra The newspaper adds: "However, multiple investigations and public indicators show the depth of these relations, which evolved as Hezbollah adopted an 'entrepreneurial' approach to activities such as money laundering and arms smuggling worldwide."
The British paper quotes Jack Kelly, a retired DEA agent who helped lead the investigation into Hezbollah’s links to organized crime under "Project Cassandra," stating that the agency found evidence that Hezbollah operatives obtained Venezuelan passports, while the state-owned airline "Conviasa" provided logistical support to the group. Project Cassandra was launched in 2008 to investigate activities including drug trafficking, arms smuggling, and money laundering.
Kelly noted that around 2010, the DEA learned of cocaine shipments transported on Conviasa flights to Damascus, alongside massive shipments of bulk cash. He added that this money was later sent to exchange networks linked to Hezbollah in Lebanon, saying: "This could not have happened without the knowledge of the Chavistas."
In 2012 testimony, Roger Noriega, former U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Western Hemisphere Affairs, said that Conviasa operated regular flights from Caracas to Damascus and Tehran, "providing Iran, Hezbollah, and their linked drug trafficking networks a clandestine means to move personnel, weapons, and contraband."
Most evidence of the links between Hezbollah and Venezuela stems from Project Cassandra, considered one of the most comprehensive criminal investigations into the group's international ties, even though the investigation concluded in 2016. However, it appears Hezbollah’s connections in Venezuela persisted. A complaint filed in a U.S. federal court against the cryptocurrency platform "Binance" in December alleged that gold smugglers and money launderers linked to Hezbollah, based in Venezuela, transferred tens of millions of dollars through the platform. Binance responded that it fully complied with "internationally recognized sanctions laws."Project Cassandra also revealed links between a high-ranking Hezbollah official and Ayman Joumaa, a Lebanese drug trafficker based in Medellin, Colombia, accused of managing one of the world's largest and most complex drug trafficking and money laundering networks, spanning Colombia and Venezuela. In his testimony, Noriega stated that "Venezuela provided thousands of ID cards, passports, and visas to individuals of Middle Eastern origin," claims confirmed by former U.S. officials and an intelligence official to the Financial Times. Tareck El Aissami, a former Maduro ally and former Vice President who is under sanctions by the U.S., Canada, and the EU, is considered a central figure in the passport-granting scheme, according to sources familiar with the file. He has faced indictments in the U.S. related to corruption and sanctions evasion.
Meanwhile, investigators reported spotting photos of Hezbollah members in Venezuela. Kelly said the DEA obtained credible evidence around 2010 showing the presence of group members there. He added: "We saw photos of Hezbollah fighters on rooftops on Margarita Island, training in urban combat with long guns." Margarita Island, a free-trade zone off the Venezuelan coast, is considered a hub for Hezbollah’s financial activity and hosts a large Lebanese community, according to an intelligence official.
Hezbollah in Military Uniforms Another former U.S. official said he had also seen evidence showing Hezbollah fighters wearing military uniforms in Venezuela during the same period. While some Trump administration officials described these sites as "training camps," Matthew Levitt, a former counterterrorism official at the U.S. Treasury, considered that an exaggeration, stating: "Hezbollah has a very deep history in Venezuela... it does not need to run training camps to maintain its presence there."
In 2008, the U.S. Treasury Department sanctioned Ghazi Nasr al-Din, a Venezuelan diplomat who served in his country's embassies in Damascus and Beirut, accusing him of using his position to "provide financial support to Hezbollah." In 2020, the U.S. Department of Justice filed narcoterrorism charges against Adel El Zabayar, a close ally of Maduro, accusing him of links to Hezbollah, including appearing in the group's promotional videos.
At the same time, there are signs that Hezbollah’s links in Venezuela remain active. In December, the Financial Times found that Venezuela-based cryptocurrency accounts conducted transactions with digital wallets later linked to Tawfiq al-Law, a U.S.-sanctioned Syrian accused of moving illicit funds for Hezbollah, the Iranian-backed Houthis in Yemen, and a company linked to the Assad regime in Syria. Binance denied these allegations, affirming its commitment to international sanctions laws.
However, Matthew Levitt concluded: "The Maduro regime is still there. The same system still exists, the same one believed to have cooperated with Hezbollah... It is not at all clear how what the United States has done will translate into a real blow to Hezbollah and Iran in Venezuela."

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on January 11-12/2026
Deaths from Iran protests reach more than 500, rights group says
Reuters/11 January/2026
Unrest in Iran has killed more than 500 people, a rights group said on Sunday, as Tehran threatened to target US military bases if President Donald Trump carries out threats to intervene on behalf of protesters. With the Islamic ‍Republic’s clerical establishment facing the biggest demonstrations since 2022, Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if force is used on protesters. According to its latest figures - from activists inside and outside Iran - US-based rights group HRANA said it had verified the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 security personnel, with more than 10,600 people arrested in two weeks of unrest. Iran has not given an official toll and Reuters was unable to independently verify the tolls. Trump was to be briefed by his officials on Tuesday on options over Iran including military strikes, using secret cyber weapons, widening sanctions and providing online help to anti-government sources, the Wall Street Journal said on Sunday. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned Washington against “a miscalculation.”“Let us be clear: in the ⁠case of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories (Israel) as well as all US bases and ships will be our legitimate target,” said Qalibaf, a former commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Authorities intensify crackdown
The protests began on December 28 in response to soaring prices, before turning against the clerical rulers who have governed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Authorities accuse the US and Israel of fomenting trouble. The flow of information from Iran has been hampered by an internet blackout since Thursday. Footage posted on social media on Saturday from Tehran showed large crowds marching along a street at night, clapping and chanting. The crowd “has no end nor beginning,” a man is heard saying. In footage from the northeastern city of Mashhad, smoke can be seen billowing into the night sky from fires in the street, masked protesters, and a road strewn with debris, another video posted on Saturday showed. Explosions could be heard. Reuters verified the locations. State TV aired footage of dozens of body bags on the ground at the Tehran coroner’s office on Sunday, saying the dead were victims of events caused by “armed terrorists.”Three Israeli sources, who were present for Israeli security consultations over the weekend, said Israel was on a high-alert
footing for the possibility of any ‍US intervention. An Israeli military official said the protests were an internal Iranian matter, but Israel’s military was monitoring developments and was ready to respond “with power if need be.”Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June last year, which the United States briefly joined ‍by attacking key nuclear installations. Iran retaliated by firing missiles at Israel and an American air ‍base in Qatar.
Iran denounces ‘rioters and terrorists’
While the ⁠Iranian authorities have weathered previous protests, the latest have unfolded with Tehran still recovering from last year’s war and with its regional ‌position weakened by blows to allies such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah since ⁠the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks against Israel. Iran’s unrest comes as Trump flexes US muscles ‍on the world stage, having ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and floating the possibility of acquiring Greenland by purchase or military force. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a TV interview, said Israel and the US were masterminding destabilization and that Iran’s enemies had brought in “terrorists ... who ⁠set mosques on fire .... attack banks, and public properties.”“Families, I ask you: do not allow your young children to join rioters and terrorists who behead people and kill others,” he said, adding that the government was ready to listen to the people and to resolve economic problems. Iranian state TV broadcast funeral processions in western cities such as Gachsaran and Yasuj for security personnel killed in protests.State TV said 30 members of the security forces would be buried in the central city of Isfahan and that six more were killed by “rioters” in Kermanshah in the west.

Son of ousted shah tells Fox 'prepared to return to Iran' at first opportunity
LBCI/11 January/2026
The U.S.-based son of Iran's ousted shah said Sunday he is prepared to return to the country and lead a transition to a democratic government. "I'm prepared to return to Iran at the first possible opportunity. I'm already planning on that," Reza Pahlavi said on Fox News show "Sunday Morning Futures" with Maria Bartiromo.He added: "My job is to lead this transition to make sure that no stone is left unturned, that in full transparency, people have an opportunity to elect their leaders freely and to decide their own future."AFP

UN chief ‘shocked’ by violence in Iran, urges restraint: Spokesman
AFP/11 January/2026
United Nations Secretary-General Antonio Guterres on Sunday said he was “shocked” by reports of violence against protesters in Iran and called on the government to show restraint. Guterres “is shocked by the reports of violence and excessive use of force by the Iranian authorities against protesters,” his spokesperson Stephane Dujarric said in a statement, adding a call “to exercise maximum restraint and to refrain from unnecessary or disproportionate use of force.”

‘Rioters’ must not disrupt Iranian society: President Pezeshkian
Agencies/11 January/2026
“Rioters” should not be allowed to disrupt Iranian society, President Masoud Pezeshkian said on Sunday in his first remarks after three nights of intensified protests against the authorities. “The people (of Iran) should not allow rioters to disrupt society. The people should believe that we (the government) want to establish justice,” he told state broadcaster IRIB. Pezeshkian said that the US and Israel ‍want ‍to “sow chaos and ‍disorder” ⁠in ‌Iran ⁠by ‍ordering “riots,” and called ⁠upon Iranians to ‌distance themselves from “rioters and ‍terrorists.”

Iran says US bases and ships ‘legitimate target’ if attacked
Reuters/11 January/2026
Tehran on Sunday threatened to retaliate against Israel and US bases in the event of US strikes on Iran, delivering ‍the warning to Washington as Israeli sources said Israel was on high alert for the possibility of any US intervention. With Iran’s clerical establishment facing the biggest anti-government protests since 2022, US President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in recent days, warning Iranian leaders against using force against demonstrators. On Saturday, Trump said the US stands “ready to help.”Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf, speaking in parliament on Sunday, warned the United States against “a miscalculation.”“Let us be clear: In the case of an ⁠attack on Iran, the occupied territories (Israel) as well as all US bases and ships will be our legitimate target,” said Qalibaf, a former commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Death toll increases
Three Israeli sources, who were present for Israeli security consultations over the weekend, said Israel was on a high alert footing, but did not elaborate on what that meant. An Israeli government spokesperson declined to comment. The Israeli military didn’t immediately respond to a request for comment. Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June, in which the US joined Israel in launching airstrikes. Iran retaliated for those US strikes by firing missiles at an American air base in Qatar. Protests have spread across Iran since December 28, beginning in response to soaring inflation, and quickly turning political with protesters demanding an end to clerical rule. Authorities accuse the US ‍and Israel of fomenting unrest. The flow of information from Iran has been hampered by an internet blackout imposed by the authorities since Thursday. A US-based rights group, HRANA, said the ‍death toll had climbed to 116, mostly protesters but ‍including 37 members of the security forces. Iranian ⁠state TV broadcast funeral processions in western Iranian cities like Gachsaran and Yasuj ‌for security forces killed in protests. A social media video ⁠posted on Saturday showed large crowds gathered in Tehran’s Punak ‍neighborhood at nighttime, drumming rhythmically on a bridge or other metal objects in an apparent sign of protest. Reuters verified the location. Iran’s rulers have quelled repeated bouts of unrest, ⁠most recently in 2022 over the death in custody of a woman accused of violating dress codes.
US official sees ‘endurance game’ in Iran
Trump, posting on social media on Saturday, said: “Iran is looking ‌at FREEDOM, perhaps like never before. The USA stands ready to help!!!”In a phone call on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US Secretary of State Marco Rubio discussed the possibility of US intervention in Iran, according to an Israeli source who was present for the conversation. A US official confirmed the two men spoke but did not say what topics they discussed. A senior US intelligence official on Saturday described the situation in Iran as an “endurance game.” The opposition was trying to ‍keep up pressure until key government figures either flee or switch sides, while the authorities were trying to sow enough fear to clear the streets without giving the United States justification to intervene, the official said. Israel has not signaled a desire to intervene, with tensions between the two arch-foes high over Israeli concerns about Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs. In an interview with the Economist published on Friday, Netanyahu said there would be horrible consequences for Iran if it were to attack Israel. Alluding to the protests, he said: “Everything else, I think we should see ‌what is happening inside Iran.”

Israel on high alert for possibility of US intervention in Iran, sources say
Reuters/11 January/2026
Israel is on high alert for the possibility ‍of any US intervention in Iran as authorities there confront the ‍biggest anti-government protests in years, according to three Israeli sources with knowledge of the matter. President Donald Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene in recent days and warned Iran’s rulers against ⁠using force against demonstrators. On Saturday, Trump said the US stands “ready to help.” The sources, who were present for Israeli security consultations over the weekend, did not elaborate on what Israel’s high-alert footing meant in practice. Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June, in which the US joined Israel ‍in launching airstrikes.In a phone call on Saturday, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and US ‍Secretary of ‍State Marco Rubio ⁠discussed the possibility of US ‌intervention in Iran, according ⁠to an Israeli source ‍who was present for the conversation. A US official confirmed the two ⁠men spoke but did not say what topics they discussed. Israel has not signaled ‌a desire to intervene in Iran as protests grip the country, with tensions between the two arch-foes high over Israeli concerns about Iran’s nuclear and ballistic missile programs.In an interview ‍with the Economist published on Friday, Netanyahu said there would be horrible consequences for Iran if it were to attack Israel. Alluding to the protests, he said: “Everything else, I think we should see what is ‌happening inside Iran.”

Israel’s Netanyahu hopes Iran will soon be freed from ‘tyranny’
AFP/11 January/2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said Sunday that he hoped Iran would soon be freed from what he described as the “yoke of tyranny,” as major protests shake the Islamic Republic. Iran has been gripped by days of deadly protests, initially ignited by anger over the rising cost of living but soon evolving into a broader movement challenging the theocratic government that has ruled the country since the 1979 revolution. “We all hope that the Persian nation will soon be freed from the yoke of tyranny, and when that day comes, Israel and Iran will once again be loyal partners in building a future of prosperity and peace for both peoples,” Netanyahu said at a weekly cabinet meeting, according to a video released by his office. “Israel is closely monitoring events in Iran,” he added. “The people of Israel and the entire world are in awe of the tremendous courage of Iran’s citizens.”Foreign Minister Gideon Saar had made similar comments earlier in the day. “We support the Iranian people’s struggle for freedom and wish them success,” Saar said in an interview posted on X. “We think they deserve freedom... We don’t have any hostility with the people of Iran,” he continued, adding Israel instead had “a huge problem” with Iran’s government, accusing it of exporting extremism. Netanyahu’s remarks came after an Iranian official had warned his country would strike US military and shipping targets if Iran was attacked by the United States. Iranian parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf had told lawmakers on Sunday that if the US attacked, “both the occupied territory and centres of the US military and shipping will be our legitimate targets.” The comment was an apparent reference to Israel, which the Islamic Republic does not recognize and considers occupied Palestinian territory. In a statement, an Israeli military official said the army was following developments in Iran and “preparing defensively.”“We will be equipped to respond with power if need be,” the official said. Iran has repeatedly accused the United States and Israel of inciting the ongoing unrest and trying to undermine the Islamic Republic’s national unity. Iran and Israel engaged in a war in June that saw unprecedented Israeli attacks on Iranian military and nuclear facilities.The United States briefly joined in the strikes, hitting three major Iranian nuclear sites.

Deaths from Iran protests reach more than 500, rights group says
Reuters/11 January/2026
Unrest in Iran has killed more than 500 people, a rights group said on Sunday, as Tehran threatened to target US military bases if President Donald Trump carries out threats to intervene on behalf of protesters. With the Islamic ‍Republic’s clerical establishment facing the biggest demonstrations since 2022, Trump has repeatedly threatened to intervene if force is used on protesters. According to its latest figures - from activists inside and outside Iran - US-based rights group HRANA said it had verified the deaths of 490 protesters and 48 security personnel, with more than 10,600 people arrested in two weeks of unrest.
Iran has not given an official toll and Reuters was unable to independently verify the tolls. Trump was to be briefed by his officials on Tuesday on options over Iran including military strikes, using secret cyber weapons, widening sanctions and providing online help to anti-government sources, the Wall Street Journal said on Sunday. Iranian Parliament Speaker Mohammad Baqer Qalibaf warned Washington against “a miscalculation.” “Let us be clear: in the ⁠case of an attack on Iran, the occupied territories (Israel) as well as all US bases and ships will be our legitimate target,” said Qalibaf, a former commander in Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
Authorities intensify crackdown
The protests began on December 28 in response to soaring prices, before turning against the clerical rulers who have governed since the 1979 Islamic Revolution. Authorities accuse the US and Israel of fomenting trouble. The flow of information from Iran has been hampered by an internet blackout since Thursday. Footage posted on social media on Saturday from Tehran showed large crowds marching along a street at night, clapping and chanting. The crowd “has no end nor beginning,” a man is heard saying. In footage from the northeastern city of Mashhad, smoke can be seen billowing into the night sky from fires in the street, masked protesters, and a road strewn with debris, another video posted on Saturday showed. Explosions could be heard.
Reuters verified the locations.
State TV aired footage of dozens of body bags on the ground at the Tehran coroner’s office on Sunday, saying the dead were victims of events caused by “armed terrorists.”Three Israeli sources, who were present for Israeli security consultations over the weekend, said Israel was on a high-alert
footing for the possibility of any ‍US intervention. An Israeli military official said the protests were an internal Iranian matter, but Israel’s military was monitoring developments and was ready to respond “with power if need be.”Israel and Iran fought a 12-day war in June last year, which the United States briefly joined ‍by attacking key nuclear installations. Iran retaliated by firing missiles at Israel and an American air ‍base in Qatar.
Iran denounces ‘rioters and terrorists’
While the ⁠Iranian authorities have weathered previous protests, the latest have unfolded with Tehran still recovering from last year’s war and with its regional ‌position weakened by blows to allies such as Lebanon’s Hezbollah since ⁠the October 7, 2023 Hamas-led attacks against Israel. Iran’s unrest comes as Trump flexes US muscles ‍on the world stage, having ousted Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro, and floating the possibility of acquiring Greenland by purchase or military force. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian, in a TV interview, said Israel and the US were masterminding destabilization and that Iran’s enemies had brought in “terrorists ... who ⁠set mosques on fire .... attack banks, and public properties.”“Families, I ask you: do not allow your young children to join rioters and terrorists who behead people and kill others,” he said, adding that the government was ready to listen to the people and to resolve economic problems. Iranian state TV broadcast funeral processions in western cities such as Gachsaran and Yasuj for security personnel killed in protests.
State TV said 30 members of the security forces would be buried in the central city of Isfahan and that six more were killed by “rioters” in Kermanshah in the west.

US backs Saudi conference gathering Yemen’s southern factions
Al Arabiya English/11 January/2026
The United States supports maintaining Yemen’s security and stability and backs holding an inclusive dialogue bringing together southern figures, its Yemen envoy Steven Fagin stressed. Fagin held talks with Presidential Leadership Council Vice President Abdulrahman al-Mahrami (Abu Zaraa), during which he “stressed the importance of maintaining security and stability in Yemen and expressed support for a political-inclusive southern dialogue hosted by Saudi Arabia,” according to a post on X on Sunday by the US Embassy in Yemen. Saudi Arabia’s Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said on Friday that the southern cause in Yemen now had a “genuine path” forward, backed by the Kingdom and supported by the international community through the upcoming Riyadh Conference, following the decision by southern leaders to dissolve the Southern Transitional Council (STC). Prince Khalid said that the conference aims to bring together southern figures to develop a comprehensive vision for just solutions that reflect their will and aspirations. He said Saudi Arabia will form a preparatory committee, in consultation with southern figures, to organize the conference. Representatives from all southern governorates will participate “without exclusion or discrimination,” he added. The Kingdom will support the outcomes of the conference, which will be presented as part of efforts to reach a comprehensive political solution in Yemen, Prince Khalid said.

Calm, stable conditions prevail in Aden
Al Arabiya English/11 January/2026
Calm and stable conditions have returned to the Yemeni governorates of Shabwa, Aden, Abyan and al-Mahrah following the deployment of the Homeland Shield Forces. An Al Arabiya correspondent also noted that the first Yemenia Airways flight from Aden Airport arrived at Al Ghaidah International Airport on Sunday. Normal life has resumed in Seiyun, the correspondent said, amid ongoing preparations for the launch of flights from the city’s airport. Students have also returned to schools and colleges in Shabwa after the situation and security conditions stabilized, the correspondent added. Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council head Rashad al-Alimi said on Saturday that government forces have successfully taken over camps in Hadramout, al-Mahra, Aden and “the rest of liberated governorates.”He called on the Yemeni people to unite, prioritize wisdom, and work toward restoring state institutions and ending the coup of the Houthi militia which he accused of “still refusing to sit for dialogue.”

Israel says EU should label Iran’s IRGC as ‘terrorist organization’
Al Arabiya English/11 January/2026
Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Saar urged the European Union on Sunday to designate Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) as a “terrorist organization.”Saar said on X that he told visiting German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt “that now is the time to designate Iran’s Revolutionary Guards as a terrorist organization within the European Union.” “This has long been Germany’s position, and today the importance of this matter is clear to all,” Saar added.

Israeli fire kills three people in Gaza, three months on from truce
Reuters/11 January/2026
Israeli fire killed at ‍least three Palestinians in two separate incidents across the enclave, local ‍health authorities said, as tension rises over continued violence since an October ceasefire. Medics said one Palestinian was killed in the Tuffah neighborhood in Gaza City, in an area under ⁠Palestinian control, while two others were killed in southern Gaza in the town of Bani Suhaila east of Khan Younis, an area Israel still occupies. The Israeli military said forces fired at a “terrorist” who crossed into the area under their control in the northern Gaza Strip, posing an ‍immediate threat. In the southern Gaza Strip, the Israeli military said it killed another “terrorist” ‍in ‍an airstrike after he ⁠approached troops operating in the ‌area, posing an immediate ⁠threat. Fighting has ‍largely abated since Israel and Palestinian militant group Hamas agreed to ⁠a ceasefire in October, two years into the war, but it has ‌not stopped entirely. Israel and Hamas have traded blame over the violations of the deal. A Hamas official told Reuters on Sunday that the group urged mediators to intervene ‍to stop “daily Israeli killings that aim to derail the ceasefire deal.” More than 440 Palestinians, most of them civilians according to Gaza health officials, have been killed since the truce, as well as three ‌Israeli soldiers.

Palestinian ministry says Israeli forces killed man in West Bank
AFP/11 January/2026
Palestinian health officials said Sunday that Israeli forces shot dead a Palestinian man in the occupied West Bank city of Hebron, an incident the Israeli military said it was reviewing. The health ministry in Ramallah said the Palestinian body that coordinates with Israeli authorities had informed it that Israeli fire had killed Shaker Falah Ahmad al Jaabari, 58, on Saturday evening. The ministry said Israeli forces were still holding Jaabari's body. Late on Saturday, the Israeli military said its troops had responded to a “threat and opened fire at the terrorist who attempted to run them over.”Hours later, however, the military said in a separate statement that investigators had found “no conclusive findings (to) indicate that the incident constituted an intentional terror attack,” adding the case remained under investigation. Violence has surged across the West Bank since the war in Gaza broke out in October 2023 after an unprecedented attack by Hamas on Israel. At least 1,029 Palestinians, including militants, have been killed in the West Bank by Israeli forces or settlers since the war started, according to the Palestinian health ministry. During the same period, 44 Israelis, including soldiers, have been killed in Palestinian attacks in the territory, according to official Israeli figures. Israel has occupied the West Bank since 1967.

Britain to develop new ballistic missile for Ukraine’s defense
Reuters/11 January/2026
The British ‍government said on ‍Sunday that it will develop a new deep-strike ballistic ⁠missile for Ukraine to support the country’s war efforts against Russia. Under the project, ‍named Nightfall, the British ‍government said it ‍has ⁠launched ‌a competition ⁠to ‍rapidly develop ground-launched ballistic missiles ⁠that could carry a ‌200 kg (440 lb) warhead over a range of ‍more than 500 km (310 miles).

Ukraine’s military says it struck Lukoil drilling platforms in the Caspian Sea
Reuters/11 January/2026
Ukraine’s ‍military said ‍on Sunday it had struck three drilling platforms in ⁠the Caspian Sea belonging to Russia’s Lukoil oil firm. The military said ‍it hit V. Filanovsky, ‍Yuri Korchagin ‍and Valery ⁠Grayfer ‌platforms. “These facilities ⁠are ‍used to support ⁠the Russian occupation army. Direct ‌hits have been recorded. The extent of ‍the damage is being assessed,” it noted.

China voices support for Somalia after top diplomat postpones visit
Reuters/11 January/2026
China’s foreign minister said Beijing supported Somalia in safeguarding its sovereignty and territorial integrity in a phone call on Sunday with his Somali counterpart, a Chinese ministry statement said. Foreign Minister Wang Yi held the phone call during his visit to Africa, and said China opposed Somaliland’s ”collusion with Taiwan authorities to seek independence,” referring in the statement to Somalia’s breakaway region. Somalia was scheduled to be part of the Chinese diplomat’s annual New Year tour of Africa, which also includes Ethiopia, Tanzania and Lesotho, but the visit to the East African nation was postponed due to what the Chinese embassy said was a “schedule change.”

The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on January 11-12/2026
The era of direct US power has begun, moving past intimidation and persuasion
Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya English/11 January/2026
The era of American influence has begun to transcend intimidation through sanctions or persuasion via diplomacy. Today’s America is an America of force: it imposes militarily, strangles economically, and encircles the influence of its rivals, such as China and its partners within the BRICS group – with Brazil now squarely in the crosshairs. Yet the immediate target in President Donald Trump’s rifle sights is the regime in Iran, a target that may require direct military intervention through a major operation aimed at seizing control of Iran’s nuclear sites. Donald Trump has sounded the alarm, declaring that the bloody repression of protesters will trigger heightened American readiness for intervention by military force and blockade.
All eyes are on how Iran’s military establishment will respond to the regime’s need to suppress protests violently in order to save itself. The institution finds itself in a predicament: it risks its own cohesion, and the possibility of fragmentation and internal division, if it plunges into such repression. At the same time, it faces a historic opportunity to save Iran from the fate of US military intervention, should it choose to side with the protesters against the regime. Washington views this as a window that would be foolish to miss, especially amid the visible shaking of the mullahs’ system and the Revolutionary Guard, after Trump’s patience with the methods of Iran’s rulers – domestically, regionally, and internationally – has worn thin. It came as a surprise when the administration of President Donald Trump stated in its National Security Strategy that the United States does not seek to lead the world. The greater shock, however, was the military operation to topple Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro, which upended assumptions and inaugurated a policy of force – not only in America’s traditional “backyard,” but on a global scale.
Trump transformed apparent retrenchment into overt militarization, executed with calculated precision wherever Washington deems it necessary. The paradox lies in the fact that a strategy that appeared to signal global withdrawal has, in practice, morphed into tangible military action – beginning in Latin America and extending into the Middle East, with Iran and its partners in military and strategic confrontation, China and Russia, at the center.
What Trump did in Venezuela stunned China, which had read the US National Security Strategy as conciliatory, given that it classified China as a strategic competitor rather than an outright enemy. What the Trump administration actually prepared, under the rubric of competition for influence, materialized as a military surprise to Beijing through the Venezuelan gateway. In Venezuela, Washington redrew the rules of the game. And what it is preparing for China will not stop at severing Beijing’s influence in America’s backyard at the Caribbean doorstep; rather, it is lying in wait through the BRICS group, through which China weaves its global influence by assuming its leadership. The group includes Brazil, Russia, India, and South Africa alongside China – and Donald Trump has resolved to dismantle it.
Trump intends to diminish the standing of the BRICS member states, one way or another, before the convening of the G20 summit of wealthy nations on US soil. He wants these countries to arrive weakened, stripped of the capacity to defy American priorities. Yet Iran now tops the list of US administration priorities, after Donald Trump completed the Venezuelan phase. Escalating protests in Iranian cities are exposing the fragility of the regime and the shakiness of the power structure, confronting Iran’s leadership with existential choices.
Trump’s explicit warnings about the consequences of repressing demonstrators and using force against them are not mere diplomatic rhetoric; they are preparation for direct military intervention should Iranian authorities continue to crack down on their people. Iran’s military institution – the backbone of the regime – stands at a decisive crossroads: either it protects the regime by force, potentially opening the door to direct American measures, or it manages the situation domestically with caution in an effort to buy time. The latter requires the regime to accept that the moment has come for a fundamental revision of its doctrine. Each option carries profound implications for the strategic balance in the region and beyond.
The strategy of encirclement and suffocation targeting Russia and China has now entered the Iranian arena, after registering success on the Venezuelan front. The Trump administration is now ready to impose a blockade on Iranian oil tankers and the shadow fleets Iran relies upon. It seeks to drive oil prices down to $50 per barrel, if not $40. Sanctions on Moscow are escalating as well, alongside control over the Russian oil fleet linked to Venezuela, with the aim of tightening the noose. The seizure of Russian oil tankers in the Atlantic constitutes existential pressure on Moscow’s ability to maneuver strategically and economically. Ending the war in Ukraine was, until recently, an American priority. But Donald Trump has overturned the scales and reordered priorities, pulling the rug out from under all players. Ukraine is no longer the burning front; Iran has become the big story – the focal point of a different kind of targeting. Trump has begun encircling Iran from Venezuela to Lebanon, and he is determined to strike at its protectors.
China faces an American strategic siege that not only constrains its global influence but also limits its ability to shield its allies, as seen in Venezuela and soon in Iran.
What happened in Venezuela, and what Trump is planning toward Brazil, is not merely a maneuver in Latin America. It is a blunt message to Beijing that the United States is redrawing the rules of global influence according to its own priorities – and by force. China stands constrained and stunned. The Trump administration has moved beyond intimidation through sanctions and traditional diplomacy. The era of direct power has truly begun, as Washington redraws the global strategic map according to its priorities.

The Secret Hamas-NGO Relationship
Robert Williams/Gatestone Institute./January 11/2026
"The evidence confirms that NGOs in Gaza do not operate independently or neutrally," NGO Monitor found. "Rather, they are embedded in an institutionalized framework of coercion, intimidation, and surveillance that serves Hamas' terror objectives.... NGOs – both local and international, including ones operating under the auspices of UN projects – are not permitted to provide services or operate projects in Gaza without Hamas' approval." On an everyday basis, NGOs need permission from Hamas to do their work in Gaza. Hamas also inserted "guarantors" – local Gazans approved by Hamas, or themselves Hamas members or affiliates – into high positions in the respective NGOs to serve as points of contact between Hamas and the NGOs. Hamas required its "guarantors" to be placed at the highest administrative levels of the NGO, such as director, deputy director, or board chair.
The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), for instance, an Oslo-based NGO operating in Gaza, among other places, chose to simply ignore concerns from a Gazan that his floor was collapsing because of a terror tunnel being built underneath.
The mainstream media has largely refused to acknowledge that, as reported in a recent study by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, 60% of the "journalists" killed during the fighting in Gaza were Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives or affiliates. Humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in the Gaza Strip have been thoroughly infiltrated by Hamas, according to a new report. Humanitarian non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in the Gaza Strip have been thoroughly infiltrated by Hamas, according to a new report by NGO Monitor: Puppet Regime: Hamas' Coercive Grip on Aid and NGO Operations in Gaza. The report is based on Arabic-language documents, retrieved by Israel's military, spanning the years 2018-2022, from Hamas's Gaza Interior Security Mechanism (ISM), a unit within the Hamas Ministry of Interior and National Security.
"The evidence confirms that NGOs in Gaza do not operate independently or neutrally," NGO Monitor found. "Rather, they are embedded in an institutionalized framework of coercion, intimidation, and surveillance that serves Hamas' terror objectives." On an everyday basis, NGOs need permission from Hamas to do their work in Gaza.
"All NGOs operating in Gaza are required to adhere to strict Hamas security protocols, which include regular engagement with the terror group's Ministry of Interior and National Security... and other ministries relevant for specific projects... NGOs – both local and international, including ones operating under the auspices of UN projects – are not permitted to provide services or operate projects in Gaza without Hamas' approval... NGOs are compelled to comply, ensuring that their activities do not contradict Hamas' authority and narrative or obstruct its military agenda."Hamas also inserted "guarantors" – local Gazans approved by Hamas, or themselves Hamas members or affiliates – into high positions in the respective NGOs to serve as points of contact between Hamas and the NGOs. Hamas required its "guarantors" to be placed at the highest administrative levels of the NGO, such as director, deputy director, or board chair. This led to ethically questionable dispositions on the part of these NGOs: The Norwegian Refugee Council (NRC), for instance, an Oslo-based NGO operating in Gaza, among other places, chose to simply ignore concerns from a Gazan that his floor was collapsing because of a terror tunnel being built underneath. According to the NGO Monitor report: "As part of an NRC program, funded by the UK and EU, to provide cash assistance to families selected by Hamas-controlled Ministry of Social Development, an NRC delegation, including the Gaza head and five other employees, visited a beneficiary's apartment. The resident was chosen... 'since he is elderly, weak sighted and his partner has a broken pelvis,' and the 'poor shape of his apartment's floor and one of the walls was about to collapse.'
"During the visit, the beneficiary asked whether 'the reason that the floor collapsed was that there was a tunnel' beneath his home. According to the NRC senior official, 'neither the foreign delegation nor the association's employees asked whether there was a tunnel under the civilian's... apartment which caused the floor to collapse, rather it was the apartment's owner who asked the researchers... nevertheless the researchers did not reply to him'".
The NRC had a Gazan administrative director, according to NGO Monitor, who "supports the Hamas movement but is not affiliated with the movement," and "He is employed by the government of Gaza and has the rank of Naqib (Hamas rank for captain)..."At least some of these NGOs are funded by US taxpayers: One of NRC's top donors, donating 17.2% of the Norwegian outfit's total income in 2024, was the USAID Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance, formerly the U.S. government's lead agency supposedly for coordinating and delivering international disaster aid, and thankfully since dismantled by the Trump administration. This cozy relationship between Hamas and the NGOs is compounded by what the author and journalist Matti Friedman has previously described as another highly problematic cozy relationship between the media and the NGOs – a relationship that means NGOs are never supposed to be exposed to media scrutiny:
"In my time in the press corps, I learned that our relationship with these groups [NGOs, activists and international organizations, ed] was not journalistic. My colleagues and I did not... seek to analyze or criticize them... these were not targets but sources and friends—fellow members, in a sense, of an informal alliance. This alliance consists of activists and international staffers from the UN and the NGOs; the Western diplomatic corps... and foreign reporters."
According to Friedman, in 2014, the Associated Press, in fact, went so far as to ban interviews with NGO Monitor: "The bureau's [Associated Press] explicit orders to reporters were to never quote the group [NGO Monitor] or its director... Gerald Steinberg. In my time as an AP writer moving through the local conflict, with its myriad lunatics, bigots, and killers, the only person I ever saw subjected to an interview ban was this professor."Friedman registered that the media themselves were intimidated by Hamas into reporting only what the terror organization wanted:
"During the 2008-2009 Gaza fighting I personally erased a key detail—that Hamas fighters were dressed as civilians and being counted as civilians in the death toll—because of a threat to our reporter in Gaza. " Similarly, the mainstream media has largely refused to acknowledge that, as reported in a recent study by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, 60% of the "journalists" killed during the fighting in Gaza were Hamas or Palestinian Islamic Jihad operatives or affiliates. In September, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) coordinated an international campaign allegedly involving 150 media outlets to "condemn the crimes against Palestinian reporters perpetrated with impunity by the Israeli army". The organization claimed: "According to RSF data, more than 210 journalists have been killed by the Israeli army in the Gaza Strip in nearly 23 months of Israeli military operations in the Palestinian territory. At least 56 of them were intentionally targeted by the Israeli army or killed while doing their job."According to the Meir Amit Center, out of 266 people identified as journalists or media workers killed in Gaza between October 7, 2023 and November 30, 2025, at least 157 were either members of or affiliated with terrorist groups, primarily Hamas and Islamic Jihad. Regardless, the Association of Foreign Press Correspondents in the United States (AFPC-USA), at its gala in Washington, DC last month, posthumously honored 10 reporters employed by Qatar's state-owned Al Jazeera who had been exposed as terrorists, among them a Hamas sniper, the head of a Hamas unit responsible for rocket attacks against Israel, and a member of Hamas elite Nukhba forces.
Fox News chief foreign correspondent Trey Yingst eulogized the terrorists at the gala:
"These fearless and tenacious Palestinian journalists in Gaza who don't have the luxury to leave when reporting becomes too dangerous. May we not forget their sacrifice and contributions to our industry."
*Robert Williams is based in the United States.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22156/hamas-ngos-relationship
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

Trump's Jihadist 'Board of Peace'
Uzay Bulut/Gatestone Institute/January 11/2026
"Israel is left worse off than when Hamas managed Gaza, given the sheer power of Turkey (which is increasing).... The deployment of Turkish forces in Gaza and the sale of F-35s to Erdogan are not policy ideas but a method: regional management through personal deals and assurances rather than hard reality. Trump himself illustrated this approach when he dismissed the issue as if it were a neighborhood misunderstanding: Israel 'will be fine' and Turkey 'won't use them against you'. This is not policy; it is a dangerous assumption. In the Middle East, it does not work. — Christine Douglass-Williams, Frontpage Magazine, January 7, 2026. "Giving Turkey a role in Gaza's future is a strategic mistake that will sooner or later, reborn Hamas or end up with a new militia with Hamas's goals, with another name." — Hamza Howidy, Palestinian journalist, x.com, October 26, 2025.
Erdogan's regime, however, through its continuous support for Hamas, has not brought a lasting peace; it has brought lasting terrorism. Erdogan's own words reveal his intentions. "In this city, which we had to leave in tears during the First World War, it is still possible to come across traces of the Ottoman resistance. So Jerusalem is our city, a city from us." — Erdogan in an address at the opening of Parliament, October 1, 2020. "Turkey collaborates with terror organizations on both the ideological and operational levels. Terrorists working on Turkish soil establish infrastructures and plan terror attacks against Israel." — From the report "Hamas' Istanbul Headquarters Has Directed Hundreds of Terror Attacks Against Israelis and Laundered Millions of Dollars," JFCA, December 30, 2021.
"Turkey is a base for the Muslim Brotherhood. There are networks there that help Hamas with funding, support, religious rulings, and logistics. Turkey has become a reception point for Brotherhood members." — Michael Barak, specialist at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism on radical Islamist and jihadist movements, JNS, April 24, 2025
"Turkey, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is one of Hamas' most important strategic allies, especially since the violent events of the Mavi Marmara flotilla in 2010. Turkey hosts senior Hamas figures, some of whom have received Turkish citizenship, and provides political, diplomatic and propaganda support, as well as economic and humanitarian assistance." — From the report "Turkey as a Center for Hamas Activity," Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center, March 2025. It would not be surprising if Turkey wished for nothing more -- apart from F-35 fighter jets -- than to help bring "peace" to Gaza. As soon as Trump leaves office, Erdogan would be exquisitely situated to target Israel in a pincer operation: from Syria in the east -- helped by Erdogan's protégé, Ahmed al-Sharaa -- and from Gaza in the West. Anyone investing in the rebuilding of Gaza, in which a role is played by Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority, Bangladesh or the UN (which just allocated a budget of $100 million for targeting Israel) -- in short, a bouquet of countries that have long wished for Israel's demise -- should probably expect their bid for a "Gazan Riviera" eventually to have a disappointing return on investment. It will be easy for these longtime adversaries of Israel to join the Abraham Accords and enjoy the benefits as long as they can – just as it was to sign the Oslo Accords – then, at the earliest opportunity, tear them up, especially after being so deliciously positioned to attack Israel when Trump is no longer in office.No wonder Erdogan and the others must be licking their chops at the prospect of bringing "peace" to the Gazan chicken coop.
Turkey makes no secret of its support for the Hamas terror organization. Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's regime, through its continuous support for Hamas, has not brought a lasting peace; it has brought lasting terrorism. Erdogan's own words reveal his intentions.
After supporting the Hamas terrorist group for more than a decade, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, along with US President Donald J. Trump, now reportedly plan for Turkey to be part of the international "Board of Peace" that will operate in Gaza. "The deployment of Turkish forces in Gaza is bad news," notes journalist Christine Douglass-Williams: "Consider that Erdogan has referenced Hamas as a 'liberation organization,' hosted its leadership in Ankara, and granted them Turkish passports. Turkey and Qatar are well-known Muslim Brotherhood supporters. With Turkey also supporting Syrian jihadist President Ahmed al-Sharaa, as well as its increased partnership with Iran and the fact that it considers the Taliban a friend, Israel is left worse off than when Hamas managed Gaza, given the sheer power of Turkey (which is increasing)....
"The deployment of Turkish forces in Gaza and the sale of F-35s to Erdogan are not policy ideas but a method: regional management through personal deals and assurances rather than hard reality. Trump himself illustrated this approach when he dismissed the issue as if it were a neighborhood misunderstanding: Israel 'will be fine' and Turkey 'won't use them against you'. This is not policy; it is a dangerous assumption. In the Middle East, it does not work."
Palestinian journalist Hamza Howidy warned: "It seems that Turkey, despite its public ties to Hamas, led by Erdogan, who recently described Hamas as a 'liberation movement,' will be somehow part of Gaza's ceasefire; trucks with Turkish flags were spotted today in the Gaza Strip. "Giving Turkey a role in Gaza's future is a strategic mistake that will sooner or later, reborn Hamas or end up with a new militia with Hamas's goals, with another name." The "Gaza peace deal," brokered by Trump in September, envisions an international force that will see to it that Hamas is completely disarmed while effectively presiding over areas now controlled by the terrorist organization. This means that Trump is actually expecting that these international countries -- all Hamas's fellow Muslims, Muslim Brotherhood supporters, and dedicated opponents of Israel – will actually force Hamas to disarm and live quietly side-by-side in harmony with Israel, a state that, at some point, they all have indicated they would like to see destroyed.
In a January 5 interview with Bloomberg, Erdogan stated that the success of a so-called international stabilization force in Gaza would "depend on the inclusion of actors with legitimacy on the ground." From Erdogan's own words, it should be easy to tell whom he regards as illegitimate. It is not the Palestinians. Erdogan added: "You will appreciate that, in this sense, it would be difficult for any mechanism without Türkiye to gain the trust of the Palestinian people. We are in the position of a key country for such a mission due to our deep historical ties with the Palestinian side, the security and diplomacy channels we have conducted with Israel in the past [evidently very much in the past, before he began sending flotillas with weapons to attack Israel. Ed.], and our regional influence as a NATO member country. Our political will is clear; we stand ready to take on any responsibility for a lasting peace in Gaza." [Emphasis added] Erdogan's regime, however, through its continuous support for Hamas, has not brought a lasting peace; it has brought lasting terrorism. Erdogan's own words reveal his intentions: "In this city, which we had to leave in tears during the First World War, it is still possible to come across traces of the Ottoman resistance. So Jerusalem is our city, a city from us." (Address at the opening of Parliament, October 1, 2020)
"May Allah, for the sake of his name 'Al-Qahhar,' destroy and devastate Zionist Israel." (Eid al Fitr prayers, March 30, 2025)
"I do not see Hamas as a terrorist organization; on the contrary, I see Hamas as people engaged in the struggle to protect their own land and their own people." (Quoted by Turkey's official Directorate of Communications X account, May 13, 2024) "Turkey is a country that speaks openly with Hamas leaders and firmly backs them." (From a speech on March 8, 2024)
Turkey makes no secret of its support for the Hamas terror organization. Throughout the years, Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan and the head of Turkey's National Intelligence Organization, Ibrahim Kalın, have met Hamas leaders, including the slain leader Ismail Haniyeh, multiple times. On January 29, 2025, Erdogan received Mohammed Darwish, chairman of the Hamas Shura Council, and a Hamas delegation at the presidential complex in Ankara. More recently, on December 24, Fidan met in Ankara with a Hamas delegation headed by Hamas Political Bureau Member Khalil Hayye. Hamas official Kemal Avn, in an interview with CNN Turk aired on December 18, said:
"The Palestinian resistance has wanted Turkey to be a mediator in Gaza since the beginning of the war [in 2023]. We want to see the Turkish military in Gaza... We trust Turkey more than other states that give us orders."
You bet they want Turkey's military in Gaza. Turkey's alliance with Hamas has been solid for many years. Hamas has offices in Turkey and has taken up money laundering there. The German state broadcaster Deutsche Welle reported that Hamas is known to have at least one office in Istanbul's neighborhood of Başakşehir, which they also use for meetings with journalists. There is, in addition, an association affiliated with Hamas in the Istanbul neighborhood of Fatih connected to this office. The Turkish government has even granted some Hamas members Turkish passports.
In 2018, the Jerusalem Center for Security and Foreign Affairs (JCFA) issued a report entitled "Turkey Embraces Hamas":
"Turkish authorities allow the military wing of Hamas to operate from an office in Istanbul that deals with planning terror attacks and transferring funds to the organization's activists in the West Bank.
"This office is run by the Beirut-based Saleh al-Arouri, vice-chairman of the political bureau of Hamas, with the assistance of Hamas activists released under the Shalit prisoner release deal in 2011." In another report posted the same year, the JCFA wrote that "former terrorist prisoners run the Hamas office in Istanbul." "The military wing of Hamas maintains an office in Istanbul, Turkey, which works closely with the West Bank headquarters of Hamas located in Gaza and directing terror attacks in the West Bank. One of the operatives involved is Forsan Khalifa, responsible for the northern part of the West Bank. Khalifa liaised with the terror cell headed by terrorist Ahmed Nassar Jarrar of Jenin, who murdered Rabbi Raziel Shevach next to the community of Havat Gilad in Samaria."
In 2021, in a report titled "Hamas' Istanbul Headquarters Has Directed Hundreds of Terror Attacks Against Israelis and Laundered Millions of Dollars," the JCFA wrote:
"Turkey collaborates with terror organizations on both the ideological and operational levels. Terrorists working on Turkish soil establish infrastructures and plan terror attacks against Israel. Hamas senior officials (most former inmates in Israel for terrorism who were released in a prisoner exchange) are operating from Turkey against Israel...."Despite the official Turkish claims, not only Hamas' political activity is involved. According to the Shabak (Israeli Security Agency), [aka the Shin Bet], over the years, the Istanbul headquarters, branches and operatives have directed hundreds of terror attacks and attempted attacks in Israel and the West Bank in particular."
The report also sheds light on Hamas's companies and money laundering in Turkey:
"The Shabak's investigation revealed extensive Hamas money laundering in Turkey under the supervision of Zaher Jabarin, with the authorities turning a blind eye to the source of the funds. The investigation also found that Hamas operatives owned a company named Imas, which served Hamas by camouflaging money-laundering activity involving sums of millions of dollars that were transferred to Gaza and different countries."The report named some of the Hamas terrorists who operated in Turkey and even murdered Israelis:
"Mahmoud Atwan, originally from the east Jerusalem neighborhood of Sur Baher, freed in the Shalit deal, member of the cell that kidnapped and murdered Border Police officer Nissim Toledano in 1992; Majid Abu Katish, originally from Anata, also a member of that cell; Taiser Suleiman, expelled in the Shalit deal, murdered an Israeli soldier; Fahad Sabri Barhan al-Shaludi, appears from time to time on Turkish television; Walid Zakaria Akel, a founder of Hamas' Izzadin al-Qassam Brigades, was given 21 life sentences; Haroun Mansour Yakoub Nasser al-Din, boasted in the past that Turkey grants former Hamas prisoners full freedom to come and go as they please; Ayman Mohammad Abu Khalil; Bakri Hanifa, a senior economic figure in Hamas claimed to have transferred millions of dollars from Qatar to Hamas via Turkey; and Maher Abid, a member of Hamas' Political Bureau and senior financial operative, reportedly in charge of Hamas' international relations until 2016."
According to a March 2025 report entitled "Turkey as a Center for Hamas Activity" by the Meir Amit Intelligence and Terrorism Information Center:
"Turkey, under the leadership of President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, is one of Hamas' most important strategic allies, especially since the violent events of the Mavi Marmara flotilla in 2010. Turkey hosts senior Hamas figures, some of whom have received Turkish citizenship, and provides political, diplomatic and propaganda support, as well as economic and humanitarian assistance.
"Hamas has established one of its most important overseas centers in Turkey, primarily operated by prisoners released in the Gilad Shalit exchange deal of 2011. It uses Turkey to plan terrorist attacks and transfer funds to finance terrorist activities inside Israel, in Judea, Samaria and the Gaza Strip, and to raise and launder money in support of its terrorist operations, including the October 7, 2023, attack and massacre. "The close relationship between Turkey and Hamas was manifested during the Gaza Strip War, when Turkey did not condemn Hamas but sharply criticized Israel, often using antisemitic themes. Throughout the fighting, political coordination continued between Erdoğan, senior Turkish officials and the Hamas leadership, including regarding negotiations with Israel and humanitarian assistance. Turkey also received Palestinian prisoners who were released from Israeli prisons and deported."
On March 30, during a Ramadan prayer service, Erdogan declared, "May Allah, for the sake of his name ... destroy and devastate Zionist Israel." He also prayed for "mercy upon the martyrs" of Hamas and Palestinian Islamic Jihad, and wished a "speedy recovery" to their wounded terrorists.
Despite warnings from the US government, Hamas's alliance with Erdogan's Turkey remains strong. Yaakov Lappin, a military affairs correspondent and analyst, reported for JNS on April 4, 2025:
"A Hamas terror cell in Nablus that received instructions and funding from the organization's overseas headquarters in Turkey was dismantled by Israeli security forces in recent weeks in what observers say is part of a broader pattern of Turkey serving as a permissive hub for Hamas's terror operations.
"According to a joint statement by the Israel Police and the Israel Security Agency (Shin Bet) issued on March 25, 'a terror cell from Nablus was thwarted, which acted under the guidance and funding of Hamas headquarters in Turkey to carry out shooting and explosive device attacks.' The statement added that 'an M-16 rifle and tens of thousands of dollars in cash were handed over during the investigation'....
Michael Barak, senior researcher at the International Institute for Counter-Terrorism (ICT) and a specialist on radical Islamist and jihadist movements, told JNS on Tuesday, 'Turkey is a base for the Muslim Brotherhood. There are networks there that help Hamas with funding, support, religious rulings, and logistics. Turkey has become a reception point for Brotherhood members.'
Barak confirmed that 'a Hamas headquarters still exists there—in Istanbul and Ankara—and it is integrated into educational institutions, including universities.'
He cited the example of Professor Sami Al-Arian, a Palestinian Islamic Jihad financier in the 1990s who was deported from the United States and now operates from a university-affiliated think tank in Ankara. 'There he hosts Hamas figures,' Barak said. 'Al-Arian maintains ties with Hamas, runs webinars with them on Zoom, and manages Brotherhood-Hamas links, including in India.'
Barak emphasized: 'All of these Muslim Brotherhood assets in Turkey assist Hamas—whether through dawa [Islamic outreach], financing, or religious rulings.'
He added that Turkey has become 'a reception point for Muslim Brotherhood figures from Libya, Iraq and Yemen.'" Hamas, the Palestinian branch of the Muslim Brotherhood, has been designated as a terrorist organization by, among many others, the United States, Australia, the United Kingdom, New Zealand, Canada, Japan and the European Union.
On October 7, 2023, Israel was invaded by Hamas terrorists. They attacked civilian communities and murdered 1,200 civilians and foreign nationals, wounding thousands more. Among other atrocities, they baked a baby alive in an oven; cut off a woman's breast while raping her, then "played with it"; kidnapped 241 Israelis and foreign nationals, whom they also tortured, raped and starved – and murdered many of them.
Dr. Tal Becker, former advisor to Israel's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in January 2024, reported to the International Court of Justice, which was accusing Israel of genocide: "The civilian suffering in this war, like in all wars, is tragic... The Applicant [South Africa] has regrettably put before the Court a profoundly distorted factual and legal picture.... "[I]f there have been acts that may be characterized as genocidal, then they have been perpetrated against Israel....
"[I]f there is a humanitarian threat to the Palestinian civilians of Gaza - it stems primarily from the fact that they have lived under the control of a genocidal terrorist organization that has total disregard for their life and well-being. That organization, Hamas, and its sponsors, seek to deny Israel, Palestinians, and Arab States across the region, the ability to advance a common future of peace, co-existence, security, and prosperity. Israel is in a war of defense against Hamas - not against the Palestinian people - to ensure that they do not succeed."
This invasion of Israel, roughly the size of New Jersey (22 million sq. km.), was launched by approximately 3,000 terrorists, accompanied by an estimated 2,200 rockets launched at Israeli villages, towns and cities. Around 215,000 Israeli civilians were evacuated from their homes, becoming internally displaced persons. Legal scholar Avraham Russell Shalev, who specializes in international public law, argued in a 2025 article that what Hamas did on October 7 was genocide:
"[The] article analyses the October 7th 2023 Hamas attack on Israel through the lens of the Genocide Convention, arguing that these actions constitute genocide under international law. Drawing on international case law, the analysis demonstrates how Hamas' actions meet both the physical element and specific intent requirements for genocide, evidenced by its ideology, systematic policies and leadership statements. The article also examines how reverse accusations of genocide against Israel have functioned as a rhetorical shield to deflect recognition of Hamas' own genocidal actions." Hamas opposes any negotiations with Israel or Jews. The 1988 Hamas Covenant aims to obliterate Israel and Jews worldwide and replace Israel with an Islamic theocratic state. Hamas aims at jihadist-martyrdom against not only Israel but also all Jews (Article 7). The Hamas covenant spells out Hamas's genocidal intentions. Article 2 states:
"The Islamic Resistance Movement is one of the wings of Moslem Brotherhood in Palestine. Moslem Brotherhood Movement is a universal organization which constitutes the largest Islamic movement in modern times. It is characterised by its deep understanding, accurate comprehension and its complete embrace of all Islamic concepts of all aspects of life, culture, creed, politics, economics, education, society, justice and judgement, the spreading of Islam, education, art, information, science of the occult and conversion to Islam."
Hamas states that it is against any peace process:
"There is no solution for the Palestinian question except through Jihad. Initiatives, proposals and international conferences are all a waste of time and vain endeavors. The Palestinian people know better than to consent to having their future, rights and fate toyed with." (Article 13). Article 8 spells out "The Slogan of the Islamic Resistance Movement," which has inspired countless jihadist martyrs worldwide, goes:
"Allah is its target, the Prophet is its model, the Koran its constitution: Jihad is its path and death for the sake of Allah is the loftiest of its wishes." Hamas is committed to an eternal jihad against the Jews, until the victory of Allah is implemented. According to Hamas, Muslims are obligated to fight and kill the Jews wherever they find them. This global, genocidal call is justified by a hadith (saying attributed to Muhammad) that concludes Article 7: "The Day of Judgement will not come about until Moslems fight the Jews (killing the Jews), when the Jew will hide behind stones and trees. The stones and trees will say O Moslems, O Abdulla [lit.: slave of Allah,], there is a Jew behind me, come and kill him." (related by al-Bukhari and Moslem)."
According to Georgetown University Professor Bruce Hoffman:
"The most relevant of the document's 36 articles can be summarized as falling within four main themes:
1. The complete destruction of Israel as an essential condition for the liberation of Palestine and the establishment of a theocratic state based on Islamic law (Sharia),
2. The need for both unrestrained and unceasing holy war (jihad) to attain the above objective,
3. The deliberate disdain for, and dismissal of, any negotiated resolution or political settlement of Jewish and Muslim claims to the Holy Land, and
4. The reinforcement of historical anti-Semitic tropes and calumnies married to sinister conspiracy theories."
Hoffman adds:
"Accordingly, what happened in Israel [on October 7, 2023] is completely in keeping with Hamas's explicit aims and stated objectives. It was, in fact, the inchoate realization of Hamas's true ambitions."
Erdogan, however, said in a speech in Istanbul in 2024:
"No one can make us qualify Hamas as a terrorist organization... Turkey is a country that speaks openly with Hamas leaders and firmly backs them."
Erdogan's dream, apparently, has long been to recreate the Ottoman Empire, covering all of the Middle East, North Africa, Central Europe and the Balkans, presumably with himself as sultan. Seemingly to that end, he has repeatedly spoken about the need to reconquer Jerusalem:
"We will not allow sacred Jerusalem to be defiled by unworthy hands.... As Muslims, we will not take a single step back from our rights in East Jerusalem. Our struggle to make Jerusalem a city of peace, security, and safety continues.... We remain focused on our goals. We plan every move like a master chess player. No provocation will prevent us from achieving our objectives. Türkiye's foreign policy prioritizes peace, but this does not mean we will remain silent in the face of injustice."
Injustice to Erdogan is evidently Israel in charge of Jerusalem.
Turkey, under Erdogan, has become a main supporter of other Islamic terror groups as well, including Hezbollah, al-Qaeda-affiliated Hay'at Tahrir al Sham forces in Syria and the Islamic State (ISIS). It would not be surprising if Turkey wished for nothing more -- apart from F-35 fighter jets -- than to help bring "peace" to Gaza. As soon as Trump leaves office, Erdogan would be exquisitely situated to target Israel in a pincer operation: from Syria in the east -- helped by Erdogan's protégé, Ahmed al-Sharaa -- and from Gaza in the West.
Erdogan's regime is not a rational force that aims to contain Hamas or turn the terror group into a moderate or non-violent entity. Erdogan's regime openly supports the ideology and actions of Hamas. Hence, the presence of Turkish forces in Gaza means that Hamas' presence in Gaza will remain and Hamas terrorists will continue to target Israel, murder both Israelis and Gazans, and continue to empower international jihadist movements.
Anyone investing in the rebuilding of Gaza, in which a role is played by Turkey, Qatar, Pakistan, the Palestinian Authority, Bangladesh or the UN (which just allocated a budget of $100 million for targeting Israel) -- in short, a bouquet of countries that have long wished for Israel's demise -- should probably expect their bid for a "Gazan Riviera" eventually to have a disappointing return on investment.
It will be easy for these longtime adversaries of Israel to join the Abraham Accords and enjoy the benefits as long as they can – just as it was to sign the Oslo Accords – then, at the earliest opportunity, tear them up, especially after being so deliciously positioned to attack Israel when Trump is no longer in office.
No wonder Erdogan and the others must be licking their chops at the prospect of bringing "peace" to the Gazan chicken coop.
*Uzay Bulut, a Turkish journalist, is a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22188/trump-gaza-board-of-peace
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.

How Do al-Qaeda and Iran Converge in Syria?
Abdulrahman Al-Rashed/Asharq Al-Awsat/January 11/2026
The renewed activity of al-Qaeda–affiliated groups in Syria brings us back to reexamining the events that first brought al-Qaeda into Syria. Yes, it is al-Qaeda itself!
As an organization that was born and took root in Afghanistan, al-Qaeda was destroyed by the Americans in response to the September 2001 attacks. Most of its leadership fled and lived covertly in Iran. Its ranks dispersed, and the organization fragmented into cells that operated with whoever could provide land and support and shared objectives with them.
The notion that Iran and the defeated Bashar al-Assad regime behind it could be involved may seem hard to imagine, given that al-Qaeda and ISIS are highly ideological groups fiercely hostile to them. Yet numerous facts have proven their functional cooperation with regimes such as Assad’s and Iran’s Quds Force.
After the US invasion of Iraq, al-Qaeda became active under new banners, the most famous of which was ISIS. For four years—until 2007—this coincided with Iran’s and Syria’s engagement in Iraq. Syria’s role was to serve as a transit platform for the “resistance” and to manage logistical networks with support from the Revolutionary Guard. Thousands of young Arabs were received and trained, then directed to fight Americans and Shiites. It may be difficult to digest this contradiction: Tehran supporting Sunni groups that targeted Americans and Shiites in Iraq.
At the time, Iran was, with one hand, providing support to Washington to do what it could not—toppling Saddam Hussein’s regime—benefiting from the reluctance of most Arab states to cooperate with the new Iraq. With the other hand, it was financing Iraqi resistance operations and al-Qaeda.
In reality, Tehran was not pursuing a contradictory strategy but moving along winding paths toward a clear and specific goal that ultimately served its high interest: first, helping to bring down Saddam; second, forcing the Americans out; third, drawing the Shiites into its embrace; and finally, dominating Iraq.
The second and third objectives were carried out by thousands of Iraqi and Arab volunteers who had been propagandistically deceived.
They were unaware that they were working for Syrian–Iranian objectives. Nearly all Iraqi “resistance” and external “jihadist” groups gathered, trained, and infiltrated from Syrian territory into the “land of jihad” through Iraqi provinces such as Anbar and Salah al-Din. Tracing the Syrian footprint was not difficult. Syria at the time was an iron-gated state; it was said metaphorically that not even a fly could pass through its airspace without the regime knowing. So how could tens of thousands slip in from across the region? These waves bore arms and trained in organized activities toward clearly mapped targets in Iraq.
It was not easy to conclude that Syria stood behind these groups in joint operations with Tehran. Unraveling the complex puzzle took the Americans about four years: an extremist Shiite Iranian regime cooperating with extremist Sunni groups—this was just beyond their imagination.
The Iranians succeeded in promoting misleading narratives about who was behind the “jihadist” groups, using partially accurate information. They cited the political stances of regional Sunni states opposed to Washington in Iraq as evidence of intent. And they built accusations on identity: large numbers came from Yemen, the Gulf, and Tunisia, which made it easier to shift blame to those countries.
These accusations were echoed by the US Secretary of Defense at the time, Donald Rumsfeld. The targeting of Shiite shrines by militants ignited sectarian strife, making it easier for Iran to push Shiites toward its representatives among religious leaders against “American”-chosen Shiite leaderships. The guns of “jihadist” groups and the Iraqi resistance ultimately served Iranian objectives.
Iraq ended up under an American military umbrella, sheltered in concrete camps, while governance in Baghdad was handed to Iran-aligned groups, including Sunni politicians. The opposition’s rhetoric discouraged Sunni and other components from participating in elections and local administration and targeted anyone who dissented. Within five bloody years, this delivered to Iran everything it wanted.
Bashar was convinced that he would be next after Saddam’s fall, though there was no evidence to support this. The opposite was true: Washington viewed Syria as within Israel’s security sphere, and Israel opposed any activity that might destabilize the Assad regime. A US official told me at the time that the “Israeli consideration” was one reason the Americans delayed conducting counter-operations inside Syria until 2008. The picture became clearer in Washington after the discovery of the Sinjar documents—detailed records of fighters and information about the Quds Force’s role in managing the Iraqi resistance and “jihadists.”
In the media circles, Islamist groups deceived Arab public opinion for many years. Now Iran is back to blowing up the situation in Syria to weaken Ahmad al-Sharaa’s government.


Selected Face Book & X tweets/ January 12/2026