English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News &
Editorials
For July 16/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2026/english.july16.26.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does not
gather with me scatters
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke
11/14-23/:”Now he was casting out a demon that was mute; when the demon had gone
out, the one who had been mute spoke, and the crowds were amazed. But some of
them said, ‘He casts out demons by Beelzebul, the ruler of the demons.’ Others,
to test him, kept demanding from him a sign from heaven. But he knew what they
were thinking and said to them, ‘Every kingdom divided against itself becomes a
desert, and house falls on house. If Satan also is divided against himself, how
will his kingdom stand? for you say that I cast out the demons by Beelzebul. Now
if I cast out the demons by Beelzebul, by whom do your exorcists cast them out?
Therefore they will be your judges. But if it is by the finger of God that I
cast out the demons, then the kingdom of God has come to you. When a strong man,
fully armed, guards his castle, his property is safe. But when one stronger than
he attacks him and overpowers him, he takes away his armour in which he trusted
and divides his plunder. Whoever is not with me is against me, and whoever does
not gather with me scatters.”
Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published on 15-16 July/2026
They falsely claim to be Christians for Lebanon while they are
practically Christians for the Mullahs’ Iran and Hezbollah/Elias Bejjani/July
15/2026
Israel is a neighboring, friendly state, not an enemy/Elias Bejjani/July 14/2026
Steadfastness in Truth and Faith: The Path to Freedom and Dignity/Elias Bejjani/July
14/2026
Lebanon and the Free Lebanese People Mourn Senator Lindsey Graham Alongside All
Lovers of Peace and Freedom/Elias Bejjani/July 12/2026
Video Link for a commentary by Rabbi Pesach Wolicki from his Youtube platform
under the title: The Lebanon Crisis Is Much SCARIER Than We Thought
Israeli forces say they killed three Hezbollah militants in south Lebanon
Lebanon, Israel agree on pilot zone process after Rome talks: US official
Trump says Israeli pullout from 'parts of' Lebanon 'would be good'
Report: Trump tells Netanyahu to move forces out of Syria and Lebanon
Aoun: Washington is now listening to us
Hezbollah is exploiting the ceasefire period and the return of displaced
residents to preserve its grip on the area,
Baabda reports progress, says pilot zones within 'days or hours'
Fadlallah says Hezbollah pinning hope on Iran-US talks despite escalation
Israel blows up houses in south Lebanon, fires at residents
US says first day of new Lebanon-Israel talks was 'productive'
Lebanon, Israel agree 'structure and guidelines for pilot zone process'
Lebanese parliament to discuss sweeping amnesty bill
Lebanon, Israel Move Toward Implementing Withdrawal Agreement, US Officials Say
Could Hezbollah Launch a New War in Support of Iran?/Paula Astih/Asharq Al Awsat/July
15/2026
Rome Is the Right Place to Decide Lebanon’s Future/Makram Rabah/Now Lebanon/July
15/2026
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on 15-16 July/2026
US carries out more strikes against Iran as Bahrain, Kuwait come under attack
US strikes on Iran strengthen Trump’s options for new escalation, officials say
CENTCOM announces fresh round of US strikes on Iran
Some ships refusing US-military guided Hormuz transits after attacks: Sources
US reports ‘wave of strikes’ on Iran as war returns
Trump threatens to hit Iran power plants next week if no deal
Iran’s Ghalibaf says Tehran has no reason to honor US MoU without benefits
Trump holds Situation Room meeting to weigh broader Iran offensive: Report
Trump Says Iraq Will Be Rid of Iran ‘Burden’ Soon
Morocco signs agreement to join Gaza international force, state media say
Netanyahu will travel to US on Saturday, senior Israeli official says
Blasts heard near US consulate in Iraq’s Erbil
US approves possible weapons sale to Saudi Arabia worth $1.96 bln: State
Department
Trump hopeful that Putin could end Ukraine war soon, despite continued attacks
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials
from miscellaneous sources published
on 15-16 July/2026
Erdogan Dreams of Annexing Arab
Countries, Reviving the Turkish Empire/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This Is Beirut/July
15/2026
Europe and the Return of the Era of Eastern Spies/Emile Ameen/Asharq Al Awsat/July
15/2026
The US and the Middle East Dilemma/Dr. Abdel Monem Said/Asharq Al Awsat/July
15/2026
Future Industries and Vision 2030/Yousef Al-Dayni/Asharq Al Awsat/July 15/2026
Legal troubles no longer an impediment in politics/Mohamed Chebaro/Arab
News/July 15, 2026
Iran threatens the Red Sea to create a second chokepoint/Dr. Abdel Aziz
Aluwaisheg/Arab News/July 15, 2026
Christians in Iran continue to face arrest, detention and ill-treatment, UN
experts warn/Ephrem Kossaify/Arab News/July 15, 2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets on 15 July
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News &
Editorials published on 15-16 July/2026
They falsely claim to be Christians for Lebanon while they are
practically Christians for the Mullahs’ Iran and Hezbollah
Elias Bejjani/July 15/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/155944/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=epzG5HwKp3k&t=118s
The meeting held at the “Saydet al-Bir” monastery under the title “Christians
for Lebanon” raises deep questions and doubts regarding the identity of the
organizing body, its legal status, and the names of its founders and those
responsible for it, as there is no clear or public information available
regarding any of these. As for the statement issued by the meeting (found at the
bottom of the page), particularly the parts regarding considering Israel an
enemy and an existential threat and regarding “resistance” as a sacred right of
peoples, these are blatant political heresies. The participants in the meeting
do not necessarily represent the entities and institutions to which they belong,
noting that some figures whose names were listed in the statement as attendees
or supporters were quick to deny their responsibility for the statement and its
entire content.
Mysterious Identity and Unanswered Questions
When I attempted to search for and verify information regarding this
group—especially since its name was not familiar to the majority of the Lebanese
people before the issuance of its “un-Lebanese” and “un-Christian” statement,
which is hostile to peace—a set of fundamental questions arose for which I found
no answer:
Who are the founders of the “Christians for Lebanon” group?
Is this group officially registered with the relevant authorities?
Does it possess a license (“Ilm wa Khabar”) from the Ministry of Interior and
Municipalities?
Who are the members of its administrative or executive body?
Who is its president or secretary-general?
Who is in charge of its media and organizational affairs?
According to the available data, no clear statements answering these questions
have appeared, nor did the text of the statement itself contain any official
definition of the group or its organizational structure.
Content of the Statement: A Blatant Intersection with the “Resistance Axis”
The political content of the statement reflects total bias toward the Iranian
Mullahs, Hezbollah, and all terrorist groups, which is clearly evident in the
following points:
Considering Israel an enemy and an absolute existential threat.
Considering “resistance” (in its militia concept) a sacred right of peoples.
Rejecting what is called the “Abrahamic Project.”
Emphasizing Lebanon’s religious and pluralistic identity in a fragmented way to
serve a specific agenda, ignoring the danger of the religious identity that
Hezbollah has sought to impose on the Lebanese by force of arms.
These positions intersect completely and blatantly with the political discourse
supporting the “Iranian terrorist resistance axis” and its local arm represented
by “Hezbollah” (Iran’s destructive army in Lebanon).
Questions Regarding the “Saydet al-Bir” Monastery and the Exploitation of Names
A question directed to the ecclesiastical authorities: What entity permitted
this meeting to be held at the “Saydet al-Bir” monastery, which is a monastery
belonging to the Congregation of the Sisters of the Cross founded by Saint
Yaacoub Haddad (Father Yaacoub the Capuchin)? Does hosting the meeting
necessarily mean that the monastery or the order adopts its content and
political positions?
There is no doubt that some entities and figures associated with the
participants, or whose names were mentioned in the report, were quick to clarify
later that they are not responsible for the statement and do not adopt its
content. Here we ask the fundamental question: Who is the actual hidden party
that drafted the statement and issued it in the name of this hybrid meeting?
Conclusion: Hiding Behind Christianity to Justify Terrorism
It remains to be said that the content, approach, and objectives of this
statement do not serve the interest of Lebanon or the Lebanese, nor do they fall
within the scope of striving for peace, stability, and the restoration of the
state and sovereignty. Rather, the statement brazenly expresses support for
“Hezbollah” and justifies its military, security, and terrorist role, which is
totally contradictory to the concept of the state.
As for hiding behind Christianity, this is a behavior that fundamentally
contradicts true Christian faith. Christianity is based primarily on the values
of love, peace, reconciliation, and justice, not on the discourse of axes,
conflict, division, and the justification of wars, killing, and destruction for
the benefit of foreign agendas.
The fundamental problem with this meeting is not only related to the content of
its suspicious statement, which is hostile to peace and everything that is
Lebanese, but also to the legitimate doubts and many questions surrounding the
authority and motives of the party that called for it, in light of the complete
absence of any transparency or legal and organizational existence for it.
Israel is a neighboring, friendly state, not
an enemy
Elias Bejjani/July 14/2026
To the hypocrites and 'Christian' opportunists of the 'LaCiforce' group, and to
all those who cloak themselves in a Christian guise of which they are innocent:
Israel is a neighboring, friendly state, not an enemy. You are the devils and
the enemies of Lebanon and the Church.
Steadfastness in Truth and Faith: The Path to Freedom
and Dignity
Elias Bejjani/July 14/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/155927/
Jesus Stresses the Importance Of persistence in life
Luke 11/05-08: “And he said to them, ‘Suppose one of you has a friend, and you
go to him at midnight and say to him, “Friend, lend me three loaves of bread;
for a friend of mine has arrived, and I have nothing to set before him.” And he
answers from within, “Do not bother me; the door has already been locked, and my
children are with me in bed; I cannot get up and give you anything.”I tell you,
even though he will not get up and give him anything because he is his friend,
at least because of his persistence he will get up and give him whatever he
needs.”
In ordinary times, holding fast to principled positions may seem easy. However,
in times of pressure, threats, terrorism, and occupation, standing firm for the
truth becomes an act of courage and faith. This highlights the necessity for
every individual, and the people as a whole, to remain anchored to their
national and humanitarian convictions, no matter how difficult the circumstances
or how great the dangers. True faith is not limited to prayer and worship; it is
embodied in the rejection of injustice and subjugation, and in the defense of
freedom, sovereignty, and human dignity.
In the Lebanese context, rejecting terrorism and all forms of guardianship,
occupation, or foreign hegemony—foremost among them being Iranian hegemony over
Lebanese decision-making—should not be a situational stance dictated by the
balance of power. Rather, it must be a firm, principled position rooted in the
belief in justice and the right of peoples to determine their own destiny
freely. A person with a just cause does not retreat because the road is
difficult, does not remain silent because the price is high, and does not
compromise because the pressures are immense. Instead, they continue to carry
their national message, advocate for it, and defend it, because the truth is not
measured by the number of its supporters nor by the magnitude of the force
opposing it.
Experience has taught us that falsehood may swell and exert power for a time,
but it can never transform into truth. Power may impose a temporary reality, but
it cannot bestow legitimacy upon what is illegitimate. This is why free peoples
have struggled, generation after generation, in defense of their homelands,
believing that "the truth rises above and cannot be surpassed," and that "no
right dies so long as there is someone demanding it." The victory of truth may
be delayed, but it is never defeated. Its advocates may face persecution,
character assassination, or isolation, but the truth remains alive in the
conscience until it is realized.
From this perspective, steadfastness in the truth becomes a moral, spiritual,
and national virtue all at once. True persistence is not "blameworthy
obstinacy," such as insisting on an error; rather, it is a "sacred persistence"
that expresses firm faith, deep conviction, and a readiness to bear the
consequences of defending one's principles. Not every act of holding fast is
mere stubbornness or pride; it is loyalty to the truth. It requires moral
courage that makes one ready for confrontation when confident in the justice of
their cause. History has not progressed thanks to the hesitant or those who
surrender their principles, but thanks to the men and women who believed in the
truth and held onto it to the very end.
The Holy Bible has repeatedly emphasized the importance of perseverance—not only
in seeking material things, but in faith, prayer, and the defense of truth. The
Lord Jesus taught His disciples that a believer should not surrender at the
first obstacle, but should persist and knock until the door is opened. In the
Gospel of Luke, the Lord says: "Which of you who has a friend will go to him at
midnight... I tell you, though he will not get up and give him anything because
he is his friend, yet because of his impudence [persistence] he will rise and
give him whatever he needs." (Luke 11:5-8). In this parable, Jesus praises
"sacred persistence." The friend received what he asked for not only because of
their relationship, but because of his insistence and refusal to give up. This
teaches us that steadfastness in asking is a sign of faith, not a sign of
weakness.
The Gospel provides vivid examples of this perseverance:
The Canaanite Woman: Who did not retreat despite the apparent silence,
continuing to plead until she earned Christ’s admiration for her faith: "O
woman, great is your faith! Let it be to you as you desire."
The Blind Man on the Roadside: Who did not allow the rebukes of the crowd to
extinguish his hope, but cried out all the more until he stopped Jesus and
regained his sight.
The Persistent Widow: To whom the judge responded because of her perseverance,
leading Christ to emphasize that believers "ought always to pray and not lose
heart."
The actions urged by Christ: "Ask, and it will be given to you; seek, and you
will find; knock, and it will be opened to you" (Luke 11:9-10), are expressed in
a tense that implies continuity and persistence. It is a clear teaching that a
believer does not stop at the first obstacle but continues to strive toward the
truth until the goal is achieved.
The supreme example remains in the person of Jesus Christ Himself. When He stood
before Pilate and the religious and political authorities who sought to condemn
Him, He did not retreat from His mission nor compromise the truth He came to
testify to. He stood firm in declaring that His kingdom is not of this world,
and He accepted the suffering and the Cross without denying the truth He bore.
The world today needs people of principle, whose positions do not shift with
changing interests and whose convictions do not change under the pressure of
fear or temptation. Steadfastness in the truth is not fanaticism; it is moral
and spiritual commitment. When this steadfastness is built upon faith in God and
trust in His promises, it transforms into a power capable of changing reality
and shaping history. The believer is called to hold fast to the truth, for truth
does not triumph except through those with steadfast hearts who understand that
sacred persistence in the path of truth is the way to blessing and victory.
Lebanon and the Free Lebanese People Mourn Senator Lindsey Graham
Alongside All Lovers of Peace and Freedom
Elias Bejjani/July 12/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/155874/
“The Lord gave, and the Lord has taken away; blessed be the name
of the Lord.” (Job 01:21)
With profound sorrow and a heavy heart, we mourn the passing of Senator Lindsey
Graham.
His departure leaves a deep sense of loss not only among his family, friends,
colleagues, and fellow Americans, but also among countless Lebanese who regarded
him as a sincere friend, steadfast supporter, and courageous advocate for
Lebanon's sovereignty, independence, freedom, and democratic values.
Throughout the years, Senator Graham stood firmly in support of Lebanon's right
to remain a free and independent nation. He consistently voiced his support for
the Lebanese people's aspirations for dignity, liberty, self-determination, and
the preservation of their national integrity. His friendship toward Lebanon and
his concern for its future earned him the respect and gratitude of many Lebanese
across generations.
Today, Lebanon and its free people mourns the loss of a friend whose voice was
often raised in defense of freedom and whose commitment to democratic principles
resonated far beyond the borders of the United States. His legacy of public
service, conviction, and dedication to the values he cherished will long be
remembered.
In this moment of grief, our thoughts and prayers are with his family, loved
ones, friends, and the American people. We pray that God grants them strength,
comfort, and peace. As Christians, we find solace in the words of Holy
Scripture: “I am the resurrection and the life. The one who believes in Me will
live, even though they die.” (John 11:25) And: “Blessed are those who mourn, for
they shall be comforted.” (Matthew 5:4)
We also remember the comforting promise: “He will wipe every tear from their
eyes. There will be no more death or mourning or crying or pain.” (Revelation
21:4)
May the soul of Senator Lindsey Graham rest in eternal peace, and may perpetual
light shine upon him. His memory will remain alive in the hearts of those who
cherished freedom and in the gratitude of the Lebanese people who considered him
a dear friend.
May God receive him into His heavenly kingdom and grant him everlasting rest.
Video Link for a commentary by Rabbi Pesach Wolicki from
his Youtube platform under the title: The Lebanon Crisis Is Much SCARIER Than We
Thought
July 15/2026
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nARsgAhQUJ4
Rabbi Pesach Wolicki is the Executive Director of Israel365 Action and the
author of Verses for Zion and Cup of Salvation: A Powerful Journey Through King
David’s Psalms of Praise. He is a frequent guest on Erick Stakelbeck’s The
Watchman and a regular contributor to Israel365news.com and The Jerusalem Post.
Israeli forces say they killed three Hezbollah militants
in south Lebanon
AFP/15 July ,2026
The Israeli military said it killed three Hezbollah members in south Lebanon on
Wednesday, shortly after US-sponsored Israel-Lebanon negotiations were held in
Rome. “Earlier today (Wednesday), [Israeli] soldiers identified three armed
Hezbollah terrorists in the area of Beit Yahoun, located within the Security
Zone in southern Lebanon,” the military said in a statement. “Following the
identification, the IDF eliminated the three terrorists, who were carrying
combat equipment, in order to remove the threat posed to [Israeli] soldiers
operating nearby,” it added. Israeli forces remain deployed in what the military
describes as a security zone extending roughly 10 kilometers (six miles) into
Lebanese territory. Israel and Lebanon on Wednesday concluded two days of talks
aimed at reaching a permanent peace deal in Rome, with Washington describing the
discussions as “productive and positive.”The US-brokered negotiations took place
in the Italian capital over the framework agreement sealed last month after five
rounds of talks in. Washington, with Lebanese negotiators hoping for progress on
an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon. The deal seeks an end to the state
of war between Israel and Hezbollah in Lebanon, disarmament of the Iran-backed
militant group, the deployment of Lebanese troops in the south and for Israeli
forces to steadily withdraw from the country, starting with two “pilot
zones.”Hezbollah pulled Lebanon into the Middle East war when it launched
strikes on Israel on March 2 in support of its backer Iran. Despite a ceasefire,
Israel still launches occasional strikes in southern Lebanon and carries out
detonations in villages it occupies near the border. Read more: Lebanon, Israel
agree on pilot zone process after Rome talks: US official
Lebanon, Israel agree on pilot zone process after Rome talks: US official
Al Arabiya English/15 July ,2026
A State Department official said Wednesday that talks between Lebanon and Israel
have ended after two days of “productive and positive” discussions. “We agreed
on the structure and guidelines for the pilot zone process, to be finalized and
implemented in the coming days,” the official said.
Lebanon and Israel will now move to expanded technical talks, “which will focus
on implementing all areas of the Trilateral Framework with the aim of reaching a
comprehensive agreement between Israel and Lebanon.”Previous rounds of talks,
launched by the Trump administration earlier this year, were held at the State
Department and the White House. So-called pilot zones are being discussed by all
sides, where Israel would withdraw before being replaced by the Lebanese Armed
Forces (LAF). Lebanese President Joseph Aoun is expected to visit the White
House on July 21, the White House previously told Al Arabiya English.
Trump says Israeli pullout from 'parts of' Lebanon 'would
be good'
Naharnet/15 July ,2026
U.S. President Donald Trump has confirmed that he would like to see Israel
withdraw from “parts of Lebanon.”Asked by Fox News whether he wants to see
Israeli forces withdraw from southern Lebanon, Trump said: “Well, redepoly is
another word, because we’re getting along very well with Lebanon. Israel is
dealing with them very nicely – first time in many, many years.”
“Lebanon has just been beaten up so badly and they’ve got Hezbollah there,” he
added.
“Southern Syrian and from parts of Lebanon. Yeah, it would be good to get out I
think, and I think you might see things get a little bit calmer, because we have
to focus our energy on … Iran,” Trump went on to say. Asked about a possible
anti-Hezbollah role by Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa, Trump told Fox News:
“He would go in and take care of Hezbollah and he’d do it in a different way. He
wouldn’t knock down buildings, I hated to see buildings knocked down.”
“I think he would be more precise (than Israel), yeah, and I can tell you, I
know he’d like to do it,” he added in response to another question. Asked
whether al-Sharaa needs a “green light” from him, Trump said: “Uh... I’m
thinking about it.”
Report: Trump tells Netanyahu to move forces out of Syria
and Lebanon
Naharnet/15 July ,2026
U.S. President Donald Trump told Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
during a phone call last Thursday that Israel should start redeploying its
forces out of Syria and urged him to do the same in Lebanon, U.S. and Israeli
officials told U.S. news portal Axios. A U.S. official said Trump told Netanyahu
that the presence of the Israeli military in Syrian territory creates tensions
and could lead to an escalation. "They don't want you there. You should
redeploy," Trump told Netanyahu, according to the U.S. official, who added that
the same is true about Lebanon. "The Prime Minister, for his part, raised the
need for security zones along Israel's borders," the Israeli Prime Minister's
Office said in a statement. The call between Trump and Netanyahu took place a
day after a meeting the U.S. president had with his Syrian counterpart, Ahmed
al-Sharaa, on the sidelines of the NATO summit in Turkey. The Trump
administration has spent months trying to reach a new security agreement between
Israel and Syria before eventually concluding that Netanyahu doesn't want to
make the concessions it sought. Those included gradually withdrawing the Israeli
army from the Syrian territory it has occupied since the collapse of the Assad
regime in December 2024, U.S. officials say. In recent weeks, there have been
several incidents in southern Syria where Syrian citizens protested against the
Israeli army presence and clashed with Israeli soldiers. On Tuesday and
Wednesday, U.S. mediators met in Rome with Israeli and Lebanese diplomats to
discuss the implementation of the framework agreement that was signed by the
countries several weeks ago. As part of this agreement, Israel committed to pull
its forces out of two "pilot zones" it is currently occupying in southern
Lebanon and allow the Lebanese military to deploy there. The Israeli army still
has not redeployed from the two areas. The Lebanese government wants the process
to start and has demanded a clear timetable for further withdrawals.
Aoun: Washington is now listening to us
Naharnet/15 July ,2026
President Joseph Aoun told a delegation from the Orthodox Gathering on Wednesday
that "the framework formula is the best possible option and has begun to yield
results.”“Washington is now listening to us and the Lebanese file is on the U.S.
president's desk," Aoun added. "Our goals are clear, and we will not compromise
on Lebanon's rights," he said. He emphasized that "the right to disagree is
legitimate" and that dialogue among the Lebanese "must be within the framework
of the national interest."Aoun also asserted that "hatred does not build a state
or institutions; rather, it destroys them,” calling on the Lebanese to “choose
what will save their country and protect it from the ambitions of others." He
explained that "the road is not paved; it is fraught with difficulties, but
there is great hope for achieving results that will end the bloodshed."
Hezbollah is exploiting the ceasefire period and the return of displaced
residents to preserve its grip on the area,
Israel-Alma/July 15/2026
According to local reports from Lebanon, Hezbollah is exploiting the ceasefire
period and the return of displaced residents to preserve its grip on the area,
restore its military infrastructure, and prepare for future operations—all
within the territory between the Litani River and the Yellow Line. Hezbollah has
not withdrawn north of the Litani. On the contrary, it is reinforcing its
military presence in the area between the Litani and the Yellow Line.
Hezbollah operatives continue to blend into the civilian population ("where
there are Shiites, there is Hezbollah"), at times under the guise of assisting
returning residents. They are reportedly conducting assessments to map, inspect,
and evaluate the survivability, condition, and operational readiness of military
infrastructure and weapons that were damaged during the fighting.
Backed and supported by Iran, Hezbollah is recovering, drawing operational
lessons, and preparing for the next confrontation by improving its capabilities
and adapting them to the operational challenges exposed during the war.
Military reconstruction and force build up depend on funding. Iranian money
continues to reach Hezbollah through multiple channels, including money changers
and the physical transfer of cash. In our assessment, most of the cash is
transferred via the "Turkish route"—couriers arriving on commercial flights from
Turkey to Lebanon—and via the maritime route, where cash is concealed within
civilian cargo shipped to Lebanon's main ports of Beirut and Tripoli.
We assess that decisions regarding the allocation of financial resources within
the organization are generating internal disagreements over priorities. This
includes prioritization both within the military branches of Hezbollah's Jihad
Council and between those military branches and the civilian institutions of the
Executive Council, which support the day-to-day needs of Hezbollah's Shiite
support base.
As we have previously assessed, Hezbollah continues to prioritize the
reconstruction of its military capabilities—its primary strategic objective—over
the civilian recovery of its support base, including allocating resources ahead
of support for wounded operatives and the families of those killed or injured.
In the military sphere, we assess that Hezbollah is prioritizing resources for
the Radwan Force, Unit 127 (the aerial unit), weapons production capabilities,
and its supply chain and logistics infrastructure.
Baabda reports progress, says pilot zones within 'days
or hours'
Naharnet/July 15/2026
Progress was achieved Wednesday in the Lebanese-Israeli talks in Rome and the
implementation of the so-called pilot zones in south Lebanon will begin within
days or hours, Baabda sources said. “The discussion has now become practical and
detailed regarding the proposed implementation mechanism for launching the
practical framework,” the sources told MTV. “Today's discussions focused on the
two pilot zones as a starting point for the work. These are mixed areas: one
where there is an Israeli occupation from which the Israelis are withdrawing,
and another where there is an occupation on its borders, and where the army's
strength is being reinforced,” the sources said. “The second issue is the start
date for implementing the two pilot zones. All preparations are underway for the
start to be within days or hours, and a statement is expected to be issued
specifying the date. We hope it will not extend beyond the end of this week,”
the sources added. The sources also confirmed that "there will be discussions on
what has been termed the framework, meaning the sequence of remaining areas
beyond the two pilot zones, and determining a timeframe for the other
areas."They indicated that "the scope of the discussions addresses the
technicalities, namely withdrawal and entry, which may necessitate another
military meeting before implementation, most likely in Rome." The sources
revealed that "a statement from the U.S. side is likely to be issued outlining
what has been agreed upon, along with the time and place of the next meeting."
Regarding communication with Hezbollah for implementation, the sources told MTV:
"We are relying on the joint framework, which is clear and stipulates the return
of the civilian residents of the villages in question."They added: "As for
verification, it will be referred to a third party, and there are several
options. We are open to the U.S. vision, and we naturally prefer that U.N.
agencies, such as UNIFIL and UNTSO, handle the verification. Several proposals
have been discussed, but no final decision has been reached yet because any
verification process requires a legal framework."
The sources confirmed that "there has been no request to inspect private
property. The verification mechanism stipulates that Lebanese laws be respected,
and there is no problem within that framework."The sources added that "so far,
no concrete plan has been developed for the working committees. The initial idea
was for the first committees to address the complete Israeli withdrawal and
post-withdrawal arrangements, but the current discussion is focused on the two
pilot zones." The Baabda sources added that "any meeting with Benjamin Netanyahu
is completely unacceptable," adding, President Joseph "Aoun's visit to
Washington will include a meeting with (U.S. President Donald) Trump and perhaps
a number of other officials, and the visit will be very brief." Al-Jadeed
television meanwhile reported that "the pilot zone that has been agreed on, in
principle, contains Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, Zawtar al-Sharqiyeh, al-Ghandouriyeh,
Burj Qalaway, Srifa and Froun.""These are mixed areas -- some occupied, others
under Israeli fire, and others on the borders of occupied territory," it
explained.
Fadlallah says Hezbollah pinning hope on Iran-US talks
despite escalation
Naharnet/July 15/2026
MP Hassan Fadlallah of Hezbollah on Wednesday noted that the latest Israeli war
on Lebanon was “premeditated and planned” in advance, suggesting that Israel
attacked south Lebanon to “occupy and destroy the area south of the Litani
River, seize it, expel its inhabitants, and establish settlements, just as the
enemy did in Palestine and in 1967 in the West Bank, Gaza, and the Golan
Heights.”“Today, they are carrying out this same action in southern Syria, where
there is no resistance, no Hezbollah, no missiles, and no weapons. Political
negotiations (between Syria and Israel) have failed to produce any results
despite numerous sessions," Fadlallah added. He also expressed hope that the
U.S.-Iranian negotiations will lead to a solution in Lebanon despite the current
escalation between Tehran and Washington. "We are facing this stage with wisdom,
courage, and constant readiness to confront all dangers. Despite everything
happening in the Strait of Hormuz, an agreement must ultimately be reached. The
Islamic Republic is working to establish a new equation in the region, and this
equation will be in the interest of the region and our country,” Fadlallah
suggested.
He added: “We have complete confidence in the leadership of the Islamic Republic
and the Iranian people that together we will reach the desired solution, which
lies in the enemy's withdrawal from our land, the cessation of all forms of
aggression, the return of our people, the release of prisoners, and
reconstruction.”
Israel blows up houses in south Lebanon, fires at residents
Naharnet/July 15/2026
Israeli forces carried out huge detonations at dawn and in the morning in a
number of valleys and homes in the southern towns of Beit Yahoun, Khiam and al-Qantara.
They also bulldozed roads between the southern towns of Bint Jbeil and Maroun
al-Ras and opened fire at a number of residents who tried to inspect groves
neighboring the towns of Majdal Zoun and al-Mansouri.
US says first day of new Lebanon-Israel talks was
'productive'
Agence France Presse/July 15/2026
Lebanon and Israel concluded the first day of Washington-mediated talks in Rome
on Tuesday, a U.S. official said, as Israel said it was ready to move forward
with plans to withdraw from two parts of southern Lebanon. The U.S.-brokered
negotiations took place in the Italian capital over a framework agreement sealed
last month after five rounds of talks in Washington, with Lebanese negotiators
hoping for progress on an Israeli withdrawal. The framework deal emerged after
war broke out between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah on March 2 against the
backdrop of the wider Middle East war.It calls for an end to the war in Lebanon,
disarmament of Hezbollah, the deployment of Lebanese troops in the south and for
Israeli forces to steadily withdraw from the country in two "pilot zones".
"Talks in Rome by Representatives from the United States, Israel, and Lebanon
were productive and held in a positive atmosphere," a U.S. State Department
official said, adding that "both sides are eager to move forward" and that talks
will resume on Wednesday. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar said earlier on
Tuesday that Israel was "ready to move forward implementing these two pilot
zones". "I hope and tend to believe that this round of discussions in Rome will
promote it."The Lebanese presidency had announced on Monday that its delegation
to Rome had been instructed "to demand the immediate start of Israeli forces'
withdrawal from the two pilot zones before any further discussion".According to
a Lebanese diplomatic source familiar with the content of the talks, "the
Lebanese Army is ready to gradually take control of the localities from which
the Israeli army would withdraw". But Hezbollah rejects the agreement outright
despite Lebanese government pressure, lowering expectations of success in the
negotiations.
Orna Mizrahi of the Institute for National Security Studies (INSS) in Tel Aviv
said Israel was "willing to withdraw gradually", but on the condition that "that
there will be no presence of Hezbollah in the areas that Israel is withdrawing
from". She added that Israel also seeks to ensure "that the Lebanese Army will
have the ability... to keep it as a neutralized zone and a neutralized place
that Hezbollah cannot come in again."A U.S. military delegation began
discussions with the Lebanese Army in Beirut on Saturday on the process for
Israeli withdrawal from one of these "pilot zones".
Limited prospects -
The framework agreement was concluded after a fragile ceasefire came into effect
last month in the war between Hezbollah and Israel. The Israeli army has
nonetheless continued limited strikes in the south and has been carrying out
demolitions in villages it occupies, according to official Lebanese media.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency reported Israeli strikes in the south
on Tuesday, and detonations in several towns. Israel's strikes and ground
invasion have killed more than 4,300 people since the war started in early
March, according to Lebanese authorities.
"The chances of a breakthrough in Rome are quite limited," Karim Bitar, a
lecturer at Sciences Po Paris, told AFP. "What we might see instead is a kind of
opportunity to show that the process is still in place... that there are
negotiations continuing despite the opposition and the obstacles that are
beginning to emerge."Tehran had demanded the ceasefire in Lebanon in order to
conclude a memorandum of understanding with Washington on June 17. But the
region has seen a renewed escalation in recent days, with the U.S. carrying out
a third consecutive night of strikes against Iran ahead of the planned
reimposition on Tuesday of its naval blockade on Iranian ports with ongoing
attacks. Iran wants to establish a link between negotiations over the regional
war and Lebanon, "but we have the wish to disconnect it," said Mizrahi.
Tehran's priorities remain the Strait of Hormuz and the nuclear file, she added.
"The Iranians are using Lebanon as an excuse. They will always use it as an
excuse," she said. Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the regional war on March 2 by
launching missiles at Israel in support of Iran. Bitar, for his part, said that
the risk of major fighting returning to Lebanon as a result of the regional
escalation "is, of course, not negligible". "But I think that Iran today will
think twice before asking Hezbollah to launch new strikes against Israel," he
said. Tehran "wants to maintain Hezbollah as a long-term deterrent tool and does
not want to use it immediately to open a new front," he said.
Lebanon, Israel agree 'structure and guidelines for
pilot zone process'
Naharnet/July 15/2026
The talks between Lebanon and Israel have concluded in Rome and there is a
possibility of another round of virtual military talks between the two countries
on Friday to discuss the implementation of pilot zones, media reports said on
Wednesday. "Talks concluded after two days of productive and positive
discussions. We agreed on the structure and guidelines for the pilot zone
process, to be finalized and implemented in the coming days," a U.S. State
Department official said. "We will now move to expanded technical talks, which
will focus on implementing all areas of the Trilateral Framework with the aim of
reaching a comprehensive agreement between Israel and Lebanon," the official
added.
Lebanese parliament to discuss sweeping amnesty bill
Agence France Presse/July 15/2026
Lebanon's parliament commenced a legislative session on Wednesday to discuss and
vote on several bills, including an amnesty law that could cover swathes of
prisoners. More than 40 draft laws will be discussed and voted on in the two-day
session, the most prominent being the abolition of the death penalty, which has
not been carried out in years, and the amnesty. For years, parliament has been
trying to pass a general amnesty bill, whose primary goal is to reduce
overcrowding in Lebanon's prisons, without gaining consensus due to sectarian
and political divisions regarding who would benefit from it. Amnesty has been a
demand for families of Islamist prisoners, some of them accused of attacking the
Lebanese Army, participating in clashes in northern Sunni-majority Tripoli and
planning bombings. Thousands of families from the eastern Baalbek and Hermel
regions, bastions of Hezbollah and its ally Amal where illicit cannabis
cultivation is widespread, have also been demanding amnesty for drug-related
offenses and theft. Relatives of those who fled to Israel after its withdrawal
from southern Lebanon in 2000 also want their family members covered. Lebanon
previously passed a general amnesty law in the wake of its 1975-90 civil war,
allowing former warlords to transition into politics without facing trial for
crimes committed during the conflict. Parliament will also vote on the abolition
of the death penalty, last carried out in Lebanon in 2004. Capital punishment
prevents Lebanon from extraditing criminals who have fled to countries that have
abolished the penalty. Wednesday's legislative session is the first held by
parliament since it postponed elections by two years in March due to the
Israel-Hezbollah war.
Lebanon, Israel Move Toward Implementing Withdrawal
Agreement, US Officials Say
Asharq Al Awsat/July 15/2026
After two days of US-mediated talks in Rome, Lebanon and Israel took steps
toward implementing “pilot zones” in southern Lebanon where Israeli forces would
withdraw and turn over control to the Lebanese army, the US State Department
said Wednesday. The State Department said in a statement that the talks were
“productive” and the parties “agreed on the structure and guidelines for the
pilot zone process, to be finalized and implemented in the coming days.” There
was no immediate statement from Lebanon or Israel on the outcome of the
negotiations. Lebanon and Israel announced a “framework agreement” on June 26
laying out a plan for Israeli forces to withdraw from the large swathes of
southern Lebanon they are occupying, in exchange for disarmament of the
Iran-backed Hezbollah group. The deal was supposed to begin with two “pilot
zones” where the Israeli military is to turn over control to the Lebanese army,
which would clear the areas of any Hezbollah presence. However, implementation
on the ground had stalled ahead of this week’s talks in Rome. Lebanese President
Joseph Aoun, who is slated to visit Washington on July 21, said in a statement
ahead of the Rome talks that instructions had been given to the Lebanese
delegation “to demand the immediate withdrawal of Israeli forces from the two
pilot zones before any further discussions.” Wednesday's statement did not
specify where the pilot zones would be, but Lebanese and Israeli officials
previously said they would include the towns of Froun, Ghandouriyeh and Zawtar.
The designated zones generated some controversy in Lebanon, because Israeli
troops were not present in most of the selected area to begin with, raising
questions about how a withdrawal could take place. The Lebanese army had pushed
for pilot zones that were larger and included more area occupied by Israeli
forces. The latest Israel-Hezbollah war began when Hezbollah fired missiles
across the border on March 2, two days after the US and Israel attacked Iran.
Hezbollah and Iran had sought to link the end of the war in Lebanon to the
outcome of broader US-Iran talks. The Lebanese government, trying to minimize
Iran’s influence, aimed to keep the two tracks separate and negotiate a
ceasefire directly with Israel.
The June 26 Lebanon-Israel deal also envisions steps toward an eventual peace
agreement between the two countries, which technically remain in a state of war
nearly 80 years after Israel’s establishment. The State Department said that
following implementation of the pilot zones, “We will move to expanded technical
talks ... with the aim of reaching a comprehensive agreement between Israel and
Lebanon.” Hezbollah has been vehemently opposed to the direct Lebanon-Israel
talks and has said it will not abide by the agreement and has no plans to
disarm. Israeli officials, meanwhile, have said publicly that they plan an
extended occupation of southern Lebanon.
Could Hezbollah Launch a New War in Support of Iran?
Paula Astih/Asharq Al Awsat/July 15/2026
Amid deteriorating regional conditions and faltering US-Iranian understandings,
Lebanese people fear that Hezbollah may once again launch a new round of war in
support of Iran. This follows the party’s previous interventions, including its
2023 campaign backing Gaza and its retaliation for the late Iranian Supreme
Leader Ali Khamenei in March this year. Lebanon has witnessed a drop in Israeli
military operations, which have reached their lowest levels in weeks, despite
Israel's continued occupation of a security zone extending up to ten kilometers
deep inside Lebanese territory. Hezbollah has also halted all military
operations since the ceasefire was announced in mid-June. However, the
resumption of attacks between the US and Iran leads observers to believe that
Tehran could once again request its regional proxies, including Hezbollah, to
reignite all fronts in its support, should it perceive that the situation is
heading toward a major escalation against it. These fears are compounded by past
statements by Hezbollah lawmakers and leaders. Most recently, MP Ali Ammar
pledged to stand behind Iran in the event of a new war.
Conversely, during his latest appearance, Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim
Qassem insisted on maintaining the diplomatic track between the US and Iran,
while fiercely attacking the path of direct negotiations between Lebanon and
Israel.
Political analyst Qassem Qassir, who is close to Hezbollah's positioning, noted
that “no one can definitively determine the red lines drawn by Hezbollah, which,
if crossed, would prompt a return to resistance in its broadest sense.”“However,
it is expected that a broad Israeli assault on the Ali al-Taher hill would
naturally compel the group to defend it,” he told Asharq Al-Awsat.“The same
applies if attacks target other Lebanese areas still outside direct Israeli
control, or if the enemy resumes wide-scale offensives and attacks against
Nabatieh, Tyre, the southern suburbs of Beirut or other regions,” he added.
“Ultimately, the decision rests with Hezbollah's leadership, which has confirmed
through its Secretary-General that it will not accept a return to the status quo
prior to March 2” when the war with Israel erupted, he said. “Consequently,
matters remain contingent upon favorable conditions on the ground as well as the
political climate. For instance, should direct Lebanese-Israeli negotiations hit
a dead end, it could prompt the resistance [Hezbollah] to resume direct military
operations,” he remarked. Security and defense analyst Dr. Riad Kahwaji said:
“The red lines that could prompt Hezbollah to resume fighting are determined by
Iran, not the party's own leadership.”Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, he added:
“Tehran alone decides when the party will reopen the support front.”
Rome Is the Right Place to Decide Lebanon’s Future
Makram Rabah/Now Lebanon/July 15/2026
There is something profoundly fitting about Lebanon’s future being debated in
Rome.
The city that gave the world one of history’s most enduring legal traditions
reminds us that republics are built not by the power of armed men but by the
supremacy of law. More than two millennia ago, Cicero wrote, “We are all
servants of the laws so that we may be free.” The wisdom of that observation
extends far beyond the Roman Republic. It speaks directly to Lebanon’s
predicament today.
Whether intentionally or not, the negotiators meeting in Rome find themselves in
a city that symbolizes the triumph of institutions over arbitrary force. Rome’s
greatest legacy was not military conquest but the idea that law—not private
armies, militias, or political violence—should govern public life. Every
republic ultimately faces the same choice: whether it will be ruled by laws or
by those who claim exemption from them.
That choice now confronts Lebanon.
The ongoing discussions in Rome have been portrayed by some as negotiations over
Israeli withdrawal, ceasefire mechanisms, or technical security arrangements.
They are all of these things. But they are also something much larger. They
represent a confrontation between two competing visions of Lebanon itself: one
in which the state alone possesses the legitimate authority to wield force, and
another in which an armed political movement reserves that authority for itself
while simultaneously participating in government.
For this reason, the debate surrounding Hezbollah’s disarmament has been
deliberately distorted. We are repeatedly told that disarming Hezbollah is an
Israeli demand imposed upon Lebanon. It is not.
Long before it became an Israeli demand—or an American demand—it was a Lebanese
one.
It is the demand of citizens who have watched an armed organization repeatedly
override the authority of their state, violate their privacy and freedoms,
cripple their economy, and drag the country into wars that neither Parliament
nor the Lebanese people chose. It is the demand of families who have seen
political violence silence dissent and of those who continue to seek justice for
former Prime Minister Rafik Hariri and for countless journalists, intellectuals,
security officials, activists, and ordinary Lebanese whose only crime was
believing in a sovereign, pluralistic republic governed by institutions rather
than intimidation.
The issue, therefore, is not simply the physical surrender of weapons. It is the
restoration of political sovereignty.
Nor should the verification of Hezbollah’s disarmament be caricatured as an
Israeli intrusion into Lebanese sovereignty. Verification is, first and
foremost, a Lebanese necessity.
For decades, Lebanese governments have repeatedly discovered that parallel
military structures, hidden arsenals, tunnels, and independent chains of command
existed beyond the reach of state institutions. A credible process requires
credible verification. Such mechanisms do not diminish Lebanese sovereignty;
they restore confidence that the state’s authority is genuine rather than
symbolic. If anything, verification protects Lebanon from once again becoming
hostage to a military structure operating beyond public accountability.
Yet the loudest critics of the Rome framework are often the very same political
actors who spent decades defending Hezbollah’s exceptional status. They
normalized the existence of an armed party outside the state’s authority while
lamenting the weakness of state institutions. They spoke of reform while
ensuring that no meaningful reform could threaten the political order sustained
by Hezbollah’s coercive power.
Yet the loudest critics of the Rome framework are often the very same political
actors who spent decades defending Hezbollah’s exceptional status. They
normalized the existence of an armed party outside the state’s authority while
lamenting the weakness of state institutions. They spoke of reform while
ensuring that no meaningful reform could threaten the political order sustained
by Hezbollah’s coercive power.
This is the central contradiction of modern Lebanon.
One cannot advocate judicial independence while accepting armed intimidation of
judges. One cannot demand economic recovery while defending the very security
architecture that has isolated Lebanon from investment and reconstruction. One
cannot speak of sovereignty while insisting that one political faction remain
permanently above the law.
What is unfolding today is therefore not merely a negotiation with Israel. It is
an internal struggle between what remains of the Lebanese state and the deep
state that has gradually captured it.
The Lebanese deep state is more than a collection of corrupt politicians. It is
a mutually beneficial system. Traditional political elites provide Hezbollah
with institutional legitimacy, political cover, and access to state resources.
Hezbollah, in return, provides the coercive power that shields those elites from
accountability and preserves a patronage system that has survived financial
collapse, institutional paralysis, and overwhelming public rejection.
The relationship resembles less a political alliance than an organized
protection racket. The politicians wear the suits; Hezbollah carries the guns.
This explains why resistance to disarmament extends far beyond Hezbollah’s own
leadership. Many who have little ideological affinity for Iran nevertheless
understand that once Hezbollah loses its monopoly on coercion, the entire
machinery that has obstructed accountability, blocked reform, and intimidated
political opponents begins to unravel.
President Joseph Aoun and the Lebanese government undoubtedly face an
extraordinarily difficult challenge. Israel’s continued military presence in
parts of southern Lebanon remains unacceptable, and securing its withdrawal is a
legitimate national objective. But that withdrawal cannot be separated from
addressing the very condition that made repeated wars and occupations possible:
the existence of an autonomous military force operating independently of the
Lebanese state.
The Romans understood that the legitimacy of a republic rested upon the
supremacy of law. Cicero also reminded us that Salus populi suprema lex esto—the
welfare of the people shall be the supreme law. If the welfare of the Lebanese
people is indeed the highest law, then no political movement, no ideology of
resistance, and no armed organization can claim exemption from the authority of
the state.
Republics survive not because they tolerate competing armies, but because they
insist that all power ultimately answers to the law.
The negotiations in Rome should therefore be remembered for more than the
agreements they may eventually produce. They should remind Lebanon of a far
older lesson: republics survive not because they tolerate competing armies, but
because they insist that all power ultimately answers to the law.
The choice before Lebanon is no longer between resistance and normalization, nor
even between war and peace. It is between the law of the republic and the law of
the gun.
History, and Rome itself, has already shown which of the two ultimately endures.
*Makram Rabah is a lecturer at the American University of Beirut, Department of
History. His forthcoming book Conflict on Mount Lebanon: The Druze, the
Maronites and Collective Memory (Edinburgh University Press) covers collective
identities and the Lebanese Civil War.
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on 14-15 July/2026
US carries out more strikes against
Iran as Bahrain, Kuwait come under attack
Reuters/July 15, 2026
CAIRO/DUBAI: The US said it had completed a ‘morning round of strikes’ against
Iran on Wednesday after reimposing a naval blockade of Iranian ports, while Iran
threatened to shut off more regional energy exports.
“CENTCOM launched precision munitions against coastal defense systems and cruise
missile storage and launch sites on Greater Tunb Island during the 90-minute
wave,” the US Central Command posted on social media.The strikes mark the
latest escalation of attacks and counterattacks launched by the two sides as
they vie for control of the Strait of Hormuz, which carried about a fifth of
global oil and gas shipments before the war. “At 6 a.m. ET today, US
Central Command forces began launching a wave of strikes against Iran,” the US
military said. “The strikes are designed to further degrade military
capabilities Iranian forces have used to attack commercial shipping in the
Strait of Hormuz.”The US statement gave no further details and there were no
immediate reports of attacks in Iranian media.Late on Tuesday the US military
said it had hit dozens of military targets near the Strait of Hormuz and
Iranian coastal areas in strikes lasting seven hours.In response, Iran’s
Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps said on Wednesday it had struck US military
targets in the region, including in Bahrain, Kuwait and Jordan. It also
threatened on Wednesday to shut off more regional energy exports, saying the US
“must brace for the closure of all other export corridors that benefit the US
and its allies.”The US has said Iran had attacked seven commercial ships over
the last week, leading to nearly a dozen crew members being killed, missing or
injured. The war, which began with US and Israeli strikes against Iran on
February 28, triggered Iranian attacks on Gulf states that host US bases and
caused major disruption to global energy supplies, raising fears of a surge in
inflation. Oil prices extended gains by about 1 percent on Wednesday, after
settling on Tuesday on a new one-month high. An interim ceasefire deal in the
conflict signed last month was meant to lead to further negotiations and a
permanent truce, but a return to talks has faltered. Bahrain’s military said it
had intercepted aerial attacks from Iran on Wednesday after warning sirens
sounded in the early hours in the tiny Gulf nation. “The General Command of the
Bahrain Defense Force announces that Iran continues its systematic hostile
approach through its criminal attacks that target civilians,” it said in a
statement adding the military “succeeded in intercepting and destroying a number
of the treacherous Iranian aerial attacks this morning.”Kuwait’s military said
earlier in the morning that it was intercepting attack drones, and blamed in an
“Iranian aggression.”The continued Iranian aggression on the Gulf states and
Jordan came as US forces struck Iran and reimposed a naval blockade on its
ports. President Donald Trump told Fox News on Tuesday he would expand US
strikes on Iran next week to target power plants and bridges if Tehran does not
make a deal.
US strikes on Iran strengthen Trump’s
options for new escalation, officials say
Reuters/15 July ,2026
Recent waves of US strikes on Iran aimed at forcing open the Strait of Hormuz
are also targeting Iranian military capabilities the US would want to destroy
before executing more complex operations against Iran, three US officials said.
The officials, who were granted anonymity to discuss military matters, said the
strikes effectively strengthen additional military options for President Donald
Trump, who has kept the world guessing about his next steps after notifying
Congress last weekend of a formal resumption of conflict with Iran. Now in its
fifth month, the Iran war continues to rage after the unraveling of a memorandum
of understanding that was meant to stop the fighting and pave the way for a
peace agreement. Despite heavy blows to Iran’s military since the start of the
US and Israeli campaign on February 28, Tehran retains significant drone and
missile capability and has attacked passing tankers as well as its Gulf
neighbors. The US military has said its latest bombings have targeted Iranian
air defense systems, coastal radar, missile and drone sites as well as small
boats and other maritime assets. One of the US officials said the strikes could
be seen as “shaping operations” that are degrading Iranian defenses in case the
US military was ordered to carry out more intensive operations in the future.
“This is helping set the stage, if needed,” the official said. The Pentagon did
not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Military options
Reuters in March reported on US military planning to create options to deploy US
troops to Iran’s shoreline to better secure the Strait. At the time, officials
said the Trump administration had also discussed sending ground forces to Iran’s
Kharg Island, the hub for 90 percent of Iran’s oil exports. Such an operation
would be risky, since Iran could shower the island with missiles and drones from
the mainland. Trump said on Tuesday he had ordered his military to avoid
striking Iran’s oil facilities during previous strikes against Kharg island. But
he has left open the option of taking the island.
“If we degrade them far enough and deep enough back, I would do that,” he told
Fox News. Trump has also threatened to attack a site linked to Iran’s nuclear
program known as Pickaxe Mountain, a fortified facility buried deep underground
near one of Tehran’s main nuclear sites.
Mark Cancian, a retired US Marine officer at the Center for Strategic and
International Studies, said Trump’s willingness to publicly discuss military
options like seizing Kharg island was a double-edged sword. It could aid
diplomacy by putting the Iranians on edge. But it’s “bad for the military,
because we’re saying where we might be going,” he said.
Tactical gains, strategic stalemate
Critics of Trump’s war with Iran, including within the US Congress, say that
while it achieved tactical victories that destroyed big swathes of Iran’s
conventional military and defense industrial base, it failed strategically to
win concessions from Tehran. It also prompted Iran to exert unprecedented
leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, a critical chokepoint for a fifth of the
world’s crude output. Even if its conventional navy was largely destroyed, it
could still attack commercial vessels using capabilities like drones and
rockets. That has led to a debate within the Trump administration about the best
way forward, US officials say. A fourth official said Defense Secretary Pete
Hegseth has been an advocate of escalating the military operation against Iran.
Imran Bayoumi, a former Pentagon official now with the Atlantic Council, said
Trump’s sweeping comments in recent days on Iran appeared to be aimed at
pressuring Iran in negotiations and keeping Tehran unsure about his military’s
next steps. “I would separate the noise from the actions,” Bayoumi said. “I
would expect the discussions between him and his national security team are
looking a bit different than what he’s posting online.”
CENTCOM announces fresh round of US strikes on Iran
Al Arabiya English/15 July ,2026
A fresh round of American strikes against Iran were underway on Wednesday
afternoon, the US military said. The strikes started at 1900 GMT, the second
wave of attacks on Wednesday.
“The strikes are targeting Iranian military capabilities used to threaten
vessels freely transiting through the Strait of Hormuz, an international
waterway vital to global commerce,” the US Central Command (CENTCOM) said in a
post on X. CENTCOM said its forces were holding Iran accountable at the US
president’s direction. Later, CENTCOM said a US fighter jet shot at and disabled
a vessel heading for Iran’s Kharg Island. The commercial vessel ignored multiple
warnings as it tried to violate the US-imposed blockade, according to CENTCOM.
“The ship is no longer transiting to Iran,” CENTCOM said in a statement.
Some ships refusing US-military guided Hormuz transits
after attacks: Sources
Reuters/15 July ,2026
Shipping companies are avoiding using a US military-guided transit scheme
through the Strait of Hormuz after a wave of Iranian attacks on vessels sparked
safety concerns, seven maritime security and shipping industry sources said. For
decades ships sailed into and out of the Gulf using a safe set of lanes down the
middle of the strait established by the UN’s shipping agency in 1968 dubbed the
Traffic Separation Scheme. Since the Iran war began on February 28, Iranian
forces have mined this area, forcing vessels to use one of two makeshift routes
close to either the Iranian or Omani coast.
Helping Gulf energy exports keep flowing
In June, Reuters reported that the US military had helped vessels through as
part of an operation involving scores of secretive ship-to-ship oil transfers to
keep Gulf energy exports flowing, using aerial and water drones as well as
helicopters to guide tankers. The US-assisted initiative enabled the export of
tens of millions of barrels of oil, helping dampen the impact on energy prices
of the largest-ever disruption in oil and gas supplies.Yet shippers are
evaluating the route on the Omani side of the strait as increasingly dangerous
after a wave of attacks on ships. Iran’s IRGC on Tuesday claimed responsibility
for attacks on two Emirati oil supertankers. Some five ships have been attacked
since July 7 – three crude supertankers, one LNG tanker and one container ship –
in Omani waters that fell under the US scheme, according to analysis of
incidents based on data from the UN’s shipping agency. It was unclear if all the
ships were sailing under the US scheme, the sources said. “The US doesn’t seem
to have any control over the situation,” one shipping source said, adding that
their company had opted not to sail through the strait due to crew safety
concerns and the deteriorating security situation. “Iran’s continued ability to
target ships sailing through the Omani route means the Trump administration’s
proposed solution to keep ships moving is unlikely to work,” said Torbjorn
Solvedt, principal Middle East analyst with risk intelligence company Verisk
Maplecroft. White House spokeswoman Olivia Wales said the Strait of Hormuz
remains open despite recent attacks on commercial shipping. “The Strait of
Hormuz is open, and oil is flowing. Iran is committing acts of international
terrorism by shooting at peaceful commercial vessels, targeting and murdering
innocent civilians, and the United States is responding forcefully,” Wales said.
Escalation as US reimposes blockade
A US defense official, speaking on the condition of anonymity, said in the past
seven days more than 100 vessels had directly coordinated with the US military
to pass through the strait and over 300 had passed through the region more
generally, evidence that the US-led efforts were working, even if volumes remain
below pre-war levels. Iran threatened on Wednesday to shut off more regional
energy exports, after the US re-imposed a naval blockade of Iranian ports and
both sides launched more strikes as they vie for control of the strait. Tehran
is signaling it may use its Houthi allies in Yemen to shut the Bab el-Mandeb,
which leads into the Red Sea, opening a new front against Washington and putting
two of the world’s most vital shipping arteries at risk. Around nine
Greek-operated LNG tankers, which had sailed into the Gulf via Hormuz in the
past week to load cargoes, were stuck inside the strait due to the security
concerns, another shipping source said. Two further tankers have been attacked
since July 7 in open waters outside the strait.
Strait is open, Trump says
US President Donald Trump said in a Truth Social post on Tuesday that the Strait
of Hormuz “is open to ALL Ship traffic except for Iran.”The US reimposed its
blockade on Iran-linked shipping on Tuesday. Last week the US Navy-led Joint
Maritime Information Center raised its grading on the risks to ships in the
strait to “severe” from “substantial” and one below its highest level,
“critical.”The raised risk rating followed attacks on three tankers. In a note
issued by the US Navy after the US-coordinated scheme was launched last month,
companies were advised that efforts would be made to advise ship crews “but may
not be able to communicate threats to vessels in real-time.”The US military had
not provided enough clarity on the risks faced by ships sailing through the
Omani route, five of the sources said. “They have stated that the Strait of
Hormuz is ‘not closed’ and remains available to use,” a maritime security source
said. “This is making operators nervous and uncertain. Whilst they all have to
make their own risk assessments, this is clearly not safe, so why say it is
open?” Greek maritime security company Diaplous said in an advisory on Tuesday
that the threat environment remains high and advised shipping companies to pause
voyages until Saturday.MARISKS, another Greek maritime security company, in a
separate advisory, also said on Tuesday: “At this stage, there is no assurance
that transits through the Strait of Hormuz can be conducted with an acceptable
level of safety.”
US reports ‘wave of strikes’ on Iran as war returns
Al Arabiya English/15 July ,2026
The United States launched a wave of strikes against Iran on Wednesday, after it
reimposed a naval blockade in a return to war between the two foes. Nearly a
month after they signed a memorandum of understanding toward ending the Middle
East war, the two sides resumed fighting with strikes on targets across the
region. Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said it targeted the US
Fifth Fleet in Bahrain, where the military said it had intercepted attacks
against civilian targets, while Jordan’s armed forces said they had downed three
missiles from Iran. US President Donald Trump, meanwhile, threatened to widen
strikes next week to hit power plants and bridges unless Tehran returns to the
negotiating table.“Next week it gets really bad for them,” he told Fox News.
Despite a return to hostilities, mediated talks between the two sides have not
formally ended. At the heart of the resumption of hostilities has been the
dispute over the Strait of Hormuz, a waterway that is crucial for global oil and
gas flows.
Agreement ‘dismantled’
Iran blockaded Hormuz after the US and Israel launched their massive attack on
February 28, using it for leverage against its foes for months before briefly
reopening it, and then again vowing it would be closed “until the US ends its
aggression.”The US, in turn, has reimposed its own blockade of Iran’s ports,
though Trump has backed down on a planned 20 percent levy on ships using the
strait.Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Kazem Gharibabadi said the renewed US
blockade “has, in a way, dismantled the Islamabad memorandum,” referring to the
interim deal reached last month to halt hostilities and pursue peace talks. Days
after the return to war, US Central Command (CENTCOM) said it launched “a wave
of strikes... designed to further degrade military capabilities Iranian forces
have used to attack commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz.”Iranian state
media reported explosions near the port city of Bandar Abbas, on the island of
Qeshm and on Bandar Imam Khomeini. It later said fresh US strikes hit the
southern port city of Bushehr, home to the country’s only civilian nuclear
plant. Since the war began, Iran has asserted its control over the Strait of
Hormuz and opened fire on ships for taking routes it says are unauthorized. “The
retaliatory operations of the fighters will continue, and the Strait of Hormuz
will remain closed until the United States ends its acts of aggression,” the
IRGC said. A Norwegian tanker was hit by an explosion caused by an unidentified
device off the Omani coast early Tuesday, the crisis response company MTI
Network said.And Kuwait said one of its naval vessels was struck during an
Iranian missile and drone barrage, wounding four crew members. Trump meanwhile
said he was scrapping a planned levy on ships passing through the Strait of
Hormuz that he announced Monday. Since last week, renewed US attacks have killed
at least 30 people in Iran, government spokesman Fatemeh Mohajerani said.
Separately, the military announced that seven of its personnel were killed in
Wednesday’s strikes on the southeast. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu,
whose country has not so far rejoined the war, warned Iranian leaders on Tuesday
that Israel would deal a heavy blow if they launched an attack on his country.
Speaking from Dimona, a southern town widely believed to house Israel’s
undeclared nuclear arsenal, he told them: “Do not count on things remaining
quiet if you attack us.”
With AFP
Trump threatens to hit Iran power plants next week if no
deal
AFP/15 July ,2026
President Donald Trump told Fox News on Tuesday he would expand US strikes on
Iran next week to target power plants and bridges if Tehran does not make a
deal. “Next week it gets really bad for them because next week comes the power
plants. Next week comes the bridges,” Trump said in an interview with the US
broadcaster.“We’re going to knock out all their power plants. We’re going to
knock out all their bridges unless they get to the table and negotiate.”Trump’s
comments came as US forces carried out strikes against Iran for a fourth day in
a row and reimposed a naval blockade on the country’s ports.
A fragile June 17 ceasefire between the two sides has effectively collapsed,
with the focus on control of the crucial Strait of Hormuz. Asked how long the US
strikes would carry on, Trump replied: “They’ll continue until I say it’s
enough.”
Iran’s Ghalibaf says Tehran has no reason to honor US MoU without benefits
Reuters/15 July ,2026
Iran’s top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said on Wednesday that if Iran
did not benefit from its memorandum of understanding with the US, “we have no
reason to adhere to such an understanding.”Iran’s national security depends on
maintaining “Iranian arrangements” in the Strait of Hormuz, Ghalibaf added in a
statement posted on Telegram. He said Iran’s approach to its war with the US and
negotiations to end it should be based on national interests, national security
and a long-term perspective, adding that Tehran had no choice but to rely on its
own strength.
Trump holds Situation Room meeting to weigh broader Iran
offensive: Report
Al Arabiya English/15 July ,2026
US President Donald Trump held a meeting in the Situation Room on Tuesday to
discuss plans for a major military offensive against Iran that would be broader
than the current campaign around the Strait of Hormuz, Axios reported, citing
three sources familiar with the discussions.
According to the report, the talks focused on potential strikes against
strategic targets inside Iran as the Trump administration considers escalating
military pressure to force Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz and accept US
demands over its nuclear program. The meeting came as the US military carried
out strikes for a fourth consecutive day in areas around the strait and along
Iran’s southern coast. US officials told Axios that the strikes had primarily
targeted air defense and radar systems, anti-ship missile positions and drone
launch sites, with the aim of significantly reducing Iran’s ability to attack
vessels in the strait. Iran, meanwhile, continued launching missiles and drones
toward US bases in Jordan, Kuwait and Bahrain, according to the report. A US
naval blockade of Iranian ports also went into effect on Tuesday afternoon. US
Central Command chief Adm. Brad Cooper said Iran had deliberately targeted
civilians across the region over the previous week, attacking seven commercial
vessels and leaving nearly a dozen crew members dead, missing or injured.
Despite the attacks, US officials told Axios that the military had coordinated
the passage of around 300 ships through the strait over the past week. Trump was
reportedly joined in the Situation Room by senior members of his national
security team, including Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco
Rubio, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman Gen. Dan
Caine, CIA Director John Ratcliffe and White House envoy Steve Witkoff,
according to the sources cited by Axios. The sources said discussions centered
on plans for potentially devastating strikes against strategic targets inside
Iran, in addition to the ongoing operations around the strait. The White House
declined to comment to Axios.
Trump Says Iraq Will Be Rid of Iran ‘Burden’ Soon
Baghdad: Fadhel al-Nashmi/Asharq Al Awsat/July 15/2026
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi said on Tuesday his government will not allow
any party to carry weapons outside the authority of the state after the US-led
anti-ISIS coalition ends its mission in the country on September 30.He made his
remarks while meeting President Donald Trump at the White House at the beginning
of an official visit to the US. The visit will focus on security files, as well
as investment, energy and bilateral relations at a time when Baghdad is seeking
to bolster its partnership with Washington and maintain balanced relations in
the region. The American administration has been pressuring Iraq to impose state
monopoly over arms, meaning cracking down on Iran-aligned armed factions and
their influence.Al-Zaidi said that Iraqi authorities have already received
weapons from some armed factions.“After September 30, we won’t allow any party
outside of the state to carry weapons,” he stressed. Trump, meanwhile, praised
the new PM, saying the US is “going to have a long-term relationship with Iraq.
We're going to have a long-term relationship with a man that will be a great
leader.”He announced that Washington will reveal next week a major oil
partnership with Baghdad. Iraq has “tremendous oil reserves, they have
tremendous potential wealth,” he added.
Trump also said the US was ready to support Iraq if it needed protection, but he
added that he thinks it may not be necessary. The US president hailed al-Zaidi,
saying he will remain in his position for a long time and that “in a short
period of time he's changed that country so much, especially toward their
thinking about the United States.”“It's a great honor to have the Prime Minister
of Iraq with us. He's been a great fighter, and he's been a great fan of
America,” he went on to say.“We're there to help them [Iraq]. We're there to
protect them, if need be, but we don't think that's going to be necessary. And
their -- their primary, I consider it an opponent. They might have considered a
friend, but I consider that an opponent, was Iran, was a big burden on Iraq
because they were the bully of the Middle East,” Trump remarked. “This man is
going to be a great leader in the Middle East, beyond Iraq. His influence is
going to spread all throughout the Middle East, and we're very happy about it
and we are very happy to have you with us.”Underscoring the complicated
competing interests that al-Zaidi is confronting in Iraq, the PM sidestepped a
question about Trump's remarks on the 2020 killing of Iranian Gen. Qassem
Soleimani. “At that time, I wasn’t involved in politics," al-Zaidi said. "Let’s
talk about the future.”He stressed that the economic situation in Iraq demanded
that his government work on forging a strong partnership with the US, saying
Baghdad wants to elevate the ties from crisis management to building economic
and investment opportunities.Before departing Iraq, he said he was keen on
effectively deepening the partnership, revealing that he will offer Trump means
to achieve that. “I will deliver a message that Iraq, as a sovereign nation,
stands at an equal distance from regional conflicts and chooses to embark on the
path of development, extending its hands to friends in the process,” he added.
Iraqi state television said al-Zaidi will also meet with Defense Secretary Pete
Hegseth and senior Pentagon officials, as well as members of Congress and head
of the World Bank. He will travel to Houston for meetings with officials from
Halliburton, Chevron and ExxonMobil, and head of the US Chamber of Commerce.
Morocco signs agreement to join Gaza international force,
state media say
Reuters/15 July ,2026
Morocco signed an agreement on Wednesday to participate in the International
Stabilization Force (ISF) for Gaza, state media reported. The agreement was
signed in Rabat at a meeting attended by Moroccan Foreign Minister Nasser
Bourita, senior defense officials and Nickolay Mladenov, the Board of Peace
envoy for Gaza, along with a delegation including the commander of the ISF, the
state news agency MAP said. The agreement “reflects the shared determination to
contribute, through concrete humanitarian and security actions, to the
establishment of a climate of peace and security in the region,” MAP quoted a
statement from the Moroccan defense administration as saying. The Gaza Peace
Council and ISF leadership welcomed Morocco’s decision to join the initiative,
citing its planned deployment of senior military officers, gendarmerie and
police personnel, as well as the creation of a military field hospital, MAP
said. A close US ally, Morocco restored diplomatic ties with Israel in 2020 and
supports a two-state solution to the Middle East conflict.
Netanyahu will travel to US on Saturday, senior Israeli official says
Agencies/15 July ,2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will travel to the United States on
Saturday, a senior Israeli official told Reuters on Wednesday. Netanyahu wants
to meet US President Donald Trump, but it is not clear if he will, the official
added. Netanyahu vowed Tuesday to strike powerfully against Iran if it staged a
new attack on his country. “I will say it to the leaders of Iran: Do not count
on things remaining quiet if you attack us,” Netanyahu said at a conference in
Dimona. “The days are over when someone strikes us and we don’t hit back with a
decisive blow,” Netanyahu added. He said the strikes would be more powerful than
the ones carried out jointly with key ally the United States earlier this year.
“Do not count on a rerun,” Netanyahu said, referring to the previous attacks on
Iran, according to a video released by his office. “Because it will not be a
rerun, and that was already powerful enough. This will be a different event,
much more powerful.”Netanyahu’s threat came amid new US strikes on Iran.
Blasts heard near US consulate in Iraq’s Erbil
AFP/15 July ,2026
Several explosions were heard Wednesday near the US consulate in Erbil, the
capital of Iraq’s northern Kurdistan region. Air defenses were activated near
the consulate, which was a target of repeated drone and rocket attacks during
the Middle East war.
AFP journalists reported seeing several drones hovering over Erbil, before they
were hit by the air defense system, followed by explosions and visible smoke. No
group has claimed responsibility for any attacks. The blasts coincide with Iraqi
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s one-week visit to Washington, where he met
President Donald Trump. They also come against the backdrop of renewed military
escalation between the United States and Iran. During the Middle East war, the
Kurdistan region, which hosts US troops and numerous foreign oil companies, was
a primary target for drone attacks, carried out mostly by pro-Iran Iraqi armed
groups. Those groups targeted US facilities in Iraq more than 600 times in
support of Tehran. Since the start of the war, and even after a fragile
ceasefire began in April, Iran has also repeatedly struck Iranian Kurdish rebel
groups, which have camps and bases in Iraq’s Kurdistan.
US approves possible weapons sale to Saudi Arabia worth
$1.96 bln: State Department
Al Arabiya English/16 July ,2026
The US approved the possible sale of Advanced Precision Kill Weapon Systems to
Saudi Arabia in a deal worth $1.96 billion, the State Department said on
Wednesday. According to the State Department, Saudi Arabia had requested to
purchase up to 10,000 APKWS-II air-to-air guidance sections and another 10,000
APKWS-II air-to-ground guidance sections. “This proposed sale will support the
foreign policy and national security objectives of the United States by
improving the security of a Major non-NATO Ally that is a force for political
stability and economic progress in the Gulf Region,” the State Department said
in a notice. The sale will also improve Saudi Arabia’s capability to deter
current and future threats by strengthening its homeland defense, and improving
interoperability with US forces, and other regional and NATO forces, the State
Department added. ”The proposed sale will also augment Saudi Arabia’s
operational aircraft and enhance its air-to-air, and air-to-ground self-defense
capability.”The principal contractor will be BAE Systems and 15 additional US
government and 15 American contractor representatives will be sent to Saudi
Arabia for ”an extended period to support program and technical reviews plus
training and maintenance support in-country.”
Trump hopeful that Putin could end Ukraine war soon,
despite continued attacks
Reuters/15 July ,2026
US President Donald Trump said he still believes that Russian President Vladimir
Putin is ready to make a deal to end the war in Ukraine soon, despite continued
attacks and some indications Russia was likely to escalate the conflict. “I
think he's ready to make a deal,” Trump said in a Fox News interview when asked
about his conversations with Putin. The interview was taped on Tuesday and aired
on Wednesday. Three sources close to the Kremlin told Reuters that Putin is
rejecting calls to negotiate peace with Kyiv and was likely to escalate the
conflict, now in its fifth year. Trump had promised to have a deal to the war,
now in its fifth year, on the first day of his presidency in January 2025.
The Latest LCCC analysis & editorials from
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on 15-16 July/2026
Erdogan Dreams of Annexing Arab
Countries, Reviving the Turkish Empire
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This Is Beirut/July 15/2026
The prospect of a revived Turkish empire poses a new threat to Arab sovereignty.
When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan presented Lebanese Prime Minister
Nawaf Salam with a copy of his grandfather Salim Salam’s memoirs, he was making
more than a diplomatic gesture. By invoking the elder Salam’s service in the
Ottoman parliament, Erdogan cast himself as the legitimate heir to the Ottoman
sultans and the Salams as subjects of the empire.
This encounter was emblematic of a larger and more troubling ambition. Erdogan
is determined to revive Turkish influence over Arab lands once occupied by the
Ottomans. Turkey’s aspirations extend well beyond Lebanon.
On June 7, Turkish Interior Minister Mustafa Ciftci openly said he hoped to one
day serve as the governor of Jerusalem. It is striking that Palestinians, who
claim their struggle is for sovereignty over Jerusalem, have not opposed these
Turkish imperialist aspirations.
Similar Turkish irredentist rhetoric has also been directed toward other former
Ottoman territories. In September 2025, Turkish Ambassador to Algeria Muhammet
Mucahit Kucukyilmaz said that between five and twenty percent of Algerians are
of Turkish origin. Although framed in terms of historical ties, the remark
suggested that Turkey might view Algeria, like other parts of the Ottoman
Empire, as part of its political orbit.
Such demographic claims echo those made by Nazi Germany in the 1930s, when
Berlin asserted claims over German communities beyond its borders, and by
Putin’s Russia regarding ethnic Russians living in neighboring countries.
Turkish officials consistently highlight their country’s past sovereignty over
predominantly Arabic-speaking Ottoman provinces, keeping alive narratives of
historical rights that could justify future actions.
These narratives are amplified on social media, where accounts suspected of
being Turkish government bots disseminate content vilifying the Hashemite
dynasty, whose last surviving members are Jordan’s royal family. Turkish
propaganda portrays the Hashemites’ alliance with the British during the 1916
Arab Revolt as an act of treason that ended 500 years of Turkish rule over Arab
lands.
Erdogan has actively participated in this historical revisionism by praising the
Ottoman Empire as free from genocide, massacres, oppression, and colonialism. He
has claimed that “in our thousands of years of glorious history there is only
justice and compassion.”
This version of history stands in contrast to the lived experience and national
memory of Arab peoples. Martyrs’ Square in Beirut remains a powerful symbol of
resistance to Ottoman rule. It commemorates the victims of Jamal Pasha, the last
Ottoman ruler of Lebanon, who became known as the “Butcher” for ordering the
execution of Lebanese nationalists and independence activists. The square serves
as an enduring reminder of the struggle for independence from Turkish tyranny.
For much of the 20th century, the independent nations of the Levant and Iraq
remembered the five centuries of Ottoman imperialism with a sense of grievance
and antagonism. This feeling persisted until the rise of the Muslim Brotherhood,
an organization whose ideological roots trace back to Muhammad Rashid Rida, a
Lebanese resident of Egypt.
At the 1919 Paris Peace Conference, which laid the foundations for the modern
political map of the Middle East, Rida opposed the creation of independent Arab
states and secular democratic systems. Instead, he advocated for the revival of
the Muslim Sultanate in Istanbul as the leader of all Muslims and their
territories across the world.
Rida’s ideas were taken up by Hassan al-Banna, the founder of the Muslim
Brotherhood in Egypt. In turn, Banna’s ideology was developed further by Sayyid
Qutb, who introduced a more radical dimension to the movement’s thought. The
Brotherhood’s overarching plan has been to revive the Islamic Umma by restoring
a structure resembling the Ottoman Sultanate and reestablishing a unified Muslim
polity.
This ideology aligns closely with Erdogan’s own ambitions for Turkish regional
dominance. Since the end of the Global War on Terrorism, the Muslim Brotherhood
has enjoyed a significant resurgence, backed by Qatari resources and Turkey’s
status as a NATO member.
The Brotherhood now promotes the idea that the time has come for the world to
accept political Islam as the superior form of human government. They argue that
governance based on Islamic teachings represents the best model, while liberal
Western democracy, informed by the Enlightenment, leads to degenerate societies
and corrupt governments.
Under the cover of promoting political Islam, Erdogan is advancing a policy of
Turkish imperialism aimed at reviving the Ottoman Sultanate. Brotherhood
organizations, such as Hamas, embrace this vision, seeing it as consistent with
the idea of Jerusalem becoming a Turkish province. Similar sentiments are found
among Brotherhood supporters in Lebanon, Syria, and Jordan.
Yet this imperial project is deeply problematic for the Arab world. Arabs fought
long and hard to rid themselves of centuries of Turkish imperialism and have
been engaged for decades in resisting Iranian colonialism. The prospect of a
revived Turkish empire poses a new threat to Arab sovereignty. It is essential
for Arab nations to recognize and counter this danger to protect their
independence and national identity.
**Hussain Abdul-Hussain is a research fellow at the Foundation for the Defense
of Democracies and a columnist focusing on Lebanon and broader Arab affairs.
Europe and the Return of the Era of Eastern Spies
Emile Ameen/Asharq Al Awsat/July 15/2026
Was the Russian-Ukrainian war a direct cause for the return of the era of
Eastern spies to Europe, at such a high level, for the first time since the fall
of the Berlin Wall in 1989? It seems clear that East Asian circles are strongly
targeting European hubs, primarily Germany, even if the reasons vary and the
objectives differ. Recently, German intelligence agencies, in particular, have
begun to monitor this unwelcome return. Both the German Federal Intelligence
Service (BND) and the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution (BfV)
have recorded a significant increase in espionage incidents, amid fears of
reconnaissance operations, intimidation, or hybrid attacks targeting sensitive
state institutions. In previous articles, we pointed out the wide possibilities
of a Russian-German military confrontation should the crisis between Moscow and
Kyiv intensify, and if paths to a peace agreement to end the war become blocked,
which is highly probable, especially given the recent fierce mutual attacks
between the two sides. Are Russian espionage activities the first step preceding
an actual war?
It is certain that fifth columns serve as the vanguard before any armed
confrontation, a known practice in war strategies. However, the question mark
revolves around how this espionage war differs from its counterparts during
World War II, or even during nearly four decades of the Cold War.
In short, in the last century, humans were the core of espionage operations.
Today, however, the continent seems to face another world where the importance
of the human element diminishes, even if it doesn't disappear or fade, while
vast avenues open up for mechanisms of modernity, especially artificial
intelligence tools; these are capable of dismantling all barriers of secrecy and
walls of privacy, whether concerning individuals or national
institutions.Germany appears to be an advanced target in the era of spies for
more than one reason. Firstly, it remains the economic heart of Europe. What's
new for Germany is connected to its upcoming military resurgence, undoubtedly
ranging from conventional weapons to potential partnership in a European nuclear
umbrella with France and Britain, a discussion that includes the idea of
acquiring locally manufactured nuclear weapons.
What is happening in Germany today does not recall the story of famous Russian
spies, foremost among them Richard Sorge, who pretended to be a Nazi German
journalist and whose information saved Moscow from Hitler's advance during
Stalin's era.
Today, there is aerial surveillance through drones, which frequently fly over
sensitive German installations, and through suspicious cars near security
buildings, which are certainly equipped with espionage tools as the latest
espionage mechanisms. These can emit waves that can 'steal' minds and souls, as
happened in Havana and a number of European countries, and the matter remains
under wraps in global intelligence files.
Furthermore, there appear to be movements of human elements that cause fear.
Many Germans have complained of unknown surveillance by non-German-looking
individuals, while others have harbored suspicions about attempts to lure
workers in sensitive national facilities into conversations concerning national
security. The major catastrophe, however, lies in persistent attempts to recruit
high-ranking German officials. An example of this is the case of Carsten L., a
security official and former member of the German Federal Intelligence Service,
who was sentenced to prison after being accused of leaking classified
information to the Russian Federal Security Service (FSB). Some time ago,
Martina Rosenberg, the head of Military Counterintelligence Service, stressed a
sharp increase in espionage cases and hybrid measures, which now represents a
more aggressive approach, saying Russian intelligence is currently operating as
it did during the Cold War.The intriguing question is: Are Eastern spies
confined and exclusive to Russia alone? It appears that China, in turn, is
making extensive efforts in this regard, even if its objectives differ from
Russia's. The Russians are preparing for widespread and extensive military
confrontations with Europeans, while the Chinese realize that their path to
international polarity must pass through different avenues before
militarization. China's Ministry of State Security (MSS) is conducting extensive
espionage programs targeting Europe, with Germany at its core. These programs
rely on integrating cyber espionage, infrastructure infiltration, and recruiting
human agents to collect political, military, and industrial information. Today,
the Chinese are not concerned with talks of wars, whether conventional or
nuclear, but rather with government data, intellectual property, and industrial
networks, in addition to research centers to obtain technological secrets that
support the Chinese economy. In particular, they are interested in embedding
researchers in major European universities. Is this a new wave of the era of
Eastern spies, and how will Europe respond?
The US and the Middle East Dilemma
Dr. Abdel Monem Said/Asharq Al Awsat/July 15/2026
I ask the kind reader's indulgence to reuse the exact title I previously
employed in this space on December 23, 2009. At that time, speaking of the
"perplexity" of a superpower like the United States was considered a form of
intellectual recklessness, especially given the well-known wealth of intellect
generated by institutions dedicated to preserving the global status that
rendered Washington a sole superpower after the end of the Cold War. We were
still in the first decade of the 21s century, two decades after the fall of the
Soviet Union and Fukuyama’s prophecy of the "End of History" at the American
stage of liberal democratic state ideals."Globalization" became an approach
linking the human race to a planet whose outlook on the universe was rendered
tangible through unprecedented technological forms. Although the dawn of the new
millennium witnessed the first signs of the "Clash of Civilizations" when the
September 11, 2001, attacks took place, the American response in Afghanistan and
then Iraq revealed a certain lack of wisdom within the United States'
policymaking. Over the course of a quarter-century, four leaders alternated in
steering the United States: George W. Bush for two consecutive terms, Barack
Obama likewise for two terms, Donald Trump for a first term interrupted by Joe
Biden’s single term, until Trump returned once again.The focus on leadership
here is because the "individual" and their ideologies have come to play central
roles in strategic decisions regarding the management of international
relations, including decisions of war and peace. At the start of the third
millennium, the US president was not leading the United States alone; alongside
and around him was the "Neoconservative" camp, whose slogan was for the 21st
century to be an American century, just as the 20th had been.
All elements of American power attested that "globalization" had become an open
global system for innovation, communication, and openness, revolving in various
ways around Washington. The collapse of the World Trade Center in New York on
September 11 was enough to make the elite surrounding the president lose their
bearings, leading to the consecutive decisions to invade Afghanistan and then
Iraq. Reshaping and molding political systems became an end in itself; ignoring
the capacity of nations and peoples to shape themselves through genuine organic
development drove negative, and in many cases, catastrophic outcomes. The
eruption of the so-called "Arab Spring" was fueled by the "creative chaos" once
spoken of by Condoleezza Rice, the US Secretary of State at the time.
The situation back then was not much different from what is happening these days
under Trump’s leadership. Here, the simplicity once held by the
Neoconservatives, who believed that America must lead and the world would
follow, grows more complicated. In their view, Washington should never have to
ask anyone's permission for its actions; as long as it foots the political bill,
those who do not pay should keep their advice to themselves.
It was not known at the time whether any of these actors actually possessed
viable solutions to the dilemmas and intricacies of international relations,
including untangling the Middle Eastern "dilemma", which has remained untouched
since the "Clinton understandings" before he left the stage.
Then came Obama, riding a wave of European, Asian and broad global admiration
unseen for an American president since John F. Kennedy. Yet, this admiration did
not grant the new president winning cards, even after he explicitly declared
that the US could no longer act alone and indeed, that no one could lead the
world without cooperating with others.
There was much of that classic American idealism in his approach, which
inadvertently opened the door to a crude form of "realism" that arrived with the
first Trump administration. That term ultimately culminated in a clash with
Congress, the sidelining of institutions leading the fight against COVID-19, and
accusations of election rigging levied against American institutions - an act
that compromised the legitimacy of the American system in the eyes of the public
and new American generations. The inherent tension between these two pillars of
thought - idealism and realism - within the American intellectual apparatus is
precisely what led to the election of Biden, followed immediately by the return
of Trump. The profound perplexity felt by both American public opinion and the
global community when dealing with the US has triggered a severe intellectual
upheaval within the country. This uncertainty has manifested itself most
forcefully in how Washington deals with the Middle East. Resolving the Middle
Eastern "dilemma" became an impossible task, given a US that is deeply torn
between its strategic interests across Arab nations and, at the same time, its
absolute inability to distinguish between Israel as a state defined by the UN
Partition Plan, and the imperialist Israeli impulse bent on expanding territory
while subjugating the Palestinians. The spectacle of the current war in the
region is a direct consequence of both regional frailty in managing its own
affairs peacefully, and a weakened US unable to handle it effectively.
Future Industries and Vision 2030
Yousef Al-Dayni/Asharq Al Awsat/July 15/2026
There is no doubt that the appointment of Prince Abdulaziz bin Salman as
Minister of Industry and Mineral Resources, while he continues to serve as
Minister of Energy, marks an important turning point and a new chapter in Saudi
Arabia's development philosophy. It reflects a reality in which the
once-presumed boundaries between energy, industry, and technology are rapidly
fading. Recent developments in the energy and mining sectors have already laid
the groundwork for redefining the relationship between natural resources,
industrial capabilities, and the digital economy, particularly in light of the
remarkable achievements and performance of the energy sector, upon which
industry fundamentally depends. The two are inseparable. Today, energy is no
longer merely a sector that supplies factories with electricity and fuel.
Likewise, industry in the age of technology, digitalization, and artificial
intelligence has moved far beyond the traditional notion of assembly lines.
Saudi Arabia aspires to lead this next-generation convergence of industry,
energy, and AI, bringing together manufacturing, mining, power grids, and data
centers into a single integrated ecosystem.
To observers of Saudi Arabia's development journey, the decision appears to be a
timely response to the profound transformation taking place in the industries of
the future. The industrial landscape will no longer revolve solely around oil,
gas, petrochemicals, steel, and aluminum, important and indispensable as they
remain. It will also encompass new sectors in which Riyadh seeks to be an early
mover by attracting investment and building national industries powered by its
young men and women.
These include microchips, semiconductors, data centers, batteries, energy
storage technologies, electric vehicles, robotics, advanced cooling systems, and
the sophisticated technologies that underpin renewable energy production. These
are industries where energy, minerals, and technological innovation converge.
This explains the strategic significance of the decision and the unified vision
behind bringing these sectors together under Vision 2030. As the Vision
continues to evolve and refine itself, fragmented leadership would eventually
become a brake on the pace of execution. Unifying the strategic leadership of
energy, industry, and mineral resources shortens the road toward a new
industrial future built on strategies that recognize the growing overlap and
integration of these sectors.
Anyone following the sweeping transformations shaping Saudi Arabia's future,
with Vision 2030 serving as a major milestone on a much longer journey filled
with broader ambitions and larger objectives, will recognize that one of the
defining characteristics of the Kingdom's development philosophy is its
dynamism, its capacity for renewal, self-assessment, and continuous improvement.
Now that the foundational structures of Vision 2030 have matured and its
objectives are increasingly translating into tangible results, Saudi Arabia is
demonstrating what public policy scholars describe as "dynamic capabilities":
the ability of an institution to anticipate change and continuously realign its
resources to meet emerging challenges. Effective, vibrant institutions stay true
to their goals while constantly refining the means by which they pursue them.
This decision reflects an important evolution in Saudi Arabia's development
philosophy as it adapts to the increasingly complex transformations and
uncertainty that have shaped the world since the COVID era, followed by
disruptive conflicts that have reshaped the global economy and energy corridors.
It marks a shift from developing mature sector-specific strategies to building
integrated national ecosystems. Chief among them is the ecosystem of future
energy and industry, viewed as one continuous value chain stretching from the
earth's natural resources to energy production, through factories, laboratories,
and computing centers, and culminating in advanced Saudi-made products capable
of competing in global markets. International experience reinforces the
integrated approach embodied in this decision, an approach designed to deliver
major industrial leaps through comprehensive ecosystems rather than isolated
sectors. Japan offers one of the clearest examples. Following the decline of its
position in the semiconductor industry, Tokyo undertook a far-reaching policy
review, elevating the issue to a matter of national security and technological
sovereignty. It subsequently developed modern strategies centered on
semiconductor manufacturing, artificial intelligence, and supply chain
resilience. The bottom line is that the Vision we experience every day as a
living reality rather than a theoretical concept does not copy ready-made
models. Instead, it continues to develop its own approach, drawing on Saudi
Arabia's competitive advantages, its vast natural wealth, the strategic value of
its geography, and its ability to move in step with the rhythm of global
transformation. Above all, the enduring constant in this development philosophy
remains investment in the Saudi people, alongside a commitment to deepening the
culture of stability, a value that has become part of the cultural DNA of Saudi
society and a source of national pride.
Legal troubles no longer an impediment in politics
Mohamed Chebaro/Arab News/July 15, 2026
No one doubts that the French Republic has been in trouble in recent years. Its
political parties have become splintered, with the extreme right and radical
left dominating its National Assembly since the election called by President
Emmanuel Macron in June 2024.
A critical presidential election will be held in 2027 and, although the
far-right Marine Le Pen, leader of the National Rally party, is seen as the
favorite to win the presidency, the buildup to that vote continues to veer
toward the bizarre and unusual.
Le Pen’s decision to run for the presidency for a fourth time means that a
person found guilty of embezzling public funds will campaign to lead the EU’s
largest nation — perhaps with an electronic tag on her ankle. That became
possible after a Paris appeals court this month cleared the way for her to run
by shortening a ban on seeking public office that had spelled doom for her
ambitions. If anything, Le Pen, like all populists, will use this latest legal
twist to fortify the narrative that she is a combative, anti-establishment
politician ready to sacrifice herself by fighting the system on behalf of the
French people.
By declaring that she will challenge this month’s ruling in France’s highest
court, Le Pen has bought herself some time, as the order that she be
electronically monitored will be suspended. The Court of Cassation will give a
ruling before the election’s first round in April, with a potential runoff
scheduled for May. Le Pen, like all populists, will seek to fortify the
narrative that she is fighting the system on behalf of the people. In the past,
Le Pen’s embezzlement conviction could well have ended her political career by
making her ethically unfit for the presidency. For any ordinary citizen, a
criminal record works against you when looking for a job. But it seems the same
does not apply to politicians seeking public office. It is hoped the electorate
will take a different view, as polls have consistently demonstrated that French
voters want higher ethical standards in public life and are highly critical of
what they perceive as politicians’ dishonesty. Last year, Nicolas Sarkozy became
the first former French president in modern history to go to prison after he was
found guilty of criminal conspiracy. He was made to wear an electronic ankle
monitor for three months.
But we do not live in the age of the normal anymore.
Despite being sanctioned for criminal acts, populist politicians everywhere are
skirting the law and accountability by going to the polls regardless — and
electorates often indulge them. We know from Donald Trump how accountability can
be presented as persecution. Legitimate questions become part of a conspiracy.
Far-right politicians across the Western democratic world have been using the
same tactics. Experts have drawn links between the populists of today and the
fascists of yesteryear through the kind of political martyrdom employed to win
power. The tricks pulled by the Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, for example,
exploited political anger and channeled feelings of victimhood to justify all
the crimes and revenge politics he unleashed.The parallels are the same across
history. The populist leader and their nation are victims of a rotten political
class, so they are pushed to fight back. This contemporary political martyrdom
was evoked by Le Pen this week. All far-right and populist politicians use that
playbook and their approach is being normalized by the biased algorithms of
social media platforms. They are recycling the same narrative and style and the
voters have been lapping it up.
Nigel Farage, a prominent MP and Reform UK leader, under investigation by
Parliament after being accused of receiving undeclared political donations, has
decided to resign. However, he will again run for office in the same
constituency, as if he is saying that he will succeed despite the investigation
into his financial affairs, which he claims is politically motivated. Farage,
who rose meteorically in the polls on an anti-migrant and anti-Islam agenda,
appears to have run out of convincing answers. So, he decided to resign instead
of facing the investigation, forcing a by-election that he will fight solo (none
of the country’s main political parties will nominate a candidate) on a
martyrdom ticket.
In the past, any legal issues related to money or integrity were an impediment
to serving in public office. Today, they seem to be a vehicle. Le Pen was last
year found to have been at the heart of an elaborate fake jobs scam and was
sentenced to prison. In clearing her to run, the Paris court has also protected
the right of voters to elect a convicted felon to the French presidency. She has
been found guilty in a court of law, now it is up to the voters to decide if she
is innocent in the court of public opinion. Others have done it before. This
pattern has become visible across European politics and the carousel keeps
turning. Matteo Salvini, the leader of Italy’s League party and deputy prime
minister, used his prosecution over a blocked migrant ship rescue as proof that
he was being unjustly targeted for defending Italy’s borders. The leader of the
Netherlands’ Party for Freedom, Geert Wilders, employed similar tactics,
claiming that a hate speech case against him was an attack on free speech and
political dissent. In all these cases, the substance of the allegations gets
pushed aside and is replaced by a misleading story. The subject becomes the
victim and, rather than being held accountable, they claim to be under attack.
And the story is spun in the court of public opinion.Farage is likely to get
reelected as no other party wants to play his game. Le Pen’s fate will be
decided in the long months ahead. An anti-establishment stance still sells, with
legal troubles and victimization a vehicle to office. Is the age of the surreal
dawning on what is left of democratic rules and institutions?
**Mohamed Chebaro is a British-Lebanese journalist with more than 25 years of
experience covering war, terrorism, defense, current affairs and diplomacy.
Iran threatens the Red Sea to create a second chokepoint
Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab News/July 15, 2026
In its latest bid to escalate, Iran has gone all-out. After closing the Strait
of Hormuz, on Wednesday it threatened to go after other waterways in the region
to stop energy exports, as reported by Iran’s official media. The escalation in
Yemen is part of that plan.
Tehran seems to have been especially enraged by the new channel Oman has
provided for safe passage through its own territorial waters in the Strait of
Hormuz. After Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi failed to persuade Oman to abandon
this effort, Iran attacked ships crossing the Omani channel, ships elsewhere on
the other side of the Gulf and other targets hundreds of miles away in a country
that has, for decades, stood by Tehran when most countries abandoned it and
mediated its numerous conflicts with the international community.
Iran also repeatedly attacked other Gulf Cooperation Council states and Jordan.
Stating the obvious, Tehran on Sunday announced that it was no longer bound by
the memorandum of understanding it signed with the US. Part of the escalation is
due to Iran’s belief that the agreement gave it full control of the Strait of
Hormuz, which was not how the US or mediators understood the deal, as that would
be contrary to the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea, which bars any country
from controlling any international waterway.
As it decided to escalate in the Gulf, Iran also opened a new front in Yemen.
For months, the Houthis had been threatening to join the fray. Barrages of fiery
speeches were directed at Saudi Arabia and the internationally recognized
government of President Rashad Al-Alimi. Almost daily, the Houthis threatened to
attack the Kingdom unless it paid them untold amounts of money to fund the
salaries of the same forces they planned to use against their neighbor to the
north.
Part of the escalation is due to Iran’s belief that the agreement gave it full
control of the Strait of Hormuz.The escalation in Yemen started with dispatching
a flight by Mahan Air to Sanaa without seeking permission from the Yemeni
government — a basic requirement under international civil aviation rules in any
other part of the world — thus jeopardizing the people on board.
Mahan Air is no ordinary carrier. It is owned by a private entity controlled by
the Quds Force, the notorious arm of Iran’s Revolutionary Guards. It was
instrumental in transporting weapons and military personnel, including
terrorists, to, among others, the Assad regime in Syria, Hezbollah in Lebanon
and the Houthis in Yemen. The airline is sanctioned by the US and EU. In
addition, many countries, including GCC states, have banned the airline from
using their airports or airspace.
The government of Yemen is among those to have barred Mahan Air. Yet the airline
persisted in violating the government’s repeated orders to turn back. After
government forces disabled Sanaa Airport, the flight’s original destination, it
landed in another airport controlled by the Houthis.
Besides its violation of civil aviation agreements, the brazen disregard of
Yemen’s law and its government’s clear instructions to turn back was also a
clear violation of UN Security Council Resolution 2216, which imposed a sweeping
arms embargo on the Houthis. Resolution 2216 was adopted under Chapter VII of
the UN Charter, meaning that force could be used to enforce it.
After the Mahan Air incident, the Houthis on Monday launched ballistic missiles
against civilian targets in southern Saudi Arabia — a clear violation of the
four-year-old truce mediated by the UN. Since this truce started in April 2022,
the Houthis had avoided, with rare exceptions, targeting Saudi territory. That
they have now returned to attacking the country is a serious development.
Monday’s Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia can be seen as part of a new Iranian
escalation in the Red Sea and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait. For months, the Houthis
have threatened to block the strait but Iran apparently reined them in.
However, after reclosing the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian officials started to put
other waterways in their crosshairs. On Wednesday, they threatened to close “all
other export corridors that benefit the US and its allies,” as per a
Revolutionary Guards statement carried by Iran’s state media.
Echoing Iran’s declaration, a Houthi spokesman was quoted by Iran’s official
media warning that they were ready to close the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, a move
that he said would raise oil prices to $200 per barrel. If Iran and the Houthis
carry out their threats and close Bab Al-Mandab or attack ships in the Red Sea,
they would put at risk significant amounts of international trade.
While trade crossing the Bab Al-Mandab Strait has dropped significantly since
Houthi attacks on shipping started in 2023, as much as about 15 percent of
global maritime trade went through it in 2025. The International Energy Agency
estimates that about 4.2 million barrels of crude oil and petroleum liquids
crossed the waterway daily last year, or about 5 percent of international
production.
In the final quarter of 2025, about 40 percent of the nearly 3,400 ships passing
through the Red Sea were carrying oil and gas, including 1,330 oil tankers and
88 liquefied natural gas ships. General cargo made up another 40 percent,
carrying agricultural commodities, coal and iron ore, among others. Much of the
trade between Asia and Europe goes through the Red Sea.
So, look for shortages of key commodities and additional spikes in prices all
over the world — although not the $200 oil price as the Houthis dreamed up — if
Iran and the Houthis carry out their threats. These developments make it urgent
to go back to the implementation of UNSC Resolution 2216, especially as it
relates to monitoring compliance with the arms embargo, which Mahan Air has now
broken in broad daylight. While diplomatic efforts must resume, the
international community, including China and Russia, must speak with one voice
against escalation in the Red Sea and the Bab Al-Mandab Strait. A number of UN
bodies have been created to monitor compliance with the arms embargo against the
Houthis, such as the UN Verification and Inspection Mechanism, established in
2015, and the UN Mission to support the Hodeidah Agreement, established by the
Security Council in 2018. The Houthis have prevented these two bodies from
carrying out their activities in Yemen, rendering them futile. In light of the
new escalation and renewed threats from Iran and the Houthis, they must be
empowered to carry out their duties without hindrance.
**Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg is the GCC assistant secretary-general for political
affairs and negotiation. The views expressed here are personal and do not
necessarily represent those of the GCC.
X: @abuhamad1
Christians in Iran continue to face arrest, detention and
ill-treatment, UN experts warn
Ephrem Kossaify/Arab News/July 15, 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/155956/
NEW YORK CITY: UN human rights experts on Wednesday condemned Iranian
authorities for confiscating the St. Peter Evangelical Church compound in Tehran
and evicting 27 members of the country’s recognized Armenian and Assyrian
Christian minorities who lived there.
The experts said 20 families, most of them low-income, longtime residents of the
compound, were given just two weeks to vacate their homes, and church leaders
were threatened with arrest if they failed to comply. The last resident left the
site on July 12, fueling concerns that the complex could be demolished.
“Forced evictions are incompatible with international human rights law and risk
leaving members of recognized religious and ethnic minorities homeless,” the
experts said in a statement.
The 10-acre compound in central Tehran houses much more than a place of worship,
having also served as home and a place of learning for its residents. In
addition to the church building, there are two schools and the residents’ houses
on the site, as well as offices belonging to the Bible Society and the Council
of Evangelical Churches of Iran, which owns the land. A Revolutionary Court
ordered in 1998 that the compound be transferred to the Execution of Imam
Khomeini’s Order, a state body that operates under the Office of the Supreme
Leader. That ruling was subsequently used to block the reregistration of the
evangelical council, although it said it only learned of the order in 2008. The
UN experts described the seizure of the site as part of a sustained pattern of
measures targeting Iran’s Christian community, in particular Persian-speaking
worship. As evidence of this they also highlighted the 2019 closure of an
Assyrian Presbyterian church in Tabriz, and the demolition in June 2026 of a
Presbyterian church in Mashhad that had been shut down decades earlier.
Iran was once home to about 50 Protestant churches, most of which offered
services in Persian. Now, the experts said, effectively none remain, having
either been closed outright or barred from holding Persian-language services.The
last three Anglican churches that were permitted to preach in Persian, located
in Tehran, Isfahan and Shiraz, were not allowed to reopen after the COVID-19
pandemic.“Freedom of religion or belief includes the freedom to worship in
community with others, in one’s own language, and to maintain places of
worship,” the experts said.
“When a church is confiscated, a community loses not only a building but a place
of worship and community life.” Beyond church closures and confiscations,
Christians in Iran continue to face arrest, detention and ill-treatment, the
experts said. At least 79 are currently detained or imprisoned, the vast
majority of them converts, with some allegedly forced to make confessions under
torture.
Among them is Mohammed Nikbakht, a Christian convert reportedly arrested and
beaten at his home in Golpaygan in March this year, who is being held
incommunicado at Dastgerd Prison in Isfahan. His family has been given no
information about his legal status or access to counsel, the experts said.
They called on Iranian authorities to allow residents and congregants to return
to the St. Peter compound, halt all threats and intimidation against the church
community, and release those arbitrarily detained. They said they remain in
contact with the Iranian government in an effort to clarify the issues raised.
The experts are Mai Sato, special rapporteur on the situation of human rights in
the Islamic Republic of Iran, and Nazila Ghanea, special rapporteur on freedom
of religion or belief.
Special rapporteurs are part of what is known as the special procedures of the
UN Human Rights Council. They are independent experts who work on a voluntary
basis, are not members of UN staff and are not paid for their work.
https://www.arabnews.com/node/2651052/middle-east
Selected Face Book & X tweets on
15 July
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
Hezbollah announced the funeral of 129 “martyrs,” all from the southern town of
Majdal Selem, whose population is 5k people. Three takeaways:
1. Not a single woman, meaning all these are Hezbollah fighters.
2. 129 in a village of 5k means Hezbollah manpower has been drastically
degraded.
3. Remember this post the next time you feel the urge to slander Israel by
claiming it’s targeting women and children in Lebanon.
Ambassador Jonathan Peled
The Government of Israel has decided to appoint me as the next Ambassador of
Israel to the United Nations in Geneva.
I will assume the new role starting from November 2026.
Until then, I will continue with honor to carry out the functions of Ambassador
of Israel in Italy and San Marino, remaining fully available to all those who
wish to contribute to strengthening the relations between Israel, Italy, and San
Marino.
I wish to thank everyone for the collaboration and support demonstrated over the
past two years. I am pleased to be able to continue working together in the
months ahead.
Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו
https://x.com/netanyahu/status/2077083759581495780/video/1
I was raised in the light of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, whom my late father regarded as a
guiding light of courage, faith in the righteousness of our path, and resolute
standing against all pressure. His legacy lives on even today in the Iron Wall
of our generation, in strength, initiative, and determination to defend the
State of Israel and ensure its future. Watch the remarks I made today at his
memorial >>
Benjamin Netanyahu - בנימין נתניהו
I was raised in the light of Ze’ev Jabotinsky, whom my late father regarded as a
guiding light of courage, faith in the righteousness of our path, and resolute
standing against all pressure. His legacy lives on even today in the Iron Wall
of our generation, in strength,
Nadim Koteich
HORMUZ IS THE NOISE MALLEY AND HIS CHORUS SELL AS TRUMP'S FAILURE. THE SIGNAL IS
A REGIME STRIPPED TO ONE LEVER.
@Rob_Malley
post, a tidy, politicized story aimed at scoring points, captures the
fashionable take: the current flare-up over the Strait of Hormuz proves the war
was a failure because “this issue wasn’t even in dispute before the previous
war.” Therefore, Trump created a problem that didn’t exist.
He’s wrong on the fundamentals.
By February 28, Iran’s toolkit, proxies, nuclear breakout potential, and a vast
missile and drones arsenal, was already stripped or degraded. Hezbollah had been
broken in 2024, the nuclear and air-defense layers degraded across the
twelve-day war and the strikes before it.
Hormuz sat underneath that toolkit the whole time, and Tehran, like any
ideologically driven regime reaching past an empty shelf, pivoted to its most
asymmetric remaining lever.
Iran was always ready to perpetuate confrontation. Hormuz is where that
readiness surfaced after the war stripped or degraded every other option away.
Take Hormuz off the table and it will reach for something else, cyber,
terrorism, Bab al Manded, new proxies, or renewed nuclear escalation.
The regime’s DNA is revolutionary export and anti-status-quo disruption. It is
not reformable through half-measures, vague MOUs, better deals, or a more
accommodating approach.
Trump’s biggest mistake was buying into the illusion, long perpetuated by voices
like Malley and others, that the Islamic Republic is capable of genuine
transformation under the right conditions. That assumption would only produce
vague deals on contentious issues, which give Tehran exactly the ambiguity it
needed to test boundaries, claim favorable interpretations, and resume
aggression the moment it judged the time right.
The Hormuz episode teaches us something far more important than “Trump’s war was
bad”:
Iran is not a normal state actor that can be bargained into permanent good
behavior with a “good” or “better” deal! Its ideology demands perpetual war.
Degrading capabilities forces tactical adaptation. That adaptation itself, which
Iran opted for, is a sign of success for the side doing the degrading.
Half-measures create breathing room for the regime to regroup and shift to new
pressure points. The premature ceasefire likely did exactly that.
The narrative that “Hormuz proves the war failed” is backwards. It proves the
opposite: even after significant degradation, Iran still feels compelled to
reach for the nuclear option of global energy disruption. That is the reason
sustained, credible pressure (not premature deals) remains the only language it
understands, and the one that could ultimately lead to the regime’s collapse.
Focus on Iran’s unchanging nature, which the story of Hormuz actually exposes.
Everything else is just politics.
Quote
Robert Malley
Thoughts on how US and Iran got here: 1. It’s worth remembering that this war is
being fought over an issue -- the status of the Strait of Hormuz -- that wasn’t
even in dispute before the previous war. In other words, today’s war would not
be happening
Eric Daugherty
https://x.com/EricLDaugh/status/2077099703326408827/video/1
JUST IN: Lindsey Graham's sister Darline Graham Nordone has officially been
SWORN IN as interim US Senator of South Carolina She was escorted onto the floor
by Tim Scott, then sworn in by Chuck Grassley The entire chamber burst into
applause as it became official
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
After ejecting PLO Palestinian terrorists in 1982, Israel conditioned its
withdrawal from Lebanon on Syrian Assad simultaneous withdrawal. This was a
Lebanese Christian demand. Assad refused and killed the 1983 Lebanese-Israeli
peace agreement.
In 1991, as a reward for joining coalition to eject Iraq from Kuwait and talking
to Israel at the Madrid Peace Conference, America gave Assad Lebanon.
With an adult (Assad) in charge of Lebanon, Israel offered withdrawal for
guarantees (from Assad and or Lebanon) that the territory it vacates won't be
turned into a launchpad for attacks on its north. Assad refused Israeli
withdrawal because it would have taken away the excuse for his own occupation of
Lebanon (whenever asked to pull out his troops, Assad said Israel must do it
first).
In 2000, with Lebanese PM Hariri's implicit guarantees (Hariri was a bigger than
life character with strong ties in Paris and DC), Israel pulled out
unilaterally. The UN certified Israel had complied with UNSC425 (demanding
Israeli withdrawal). So what happened next? Exactly what Israel feared.
Hezbollah turned south Lebanon into the most heavily armed region on the planet.
Hezbollah launched war on Israel in 2006 and 2023. Each of these wars ended with
Beirut pledging to disarm Hezbollah if Israel pulled out. Israel did, twice.
Not only Lebanon never disarmed Hezbollah, the Iranian militia launched yet
another war in 2026. This time Israel invaded, depopulated, told Lebanon it's
going to keep the security zone until Hezbollah is CERTIFIABLY disarmed. US
signed to be the certifying authority. If it certifies, Israel withdraws.
But most Lebanese leaders are anti-Israeli bigots and populists. They insist
that Israel must withdraw first, then Hezbollah (maybe) gets disarmed. Israel
has been saying, sorry, this time, we're serious, no land without disarmament.
Video below shows the extent of Hezbollah's post-2000 military expansion,
exploiting Israel's good will gesture of withdrawal (relying on unspoken
guarantees from Hariri, whom Hezbollah killed). See less
Tommy Pigott
The Iranian regime has chosen to pursue destabilizing violence
instead of dialogue. In response, The U.S. is imposing sanctions on more than 50
individuals, entities, and vessels that enable illicit shipping and sanctions
evasion network, which is a major force behind Iran’s oil exports.