English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News
& Editorials
For March 23/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many things; there is need of
only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which will not be taken away
from her
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 10/38-42:
“Now as they went on their way, he entered a certain village, where a woman
named Martha welcomed him into her home. She had a sister named Mary, who sat at
the Lord’s feet and listened to what he was saying. But Martha was distracted by
her many tasks; so she came to him and asked, ‘Lord, do you not care that my
sister has left me to do all the work by myself? Tell her then to help me.’ But
the Lord answered her, ‘Martha, Martha, you are worried and distracted by many
things; there is need of only one thing. Mary has chosen the better part, which
will not be taken away from her.’”
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on March 22-23/2026
Audio and text: Blindness is blindness of the heart, not of the eyes...
Faith-based reflections on the miraculous healing of the blind beggar, Ibn
Bartima/Elias Bejjani/March 22/2026
Is Berri an Israeli Agent/Elias Bejjani/March 20/2026
St. Joseph’s Day Annual/Elias Bejjani/March 19/2026
For the Sake of the Church, the Maronites, and Lebanon: Patriarch AlRai Must
Resign... His Presence is an Absence, and His Absence Would Be a Blessing/Elias
Bejjan/March 17/2026
How Iran’s IRGC rebooted Lebanon’s Hezbollah to be ready for war
Israel to 'advance targeted ground operations' in Lebanon: Army chief
Israel eyes Bekaa front as war with Hezbollah expands beyond the south
Israel targets bridges and border areas in South Lebanon as fighting continues:
The details
Israel launches wave of strikes on south Lebanon, hits key bridge
Katz says Israel to destroy south bridges, border homes as warning issued for
al-Qasmiyeh bridge
Rocket fire from Lebanon kills one in north Israel as Hezbollah claims attacks
Israel says probing if own soldiers shot civilian on Lebanon border
Israeli army claims it destroyed Litani River crossing used by Hezbollah in
South Lebanon
Israel will expand ground operations in Lebanon against Hezbollah, army chief
says
Israeli army chief: Battle against Hezbollah has only just begun
Netanyahu's foes in Iran and Lebanon could shape his election prospects
Zamir says 'no more containment' in Lebanon, only 'initiative and attack'
From Gaza to Lebanon, doctor races against time to treat war-wounded children
Lebanon Disaster Risk Management Unit says Karantina site is precautionary, not
for immediate use
PM Salam to Al Hadath: Each Hezbollah rocket costs Lebanon 10,000 displaced
people
Lebanon president calls Israeli bridge strikes ‘prelude to ground invasion’
The War on Hezbollah-The Iranian Terrorist Proxy Continues/LCCC website
links to several important news websites
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on March 22-23/2026
Trump gives Iran 48 hours to open Hormuz as Tehran
strikes Israel
Iran says to completely close Hormuz if US targets power plants
US may ‘escalate to de-escalate’ against Iran: Treasury chief
Iran threatens to 'irreversibly destroy' region's infrastructure if own attacked
Netanyahu visits town hit by Iran strike, vows to target Guards leaders
Iran missiles targeting Diego Garcia base fell short, intercepted: UK minister
Saudi Arabia downs 24 drones in Eastern Province
EU's Kallas spoke with Iran's FM on Sunday, official says
Seven killed in Qatar helicopter crash
Paris will be 'heart of resistance' against right in 2027 vote: Mayor-elect
US envoy Witkoff says progress made in talks with Ukraine on ending war with
Russia
UK’s Starmer to hold Monday meeting on Iran war’s economic impact
One dead in Istanbul after gas explosion collapses two buildings
News of the ongoing war between Iran on one side and the US and Israel on the
other. links to several television channels and newspapers
Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on March 22-23/2026
What Do You Think Will Happen When They Are in the Majority?: The
Persecution of Christians, December 2025/Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone
Institute/March 22/2026
The US and Israel have different goals in the war on Iran/Con Coughlin/Arab
News/March 22/2026
A crucial week in UK-EU relations/Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/March 22/2026
Kharg Island: The Roadmap to Controlling Iran’s Future/Raghida Dergham/Al
Arabiya English/AFP/22 March/2026
on March 22-23/2026
Audio and text: Blindness is blindness of the heart, not of the eyes...
Faith-based reflections on the miraculous healing of the blind beggar, Ibn
Bartima
Elias Bejjani/March 22/2026
“For judgment I came into this
world, that those who do not see may see, and those who see may become blind.”
(John 9:39)
How many among us—individuals and communities—are, in truth, blind in insight,
weak in faith, and lacking in hope, even though their physical eyes are
perfectly sound? Their affliction is not blindness of sight, but blindness of
the heart. Though their eyes are healthy, they are veiled from love in mind,
soul, and heart, and thus live in deep darkness, far from God.
The blind beggar Bartimaeus, the subject of this reflection, is commemorated
today in our Maronite churches on the Sixth Sunday of Lent, known as the Sunday
of the Healing of the Blind.
Holy Scripture teaches us that Bartimaeus was born blind and did not know the
difference between light and darkness. Yet inwardly he was enlightened—in heart,
conscience, and faith. He was strong, persistent, and steadfast in hope. This
miracle is recorded in John 9:1–41, Mark 10:46–52, and Matthew 20:29–34.As recounted in Mark 10:46–52: They came to Jericho. And as Jesus was leaving
Jericho with His disciples and a great crowd, Bartimaeus, a blind beggar, the
son of Timaeus, was sitting by the roadside. When he heard that it was Jesus of
Nazareth, he began to cry out, “Jesus, Son of David, have mercy on me!”Many rebuked him, telling him to be silent, but he cried out all the more, “Son
of David, have mercy on me!”And Jesus stopped and said, “Call him.”And they
called the blind man, saying to him, “Take heart; rise, He is calling
you.”Throwing off his cloak, he sprang up and came to Jesus. And Jesus said to
him, “What do you want Me to do for you?”
The blind man said, “Rabboni, that I may receive my sight.” And Jesus said to
him, “Go your way; your faith has made you well.”And immediately he received his
sight and followed Him on the way.
The Gospel of John (9:8–34) gives further details, revealing the persecution and
intimidation the man endured after his healing, as he was pressured to deny what
had happened. Yet he bore witness courageously, declaring: “I was blind, and now
I see.”
Although Bartimaeus lacked physical sight, through faith and trust in God he
perceived with his heart and mind that Christ had the power to heal him. When he
approached Jesus, he refused to be silenced by those who tried to restrain him.
He cried out boldly, proclaiming Christ as the Savior, confident in His power to
restore his sight—and his request was granted. He neither despaired nor accepted
the condition of helplessness. He recognized Christ’s divine authority, sought
His mercy, received grace, and then followed Him as a disciple. He rejected the
falsehoods of the scribes and Pharisees and, with steadfast courage, did not
alter a single word of his testimony regarding the miracle. Though accused and
threatened, he clung to the truth, unafraid of excommunication, rejection, or
persecution. He walked in the light, while others remained lost in blindness—of
both sight and insight—due to their lack of faith.
Even today, we see that little has changed. Believers in many parts of the world
endure persecution, oppression, and suffering, yet they persist with steadfast
faith in God—just as Bartimaeus did.
How greatly we, as Lebanese—both at home and abroad—need to follow the example
of this faithful blind man: to walk with strength, perseverance, faith, and
steadfastness on the path of salvation, and to ask God for the grace of
spiritual light to illuminate our minds and hearts. May He deliver us from
attachment to the fleeting things of this world and protect us from the snares
of evil and temptation.
It is sorrowful that the course of our homeland, Lebanon, is steered by leaders
who are blind in both vision and insight, who—through weak faith and failing
hope—have led it into chaos, unrest, and conflict, sowing division and a culture
of death among its people.
O Lord, enlighten our minds to know that You are Love.
Deliver us from the darkness of sin and save us from temptation.
Is Berri an Israeli Agent
Elias Bejjani/March 20/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/03/152891/
Berri’s refusal to appoint a Shiite representative to the negotiation committee
with Israel in a bid to put an end to the war and finish his main enemy
Hezbollah, save the shiites community and Lebanon, is a carte blanche for Israel
to kill Shiites, displace them, destroy their areas, and humiliate them. Is he
an agent, Especially since he recognized The State of Israel Israel in the
pro-Israeli maritime agreement.?
St.
Joseph’s Day Annual عيد ما يوسف البتول
Elias Bejjani (From 2011 Archives)
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/03/73094/
The Feast of Saint Joseph the Virgin, celebrated annually on March 19, holds
deep spiritual and familial significance, particularly for our Bejjani family,
Youssef, a name we have proudly carried for generations. On this blessed
anniversary, we implore God and His angels to protect our beloved son Youssef
and our grandson Joseph, both of whom bear this holy name.
This sacred feast is an important occasion in the Maronite-Roman Catholic
tradition, honoring the life of Saint Joseph, the esteemed stepfather of Jesus
and the chaste spouse of the Virgin Mary. Among devout believers, particularly
the Lebanese Maronites, March 19 is not only a day of commemoration but is also
regarded as the birthday of Saint Joseph. His life, characterized by devotion,
obedience, humility, and unwavering faith, serves as a guiding light for
countless families who hold him in deep reverence.
In Lebanon, Saint Joseph is venerated as the patron saint of families, admired
for his exemplary role as a devoted husband and father. His life embodies faith,
honesty, generosity, and tireless dedication—virtues long cherished and
practiced by Lebanese families and deeply rooted within our own family values.
Saint Joseph’s divine mission was of the utmost importance; entrusted by God
with the care of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary, he fulfilled his
responsibilities with deep love, dedication, and selflessness. As the earthly
guardian of the Holy Family, he exemplified loyalty and an unshakable commitment
to his divine calling, making him a timeless symbol of fatherhood, protection,
and faith.
As we honor Saint Joseph today, we reflect on the virtues he embodied—his
humility, strength, and steadfast devotion to carrying out God’s will. May his
legacy continue to inspire us to fulfill our paternal and pastoral roles within
our families and communities, striving to emulate his unwavering faith, love,
and selflessness. On this holy and blessed day, we
offer prayers of gratitude and supplication to the Lord for all His gifts and
blessings. We extend our heartfelt blessings to all who bear the name Joseph,
praying that they follow in the footsteps of our beloved saint and uphold his
virtuous example in their lives.
For the Sake of the Church, the Maronites, and Lebanon: Patriarch AlRai
Must Resign... His Presence is an Absence, and His Absence Would Be a Blessing
Elias Bejjan/March 17/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/03/152839/
In its long history, our Maronite Church has never known a Patriarch so detached
and estranged from it, from the Maronites, and from bearing witness to the
truth—nor one so lacking in leadership capabilities as is, unfortunately, the
case with Patriarch Bechara AlRai.
Since his election—which was shrouded in suspicion and sparked hundreds of
questions regarding its motives—he has exhibited a pattern of detachment and
ingratitude. This began with his international tours following his election,
during which he marketed Bashar al-Assad's regime as a "protector" of
Christians. It continued with his disgraceful visit to Syria Al Assad—a move his
distinguished predecessor, Patriarch Sfeir, had steadfastly refused to make—and
extended to the scandal surrounding Walid Ghayad’s palace. This is in addition
to his persistent sycophancy toward Hezbollah, his weak will and leadership, his
unfortunate choice of faithless advisors, and his overall state of confusion and
flimsy, fluctuating stances... the list goes on and on.
For these reasons and many others, His Beatitude is called upon to resign, if
indeed he still adheres to the vows of obedience, poverty, and chastity. The
truth is that his presence is effectively an absence, and his absence would
undoubtedly be a blessing.
How Iran’s IRGC rebooted
Lebanon’s Hezbollah to be ready for war
Reuters/22 March/2026
Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) rebuilt Hezbollah’s military
command after it was mauled by Israel in 2024, plugging gaps with Iranian
officers before restructuring the Lebanese group and laying plans for the war it
is now waging in support of Tehran, two people familiar with these IRGC
activities said. The overhaul was the first of its kind for Hezbollah, a Shia
Muslim group founded by the IRGC in 1982, pointing to a hands-on approach after
the blows of the 2024 war, including the killing of its leader Hassan Nasrallah
and other top commanders.Iran’s investment paid off, getting Hezbollah back on
its feet in time to enter the war in the Middle East on Tehran’s side after it
was attacked by the United States and Israel. Reuters reported earlier in March
that Hezbollah had seen another war as inevitable and spent months readying
itself. This article sheds light on the IRGC’s role in these preparations, based
on accounts from six sources who spoke on condition of anonymity as well as an
expert on Hezbollah. The IRGC, deeply involved in Hezbollah since it was
established, sent officers to retrain its fighters and oversee rearmament, the
two sources familiar with IRGC activities said. They said IRGC officers also
reshaped Hezbollah command structures that had been breached by Israeli
intelligence - a factor that had helped Israel kill many Hezbollah leaders. An
Israeli military spokesperson said on March 12 that Hezbollah remains a relevant
and dangerous force despite the damage Israel has inflicted on it over the last
three years. Hezbollah has fired hundreds of missiles at Israel since it entered
the regional war on March 2, prompting an Israeli offensive that has killed more
than 1,000 people in Lebanon. Hezbollah fighters are battling Israeli soldiers
who have seized ground in the south. It has yet to be seen how Hezbollah, its
power still below the peak levels seen a few years ago, would fare in the event
of a full-scale Israeli invasion. Hezbollah’s media office, Iran’s Foreign
Ministry and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s office did not
immediately respond to requests for comment.
Netanyahu said in January that Hezbollah was making efforts to rearm and rebuild
its infrastructure with Iranian support.
Scrapping hierarchy
The two sources said IRGC officers tasked with helping Hezbollah recover arrived
shortly after a ceasefire in November 2024, and set to work even as Israel
continued to strike.
One of them said the deployment involved about 100 officers. Changes implemented
at their behest included replacing a hierarchical command structure with a
decentralized one, comprising small units with limited knowledge of each other’s
operations, helping to preserve operational secrecy.
They said IRGC officers also drew up plans for missile attacks against Israel
that would be launched simultaneously from Iran and Lebanon - a scenario
executed for the first time on March 11. A senior Lebanese security source said
Iranian commanders had helped Hezbollah rehabilitate and reorganize their
military cadres. The source said he believed the Iranians were helping Hezbollah
pace the current conflict rather than being involved in the detail of picking
targets. Another source briefed on the matter said the IRGC sent officers to
Lebanon in 2024 to conduct a post-war audit of Hezbollah, and took direct
supervision of its military wing. An additional two sources said the IRGC had
embedded special advisers with Hezbollah last year to help it direct military
affairs. Andreas Krieg, a lecturer at the security studies department of King’s
College London, said the IRGC “has basically reorganized Hezbollah as a far more
flat system,” contrasting this with the political hierarchy that had emerged
around Nasrallah before his death. “That decentralized model that they’ve now
implemented is also a bit more like what Hezbollah looked like in the 1980s -
very small cells,” said Krieg, who has researched the group for 15 years. He
described this as a “mosaic defense” that is also being used by the IRGC in
Iran.
Lebanon asked IRGC to leave country
The IRGC’s efforts were going on at the same time as Lebanon’s government and
its US-backed military were seeking to advance a process to disarm the group,
underscoring a huge complication facing that objective. Lebanon estimates that
around 100 to 150 Iranian nationals in the country have ties to the Iranian
government that go beyond normal diplomatic functions, including links to the
IRGC, a Lebanese official told Reuters. The official said the government asked
those people to leave Lebanon in early March. The two sources familiar with IRGC
activities said Guards officers were among more than 150 Iranians who left
Beirut on a flight to Russia on March 7. IRGC members were among the roughly 500
people killed by Israeli attacks in Lebanon in the 15 months between the 2024
ceasefire and the eruption of the new war. Around a dozen more have been killed
in Israeli attacks since the war erupted, including in a strike on a Beirut
hotel on March 8, they said. The IRGC has been closely involved in Hezbollah
since its men established the group in the eastern Bekaa Valley to export Iran’s
1979 Islamic Revolution and fight Israeli forces that had invaded Lebanon in
1982. Qassem Soleimani, the top IRGC general who was killed in 2020 by a US
drone strike, had worked alongside Nasrallah during Hezbollah’s 2006 war with
Israel. When Israeli airstrikes killed Nasrallah in a bunker in Beirut’s
southern suburbs, an Iranian general was among those who died alongside him.
Israel to 'advance targeted ground operations' in Lebanon:
Army chief
LBCI/AFP/22 March/2026
Israel's military will expand its ground operations in Lebanon against
Hezbollah, its army chief said Sunday, warning that the offensive against the
group was still in its early stages.
"The operation against the Hezbollah terrorist organisation has only begun...
This is a prolonged operation," Zamir said in a statement."We are now preparing
to advance the targeted ground operations and strikes according to an organised
plan," he added.
Israel eyes Bekaa front as war with Hezbollah expands
beyond the south
LBCI/22 March/2026
Israel, which has stated it is determined to eliminate Hezbollah, is seeking to
engage the group on multiple fronts in order to disperse its capabilities.
Alongside the southern front along the border, Israel considers a battle in
Lebanon’s Bekaa Valley to be a major confrontation. Bekaa is seen as a central
hub of Hezbollah’s military arsenal, and Israel says long-range rockets that
reach deep into Israeli territory are launched from there, including a missile
fired days ago that Israeli media said reached the Gaza envelope area. Questions
remain about whether Israel could invade the Bekaa Valley in the same way it has
attempted ground incursions in southern Lebanon, or whether the Israeli army
might try to advance through the Mount Hermon line, then move west toward
Rachaiya and continue toward the Bekaa. Such a move would effectively separate
the Bekaa from southern Lebanon and cut Hezbollah’s supply lines between the two
fronts. However, such a scenario would be militarily costly for Israel if it
does not secure victory in the battle of Khiam, where Israeli efforts are
currently focused in the eastern sector. A less costly scenario would be an
airborne landing in the Bekaa, but that would require Syrian approval to use its
airspace, which does not appear available at this time. At the same time, press
reports said Tel Aviv attempted to persuade Damascus to intervene directly in
the war and confront Hezbollah to dismantle its missiles, but Syrian President
Ahmed al-Sharaa rejected the request, reportedly with support from several Arab
countries, as Damascus has no interest in opening new fronts or shifting its
borders. Instead, Syria is currently focused on protecting its borders with
Lebanon and Iraq by deploying military forces amid fears of movements by
Hezbollah or Iraqi armed groups as a result of the war with Iran, according to
sources familiar with the matter. Amid these developments, Lebanon’s President
Joseph Aoun has previously conducted a series of diplomatic contacts to ensure
stability along Lebanon’s eastern border.
As a result, Syria does not appear likely to support Israel, at least for now.
Israel targets bridges and border areas in South Lebanon as fighting continues:
The details
LBCI/22 March/2026
Israel is effectively isolating southern Lebanon from the rest of the country by
destroying bridges over the Litani River, including the Qasmieh Bridge, in a
plan aimed at preventing weapons from being transported to Hezbollah along the
front lines. The plan also includes establishing Israeli army positions inside
Lebanese territory, strengthening the defensive line, and destroying homes in
frontline Lebanese villages, in a scenario similar to what Israel carried out in
Beit Hanoun and Rafah in the Gaza Strip. Israel says clearing Lebanese towns and
villages is intended to prevent Hezbollah fighters from returning to them and to
border contact lines. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu continued to
highlight what he described as his army’s achievements against Lebanon, despite
criticism facing the Israeli leadership after revelations about the capabilities
of Iran and Hezbollah in confronting Israel.
Meanwhile, the Israeli army has reinforced the border amid fears that
Hezbollah’s Radwan forces could infiltrate the area. Hezbollah’s Misgav Am
operation revealed the failure of Israeli infiltration and control operations in
southern Lebanon, as Hezbollah fighters launched rockets from inside the
defensive line that the Israeli army had established and declared cleared of
Radwan forces. On the front related to the war with Iran, attention focused on
what happened in Arad and Dimona, where Israeli leadership toured areas damaged
by Iranian missiles on Sunday, particularly in Arad, which was hit by a missile
carrying 450 kilograms of explosives. Dimona, where military censorship has kept
details highly restricted after it was hit by two Iranian missiles, was
addressed by the International Atomic Energy Agency, which said it had not
received information from countries in the region indicating abnormal radiation
levels around the site.
Israel launches wave of strikes on south Lebanon, hits key
bridge
Agence France Presse/22 March/2026
Israel said it struck "Hezbollah" targets in south Lebanon on Sunday shortly
after the military was ordered to destroy bridges allegedly used by the
Iran-backed group across the Litani River.Lebanese official media reported
Israeli raids in several areas of the south, while an AFP correspondent saw
smoke billowing from a key bridge that was hit outside the city of Tyre, in an
escalation in violence in Lebanon after two days of relative reprieve. Lebanon
was pulled into the Middle East war when Hezbollah began firing rockets into
Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali
Khamenei in Israeli-U.S. attacks. Israel has sent troops into Lebanon and
carried out extensive airstrikes in the country, while Hezbollah has kept up
rocket barrages. Israel's military said it began "a wide wave of strikes"
against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern Lebanon.
Earlier Sunday, Israel said rocket fire from Lebanon killed one person, the
first fatality there due to Hezbollah fire since the latest war erupted three
weeks ago. Two Israeli soldiers had previously been killed in southern Lebanon,
according to the military. Lebanon's health ministry said four people were
killed on Sunday in two strikes in the south, while authorities have reported
1,029 dead in three weeks of conflict and more than one million displaced.
Bridges
Israel's ZAKA 360 emergency response unit said a person was pronounced dead
after a strike on their vehicle "carried out by a rocket fired from
Lebanon".Local firefighters said flames had engulfed two vehicles after a
"direct hit" in the northern Israeli community of Misgav Am. Hezbollah said in a
statement that its fighters targeted "a gathering of Israeli enemy soldiers" in
Misgav Am "with a rocket barrage". It was among a series of attacks the group
claimed on Sunday, mainly against Israeli troops in northern Israel and in
southern Lebanon, where Israeli soldiers have been carrying out ground
incursions. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement that he and
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military "to
immediately destroy all the bridges over the Litani River that are used for
terrorist activity, in order to prevent Hezbollah terrorists and weapons from
moving south".The Litani River runs around 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of the
Israeli border. The Israeli army later bombed the key Qasmiyeh bridge, located
on a main highway outside the city of Tyre, with the AFP correspondent reporting
the bridge was partly destroyed.Earlier this week, Israel attacked two bridges
spanning the Litani, also alleging they were being used by Hezbollah.
'Commander' killed
Katz said the military was also instructed to "accelerate the demolition of
Lebanese houses in the contact villages in order to thwart threats to Israeli
communities". Lebanon's state-run National News Agency also reported at least
one strike on the Bekaa Valley in the country's east. Hezbollah said its
fighters repeatedly targeted Israeli soldiers and vehicles in or near the border
town of Taybeh, as well as in or near the strategic town of Khiam, where the
group has repeatedly said it has targeted Israeli forces in recent days. On
Saturday, Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli forces in Khiam and
in the coastal town of Naqoura. The group also claimed attacks on northern
Israel on Saturday, including targeting an air defense system in Maalot-Tarshiha,
where Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11 reported three people were lightly
wounded. The Israeli military said it killed a fighter on Saturday who was the
"commander of the special forces in Hezbollah's Radwan Force", referring to the
group's elite unit. Israel has warned residents of swathes of south Lebanon to
evacuate and has said it wants to create a buffer zone in Lebanon to protect
residents of northern Israel.
Katz says Israel to destroy south bridges, border homes as
warning issued for al-Qasmiyeh bridge
Agence France Presse/22 March/2026
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said Sunday that the army had been ordered
to destroy more bridges over the Litani river being used by Hezbollah in south
Lebanon and to step up the demolition of houses. "Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu and I instructed the IDF (army) to immediately destroy all the bridges
over the Litani River that are used for terrorist activity, in order to prevent
Hezbollah terrorists and weapons from moving south," Katz said in a statement.
He said the military was also instructed to "accelerate the demolition of
Lebanese houses in the contact villages in order to thwart threats to Israeli
communities."The Israeli army meanwhile warned that it would bomb the al-Qasmiyeh
Bridge on the southern coastal highway that links Tyre to Sidon and Beirut.
Rocket fire from Lebanon kills one in north Israel as
Hezbollah claims attacks
Agence France Presse/22 March/2026
Israel said rocket fire from Lebanon killed one person on Sunday as Hezbollah
said it attacked soldiers in northern Israel, the first fatality there in fire
from Lebanon since the latest war erupted. Israel's ZAKA 360 emergency response
unit said a person was pronounced dead after a strike on their vehicle "carried
out by a rocket fired from Lebanon."Local firefighters said flames had engulfed
two vehicles after a "direct hit" in the northern Israeli community of Misgav
Am. "We arrived at the scene and saw two vehicles on fire. During the
firefighters' extinguishing operations, we identified a man in the driver's
seat," paramedics from Israel's Magen David Adom emergency medical service said,
adding that he was later pronounced dead. Lebanon's Iran-backed Hezbollah said
in a statement that its fighters targeted "a gathering of Israeli enemy
soldiers" in Misgav Am "with a rocket barrage". It was among a series of attacks
the group claimed on Sunday, mainly against Israeli troops in northern Israel
and in southern Lebanon, where Israeli soldiers have been carrying out ground
incursions. The Israeli army had earlier announced it had detected "a launch
from Lebanon toward a community along the northern border".
Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war when Hezbollah began firing rockets
into Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ali
Khamenei in Israeli-U.S. attacks. Israel has sent troops into Lebanon and
carried out extensive airstrikes in the country, while Hezbollah continues to
fire rocket barrages across the border.Two Israeli soldiers have been killed in
southern Lebanon, according to the military. Lebanese authorities have said more
than 1,000 people have been killed in the country and more than one million
others displaced in three weeks of conflict. On Sunday, Hezbollah said its
fighters repeatedly targeted Israeli soldiers and vehicles in or near the border
town of Taybeh, as well as in or near Khiam, a strategic town where the group
has repeatedly said it has targeted Israeli forces in recent days. On Saturday,
Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli forces in Khiam and in the
coastal town of Naqoura. The group also claimed attacks on northern Israel on
Saturday, including targeting an air defense system in Maalot-Tarshiha, where
Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11 reported three people were lightly wounded.
Israel says probing if own soldiers shot civilian on
Lebanon border
AFP/22 March/2026
Israel’s military said it was investigating whether its own fire killed an
Israeli civilian near the Lebanese border on Sunday, after Hezbollah claimed an
attack in the same area.
Israeli emergency workers said earlier Sunday that a man was killed in a direct
hit” on his car by a rocket from Lebanon. Lebanon’s Iran-backed Hezbollah
militant group said after the incident that its fighters had attacked Israeli
soldiers in the same area. But the Israeli army later announced it was
“conducting a comprehensive investigation” into the death. “The possibility that
the incident involved fire originating from IDF soldiers is being examined,” the
military said in a statement. Lebanon was pulled into the Middle East war when
Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of
Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Israeli-US attacks. Israel has sent troops
into Lebanon and carried out extensive airstrikes in the country, while
Hezbollah continues to fire rocket barrages across the border.
Israeli army claims it destroyed Litani River crossing used
by Hezbollah in South Lebanon
LBCI/22 March/2026
The Israeli army said it destroyed a crossing over the Litani River that it
claimed was used by Hezbollah fighters to move between the north and south of
the river in southern Lebanon. In a statement posted on X by Ella Waweya, a
lieutenant colonel in the Israeli army, the military said the crossing was a
central route used by Hezbollah members and commanders to travel from north of
the Litani to the south. The army claimed the group used the crossing to
transport thousands of weapons, rocket shells and launch platforms used in
attacks from the area south of the Litani against Israeli forces and Israeli
civilians. The Israeli army said the crossing was targeted in order to prevent
harm to Israeli civilians as well as Lebanese civilians. The statement added
that in an additional wave of airstrikes carried out Sunday in the Nabatieh area
in southern Lebanon, around 15 Hezbollah-affiliated sites were targeted. The
Israeli army said it would continue to ‘’carry out operations against Hezbollah,
accusing the group of joining the war and operating with the backing of Iran,
and said it would not allow harm to Israeli citizens.’’
Israel will expand ground operations in Lebanon against
Hezbollah, army chief says
AFP/22 March/2026
Israel’s military will expand its ground operations in Lebanon against
Hezbollah, its army chief said Sunday, warning that the offensive against the
group was still in its early stages. “The operation against the Hezbollah
terrorist organization has only begun... This is a prolonged operation,”
Lieutenant General Eyal Zamir said in a statement. “We are now preparing to
advance the targeted ground operations and strikes according to an organized
plan,” he added. Zamir’s comments came as Israel struck more targets in south
Lebanon on Sunday, including a key bridge, triggering a warning from the
Lebanese president that it could be launching a full ground invasion. Lebanon
was pulled into the Middle East war when Hezbollah began firing rockets into
Israel on March 2 to avenge the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei in
an Israeli-US strike. Israel has sent troops into Lebanon and carried out
extensive airstrikes, while Hezbollah has launched rocket barrages. “In recent
weeks, we have achieved significant accomplishments: we have struck more than
2,000 targets, dozens of weapons storage facilities, and struck and eliminated
hundreds of terrorists,” Zamir said. “We will not stop until the threat is
pushed away from the border and long term security is ensured for the residents
of northern Israel,” Zamir said.
Israeli army chief: Battle against Hezbollah has only just
begun
Naharnet/22 March/2026
Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir has approved plans for the "next phase" of the war
against Hezbollah, saying the battle against the Lebanese Iran-backed group "has
only just begun." "Once the battle in Iran ends, Hezbollah will be left alone
and isolated. The battle against Hezbollah is a long one, and we are prepared
for it," Zamir said. "We are focusing our efforts on Iran, and the northern
front is another central arena; the two are interconnected. The Hezbollah
terrorist organization is a key arm of the Iranian regime of terror, and it made
a grave mistake when it decided to join the fight against Israel. This decision
harms both it and the entire Lebanese state," Zamir told generals at the
Northern Command. He added: "The message is clear: there is no safe haven for
the regime and its proxies. Every threat to the citizens of the State of Israel
will be met with a decisive, precise, and powerful response.""In recent weeks,
we have achieved significant accomplishments, attacking over 2,000 targets,
destroying dozens of weapons depots, and eliminating hundreds of terrorists,"
Zamir said. He added that Israel now is preparing to intensify its maneuvers and
strikes according to "a well-defined plan.""We will not stop until we remove the
threat from the border and ensure the long-term security of the residents of the
northern region. Simultaneously with the airstrikes, the IDF (army) is
reinforcing the frontline defense to protect the residents of the northern
region," Zamir vowed."We are ready for a long battle, and we will continue to
act as needed -- offensively and defensively -- to ensure the long-term security
of the residents of the northern region," he added.
Netanyahu's foes in Iran and Lebanon could shape his election prospects
Associated Press/22 March/2026
Benjamin Netanyahu must soon decide when to hold Israel’s next elections. With
war raging on multiple fronts and no end in sight, Israel’s enemies in Iran and
Lebanon may help make that decision for him. The stakes could hardly be higher:
A victory will add to his legacy as Israel’s longest-ruling leader and fend off,
if not quash altogether, calls for a reckoning over the Oct. 7, 2023, Hamas
attacks that triggered 2 ½ years of war across the region. A defeat risks
turning him into the highest-profile political casualty of that attack — the
deadliest in Israel’s history — which still casts a long shadow over the
country’s psyche and already has led to a string of high-profile resignations
and firings.
Zamir says 'no more containment' in Lebanon, only 'initiative and attack'
Naharnet/22 March/2026
Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir said Saturday that "the Northern Command has
approved plans to continue the fighting" against Hezbollah. "There will be no
more containment, only initiative and attack," Zamir said. "We won't return to
the policy of (fighting) rounds and limited escalation in Lebanon and we won't
stop until the threat is removed from the border," Zamir added.
From Gaza to Lebanon, doctor races against time to treat
war-wounded children
Agence France Presse/22 March/2026
During almost three weeks of war in Lebanon, British-Palestinian doctor Ghassan
Abu-Sittah has had no respite, telling AFP he has been working "against the
clock" to save children wounded in Israeli bombardment. At the American
University of Beirut Medical Center, one of the capital's main hospitals, his
paediatric intensive care unit has been receiving critical cases from across the
country and desperate parents praying for their children's survival. This week,
Israeli strikes hit densely populated central Beirut areas not far from the
hospital, with three badly wounded children pulled from the rubble.
Among them was an 11-year-old girl who had "metal shrapnel in her abdomen, and
partial amputation of the foot," said Abu-Sittah, a plastic surgeon specializing
in conflict injuries. "She's now in a stable condition," added the doctor, who
lives near the hospital and rushes there for emergencies.Israeli strikes have
pummelled Lebanon since Hezbollah fired rockets into Israel on March 2 to avenge
the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei in Israeli-U.S.
attacks. Lebanese authorities say that 118 children have been killed and 370
others wounded. Abu-Sittah said he had seen "partial limb amputations, brain
injuries, shrapnel in the face, shrapnel in the eye, penetrating abdominal
shrapnel, a lot of fractures, a lot of broken bones, a lot of soft tissue
damage... and all of this in one child."
Such wounds mean "lots of surgeries", he added, dark rings under his eyes.
War an 'endemic disease' -
He recalled three sisters who were brought to the hospital around a fortnight
ago. "Their injuries are so bad, I have to take them to the operating room every
48 hours... to get rid of more of the dead tissue and clean the wounds so that
at some stage, they're ready for the reconstructive surgery," he said.
Born in Kuwait to a Palestinian refugee father from Gaza and a Lebanese mother,
Abu-Sittah has dedicated his life to treating wounded civilians in the region.
War is the "endemic disease" of the Middle East, said Abu-Sittah. But "you never
get used to" children suffering, he said. "A child should never become faceless,
they never become numbers."His first experience of conflict was as a medical
student in 1991 after the withdrawal of Iraqi troops from Kuwait during the
first Gulf War, and treating the wounded would soon become his mission. He
graduated in the United Kingdom and over the decades has worked repeatedly in
Gaza and Lebanon, as well as in Iraq and Yemen. After Palestinian militant group
Hamas' October 7, 2023 attack on Israel sparked war in Gaza, Abu-Sittah spent
more than a month in the Palestinian territory. Lebanon this time is "a kind of
small version of Gaza", Abu-Sittah said. While the death toll in Lebanon is far
lower, health facilities and workers in the country have paid a heavy price,
with the health ministry saying 40 health workers have been killed and 119
wounded.
Ongoing care
Abu-Sittah said four hospitals in Beirut's southern suburbs had been forced to
evacuate, "one of which has a big intensive care unit for children", amid
persistent Israeli bombardment of the area. He said some badly wounded children
have died because they were not transferred in time from parts of the country
where health facilities are less equipped than those in Beirut. "The Israelis
are targeting the ambulances, and so moving kids from one hospital in Nabatiyeh
or in the Bekaa is very dangerous," he said, referring to a city in south
Lebanon and to east Lebanon's Bekaa valley area.
"It can only happen during the day, and it takes a long time," he added. The
Israeli military has accused Hezbollah of using ambulances "for military
purposes", an accusation Lebanon's health ministry has described as "a
justification" for crimes "against humanity". In 2024, the doctor created the
Ghassan Abu-Sittah Children's Fund, which aims to provide medical care in Gaza
and Lebanon and ongoing support to wounded children after they leave hospital.
Abu-Sittah said his youngest patient in Lebanon now was a four-year-old boy
whose parents and three siblings were killed, and who will need major long-term
physical and psychological support after suffering a head wound and an amputated
foot."Who's going to look after them when they go home?" Abu-Sittah said. Many
wounded children "come from poor backgrounds who don't have the means to manage
all of this", he added. "It's not just the body that's destroyed, it's the
family unit that's destroyed."
Lebanon Disaster Risk Management Unit says Karantina site
is precautionary, not for immediate use
LBCI/22 March/2026
The Disaster Risk Management Unit said that reports circulating about a site
being prepared in Karantina are not accurate. The unit explained that the site
is being prepared as a precautionary measure and not for immediate use, noting
that its intended purpose has not yet been determined. It also confirmed that
the site is located outside the Port of Beirut area and does not affect
operations there in any way. The site is about one kilometer from residential
neighborhoods, and if work begins there, it will be accompanied by the necessary
measures to maintain public safety and good relations with the local community.
The area is also under the supervision of the Lebanese army and relevant
security forces.The unit also stressed the need for responsible and calm
discourse on the issue, away from misinformation and exaggeration, in order to
protect the public interest, national unity and the country’s stability.
PM Salam to Al Hadath: Each Hezbollah rocket costs Lebanon
10,000 displaced people
LBCI/22 March/2026
Lebanon’s Prime Minister Nawaf Salam said the government will not back down from
its decision to restrict weapons to the authority of the Lebanese state, while
confirming that Lebanon is seeking direct negotiations aimed at securing a
ceasefire and an Israeli withdrawal from Lebanese territory. In an interview
with Al Hadath, Salam said that the issue of restricting weapons has become more
urgent following the heavy cost of what he described as the “support war,”
adding that the government has effectively dropped the concept of a ban on
negotiations with Israel. Salam said there is still no set agenda for
negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, but confirmed that the Lebanese
initiative to negotiate remains on the table. He added that Lebanon is working
to form a unified national delegation to conduct negotiations, stressing that
the goal of direct talks would be to reach a ceasefire and secure Israel’s
withdrawal from Lebanon. The prime minister also addressed internal political
tensions, saying there had been no shouting or confrontation with the army
commander, and stressed that he is not calling for a confrontation with
Hezbollah, but said he would not accept being subjected to political pressure or
“blackmail.”Salam also said that each of Hezbollah’s six rockets fired during
the conflict resulted in the displacement of 10,000 Lebanese civilians,
highlighting the scale of displacement caused by the war. He added that the
ministerial statement, which affirmed the principle of restricting weapons to
the state, had received the confidence of Hezbollah, but the party’s rockets, in
addition to the extensive damage they caused, also threatened the government’s
credibility. He concluded by saying that accusations that the government had
failed in its duties toward displaced people were aimed at diverting attention
away from holding Hezbollah accountable.
Lebanon president calls Israeli bridge strikes ‘prelude to ground invasion’
Al Arabiya English/22 March/2026
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun on Sunday slammed Israeli strikes on bridges and
other infrastructure in the country’s south, calling such attacks a “prelude to
a ground invasion.”Aoun “condemned Israel’s targeting and destruction of
infrastructure and vital facilities in southern Lebanon, particularly the
Qasmiyeh bridge over the Litani River and other bridges,” a presidency statement
said. “These attacks represent a dangerous escalation and flagrant violation of
Lebanon’s sovereignty, and are considered a prelude to a ground invasion,” Aoun
said.Israel earlier said it struck Hezbollah targets in south Lebanon shortly
after the military was ordered to destroy bridges used by the Iran-backed
militant group across the Litani River. Lebanese official media reported Israeli
raids in several areas of the south, while smoke was seen billowing from a key
bridge that was hit outside the city of Tyre, in an escalation in violence in
Lebanon after two days of relative reprieve. Lebanon was pulled into the Middle
East war when Hezbollah began firing rockets into Israel on March 2 to avenge
the killing of Iran’s supreme leader Ali Khamenei in Israeli-US attacks. Israel
has sent troops into Lebanon and carried out extensive airstrikes in the
country, while Hezbollah has kept up rocket barrages.Israel’s military said it
began “a wide wave of strikes” against Hezbollah infrastructure in southern
Lebanon. Earlier Sunday, Israel said rocket fire from Lebanon killed one person,
the first fatality there due to Hezbollah fire since the latest war erupted
three weeks ago.
Two Israeli soldiers had previously been killed in southern Lebanon, according
to the military. Lebanon’s health ministry said four people were killed on
Sunday in two strikes in the south, while authorities have reported 1,029 dead
in three weeks of conflict and more than one million displaced.
Bridges
Israel’s ZAKA 360 emergency response unit said a person was pronounced dead
after a strike on their vehicle “carried out by a rocket fired from
Lebanon.”Local firefighters said flames had engulfed two vehicles after a
“direct hit” in the northern Israeli kibbutz community of Misgav Am. Hezbollah
said in a statement that its fighters targeted “a gathering of Israeli enemy
soldiers” in Misgav Am “with a rocket barrage.”It was among a series of attacks
the group claimed on Sunday, mainly against Israeli troops in northern Israel
and in southern Lebanon, where Israeli soldiers have been carrying out ground
incursions. Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said in a statement that he and
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu instructed the military “to
immediately destroy all the bridges over the Litani River that are used for
terrorist activity, in order to prevent Hezbollah terrorists and weapons from
moving south.” The Litani River runs around 30 kilometers (20 miles) north of
the Israeli border. The Israeli army later bombed the key Qasmiyeh bridge on a
main highway outside Tyre, partially destroying it. Earlier this week, Israel
attacked two bridges spanning the Litani, also alleging they were being used by
Hezbollah.
‘Commander’ killed
Katz said the military was also instructed to “accelerate the demolition of
Lebanese houses in the contact villages in order to thwart threats to Israeli
communities.”Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency also reported at least one
strike on the Bekaa Valley in the country’s east.Hezbollah said its fighters
repeatedly targeted Israeli soldiers and vehicles in or near the border town of
Taybeh, as well as in or near the strategic town of Khiyam, where the group has
repeatedly said it has targeted Israeli forces in recent days.On Saturday,
Hezbollah said its fighters clashed with Israeli forces in Khiyam and in the
coastal town of Naqoura. The group also claimed attacks on northern Israel on
Saturday, including targeting an air defense system in Maalot-Tarshiha, where
Israeli public broadcaster Kan 11 reported three people were lightly wounded.
The Israeli military said it killed a fighter on Saturday who was the “commander
of the special forces in Hezbollah’s Radwan Force,” referring to the group’s
elite unit. Israel has warned residents of swathes of south Lebanon to evacuate
and has said it wants to create a buffer zone in Lebanon to protect residents of
northern Israel.
The War on Hezbollah-The Iranian Terrorist Proxy Continues/LCCC website
The just war being waged by the United States and Israel against Iran and its
proxies—devils, terrorists, drug traffickers, and mafia networks—continues
relentlessly and will not stop before their complete defeat.
To follow the news, below are- links to several
important news websites:
National News Agency (Lebanon)
https://www.nna-leb.gov.lb/ar
Nidaa Al Watan
https://www.nidaalwatan.com/
MTV Lebanon
https://www.mtv.com.lb/
Voice of Lebanon
https://www.vdl.me/
Asas Media
https://asasmedia.com/
Naharnet
https://www.naharnet.com/
Al Markazia News Agency
https://almarkazia.com/ar
LBCI (English)
https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/en
LBCI (Arabic)
https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/ar
Janoubia Website
https://www.lbcgroup.tv/news/ar
Kataeb Party Official Website
https://www.kataeb.org
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports
And News published
on March 22-23/2026
Trump gives Iran 48 hours to
open Hormuz as Tehran strikes Israel
Agence France Presse/22 March/2026
U.S. President Donald Trump on Saturday gave Iran 48 hours to reopen the Strait
of Hormuz to shipping or face the destruction of its energy infrastructure, as
Tehran launched its most destructive attack yet on Israel. The ultimatum, made
just a day after the U.S. leader said he was considering "winding down" military
operations after three weeks of war, came as the key oil passage remained
effectively closed and thousands more American Marines headed to the Middle
East. Trump wrote on Truth Social that the U.S. would "hit and obliterate"
Iranian power plants -- "starting with the biggest one first" -- if Tehran did
not fully reopen the strait within 48 hours, or 23:44 GMT on Monday according to
the time of his post. Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Tehran had imposed
restrictions only on vessels from countries involved in attacks against Iran,
and would assist others that stayed out of the conflict. In response to Trump's
threat, Iran's army said it will target energy, desalination infrastructure
"belonging to the U.S. and the regime in the region," according to the Fars news
agency. Trump's ultimatum Saturday landed hours after two Iranian missiles
struck southern Israel, injuring more than 100 people in the most destructive
attack since the war began. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed to
retaliate "on all fronts."The strikes, which slipped through Israel's missile
defence systems, tore open the facades of residential buildings and carved
craters into the ground. First responders said 84 people were injured in the
town of Arad, 10 of them seriously. Hours earlier, 33 were wounded in nearby
Dimona, where AFPTV footage showed a large hole gouged into the ground next to
piles of rubble and twisted metal. Dimona hosts a facility widely believed to be
the site of the Middle East's only nuclear arsenal, although Israel has never
admitted to possessing nuclear weapons. The Israeli army told AFP there had been
a "direct missile hit on a building" in Dimona, with casualties reported at
multiple sites, including a 10-year-old boy in serious condition with shrapnel
wounds. In Arad, emergency workers combed through the rubble of heavily damaged
buildings. Netanyahu vowed to continue striking Iran after what he called a
"very difficult evening" and hours later, the Israeli military said its forces
launched a wave of strikes on Tehran. Iran said the targeting of Dimona was
retaliation for Israeli strikes on its Natanz nuclear facility, with the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) saying forces also targeted other southern
Israeli towns as well as military sites in Kuwait and the UAE. Following the
Natanz attack, U.N. nuclear watchdog chief Rafael Grossi reiterated his call for
"military restraint to avoid any risk of a nuclear accident."The Natanz facility
hosts underground centrifuges used to enrich uranium for Iran's disputed nuclear
program and sustained damage in the June 2025 war. The Israeli military denied
it was behind the Natanz strike, but said it had struck a facility at a Tehran
university that it claimed was being used to develop nuclear weapon components
for Iran's ballistic missile programme.
Hormuz base
The destruction in Israel capped three weeks of heavy US-Israeli bombardment
that appeared to have done little to blunt Iran's ability to retaliate with
missile and drone attacks across the region. Iran also launched an unsuccessful
ballistic-missile attack on the U.S.-UK base at Diego Garcia, around 4,000
kilometres (2,500 miles) away, a UK official told AFP -- which would have been
the longest-range Iranian strike yet had it succeeded. The United Arab Emirates
said Saturday it faced aerial attacks after Iran warned it against allowing
strikes from its territory on disputed islands near the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has choked off the vital waterway, which carries a fifth of global crude
oil trade in peacetime. The standoff has sent crude oil prices soaring, with
North Sea Brent crude now trading above $105 a barrel, as long-term consequences
for the global economy become an acute concern. A joint statement from the
leaders of several countries -- including the UK, France, Italy, Germany, South
Korea, Australia, the UAE and Bahrain -- condemned the "de facto closure of the
Strait of Hormuz by Iranian forces.""We express our readiness to contribute to
appropriate efforts to ensure safe passage through the Strait," they said.
Trump has slammed NATO allies as "cowards" and urged them to secure the strait.
Remarkable endurance? -
Analysts say Iran's government has survived the loss of its top leaders and that
its strike capacity is proving more durable than expected. "They're showing a
lot of resilience that we didn't perhaps expect, that the U.S. didn't expect,
when it took this on," Neil Quilliam of Chatham House told the think tank's
podcast. Tehran, meanwhile, marked the end of Ramadan as the war entered its
fourth week. Iran's supreme leader traditionally leads Eid al-Fitr prayers, but
Mojtaba Khamenei -- who came to power earlier this month after his father Ali
Khamenei was killed -- has remained out of the public eye. Instead, the head of
the judiciary, Gholam Hossein Mohseni Ejei, attended prayers at central Tehran's
overflowing Imam Khomeini grand mosque. "The atmosphere of the New Year was
spreading through the city," said Farid, an advertising executive reached by AFP
through an online message.
But "the thought that some people could be dying right at the New Year dinner
table was painful," he added.
Iran says to completely close Hormuz if US targets power
plants
Agence France Presse/22 March/2026
Iran's military threatened on Sunday to completely shut down the strategic
Strait of Hormuz if U.S. President Donald Trump acts on threats to target the
country's power plants. Trump has given Iran 48 hours to reopen the strait which
has been effectively closed since the start of the war sparked on February 28 by
U.S.-Israeli bombardment of Iran. The war has since spread across the Middle
East, with Iran responding with drone and missile attacks on Israel and U.S.
interests in the region. "If the United States' threats regarding Iran's power
plants are carried out... the Strait of Hormuz will be completely closed, and it
will not be reopened until our destroyed power plants are rebuilt," the
military's operational command Khatam Al-Anbiya said in a statement carried by
state TV. The military said it would also strike Israel's "power plants, energy,
and information and communications technology (ICT) infrastructure", along with
power plants in regional countries hosting US bases and companies with US
shareholders. It added that the measures will be taken "to defend our country
and the interests of our nation".Traffic through the vital strait -- through
which 20 percent of the world's crude oil and liquefied natural gas normally
passes -- has been brought to a near-standstill since the start of the war.A
relatively small number of vessels have been able to transit it -- around five
percent of its pre-war volume, according to analytics firm Kpler. Iranian forces
have attacked multiple vessels, saying they failed to heed "warnings" against
transiting the waterway.In recent days, Iran has allowed some vessels from
countries it considers friendly to pass, while warning it would block ships from
countries it says have joined the "aggression" against it. Iran's parliament is
mulling imposing tolls on shipping through the strait with Parliament Speaker
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf saying maritime traffic would "not return to its
pre-war status".
US may ‘escalate to de-escalate’ against Iran: Treasury chief
AFP/22 March/2026
The United States may need to “escalate” its attacks against Iran to be able to
wind down the war, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Sunday, after President
Donald Trump gave seemingly contradictory trajectories for the US military
campaign. Trump on Saturday threatened to “obliterate” Iranian energy plants if
Tehran did not fully open the pivotal Strait of Hormuz, just a day after saying
US objectives were “very close” and that he was considering “winding down” the
war. Asked on NBC’s “Meet the Press” if Trump was winding down or escalating the
war, Bessent said: “They’re not mutually exclusive. Sometimes you have to
escalate to de-escalate.”“This is the only language the Iranians understand,” he
argued. Iran’s threats against shipping through the Strait of Hormuz, through
which about a fifth of global gas and oil supplies flows, have caused energy
prices to soar around the world. Bessent, as part of efforts to abate market
turmoil, has temporarily lifted US sanctions on Iranian and Russian oil that had
already been loaded onto ships. But the move has produced some backlash, with
critics saying it will provide funding to Iran at the same time that the
US-Israeli conflict is ongoing.
Asked on NBC about the contradiction, Bessent defended the move as helping
alleviate pressure on US partners and lower the price Iran can receive for its
oil. “That Iranian oil was always going to be sold to the Chinese. It was going
to be sold at a discount... So which is better? If oil prices spiked to $150 and
they (Iran) were getting 70 percent of that, or oil prices below 100?”The spike
in crude prices has also seen costs at the pump across the United States quickly
rise, creating potential political risks for the president just months before
the midterm elections. Bessent on Sunday refused to put a timeline on when
Americans should expect prices to moderate, while arguing that the electorate
will agree that removing Iran’s nuclear threat will be worth the temporary
costs. “I don’t know whether it’s going to be 30 days. I don’t know whether it’s
going to be 50 days. I don’t know whether it’s going to be 100 days,” he said.
“But to have 50 years of peace in the Middle East and know that the Iranian
regime is defanged,” will be worth it. Meanwhile, the exiled son of Iran’s last
shah Reza Pahlavi called on Trump and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
to refrain from targeting Iran’s civilian infrastructure, because it “belongs to
the Iranian people and to the future of a free Iran.” “Iran must be protected.
The regime must be dismantled,” US-based Pahlavi, who wields influence among the
diaspora but holds no official position, said in a post on X Sunday.
Iran threatens to 'irreversibly destroy' region's
infrastructure if own attacked
Agence France Presse/22 March/2026
Iran's powerful parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf threatened on Sunday
to irreversibly destroy vital infrastructure across the region if the United
States and Israel attacked its own. "Immediately after power plants and
infrastructure in our country are targeted, vital infrastructure as well as
energy and oil infrastructure across the entire region will be considered
legitimate targets and will be irreversibly destroyed," Ghalibaf said in a post
on X. He warned that oil prices would then "rise for a long time."
Netanyahu visits town hit by Iran strike, vows to target
Guards leaders
Agence France Presse/22 March/2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu vowed on Sunday to pursue senior
commanders of Iran's Revolutionary Guards "personally", during a visit to an
Israeli town struck by an Iranian missile the previous day. "We're going after
the regime. We're going after the IRGC, this criminal gang," Netanyahu said, as
he inspected the damage in the southern town of Arad. "We're going after them
personally, their leaders, their installations, their economic assets. We're
going after them personally."
Iran missiles targeting Diego Garcia base fell short,
intercepted: UK minister
AFP/22 March/2026
UK minister Steve Reed on Sunday said one missile launched by Iran targeting a
joint UK-US military base in the Indian Ocean “fell short” while another missile
was “intercepted.”“Our assessment is that the Iranians certainly targeted Diego
Garcia,” a military base some 4,000 kilometres (2,500 miles) away from Iran,
Reed told the BBC. “As we understand it, one missile fell short, failed, the
other was intercepted and prevented,” said the housing minister, who was
representing the government on the Sunday morning shows. “But I don’t think it’s
a surprise this has happened, Iran has been recklessly firing missiles around
the region,” he added. Diego Garcia, part of the Chagos Islands archipelago, is
one of two bases which the UK has allowed the United States to use for what the
British government insists are “defensive operations” in its war against Iran.
The Wall Street Journal first reported Friday that Iran had aimed two ballistic
missiles at the base, which is a key hub for Washington’s Asia operations,
including the US bombing campaigns in Afghanistan and Iraq. While neither hit
their target, the launch suggests that Tehran has missiles with longer ranges
than previously thought. American forces have stationed bombers and other
equipment at Diego Garcia. On Friday, the UK government said it would allow
Washington to use its bases in Diego Garcia and Fairford in southwest England to
target Iranian “missile sites and capabilities being used to attack ships in the
Strait of Hormuz’.A UK official source confirmed that Iran’s “unsuccessful
targeting of Diego Garcia” took place before Friday’s announcement. Reed
insisted that the “UK will not be dragged into this conflict”, adding that there
was “no specific assessment that the Iranians are targeting the UK or even
could, if they wanted to.’He also highlighted the contrasting positions taken by
the UK and the United States on the war, with British leader Keir Starmer
attracting US President Donald Trump’s ire in recent weeks. “It is not the first
time in history that the United Kingdom and a British prime minister has taken a
different view from the US president. It happened in Vietnam,” said Reed.
Saudi Arabia downs 24 drones in Eastern Province
Al Arabiya English/22 March/2026
The Saudi Ministry of Defense on Sunday announced the interception and
destruction of at least 24 drones in the Kingdom’s Eastern Province. The
ministry also said three ballistic missiles were launched toward Riyadh
Province. One was intercepted, while the other two fell in an uninhabited area,
it added. The incidents come amid escalating tensions with Iran. On Saturday,
Saudi Arabia declared several members of Iran’s embassy staff persona non grata,
ordering them to leave the Kingdom within 24 hours. The United States and Israel
launched strikes on Iran on February 28 that killed its supreme leader and
triggered a war in the Middle East. Tehran has since responded with drone and
missile attacks across the region, including strikes on neighboring Gulf
countries that say they are neither involved in the conflict nor have allowed
their territory to be used to launch attacks. According to an Al Arabiya tally,
Iran has launched far more missiles and drones at Gulf states than at Israel
since the war began, with about 85 percent of its attacks targeting Gulf
countries compared with roughly 15 percent aimed at Israel.
EU's Kallas spoke with Iran's FM on Sunday, official says
LBCI/Reuters/22 March/2026
European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas held a phone call with Iran’s
Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi on Sunday, an EU official told Reuters.
Meanwhile, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed steps to end the war
between Iran, the United States and Israel with counterparts from Iran and
Egypt, as well as U.S. officials and the European Union, a Turkish diplomatic
source said. The source said Fidan had held separate calls with Araghchi, Kallas,
EgySeven killed in Qatar helicopter crash
ptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty, and U.S. officials, without elaborating
further.
Seven killed in Qatar helicopter crash
Al Arabiya English/AFP/22 March/2026
Seven people have been killed in a helicopter crash in Qatar’s territorial
waters on Sunday including four Qatari military personnel and three Turkish
nationals, the Ministry of Defense said. The ministry identified the deceased as
Captain (Pilot) Mubarak Salem Daway al-Marri, Captain (Pilot) Saeed Nasser
Samekh, Sergeant Fahad Hadi Ghanem al-khayarin, and Corporal Mohammed Maher
Mohammed from Qatar Armed Forces, Major Sinan Taştekin from Qatar - Turkey Joint
Forces, and Turkish civilian collaborators Suleiman Cemra Kahraman and Ismail
Anas Can. The Turkish defense ministry said: “A Qatari armed forces helicopter,
which was carrying out a training exercise as part of the Qatar-Turkey Joint
Forces Command, crashed into the sea.”“A member of the Turkish armed forces and
two Aselsan technicians” were killed in the crash, the ministry said, referring
to the Turkish defense giant. The announcement came after the Qatari defense
ministry announced earlier on Sunday that a helicopter crashed after a
“technical malfunction.”“A Qatari helicopter had a technical malfunction during
a routine duty, which led to its crash in the regional waters of the State,” the
defense ministry said in a statement posted to X.
Paris will be 'heart of resistance' against right in 2027 vote: Mayor-elect
LBCI/AFP/22 March/2026
Leftist Emmanuel Gregoire, who pollsters predicted was elected mayor of Paris
Sunday, said the French capital would resist the right and far right in the
lead-up to next year's presidential polls. "Paris will be the heart of the
resistance against this alliance of the right, which seeks to take away what we
hold most precious and fragile: the simple joy of living together," Gregoire
said after projections landed from the second-round runoff of local elections.
US envoy Witkoff says progress made in talks with
Ukraine on ending war with Russia
LBCI/Reuters/22 March/2026
U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff confirmed on Sunday that progress had been made
during talks with Ukraine on ending the war with Russia, a goal President Donald
Trump pledged to achieve when he took office 14 months ago. Witkoff wrote on X
that the two-day talks in Florida focused on narrowing remaining gaps and
addressing outstanding issues, noting progress on a key humanitarian matter. The
report added that Trump has repeatedly pressured Ukraine to make concessions to
end the war that began in February 2022.
UK’s Starmer to hold Monday meeting on Iran war’s economic
impact
Reuters/AFP/22 March/2026
British Prime Minister Keir Starmer will hold an emergency meeting on Monday to
discuss the impact of the Iran war on the economy, a British government official
said. Andrew Bailey, the governor of the Bank of England, is expected to attend
the so-called COBRA meeting, the official said on Sunday. UK minister Steve Reed
on Sunday said one missile launched by Iran targeting a joint UK-US military
base in the Indian Ocean “fell short” while another missile was “intercepted.”Diego
Garcia, part of the Chagos Islands archipelago, is one of two bases which the UK
has allowed the United States to use for what the British government insists are
“defensive operations” in its war against Iran.
One dead in Istanbul after gas explosion collapses two
buildings
The Associated Press/22 March/2026
A natural gas explosion in Istanbul’s central Fatih district brought down two
buildings on Sunday, killing one person. Search and rescue personnel pulled out
10 injured who were hospitalized, including one in critical condition, according
to a statement by the Istanbul Governor’s office.The governor, Davut Gul,
visited the site of the explosion and checked on survivors at the hospital. One
of the collapsed buildings had two stories, the other one.
News of
the ongoing war between Iran on one side and the US and Israel on the other. The
news is abundant, fragmented, and difficult to keep track of as it evolves
constantly. For those wishing to follow the course of the war, the following are
links to several television channels and newspapers:
Asharq Al-Awsat Newspaper
https://aawsat.com/
National News Agency
https://www.nna-leb.gov.lb/ar
Al Arabiya/Arabic
https://www.alarabiya.net/
Sky News
https://www.youtube.com/@SkyNewsArabia
Nidaa Al Watan
https://www.nidaalwatan.com/
Al Markazia
https://www.nidaalwatan.com/
Al Hadath
https://www.youtube.com/@AlHadath
Independent Arabia
https://www.independentarabia.com/
The Latest
LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on March 22-23/2026
ريموند إبراهيم من معهد كايتستون: قائمة مفصلة بوقائع اضطهاد المسيحيين خلال شهر
كانون الأول لسنة 2025
برأيك ماذا سيحدث عندما يصبحون الأغلبية؟
22 آذار/2026/ترجمة من الإنكليزية بحرية مطلقة بواسطة الياس بجاني بالإستعانة
الكبيرة بمواقع ترجمة ألكترونية
What Do You Think Will Happen When They Are in the Majority?: The Persecution of
Christians, December 2025
Raymond Ibrahim/Gatestone Institute/March 22/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/03/152989/
“They had the audacity to tell us that we are poor Christians, and we should be
thankful that their son had only sodomized the child, ‘not raped her’…. Muslims
think that they can commit any crime against us, and no one would dare oppose
them.” — Father of a 6-year-old girl attacked by her tutor, morningstarnews.org,
December 17, 2025, Pakistan.
On December 30, a young man of “North African” appearance stabbed a priest
multiple times in a busy street in broad daylight. Don Rodrigo Grajales Gaviria,
45, was stabbed from behind while walking in Modena’s historic center. —
December 30, 2025, Italy.
On December 15, the Muslim-led MyLahore Group, led by Ishfaq Farooq, renamed
Bradford’s Christmas Market, of which it is in charge, to “Winter Market”… “Once
again, Christmas is the thing being diluted, renamed, and pushed aside – not
because it offends everyone, but because it offends a very specific worldview
that refuses to integrate.” — X, December 15, 2025, United Kingdom.
“A Muslim mass besieges the St. Martin’s Cathedral, shouting ‘Allahu Akbar.’…
This is just the trailer. What do you think will happen when they are in the
majority?” — X, December 10, 2025, The Netherlands
On December 1, a Sri Lankan national, identified only as “YA,” successfully
appealed the UK Home Office’s rejection of his asylum claim. He had been
arrested in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings — Islamic
State-claimed suicide attacks on Christian churches and hotels that killed 269
people, including British nationals. The UK is nevertheless considering granting
him asylum. — December 1, 2025, United Kingdom.
On December 30, a young man of “North African” appearance stabbed a priest
multiple times in a busy street in broad daylight. Don Rodrigo Grajales Gaviria,
45, was stabbed from behind while walking in the historic center of Modena,
Italy.
Muslim Rape of Christians in Pakistan
On December 10, in Punjab Province, a Muslim man in his early 20s, Muhammad
Uzair Riaz Dogar, “sodomized” a 6-year-old Christian girl during a tutoring
session at his home. The victim, daughter of impoverished Salvation Army church
member Saleem Masih, had been tutored by the suspect’s sister for four months.
While the female tutor was away, the brother let all Muslim children leave but
forcibly took the Christian girl to another room and assaulted her. She was
found crying in pain, clothes blood-soaked; hospital examination confirmed
sodomy. The perpetrator was eventually arrested, but his family tried to
pressure the family to withdraw charges and settle, making derogatory remarks
exploiting their Christian poverty. According to the girl’s father:
“They had the audacity to tell us that we are poor Christians, and we should be
thankful that their son had only sodomized the child, ‘not raped her,’ which
would have brought dishonor and shame to us… Muslims think that they can commit
any crime against us, and no one would dare oppose them.”
He added the suspect had previously assaulted another Christian girl whose
family stayed silent due to threats, but “we are not going to back down from our
case, come what may.” Threats included making their lives miserable if there is
no settlement. Discussing this incident, human rights activist Katherine Sapna
said:
“Many poor Christian families tend to shy from taking legal action against their
powerful oppressors for fear of social stigma and threats to their lives, but we
were encouraged by the Masih family’s resolve… It’s very unfortunate that this
family has been forced to relocate from their village just days before
Christmas.”
Separately, on December 7, a 14-year-old Christian girl was abducted and raped
by Muslim neighbors Muhammad Zohaib (the rapist) and two others (involved in the
abduction). The girl, from a poor family led by her 21-year-old brother Sahil
George (breadwinner after their father’s death 15 years ago), left home to buy
bread when the men forced her at gunpoint onto a motorcycle, took her to a
house, locked her in a room, and Zohaib raped her. She was later dumped
semi-unconscious outside; family found her after a search, took her to hospital
(where a medical exam confirmed rape), and police arrested the three—though
Bilal Arshad and Shamil were released after Zohaib claimed sole responsibility.
According to her brother, Sahil:
“She was approached on the street by Muhammad Bilal Arshad and Muhammad Zohaib,
who forced her at gunpoint to sit on their motorcycle and took her to a house…
They locked her in a room, where Zohaib raped her.”
He linked it to revenge:
“My friends and I had a fight with Bilal and his group after they refused to
give us the cash prize and trophy that we had won… We eventually took the money
and the trophy, and because of that they held a grudge against me…. Zohaib and
Bilal Arshad had confronted my sister on the street days before the incident and
warned her that they would take revenge for what they considered their
humiliation…. Some people are trying to pressure me to reach a settlement with
the accused… But how can I compromise on my sister’s honor and her life? If they
wanted revenge, they should have taken it from me. Instead, they targeted my
younger sister, scarring her for life and causing our family immense mental and
emotional suffering.”
The Muslim Slaughter of Christians
Italy: On December 30, a young man of “North African” appearance stabbed a
priest multiple times in a busy street in broad daylight. Don Rodrigo Grajales
Gaviria, 45, was stabbed from behind while walking in Modena’s historic center.
According to witnesses, the young “North African” approached silently, struck
multiple times with his knife (including a severe wound to the neck and throat,
and one to the back) before fleeing. No words were exchanged; no robbery attempt
took place (nothing stolen, no demand made). Witnesses helping him called
emergency services; the priest was rushed to a hospital for urgent surgery to
control bleeding from his neck wound, which narrowly missed major vessels.
Initially in serious condition, he was last reported as having stabilized.
Parish priest Don Graziano Gavioli emphasized that the assault was not a robbery
but “an aggression carried out with the sole purpose of wounding.” The attack
was reminiscent an attack in 2023, when a Muslim from Morocco carried out a
machete attack on two Catholic churches in Algeciras. They killed a sacristan
and seriously wounded a priest at San Isidro. Spanish authorities treated the
assault as a jihadist-motivated terrorist attack and arrested him at the scene.
Pakistan: On December 5, the Rev. Kamran Salamat, a 45-year-old Presbyterian
pastor and missionary in Gujranwala, was riddled with bullets in the Muslim
majority nation. An unidentified motorcyclist (possibly with two accomplices)
gunned him down outside his home in front of his 16-year-old daughter as he
prepared to take her to college. He was shot in at least three places and died
three hours later at a hospital. This attack followed one in September 2025
where Salamat survived being shot in the leg. According to a church leader:
“It’s quite possible that he was martyred due to his missionary work” among
Muslim tribesmen.
Pastor Naeem Nasir stated that Muslim extremists “had been pursuing him and
threatening him everywhere he went” to stop his gospel proclamation. Nasir added
that they “wanted to stop his passion for preaching the gospel” even after he
relocated.
Uganda: On December 12, Muslims slaughtered evangelist Konkona Kasimu, a
42-year-old convert from Islam, shortly after a public Christian-Muslim dialogue
event in Busia town organized by New Eden Church. Kasimu, known for his
expertise in both the Bible and Koran, led the open-air dialogue from December
8-12. The event resulted in several Muslims publicly converting to Christianity,
heightening tensions further. After the final day, local Christians sheltered
him briefly before the four-person evangelism team departed around 6:30 p.m. on
two motorcycles. In the Nakalama swamp area, four men in Islamic attire stopped
them under the pretense of needing help. One recognized Kasimu as “the
evangelist involved in the Busia dialogue” and struck him on the head. They
assaulted team member Recheal Kyakuwa, who lost consciousness, while the other
motorcyclist managed to flee. Kasimu died from his injuries. Pastor Jeremiah
Kasowe said:
“Kasimu was killed because of advancing the Kingdom of God. We have lost a great
man who was well-versed in both the Quran and the Bible and used that knowledge
to witness Christ to many people.”
Nigeria: In a December 15 incident, Fulani tribesmen attacked internally
displaced persons in Benue State, and killed four Christians. The assailants
chanted “Allahu Akbar” while targeting victims, abusing and “torturing” women.
Separately, on December 3, Nigerian Anglicans mourned the murder of Venerable
Edwin Achi, an Anglican priest kidnapped from his home in Kaduna State on
October 28 along with his wife and daughter. The Muslim kidnappers had demanded
an outrageous ransom, which the priest’s family and church could not raise, so
they murdered him. His wife and daughter reportedly remain in captivity.
Discussing this murder, Archbishop Henry Ndukuba said:
“This kind of violence and cruelty that continues to ravage communities has no
place in any society that seeks peace and prosperity… [Achi was] a faithful
servant of God whose life of sacrifice and compassion was cut short.”
The Muslim Slaughter of Christians in Churches
Sudan: On December 25, a Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) drone strike targeted
Christians in the Julud area, South Kordofan state, as they marched in
procession to the Episcopal Church of Sudan for Christmas Day celebrations. The
church building was not hit, but the drone struck the congregation en route.
They killed at least 11 Christians and seriously wounded at least 18 others
(reportedly up to 19). “The drone targeted civilians who were celebrating
Christmas,” the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North reported.
Nigeria: On Sunday, December 7, Muslim gunmen attacked St. Andrews Anglican
Church in Anambra State, as Christians gathered for early morning worship. The
assailants shot indiscriminately, killing two Christians—the wife of the
Anglican priest and another church member—wounding several congregants,
abducting the priest, and setting the church building, priest’s residence,
vehicles, and nearby homes on fire.
Niger: On December 24, around 11:00 pm, armed Muslims, described by the report
as “suspected jihadists,” stormed a church in Mailo village during a Christian
Eve service. They fired into the air, causing panic among worshippers. A
Christian couple fled and hid in their nearby house, but the assailants followed
and slaughtered them. Other worshippers scattered into the bushes or neighboring
villages.
The Christmas Jihad
Germany: On December 12, authorities arrested five Muslim men — three Moroccans
(aged 22, 28 and 30); a 56-year-old Egyptian described as a prayer leader and
imam at a mosque in Dingolfing-Landau, and a 37-year-old Syrian—at the Suben
border crossing in Bavaria. They were suspected of plotting a vehicle-ramming
attack on a Christmas market in the Dingolfing-Landau area “to kill or injure as
many people as possible” during the festive season. The Egyptian had called on
the Moroccans during mosque gatherings to commit the attack.
France: According to a December 3 report, France needed to step up security at
Christmas markets nationwide due to a “very high” terror threat level. Interior
Minister Laurent Nuñez sent a memo urging regional officials to mobilize
intelligence services for “detection, prevention and, where necessary, thwarting
of terrorist threats,” including pedestrian traffic control, parking and traffic
restrictions, and enhanced video surveillance at festive events.
The UK Foreign Office warned that “terrorists are very likely to try to carry
out attacks in France.” They cited risks of attacks with knives, guns, bombs or
vehicles, based on precedents, such as the 2018 Strasbourg Christmas market
attack by a Muslim, who killed five and wounded 11 with a knife and a revolver.
The UK Foreign Office also noted a shift to younger, impulsive jihadists (aged
15-22 in many recent plots), with six attacks thwarted in 2025 alone.
Le Monde highlighted “a new generation of terrorists who are likely to be more
unpredictable… impulsive, reducing the chance of early detection.”
Belgium: Muslims stormed the opening night of Brussels’ Christmas market, waving
Palestinian flags and setting off smoke bombs. Video footage shows them chanting
amid festive lights, with signs reading “From the River to the Sea.” In the
words of one post:
“Muslims STORMED the opening night of the Christmas market… scaring families.
Coming to YOUR town if Islam is not exiled from the West.”
On another day, December 1, the same Muslim protesters decapitated the Baby
Jesus from the Grand Place Nativity scene at the Christmas market.
United Kingdom: On December 15, the Muslim-led MyLahore Group, led by Ishfaq
Farooq, renamed Bradford’s Christmas Market, of which it is in charge, to
“Winter Market.” According to the post:
“Many locals believe this change is ideological, not cosmetic – arguing it
reflects Islamist sensibilities that are hostile to Christmas and Britain’s
Christian heritage. Once again, Christmas is the thing being diluted, renamed,
and pushed aside – not because it offends everyone, but because it offends a
very specific worldview that refuses to integrate.”
Nigeria: A December 16 report stated that Nigerian Christians face a tense
Christmas amid ongoing jihadist threats and historical patterns of attacks on
Christian holidays. Jihadists, including Islamic Fulani jihadists, Boko Haram,
and ISWAP, have targeted Christians during Christmas, with past examples: 33
killed in Benue state on Christmas Day 2024; 295 murdered in Plateau state over
Christmas 2023 by Fulani jihadists; two dozen killed and others abducted on
Christmas Eve 2020 in Adamawa/Borno, where attackers called murders a “Christmas
present” in a video; seven killed in Borno on Christmas Eve 2019; and 14 on
Christmas Day 2015. Warnings had indicated planned Christmas Day 2025 attacks in
the Middle Belt, involving group kidnappings, village invasions during church
services, and militia reinforcements. Justice G. Danjuma (evangelist, Taraba
state) stated: “As Christmas 2025 approaches, fear is widespread… These patterns
make Christians expect renewed attacks during Christmas 2025, especially in
rural communities,” with many enduring “sleepless nights.” Jonathan, a
northeastern Christian, noted: “well over 80%” of group attacks are religiously
motivated, and “The festive period is usually taken advantage of.”
Palestinian Authority: On December 22, around 3 a.m., arsonists set fire to a
Christmas tree and damaged part of a Nativity scene (crèche) in the courtyard of
the Holy Redeemer Latin Catholic Church in Jenin, West Bank
(Palestinian-controlled area). The synthetic tree was gutted (branches burned
off, ornaments scattered), and the Nativity display was damaged. Church
officials and sources (such as Holy Redeemer Facebook, Shalom World News)
attributed it to “Palestinian extremists” or “radicalized young Muslims” aiming
to disrupt communal harmony and Christian celebrations just before Christmas.
On December 24-25, Palestinian Authority police, after reviewing the
surveillance footage, arrested three Palestinians.
Indonesia: On December 24-25, Muslims in Sukasirna village, West Java, pressured
Pastor Irianto Budy of the 70-member Indonesian Evangelical Mission Church
Bethlehem to announce cancellation of Christmas services due to threats of
attacks from Islamic groups. Pastor Budy stated in a video: “I was asked to
refrain from holding a Christmas celebration because there are potential attacks
from outside or from hardline groups.” In the end, however, Christians refused
to capitulate and proceeded as planned by attending church on Christmas Eve and
Day.
Muslim Attacks on Churches and Cemeteries
Nigeria: On December 3, armed Muslim bandits attacked a newly established church
during worship service. The gunmen surrounded the sanctuary, forcing worshippers
to flee into nearby bushes. They abducted the pastor, his wife, and several
congregants.
Sudan: In early December, two historic churches in Port Sudan were vandalized in
broad daylight by two unknown persons using red graffiti. The Sudan Evangelical
Presbyterian Church had the Islamic Shahada painted on its wall: “There is no
God but Allah, and Muhammad is his messenger,” plus the Koran verse “There is no
God but He, the Lord of the Honorable Throne.” The nearby Orthodox Church was
defaced with “Allah is eternal.” The churches sit opposite a police station. A
church member said: “Only God knows what will happen next if such a hate crime
is ignored.”
Indonesia: On December 6, about 20 members of the Muslim Community Development
and Empowerment Agency protested against the renovation of the St. Vincentius A.
Paulo Catholic Parish Church. Protesters claimed the construction was illegal,
but local officials confirmed its legality:
“The administrative requirements are complete; it’s legal… The existence of this
church is administratively valid.”
The church, with a valid building permit issued in December 2000, has served
nearly 2,000 Christians for over 25 years. The demonstration occurred about 220
yards from the church and lasted roughly an hour.
Separately, according to a December 12 report, Muslims stoned an Evangelical
Church in Watuliney village, around 1 a.m., shattering windows and detonating
firecrackers near a security post. This sparked a melee where two Muslim
assailants with sharp weapons wounded two young Christian men. Police treated it
as a “gang fight,” arresting 10 suspects.
Finally, on Sunday, December 14, Muslims from several Islamic groups formed a
human line to prevent Christians from entering their prayer house of worship in
Grand Cikarang Village, West Java. This marked the third such intervention: the
first was on October 30 (local ban on services took effect); the second was on
December 7 (Christians diverted through rice fields but were shoved by Muslim
residents). Videos show police observing as protesters shouted “Allahu Akbar”
and made anti-Christian comments while pushing worshippers. Banners read: “We,
the Muslim residents… firmly reject the construction of illegal houses.” A
Christian said: “We only want to worship peacefully – we have no intention of
disturbing anyone.” Pastor Taripar Simanjuntak stated the congregation had
worshipped there peacefully for seven years.
Netherlands: On December 10, a video appeared showing a large crowd of Muslims,
amid smoke and chants, besieging St. Martin’s Cathedral (Dom Church) in Utrecht.
The accompanying post reads:
“A Muslim mass besieges the St. Martin’s Cathedral, shouting ‘Allahu Akbar.’…
This is just the trailer. What do you think will happen when they are in the
majority?”
Kurdistan/Iraq: According to a December 16 report, approximately 40 graves in a
Christian cemetery in Shaqlawa (a Christian-majority town) were smashed open,
vandalized, and desecrated, including the abuse of recently deceased bodies.
This occurred less than two weeks after a similar attack on December 6, in
Armota (Koy Sanjaq district), where another Christian cemetery was desecrated
with graves uncovered and headstones destroyed.
Lebanon: According to a late December report: “The cemetery of Saint Catherine’s
Church in Nfayseh, Akkar, in northern Lebanon on the border with Syria, was
desecrated shortly after Christmas. An investigation has been launched.”
Italy: According to a December 5 report, two Catholic churches were desecrated
in Rome within a week. On November 25, unknown vandals entered St. Nicholas in
Ostia, leaving human excrement in several places, including the altar — “a place
reserved for the Eucharistic Sacrifice.” The Diocese of Rome described it as “a
very serious and unspeakable sacrilegious act.” Days later, urine and human
excrement were found in multiple corners, including the altar, of a Catholic
chapel at Termini Railway Station. Father Domenico Monteforte, the rector,
noted: “For many, the church is a refuge… Then, unfortunately, there are those
who have no respect for the sanctity of the place.” Desecrating churches and
Christian objects with feces and urine is an old Islamic practice.
Generic Muslim Persecution of Christians
Iran: According to a December 17 report, five Iranian Christian converts were
sentenced to a combined total of more than 50 years in prison, after charges
based on forced confessions, extracted under duress, were upheld in court. Among
them is a seriously ill female convert who broke her spine while imprisoned in
Evin Prison. The article highlights this as part of Iran’s crackdown on
Christian converts, with jail terms for Christians exceeding 280 years in recent
years and arrests nearly doubling.
Sudan: Christian physician Yagoub Jibril Glademea was detained by authorities
for three days (December 7–10) at the Civil Registration office in Ad-Damazin.
After being “exposed” as a Christian by his ID card, a security cell officer
became upset and asked “why he was a Christian.” Yagoub was detained for
interrogation, then jailed, denied family visits, and finally released on the
evening of December 10.
United Kingdom: On December 1, a Sri Lankan national, identified only as “YA,”
successfully appealed the UK Home Office’s rejection of his asylum claim. He had
been arrested in connection with the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings — Islamic
State-claimed suicide attacks on Christian churches and hotels that killed 269
people, including British nationals. The UK is nevertheless considering granting
him asylum.
Pakistan: On December 9, the Islamabad High Court delivered two landmark
decisions in petitions by the Center for Rule of Law Islamabad and Pakistan
United Christian Movement, addressing systemic discrimination and hazards faced
by Christian sanitation workers. The court banned discriminatory job
advertisements specifying “Christians only” for sanitation and waste collection
roles, mandating the neutral term “civilian” instead. It also ordered
comprehensive safety measures for sewage cleaners — almost all of whom are
Christians — including protective gear, gas detectors, ventilation, first-aid
facilities, government circulars for enforcement, legislative initiatives for
rights/compensation/insurance, and an implementation report within two months.
More than 70 Christian workers have died since 1988 from poisonous gases.
Recently Shan Masih and Asif Masih were killed in the sewers of Faisalabad.
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22343/persecution-of-christians-december
**Raymond Ibrahim, author of Defenders of the West, Sword and Scimitar,
Crucified Again, and The Al Qaeda Reader, is the Distinguished Senior Shillman
Fellow at the Gatestone Institute and the Judith Rosen Friedman Fellow at the
Middle East Forum.
**About this Series
While not all, or even most, Muslims are involved, persecution of Christians by
extremists is growing. The report posits that such persecution is not random but
rather systematic, and takes place irrespective of language, ethnicity, or
location. It includes incidents that take place during, or are reported on, any
given month.
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
The US and Israel have different goals in the war on Iran
Con Coughlin/Arab News/March 22/2026
Donald Trump’s claim that he knew nothing about Israel’s attack on Iran’s main
gas field suggests that significant tensions exist between the US president and
Israel over how best to prosecute their joint military campaign against Iran.
Ever since Trump launched Operation Epic Fury more than three weeks ago,
questions have been raised about the precise nature of the cooperation between
the US military and its Israeli counterpart. While Trump has suggested his main
priority is to destroy, once and for all, Iran’s ability to develop a nuclear
weapons arsenal, the Israelis, who have dubbed their effort Operation Roaring
Lion, appear determined to wage their campaign until regime change has been
achieved in Tehran. To this end, Israel’s Mossad intelligence service has
ruthlessly targeted key figures in the Iranian regime, with Israel said to have
been heavily involved in last week’s assassinations of Ali Larijani, Iran’s
national security chief, and Intelligence Minister Esmail Khatib. There have
even been reports of Mossad agents directly calling Iranian police officers and
threatening to kill them in an attempt to secure defections. Leaked documents
and recordings have revealed a wide-scale Israeli effort to scare lower-ranking
officials in the hope of enabling a popular uprising in Iran, while also
assassinating senior regime figures.
By contrast, the US military has mainly been targeting Iran’s nuclear and
military sites, especially the country’s ballistic missile launch pads that have
been used to attack neighboring Gulf countries. While Trump has indicated he
would like to see the war ultimately result in regime change in Tehran, he does
not appear as committed to such an outcome as Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin
Netanyahu, who has specifically said that he wants Israel’s military attacks on
Iran to result in regime change.
One crucial difference in the prosecution of the war by the Americans and the
Israelis has been an unwillingness on the part of the Americans to target key
Iranian infrastructure, especially its energy sector — at least so far. Trump’s
approach was clear during the recent US military attack on Kharg Island, the
narrow strip of Iranian territory in the Gulf that is responsible for about 90
percent of Iran’s oil exports. While the US attacked a number of military bases
operated by Iran’s Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, it avoided attacks on the
island’s oil facilities, with Trump declaring that he had deliberately left them
untouched. By contrast, Israel appears to have no qualms about attacking key
Iranian infrastructure targets, with Israeli warplanes launching an attack on
the South Pars gas field on Wednesday. While Israel insists that key Iranian
infrastructure presents a legitimate target in its war against the regime, the
attack on South Pars has exposed tensions between Israel and the Trump
administration, with the American president insisting that he knew nothing about
the Israeli attack, stating that Israel had “violently lashed out” by attacking
the gas field. Netanyahu has specifically said that he wants Israel’s military
attacks on Iran to result in regime change.
In an attempt to draw a red line over which targets should and should not be
attacked in the war, Trump insisted that Israel would not conduct any more
attacks against Iran’s energy sector unless the Iranians continued their attacks
on energy targets in the Gulf.
“Israel, out of anger for what has taken place in the Middle East, has violently
lashed out at a major facility … in Iran,” Trump wrote on Truth Social. “No more
attacks will be made by Israel pertaining to this extremely important and
valuable South Pars field unless Iran unwisely decides to attack a very
innocent, in this case, Qatar. “In which instance the United States of America,
with or without the help or consent of Israel, will massively blow up the
entirety of the South Pars gas field at an amount of strength and power that
Iran has never seen or witnessed before.” Despite Trump’s warning, the Israeli
attack provoked a furious response from Iran, which responded by launching
attacks against the energy facilities of several Gulf nations, including an
attack on Qatar’s Ras Laffan, the country’s main gas facility, which Qatari
officials say suffered “significant damage.”
Despite Trump’s threat to “massively blow up” South Pars if Iran continued to
attack the energy infrastructure of its Gulf neighbors, Israel’s role in
initiating the tit-for-tat strikes in the energy sector has led to suggestions
of a rift emerging between the US and Israel, particularly in terms of how long
the fighting will continue. Trump has indicated that the US has already achieved
most of its war aims and that he might be minded to end hostilities in the near
future. Netanyahu, by contrast, seems determined that Israel continue fighting
so long as the regime still stands. Speculation about a rift between the US and
Israel has been fueled by comments made by Joe Kent, Trump’s former National
Counterterrorism Center director, who asserts that the US president was
“deceived” by Israel into launching the war. In a letter posted on X, announcing
his resignation, Kent said that Iran posed “no imminent threat” to the US and
that the administration “started this war due to pressure from Israel and its
powerful American lobby.”The White House has dismissed the letter, saying the
president had “compelling evidence” that Iran was going to attack the US first.
Nevertheless, with US media reports that the Trump administration is already
talking to Iran about ending the conflict, Netanyahu's insistence on maintaining
hostilities until his own goals are achieved could result in further tensions
developing between the US and Israeli administrations.
*Con Coughlin is one of Britain’s leading journalists and an international
best-selling author. His previous posts include Executive Defense and Foreign
Affairs Editor with London’s Daily Telegraph. He is a leading expert on global
conflict, international security and the Middle East.
**This column first appeared in Al-Majalla.
A crucial week in UK-EU relations
Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News/March 22/2026
It is nearly 10 years since the unfortunate Brexit referendum of June 2016,
which unexpectedly, and by a very narrow margin, led to the UK’s departure from
the EU. One of the great follies of those who “designed” that referendum —
driven in large part by complacency and arrogance — was the assumption that no
rational nation would vote to abandon one of the most successful political
experiments in modern history. Voters were asked to give a simple yes-or-no
answer — remain or leave — as if there could be a simple either/or response to
such a complex relationship which would affect the lives of every UK citizen
across multiple issues. The EU may not be faultless, but it served the British
economy and society well for decades, since the UK joined the European Economic
Community in 1973.
This week has seen a flurry of activity that could determine, between now and
July, when an EU-UK summit is expected, the future nature of relations between
the union of 27 countries and its former member. Britain’s current Labour
government came into office in July 2024 promising to “reset” the UK’s
relationship with the EU. However, in the best tradition of election pledges, it
was rich in aspiration but notably sparse on detail, sidestepping many difficult
questions.
For EU leaders, on whom the entire Brexit debacle was imposed against their
will, there is a clear expectation that this reset should reach at least an
initial conclusion before the summit, allowing them to turn their attention to
pressing internal challenges and mounting external threats, from Russia and
China to the conflict in Iran.The irony is that leading figures in the current
government, including Prime Minister Keir Starmer, Chancellor Rachel Reeves, and
Foreign Secretary Yvette Cooper, opposed Brexit. First, they found themselves on
the losing side of the argument and now must deal with its consequences,
including not only the fact of leaving the EU, but also the damaging manner in
which it was carried out: a combination of a half-baked agreement and lingering
bitterness in Brussels toward London.
Matters are further complicated in the UK by the rise of the Reform Party,
effectively a continuation of the Leave campaign by parliamentary means. Its
growing influence deeply concerns the government, prompting caution not to
provoke its leader, Nigel Farage, and others opposed to any perceived “backdoor”
return to the EU. As a result, Labour has set firm red lines: no return to the
customs union, no return to the single market, and no return to freedom of
movement constraints that inevitably limit what a “reset” could achieve in
practice. At the same time, the government has been unusually candid in
acknowledging the economic damage caused by Brexit. The UK can mitigate the
negative effects of Brexit by showing greater flexibility.
In her keynote Mais Lecture in London this week, Chancellor Reeves identified a
deeper relationship with the EU as one of the three key drivers of economic
opportunity in the decade ahead, alongside nationwide growth, and advances in AI
and innovation. She also noted that plans to reintegrate the UK into European
energy markets, as part of the post-Brexit reset, could help reduce energy
costs. Reeves has previously argued that Brexit has been more damaging than even
its critics anticipated, citing estimates that the long-term hit to the UK
economy could amount to around 8 percent of GDP.
However, words are not enough. It is the government’s responsibility to begin
undoing the damage of Brexit, starting by loosening the self-imposed constraints
of its “three Nos,” which strike at the heart of what defines the EU. This
cannot happen overnight or without careful negotiation, but it must be the
direction of travel. A government that recognizes the source of harm to its
country yet lacks the courage to address its root causes is failing in its duty.
In a detailed analysis, economists Andrew Sissons and John Springford argue that
“the sectors in which the UK excels — finance and business services, tech, the
creative economy, and advanced manufacturing niches — depend on openness: to
trade, ideas, and skilled workers.” This is precisely where Brexit has inflicted
the greatest damage, not only on the economy, but also on society and the UK’s
capacity to respond to domestic and international challenges. The government
must be both bold and honest with the public: prosperity depends on close ties
with immediate neighbors. While a full return to EU membership is not imminent,
meaningful progress will require concessions, including on the freer movement of
people.
Ultimately, immigration and free movement have come to play an outsized role in
British politics, to the point of influencing electoral outcomes. Yet economic
stagnation and declining public services — driven in part by years of
underinvestment — have been the deeper causes of public discontent. Freedom of
movement has not created these problems; rather, it has exposed longstanding
structural weaknesses. The UK is unlikely to rejoin the EU any time soon, but it
can mitigate the negative effects of Brexit by showing greater flexibility. In
Brussels, there is growing frustration that London seeks many of the benefits of
close alignment with the world’s largest trading bloc — one that shares its
liberal, democratic values and faces similar challenges — without accepting the
accompanying obligations.
One current stumbling block in resetting UK-EU relations concerns tuition fees
for European students at British universities. The UK wants them to pay overseas
rates, often up to six times higher than domestic fees. Yet many UK universities
are struggling to attract students, and for many Europeans these higher costs
make studying elsewhere a more viable option. The result is a loss of income for
higher education, fewer opportunities to attract talented young Europeans, and
the risk of long-term decline in one of the UK’s most globally respected
sectors.
There are numerous areas in which the reset of UK-EU relations remains
incomplete. What was built over decades was dismantled abruptly, and rebuilding
it will take time, goodwill, and compromise. Many of the advantages of EU
membership were deeply embedded and disappeared overnight. However, given the
current government’s strong European instincts, it should act on them. The
rewards may not be immediate, in terms of public opinion or in sections of the
media, but they will become evident to the country in time, including when
voters next go to the polls.
• Yossi Mekelberg is professor of international relations and an associate
fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House.
Kharg Island: The Roadmap to Controlling Iran’s Future
Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya English/AFP/22 March/2026
The war with Iran has entered its fourth week without a clear, decisive American
victory and without Iran’s total defeat. The next two weeks are critical and
pivotal, as red lines and rules of engagement may erode. Beyond that, the
contours of the war’s future and its repercussions will become clear, and the
countdown to the end of the war will begin. Fear—sheer fear—stems from the
potential collapse of the rules of war, where anything becomes possible in this
critical phase, from total defeat to a decisive victory.
What unfolds in Kharg Island in the coming days will determine who emerges
victorious in this war and who will face defeat. US President Donald Trump
appears determined to secure victory in his favor, seeing in Kharg the roadmap
to controlling Iran’s political, economic, social, and strategic future.
Trump will not hesitate to proceed alone if necessary, without allies, to
achieve control over Kharg. While some allies hesitated or were slow to respond,
Trump views American control over the island as essential not only for military
victory but also for economic and oil-related gains. Should this fail, Iran
would emerge victorious, and the United States would face defeat. Consequently,
a military landing has been deemed necessary to secure the island.
President Trump and his administration concluded that seizing Kharg—the center
of both oil management and state administration—would inevitably lead to an
erosion of the Iranian regime. They reasoned that American control over Iran
through Kharg would provide Washington with a strategic opportunity to become
the dominant power controlling one of the world’s most vital areas, encompassing
critical infrastructure, economic hubs, and global influence. This territory
includes the Gulf Arab states, Iraq, and Iran itself.
Whoever governs Iran will have to coexist with American presence in the Gulf and
the broader Middle East. This would transform the entire Gulf region once the
ideological posture of the Islamic Republic of Iran, which opposes US presence,
comes to an end.
European powers failed to fully grasp the strategic magnitude of this
development. They expressed willingness to engage during peacetime, not wartime,
to guarantee freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz. This stance prompted
Trump to threaten punitive measures against NATO allies and to proceed with the
mission independently. Although they attempted some last-minute adjustments,
they were too late and found themselves trapped in a dilemma. Should the United
States seize the island unilaterally, it would establish dominance over the
Strait of Hormuz and the future of global oil markets. Europe focused on the
tree rather than the forest neglecting to look at the broader picture. Trump
decided not to allow his plan to fall into the trap of allied hesitation.
China has maintained a careful distance from direct military involvement, yet it
is acutely aware and wary of American control over critical energy passages,
which would place its own oil needs under US dominance.
Meanwhile, the Iranian regime, facing the potential collapse of its system, will
not make this strategic transformation an easy path for the United States and
its allies in the Gulf region.
Iranian officials initiated the war in hysteria and confusion, acting with
reckless vengeance even against their own allies. They created a self-imposed
isolation and lost opportunities to regain trust, shutting themselves off from
potential avenues of salvation.
After US military strikes severely weakened Iran’s capabilities and exhausted
its mechanisms for countering military momentum, the fear of Iranian retaliatory
operations without red lines has emerged, particularly targeting the Gulf Arab
states. There is a looming risk of massive attacks on civilian infrastructure,
including oil, gas, electricity, water facilities, as well as tourism, economic,
residential, and political sites.
There have also been warnings of potential attacks on American soil via sleeper
cells and growing concerns over Iran’s possible use of a so-called “dirty bomb,”
alongside the risk of tactical nuclear retaliation by Israel.
On the ground, the key question at the end of the third week has been whether
the United States and Israel succeeded in fully destroying Iran’s missile and
drone production sites, as both sides claim, or whether, as Tehran’s Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) asserts, Iran’s manufacturing capability
remains intact. The importance of this assessment stems from Iran’s missile and
drone reserves, which are projected to be depleted within two to three weeks. If
these reserves are exhausted in the ongoing war with the US and Israel- as well
as in war between the IRGC plus Hezbollah, and Israel in Lebanon, regardless of
state sovereignty- the war could reach its conclusion within weeks. From now
until that point, the conflict is expected to intensify dangerously without
clear rules, particularly if the Revolutionary Guard faces targeted
assassinations of Iranian leaders.
The conflict will intensify due to further reckless decisions by Israel,
paralleling Iranian recklessness. The American strategy remains the most
important and coherent framework, serving long-term US interests. Donald Trump
will not step back now, standing on the brink of a strategic victory through
Kharg and the Strait of Hormuz.
X Platform Selected twittes for March 22/2026