English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For July 20/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
There were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon.
Saint Luke 04/22-30/:"All spoke well of him and were amazed at the gracious words that came from his mouth. They said, ‘Is not this Joseph’s son?’ He said to them, ‘Doubtless you will quote to me this proverb, "Doctor, cure yourself!" And you will say, "Do here also in your home town the things that we have heard you did at Capernaum." ’And he said, ‘Truly I tell you, no prophet is accepted in the prophet’s home town. But the truth is, there were many widows in Israel in the time of Elijah, when the heaven was shut up for three years and six months, and there was a severe famine over all the land; yet Elijah was sent to none of them except to a widow at Zarephath in Sidon. There were also many lepers in Israel in the time of the prophet Elisha, and none of them was cleansed except Naaman the Syrian.’ When they heard this, all in the synagogue were filled with rage. They got up, drove him out of the town, and led him to the brow of the hill on which their town was built, so that they might hurl him off the cliff. But he passed through the midst of them and went on his way."

Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on 19-20 July/2026
The Annual Commemoration of Saint Elijah the Living, the Zealous Prophet/Elias Bejjani/July 20/ 2026
To President Aoun: Hezbollah & the mullahs understand only the language of force. Force is necessary for the liberation of Lebanon and peace with Israel./Elias Bejjani/July 18/ 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
Lebanon war death toll reaches 4,328, with 12,229 injured
US Ambassador to Lebanon: President Aoun ‘will not return empty-handed’ from Washington
Lebanon’s Aoun to Meet Trump at White House, Hoping to Generate Pressure on Israel
Aoun meets Rubio who voices commitment to backing Lebanese govt.
Rubio Hails Lebanon for Peace Efforts After Meeting Aoun
Hezbollah buries dozens of fighters in south Lebanon
Hezbollah Cuts Ties with Lebanon's Presidency While Sparing the Army
Blast kills Lebanese soldier in south, Israel blames Hezbollah
In a Lebanon museum, 'keys without homes' evoke destruction in south
Alma Center: Hezbollah's tunnel network is a multi-billion dollar investment!
Lebanon's PM condemns Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Jordan, reaffirms support
Will Aoun’s White House Visit Help Break Hezbollah’s Grip?/Amal Chmouny/This Is Beirut/July 19/2026

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on 19-20 July/2026
US soldier killed and one injured after Iranian attack in Iraq
Trump to bask in World Cup final spotlight
Trump says Republicans should add Iran to Russian bill
Iran says US attacked under-construction nuclear power plant
US Strikes Iran Over Troop Deaths as Israel Warns Tehran’s Attacks Are Coming Close
UN Watchdog Calls for Restraint as Iran Says US Attacked Unfinished
Iran’s IRGC says two ships involved in ‘accident’ after defying Hormuz warnings: Report
Israel warns will respond to any Iran attack with ‘full force’
Kuwait, Bahrain respond to Iran attacks
Jordan, Kuwait condemn Iranian attacks
Jordan authorities deny evacuation of Aqaba airport, seaport after US embassy alert
Iran missile towards Jordan’s Aqaba intercepted
Iran Executes Two Men Convicted of Killing Police Officers during January Protests
Drone strike wounds eight Iranian Kurdish rebels in Iraq: Exiled group
Iraqi PM to Visit Tehran This Week
Iran, Iraqi Factions Criticize Al-Zaidi’s Washington Visit
Jordan Summons Iranian Diplomat Over ‘Unjustified’ Attacks
Eight Peshmerga Forces Wounded in Iranian Strike Targeting Northern Iraqi Kurdistan
Gaza Health Officials Say Children Among 11 Killed in Israeli Strikes
Türkiye Condemns Closing of 8 Turkish Schools in Greece
Egypt, Türkiye Conclude Joint Military Exercise
Russia Hits Ukraine with Largest Number of Ballistic Missiles
Congo Says Number of Confirmed Ebola Cases Rises to 2,267, Including 893 Deaths
Israel approves use of crocodiles for prison security

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on 19-20 July/2026
Terrifying duel between masked US, Iran adversary as countdown to decisive showdown begins/Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya English/19 July ,2026
The Challenging Task Awaiting Burnham from the Right and Left/Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/July19/2026
Kurdistan: The Region That Survived Three Times/Kifah Mahmood/Asharq Al Awsat/July19/2026
Trump Must Abandon His Dangerous Plan to Sell F-35s to Turkey/Con Coughlin/Gatestone Institute/July 19, 2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets on 19 July/2026

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on 19-20 July/2026
The Annual Commemoration of Saint Elijah the Living, the Zealous Prophet
Elias Bejjani/July 20/ 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/156043/
Note: The information presented in this study has been compiled from numerous reputable ecclesiastical, theological, historical, and scholarly sources.
Introduction
Saint Elijah the Living is revered as one of the most extraordinary figures in Sacred Scripture and among the greatest prophets in the history of salvation. He stands as a towering witness to unwavering faith in the One True God during a period marked by widespread idolatry, spiritual corruption, and disregard for the divine commandments. The Church commemorates his feast annually on July 20, honoring his holy life, prophetic mission, apostolic zeal, and unique intimacy with God. Throughout the Christian East, particularly in Lebanon, Syria, Palestine, and Jordan, Saint Elijah occupies a cherished place in the hearts of the faithful. Numerous churches, monasteries, shrines, and religious institutions bear his name, and believers continually seek his intercession, inspired by his steadfast faith and courageous witness to God's truth.
Saint Elijah in Sacred Scripture
Saint Elijah in the Old Testament
The Prophet Elijah appears primarily in the First and Second Books of Kings, where his life and ministry are recounted in remarkable detail. His first appearance occurs before King Ahab, when he boldly proclaims: “As the Lord God of Israel lives, before whom I stand, there shall not be dew nor rain these years, except at my word” (1 Kings 17:1). This dramatic declaration marked the beginning of a prolonged confrontation between the prophet and the political and religious authorities who had permitted and encouraged the worship of the pagan god Baal.
Sacred Scripture records numerous significant events in Elijah's life, including:
His stay by the Brook Cherith, where ravens miraculously brought him food.
His residence in the home of the widow of Zarephath.
The raising of the widow's son from death.
His celebrated confrontation with the prophets of Baal on Mount Carmel.
His flight into the wilderness following Queen Jezebel's threats.
His encounter with God on Mount Horeb.
His calling of Elisha as his disciple and successor.
His ascension into heaven in a fiery chariot.
Saint Elijah in the New Testament
Although Saint Elijah lived approximately nine centuries before the birth of Christ, his presence and significance continue prominently in the New Testament. Our Lord Jesus Christ referred to him on several occasions, and Elijah appeared together with Moses during the Transfiguration of Christ on Mount Tabor.
The Gospel records: “And behold, Moses and Elijah appeared to them, talking with Him” (Matthew 17:3). Christ also taught that Saint John the Baptist came “in the spirit and power of Elijah,” carrying forward the prophetic mission of calling humanity to repentance and reconciliation with God. Thus, Elijah serves as a vital bridge between the Old and New Covenants, representing the prophetic tradition that ultimately points toward the coming of the Messiah.
Who Was Saint Elijah?
Saint Elijah was one of the greatest prophets raised by God in the Old Testament. His Hebrew name, Eliyahu, means: “My God is the Lord.” This name perfectly summarizes his life's mission and message. Throughout his ministry, Elijah devoted himself entirely to defending the worship of the One True God at a time when many Israelites had abandoned the faith of their ancestors and embraced idolatry. Both Jewish and Christian traditions honor him as one of the greatest prophets. The Church has long referred to him as “the Zealous Prophet” because of his passionate devotion to God's glory and his unwavering commitment to divine truth.
Where Did Saint Elijah Live?
The Prophet Elijah lived during the ninth century before Christ in the Northern Kingdom of Israel. According to biblical tradition, he originated from the region of Gilead, east of the Jordan River. Throughout his prophetic ministry, he traveled extensively through various regions, including: Gilead, The Brook Cherith,
Zarephath of Sidon, Samaria Mount, Carmel Mount, Horeb (Sinai), The Jordan Valley
These journeys were intimately connected with his prophetic mission and the various stages of his struggle to call God's people back to repentance and fidelity.
The Historical Context of Elijah's Ministry
Saint Elijah lived during the reign of King Ahab and his wife Queen Jezebel. While Ahab was politically powerful, he tolerated and facilitated the spread of Baal worship throughout Israel. Jezebel, a Phoenician princess by birth, actively promoted pagan religion, sponsored the construction of pagan temples, and persecuted the prophets of the Lord. Into this atmosphere of spiritual confusion and religious corruption, God sent Elijah to restore authentic faith among His people. Standing almost entirely alone against kings, priests, and pagan authorities, Elijah relied solely upon God's power and providence.
The Miracles of Saint Elijah
The life of Elijah is associated with numerous miracles through which God manifested His divine power.
1. Fed by Ravens in the Wilderness/When drought struck the land according to God's judgment, Elijah was instructed to hide by the Brook Cherith. There, ravens miraculously brought him bread and meat every morning and evening, demonstrating God's providential care for His faithful servant.
2. The Widow's Flour and Oil/ God directed Elijah to a poor widow in Zarephath of Sidon. She possessed only a small amount of flour and oil, sufficient for one final meal for herself and her son. Elijah assured her that the flour and oil would not be exhausted. Miraculously, the jar remained full throughout the famine.
3. Raising the Widow's Son/When the widow's son became ill and died, Elijah carried the child and prayed fervently to God. The Lord answered his prayer and restored the boy to life. This event is widely regarded as the first recorded resurrection miracle in the Bible.
4. Calling Down Fire from Heaven/ This is perhaps the most celebrated miracle in Elijah's life. Gathering the people on Mount Carmel, Elijah challenged them to choose between the Lord and Baal. After preparing an altar and drenching the sacrifice with water, he prayed: “Answer me, O Lord, answer me.”
Immediately, fire descended from heaven and consumed the sacrifice, the wood, the stones, and even the water. The people fell to the ground and cried out: “The Lord, He is God! The Lord, He is God!”
5. The Return of Rain/ Following three and a half years of drought, Elijah prayed earnestly for rain. God answered his prayer, and abundant rain fell upon the land, restoring life and fertility.
6. Parting the Waters of the Jordan/ Shortly before his departure from this world, Elijah struck the waters of the Jordan River with his mantle. The waters parted, allowing him and Elisha to cross on dry ground.
The Great Spiritual Battle Against Baal Worship
Many people wonder about the “war” fought by Saint Elijah. In reality, Elijah did not lead a conventional military campaign. Rather, he waged a profound spiritual battle against idolatry and false worship. This confrontation reached its climax on Mount Carmel. Present there were: King Ahab, The people of Israel
Four hundred and fifty prophets of Baal Elijah standing alone. Elijah proposed that each side offer a sacrifice without lighting a fire beneath it. The true God would reveal Himself by answering with fire. The prophets of Baal prayed throughout the day without receiving any response.
Elijah then offered a simple prayer filled with faith. God answered immediately by sending fire from heaven, revealing the truth before all the people. Thus, the worship of the Lord triumphed over idolatry, and many returned to faith in the God of Israel.
The Ascension of Saint Elijah into Heaven
Among the most extraordinary events recorded in Sacred Scripture is Elijah's ascent into heaven. After completing his earthly mission, Elijah was walking with his disciple Elisha near the Jordan River when a remarkable event occurred. Scripture recounts: “And behold, a chariot of fire and horses of fire separated the two of them; and Elijah went up by a whirlwind into heaven” (2 Kings 2:11). Elisha witnessed the majestic scene and cried out: “My father, my father, the chariot of Israel and its horsemen!”From that moment onward, Christian tradition has honored him as “Saint Elijah the Living,” because he did not experience earthly death in the ordinary manner of humanity.
Saint Elijah in Christian Tradition
Saint Elijah enjoys profound veneration in both Eastern and Western Christian traditions. Believers regard him as a model of: Steadfast faith, Fervent prayer, Courage in proclaiming truth, Absolute trust in God, Zeal for holiness. For this reason, Christian iconography frequently portrays him holding a sword, standing upon a mountain, or ascending into heaven in a fiery chariot.
Churches and Monasteries Dedicated to Saint Elijah in Lebanon
Saint Elijah is among the most beloved saints in Lebanon. Numerous churches, monasteries, and shrines bear his name, including those located in: Antelias, Shwayya, Ehden, Kfardebian, Beit Shabab, Bsharri, Al-Qoubaiyat, Zahle, Ain Toura, Sarba, Touq, Jeb Jennine, Among the best-known monasteries are:
Monastery of Saint Elijah Shlita ,Monastery of Saint Elijah Touq. In addition, dozens of churches and devotional shrines dedicated to Saint Elijah are found throughout Lebanon.
Conclusion
Saint Elijah the Living remains one of the greatest witnesses to faith in sacred history. Standing alone against idolatry and spiritual corruption, he courageously defended divine truth and demonstrated that authentic strength comes neither from political power nor numerical superiority, but from complete trust in God.
His life continues to inspire Christians today to persevere in faith, remain faithful to truth, and refuse compromise in matters of conscience and belief, regardless of the challenges they may face.
A Prayer for Lebanon Through the Intercession of Saint Elijah
O Saint Elijah, Zealous Prophet of the Most High God, who loved the Lord with all your heart and courageously defended His glory, we humbly ask for your intercession on behalf of Lebanon. Protect this beloved nation from every evil. Preserve it from war, division, conflict, and despair. Bless its mountains, valleys, cities, towns, and villages, and watch over its people both at home and throughout the diaspora. Grant wisdom, integrity, and justice to those entrusted with public responsibility. Strengthen the young in faith, hope, and love. Bless families with peace, unity, and mutual understanding.
May Lebanon remain a land of holiness, witness, freedom, and Christian mission. May its people enjoy security, prosperity, and enduring peace. Through your powerful intercession, O Saint Elijah the Living, hear our prayers, O Lord, and bless our nation. Amen.
Elias Bejjani
Lebanese Diaspora Activist and Political Commentator
Website: https://eliasbejjaninews.com
Email: phoenicia@hotmail.com

To President Aoun: Hezbollah & the mullahs understand only the language of force. Force is necessary for the liberation of Lebanon and peace with Israel.
Elias Bejjani/July 18/ 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/07/156021/
Those who repeat today that peace cannot be achieved through force and that wars are not a solution either ignore the lessons of history, choose to disregard them, or surrender to an illusion that reality has repeatedly proven false. One of the latest figures to repeat this claim is Lebanese President Joseph Aoun, who rarely lets a day pass without emphasizing that peace with Israel cannot be achieved through force. Yet such statements do not alter a single fact on the ground.
Since his election, President Aoun has given dialogue every possible opportunity, whether directly or indirectly, and the result has been absolutely nothing. Why? Because Hezbollah is not an independent Lebanese party. Rather, it is an ideological Iranian jihadist terrorist army composed of Lebanese mercenaries, operating on Lebanese soil as an Iranian occupation force. It receives its orders and funding from Tehran and owes absolute allegiance to the doctrine of Wilayat al-Faqih, not to the Lebanese Constitution or the national interest.
Anyone who believes that an ideological, terrorist, jihadist, and sectarian organization of this nature will voluntarily surrender its weapons is detached from reality. Organizations driven by such doctrines, like Hezbollah, do not retreat because of dialogue, statements, or appeals. They retreat only when they are defeated and stripped of their ability to impose their will by force.
This is not merely a theory; it is a historical fact. Nazism did not fall through negotiations, fascism did not collapse because of declarations, ISIS was not defeated through sermons, and armed jihadist organizations did not withdraw through dialogue. They were overcome by military force that destroyed their structures and deprived them of the ability to continue.
The Iranian project in Lebanon and the wider region is, at its core, no different from any other expansionist ideological project. It relies on armed militias, fuels conflicts, hijacks states, usurps decision-making authority, and turns entire populations into hostages serving an external agenda. Anyone who believes that this project will end through appeasement or illusory compromises is deceiving both himself and the Lebanese people.
Therefore, what is required from the Lebanese state—and from the President in particular—is not the repetition of empty slogans or self-deception, but rather the acknowledgment of a fundamental reality: there can be no state in the presence of a militia, no sovereignty alongside a parallel army, and no peace while an organization monopolizes decisions of war and peace outside legitimate institutions.
President Aoun and the rest of Lebanon’s officials and politicians must fully understand that genuine peace is not born from weakness but from decisiveness. It is not imposed by wishes but by balances of power. Without ending the dominance of illegal weapons and dismantling Iran’s military project in Lebanon, any talk of peace will remain little more than rhetoric for media consumption.
War is not, in itself, a moral value. However, at critical moments in history, it has been the only means of overthrowing aggressive regimes and projects that rejected every political solution. From the defeat of Nazism emerged European peace, and from the defeat of expansionist empires arose more stable political systems.
As for Lebanon, it will not regain its statehood and sovereignty as long as Hezbollah retains its weapons and operates as a disguised Iranian occupation force. The road to peace begins when arms become the exclusive prerogative of the state, when the Iranian project suffers complete defeat, and when Lebanese decision-making is returned solely to the Lebanese people.
This is the reality confirmed by history, no matter how much advocates of grand slogans seek to deny it.
More importantly, Lebanon must permanently cease to function as an arena and open battlefield for the false narrative of “resistance,” the rhetoric of “liberation,” dreams of liberating Palestine, or calls to throw Jews into the sea. All of these heresies must end, and those who promote them should be prevented from operating in Lebanon and treated as enemies and an existential threat to Lebanon and its people. It is also necessary to enact a modern national political parties law and revoke the licenses of all organizations whose ideologies and agendas conflict with the Lebanese Constitution, including the Syrian Social Nationalist Party, the Ba'ath Party, the Islamic Group, and movements inspired by Nasserism or the radical left.
As for peace with the State of Israel, it is no longer merely an option but an urgent and necessary requirement.

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.

Lebanon war death toll reaches 4,328, with 12,229 injured
LBCI/July 19, 2026
Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Center said the cumulative toll from the conflict reached 4,328 fatalities and 12,229 injuries as of July 19.

US Ambassador to Lebanon: President Aoun ‘will not return empty-handed’ from Washington
LBCI/July 19, 2026
U.S. Ambassador to Lebanon Michel Issa said Lebanese President Joseph Aoun “will not return empty-handed” from his visit to Washington, in remarks to LBCI.

Lebanon’s Aoun to Meet Trump at White House, Hoping to Generate Pressure on Israel
Asharq Al Awsat/July19/2026
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun will make his first trip to the White House this week to present a plan to US President Donald Trump on how to disarm Iran-backed group Hezbollah and secure Israel's withdrawal from Lebanon. Aoun, who served as the commander of Lebanon's US-backed army before being elected president last year, is the first Lebanese head of state in nearly 20 years to visit the White House, where he will meet Trump face-to-face for the first time. Tuesday's meeting comes at a crucial moment for Lebanon: Israeli troops are occupying a swathe of the country's south, hundreds of thousands of Lebanese remain displaced following Israeli strikes and Hezbollah has firmly rejected the government's direct talks with Israel and efforts by the state to strip it of its arms. In comments published by his office last week, Aoun said he would ask Trump to "exert the necessary pressure on Israel" to implement a US-brokered June 26 agreement between Lebanon and Israel. That deal aims to disarm ‌Hezbollah, see a progressive Israeli ‌troop withdrawal and set the stage for peaceful ties between the two countries. A Lebanese official ‌said ⁠Aoun would present ⁠Trump with a written proposal on how to decommission Hezbollah's massive arsenal. The official said Aoun believes only Trump possesses the leverage needed to pressure Israel to withdraw its troops and help Lebanon restore its sovereignty.
SEEKING HEZBOLLAH'S DISARMAMENT
Aoun, 62, became president last year just before Trump began his second term in the White House. The US welcomed Aoun's election. A career soldier, Aoun was wounded twice and still carries a shrapnel wound. His rise reflected a major shift in the power balance in Lebanon, following a devastating Israeli offensive against Hezbollah in 2024 and the ousting ⁠of Hezbollah's Syrian ally President Bashar al-Assad — seismic events that weakened the group and its long-decisive hold ‌over the state. At his swearing-in ceremony, Aoun vowed to affirm "the state's right to a ‌monopoly on arms". His presidency's first year was defined by a government bid to secure the disarmament of Hezbollah, which was founded by Iran's Revolutionary Guards ‌in 1982 and has fought numerous wars with Israel. Lebanese troops deployed in southern Lebanon to collect Hezbollah weapons caches, in line with ‌a ceasefire after the 2024 war and without opposition from a weakened Hezbollah.
A NEW WAR ERUPTS
But early into his term's second year, a new war erupted when Hezbollah fired at Israel on March 2 in support of Iran, which was under US and Israeli attack. Hezbollah's attack triggered a fierce Israeli air and ground campaign that has killed more than 4,300 people, according to Lebanon's health ministry, including nearly 800 children, women and medics. The toll does not distinguish ‌between civilians and combatants. Hezbollah has not announced a toll for its fighters. After the war began, Aoun swiftly called for direct talks with Israel, a historic departure for a state repeatedly ⁠invaded by Israel since 1978. It led ⁠to the highest-level face-to-face contacts in decades between the two countries. It also made him the focus of fierce criticism by Hezbollah and its supporters.
Aoun has stood firm, criticizing Hezbollah for starting the war and saying Lebanon was being destroyed for the sake of Iran. Still, he has stopped short of agreeing to Trump's call for him to meet Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
A MILITARY VETERAN
Aoun was born in Sin al-Fil, a suburb of eastern Beirut. His family originally hails from south Lebanon. His first army assignment was as a platoon commander in the army rangers in 1985, during Lebanon's 1975 to 1990 civil war. Shortly after his promotion to commander, he oversaw a campaign to rout ISIS militants at the Syrian-Lebanese border. He led the army through the crisis that followed Lebanon's financial implosion of 2019, which devastated the Lebanese currency after decades of state corruption and bad governance. At the time, Aoun warned that the crisis would lead to the collapse of the Lebanese army, "the backbone of the country". In an unusually political statement for an army commander, he criticized ruling politicians over the collapse, saying soldiers were going hungry along with the rest of the population and asking politicians, "what do you intend to do?" Aoun's election ended a two-year presidential vacuum following the 2022 end of the term of Hezbollah ally Michel Aoun, who is no relation. He has pledged to work on long-delayed economic reforms and vowed justice for victims of the Beirut port explosion of 2020.

Aoun meets Rubio who voices commitment to backing Lebanese govt.
Naharnet/July 19, 2026
President Joseph Aoun met Sunday in Washington with U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio, ahead of his meeting Tuesday with U.S. President Donald Trump. A State Dept. statement said Aoun and Rubio discussed "the implementation of the Trilateral Framework" that also involves Israel, with the Secretary commending "the courage of the Government of Lebanon, under President Aoun's leadership, for their determined effort to reclaim Lebanon’s sovereignty, disarm Hezbollah and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure, and move towards peace." Rubio also reaffirmed the commitment of the United States to "supporting the successful implementation of the Trilateral Framework and to backing the Government of Lebanon’s efforts to deliver peace, economic recovery, and a better future for the Lebanese people."

Rubio Hails Lebanon for Peace Efforts After Meeting Aoun
Asharq Al Awsat/July19/2026
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio met with Lebanese President Joseph Aoun in Washington on Sunday, praising the country for its "move towards peace" after the latest round of Lebanon-Israel talks. It was the first trip to the US capital by a Lebanese head of state since Michel Suleiman was received by Barack Obama in 2009. Aoun and Rubio held talks at the State Department, and Lebanese officials said Aoun is due to meet with President Donald Trump on Tuesday. Rubio commended the Lebanese government for its "determined effort to reclaim Lebanon's sovereignty, disarm Hezbollah and dismantle its terrorist infrastructure, and move towards peace," the State Department said following the talks. Lebanon and Israel, which do not have formal diplomatic relations, began US-sponsored negotiations in April aimed at reaching a peace deal and permanently ending the Israel-Hezbollah war. On June 26, they reached a framework agreement in Washington under which the Israeli military is to withdraw from southern Lebanon and the Lebanese army is to deploy, starting with two "pilot zones." But the agreement is contingent on the disarmament of Iran-backed group Hezbollah, which has flatly rejected both the deal and the Israel-Lebanon negotiations that underpin it. Following the latest round of talks last week in Rome, Israel and Lebanon agreed on the structure and guidelines for implementing the pilot zones, according to the United States. Rubio said Washington was committed "to supporting the successful implementation of the Trilateral Framework and to backing the Government of Lebanon's efforts to deliver peace, economic recovery, and a better future for the Lebanese people." Hezbollah pulled Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2, when it began striking Israel in support of its backer Iran.
Israel responded with airstrikes and a ground invasion, and despite a ceasefire it continues sporadic attacks and holds territory in the south in what it describes as a "security zone." While in Washington, Aoun planned talks "on the situation in Lebanon and ways to strengthen the ceasefire" as well as on "the withdrawal of Israel from the Lebanese regions it occupies," his office said earlier. The United States carried out airstrikes on Sunday to "punish" Iran after the first US military deaths since open hostilities rekindled the Middle East war.

Hezbollah buries dozens of fighters in south Lebanon
Agence France Presse/July 19, 2026
Hezbollah has held a mass funeral for dozens of people, most of them fighters killed in the most recent fighting with Israel, in southern Lebanon's Majdal Selm. The Iran-backed group does not reveal the number of fighters it has lost in the latest war. But it has organized several funerals during the current lull in fighting, which followed the June 17 signing of a U.S.-Iran memorandum of understanding. In the heavily-damaged village, Hezbollah buried 44 people, 39 of them fighters and four civilians said to have been killed in Israeli operations, and one man who died of natural causes.
An AFP correspondent saw trucks carrying the coffins to the burial site as weeping women held portraits of the dead and of Iran's late supreme leader, Ali Khamenei, who was killed in a U.S.-Israeli strikes on Tehran in February. Many Lebanese have been unable to bury their loved ones in their home towns while the fighting was still raging. Shiite Muslim rites provide for temporary burial when circumstances prevent a proper funeral or the deceased cannot be buried where they wished. "You are invited to participate in the blessed funeral of Majdal Selm's martyrs," read an announcement to Hezbollah's supporters, with the names of the dead. A previous announcement widely shared online had 129 names, but the Majdal Selm municipality dismissed the figure as "inaccurate and baseless". The funeral took place as President Joseph Aoun headed to Washington where he is expected to meet his U.S. counterpart Donald Trump following the latest round of Israel-Lebanon talks, which wrapped up earlier this week. Israel and Lebanon began U.S.-sponsored negotiations in April aimed at reaching a peace deal and permanently ending the Israel-Hezbollah war.On June 26, they reached a framework agreement in Washington under which the Israeli military is to withdraw from southern Lebanon and the Lebanese Army is to deploy, starting with two "pilot zones". The agreement is contingent on the disarmament of Hezbollah, which has flatly rejected both the deal and the negotiations.

Hezbollah Cuts Ties with Lebanon's Presidency While Sparing the Army
Beirut: Paula Astih/Asharq Al Awsat/July19/2026
In recent days, Hezbollah has sharply escalated its confrontation with the Lebanese authorities, particularly the presidency, ahead of President Joseph Aoun's visit to Washington. One of the group's lawmakers openly declared that "the bridges with the authorities have been severed and the consequences will not be favorable." At the same time, however, Hezbollah has continued to avoid direct confrontation with the Lebanese Army's leadership, despite previously warning that it would treat any party attempting to disarm it by force in the same way it treats the Israeli military. As Lebanese, American, and Israeli discussions continue over implementing the proposed "pilot zones" in southern Lebanon, a plan that would place those areas under the control of the Lebanese Army while removing both Israeli forces and Hezbollah's military presence, the group's recent escalation appears to signal that it is unwilling to cooperate with the proposal. Hezbollah had previously strongly criticized the framework agreement and its provisions.
No Decision to Use Force
According to military sources, there is "no political or military-security decision to implement the pilot zones by force." The sources told Asharq Al-Awsat that "the issue must be resolved through dialogue and politics, not by placing the Lebanese Army in direct confrontation with Hezbollah, as the consequences would be catastrophic on every level."After Hezbollah MP Hassan Fadlallah used the parliamentary podium earlier this week to launch a sharp attack on President Joseph Aoun, accusing him of "becoming a political actor who deepens divisions among the Lebanese instead of serving as president and a symbol of national unity," fellow Hezbollah lawmaker Ali Fayyad said on Friday that "the problem with this government has become serious, very serious. The bridges with it have been severed, the possibility of reaching an understanding no longer exists, and the consequences will not be favorable."
Escalation in the Streets?
Hilal Khashan, professor of political science at the American University of Beirut, attributed Hezbollah's escalating rhetoric toward the authorities to what he described as the existential challenges the group currently faces "after finding itself on the chopping block and after the decision was made to eliminate its military wing." He added that "it is not unlikely that Hezbollah will escalate in the streets in the coming days and weeks, despite President Aoun's warning that taking to the streets is a red line."Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Khashan said the available indications suggest that "Hezbollah is preparing for confrontation and that the next phase will be extremely difficult and dangerous." He added that concerns over divisions within the Lebanese Army if it were forced into a confrontation with Hezbollah are well founded and that the consequences of such a decision should not be underestimated. According to Khashan, the army commander is fully aware of those risks and is acting accordingly. President Aoun, himself a product of the military establishment, also understands this reality well and is familiar with the army's internal composition. Khashan believes Hezbollah is currently in a weakened position. However, he argues that strong communal solidarity has led most Lebanese Shiites to rally behind the group, believing that if Hezbollah were ultimately defeated, the gains achieved by the Shiite community over recent decades would come to an end. In their view, they want their community to remain the dominant force in the country.
A Return to Assassinations?
Ali Al-Amin, political writer and editor-in-chief of the Janoubia news website, argues that Hezbollah "is not operating as a Lebanese political party concerned with the national considerations that shape the president's positions on negotiations, Lebanon's foreign relations, or the country's security. Hezbollah today is, in effect, part of Iran's Revolutionary Guard, and its position toward President Joseph Aoun reflects Iran's position toward him."Asked whether this rhetoric could foreshadow action by Hezbollah against domestic opponents, whether the government or rival political forces, Al-Amin said such a scenario "cannot be ruled out." He suggested it could take various forms, "including assassinations or efforts to stir unrest in the streets." However, he argued that none of these options would ultimately benefit Hezbollah.
"The more Hezbollah attacks President Aoun, the more Lebanese rally around him and the more isolated the party becomes. Any attempt by Hezbollah to provoke internal confrontation would harm everyone, but there is no doubt that Hezbollah itself would be the first to pay the price."
Hezbollah Wants the Army to Remain Neutral
Responding to another question, Al-Amin argued that Hezbollah's efforts to keep the Lebanese Army out of the confrontation are "far from innocent." He said the party has sought to amplify praise for the army as a military institution loved by all, on the condition that it satisfies all political factions by remaining neutral. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Amin said Hezbollah wants the army to remain, as it has always preferred, "a force that is effectively sidelined except when its role serves the party's own interests." He pointed to Hezbollah's refusal to hand over its positions to the army when requested, citing the case of Ali al-Taher Hill north of the Litani River. He also recalled the explosion that killed six Lebanese soldiers as they attempted to take control of one of Hezbollah's tunnels in the Tyre district following the November ceasefire agreement. Al-Amin added that Hezbollah also seeks to exploit any disagreement between the government and the army, "even if merely superficial," in order to deepen and magnify those divisions.

Blast kills Lebanese soldier in south, Israel blames Hezbollah
Agence France Presse/July 19, 2026
The Lebanese military has said that a soldier was killed "as a result of the explosion of a suspicious object in an army vehicle" in the southern town of Mansouri. Commenting on the incident, the Israeli military said that "the explosive device did not belong" to it, and suggested that Hezbollah had planted the device. "It should be noted that the Lebanese Army vehicle entered the Security Zone without prior coordination with the (Israeli army), as required according to the existing coordination mechanism," the Israeli military added.

In a Lebanon museum, 'keys without homes' evoke destruction in south
Agence France Presse/July 19, 2026
Tears streamed down south Lebanon resident Fatima Hajj Ali's face as she stared at a host of keys hanging like windchimes from the ceiling of a Beirut museum -- each one symbolizing a home, like her own, destroyed by Israel. Hajj Ali is among the thousands of southerners who lost their houses in the recent conflicts between Israel and Hezbollah, the first of which broke out in 2023 when the group launched attacks in support of its ally Hamas, and the second in March when it entered the Middle East war on the side of its backer Iran. "We were supposed to go home and open the door with the key, but there is no door anymore," the 23-year-old said. Despite a lull in fighting following the signing of a memorandum of understanding between the United States and Iran on June 17, intermittent Israeli strikes continue, as do widespread demolitions in and around occupied villages, making it impossible for many people to return. The exhibition "Hkeeli ya Jnoub", or "Tell me, O South", features pictures and videos preserving the memory of southern Lebanon at the capital's Beit Beirut museum. Walking through, Hajj Ali reminisced on her home in Nabatieh al-Fawqa, which she was only able to visit once after an April truce that ultimately failed to stop the fighting. "Half the house collapsed and half remained," she told AFP. "I long for sunset and to hear the call to prayer in our garden while I drink my coffee," said the psychologist, adding that Beirut had "beautiful" places, but "they are not home". One of the projects on display is "Keys Without Homes", which comprises videos of three southerners who kept the keys to their houses, even though they no longer exist. The artist, 36-year-old Adeeb Farhat, himself from the south, said the idea came to him during the previous war in 2024, when he feared losing his own home. "I was constantly haunted by the question: What will happen to my house? Will it be bombed? And how will my relationship with my house key change? Will we become the new Palestinians?" he said. There is a longstanding tradition among Palestinians of keeping the keys of homes they lost during the Nakba -- or "catastrophe" in Arabic -- which saw the flight and expulsion of an estimated 760,000 Palestinian Arabs during the creation of the State of Israel in 1948.
'What Remains' -
Within the exhibition halls, a bedroom, living room and kitchen -- complete with a glass jug, coffee pot, and spice containers -- recreate details of daily life in the homes of southern Lebanese residents.The exhibition also includes an old photograph of the coastal city of Tyre, a black-and-white video of Nabatieh, and notebooks in which visitors wrote down their memories of the south. In another work called "What Remains", Sama Beydoun, 29 and living in Paris, showed pictures of her grandfather's now-destroyed home in Bint Jbeil, near the border with Israel, which she last saw in 2025.However, a technical glitch resulted in most of the images appearing blurry, making them look like a "dream", Beydoun said. "I remember how many people this house brought together, how my family grew up there, how many generations it witnessed, and how life changed, while some things remained constant", like the weekly Sunday gatherings, she said.
"Life was very simple, but it was beautiful."In a photo essay called "Manufacturing Estrangements", Rawan Mazeh, 29, tells the story of a couple detained in the notorious Khiam Prison, run by the South Lebanon Army, an Israeli proxy militia, during Israel's 22-year occupation of south Lebanon that ended in 2000. To Mazeh, the exhibition "created a comfortable place where people could come and feel close to their land".

Alma Center: Hezbollah's tunnel network is a multi-billion dollar investment!
AlMoudan/July 20, 2026
The Israeli Alma Research Center stated that Hezbollah's tunnel project in Lebanon is one of the largest underground military infrastructure projects in the region, estimating the investments allocated to it over the past two decades at between one and three billion dollars. The center explained that these estimates are based on data prepared by experts in military engineering and infrastructure construction, based on what has been published and revealed about the tunnel network in recent years, particularly since the outbreak of war in October 2023.
Attack Tunnels Towards the Galilee
The report, prepared by the head of the center's research department, Tal Be'eri, in cooperation with civil engineer Yehuda Kfir, stated that the Israeli army uncovered, in December 2018, six Hezbollah attack tunnels that had penetrated Israeli territory. The report claimed that these tunnels were intended for use in an infiltration operation to be carried out by the party's Radwan Unit in the area The Galilee, as part of offensive plans that were supposed to be activated in the event of a large-scale confrontation.
Allegations of Iranian and North Korean Support
The report noted that the Alma Center had previously published, in August 2021, a study entitled "Hezbollah's Tunneling Land: The North Korean and Iranian Connection," which addressed what it described as the party's strategic tunnel network. According to the study, the project was developed in complete secrecy over more than twenty years, with support from Iran and North Korea. The center claimed that the network is not limited to one type of tunnel, but includes strategic and tactical tunnels, approach tunnels, offensive tunnels, as well as tunnels likely prepared for detonation. The report noted that the war that erupted in October 2023 led to the exposure of large parts of this network, including strategic tunnels within what it described as Hezbollah's "operational centers of gravity" in southern Lebanon. It also discussed smuggling tunnels extending along the Lebanese-Syrian border, tactical tunnels scattered throughout the "Yellow Line" area in southern Lebanon, and approach tunnels in the contact zones. The report added that the war, according to its account, revealed underground military infrastructure comprising weapons depots and missile and drone launch platforms, which it considered an essential part of an integrated system it termed "the land of tunnels." The center announced that it is currently working on a comprehensive research project aimed at mapping the network, based on the facilities uncovered during the recent war.
Investments estimated at billions of dollars
According to the report, estimates prepared by military engineering and infrastructure experts indicate that Hezbollah has invested between one and three billion dollars in its underground facilities over the past two decades. The report's authors argued that any estimates lower than these figures do not reflect the true scale of the project, nor do they take into account the engineering and logistical requirements for establishing a network of this size and complexity. They explained that the project consists not only of individual tunnels, but also of interconnected underground defense systems, including linked combat routes, storage depots, command centers, and living quarters for fighters. The report claimed that extensive networks have been dug beneath a number of villages in southern Lebanon, particularly predominantly Shiite villages, and that these networks include dozens of interconnected entrances and facilities.
High Cost of Rock Excavation
The report indicated that the nature of the hard limestone and dolomite rock in southern Lebanon, particularly in the Jabal al-Shaqif and Ali al-Taher areas, necessitated the use of heavy drilling equipment and blasting techniques. It added that tunnel construction required extensive reinforcement work using steel structures, metal mesh, and shotcrete to prevent collapses and ensure the stability of the underground structures. According to the report's estimates, the cost of constructing a fortified tactical tunnel cannot be limited to a few hundred thousand dollars. The cost of constructing one meter of a small, technically complex tunnel, according to civil engineering standards, ranges between two thousand and five thousand dollars.
The cost may increase, according to the center, due to secrecy requirements and the need to conceal the excavation work. This means that constructing a one-kilometer-long tunnel could cost between two and five million dollars, not including internal equipment. Complex Engineering Systems for Military Facilities
The report explained that a military tunnel is not simply an underground passageway, but requires an integrated system that allows dozens of fighters to live and work inside it for extended periods. According to the report, this system includes command centers, weapons depots, launch pads, and logistical facilities, as well as ventilation and air purification systems designed to reduce carbon dioxide levels and provide oxygen. The facilities also require groundwater drainage and pumping networks due to the karst nature of the rock in southern Lebanon, in addition to electricity and lighting networks, encrypted wired communications, backup generators, and water and sewage systems. The report indicated that the cost of these systems alone can reach millions of dollars per facility, not including excavation and reinforcement expenses.
Challenges of Concealing Excavation Waste
In conclusion, the report's authors stated that the project required complex logistical operations to conceal hundreds of thousands of tons of rock and soil resulting from the excavation, transporting it secretly to avoid detection by aerial reconnaissance. They suggested that the transport operations were carried out using trucks during nighttime hours, and that the excavation waste was distributed to multiple locations or used to fill valleys and remote quarries. The report concluded that disposing of these large quantities without revealing the excavation sites constituted one of the most significant logistical challenges facing the project, challenges that, according to the center, exceed those encountered by traditional civil engineering projects.

Lebanon's PM condemns Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Jordan, reaffirms support
LBCI/July 19, 2026
Lebanon's Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the ongoing Iranian attacks on Kuwait and Jordan, describing them as a flagrant violation of the two countries' security and territorial integrity and a direct threat to regional stability. During separate phone calls with his Kuwaiti and Jordanian counterparts, he reaffirmed Lebanon's steadfast support for both countries in the face of any threats to their sovereignty.

Will Aoun’s White House Visit Help Break Hezbollah’s Grip?
Amal Chmouny/This Is Beirut/July 19/2026
https://thisisbeirut.com.lb/features/reports/will-aouns-white-house-visit-help-break-hezbollahs-grip
The true test of the Aoun-Trump meeting will be whether Washington and Beirut can finally overcome Hezbollah’s veto over Lebanon’s future. On Tuesday, Lebanese President Joseph Aoun will step into the White House for a summit with U.S. President Donald Trump that is as historic as it is high-stakes. Amid escalating military exchanges between the United States and Iran, Washington is signaling that Lebanon is a strategic priority. Aoun's invitation to the White House, the first extended to a Lebanese president in 17 years, is no ordinary diplomatic gesture. “You do not get invited unless your country and the issues that the U.S. is working on are of priority to the national security, foreign policy, or economy of the U.S.” said Hagar Chemali, former director for Syria and Lebanon at the U.S. National Security Council.Washington expects real progress on Hezbollah’s disarmament, proof of the Lebanese Armed Forces' (LAF) effectiveness, and a public reaffirmation of Lebanon’s commitment to the U.S.-brokered peace process, Schenker said. The true test of the Aoun-Trump meeting will be whether Washington and Beirut can finally overcome Hezbollah’s veto over Lebanon’s future. The choreography of the White House welcome for Aoun is deliberate and carefully calibrated, coming on the heels of the landmark June 26 Trilateral Framework between Lebanon, Israel, and the U.S.  The Trilateral Framework links an Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon to Hezbollah’s disarmament and the Lebanese Armed Forces’ (LAF) assumption of security control, betting that Lebanon can reclaim its sovereignty from the grip of an Iranian-backed militia.
Aoun’s Washington Challenge
Aoun is approaching the summit with clear objectives. He wants to secure Washington’s backing for Lebanon’s sovereignty, unlock reconstruction aid, ensure continued U.S. military assistance for the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF), and clarify the timeline for Israel’s troop redeployment from southern Lebanon under the Trilateral Framework.“The Lebanese should come with reasonable demands that the U.S. can credibly consider or even act on,” Chemali told This is Beirut. In his meeting with Trump, Aoun faces a difficult balancing act. “He’s got to simultaneously convince President Trump that the LAF could disarm Hezbollah, but they can’t do so without greater American military assistance."For the U.S., Lebanon's tangible implementation of the Trilateral Framework is non-negotiable. David Schenker, former Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, describes the U.S. approach as “performance-based.”
Washington expects real progress on Hezbollah’s disarmament, proof of the Lebanese Armed Forces' (LAF) effectiveness, and a public reaffirmation of Lebanon’s commitment to the U.S.-brokered peace process, he said.Aoun’s task is to demonstrate that Beirut is serious about implementation. “If he keeps it at the very top, he’s going to be able to win all those audiences, and people will notice it.”In his meeting with Trump, Aoun faces a difficult balancing act. “He’s got to simultaneously convince President Trump that the LAF could disarm Hezbollah, but they can’t do so without greater American military assistance,” said Kenneth Pollack, vice president for policy at the Middle East Institute. For years, the U.S.–Lebanon relationship has revolved around whether state institutions, particularly the LAF, can counter Hezbollah’s power and curb Iran’s influence. More than $3 billion in U.S. military assistance since 2006 has aimed to strengthen that capacity, but with limited success. This year’s National Defense Authorization Act ties U.S. aid to measurable progress on disarmament, marking an unprecedented move toward conditionality in Washington’s policy. Aoun’s task is to demonstrate that Beirut is serious about implementation. “If he keeps it at the very top, he’s going to be able to win all those audiences, and people will notice it,” Chemali said. Schenker said strong relations with Washington can bring significant benefits, but emphasized that Lebanon must deliver on Aoun’s commitments.
Can Lebanon Meet the Moment?
At the core of the summit lies the question of whether the Lebanese state can finally break Hezbollah’s veto over the country’s politics. “Lebanon is not a state sponsor of terrorism, but it’s also not a sovereign state,” Schenker said.
“The [Lebanese government] said Hezbollah weapons are illegal, but cannot or will not implement that decision,” he added.The LAF’s challenges in implementing the Trilateral Framework are formidable. Chronic underfunding, outdated equipment, and deep fears of domestic conflict all hamper the Lebanese army. Hezbollah, already denouncing the agreement as a “surrender,” threatens civil war should the army challenge its arsenal. “How do you get a poorly functioning military to step up and do what is necessary to achieve sovereignty without the resources and the training and the professionalism that they need,” said Jonathan Schanzer, vice president of the Foundation for Defense of Democracies. Pollack, for his part, said Hezbollah’s disarmament is eminently doable, but will require a greater commitment of resources than Washington currently envisions. Likely U.S. military aid for Lebanon include systems to counter Hezbollah drones as well as intelligence support.  “The governments of Lebanon and Israel are not enemies. They are probably the only two countries in the Middle East that are committed to Lebanese sovereignty and to removing Hezbollah as a threat to both their countries.”
Beyond Hezbollah’s disarmament, Washington’s expectations for Lebanon include the closure of sanctioned Iranian banks, shuttering the Iranian embassy, and expelling IRGC operatives, all of which carry significant risks. “The governments of Lebanon and Israel are not enemies. They are probably the only two countries in the Middle East that are committed to Lebanese sovereignty and to removing Hezbollah as a threat to both their countries,” Schanzer said. Yet, the deal’s implementation remains fragile. Opaque timelines for Israel’s military redeployment from southern Lebanon, classified LAF deployment zones, and the threat of Hezbollah obstruction all pose significant challenges.
The Hezbollah Problem
Hezbollah could still act as a spoiler, undermining the Trilateral Framework it rejects. The militia serves Iran’s broader strategy of maintaining regional instability and obstructing normalization with Israel. Hezbollah’s past military attacks on Israel have repeatedly provoked retaliation.
U.S. interests demand a stabilized Lebanon by containing Iranian influence and weakening Hezbollah’s grip. Washington faces several urgent tasks, including managing Israeli impatience over Hezbollah’s security threat, preventing the erosion of the Trilateral Framework, and countering Iran. Yet, it must also prevent Lebanon from falling into domestic conflict, a risk heightened by every Hezbollah provocation. For Aoun, discipline and messaging are paramount. Chemali’s advice is unequivocal: any misstep could derail the summit and the fragile process it represents. Washington and Congress will be watching for any sign of ambiguity or backsliding regarding Hezbollah. The Lebanese president’s White House visit is a moment of reckoning for Lebanon and a test for U.S. policy. If the summit delivers progress on Hezbollah’s disarmament, U.S. military support, and reconstruction, it could lay the groundwork for peace and a more sustainable partnership between Washington and Beirut.  But the risks are grave, and any failure to confront Hezbollah’s veto will only deepen Lebanon’s crisis. In a region where old certainties are fading, this summit may well shape the next chapter of Middle Eastern security and determine whether Lebanon can finally reclaim its sovereignty from Hezbollah’s shadow.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on 19-20 July/2026
US soldier killed and one injured after Iranian attack in Iraq
Claire Keenan/BBC/July 19, 2026
The US military says a service member was killed after an Iranian attack in northern Iraq on Saturday, a day after an attack on a base in Jordan killed two US soldiers and left another missing. US Central Command (Centcom) said the individual was killed during "a controlled detonation of unexploded ordnance" from a downed Iranian attack drone, which also wounded a second service member. In its update, Centcom said it had found "unidentified remains" after a search of the location of Friday's attack in Jordan. "An examination process to verify the remains is ongoing," it added. It comes as the US and Iran exchanged strikes for an eighth day of escalating attacks. Both sides have been accused of striking critical infrastructure in recent days. Meanwhile, Washington has reimposed its blockade of Iranian ports and Tehran has declared the Strait of Hormuz closed and targeted US allies in the region, as a preliminary ceasefire collapsed less than a month after it began. The US military said its latest attacks had been designed to "degrade Iran's ability to threaten commercial shipping" in the strait, and to "swiftly punish" Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) forces it said were responsible for the attack in Jordan. Verified footage from inside the Jordanian facility showed at least two impacts and an explosion. The US death toll in the conflict has now reached 17, after an American Navy pilot who went missing earlier this month was declared dead. In Iran, at least 50 people have been killed and more than 500 injured in US strikes over the past three weeks, the country's health ministry has said. As attacks continued on Sunday, Iranian media reported that an under-construction nuclear power plant in the south-western city of Darkhoveyn had been struck overnight, as well as Qeshm Island.
The UN's nuclear watchdog called for restraint, while noting that the site was "in the very early stages" and contained no nuclear material during its last visit. Three Iranian missiles were later shot down by Jordan's military and a fourth fell in a remote area, Jordan's state news agency reported. It followed a US warning that the port of Aqaba could be targeted. Jordan summoned Iran's charges d'affaires in Amman to demand an immediate end to what the foreign ministry called "unjustified and blatant Iranian attacks", insisting that its security was "a red line that cannot be crossed". Israel's military meanwhile said that "several interceptors were launched toward missile debris in order to prevent debris impact within Israeli territory" after projectiles were launched towards Jordan. It said "interceptor fragments" were subsequently identified near the southern city of Eilat, near the countries' shared border, with no damage or injuries reported. Separately, the IRGC said two vessels had ignored Iranian warnings not to transit the Strait of Hormuz and were consequently involved in "an accident". It warned that all vessels "influenced" by the US and which used "unsafe routes" would "certainly face accidents". In Kuwait, local officials said an electricity and water plant struck on Saturday had been hit again, resulting in a fire.The Gulf Cooperation Council - an alliance including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates - had accused Tehran of targeting civilian infrastructure after the first strike, calling it a violation of international law. For its part, Iran accused the US of striking bridges, an airport and a train station earlier this week - to which Washington responded that it had "carried out strikes exclusively on military targets, including military logistics infrastructure". Under international law, attacking civilians or civilian areas is illegal. However, in certain circumstances, civilian objects - like a bridge or a power plant - lose their protection if they are used to support the enemy's war effort. Washington and Tehran struck a preliminary deal to end the war which began on 28 February in June, but the agreement unravelled within weeks - with President Donald Trump declaring the agreement "over" on 8 July. Late on Saturday, Iran's Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei said in a written statement that America's "repeated breaches" of the agreement had "laid bare a fundamental truth: the signature of the US president is utterly worthless and devoid of credibility".

Trump to bask in World Cup final spotlight
Agence France Presse/July 19, 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump will bask in the spotlight at the World Cup final on Sunday -- after already providing one of the tournament's most controversial moments. Trump is expected to present the trophy alongside FIFA boss and close friend Gianni Infantino to the winner of the game between Spain and Argentina. The match in New Jersey will be the first World Cup fixture that Trump has attended, in an unusual move for an 80-year-old leader who normally loves to be in the spotlight. But it is far from his first intervention in the tournament. Less than two weeks ago, Trump infamously phoned Infantino to ask FIFA to suspend a red card against USA striker Folarin Balogun so he could play in a last-16 match against Belgium. Despite the ensuing controversy over fairness and influence, Trump has hailed the 2026 tournament as the best ever. "This has been the most successful sporting event maybe in the history of the world. It's been amazing," Trump told a FIFA reception with Infantino at Trump Tower in New York on Friday. Trump said the tournament had also helped further popularize a sport in the United States, where NFL, baseball and basketball still rule supreme."It turned out we were a soccer country, and I think it's going to remain," added Trump, who said his son Barron, 20, was a huge fan of the game. First Lady Melania Trump, who is Barron's mother, and Melania's father Viktor Knavs are both due to attend with the U.S. president.
Football diplomacy -
The final could also be a chance for some much-needed diplomacy.
Spanish Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez and Spain's royal family will all attend -- despite Trump recently lashing out at Madrid for failing to help with the Iran war and falling shot on NATO spending.The leaders of the tournament's co-hosts, Mexican President Claudia Sheinbaum and Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney, will also be there amid ongoing tensions with the mercurial U.S. president. Trump threatened Canada with tariffs on Friday after smoke from raging wildfires drifted over the northeastern United States and raised concerns about air quality for the World Cup final. Mexico's ties with Washington meanwhile remain tense over Trump's large-scale immigration crackdown and threats of military action against drug traffickers. The last time the U.S., Canadian and Mexican leaders all met was at the World Cup draw in Washington in December. Trump's appearance will also be surrounded by heavy security, with a no-fly zone in force around the stadium as he flies in from his New Jersey golf club.
Infantino ties -
While the focus will be on the football, Trump will be competing for center stage. Trump has hitched his political brand to the World Cup since returning in January 2025 to the Oval Office, where he has hosted Infantino on multiple occasions. He repeatedly boasted about how he won the United States the right to hold the World Cup and the 2028 Los Angeles Olympics during his first term, before he lost the 2020 election to Joe Biden in a result he still refuses to accept. "I was supposed to not be here now, I was president for eight years... they rigged the election and what did I get? I got the World Cup, the Olympics," Trump said on Friday. Trump on Friday also jokingly talked about how he wanted the United States to host a future World Cup with China, just a day after accusing Beijing of meddling in the 2020 election. "This time we'll leave Mexico and Canada out," he said.Trump, who played soccer as a youth, even criticized England's tactics in the World Cup semi-final they lost to Argentina and coach Thomas Tuchel's decision to adopt defensive tactics after taking the lead. All eyes will also be on what Trump does on the field. At the FIFA Club World Cup championship at the same New Jersey stadium last year, winners Chelsea were left "a bit confused" after Trump stayed on the podium while they danced after he handed them the trophy. Trump then later claimed he had been allowed to keep the trophy itself in the Oval Office -- but FIFA said the version on display was actually a replica.

Trump says Republicans should add Iran to Russian bill
Reuters/19 July ,2026
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Republicans should add Iran to the Russian sanctions bill.

Iran says US attacked under-construction nuclear power plant
Agencies/19 July ,2026
Iran’s Atomic Energy Organization on Sunday said the United States attacked an under-construction nuclear power plant in the country’s southwest, as tensions between Tehran and Washington escalate. US forces “in an aggressive and brutal act contrary to international law, attacked the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant... with a number of projectiles on Sunday,” the organisation said in a statement carried by state TV.Meanwhile, the International Atomic Energy Agency said on Sunday that it was investigating reports of an overnight attack on the construction site of Iran’s planned Darkhovin nuclear power plant. The facility was in the very early stages of construction and contained no nuclear material when last inspected, the agency said.

US Strikes Iran Over Troop Deaths as Israel Warns Tehran’s Attacks Are Coming Close
Asharq Al Awsat/July 19/2026
The United States launched more airstrikes at Iran on Sunday in response to the killing of US troops, and Iran fired missiles toward Jordan that risked widening the conflict into neighboring Israel. Step by step, the US, and Iran have returned closer to all-out war as last month's interim deal meant to permanently end the fighting has crumbled and shipping traffic in the Strait of Hormuz has largely stalled. Both sides have targeted civilian infrastructure relied on by millions of people. The US military said the latest strikes targeted Iran's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard to retaliate for Friday's killing of troops in Jordan. The campaign, now in its second week, has seen the US target bridges, water desalination plants and electrical facilities in Iran. Tehran has hit countries throughout the Middle East. Kuwait, Jordan and Bahrain again activated air defenses for incoming Iranian drones and missiles. Israel warned that missiles launched toward neighboring Jordan could cause fire to spill over into Israeli territory for the first time in weeks.
Iran says a nuclear site under construction was hit
The US military’s Central Command said it hit “Iranian military coastal surveillance and air defense facilities, maritime capabilities and missile and drone storage sites.” It said the attack was designed to degrade Iran's ability to control the strait and “swiftly punish Revolutionary Guard Corps forces,” a power base in Iran's theocracy that controls its ballistic missile arsenal. Footage released by the US military appeared to show strikes carried out by fighter jets and by Tomahawk cruise missiles launched from the sea. One target site appeared to be in a valley of a mountainous region. The Guard often has missile bases and other military equipment tucked into mountain ranges. Iran’s atomic energy agency said US strikes targeted the construction site of a planned nuclear power plant in the southwest, state television reported. Satellite images from Planet Labs PBC of the Darkhovin nuclear plant site showed earth clearing but little construction as of July 9. Iran did not previously announce it as being targeted. The International Atomic Energy Agency said the site, in the “very early stages of construction,” contained no nuclear material when the UN watchdog last visited. Meanwhile, Jordan's military said it shot down several Iranian missiles. The country hosts major US bases and relies on US air-defense systems. The missiles did not cause casualties or damage, according to Jordan's military. Israel's military said Iranian missiles launched toward the Jordanian port city of Aqaba just across the border could spill over, warning Israelis to expect the first air-raid sirens in weeks. Eilat, the Israeli city that neighbors Aqaba, cited security officials as saying two interceptors were launched from its outskirts to prevent the fall of debris. During the latest fighting, Iran has focused attacks on Arab states rather than Israel, which launched the war with the US on Feb. 28. Kuwait said one of its power and water desalination plants was attacked for the second time in two days, causing fires. Its Ministry of Electricity, Water and Renewable Energy said the power grid remains stable. In Kuwait, about 90% of drinking water comes from desalination.
The secretary-general of the six-nation Gulf Cooperation Council, Jasem AlBudaiwi, has accused Iran of war crimes for strikes on infrastructure and civilian facilities. International humanitarian law generally protects civilian infrastructure such as bridges and power plants from attack, but such sites can lose protections if used for military purposes. In such cases, attacks must be proportionate and minimize civilian harm.
The Strait of Hormuz remains key to the conflict
US President Donald Trump has threatened to target Iran’s power stations and bridges to try to compel Tehran to loosen its hold on the Strait of Hormuz, which saw one-fifth of global oil supplies transit before the war. Recent attacks suggest the US military is carrying out that plan.
The US in the past week reimposed a naval blockade on Iranian ports to halt its shipments of crude oil. The military on Saturday said it had redirected five ships and disabled one since then. A maritime organization overseen by the US Navy said Sunday that the threat to mariners is severe after previous Iranian attacks, “with deliberate hostile action considered highly likely.” It said traffic remained low, with eight transits on Saturday and three on Friday. The daily average before the war was almost 140. Iranian Supreme Leader Mojtaba Khamenei, in a statement Saturday, warned of “unforgettable lessons” if the US keeps attacking his country. An Iranian negotiator said Tehran was suspending its commitments to the interim deal and accused the US of violating it. The halfway point has passed in the 60 days the deal set out to negotiate the permanent end of the war and other issues, including Iran's nuclear program. Since the war began, 16 US service members have been killed and over 430 wounded. Iranian authorities on Sunday said at least 50 people have been killed and 517 wounded in the latest US strikes. Iran has provided no overall information on its materiel losses. Far from the region, the war's effects on the prices of fuel and other goods have hit some of the world's most vulnerable areas hard.

UN Watchdog Calls for Restraint as Iran Says US Attacked Unfinished
Asharq Al Awsat/July19/2026
The UN's nuclear watchdog called for restraint on Sunday after Iran's Atomic Energy Organization said the United States had attacked an under-construction nuclear power plant in the country's southwest. The US and Iran have been trading escalating attacks for days, and Washington carried out fresh airstrikes on Sunday to "punish" Iran for the deaths of two US service members in Jordan on Friday -- its first reported losses since the return to open hostilities in the Middle East war.Tehran's Atomic Energy Organization said US forces "in an aggressive and brutal act contrary to international law, attacked the under-construction Darkhovin nuclear power plant... with a number of projectiles on Sunday", according to a statement carried by state TV. The UN's International Atomic Energy Agency said it was looking into the reports, noting the plant "is in the very early stages of construction and contained no nuclear material when last visited by the IAEA". While the incident "is not believed to pose any radiological risk", IAEA director Rafael Grossi reiterated his "call for military restraint in the vicinity of all nuclear-related sites", the agency said, in a post on X.Iran's nuclear program has long been a major point of contention between it and the West, including in negotiations aimed at ending the current war. While foreign powers including the US and Israel suspect it of seeking a bomb, Tehran has always maintained its program is peaceful, though it insists on its right to enrich uranium for civilian purposes.

Iran’s IRGC says two ships involved in ‘accident’ after defying Hormuz warnings: Report
Al Arabiya English/19 July ,2026
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) said on Sunday that two ships were involved in an “accident” after attempting to transit the Strait of Hormuz via an “unsafe route,” while two other vessels abandoned that route, the semi-official Tasnim news agency reported. The IRGC said the four vessels had ignored Iranian warnings and acted with US backing. “Vessels that are influenced by the words of the Americans and enter unsafe routes will certainly face accidents,” the IRGC warned in a statement. The US and Iran have intensified attacks since an interim ceasefire deal signed a month ago fell apart last week, raising the possibility of a return to all-out war. The renewed violence was initially sparked by Iranian attacks on ships in the strategic Strait of Hormuz.With Reuters

Israel warns will respond to any Iran attack with ‘full force’
AFP/19 July ,2026
Israel’s defense minister said Sunday that his country would respond powerfully to any attack by Iran, after Israeli and Jordanian forces intercepted an Iranian missile launched towards the Jordanian city of Aqaba. “If Iran files missiles at Israel, we will attack them with full force,” Israel Katz said during a visit to a rescue service facility. “If the United States changes its policy, which is also something that could happen, we are prepared for both defensive and offensive” action against Tehran, he added.

Kuwait, Bahrain respond to Iran attacks
Al Arabiya English/19 July ,2026
Kuwait’s military said on Sunday it was responding to aerial salvos fired by Iran a day after the Gulf state faced barrages from the Islamic Republic that struck a power plant and oil facility. “Kuwaiti air defenses are currently confronting hostile missile and drone attacks, following the sinful Iranian aggression,” the army said in a statement. An Iranian attack on a power and water plant in Kuwait caused a fire for the second day in a row on Sunday, Kuwaiti authorities said, as Tehran retaliates to US strikes with attacks across the Gulf region. “As a result of the heinous Iranian aggression on Kuwait, a power and water distillation plant, for the second time in two days, has been subjected to an attack that caused a fire in some facilities of the station,” the Kuwaiti ministry of electricity, water and renewable energy said in a statement on X, adding that firefighters were working to extinguish the blaze.States news agency KUNA separately said on X that sirens have sounded in Kuwait.Later on Sunday, air raid sirens sounded in Bahrain.“The siren has been sounded. Citizens and residents are urged to remain calm and head to the nearest safe place,” the interior ministry said in a statement on X. State TV later said that Bahrain air defenses intercepted iranian attacks. With AFP

Jordan, Kuwait condemn Iranian attacks
Agencies/19 July ,2026
Jordan has summoned Iran’s charge d'affaires in Amman over what it called “unjustified and blatant Iranian attacks” and “provocative and inflammatory statements targeting the Kingdom's territory,” Jordan’s ministry of foreign affairs said in a statement on Sunday. Meanwhile, the Kuwaiti Foreign Ministry condemned on Sunday what it described as an Iranian attack on a power generation and water desalination facility, calling it a direct strike on vital civilian infrastructure. The repeated targeting of civilian facilities amounted to a dangerous escalation and violated international law, the UN Charter and UN Security Council Resolution 2817, the ministry said in a statement. The top diplomats from both countries warned against sliding the region into further confrontations. Oman's Foreign Minister Sayyid Badr bin Hamad al-Busaidi and his counterpart Ayman Safadi emphasized the necessity of intensifying political moves to halt the escalation.

Jordan authorities deny evacuation of Aqaba airport, seaport after US embassy alert
Al Arabiya English/19 July ,2026
There was no decision to evacuate Aqaba’s seaport or airport after the US embassy issued a security alert earlier on Sunday, Jordan’s Minister of Government Communication and Government Spokesperson Mohammad al-Momani told Al Arabiya.Al-Momani added that both facilities were operating normally and that Aqaba’s seaport was working at its full capacity. Jordanian authorities also denied to AFP that they had ordered the evacuation of the airport and seaport in the coastal city of Aqaba with al-Momani saying that no “potential threats” had been detected. The denial came after the US embassy said on X on Sunday that the international airport and seaport in Aqaba in southern Jordan were evacuated because of a “specific and credible threat.”“We strongly advise all Americans to refrain (from) traveling to either the airport or seaport. Continue to follow all Jordanian authorities’ security directives,” the embassy said, without providing further details.With agencies

Iran missile towards Jordan’s Aqaba intercepted
AFP/19 July ,2026
Israeli and Jordanian forces intercepted an Iranian missile aimed at the Jordanian city of Aqaba on Sunday, the Israeli military said, after Amman denied the city’s airport and seaport were evacuated over a threat. When asked by AFP about reports of explosions near the Israeli city of Eilat, an Israeli military spokeswoman said both Israeli and Jordanian forces had intercepted a projectile.Minutes before the interception, the Israeli military said it had detected missiles launched from Iran towards Aqaba and warned of the possibility of “spillover” into Israeli territory. The Jordanian military meanwhile said it had downed “three Iranian missiles that targeted the kingdom’s territory,” while a fourth fell in a deserted area, without specifying where. Air raid sirens were also activated in the Jordanian capital, Amman, and other parts of the kingdom. However, the Jordanian government had earlier denied reports that authorities ordered the evacuation of Aqaba’s airport and seaport, after the US embassy said they had been evacuated over a “credible threat.”Jordanian government spokesman Mohammad al-Momani told AFP that “authorities have not issued any decisions to evacuate Aqaba Airport or the seaport, and both are operating normally,” adding that no “potential threats” had been detected. His comments came after the US embassy in Amman said Jordanian authorities had evacuated the airport and the seaport in Aqaba, citing an unspecified threat. Al-Momani rejected the claim, saying “the relevant Jordanian authorities did not monitor any possible threats over the past hours.”The US embassy statement came after the US military announced that two service members were killed in Jordan and one went missing following a barrage of Iranian strikes on Friday. It marked the first fatalities among its forces since fighting with Iran resumed this month. Jordan has repeatedly announced that it has countered Iranian attacks in recent days.

Iran Executes Two Men Convicted of Killing Police Officers during January Protests
Asharq Al Awsat/19 July 2026
Iran has executed two men convicted of killing four police ‌officers ‌during violent ‌unrest in ⁠the central city ⁠of Isfahan in January, judiciary-linked news outlet ⁠Mizan ‌reported on ‌Sunday. Mizan identified ‌the ‌men as Erfan Esfandiyari and Golmohammad ‌Mohammadi, adding that their ⁠death ⁠sentences were carried out on Sunday after a court process, according to Reuters.

Drone strike wounds eight Iranian Kurdish rebels in Iraq: Exiled group
AFP/19 July ,2026
A drone strike in Iraq’s Kurdistan region wounded eight Iranian Kurdish rebels on Sunday, an exiled opposition group said, blaming the attack on Iran. During the Middle East war, the northern Kurdistan region, which hosts US troops and foreign oil companies as well as exiled Iranian Kurdish rebels, has been a target for attacks carried out by Iran and pro-Iran Iraqi armed groups.The renewed escalation in Kurdistan follows the resumption of hostilities between the United States and Iran. Adib Khaldian from the exiled Kurdistan Freedom Party (PAK) told AFP “at 02:00 am (2300 GMT Saturday), Iranian forces attacked with a drone” a camp belonging to the party near Erbil. “Eight of our members were wounded,” Khaldian said, blaming the attack on Iran. On Friday, drone and rocket attacks also blamed on Iran killed nine members of the Komala Party, another Iranian Kurdish opposition group. The latest attacks are the biggest escalation against these groups, which Iran has continued to strike even after a ceasefire was announced in April. In Erbil, the capital of autonomous Kurdistan, AFP journalists reported hearing loud blasts before dawn after air defenses were activated in the city.In recent days, the US-led anti-extremist coalition’s air defenses shot down several explosive-laden drones over the city, which is home to a major US consulate complex and houses military advisers attached to the coalition at its airport. Kurdistan’s prime minister blamed Iran and urged it to stop “unjustified attacks” on the region. During the Middle East war, pro-Iran armed groups, operating under the umbrella of the Islamic Resistance in Iraq, targeted US facilities in Iraq more than 600 times in support of Tehran. No group has claimed responsibility for the recent attacks.

Iraqi PM to Visit Tehran This Week
Asharq Al Awsat/July19/2026
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi will visit Tehran ‌within ‌the coming ‌week, ⁠the Iraqi state ⁠news agency reported on ⁠Sunday. During ‌the visit, ‌the prime minister will ‌sign memoranda of ⁠understanding in ⁠Tehran in areas of cooperation. Al-Zaidi had visited the United States earlier this week where he met with President Donald Trump. Trump 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.”“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. Iraq signed 48 agreements and partnerships with American companies, many in the oil sector, during al-Zaidi's visit. Al-Zaidi, a businessman, came to power this year with US blessing after Trump vetoed another candidate.He has vowed to boost Iraq's fragile economy and disarm pro-Iran armed groups in Iraq that have targeted US facilities. Iraq has long walked a tightrope between the competing influences of allies the United States and neighboring Iran.

Iran, Iraqi Factions Criticize Al-Zaidi’s Washington Visit
Baghdad: Hamza Mustafa/Asharq Al Awsat/19 July 2026
Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi received a notably warm welcome during his visit to the United States, where he met President Donald Trump and sought to translate political rapprochement into economic and investment partnerships. Drawing on his business background, al-Zaidi told US companies they shared “a common language — the economy.” He stressed, however, that he had not come to the United States as a “contractor,” but to pursue broad-based development in Iraq, which he said had missed opportunities for growth over the past two decades despite its ties with successive US administrations. Al-Zaidi linked Iraq’s next security and political phase to a new era of economic cooperation. He noted that the departure of the remaining US forces after September 30, under an agreement reached between the government of former Prime Minister Mohammed Shia al-Sudani and Washington, could open the door to broader economic and investment partnerships.Before the visit, al-Zaidi said Iraq would no longer need the concept of “resistance” after the end of September, arguing that “resistance is not a profession, but a necessity” imposed by the country’s past circumstances. His outreach drew criticism from Iran-aligned groups and their Iraqi allies, who argued that opening the door to US companies represented a political and economic shift requiring reassessment. The criticism coincided with Iraq’s signing of about 48 memorandums of understanding and agreements with US companies, alongside energy deals that included an oil export route bypassing the Strait of Hormuz and a memorandum of understanding with Syria to transport Iraqi oil to the Syrian port of Banias.
Velayati Criticizes Al-Zaidi
The developments also drew criticism in Tehran, where Ali Akbar Velayati, an adviser to Iran’s supreme leader, described al-Zaidi as “inexperienced,” according to media reports. Writing in the newspaper Farhikhtegan, Velayati said the Iraqi prime minister’s conduct during his meeting with Trump, shortly after the funeral of former Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, was “a great disgrace.”Observers say the dispute reflects intensifying competition over Iraq’s future relationship with both the United States and Iran, as Baghdad seeks to attract foreign investment while preserving its regional balance. Analyst Iyad al-Samawi questioned whether Iraq was truly prepared to host major US companies and provide an adequate investment climate. “Global companies do not invest on emotion or gamble with their decisions,” he underlined, stating that they look not only for oil, but also for security, stable legislation, judicial independence, efficient procedures, clear decision-making, and institutional integrity. He added that major US companies operate under strict anti-bribery and anti-corruption laws and would not lower their standards to accommodate an unstable business environment. The success of the agreements signed in Washington, he said, “begins not with the companies, but with the Iraqi state itself.”A former security official told Asharq Al-Awsat that the campaign against al-Zaidi was “not merely a passing political escalation,” but reflected concerns that his economic opening could create a more favorable environment for US companies. Speaking on condition of anonymity, the official said al-Zaidi was seeking to apply his business experience to government by “blending politics with finance and business.” But major US companies, he added, would not invest in Iraq as long as political corruption and security instability persisted. The official argued that pressure from Iran and allied Iraqi factions was intended to slow the economic opening championed by the prime minister.

Jordan Summons Iranian Diplomat Over ‘Unjustified’ Attacks
Asharq Al Awsat/19 July 2026
Jordan has summoned Iran's charge d'affaires in Amman over what it ‌called "unjustified ‌and blatant Iranian ‌attacks" ⁠and "provocative and inflammatory ⁠statements targeting the Kingdom's territory," Jordan's ministry of foreign affairs ⁠said in ‌a ‌statement on ‌Sunday. Over the ‌last week, Jordan has repeatedly said that ‌it has intercepted Iranian missiles flying ⁠over ⁠its territory, including three that it shot down on Sunday, according to the country's military.

Eight Peshmerga Forces Wounded in Iranian Strike Targeting Northern Iraqi Kurdistan
Asharq Al Awsat/19 July 2026
Eight members of the Kurdish Peshmerga forces were wounded on Sunday in a drone attack targeting the headquarters of the Kurdistan Freedom Party, a Kurdish opposition group, in Erbil in Iraq's Kurdistan region. Security sources also told Reuters that an attack drone was shot down near the US consulate in Erbil. Kurdish media outlet Rudaw quoted Adib Khaledian, a member of the leadership of the Kurdistan Freedom Party, as saying that a drone strike early on Sunday targeted the party's Jamshar headquarters near the Darashakran camp in Erbil province, wounding eight Peshmerga fighters. He added that "four of the Peshmerga fighters were seriously wounded," and said that "surveillance drones are constantly flying over our positions and gathering information," according to the German news agency. According to the network, the force has been targeted several times by Iran, with previous attacks killing two Peshmerga fighters and wounding 26 others.

Gaza Health Officials Say Children Among 11 Killed in Israeli Strikes
Gaza: Asharq Al Awsat/19 July 2026
Gaza's civil defense and hospitals said Israeli attacks on Saturday killed 11 people across the territory, among them three children and their parents. A ceasefire remains in place between Israel and Palestinian group Hamas, but it has not halted the violence in Gaza, and efforts to secure a lasting agreement to end the war have stalled. A family of five -- three children and their parents -- were killed when an Israeli strike hit a residential apartment in northwest Gaza City, according to the territory's civil defense agency, which operates as a rescue service under Hamas.
"The family's only surviving member is one child, who was not inside the house at the time of the strike," Mahmoud Bassal, spokesman for the agency, told AFP. Gaza's Al-Shifa hospital confirmed it had received the five bodies. An Israeli military spokeswoman said a strike had been carried out in Gaza City on Saturday "targeting a Hamas terrorist". She said the military was still assessing the results. Gaza resident Mousa Al-Aimawi said the strike came without warning. "Suddenly there was a missile hitting the building. No one knew, no one, no warning, nothing," he told AFP. "They hit it without caring that there are civilians, children, women, girls." Mohammed Kali, who lives in the same building, said he saw several people lying on the ground. "There were bodies scattered on the ground -- women and children dead, and elderly people too," he said. AFP footage from the scene showed large sections of the building's facade torn away, as rescue teams helped the wounded. Onlookers picked through shattered concrete blocks and twisted metal, searching for any belongings that could be salvaged. Three more people were killed when an Israeli airstrike hit a group of civilians in the Zeitoun neighborhood of Gaza City, the agency reported. Al-Shifa hospital confirmed it had received the three bodies. Hours later, Bassal announced the death of a woman after "Israeli artillery shelling" struck "a tent sheltering displaced people" east of the Zeitoun neighborhood. Gaza's Al-Ahli Hospital confirmed it had received the body of the woman along with several wounded individuals, including her daughter. Several people were wounded and three others remain missing in the targeted area, the spokesman added. Health officials said two other people were killed elsewhere in Israeli attacks in Gaza. The military did not offer an immediate comment on those attacks. Violence has persisted despite the ceasefire. Before Friday's casualties, at least 1,144 Palestinians had been killed since the truce took effect last October, according to Gaza's health ministry, which operates under Hamas authority and whose figures are considered reliable by the United Nations. The Israeli military says it has lost five soldiers in Gaza over the same period, as well as one civilian contractor. Restrictions imposed on media outlets and limited access in Gaza prevent AFP from independently verifying tolls or freely covering the violence there.

Türkiye Condemns Closing of 8 Turkish Schools in Greece
Asharq Al Awsat/19 July 2026
Türkiye's foreign ministry on Sunday condemned a decision by Greece to close eight schools catering to the country's Turkish-speaking minority, accusing its neighbor of discrimination. In a communique, the ministry condemned "systematic practices aimed at undermining the right to education of the Turkish minority in Western Thrace"."We once again call on Greece to act in accordance with its contractual obligations regarding minority rights and fundamental rights," it added. The number of Turkish-language schools left in the north-east region of Thrace -- near the border between the two countries -- is now 76. Greek authorities have said they were closing schools, and not solely in Turkish-speaking areas, because of declining numbers of pupils.According to 2021 statistics, some 120,000 Muslims of Turkish origin live in Thrace, where they enjoy specific rights in regards to religion and education under the Treaty of Lausanne, signed after the First World War.

Egypt, Türkiye Conclude Joint Military Exercise
Cairo: Asharq Al Awsat/19 July 2026
Egypt and Türkiye have concluded a joint military exercise focused on countering drones and conducting unconventional live-fire drills, with the participation of Egyptian airborne and commando units and Turkish special forces. According to a statement issued Saturday by the Egyptian military spokesperson, the final phase of the multi-day Golden Eagle exercise included “an operation to storm a terrorist stronghold in a residential area using helicopters, during which hostages were freed and the terrorist elements apprehended.” The training featured conventional and unconventional live-fire drills, vertical assault exercises using an aircraft simulator and training on handling improvised explosive devices. Participants trained in first aid and lifesaving procedures, the use of unmanned aerial vehicles and methods of countering them, free-fall simulation in a vertical wind tunnel and operational free-fall parachute jumps. The exercise comes amid growing military cooperation between Egypt and Türkiye, reflected in a series of joint drills held since the two countries signed a military framework agreement five months ago during Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to Cairo in February.
The Egyptian military spokesperson said the exercise also included a “friendship jump” in which troops carried the flags of both countries, demonstrating the participants’ “high level of proficiency and advanced technical skills.”The final phase was attended by several senior Egyptian and Turkish military commanders, as well as Türkiye’s military attaché in Cairo. The first phase of Golden Eagle included theoretical lectures on a range of subjects aimed at standardizing operational concepts and improving integration and coordination among participating personnel. An exhibition of the weapons and equipment used during the exercise was also held.Last week, Egypt’s commander-in-chief of the armed forces and minister of defense and military production, Ashraf Salem Zaher, met Turkish Defense Minister Yaşar Güler in Türkiye to discuss strengthening military cooperation in training and the transfer and exchange of expertise between the two countries’ armed forces.

Russia Hits Ukraine with Largest Number of Ballistic Missiles
Asharq Al Awsat/19 July 2026
ussia struck Ukraine with the largest number of ballistic missiles in a single attack since the ‌start of its ‌full-scale war, ‌Kyiv's ⁠acting foreign minister ⁠said on Sunday according to Reuters. "Russia unleashed the largest number of ballistic ⁠missiles since the start ‌of ‌the war — ‌around four ‌dozen — in a brutal terrorist attack on the ‌Ukrainian capital, killing and injuring people," ⁠Andrii ⁠Sybiha wrote on X. "We urge appropriate and strong responses. We need devastating pressure on Moscow to end this terror."

Congo Says Number of Confirmed Ebola Cases Rises to 2,267, Including 893 Deaths
Asharq Al Awsat/19 July 2026
The number of confirmed Ebola cases in the Democratic Republic of Congo ‌has ‌increased to 2,267, ‌including ⁠893 deaths, government ⁠data showed late on Saturday. The figure represents the ⁠total number ‌of ‌confirmed cases ‌as of ‌Friday, according to a situation report ‌that documented 86 new cases and ⁠29 ⁠new deaths in the previous 24 hours, Reuters said.

Israel approves use of crocodiles for prison security
AFP/19 July ,2026
Israeli Environmental Protection Minister Idit Silman has reclassified crocodiles from wild animals to “captive-bred wildlife,” a move that clears the way for the reptiles to be used for security purposes, including to deter prison escapes. Far-right National Security Minister Itamar Ben Gvir -- who reportedly proposed in December surrounding a prison for Palestinian detainees with crocodiles, a la Florida’s “Alligator Alcatraz” immigration detention facility -- welcomed the decision. “Are you thinking of attempting to escape? Think again,” Ben Gvir wrote in a Facebook post on Thursday, alongside an AI-generated image of himself with a crocodile on a leash.

The Latest LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on 19-20 July/2026
Terrifying duel between masked US, Iran adversary as countdown to decisive showdown begins
Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya English/19 July ,2026
The confrontation between the United States and the Islamic Republic of Iran is now measured by whether a major military strike will actually take place—and, if so, by its timing, location, and intensity. It has become the compass of President Donald Trump’s political fate and perhaps his final opportunity, not merely the direction of the global economy.
The men ruling in Tehran are betting on Donald Trump’s weakness and retreat. Yet they may instead find themselves facing a president prepared to embark on the systematic destruction of Iran’s military capabilities and civilian infrastructure, crippling the regime economically and potentially driving it toward total collapse within three months.
Those same rulers have placed their Houthi proxy in Yemen on high alert to close the Bab el-Mandeb Strait, opening a front that would accompany the closure of the Strait of Hormuz in a war against freedom of navigation worldwide.
Should Donald Trump carry out his threat to target power stations and other critical infrastructure, the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) ruling in Tehran will unleash a strategy of revenge and self-destruction across the Gulf and the wider Middle East, from Iraq to Lebanon.
Meanwhile, Washington is attempting to formulate a broader strategy that treats the Levant as the arena in which the future of Iranian influence will be decided, whether the military confrontation escalates or ultimately returns to a political settlement.
Some within the US administration no longer believe it is enough to manage Iran through negotiations, understandings, or another deal. They want instead to reassess the policies required toward the Arab environment that enabled the IRGC to transform its influence, through its network of proxies, into a regional system stretching from Iraq to Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Yemen.
The meetings that brought President Donald Trump together with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Ankara, followed by Iraqi Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi at the White House, and his invitation to Lebanese President Joseph Aoun to visit Washington, reflect a shift in thinking within parts of the administration—from managing the confrontation with Iran to rebuilding the political balance across the Middle East and the Gulf, from the Arab Mashreq to Israel and Turkey.
Particularly noteworthy were the recent remarks by the US ambassador to Turkey and President Trump’s envoy for Syria and Iraq. He disclosed that a regional program is being prepared that would render the Strait of Hormuz “secondary and of little importance” within two years through the creation of a new network of energy and trade corridors linking Iraq and the Levant with Turkey, Central Asia, and Europe. He described it as “a brilliant realignment” of strategic and security partnerships connecting Mesopotamia, the Levant, and the Gulf.
The problem is that the administration’s leading figures lack the authority to forge a coherent vision backed by an integrated strategy. Donald Trump’s exclusive control over the final decision on Iran leaves these policies looking more like scattered pieces than parts of a unified strategic design.
This comes at a particularly sensitive moment in Washington, where the debate is no longer about defining the men who govern the Islamic Republic, but about confronting an ideology deeply embedded throughout Iran’s ruling establishment, whether among hardliners or pragmatists.
Secretary of State Marco Rubio and Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth, together with senior military and intelligence officials, are pressing to capitalize on America’s military superiority and deny the IRGC another opportunity to regroup. They believe this is Donald Trump’s last chance. Otherwise, Iran’s rulers may succeed in bringing him to his knees, leaving him with nothing to show for his strategy.Vice President JD Vance, however, still favors keeping a narrow political window open if Tehran demonstrates a genuine willingness to change its behavior. Trump’s envoy, Steve Witkoff, likewise continues urging the president to stay committed to a deal, convinced that Iran will eventually meet his demands.
Vance and Witkoff continue to defend the memorandum of understanding that President Trump himself acknowledged had been based on flawed assumptions. Washington believed concessions would push Iran toward moderation. Tehran read them instead as proof that even greater concessions could be extracted from Trump. Today, US policy combines sustained military attrition, the reimposition of a naval blockade, preventing Iran from controlling the Strait of Hormuz, the systematic destruction of civilian infrastructure inside Iran, and the restructuring of the Arab arenas in which Tehran built its influence. US Central Command and the Pentagon continue preparing for broader operations, including plans for amphibious landings on Kharg Island and other islands, among them Abu Musa and Greater Tunb.
Meanwhile, the State Department views Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon as the decisive political arenas in which Iran must be stripped of the instruments through which it has destabilized the region via its proxies and affiliated militias. The IRGC, however, is moving preemptively. It has reinforced its military posture in Iraq, placed the Houthis in Yemen on high alert, and instructed Hezbollah in Lebanon to remain fully prepared, because these proxy arenas remain the fuel stations of the Islamic Republic and its ideology.
Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi’s visit to the White House was far more than a signal of improving bilateral relations. Its real significance was that it took place despite Iranian objections and sustained pressure to prevent Washington from becoming his first foreign destination.
Seated beside President Trump as the latter reaffirmed his policy of continued military pressure on Iran, al-Zaidi presented a very different vision for Iraq: A state that holds a monopoly over arms, builds a productive economy, broadens its strategic partnership with the United States, and breaks free from a formula in which the institutions of the state formally existed while much of the country’s political and security decision-making remained outside them.
If that vision succeeds, Iran will have lost the single most important pillar of its influence in the Arab Mashreq. If Iraq represents the restoration of the state, Syria represents the restoration of geography. President Donald Trump’s meeting with al-Sharaa in Ankara marked the beginning of a new phase in the relationship between Washington and Damascus.
For the first time in years, the United States is dealing with Syria as part of the solution to the Iranian challenge rather than simply another arena of conflict. At the same time, Washington has chosen to pursue that strategy in partnership with Turkey, now the regional actor with the greatest influence over Syria’s reconstruction.
The presence of a Turkish frigate off the Syrian coast is not a routine military deployment. It signals Ankara’s transition from protecting its borders to helping safeguard the emerging regional order in Syria.The risk lies in President Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s belief that this role gives Turkey an open-ended mandate. The Syrian authorities’ announcement that they had intercepted a major shipment of missiles, drones, and ammunition bound for Hezbollah was exceptionally significant. It provides tangible evidence that Syria’s new leadership has begun carrying out the mission Washington expects of it. The issue is no longer simply one of border control. It is about ending the role Syria played for years as the logistical and military bridge linking Iran to Hezbollah.
President Trump’s request that al-Sharaa help dismantle the infrastructure that enabled Hezbollah to depend on Syrian territory does not mean assigning Damascus the task of confronting Hezbollah inside Lebanon. It means preventing the reconstruction of the weapons, financing, and smuggling networks that formed the backbone of Iranian influence across the Levant.
If Iraq marks the beginning of restoring state authority from within, Syria marks the beginning of closing the corridor that carried Iran to the Mediterranean.
Lebanon, however, remains the most complex test.
President Joseph Aoun’s forthcoming visit to Washington will not be a routine show of political support. It will test the US administration’s ability to reconcile two inseparable objectives: Supporting the Lebanese state’s effort to establish its exclusive authority over arms while exerting meaningful pressure on Israel to end its occupation of Lebanese territory and complete the implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 1701.
Washington cannot—and will not—press Israel to withdraw so long as Hezbollah continues to function as a military state within the state. That requires the Lebanese presidency and the army command to demonstrate genuine resolve in disarming Hezbollah, as well as all other armed factions and militias. The US administration is equally determined to separate the Lebanese-Israeli track from any future US-Iran negotiations. Tehran wants Lebanon to remain one of its bargaining chips, to be used whenever negotiations turn to the nuclear file, sanctions, or the Strait of Hormuz. Washington, by contrast, seeks to remove Lebanon from that equation altogether, transforming it into an issue of Lebanese sovereignty rather than an extension of negotiations with the Islamic Republic.
The IRGC understands that losing Iraq, Syria, and Lebanon would be far more damaging than losing a military installation or strategic facility inside Iran itself. It will therefore use every instrument at its disposal—time, negotiations, and proxies—to slow or prevent that transformation.
Should Baghdad reclaim its sovereign decision-making, Damascus permanently close the Iranian corridor, and Lebanon restore the state’s exclusive control over arms while Israel ends its occupation, the United States will have achieved a strategic transformation that extends well beyond the outcome of any military strike. But if the Iraqi state continues to share authority with armed factions, Syria once again becomes a conduit for Iranian weapons, and Lebanon remains trapped between armed duality and occupation, any military success against Iran will prove temporary. The IRGC will invariably find another path back.The battle now taking shape extends far beyond Iran’s nuclear program, the Strait of Hormuz, and Bab el-Mandeb. It also encompasses how to confront Iran’s plans for retaliation against the Arab Gulf states and the IRGC’s projects in Yemen, Iraq, and Lebanon after the loss of its influence and presence in Syria. It is a battle over the future of the Arab Mashreq itself—over whether its states will regain sovereign control of their national decisions or remain the arena through which Iranian influence is continually reproduced, regardless of how the military confrontation evolves.
For now, the world waits anxiously, watching this terrifying duel between two masked adversaries poised for the next move: An American president waiting to see what Tehran’s rulers do before deciding his own course, and the rulers in Tehran watching to determine whether the American president is truly prepared to pursue a decisive military outcome before choosing the nature of their own suicidal response.

The Challenging Task Awaiting Burnham from the Right and Left
Eyad Abu Shakra/Asharq Al Awsat/July19/2026
The hopes of British Labour Party members and supporters are mixed following the end of outgoing Prime Minister Sir Keir Starmer’s era. While realists are holding back from over-optimism regarding the future under new leader Andy Burnham, many everyday citizens prefer to wait and see what he will actually deliver for both the party and the country once he officially takes over the premiership.
The "victory speech" delivered by Burnham, the Mayor of Greater Manchester and a former MP and cabinet minister, undoubtedly carried a clear change in tone and appearance.
Also notable was his "public" appreciation for former party leader Neil Kinnock, who held the leadership between 1983 and 1992, and former cabinet minister David Blunkett. This can be interpreted as a nod of respect toward leaders who did not view the Labour left as a "disaster", unlike former Prime Minister Tony Blair, who governed between 1997 and 2007, and later Starmer and his "entourage" of leaders, who orchestrated the coup against former leftist leader Jeremy Corbyn, who led the party between 2015 and 2020.
Even so, party realists are taking two important factors into account:
First, Burnham's past is full of "political flexibility" and a mastery of "walking between the raindrops," meaning his "pragmatism" could prove worrying, especially when he is forced to make decisive choices.
Second, the Blair era of party leadership left its mark on the political culture and "supra-party" interest networks, while also weakening the influence of leftist activists and trade unionists. This shifted their power from a "political wing" capable of asserting itself into an "opposition movement." It was solely through this "opposition" that Corbyn managed to win the party leadership amid exceptional local and international political and trade union circumstances.
Consequently, that victory prompted all opponents of the left from various backgrounds and political orientations not only to exhaust and sideline Corbyn, but also to work diligently, through multiple centrist and right-wing blocs, to launch campaigns aimed at politically eliminating him. This ultimately paved the way for the 2019 election defeat that ousted the leftist leader.
In fact, among the most prominent ideological and organizational factions that the left accused of "conspiring" against Corbyn - deliberately undermining him and sabotaging his political project - were the remnants of "New Labour", or the centrist-leaning wing. This was the political movement launched by Blair and his supporters as an alternative to the traditional left-wing faction, which explicitly advocated for socialism under prestigious historic leaders, such as Michael Foot and Tony Benn. These remnants organized their ranks and disparate factions into groups like "Blue Labour," which felt no embarrassment in borrowing a number of policies from the Conservative Party. It is from this association that the color blue - the official color of the Conservative Party - carries its significance.
Additionally, there was the "Labour Together" group, whose name implies a dedication to "uniting" the party's factions. However, it functioned to provide the Blairite right with extra momentum, distancing itself from the provocative labels associated with the Blair era, whose international reputation was tarnished for some time by Britain's involvement in the 2003 Iraq War.
Finally, there was the "Israeli lobby," a powerful and long-standing lobby within the British labor movement that predates even the founding of the Jewish state on Palestinian land. At that time, the shared objective between Jewish socialist trade unionists and the Labour left had been forged in the blood of fighting on a single front against Nazism during World War II.
Another important historical fact relates to the "comradely" links between the Labour Party and the Jewish labor parties in Palestine, which played a major role in founding Israel. The socialist-Zionist "Poale Zion" (Workers of Zion) movement, founded in 1900 and dissolved in 1928, had established branches across British cities, most notably in London in 1903 and Leeds in 1905.
Subsequently, as the socio-economic status of the British Jewish community improved, its influence expanded and its organizational activities diversified across various British political parties. Just as founders of banks and corporations rose within the ranks of the Conservative Party to reach its highest ministerial positions, Jewish leftist activists excelled within the Labour Party. Among the most prominent of those who held cabinet positions in recent decades are John Silkin, Gerald Kaufman, Peter Mandelson, brothers David and Ed Miliband, and Margaret Hodge (Oppenheimer).
Without the need to delve too deeply into the "Palestinian dimension" of British foreign policy, the Palestinian cause has indeed taken on immense significance for the Labour left, beginning in the 1960s and 1970s. Consequently, the Labour Party - much like other British parties - turned into a "battleground" between a "left" that supports the Palestinian resistance and a "center" and "right" represented by the parliamentary party lobbies of "Friends of Israel" within these respective parties.
Today, "Labour Friends of Israel" is considered one of the most powerful lobbies within the party, with Starmer and most of the current cabinet ministers among its members. It is no secret that this massive influence underpinned London's solidarity with Benjamin Netanyahu’s government and driven the legal crackdowns imposed on the movements of certain pro-Palestinian organizations. In fact, recent opinion polls indicate that a substantial portion of Labour's decline in popularity, which ultimately contributed to Starmer's resignation, stemmed from his government's passive stance on the massacres in Gaza, pushing a significant number of left-wing voters to defect to the Green Party and the Liberal Democrats.
Accordingly, the new leader and prime minister, Burnham, who, incidentally, is not far removed from "Labour Friends of Israel", faces difficult choices. These range from reclaiming public trust, particularly among the trade unions targeted during the era of Starmer and his backers, to avoiding any antagonism toward powerful lobbies tied to financial networks, arms industries, the "deep state," and Western powers.

Kurdistan: The Region That Survived Three Times
Kifah Mahmood/Asharq Al Awsat/July19/2026
On September 25, 2017, nearly 92 percent of voters in the Kurdistan Region cast their ballots in favor of independence, in a referendum conducted with remarkable order under the watch of international observers. However, the outcome collided head-on with the dual walls of geography and politics. International flights were halted, severe economic restrictions were imposed, and Kirkuk was stripped from regional administration. The region found itself bearing the sole cost of a question that was legitimate in its essence, yet posed at a time rejected by regional and international capitals alike. Nonetheless, the history of nations demonstrates that massive collective wills are rarely extinguished by sanctions; they are merely deferred. This entity was not born out of political luxury, but from the womb of a human tragedy. Following the 1991 uprising and the exodus of millions toward the mountains, the international community imposed a no-fly zone that transformed within a single year into the first parliamentary experience in modern Kurdish history.Then came the 2005 constitution, granting the region a recognized federal status, which sparked an urban and academic renaissance, drew extensive Gulf and Turkish investments, and established a security stability that set it apart from a turbulent region. When ISIS overran a third of Iraq's territory in 2014, the Peshmerga forces formed one of the primary lines of defense, and the region welcomed hundreds of thousands of displaced persons from various ethnicities and religions, cementing its image in the international consciousness as an entity where people seek refuge rather than flee from.
Then came the most dangerous test: the US-Iranian war that erupted in February, plunging the region into the heart of the storm. Its territory bore the brunt of approximately 700 rocket and drone attacks, or the equivalent to four-fifths of the total fire directed at all of Iraq by Iran and its affiliated factions. The strikes targeted Erbil Airport, the US Consulate, gas fields, Peshmerga headquarters, and residential neighborhoods, where a single miscalculation could have easily turned the region into a theater for all-out confrontation.
However, Kurdistan’s crisis management was characterized by a remarkable degree of self-restraint; its defense systems intercepted the majority of the attacks, and it refrained from being dragged into retaliating despite the repeated attacks. It maintained a thread of communication with Tehran and Baghdad while keeping coordination channels open with Washington at the highest levels. By emerging from the confrontation as a sanctuary rather than a combatant, its standing in international calculations grew; to major capitals, this small entity appeared to represent one of the most stable and rational points on a turbulent map stretching from Tehran to the Mediterranean.
Paradoxically, however, what rockets failed to accomplish, internal division is now on the verge of achieving. The chronic crisis between the two main parties has paralyzed the formation of the regional government for over a year and a half, leaving the administration fractured between two rival spheres of influence. The payment of salaries remains hostage to decisions from Baghdad, and the oil portfolio hangs in limbo between court rulings and backroom deals. Even more jarringly, some political forces within the region have allied themselves with armed groups that openly declare hostility toward the territory and its leadership - the very same factions that attacked its lands, its presidency headquarters, and the residence of President Masoud Barzani. Consequently, foes have turned into allies, and Kurdistan has become an arena for settling outside scores.
At the same time, the region faces economic pressures that its officials describe as an undeclared blockade: its civil servants' salaries are withheld or delayed for months, its budget share is slashed outside of announced agreements, and its constitutional powers are eroded decree after decree. Meanwhile, the Peshmerga forces, which partnered with the international coalition to defeat ISIS, are deprived of any financial or military allocations at a time when the budget for the Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF) and affiliated factions exceeds two billion dollars annually, excluding weaponry. The picture is completed by the suspension of the region's oil exports, the disruption of operating oil companies, and the imposition of high tariffs and taxes on its products marketed inside Iraq, to the point where it is being treated more like a foreign entity rather than a founding federal partner. Strategically, the region stands before a rare moment: the Iranian regional system is retreating, the quota-based governing system in Baghdad is faltering, and the United States has repositioned its forces specifically in Kurdistan, viewing it as the safest and most reliable zone. Meanwhile, American communications with the leadership in both Erbil and Sulaymaniyah have reached an unprecedented level.
These factors map out three potential paths forward: the continuation of the status quo with expanded powers within a struggling federal Iraq - a path of slow attrition; a confederal arrangement granting the region near-total economic and security sovereignty alongside a symbolic link to Baghdad, which closest aligns with the logic of the current phase; or full independence as chosen by voters. While historically possible, this third path remains conditional upon three keys: internal unity that ends the dual administration, an economy that stands on its own feet rather than on disputed oil shipments, and a regional and international moment that renders an independent Kurdistan a necessity for stability rather than a threat to it.
The 2017 referendum remains ever-present in the Kurdish consciousness as a deferred milestone rather than a closed chapter. Yet, international experience teaches that states are not built on ballot results alone, but on the capacity to protect those results and translate them into stable institutions, a viable economy, and internal consensus. The region successfully outlasted the existential test of Saddam Hussein, the onslaught of ISIS, and most recently, the fallout of the most perilous regional military confrontation in decades. Its most formidable challenge, however, remains internal: overcoming political fragmentation and resolving its financial and constitutional deadlock with Baghdad. The outcome of this specific trial alone depends on whether that 92 percent victory will remain a mere archival statistic or serve as the prelude to a new trajectory - one forged by Kurdish unity and accommodated by the region and its calculations

Trump Must Abandon His Dangerous Plan to Sell F-35s to Turkey
Con Coughlin/Gatestone Institute/July 19, 2026
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22714/trump-turkey-f35
Trump's willingness to even consider lifting the F-35 ban is being seen in the context of his charm offensive to forge closer ties with Erdogan, an initiative the American leader has undertaken despite the Turkish leader's well-documented support for radical Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas. Erdogan also seems to have initiated a charm offensive, most likely with at least a partial view to prying loose those F-35s.
According to the report published by Israel's i24News, Kurdish militias were preparing to launch an attack on Iran with the aim of instigating a nationwide rebellion against the ayatollahs' tyrannical rule when the US halted the operation due to pressure from Erdogan.
Apart from Erdogan's long-held support for the Islamist ideology espoused by the expansionist Muslim Brotherhood and its allies, the Turkish leader has also been accused of actively thwarting the Trump administration's attempts to disarm Hamas terrorists in Gaza as part of its peace initiative in the enclave. Efforts to pressure Hamas's terrorist leadership into fulfilling its disarmament obligations have, though, been stymied by the interventions of Turkey and Qatar, the Gulf state that also supports a variety of Islamist groups, which have actively used their influence to delay the disarmament process.
Turkey's obstructive approach to the disarmament issue in Gaza follows a series of public statements in which Erdogan has explicitly stated that he regards Israel as a potential enemy, and that the two countries could soon find themselves involved in a direct military confrontation. With Turkey desperately jockeying to replace Iran as the region's dominant power, such a prospect cannot be dismissed lightly. US President Donald Trump's willingness to even consider lifting the F-35 ban is being seen in the context of his charm offensive to forge closer ties with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, an initiative the American leader has undertaken despite the Turkish leader's well-documented support for radical Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.
US President Donald Trump must abandon his plans to sell Turkey highly sophisticated F-35 stealth fighters because of the deeply duplicitous conduct Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan displayed during efforts to end hostilities between the US and Iran. Trump's willingness to even consider lifting the F-35 ban is being seen in the context of his charm offensive to forge closer ties with Erdogan, an initiative the American leader has undertaken despite the Turkish leader's well-documented support for radical Islamist groups such as the Muslim Brotherhood and Hamas.
Trump's courtship of Erdogan, moreover, is continuing despite concerns being raised about Turkey's duplicitous involvement in peace talks to end the Iran war. While, in public, Ankara has said its main objective is to end hostilities in the Gulf, it has also been working quietly behind the scenes to provide support for the beleaguered ayatollahs.
The latest evidence highlighting Erdogan's continued support for the Iranian regime is contained in reports that Turkey actively thwarted a joint military operation backed by the US and Israel to launch a Kurdish-led incursion of Iran in the early stages of the war aimed at overthrowing the Islamic regime. According to the report published by Israel's i24News, Kurdish militias were preparing to launch an attack on Iran with the aim of instigating a nationwide rebellion against the ayatollahs' tyrannical rule when the US halted the operation due to pressure from Erdogan.
Erdogan's openly Islamist agenda certainly also makes a compelling argument for Trump to give serious consideration to reversing his decision to lift the ban preventing Ankara's acquisition of F-35 warplanes.
Apart from Erdogan's long-held support for the Islamist ideology espoused by the expansionist Muslim Brotherhood and its allies, the Turkish leader has also been accused of actively thwarting the Trump administration's attempts to disarm Hamas terrorists in Gaza as part of its peace initiative in the enclave.
The requirement for Hamas to fully surrender all of its weapons was a key demand of Trump's 20-point Gaza peace plan.
Efforts to pressure Hamas's terrorist leadership into fulfilling its disarmament obligations have, though, been stymied by the interventions of Turkey and Qatar, the Gulf state that also supports a variety of Islamist groups, which have actively used their influence to delay the disarmament process.
Turkey's obstructive approach to the disarmament issue in Gaza follows a series of public statements in which Erdogan has explicitly stated that he regards Israel as a potential enemy, and that the two countries could soon find themselves involved in a direct military confrontation. With Turkey desperately jockeying to replace Iran as the region's dominant power, such a prospect cannot be dismissed lightly.
Erdogan also seems to have initiated a charm offensive, most likely with at least a partial view to prying loose those F-35s.
Despite Erdogan's professed Islamist sympathies and his deepening antagonism towards Israel, Trump has nevertheless expressed his intention to sell the F-35s to Ankara after meeting with Erdogan at the start of the recent NATO summit in Ankara.
Trump previously blocked Turkey's participation in the F-35 programme during his first term in the White House, following Ankara's decision to purchase Russia's S-400 air defence system.
Erdogan is arguing that he has not yet unpacked the S-400s, which were built for one reason: to target and defeat the F-35s. Presumably he will unpack them after the F-35s have been safely delivered.
The move prompted fears within the Pentagon that allowing Turkey access to the top-secret F-35 programme would enable the Russians, who have close ties with Ankara, to gain access to the warplane's stealth technology, thereby compromising its ability to evade Russian anti-aircraft systems.
Despite these well-documented objections to Turkey's participation in the F-35 programme, with Ankara said to be lobbying to purchase up to 100 of the stealth fighters, Trump now appears minded to ease the ban he imposed during his first term and allow the sale of the aircraft to Turkey to proceed.
When asked at the NATO summit about lifting the ban on Turkey buying the warplanes, Trump replied, "That's a decision we're going to make... it's a great plane, the best plane by far, and it's certainly something we will consider."
Trump's change of heart on the F-35 issue has already prompted widespread criticism from numerous quarters. Greece, which historically remains at odds with Turkey on a number of regional issues, such as Turkey's continued occupation of northern Cyprus, has indicated its dismay at the decision.
Trump's move should also attract strong opposition from Israel, the other country most immediately threatened by a frequently bellicose Turkey (as here, here, here and here). Israel has already successfully integrated the F-35 into its air force, with the stealth warplane playing a pivotal role in the recent military campaigns against Iran.
The Israel Air Force has been so impressed with the F-35's performance that the Israeli government recently announced its intention to purchase a further 50 of the planes, a move deemed to be vital to maintaining Israel's all-important air superiority in the Middle East.
Any move by the US to sell F-35s to Ankara could compromise Israel's air supremacy by providing the Turks with the ability to analyse the top-secret technology that gives the Israel Air Force a decisive advantage in air combat.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu has already voiced his opposition to the proposed deal, warning in an interview with CNN that the sale of America's most advanced fighter aircraft "doesn't make Turkey a friendly state to the United States." In part of an escalating dispute with Erdogan, Netanyahu described Ankara as "a regime that's infected with the Muslim Brotherhood, which hates the United States."
Trump's proposal to sell F-35s to Turkey should provoke fierce opposition in the US Congress, which one hopes will be unwilling to lift the ban imposed on Turkey because of its close ties with Russia and Iran, as well as its ongoing, if temporarily subdued, hostility to Israel and Greece, and expanding its hold on occupied Cyprus.
The first public move against a possible policy change on the F-35 issues has come from US Representative Dina Titus (D-NV), who has gathered the signatures of 18 members on a letter to the leadership of the House of Representatives.
The lawmakers are calling for guarantees that current US law will be upheld and that Congress will be ready to intervene if the administration attempts to move ahead with Turkey's return to the programme. With opposition mounting on all sides to the proposed deal, Trump would be well-advised to take heed of his critics and abandon his plan to provide the world's most sophisticated warplanes to Turkey's openly pro-Islamist, charming but ruthless leader — who thinks nothing of decimating his country's military, disabling any political opposition, and imprisoning, torturing and deporting journalists, persecuting Christians, Kurds, Alevis and other perceived dissidents.
**Con Coughlin is the Telegraph's Defence and Foreign Affairs Editor and a Distinguished Senior Fellow at Gatestone Institute.
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.

Selected Face Book & X tweets on 19 July/2026
Mossad Commentary
https://x.com/MOSSADil/status/2078876769759756432/video/1
ISRAEL DRAWS A RED LINE
Defense Minister Israel Katz:
“If Iranian missiles begin reaching Israel, we will strike Iran with full force—without preconditions and without negotiations.”

US AIRFORCE
https://x.com/usairforce_x/status/2078875974595486173/video/1
REAKING NEWS:The ultimate escalation.
The US military just took the fight straight to Tehran, targeting the IRGC's core Sar-Allah Headquarters.The main command facility is reportedly burning down right now. Game over for deniability.

Israel-Alma
@Israel_Alma_org
For more than two decades, Hezbollah has been building its "Land of Tunnels" in Lebanon an extensive underground project constructed with Iranian and North Korean assistance.
The offensive component of the project six attack tunnels into Israel was exposed by the IDF in December 2018. In August 2021, the Alma Research and Education Center revealed the project's strategic tunneling dimension, followed by additional research on its tactical and approach tunnels.
The latest war publicly exposed the true scale of Hezbollah's "Land of Tunnels." Our assessment is that the organization invested at least $1–3 billion in this underground network evidence of the unprecedented scale of Hezbollah's long-term military buildup.
Read the full analysis.
https://israel-alma.org/hezbollahs-land-of-tunnels-in-lebanon-an-investment-of-billions-of-dollars/
#Lebanon #Hezbollah #Underground #Iran #NorthKorea

Israel Army
JUST IN
8:00 PM AT 🇧🇷 Brazilian President Luiz Inácio Lula da Silva:
We are tired of watching the Iran–U.S.–Israel conflict. Therefore, Brazil has decided to suspend its $134 million weapons deal with Israel.
9:00 PM AT 🇮🇱 Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu:
That deal wasn't benefiting Israel anyway. We agreed to it despite that. From this point forward, we are suspending the deal ourselves, and there will be no further defense deals with Brazil.

Nadim Koteich
Hassan Nasrallah, who is 500 times larger and more capable than the scum Khamenei junior, made even more profound promises. Both, Nasrallah and his promises went up in smoke.
The Islamic Republic of Iran is a civilizational suggestion that has run its course.
It will die hard, but it will indeed.

Israel_Military
BREAKING UPDATE
https://x.com/IsraelMillitary/status/2078899646513242547/video/1
The Israeli military has announced for the first time that it is preparing 15,000 intercontinental ballistic missiles to respond to an imminent Iranian attack. Officially, if Israel is attacked, Russian bases and all of Iran's interests across the Middle East—including Tehran—will be destroyed, and the entire world will witness the devastation.

Hussain Abdul-Hussain
@i24NEWS_EN
I was in the Oval Office, in 2009, the last time a Lebanese president visited (Michel Suleiman visiting Obama). The setting was different. Obama was courting Iran and Hezbollah was ruling Lebanon. All Suleiman could do was show up for the photo op, nod and smile.
On Tuesday, when Prez Trump receives Prez Aoun in the Oval Office, the setting will be totally different. Hezbollah doesn't rule Lebanon anymore and Iranian power is a fraction of its past self. This time, we are not hosting Aoun for a photo op, but to ask him to govern Lebanon, restore sovereignty, and be a reliable partner and a responsible player on the global stage.

Amjad Taha أمجد طه
Something fishy is going on. In the past 24 hours, Iranian state TV has reportedly mentioned JD Vance positively 83 times, often while attacking Israel and America’s allies. They have praised Vance more than their own president. We have a saying in the Middle East: if the Islamic regime in Iran loves your position, you are probably doing something wrong. If it hates your position, you are probably 100% right.

Nadine Barakat
Andre Rahhal & Jean Aziz: Hezbollah / Berri representatives
Andre who lied to US officials regarding disarmament …
Andre who is in bed with Selim Khalil - main launderer for Hezbollah cash.
Way to go Joseph Aoun!