English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News
& Editorials
For May 08/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
God chose what
is foolish in the world to shame the wise; God chose what is weak in the world
to shame the strong
First Letter to the Corinthians 01/26-31/:”Consider your own
call, not many of you were wise by human standards, not many were powerful, not
many were of noble birth. But God chose what is foolish in the world to shame
the wise; God chose what is weak in the world to shame the strong; God chose
what is low and despised in the world, things that are not, to reduce to nothing
things that are, so that no one might boast in the presence of God. He is the
source of your life in Christ Jesus, who became for us wisdom from God, and
righteousness and sanctification and redemption,in order that, as it is written,
‘Let the one who boasts, boast in the Lord.’”
Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News &
Editorials published on
07-08 May/2026
May 07, 2008 Barbaric Invasion of Beirut & Mount Lebanon/Elias Bejjani/May
07/2026
May 6 Martyrs' Day: Assassinating Memory to Flatter the New Ottoman-Erdoganist
"Sublime Porte"/Elias Bejjani/May 06/ 2026
Netanyahu says 'no terrorist immune' after Israel kills Hezbollah commander
Israel says 4 soldiers wounded in Hezbollah drone attack
Lebanon says at least 12 killed in Israeli attacks
Israeli military delegation heads to Washington ahead of next negotiation phase
Third round of Lebanon-Israel talks to be held next week: US official
US reportedly seeks deescalation in Lebanon to cement ceasefire, advance
negotiations
Israel strikes across southern Lebanon despite truce
Israeli army says Hezbollah operative killed after rocket fire from South
Lebanon
Israel kills Hezbollah commander in Beirut strike as tensions rise on Lebanon
front
Lebanon says US understands refusal of Aoun-Netanyahu meeting 'for now,' source
tells Al Jazeera
Beirut’s southern suburbs struck again as Israel targets senior Hezbollah
commander; details emerge
Israeli strikes continue amid nominal ceasefire
Democrats press US military on Israel's evacuation zones in Lebanon
British and Canadian ambassadors host media freedom reception in Lebanon
Israel army investigating after soldier seen desecrating Virgin Mary statue in
Lebanon
'Exhaustion and sadness' in Beirut's southern suburbs
How conflict, displacement and rising prices are pushing Lebanon toward acute
food insecurity
Israel indicts Jewish man accused of attacking Christian nun in Jerusalem
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on
07-08 May/2026
US sanctions Iraq’s deputy oil minister for helping Iran and its proxies:
Treasury
Iran denies ship attack as Trump warns of renewed bombing, eyes deal
Iran’s response to US proposal possible today: Pakistani source
Pakistan says it expects a deal soon
Rubio makes fence-mending visit to Vatican
France moves aircraft carrier group toward Hormuz Strait for possible defensive
mission
Trump sees swift end to war as Iran reviews US peace proposal
Iran’s President Pezeshkian says met supreme leader Khamenei
UAE to document Iranian attack damage to aid legal quest for justice
Freedom of navigation in Hormuz strait is humanitarian necessity: Saudi envoy
US strikes southern Iran, naval units come under Iranian fire in Hormuz Strait
Sounds of explosions heard in Iran’s Qeshm and near Bandar Abbas city
Iran state TV reports explosions on island in Hormuz Strait
Russia summons Armenian ambassador over Zelensky visit
US confirms top Ukrainian negotiator in Miami
Extra security measures being taken for Putin at Victory Day events: Kremlin
Israeli attack kills son of Hamas leader negotiating with Trump-led board
Erdogan meets Saudi foreign minister in Ankara
Titles For The Latest
English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on 07-08 May/2026
Hamas is Humiliating Trump's 'Board of Peace'/Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone
Institute/May 7, 2026
Everybody loses in Mali stalemate/Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/May 06, 2026
A concert for Hormuz/Sarah Benashoor/Arab News/May 06, 2026
Has the time come for guaranteed incomes?/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/May 06,
2026
UN action urgently needed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz/Dr. Abdel Aziz
Aluwaisheg/Arab News/May 06, 2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets for May 072026
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published
on
07-08 May/2026
May 07, 2008 Barbaric Invasion of Beirut &
Mount Lebanon
Elias Bejjani/May 07/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/05/118016/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_WOToQkmfMU&t=81s
May 7, 2008, is forever etched in
Lebanon’s collective memory as a criminal day of shame—when murderers, invaders,
and mercenary militias serving the Iranian regime launched a barbaric coup
against the Lebanese state, its people, and its sovereignty.
Hezbollah, in collaboration with Amal Movement, the Syrian Social Nationalist
Party (SSNP), and other armed groups loyal to the Syrian-Iranian axis of evil,
invaded the capital Beirut and parts of Mount Lebanon. In this coordinated and
premeditated assault, these militias violated the sanctity of the capital,
terrorized its peaceful civilians, displaced families, looted properties,
tortured innocents, and murdered the defenseless—all under the pretext of
resisting “government decisions” that challenged Hezbollah’s illegal military
communications network.
This day, now known infamously as the "Black 7th of May," marked a turning point
in Lebanon’s modern history—a moment when the mask of so-called "resistance"
fell and exposed the true face of Hezbollah: a terrorist militia acting on
behalf of Tehran to subdue Lebanon through force and intimidation.
Michel Aoun, the political Iscariot of modern Lebanon, opportunistically
justified and later benefited from this criminal invasion. His alliance with
Hezbollah paved his path to the presidency in 2016. During his tenure, Aoun
dismantled the state from within, surrendered its institutions to Hezbollah’s
authority, and contributed to Lebanon’s total collapse—politically,
economically, and morally.
The May 7 invasion was not just a military operation. It was an Iranian-led coup
attempt against the legitimate Lebanese state. It desecrated Beirut’s freedom,
targeted Sunni neighborhoods, occupied media outlets, and left dozens dead. Its
goal: to prove that no Lebanese authority—civil or military—could ever stand
against Hezbollah without paying a deadly price.
To this day, the invasion’s consequences remain: Hezbollah continues to act as
an armed state within a state. Palestinian and Syrian armed elements still
operate freely in their camps. The sovereignty of Lebanon remains hostage to
Tehran's regional ambitions.
Justice Delayed Is Not Justice Denied
This criminal and barbaric invasion must not be forgotten. The
perpetrators—local and foreign—must one day be brought to justice. The Lebanese
people, especially those in the diaspora, must continue to demand
accountability, justice, and full implementation of international resolutions
that uphold Lebanon’s independence and sovereignty.
As the Prophet Isaiah (33:1) warned:
“Woe to you, O destroyer, you who have not been destroyed! Woe to you, O
traitor, you who have not been betrayed! When you stop destroying, you will be
destroyed; when you cease betraying, you will be betrayed.”
What Must Be Done.
To ensure May 7 is never repeated, the following urgent measures must be taken:
Full disarmament of Hezbollah and all other Lebanese, Palestinian, and Syrian
militias operating illegally within Lebanon.
Reclaiming all territories currently run as militia-controlled “mini-states,”
including Hezbollah’s southern stronghold and armed Palestinian camps.
Immediate implementation of all relevant UN Security Council
resolutions—particularly:
Resolution 1559 (2004): Calls for the disbanding and disarmament of all Lebanese
and non-Lebanese militias.
Resolution 1701 (2006): Demands the cessation of hostilities and prohibits the
presence of any armed forces in South Lebanon other than the Lebanese Army and
UNIFIL.
Resolution 1680 (2006): Urges Lebanon and Syria to delineate their border and
establish full diplomatic relations.
The 1949 Armistice Agreement with Israel: Must be revived and fully enforced to
restore border stability and end militia cross-border provocations.
Declare Lebanon a failed state under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, enabling
international intervention to restore state authority and protect civilians.
Empower UNIFIL with an expanded mandate to enforce disarmament and
administrative restoration across all Lebanese territories—not only the South.
A Call to Action
All free and patriotic Lebanese—at home and abroad—must unite to rescue their
homeland from occupation, collapse, and sectarian tyranny. We must raise our
voices at the United Nations, in international forums, and in the global media
to demand an end to Hezbollah’s armed rule and the restoration of Lebanese
sovereignty.
May Almighty God protect Lebanon and its people, and may justice prevail.
May 6 Martyrs' Day: Assassinating Memory
to Flatter the New Ottoman-Erdoganist "Sublime Porte"
Elias Bejjani/May 06/ 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/05/154243/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKvtNSaJ2c0&t=2s
On the day the gallows were erected
in Beirut’s Martyrs' Square (Place des Canons) and Damascus’s Marjeh Square,
over 120 writers, intellectuals, and free freedom fighters were executed in two
waves. They were the defiant voices against 400 years of Ottoman occupation. By
order of the butcher, Jamal Pasha, these executions in Beirut and Damascus were
synchronized to silence the spirit of resistance. In Lebanon, this commemoration
was abolished during the government of Prime Minister Siniora. Today, in Syria,
under the transitional president, it has also been scrapped. Erasing Lebanon’s
memory is an integral part of obliterating its identity, history, civilization,
and the rights of its diverse peoples. The same applies to the diverse social
fabric of Syria.
May 6: When Memory is Assassinated for Political Sycophancy
As May 6, 2026, passes—burdened by the 110-year-old wounds of the gallows set by
Jamal Pasha—we face a surreal scene that transcends physical execution to the
moral genocide of historical memory. What we are witnessing in Lebanon and Syria
today is not a mere "calendar adjustment," but a systematic forgery of history.
It aims to wipe away the blood of free martyrs with the rag of "political
flattery" toward rising Turkish influence and its Muslim Brotherhood tools.
The Lebanese Forgery: From "Martyrs' Day" to "Press Day"
The conspiracy against memory in Lebanon began under the Siniora government,
where the sanctity of this day was bypassed. It was downgraded from a "Day for
Martyrs" who confronted four centuries of loathsome Ottoman occupation to a mere
"Press Martyrs' Day." This distortion was no accident; it was a stab in the back
of Lebanese identity and blatant sycophancy toward the Turkish-Brotherhood and
Arafatist-Arabist axis. Limiting the commemoration to the press is an attempt to
belittle the struggle of an entire nation and a deliberate oversight of the fact
that those hanged were poets, thinkers, and national leaders whose only crime
was demanding dignity in the face of the "Sick Man of Europe."
Syria: Falling into the Trap of "Erdoganist Flattery"
The scene in Syria is no different. With Ahmed al-Sharaa’s rise to power, we see
a repetition of the Lebanese scenario through the abolition of the holiday. This
move confirms that the political decision in Damascus has become a hostage to
Turkish influence. The Syrian people are being forced to forget the atrocities
of Jamal Pasha so as not to disturb the relations with Ankara's new "Sultan,"
Recep Tayyip Erdogan.
Pillars of the Historical Crime
The Erasure of Identity: Abolishing Martyrs' Day is part of a broader scheme to
erase the civilizational and pluralistic identity of Lebanon and Syria,
replacing it with a subservient identity revolving around a "Neo-Caliphate."
Falsification of Facts: In 1916, gallows were set for over 120 free activists.
Transforming this supreme sacrifice into a single professional category (the
press) is a forgery of history, which documents that their martyrdom was a
comprehensive cry for national independence.
Political Dependency: The abolition of this day in both countries proves that
successive governments prefer pleasing foreign powers over remaining loyal to
the blood of those who paved the way for independence.
A Cry for Historical Justice
Today, on the 110th anniversary (1916–2026), we demand:
Restoring May 6 as a comprehensive national holiday for all martyrs of freedom
executed by the Ottoman occupation, not a restricted "professional day."
Designating a separate day for Press Martyrs to honor their role without
compromising the greater national memory.
Rejecting all forms of flattery toward Turkish influence or Brotherhood
ideologies that attempt to whitewash the history of Ottoman crimes in our lands.
In summary, A nation that forgets its martyrs is a nation without a future.
Those who erase the memory of Martyrs' Square and Marjeh Square are merely
paving the way for new gallows of dependency and subjugation."
May 6, 2026: Our squares will remain witnesses, and "Jamal Pasha" will remain a
criminal in the records of history, no matter how hard the sycophants try to
bleach his record.
The Stages of the Crime: Abolishing Martyrs’ Day to Maliciously Alter Collective
Memory and Erase the Legacy of Resistance Against Ottoman Occupation
Martyrs' Day (May 6) has undergone several amendments in the official Lebanese
calendar, most notably during the government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora:
Date of Abolition: Martyrs' Day was abolished as a public holiday and a unifying
national day in 2005, during the term of President Emile Lahoud and the first
government of Prime Minister Fouad Siniora.
The Substitution: The official symbolism of this day was shifted from "Martyrs'
Day"—which commemorates the patriots executed by Jamal Pasha in 1916—to "Press
Martyrs' Day." Consequently, the observance became restricted to the Press and
Editors’ Syndicates, with work only halting in newspapers, rather than remaining
a comprehensive national holiday for the entire state.
Historical Background:
May 6 had been an official holiday since its inception but was first abolished
in 1977 during the Lebanese Civil War.
It was reinstated as an official national holiday in 1994.
The Siniora government’s 2005 decision revoked its "public holiday" status once
again, confining it to a professional syndicate framework under the title of
"Press Martyrs."
This calculated move aims to distort the collective memory associated with the
struggle against Ottoman occupation by narrowing its scope to a specific
professional group.
Netanyahu says 'no terrorist immune' after Israel kills
Hezbollah commander
Agence France Presse/April 07/2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu on Thursday claimed responsibility for
the killing of a senior Hezbollah commander in Beirut the previous day, saying
"no terrorist is immune" from Israeli strikes. "Last night, we eliminated, in
the heart of Beirut, the commander of Hezbollah's Radwan force," Netanyahu said,
in a video released by his office, referring to an elite Hezbollah unit. "I say
to our enemies in the clearest possible terms: no terrorist is immune. Anyone
who threatens the State of Israel will die because of his actions."
Israel says 4 soldiers wounded in Hezbollah drone attack
Agence France Presse/April 07/2026
The Israeli military said in a statement Thursday that an "explosive drone
impact" had wounded four of its soldiers -- one severely -- in southern Lebanon
the previous day. Israel struck Beirut's southern suburbs Wednesday in the first
such attack in nearly a month, killing a senior Hezbollah commander from its
elite Radwan force. At least 11 others were killed in strikes across the
country's south and east, Lebanon's health ministry said. Israeli strikes on
Lebanon have killed more than 2,700 people and displaced more than a million,
particularly from southern and eastern Lebanon and Beirut's southern suburbs,
since March 2. World Health Organization chief Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus said
on Wednesday it had "verified 152 attacks on healthcare that resulted in 103
deaths and 241 injuries". "These attacks have resulted in the closure of three
hospitals and 41 primary health centres and caused damage to a further 16
hospitals." The terms of the ceasefire allow Israel to act against "planned,
imminent or ongoing attacks" by Hezbollah. Visiting troops in southern Lebanon,
where Israel has established a "yellow line", Israeli army chief Eyal Zamir said
they will "seize every opportunity to deepen the dismantling of Hezbollah and
continue weakening it".
Lebanon says at least 12 killed in Israeli attacks
AFP/May 07, 2026
BEIRUT: Lebanon’s health ministry reported at least 12 people killed, including
two children and a paramedic, in a series of Israeli airstrikes carried out on
Thursday in spite of a ceasefire.
In separate statements, the ministry reported 11 people killed, two of them
children, in strikes on three different villages in Nabatieh district. Another
strike in Marajayoun district killed one paramedic from a Hezbollah-affilitated
rescue service and wounded another, the ministry said.
Israeli military delegation heads to Washington ahead of
next negotiation phase
LBCI/April 07/2026
Amal Shehadeh reported that Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz approved the
trip of Israeli army Strategic Division chief Amichai Levin to Washington at the
head of a military delegation to prepare for the next phase of negotiations. It
remains unclear whether the military official will participate in the political
talks scheduled next week between the Lebanese and Israeli delegations.
According to Shehadeh, Israel was also informed by Washington of a decision to
extend the ceasefire in parallel with the negotiations.
Third round of Lebanon-Israel talks to be held next week:
US official
Al Arabiya English/07 May ,2026
Lebanon and Israel will participate in their third round of direct talks in
Washington next week, a State Department official said on Thursday. “There will
be talks between Lebanon and Israel Thursday and Friday next week in
Washington,” the official said. The announcement came a day after the first
Israeli strikes on the Lebanese capital in weeks, which Israel said killed a
senior Hezbollah commander. Washington has facilitated two rounds of direct
negotiations between the Lebanese and Israeli ambassadors to the United States
in recent weeks.
Earlier this week, a State Department official criticized Hezbollah for its
efforts to sabotage progress on direct talks between Beirut and Israel.
“Hezbollah is still trying to derail negotiations with attacks on Israel and
threats inside Lebanon,” this official told Al Arabiya English.
During the second round, the US president chose to sit in, prompting the talks
to be moved from the State Department to the White House. In a sign of Trump’s
interest in the negotiations, he tasked Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of
State Marco Rubio, and Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff Gen. Caine with
presiding over the talks. Trump has also suggested that Lebanese President
Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will meet soon at the
White House. But Beirut has said it is premature to discuss such a meeting
before a ceasefire is agreed and Israeli troops fully withdraw from Lebanon.
Last Friday, the US Embassy in Beirut said the current ceasefire with Israel
gives Lebanon “the space and the opportunity to put all of its legitimate
demands on the table with the full attention of the United States Government.”
US reportedly seeks deescalation in Lebanon to cement
ceasefire, advance negotiations
Naharnet/April 07/2026
There is a U.S. effort to de-escalate Israeli actions in Lebanon in preparation
for consolidating the ceasefire and moving to the second phase of negotiations,
a Lebanese official told Al-Jazeera on Thursday. "Rounds of negotiations at the
delegation level will begin next week in Washington. The negotiations will
address both security and political tracks, focusing on issues of full
withdrawal, borders, prisoners, displaced persons, and reconstruction," the
official revealed. The Lebanese presidency is seeking a final cessation of
hostilities agreement between Lebanon and Israel, the official said. He added
that "the anticipated step before May 17 is an extension of the truce and an
Israeli commitment to a ceasefire," noting that "the raid on Beirut's southern
suburbs was an Israeli message intended to obstruct the negotiation process."
"The Lebanese presidency informed Washington that a meeting with (Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin) Netanyahu now could derail efforts to achieve stability.
There is U.S. understanding of the Lebanese position regarding not holding a
meeting between (President Joseph) Aoun and Netanyahu at this time," the
official said. He added that Lebanon is not moving towards signing a peace
agreement, but rather pursuing "a path with the maximum objective of restoring
rights in exchange for a non-aggression pact."Separately, the official said that
the Iranian effort to support Lebanon's position is "appreciated if it leads to
a ceasefire.""Any Iranian effort to achieve a ceasefire must be channeled
through Lebanese institutions and must contribute to implementing the decision
to restrict weapons. The issue of weapons must be resolved, and this will take
time and requires political, social and economic solutions," the official added.
Israel strikes across southern Lebanon despite truce
AFP/May 07, 2026
NABATIEH: Israel pummelled southern Lebanon on Thursday, state media and AFP
correspondents said, a day after it targeted a Hezbollah commander in its first
strike on Beirut’s southern suburbs since a truce sought to end weeks of
fighting. The Israeli army said Thursday that the strike on the southern suburbs
killed “the Commander of Hezbollah’s ‘Radwan Force’ Unit,” an elite unit within
the Iran-backed armed group Hezbollah. A ceasefire in the war between Hezbollah
and Israel began on April 17, but combat has largely not stopped in southern
Lebanon. Wednesday’s strike near the capital, however, came as a shock in
Lebanon. AFP photographs taken in the southern suburbs showed the top floors of
a residential building totally destroyed, and rescuers searching through the
rubble on Thursday morning.
Hezbollah has not retaliated for the attack. Lebanese state media reported
Israeli strikes across a number of southern towns and villages, and the Israeli
army issued fresh evacuation warnings to three villages north of the Litani
River, and outside the area occupied by Israeli troops following their ground
invasion of the border area. Some of the Israeli strikes, on the southern city
of Nabatieh, targeted a shopping center and residential buildings, state media
and an AFP correspondent said. In the nearby village of Toul, two rescuers from
the Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic Health Committee were wounded in an Israeli
strike as they were dispatched following a previous attack, spokesperson Mahmoud
Karaki told AFP. The team’s ambulance was heavily damaged, he added. The Israeli
military said in a statement Thursday that an “explosive drone impact” wounded
four soldiers — one severely — in southern Lebanon the previous day. Despite the
ceasefire, Hezbollah regularly claims attacks against Israeli forces occupying
parts of southern Lebanon. Since the war began on March 2, Israeli strikes have
killed more than 2,700 people in Lebanon. The Israeli military says it has lost
17 soldiers and a contractor in south Lebanon.
Israeli army says Hezbollah operative killed after rocket
fire from South Lebanon
LBCI/April 07/2026
Israeli military spokesperson Avichay Adraee said an operative from Hezbollah
launched rockets overnight toward Israeli forces operating in South Lebanon,
with the projectiles landing near troops without causing injuries. In a video
published on X, Adraee said the Israeli army later tracked the operative
allegedly hiding the launch platform inside a civilian building in the town of
Jouaiyya. According to the statement, the Israeli Air Force carried out a rapid
strike on the building, killing the operative “to remove the threat.” Adraee
added that secondary explosions were observed after the strike, which he said
indicated the presence of weapons inside the structure. He also said that in a
separate incident over the past few hours, Hezbollah fired several rockets
toward Israeli troops operating in southern Lebanon without causing casualties.
The Israeli Air Force later targeted the launch platform shortly afterward,
according to the statement.
Israel kills Hezbollah commander in Beirut strike as tensions rise on Lebanon
front
LBCI/April 07/2026
The Israeli assassination of Ahmad Ballout in Beirut’s southern suburbs on
Wednesday night underscored once again that no Hezbollah official or member is
beyond Israel’s reach, even in the heart of Beirut. According to Tel Aviv, the
assassination could contribute to rising tensions along the Lebanese front.
However, those tensions are not expected to prevent Israel from intensifying
what it describes as operations against its “target bank” in Lebanon, amid
concerns that ongoing U.S.-Iran negotiations could succeed and lead U.S.
President Donald Trump to pressure Israel into accepting a permanent ceasefire.
Against that backdrop, Israel targeted Ahmad Ballout while he was reportedly
attending a private meeting in Beirut’s southern suburbs. Israel confirmed
Ballout’s killing but did not confirm the death of his deputy. A security
official described him as a key Hezbollah figure whose role extended beyond
implementing the group’s policies and Iran’s interests. The official said
Ballout held a hard-line ideological stance against Israel and had directed
about 1,000 members of Hezbollah’s Radwan Force to southern Lebanon to fight
Israeli troops there. More significantly, he was reportedly behind instructions
related to launching explosive drones toward the Israeli army. The strike on
Beirut’s southern suburbs came days before a third round of direct talks between
Israel and Lebanon is set to take place in Washington. Despite internal
speculation that the talks could succeed, the Israeli military, in coordination
with security agencies, is preparing for all scenarios, including the
possibility of a ground maneuver beyond the “yellow line” and additional attacks
on Beirut.
Lebanon says US understands refusal of Aoun-Netanyahu
meeting 'for now,' source tells Al Jazeera
LBCI/April 07/2026
A Lebanese official source told Al Jazeera that the United States is pursuing
efforts to reduce Israeli escalation as a prelude to solidifying the ceasefire
and moving toward the second phase of negotiations. The source added that rounds
of negotiations at the delegation level are expected to begin next week in
Washington. The official source also said that “the issue of weapons must
eventually come to an end,” stressing that the matter requires time as well as
political, social, and economic solutions. According to the source, any Iranian
effort aimed at securing a ceasefire must go through Lebanese state institutions
and contribute to implementing the decision to place all weapons exclusively
under state authority. The source added that the Lebanese presidency informed
Washington that holding a meeting with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
at this stage could undermine efforts to preserve stability, noting that the
United States understands the Lebanese position rejecting a meeting between
President Joseph Aoun and Netanyahu for the time being.
Beirut’s southern suburbs struck again as Israel targets senior Hezbollah
commander; details emerge
LBCI/April 07/2026
Some Lebanese believed that Beirut’s southern suburbs had been spared, and so
they returned. However, they overlooked a statement from the U.S. State
Department issued after the second round of direct Israeli-Lebanese talks in
Washington, which effectively granted Israel latitude to act. The statement
explicitly stated that Israel “shall preserve its right to take all necessary
measures in self-defense, at any time, against planned, imminent, or ongoing
attacks. This shall not be impeded by the cessation of hostilities.”Back on the
ground: On Wednesday evening, warplanes struck an 11-story building in Haret
Hreik, causing its upper six floors to collapse onto one another. Within
minutes, Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, in coordination with Defense
Minister Israel Katz, said he had ordered a strike on the commander of
Hezbollah’s Radwan Force. The Israeli army later confirmed the killing of Ahmad
Ali Ballout. From Israel’s side, the operation was confirmed. In Lebanon,
however, there was no official confirmation of Ballout’s killing and no final
casualty count, due to the scale of the strike and ongoing rubble-clearing
operations. What is confirmed is that civilians are among the dead. What is
likely, according to Israeli assessments, is that a military meeting was
underway at the time of the strike.Hezbollah, meanwhile, has remained silent.
Sources say Hezbollah has, since the start of the current war, avoided formally
announcing the deaths of its fighters and commanders as part of a new
organizational strategy. Instead, it announces casualties only during funerals
when they take place. Under this strategy, the group no longer relies on fixed
meetings in buildings, halls, or offices, instead adopting a mobile meeting
approach, sometimes in open areas. It considers this approach successful, noting
that Israel has publicly confirmed the targeting of only two senior figures
since the beginning of the war: Ahmad Ballout and Youssef Hashem, whom Israel
described as a southern front commander. Sources told LBCI that Hashem was
tracked after repeatedly traveling to the Jnah area for mobile meetings, where
he was eventually killed. What happened in Haret Hreik may reflect a similar
case, especially given claims that the southern suburbs had been “spared,”
following a reported call between Netanyahu and U.S. President Donald Trump.
However, experience with Israel suggests it does not observe red lines.
Israeli strikes continue amid nominal ceasefire
Naharnet/April 07/2026
Israeli strikes targeted Thursday the southern city of Nabatieh and other
villages and towns in south Lebanon, while Hezbollah claimed attacks on Israeli
troops and equipment in al-Bayyada and Deir Seryan. Strikes targeted overnight
into Thursday al-Majadel, Debbine, Mayfadoun, Habboush, Yater, Dweir, Bouyout
al-Siyyed, Kfar Roumman, Harees, Reshknanay, and Erzi, while shelling targeted
Aita al-Shaab, Ramia, Shaqra, Baraashit, Ghandourieh, Kfour, Deir Zahrani,
Sreefa, Froun, Qalaway, Burj Qalaway, Zebqine and Wadi al-Hjeir. Some of the
Israeli strikes, on the southern city of Nabatieh, targeted a shopping center
and residential buildings, state media and an AFP correspondent said. In the
nearby village of Toul, two rescuers from the Hezbollah-affiliated Islamic
Health Committee were wounded in an Israeli strike as they were dispatched
following a previous attack, spokesperson Mahmoud Karaki told AFP. The team's
ambulance was heavily damaged. Another strike targeted a group of rescuers, also
from the Islamic Health Committee, in Majdal Selem. The Israeli army later
ordered the residents of Deir Zahrani, Habboush and Bfaroueh to evacuate ahead
of imminent strikes, and targeted cars in Blat and Ain Baal, killing at least
two people.Hezbollah said it attacked an Israeli army command center and a
Merkava tank in the southern border town of al-Bayyada. At least 12 people were
killed in strikes Wednesday. A senior commander from Hezbollah's elite force was
killed in an Israeli strike on Beirut's southern suburbs, the first on the area
in nearly a month. In south Lebanon, a strike on Saksakiyeh killed four people
and wounded 33, including women and children and another strike on Ansarieh
killed three and wounded seven. In the east, an Israeli airstrike on the town of
Zellaya, in the West Bekaa region, left at least four people dead, including two
women and an elderly man. On Wednesday Hezbollah announced in a series of
statements that it had targeted Israeli forces and vehicles in a number of
border towns in southern Lebanon.
Democrats press US military on Israel's evacuation zones in Lebanon
Associated Press/April 07/2026
A dozen U.S. Democratic Senators have called for the U.S. Central Command to
answer questions about American coordination with Israel in declaring broad "
evacuation zones " in Lebanon and Iran, alleging that the practice may violate
international law. The letter underlines how the Democratic Party — both its
leaders and the base — has grown increasingly critical of Israel. Since the
beginning of the U.S.-Israeli war against Iran and the latest war in Lebanon,
the Israeli military has regularly issued maps covering large areas of territory
along with warnings telling all residents of the zones to flee. Israel had
previously used a similar approach in Gaza. The senators said the sweeping
warnings have "been used to permanently displace people and destroy homes and
towns" and that some civilians who refused to leave their homes in the areas
have been killed by subsequent strikes. The 12 senators led by Vermont Sen.
Peter Welch, in a letter dated May. 4 to CENTCOM chief Adm. Brad Cooper that was
provided to The Associated Press, state that Israel's practice of unilaterally
declaring mass evacuation warnings in Lebanon and Iran "likely contravene
international laws the United States has helped develop around humane
warfare."The other signatories include senators Bernie Sanders of Vermont,
Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts and Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin. The
letter asked the CENTCOM chief whether U.S. forces have coordinated military
targets with Israeli forces during the recent war with Iran, whether they
provided assistance or intelligence helping Israel's military to impose the
evacuation zones in Lebanon and Iran, and whether CENTCOM signed off on U.S.
military support for the targeting of people or infrastructure in the evacuation
zones. It also asked whether the U.S. military has reviewed the legality of the
practice. The Israeli military declined to comment when asked about the letter.
CENTCOM did not immediately respond to a request for comment. In the past,
Israel has said the evacuation maps aim to keep civilians out of harm's way. It
says Hezbollah has positioned fighters, tunnels and weapons in civilian areas
across southern Lebanon, from which it has launched hundreds of drones and
missiles — without warning — into northern Israel.
A shift in the party stance
Observers said the move is part of a larger shift in the stance of Democratic
Party leaders on U.S. military assistance to Israel. Democrats have also been
critical of the Trump administration's entry into the war on Iran alongside
Israel. The letter came nearly three weeks after more than three dozen Democrats
supported an effort by Sanders to block arms sales to Israel, signaling a
growing discontent in the party with Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu
and the wars in Gaza and Iran. The two resolutions to block U.S. sales of
bulldozers and bombs to Israel were opposed by all Republicans and rejected
40-59 and 36-63. Jon Finer, former deputy national security adviser under
President Joe Biden, said the recent steps by Democratic senators reflect a
"growing concern about Israeli conduct of various wars that cause civilian harm
and U.S. complicity in that" across the spectrum within the Democratic Party.
Asked why the Democratic Party is taking these steps now and not at the time
when the war in Gaza and Lebanon broke out — when the Democratic Biden
administration was in power — Finer said: "our operational integration with
Israel appears to be growing, which is part of it, but the truth is the
Democratic base has been moving in this direction for some time and Washington
has been catching up."Andrew Miller, a former senior official on Israel and
Palestinian Affairs at the State Department, said the letter "represents a shift
among congressional Democrats moving from questions of the legality of Israeli
military operations to concerns about the complicity of the U.S. military.""It
demonstrates that Democrats are taking international law very seriously and that
is a welcome development," Miller said.
The evacuation zones
Israel has issued dozens of evacuation warnings in Lebanon since the latest
Israel-Hezbollah war began on March 2. Over 1 million people in Lebanon have
fled their homes during the war. Israel has also issued similar warnings for
Iranians, both during the 12-day Israel-Iran war last year and during the
U.S.-Israeli war launched on Iran on Feb. 28. In one case last year they warned
300,000 people in Tehran, Iran's capital, to evacuate. On Wednesday, the Israel
military's Arabic-language spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued an evacuation
warning to residents of 12 villages in southern Lebanon saying Hezbollah is
using them to launch attacks. The warnings came despite a ceasefire that has
been nominally in place since April 17, although Israel and Hezbollah have been
carrying daily attacks since then. The senators said the declaration of
evacuation zones does not absolve Israeli and U.S. forces "from the absolute
legal responsibility to determine that each individual person or civilian
facility targeted by drones, jets, and gunfire is, in fact, a military target."
It said the use of the zones has been linked to "the deaths of thousands of
civilians," describing them as "kill zones."In response to questions by the AP
last month, the Israeli military said it issues warnings by phone, text, radio
broadcast, social media and leaflets dropped from the air, in accordance with
the "principles of distinction, proportionality and feasible precautions" under
international law.
British and Canadian ambassadors host media freedom
reception in Lebanon
Naharnet/April 07/2026
The British and Canadian Ambassadors to Lebanon co-hosted a reception in Beirut
to mark Lebanese Media Martyrs’ Day and World Press Freedom Day. They paid
tribute to journalists who have lost their lives reporting on the devastating
conflict, and to those who continue to report under challenging and dangerous
conditions. The event was attended by Minister of Information Dr Paul Morcos,
former Minister of Information Ziad Makari, Lebanese and foreign journalists,
Media Freedom Coalition Ambassadors, with Finland as co-chair this year, MPs and
NGOs. The attendees marked the gathering with a moment of silence for all the
journalists who died in the conflict. Lebanese Media Martyrs’ Day, marked
annually on 6 May, was first established to commemorate intellectuals executed
during the First World War. Over time, it has come to honor journalists killed
for their work, reflecting Lebanon’s long struggle for freedom of expression. As
Co-Chairs of the Media Freedom Coalition, the UK and Finland strongly condemned
all violence directed against journalists and media workers and called on
Israeli authorities and all other parties to ensure that journalists in Lebanon
can carry out their work freely and safely. The Ambassadors also underscored
that threats to media freedom extend beyond times of war, including
intimidation, censorship and criminalization. British Ambassador Hamish Cowell
said: “Today is about remembrance but it is also about resolve. Journalists play
an essential role in bearing witness, documenting reality and telling difficult
truths, often at great personal risk. The UK strongly condemns all attacks on
journalists and calls on all parties to protect media workers and uphold
international law. A free and independent media is fundamental to democracy and
accountability in Lebanon and around the world.” Canadian Ambassador Gregory Galligan
said: “Media freedom is a cornerstone of democratic societies and essential for
protecting human rights. Journalists must be able to do their jobs without fear
of violence or reprisal. Canada is proud to stand alongside the UK and
international partners in supporting journalists in Lebanon and around the
world, and in calling for accountability and an end to impunity.”
Israel army investigating after soldier seen desecrating Virgin Mary statue in
Lebanon
Agence France Presse/April 07/2026
The Israeli military said Thursday it would investigate after a soldier was
photographed placing a cigarette in the mouth of a statue of the Virgin Mary in
southern Lebanon. An image appearing to show an Israeli soldier with his arm
around the revered Christian figure and holding a cigarette up to her mouth was
widely shared on social media on Wednesday. When asked for its response to the
image, the Israeli military said it "views the incident with utmost severity and
emphasises that the conduct of the soldier completely deviates from the values
expected of its personnel."
"The incident will be investigated, and command measures will be taken against
the soldier in accordance with the findings," it added. It said that an initial
review showed the image was taken several weeks ago. It is not the first time
the Israeli military has come under fire in recent weeks over soldiers' conduct
surrounding Christian statues in southern Lebanon. In late April, the military
said two soldiers would receive 30 days of military detention and be removed
from combat duty over the destruction of a statue of Jesus Christ in the south
Lebanese village of Debl. In that incident, a photo was shared online showing an
Israeli soldier using a sledgehammer to strike the head of a statue of a
crucified Jesus that had fallen off a cross. The Israeli military said on
Thursday it "respects freedom of religion and worship, as well as holy sites and
religious symbols of all religions and communities". It added that it had "no
intention of harming civilian infrastructure, including religious buildings or
religious symbols."
'Exhaustion and sadness' in Beirut's southern suburbs
Agence France Presse/April 07/2026
In Beirut’s southern suburbs, where Israeli strikes reduced a building complex
to a metal shell, student Rana walked towards her home, though like many others
she fears the full-scale eruption of war again. The Israelis “are not reliable,
they can strike again at any moment,” said the young woman, refusing to give her
full name. As though to confirm her fears, Israel struck Beirut’s southern
suburbs again on Wednesday -- the first there since massive deadly strikes
across Lebanon on April 8. A source close to Hezbollah confirmed that one of the
group’s commanders was killed in the strike. “We just want to avoid being
displaced again,” said the 20-year-old. Despite a ceasefire with Hezbollah that
began on April 17, Israeli strikes have continued, mainly targeting southern
Lebanon, though Beirut and its southern suburbs had been spared until now.
But even so, many of the tens of thousands of displaced avoided returning to
their homes in the suburbs, fearing a sudden resumption of the large-scale
strikes that thrashed the area during the latest war. Hezbollah, which has also
continued to claim attacks on Israeli soldiers and territory, has not given
residents the green light to return home to the suburbs, where Israeli drones
continue to hover. “It’s a lot of exhaustion and sadness,” Rana told AFP during
a press tour organized by Hezbollah. She described the fight between Hezbollah
and Israel as “a battle between good and evil.” A Hezbollah supporter requesting
anonymity, meanwhile, admitted that “people are still afraid.” At the start of
the war, Israel called for the evacuation of Beirut’s southern suburbs, which
have between 600,000 and 800,000 residents. Some have decided to return
nonetheless, including Hassan Moqdad, a 37-year-old mechanic, who said with a
smile: “God is the protector.”Even during the war, he had ventured out to his
workshop -- one of the few remaining edifices on a devastated road. “I went back
home when the ceasefire started and found light damage,” he said.
'The suburb is beautiful'
Graffiti on the rubble of one of the destroyed buildings in the area read: “You
destroy buildings and we destroy brigades,” referring to Israeli border forces.
Nearby, a placard perched on the wreckage read: “I will make rockets from the
metal debris of my destroyed home.”
With his gaze fixed on a roof slumped over a pile of rubble, university lecturer
Ibrahim Shukr recalled a bookshop he used to frequent, tears glistening in his
eyes. Having lived in the suburb of Haret Hreik for 35 years, he returned to his
flat at the start of the truce and was happy to find it intact. “I am sad for my
neighbor and my friend’s homes,” which were destroyed, he said. Standing before
the rubble of his flattened building, Karim Zein, 19, said he was ready to make
any sacrifice for Hezbollah. “We do not mourn the stone, for it can be rebuilt,”
he said, having taken refuge with his sister in south Beirut. He had ignored
Israel’s first mass evacuation warning for the southern suburbs, and only left
when there was a specific warning for his building. He nonetheless said he
believed that “even in its destruction, the suburb is beautiful.”
How conflict, displacement and rising prices are pushing Lebanon toward acute
food insecurity
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/May 07, 2026
BEIRUT: About one in four people in Lebanon are expected to face acute food
insecurity this summer as Israel’s military campaign in the south enters its
third month, deepening a humanitarian crisis in a country already reeling from
economic collapse and dwindling aid.
A new assessment by the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification, the
global standard for measuring hunger and malnutrition, found that 1.24 million
people, or nearly one-quarter of the population assessed, are expected to face
high levels of acute food insecurity through August. The report classifies them
as IPC Phase 3 or higher. Published on April 29, the report said the situation
was “worse than previously anticipated” due to the “rapid escalation of
hostilities.” It raised the earlier projection of 961,000 people expected to be
in IPC Phase 3 or above during the same period under an October 2025 analysis.
That warning has sharpened fears that Lebanon’s crisis is no longer just
economic or political, but increasingly a matter of survival. The deterioration
has been driven by a widening conflict. Since March 2, when the Lebanese armed
group Hezbollah launched attacks on northern Israel in retaliation for the joint
US-Israeli attacks on Iran on Feb. 28 that killed Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei,
Israel has carried out a bombing campaign across Beirut’s southern suburbs,
southern Lebanon and the eastern Bekaa Valley. As the fighting has intensified,
many in southern Lebanon, Hezbollah’s stronghold, have begun to fear the region
is starting to resemble Gaza in the scale of destruction and displacement. Even
a US-mediated ceasefire announced on April 16 has offered little relief. Israeli
attacks have continued, further eroding the basics of daily life for more than
1.2 million displaced Lebanese, including at least 390,000 children. The
displaced fled nearly one-quarter of Lebanon’s territory. About half sought
shelter in public schools or tents set up in designated displacement areas. But
as those sites became overcrowded, hundreds of others pitched tents along Beirut
roadsides in scenes many described as catastrophic.
FASTFACTS
• Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed at least 2,715 people and wounded 8,353
since March 2, according to the Lebanese Health Ministry.
• Despite a ceasefire in place since mid-April, Israel issued new evacuation
orders on May 3 for villages in southern Lebanon beyond the Litani River.
The strain has been compounded by the collapse of basic services, a weak
government response and international aid that remains far short of soaring
needs, according to UN agencies. As a result, pressure on public services has
only intensified.
For Hassan Harb, 73, the crisis is deeply personal. After fleeing his hometown
of Kherbet Selem in southern Lebanon, he and his family spent 27 hours on the
road trying to reach relatives in Beirut. “When we arrived, we discovered that
our relatives in Beirut’s southern suburbs had themselves become displaced,” he
told Arab News. The family now lives in a tent on the roadside near the Tayouneh
roundabout at the entrance to Beirut’s southern suburbs. “We had no choice
except to set up a small tent beside the wall of Beirut’s pine forest. It
neither protects us from winter rain nor from the scorching sun,” Harb said.
While he and his wife sleep in the tent, their two daughters sleep in the family
car. “We have been living like this for more than two months now,” he said.
The hardship has also cost Harb his livelihood. Before the war, he ran a small
kiosk in his village selling tea and coffee. “Now I am unemployed,” he said. “I
used what little money I had left to buy this tent, and part of what remained
was stolen. No one is helping us. We receive neither hot meals nor medical
assistance. Since we were displaced, we have received only one box of canned
food.
“No political party has checked on us — neither Hezbollah nor even the state
itself,” he said. “We live only with the hope of returning home, and we pray
that Israel has not destroyed our house.”
His daughter Fatima described the daily humiliations of displacement as she
cooked potatoes in the tent. “Meat has become a luxury,” she told Arab News. “We
have no refrigerator, no kitchen, not even a bathroom.
“I go to the public restroom inside the park to wash my face, and when I want to
shower, I go to a friend’s home nearby.”For many families, however, returning
home may not be an option. The scale of destruction has been immense. A BBC
Verify analysis found that more than 1,400 buildings were destroyed in less than
two months, from March 2 to April 15. But BBC Verify said the real number is
likely higher because access is restricted and satellite coverage is incomplete.
That destruction had been mounting even before the latest escalation. Looking at
the period from Oct. 1, 2024, to Jan. 26, 2025, Amnesty International said more
than 10,000 structures were severely damaged or destroyed in 26 Lebanese
municipalities along the Israeli border. Israel said in late March that it would
occupy the area below the Litani River, about 19 miles from the Israel-Lebanon
border, and destroy homes along the frontier to create a “buffer zone” in
southern Lebanon and protect northern Israel from Hezbollah’s attacks. Human
Rights Watch said statements by Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz, who vowed
to destroy homes “in accordance with the Rafah and Beit Hanoun model in Gaza,”
could amount to forced displacement and wanton destruction, which are war
crimes.
But Israel’s military operations recently moved beyond that area.
In early May, Israel issued new displacement orders in Lebanese towns and
villages outside its current zone of occupation. Its operations have continued
well beyond the Litani River, striking villages to which many displaced families
had fled because they believed they were safer.
Entire households in Lebanon have lost their jobs and livelihoods, with many now
surviving on charity. The IPC assessment warns that the country now faces a
compounding crisis, with food security being eroded from several directions at
once.
Livelihoods have collapsed. Local markets in conflict-affected areas have been
disrupted. Food and fuel prices are rising. Humanitarian food assistance is
expected to fall short of demand.
The broader regional conflict, the report said, is also likely to pile pressure
on fuel and transport costs, import prices, remittance flows, agricultural
inputs, fertilizer costs and overall market confidence. Together, those
pressures are expected to further hollow out household purchasing power across
the country. Some regions are being hit harder than others. The assessment
singled out Baalbek and Hermel in the east, Akkar in the north, and the southern
districts of Bint Jbeil, Marjayoun, Nabatieh and Tyre, along with Syrian and
Palestinian refugee communities.
“The displaced found themselves overnight with no jobs, no homes, and no
horizon,” Ziad Abdel Samad, executive director of the Arab NGO Network for
Development, told Arab News.
“Those surviving on aid cannot be accurately counted,” he said. “We do not know
exactly how to reach them all. There are several programs under the ministry of
social affairs, but the assistance is extremely limited.”Civil society groups
have begun adapting to the scale of the crisis, he said, and coordination among
NGOs, the ministry and international organizations has improved. Still, he said,
the ministry is operating far beyond its means.
Abdel Samad said the risks extend beyond hunger alone.
“A social catastrophe is coming,” he warned. “The economic situation is fragile
and the central bank has started sending signals of financial instability.” Even
as Arab and foreign donors have stepped up and relief efforts have become more
organized, he said food security cannot be reduced to food availability alone.
“Food security is not just about having food available,” he said. “It is about
whether that food is safe. Is the quality healthy? Is drinking water clean? What
about sanitation?”
UNHCR spokesperson Dalal Harb described the IPC report as a wake-up call.
“It signals that we could be heading toward acute food insecurity,” Harb told
Arab News.
Displacement has become fluid and unpredictable, she said. Some families are
considering whether to return, while others briefly go back for belongings
before fleeing again. Some even commute daily between home and a shelter, unsure
what the next day will bring.
There is no firm count of those back-and-forth movements, she said, but one
figure stands out — in just three days during the ceasefire, Israeli strikes
destroyed 428 homes in southern Lebanon and western Bekaa.Harb said UNHCR has
flexible programs and is working closely with the ministry of social affairs on
the emergency response. “All funds are channeled through the ministry, and under
the SRSN program, 490,883 displaced people have benefited from cash assistance,”
she said.
She added that UNHCR was among the parties involved in the Lebanese government’s
urgent relief appeal to secure $300 million from the international community to
meet the needs of about 1 million displaced people. “UNHCR expects to receive
$61 million from that assistance to help 600,000 people,” she said, adding that
40 percent of the relief aid had been received so far.
Rasha Abou Dargham, a spokeswoman in Lebanon for the World Food Program, said
the country is facing one of the gravest food insecurity crises in its history.
“Lebanon is confronting a refugee crisis alongside economic fragility, soaring
food prices, growing pressure on host communities and regional instability that
continues to drive food costs even higher,” she told Arab News. She said Lebanon
had long been vulnerable to repeated shocks, but that the current crisis was
especially devastating because of its deep impact on daily life.
Volunteers prepare food packages in the kitchen of a school-turned shelter in
Beirut. (Reuters)
“Food security has been under threat since 2019, leaving the country in an
extremely fragile position and poorly equipped to absorb any new shock,” she
said.
The displacement crisis, she added, has become a major driver of need.
“Despite generous donor support, the needs remain immense and the crisis
continues to deepen,” she said. The Food and Agriculture Organization has also
warned that the crisis is being worsened by disrupted livelihoods and heavy
damage to the agricultural sector, which has yet to recover from the 2024
conflict. FAO data shows the crisis is affecting all segments of society, with
especially severe consequences for refugees and internally displaced people.
Many, it said, are being forced to cut back on meals or adopt desperate coping
strategies, including borrowing money or selling essential assets to survive.
According to the agency, many families are replacing meat with pasta and
potatoes because the cost of nearly everything has become prohibitively high.
To meet urgent needs, the Lebanese government is considering reorganizing budget
priorities, including redirecting loans originally allocated to infrastructure
projects, after curbing public sector salary increases a few weeks ago.
Agriculture Minister Nizar Hani said that Lebanon has entered an “exceptionally
dangerous phase.”
“Conflict, combined with mounting economic pressures, has pushed national food
security into an unprecedentedly critical situation,” he told Arab News. He said
the share of people experiencing food insecurity and requiring a rapid,
coordinated humanitarian response had risen from 18 percent to 24 percent.
Despite the difficulties facing agricultural production in southern Lebanon,
along with the livestock and poultry sectors, Hani said other parts of the
country were still producing enough to help maintain an acceptable level of food
security.
He noted, however, that “opening Arab markets to Lebanese products and reopening
the land corridor have become urgent priorities.”“Safeguarding food security in
Lebanon is now a shared national and international responsibility,” he said,
adding that investment in agriculture is central to stability and to
strengthening communities’ resilience in the face of successive crises.
Israel indicts Jewish man accused of attacking Christian
nun in Jerusalem
AP/May 07, 2026
TEL AVIV: Israel on Thursday indicted a Jewish man over a violent attack on a
nun near Jerusalem’s Old City last week, the latest in a string of high-profile
incidents targeting Christians and religious symbols. The indictment identified
the man as Yona Schreiber, 36, from the Israeli-occupied West Bank settlement of
Peduel. It comes after a video of the assault received wide condemnation from
foreign and Christian leaders. Schreiber was arrested last week, and Israel’s
attorney general recommended extending his detention for the duration of the
case. Schreiber’s lawyer refused to speak to an Associated Press journalist at
the court. According to the indictment, Schreiber attacked a woman in Jerusalem,
just outside of the walls of Jerusalem’s Old City, because she was wearing a
habit that identified her as a Catholic nun. He pushed her and then kicked her
while she was lying on the ground, and also attacked a passerby who attempted to
halt his attack, the indictment said.
Schreiber is being charged with simple assault, and assault motivated by
religious hostility.
Olivier Poquillon, the director of the French School of Biblical and
Archaeological Research, said that the nun was a researcher at the school. He
called the attack an “act of sectarian violence” in an X post. Religious groups
have documented a rise in acts of harassment and violence against Christian
pilgrims and clergy as well as Palestinian Christian residents, including
assaults and spitting, often by extremist ultra-Orthodox Jews. The arrest comes
as Israeli treatment of religious minorities is under scrutiny, weeks after
police limited access for holiday worship in Jerusalem’s holiest sites because
of security concerns during the Iran war. Latin Patriarch Cardinal Pierbattista
Pizzaballa was prohibited from holding a private Mass at the Church of the Holy
Sepulchre on Palm Sunday, the first time in centuries Catholic leaders have been
prevented from observing Palm Sunday at the church. After the uproar, Jerusalem
police eventually worked out a compromise for a limited Easter Mass at the
church. Israel also drew international criticism after a soldier photographed
himself bludgeoning a fallen statue of Jesus on the cross with an ax in southern
Lebanon. Israeli leaders later disavowed the incident and said that he would be
reprimanded, and assisted local residents in replacing the statue. The Israeli
military also opened an investigation into a soldier photographed shoving a
cigarette into the mouth of the statue of the Virgin Mary, which was apparently
photographed several weeks ago. The military said that it views the incident
with “utmost severity.” And there have been questions and concern about Israeli
soldiers bulldozing parts of a Catholic convent in southern Lebanon. Last month,
Israel’s Foreign Ministry appointed former Ambassador George Deek to be the
special envoy to the Christian world, in response to the incidents. Deek
previously served as Israel’s ambassador to Azerbaijan and was Israel’s first
Arab Christian ambassador. Deek condemned the soldier filmed smoking a cigarette
with a statue of the Virgin Mary, and stressed that Israel “is committed to
preserving religious freedom and the dignity of all religions.”
Israel’s founding declaration includes safeguarding freedom of religion and all
holy places, and it portrays itself as an oasis of religious tolerance in a
volatile region. But some church authorities and monitoring groups have lamented
a recent increase in anti-Christian sentiment and harassment. The issue is
particularly pronounced in Jerusalem’s Old City, a densely populated area with
narrow alleyways of ancient stones, which houses holy sites for Judaism,
Christianity and Islam. Wadie Abunassar, the coordinator of the Holy Land
Christian Forum, last week called attacks targeting Christians a growing
phenomenon. He attributed the quick response to the attack on the nun to the
fact that it was caught on video. He said that he felt “great anger on the
system and great sadness, because I feel that this will not end anytime soon.”
One of the problems, he said, was insufficient deterrence against such violence.
“Many times in such cases there are no arrests and if there are arrests,
sometimes after one or two days, (suspects) are released,” he added. “In some
cases, the police do not recommend the prosecution to file charges or to indict
them. And in some cases, when there is indictment, the indictment is mild.”
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on
07-08 May/2026
US sanctions Iraq’s deputy oil minister for helping Iran and its proxies:
Treasury
Al Arabiya English/07 May ,2026
The US has sanctioned Iraq’s deputy oil minister, Ali Maarij Al-Bahadly, for
facilitating the diversion of oil to be sold for the benefit of the Iranian
regime and its proxy militias in Iraq. “Like a rogue gang, the Iranian regime is
pillaging resources that rightfully belong to the Iraqi people,” Treasury
Secretary Scott Bessent said. “Treasury will not stand idly by as Iran’s
military exploits Iraqi oil to fund terrorism against the United States and our
partners.”Treasury also designated three senior leaders of Iran-aligned
terrorist militias Kata’ib Sayyid Al-Shuhada and Asa’ib Ahl Al-Haq. In a
statement, Treasury said that the United States would continue to hold these
groups and other Iran-aligned terrorist militias in Iraq, such as Kata’ib
Hezbollah, accountable for their attacks against US troops and civilians,
diplomatic facilities, and businesses across Iraq. The Treasury Department
accused Maarij of helping facilitate the diversion of Iraqi oil products to
benefit the Iranian regime and an Iran-backed militia in Iraq. Part of this
included authorizing several million dollars’ worth of Iraqi oil per day being
mixed with Iranian oil before being shipped to market.
Iran denies ship attack as Trump warns of renewed bombing,
eyes deal
Agence France Presse/07 May ,2026
Iran denied on Thursday attacking a South Korean cargo ship in the Strait of
Hormuz this week, as U.S. President Donald Trump said a deal to end the war was
"very possible" but warned Washington would resume bombing if talks failed.
Tehran's embassy in Seoul said it "firmly rejects and categorically denies"
allegations that its armed forces were behind a blast aboard the Panama-flagged
HMM Namu, which caught fire on Monday while transiting the strategic waterway
with 24 crew members on board. Trump later claimed Iran had "taken some shots"
at the vessel and urged South Korea to join U.S.-led efforts to restore shipping
through the strait.The war, launched by the United States and Israel in late
February, saw Iran respond with attacks across the Middle East and impose a
chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, rattling global energy markets. Despite
Trump's optimism, Iran has yet to respond to a new U.S. proposal, with its chief
negotiator warning that Washington was seeking to force the Islamic republic's "surrender."Signs
that the foes could return to the table after weeks of deadlock grew after Trump
halted a short-lived military operation to reopen the strait, citing hopes for a
deal.
'Very possible' -
"We've had very good talks over the last 24 hours, and it's very possible that
we'll make a deal," Trump told reporters Wednesday. But he had warned earlier
that if Iran did not honor what had been agreed, bombing would resume "at a much
higher level and intensity."Iran's foreign ministry spokesman Esmaeil Baqaei
said the U.S. proposal remained "under review" and Tehran would communicate its
position to mediator Pakistan "after finalizing its views."Parliament speaker
Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, who has led Iran's negotiations, warned that
Washington sought "through a naval blockade, economic pressure and media
manipulation, to destroy the country's cohesion in order to force us to
surrender." U.S. news outlet Axios, citing two officials, reported both sides
were close to agreement on a one-page memorandum of understanding to end the war
and set a framework for nuclear negotiations.
Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, a key figure in initial talks in
Islamabad, said he was "very hopeful that the current momentum will lead to a
lasting agreement that secures durable peace and stability for the region and
beyond."
Macron presses Tehran -
French President Emmanuel Macron, meanwhile, told his Iranian counterpart Masoud
Pezeshkian in a phone call Wednesday that attacks on UAE civilian infrastructure
and ships near the strait were "unjustified," urging all parties to lift their
dual blockade in the waterway "without delay and without conditions."Pezeshkian
told Macron that any full reopening of the strait required the lifting of the
U.S. naval blockade, adding that "excessive demands, threatening statements, and
failure to adhere to necessary frameworks by the United States have further
complicated the path of diplomacy," according to the Iranian presidency. The
call came as France's aircraft carrier Charles de Gaulle transited the Suez
Canal en route to the southern Red Sea, where it will pre-position for a
possible multinational mission to restore navigation in the strait. The
deployment was intended to send "a signal that not only are we ready to secure
the Strait of Hormuz but that we are also capable of doing so," a Macron aide
told reporters. Macron and British Prime Minister Keir Starmer are leading the
initiative, which more than 40 countries have joined in military planning.
Stocks surge -
Investors welcomed the pause in U.S. escort operations through the strait, with
the S&P 500 and Nasdaq closing at record highs. That led to Tokyo's Nikkei index
soaring Thursday to lead another strong rally across Asia stocks. Oil prices
also held the week's steep losses on hopes of a deal to end the war. But in
Tehran, one resident told Paris-based AFP journalists that the prospect of any
deal with the current Iranian government was "terrifying.""We've gone through so
much hardship and suffering, and no achievements for the people?" said
translator Azadeh, 43.
"I honestly just hope they finish this regime."
Iran’s response to US proposal possible today: Pakistani
source
Al Arabiya English/07 May ,2026
Iran could respond to the US proposal through Pakistan on Thursday, a Pakistani
source told Al Arabiya. The source added that contacts with the Iranian side
remained in place, saying that there were no obstacles to maintaining contact or
receiving responses. Moreover, the source said that President Donald Trump had
asked for a “swift Iranian response” to the proposal made by the US. Beyond
that, the Pakistani source also hinted at a possible solution to the situation
in the Strait of Hormuz, saying that discussions were ongoing and understandings
could be reached. Earlier, Al Arabiya reported citing sources that there were
intensive contacts for the reopening of the strait adding that understandings
were reached for a possible easing of US blockade in return for the strait’s
gradual reopening. Trump had said on Wednesday that he believed a deal with Iran
was “very possible,” but threatened to resume strikes on the country if
negotiations failed. Israel and the US began striking Iran on February 28 which
retaliated by attacking Israel and launching strikes on civilian infrastructure
in neighboring Gulf countries and blocking the strait. A ceasefire was reached
last month but remains fragile. The US responded to Iran’s blockade of the
strait by imposing a targeted naval blockade of shipping to and from Iranian
ports. Pakistan has played a key role as a mediator between Iran and the US to
find a solution to the ongoing conflict.
Pakistan says it expects a deal soon
Associated Press/07 May ,2026
Iran said it was reviewing the latest American proposals on ending the war, as
U.S. President Donald Trump threatened the country with a new wave of bombing
unless a deal is reached that includes reopening the crucial Strait of Hormuz to
international shipping. Hope that the two-month conflict could soon end buoyed
international markets on Thursday, even as the U.S. military fired on an Iranian
oil tanker attempting to breach an American blockade of Iran's ports hours
earlier. The developments followed days of mixed messaging from the Trump
administration over its strategy to end the war. Trump posted on social media
that the two-month war could soon end and that oil and natural gas shipments
disrupted by the conflict could restart. But he said that depends on Iran
accepting a reported agreement that he did not detail. "If they don't agree, the
bombing starts," Trump wrote. A fragile ceasefire between the U.S. and Iran has
largely held since April 8. But in-person talks between the two countries hosted
by Pakistan last month failed to reach an agreement. The war began Feb. 28, when
the U.S. and Israel launched strikes against Iran.
Pakistan says it expects a deal soon
"We expect an agreement sooner rather than later," Pakistan's Foreign Ministry
spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Thursday. "We hope the parties will reach a
peaceful and sustainable solution that will contribute not only to peace in our
region but to international peace as well."But he declined to give a timeline,
saying Pakistan would not disclose details of the ongoing diplomatic efforts.
"What I can tell you and this is what I have stated before that we remain
positive, we remain optimist, and we hope the settlement will be soon rather
than later," he said. Asked whether Pakistan was expecting any response from
Iran later Thursday, Andrabi said: "I will not comment on specifics or the
movement of the messages." Pakistan's Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, speaking in
televised remarks Thursday, said Islamabad remained in "continuous contact with
Iran and the United States, day and night, to stop the war and extend the
ceasefire."
A shifting narrative of the war
The Trump administration's messaging throughout the Iran war has been shifting
and often contradictory. This week, the president and his aides presented a
dizzying narrative over the U.S. strategy to unblock the Strait of Hormuz and
wrap up the war that drastically changed over the course of mere hours. Iran has
effectively shut the strait, a vital waterway for the shipment of supplies of
oil, gas, fertilizer and other petroleum products, while the U.S. is blockading
Iranian ports. On Wednesday, a U.S. fighter jet shot out the rudder of an
Iranian oil tanker in the Gulf of Oman as it tried to breach the American
blockade, U.S. Central Command said in a social media post.
Trump suggests U.S. might force a deal with Tehran
Trump insisted Wednesday that Iranian officials want to end the war. "We're
dealing with people that want to make a deal very much, and we'll see whether or
not they can make a deal that's satisfactory to us," the president said.He
suggested the U.S. could ultimately force a settlement. "If they don't agree,
the bombing starts," Trump said on social media, "and it will be, sadly, at a
much higher level and intensity than it was before." The White House believes it
is near an agreement with Iran on a one-page memorandum to end the war,
according to reporting by the news outlet Axios. Provisions include a moratorium
on Iranian uranium enrichment, lifting of U.S. sanctions, distribution of frozen
Iranian funds and opening the strait for ships. The White House did not
immediately respond to questions about the possible agreement. A spokesman for
the Iranian Foreign Ministry, Esmaeil Baghaei, told state TV that Tehran had
"strongly rejected" U.S. proposals reported by Axios, but that it was still
examining the latest U.S. proposal.
US effort to reopen Strait of Hormuz suspended
Trump has sought to increase pressure on Tehran after suspending on Tuesday a
short-lived U.S. effort, dubbed Project Freedom, to force open a safe passage
for commercial ships through the Strait of Hormuz. Only two American-flagged
merchant ships are known to have passed through the U.S.-guarded route after it
opened Monday. The U.S. military said it sank six Iranian small boats
threatening civilian ships. Hundreds of merchant ships remain bottled up in the
Persian Gulf, unable to reach the open sea without passing through the Strait of
Hormuz. The strait's closure has sent fuel prices skyrocketing, rattled the
global economy and put enormous economic pressure on countries, including major
powers such as China. Hapag-Lloyd, one of the world's largest shipping
companies, said in a statement that the strait's shutdown is costing it around
$60 million per week, with rising fuel and insurance costs hitting particularly
hard. On Thursday, the price of Brent crude oil stabilized at around $100 a
barrel as investors waited to see whether the strait would reopen. Meanwhile,
French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday that France's aircraft carrier
strike group was moving into the Red Sea in preparation for a potential
French-British mission to restore maritime security in the Strait of Hormuz as
soon as conditions allow. China's foreign minister called for a comprehensive
ceasefire Wednesday after meeting in Beijing with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas
Araghchi. Wang Yi said his country was "deeply distressed" by the conflict.
China's close economic and political ties to Tehran give it a unique position of
influence. The Trump administration is pressing China to use that relationship
to urge the Islamic Republic to open the strait.
Iranian envoy visits China ahead of Trump
Araghchi's visit to China came ahead of a planned trip to Beijing by Trump, who
is scheduled to attend a high-profile summit on May 14-15 with Chinese President
Xi Jinping. Trump was the last U.S. president to visit China in 2017. Araghchi
told Iranian state TV that his visit included discussions about the Strait of
Hormuz, Iran's nuclear program and sanctions imposed on Tehran. Trump has
demanded a major rollback of Tehran's disputed nuclear program.
Rubio makes fence-mending visit to Vatican
Associated Press/07 May ,2026
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio made a fence-mending visit to the Vatican on
Thursday to underscore strong bilateral ties, after U.S. President Donald
Trump's broadsides against Pope Leo XIV for his opposition to the Iran war
angered the Holy See and sparked ongoing sparring between them. The U.S. State
Department said that the meetings with Leo and the Vatican's top diplomat
covered peace in the Middle East and "underscored the strong relationship
between the United States and the Holy See," and reflected the "enduring
partnership" between them.
Rubio, a practicing Catholic, had an audience first with Leo, which was
complicated at the last minute by Trump's latest criticism of the Chicago-born
pope. Leo has pushed back, calling out Trump's misrepresentations of his views
on Iran and nuclear weapons, and insisting that he's merely preaching the
biblical message of peace. During a 2½-hour visit, Rubio then met with the
Vatican secretary of state, Cardinal Pietro Parolin, who on the eve of his visit
had strongly defended Leo and criticized Trump's attacks in understated
diplomatic terms. "Attacking him like that or criticizing what he does seems a
bit strange to me, to say the least," Parolin said Wednesday. After the
meetings, the U.S. State Department said that Rubio and Parolin discussed
"ongoing humanitarian efforts in the Western Hemisphere and efforts to achieve a
durable peace in the Middle East. The discussion reflected the enduring
partnership between the United States and the Holy See in advancing religious
freedom."In a separate statement about the audience with Leo, U.S. State
Department spokesman Tommy Pigott said that the two discussed the situation in
the Middle East "and topics of mutual interest in the Western Hemisphere. The
meeting underscored the strong relationship between the United States and the
Holy See and their shared commitment to promoting peace and human dignity," he
said.
The Vatican didn't immediately comment on the audiences.
Rubio also has meetings Friday with Italian Premier Giorgia Meloni and Foreign
Minister Antonio Tajani. Those meetings might not be much easier for
Washington's top diplomat, given both have strongly defended Leo against Trump's
attacks and have criticized the Iran war as illegal — drawing the president's
ire. Rubio insisted this week that the visit had been in the works for a while,
but that "obviously we had some stuff that happened."
A mission to smooth ties
The tensions began when Trump lashed out at Leo on social media last month,
saying the pope was soft on crime and terrorism for comments about the
administration's immigration policies and deportations as well as the Iran war.
Leo then said that God doesn't listen to the prayers of those who wage war.
Later, Trump posted a social media image appearing to liken himself to Jesus
Christ, which was deleted after a backlash. He has refused to apologize to Leo
and has sought to explain away the post by saying that he thought the image was
a representation of him as a doctor.
Rubio said that Trump's recent criticisms of Leo were rooted in his opposition
to Iran potentially obtaining a nuclear weapon, which he said could be used
against millions of Catholics and other Christians. Leo has never said Iran
should obtain nuclear weapons and that the Catholic Church "for years has spoken
out against all nuclear weapons, so there is no doubt there." "The mission of
the church is to preach the Gospel, to preach peace. If someone wants to
criticize me for announcing the Gospel, let him do it with the truth," Leo said
late Tuesday, after Trump again accused him of being "OK" with Iran having a
nuclear weapon.
By Thursday, tensions seemed to have eased.
In the exchange of gifts at the Vatican, Rubio presented Leo with a small
crystal football paperweight. He acknowledged Leo's known allegiance to the
Chicago White Sox, saying "you're a baseball guy, but it has the seal of the
State Department," on it. "What to get someone who has everything?" he joked as
he picked the paperweight up. Leo, for his part, gave Rubio a pen apparently
made of olive wood — "olive being of course the plant of peace," Leo said — with
his coat of arms on it and a picture book of Vatican artworks. Rubio has often
been called on to tone down or explain Trump's harsh rhetoric. Trump also has
criticized Meloni and other NATO allies for a lack of support for the Iran war,
recently announcing plans to withdraw thousands of American troops from Germany
in the coming months.
Vatican seen as willing to have dialogue
Giampiero Gramaglia, former head of the ANSA news agency and its onetime
Washington correspondent, said that he didn't expect much to come out of Rubio's
visit for Italian or Vatican relations. He, and other Italian commentators,
believe Rubio instead was looking to smooth over relations with the pope for his
own political ambitions, as well as the upcoming midterm U.S. congressional
elections and 2028 presidential race. "I doubt Rubio has the role of conciliator
for Trump," he told Italy's Foreign Press Association. "I have the perception
that Rubio's mission is more about himself" and his political ambitions as a
prominent Catholic Republican. The Rev. Antonio Spadaro, undersecretary in the
Vatican's culture office, said that Rubio's mission wasn't to "convert" the pope
to Trump's side. Rather, Washington "has come to acknowledge — implicitly but
legibly — that (Leo's) voice carries weight in the world that cannot simply be
dismissed.""The situation created by President Trump's remarks required a
high-level, direct intervention, conducted in the proper language of diplomacy:
a semantic corrective to a narrative of frontal conflict with the church," he
wrote in an essay this week.
Cuba is also on the agenda
Rubio said that topics other than the Iran war were on the agenda for the
Vatican visit, including Cuba. The Holy See is particularly concerned about the
Trump administration's threats of potential military action there following its
January ouster of Venezuelan President Nicolás Maduro.
Trump has said frequently that Cuba could be "next," and even suggested that
once the Iran war is over, naval assets deployed in the Middle East could return
to the United States by way of Cuba. Rubio is the son of Cuban immigrants and a
longtime Cuba hawk. "We gave Cuba $6 million of humanitarian aid, but obviously
they won't let us distribute it," Rubio said. "We distributed it through the
church. We'd like to do more."
France moves aircraft carrier group toward Hormuz Strait
for possible defensive mission
Associated Press/07 May ,2026
France's aircraft carrier strike group is moving south of the Suez Canal and
into the Red Sea in preparation for a potential French-British mission in the
Strait of Hormuz, French President Emmanuel Macron said Wednesday. The
deployment puts Europe's most powerful warship closer to the strait whose
effective closure has come to epitomize the war in Iran, stranding hundreds of
ships and triggering what the International Energy Agency calls the largest
supply disruption in the history of the global oil market. The defensive effort
is distinct from the U.S. "Project Freedom" that launched Monday and was paused
by President Donald Trump on Tuesday evening. The repositioning of the
nuclear-powered Charles de Gaulle and its escorts comes as part of a proposed
mission championed by France and Britain to restore maritime security in the
Strait of Hormuz as soon as conditions allow. It "may help restore confidence
among shipowners and insurers," Macron said on X. "It remains distinct from the
parties at war."Macron, who spoke with Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on
Wednesday, said he also intends to raise the matter with Trump. "A return to
calm in the Strait will help advance negotiations on nuclear issues, ballistic
matters, and the regional situation," Macron wrote. "Europeans… will play their
part." Col. Guillaume Vernet, spokesperson for the French armed forces chief of
staff, stressed that the Hormuz coalition — drawn up by France, Britain and more
than 50 nations — will not begin operating until two thresholds are cleared: The
threat to shipping must come down, and the maritime industry must be reassured
enough to use the strait. Even then, he told The Associated Press, any operation
would require the agreement of neighboring countries. That would include Iran,
which borders the strait and effectively closed it by attacking and threatening
ships after the war began on Feb. 28 with attacks by the U.S. and Israel. Vernet
did not specify when the carrier would reach its destination. He said the
carrier was being positioned to be close enough to act if and when the
conditions are met: "The French position is the same since the beginning —
defensive posture, respecting international law."War-risk insurance premiums for
transits of the strait have risen four to five times above preconflict levels,
according to industry estimates. For now, insurance premiums are so high that
"not a single ship will jeopardize their trip or go there," Vernet said.
Washington has not been part of the French-British planning, which observers
have said echoes the European "coalition of the willing" that Macron and British
Prime Minister Keir Starmer assembled to support Ukraine. "We want to send the
message that not only are we ready to secure the Strait of Hormuz, but that we
are also capable of doing so," a French top official said, speaking anonymously
in line with the French presidency's customary practices. Early in the war,
France sought a multinational initiative to reestablish freedom of navigation in
the strait. Macron and Starmer hosted dozens of countries at a Paris summit on
April 17, and military planners from more than 30 nations later finalized
operational details. The Charles de Gaulle had been ordered from the Baltic to
the eastern Mediterranean soon after the war began in what the French presidency
described as an "unprecedented" mobilization that also includes eight frigates
and two Mistral-class amphibious assault ships. Meanwhile, French Rafale
fighters based at Al Dhafra airbase in the United Arab Emirates have been
intercepting Iranian drones and missiles over the Gulf state since the war began
under a long-standing defense pact with Abu Dhabi that puts some 900 French
personnel on the Gulf's southern shore.
Trump sees swift end to war as Iran reviews US peace proposal
Al Arabiya English/07 May ,2026
US President Donald Trump predicted a swift end to the war with Iran as Tehran
considered a US peace proposal that sources said would formally end the conflict
while leaving unresolved key US demands that Iran suspend its nuclear program
and reopen the Strait of Hormuz. An Iranian foreign ministry spokesperson cited
by Iran’s ISNA news agency said Tehran would convey its response, while Iranian
lawmaker Ebrahim Rezaei, a spokesperson for parliament’s powerful foreign policy
and national security committee, described the proposal as “more of an American
wish-list than a reality.”“They want to make a deal. We’ve had very good talks
over the last 24 hours, and it’s very possible that we’ll make a deal,” Trump
told reporters in the Oval Office on Wednesday, saying later “it’ll be over
quickly.”“When you look at the kind of things that are happening, we are doing
that for one very important reason: We cannot allow them to have a nuclear
weapon. So I think most people understand that. They understand that what we are
doing is right, and it'll be over quickly,” Trump told a tele-rally for Georgia
Republican governor candidate Burt Jones. Trump has repeatedly played up the
prospect of an agreement to end the war that started on February 28, so far
without success. The two sides remain at odds over a variety of difficult
issues, such as Iran’s nuclear ambitions and its control of the Strait of
Hormuz, which before the war handled one-fifth of the world’s oil and gas
supply. A Pakistani source and another source briefed on the mediation said an
agreement was close on a one-page memorandum that would formally end the
conflict. That would kick off discussions to unblock shipping through the
strait, lift US sanctions on Iran and set curbs on Iran’s nuclear program, the
sources said.
A separate senior Pakistani official involved in the talks told Reuters on
Thursday that negotiators were hopeful of reaching a deal but noted gaps between
the sides remained. “Our priority is that they announce a permanent end to war
and the rest of the issues could be thrashed out once they get back to direct
talks,” said the official, speaking on condition of anonymity. Iran’s parliament
speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf appeared to mock reports that indicated the two
sides were close, writing on social media in English that “Operation Trust Me
Bro failed.”Ghalibaf said such reports amounted to US spin following its failure
to open the Strait of Hormuz.
Deal hopes drive oil down, shares rise
Reports of a possible agreement caused global oil prices to tumble to two-week
lows on Wednesday, with benchmark Brent crude futures falling about 11 percent
to around $98 a barrel at one point before rising back above the $100 mark.
Global share prices also leapt and bond yields fell on optimism about an end to
a war that has disrupted energy supplies. “The contents of the US-Iran peace
proposals are thin, but there is an expectation in the market that further
military action will not take place,” said Takamasa Ikeda, a senior portfolio
manager at GCI Asset Management. Trump on Tuesday paused a two-day-old naval
mission to reopen the blockaded strait, citing progress in peace talks. The US
military has kept up its own blockade on Iranian ships in the region. US Central
Command said forces fired at an unladen Iranian-flagged tanker on Wednesday,
disabling the vessel as it attempted to sail toward an Iranian port in violation
of the blockade.
No mention of key US demands
The source briefed on the mediation said the US negotiations were being led by
Trump’s envoy Steve Witkoff and son-in-law Jared Kushner. If both sides agreed
on the preliminary deal, that would start the clock on 30 days of detailed
negotiations to reach a full agreement. While the sources said the memorandum
would not initially require concessions from either side, they did not mention
several key demands Washington has made in the past, which Iran has rejected,
such as the restrictions on Iran’s missile program and an end to its support for
proxy militias in the Middle East. The sources also made no mention of Iran’s
existing stockpile of more than 400 kg (882 pounds) of near-weapons-grade
uranium. With Reuters
Iran’s President Pezeshkian
says met supreme leader Khamenei
TEHRAN: Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said Thursday he had met with the
country’s supreme leader Mojtaba Khamenei, who has not been seen in public since
his appointment in early March. Pezeshkian did not say when their meeting took
place.
“What struck me most during this meeting was the vision and the humble and
sincere approach of the supreme leader of the Islamic revolution,” the president
said in a video broadcast by state television. Khamenei, wounded in strikes on
the first day of the Middle East war that claimed the life of his father and
predecessor Ali Khamenei, has released only written statements since his
appointment. His 86-year-old father was killed after more than three decades at
the helm of the Islamic republic. Ali Khamenei himself had succeeded the founder
of the republic Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini in 1989. Mojtaba’s appointment by
Iran’s Assembly of Experts, an 88-member body responsible for selecting the
supreme leader, was announced by state television on March 9. Since then,
portraits of the 56-year-old have become ubiquitous in the streets of Iran, but
the new leader has been conspicuous in his absence from the public stage, in
stark contrast to frequent appearances made by his father.
UAE to document Iranian
attack damage to aid legal quest for justice
Arab News/May 07, 2026
LONDON: The UAE is setting up a committee to document attacks by Iran on the
country and the damage they cause. The findings will be used to support the
nation’s legal efforts to achieve accountability and justice, the state-run
Emirates News Agency reported on Thursday.
The UAE was heavily targeted during the first six weeks of the US-Israeli war
with Iran, which began on Feb. 28, and authorities in the country accused Tehran
of resuming drone and missile attacks on its territory this week. The strikes on
Monday and Tuesday were the first against the UAE since shortly after Iran and
the US reached a ceasefire agreement on April 8.The committee will document
“Iranian acts of aggression, international crimes and the damages resulting from
them, which affected the territory of the UAE, its citizens, visitors and
residents,” according to the resolution issued to set up the body.
Chaired by the nation’s attorney general, it will document violations “in
accordance with the highest legal and technical standards,” to provide a
“comprehensive national record based on reliable evidence.” It will include
representatives from key federal ministries and other local entities and call on
local and international experts for assistance.The UAE said it has been targeted
with more than 2,000 drones, hundreds of ballistic missiles and dozens of cruise
missiles launched from Iran during the conflict. While the vast majority were
intercepted, the attacks killed at least 13 people, injured more than 200, and
damaged energy infrastructure and landmark buildings. Other Arab Gulf countries
have also been targeted repeatedly during the conflict, despite insisting they
were not involved in the Israeli-US military actions against Iran. The UAE
previously called for Iran to be held accountable for its attacks and pay
reparations for the damage caused. The new committee will assess the “human,
material and economic damages” arising from the Iranian attacks and document the
casualties and injuries suffered. The work will be carried in accordance with
“internationally recognized standards for documenting international crimes” in a
way that will “enhance the reliability and legal admissibility of such
evidence.”The resolution comes a day after the UAE condemned what it described
as hostile statements by Tehran that alleged Abu Dhabi’s cooperation with the US
threatened Iran’s security and national interests. The UAE’s Foreign Ministry
said that its international relations and defense partnerships were a “purely
sovereign matter.”
Freedom of navigation in Hormuz strait is humanitarian necessity: Saudi envoy
Al Arabiya English/07 May ,2026
Saudi Arabia’s envoy to the UN Abdulaziz al-Wasil said on Thursday that
guaranteeing the freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz is “a
humanitarian necessity.”During a press conference on the Strait of Hormuz draft
resolution at the UN Security Council, al-Wasil added that the strait “is a
vital vein for global trade.”He added that the draft resolution aims to protect
freedom of navigation and maintain the stability of international trade. The
UAE’s envoy to the UN, Mohamed Issa Abushahab, said the draft resolution “is
necessary to protect international shipping and trade.”Qatar’s envoy to the UN,
Alya Ahmed Saif Al-Thani, warned that the closure of the strait “directly
impacts global supply chains.”She added that not resolving the crisis risks
undermining regional and international stability, adding that global trade
greatly relies on the security of naval passages in the Gulf.
US strikes southern Iran,
naval units come under Iranian fire in Hormuz Strait
Agencies/May 07, 2026
DUBAI: Iranian state media said Thursday that the country’s armed forces
exchanged fire with “the enemy” on Qeshm Island in the Strait of Hormuz. Iran’s
Fars news agency said several sounds resembling explosions were heard near
Bandar Abbas city. US President Donald Trump called the strikes a “love tap,”
and said the ceasefire is still in place. The US military said that it
intercepted Iranian attacks on three Navy ships in the Strait of Hormuz and
“targeted Iranian military facilities responsible for attacking U.S. forces.”
The exchange occurred as US Navy destroyers transited the Strait of Hormuz, US
Central Command said in a social media post. US forces intercepted “unprovoked
Iranian attacks” and responded with self-defense strikes, it said. A Fox News
reporter said in a post on X, citing a senior US official, that the US military
had carried out strikes on Qeshm port and the city of Bandar Abbas. The official
said the strikes do not mean a restarting of the war or an end to the ceasefire
announced on April 7, according to the post. However, Iran accused the US of
violating a ceasefire by targeting two ships in the Strait of Hormuz and
attacking civilian areas, the country’s top joint military command said early
on Friday. The strikes took place as the US awaited Iran’s response to a
proposal that would halt fighting between the two countries but leave the most
contentious issues, such as Iran’s nuclear program, unresolved for now. US
military naval units operating in the area of the Strait of Hormuz came under
Iranian missile fire, following an attack by the US military on an Iranian oil
tanker, Iranian state media, citing an unnamed military official, said. The
US targeted “an Iranian oil tanker traveling from Iran’s coastal waters near
Jask toward the Strait of Hormuz, as well as another vessel entering the
Strait of Hormuz near the Emirati port of Fujairah,” a spokesperson for
Iran’s Khatam Al-Anbiya Central Headquarters said in a statement carried by
state media.
*Qeshm Island is the largest Iranian island in the Arabian Gulf, home to about
150,000 people. It houses a water desalination plant. * With AP and Reuters
Sounds of explosions heard in Iran’s Qeshm and near Bandar
Abbas city
Reuters/07 May ,2026
Iran’s Fars news agency said on Thursday that several sounds resembling
explosions were heard near Bandar Abbas city, adding the origin and the location
of these sounds was unknown.
Iran state TV reports explosions on island in Hormuz Strait
LBCI/07 May ,2026
Iranian state TV reported explosions on an island in the Strait of Hormuz on
Thursday, saying they occurred during an "exchange of fire.""The explosions at
the Bahman pier on Qeshm Island occurred during an exchange of fire between
Iranian armed forces and the enemy," the broadcaster IRIB reported.Other Iranian
news outlets also reported the blasts, while the Israeli military told AFP it
was "not aware of such" a strike. AFP
Russia summons Armenian ambassador over Zelensky visit
LBCI/07 May ,2026
Russia on Thursday summoned the Armenian ambassador for a dressing down over the
recent visit of Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky to the country allied to
Russia. "It was categorically unacceptable for Armenia to have provided a
'platform' to... V. Zelensky, during recent EU-sponsored events," the foreign
ministry said, adding that Moscow was "justifiably indignant" over the matter.
AFP
US confirms top Ukrainian negotiator in Miami
AFP/07 May ,2026
Ukraine’s top negotiator Rustem Umerov is meeting US officials in Miami on
Thursday, the White House confirmed to AFP, as Washington and Kyiv try to
jumpstart talks on ending Russia’s invasion. Kyiv had earlier announced that
Umerov would meet US President Donald Trump’s special envoy Steve Witkoff and
son-in-law Jared Kushner for the first time since late March.
Extra security measures being taken for Putin at Victory
Day events: Kremlin
Agencies/07 May ,2026
The Kremlin said on Thursday that extra security measures were being put in
place for Russian President Vladimir Putin in case Ukraine attacked May 9
celebrations marking the anniversary of victory in World War Two. The Kremlin
also said it would begin a two-day ceasefire with Ukraine starting at midnight
that is meant to cover the parade, after ignoring a Ukrainian ceasefire earlier
this week. Moscow has warned foreign diplomats in Kyiv that it will strike the
Ukrainian capital if Ukraine targets its May 9 commemorations. “Yes, we are
talking about the 8th and 9th of May,” Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said,
when asked by AFP if the ceasefire would come into effect from midnight. Asked
about the Ukrainian ceasefire on May 6 -- a counter-offer by Kyiv, which has
dismissed Moscow’s demand to stop fighting for the May 9 parade as “utter
cynicism” -- Peskov said: “There was no Russian reaction to this.”Peskov said
Russian security services were preparing for Saturday’s event, “particularly
given the terrorist threat” from Ukraine. Kyiv has struck Russian cities with
drones as far as the Urals in recent days. Peskov also said internet outages --
which have caused some concern for Russians -- in Moscow were “necessary.”“They
are being implemented to ensure the safety of citizens, which is an absolute
priority,” he said. Moscow has scaled back its May 9 parade -- which marks the
1945 victory over Nazi Germany -- this year as Ukraine struck deeper into
Russia. It has removed military hardware from the event for the first time in
almost 20 years.
Israeli attack kills son of Hamas leader negotiating with Trump-led board
Al Arabiya English/07 May ,2026
An Israeli air strike has killed the son of Hamas’ chief negotiator in
US-mediated talks over Gaza’s future, a senior Hamas official said on Thursday,
as leaders of the militant group held talks in Cairo aimed at safeguarding their
truce with Israel. Azzam al-Hayya, son of Khalil al-Hayya, succumbed to his
injuries on Thursday after being struck in an Israeli attack on Wednesday night,
said senior Hamas official Basim Naim. He is the fourth son of Hamas’ exiled
Gaza chief to have been killed in Israeli attacks. The Israeli military did not
respond to a request for comment.
Past Israeli strikes have killed three more of his sons
Al-Hayya, who has seven children, has survived multiple Israeli attempts to kill
him. An Israeli strike in Doha last year targeting Hamas leadership killed his
son, though al-Hayya survived. Two other sons were killed in past Israeli
attempts on his life, in Gaza strikes in 2008 and 2014. Speaking in an interview
after the attack on Wednesday night, before his son’s death was announced, al-Hayya
accused Israel of trying to undermine mediators’ efforts to push ahead with US
President Donald Trump’s Gaza plan, overseen by his so-called “Board of
Peace.”“These Zionist attacks and violations clearly indicate that the
occupation does not want to abide by a ceasefire or by the first phase,” said
al-Hayya. The violence comes as leaders of Hamas and other Palestinian factions
held talks with regional mediators and the Board of Peace’s lead envoy, Nickolay
Mladenov, this week in Cairo, to push Trump’s Gaza plan into its second phase,
officials said. Trump’s Gaza plan, which Israel and Hamas agreed to in October,
involves Israeli troops withdrawing from Gaza and reconstruction starting as
Hamas lays down its weapons. But Hamas’ disarmament is a sticking point in talks
to implement the plan and cement an October ceasefire that halted two years of
full-blown war. A Hamas official told Reuters on Wednesday the group told
Mladenov it would not engage in serious talks over the implementation of the
second phase before Israel concludes obligations stemming from the first phase
of the Gaza deal, including a complete halt to attacks. At least 830
Palestinians have been killed since the ceasefire deal took effect, according to
local medics, while Israel says militants have killed four of its soldiers over
the same period. Israel says its strikes are aimed at thwarting attempts by
Hamas and other Palestinian militants to stage attacks against its forces. With
Reuters
Erdogan meets Saudi foreign minister in Ankara
Al Arabiya English/06 May ,2026
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Wednesday met Saudi Foreign Minister
Prince Faisal bin Farhan in Ankara, where the two sides reviewed bilateral ties
and discussed ways to strengthen cooperation in support of regional security and
stability, the official Saudi Press Agency (SPA) reported.Earlier on Wednesday,
Prince Faisal signed a new visa agreement with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Hakan
Fidan. “The two sides signed an agreement on mutual exemption from visa
requirements for holders of diplomatic and special passports between the
Government of the Kingdom and the Government of the Republic of Turkey,” SPA
said. The agency reported that during their meeting prior to signing the new
agreement, the two chief diplomats reviewed bilateral relations between their
countries and discussed regional developments as well as ways to maintain
security and stability in the region. They chaired the third meeting of the
Saudi Turkish Coordination Council which was established in 2016 with the
purpose of a top-level mechanism managing bilateral ties between the two
countries.
The Latest
LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on
07-08 May/2026
Hamas is Humiliating Trump's 'Board of Peace'
Khaled Abu Toameh/Gatestone Institute/May 7, 2026
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22511/hamas-humiliating-board-of-peace
Expecting Hamas to disarm voluntarily is like expecting ISIS or Al-Qaeda to
renounce jihad (holy war) and become peaceful political movements.
[D]espite these repeated rejections, the "Board of Peace" continues its
embarrassing efforts to negotiate with Hamas over the surrender of its weapons.
The entire spectacle has become surreal. Instead of confronting Hamas with
meaningful consequences, the international mediators appear to be pleading with
the terrorist group to cooperate.
The mediators, especially Qatar, Egypt and Turkey -- all of which maintain
direct channels with Hamas and present themselves as key brokers in the
negotiations -- also deserve scrutiny. These countries, unsurprisingly, are not
exerting serious pressure on Hamas to disarm.
For Hamas, armed "resistance" is not negotiable: it is the group's very reason
for existence.
The failure of Trump's Gaza plan is now becoming increasingly difficult to hide.
The continued failure to enforce disarmament damages US credibility throughout
the Middle East. America now appears unable to impose its own conditions even
after using repeated threats and ultimatums to Hamas. America's allies are
watching closely, as are Iran and its other terror proxies.
Trump's "Board of Peace" should stop humiliating itself by chasing fantasies
about Hamas moderation. The longer the negotiations continue without results,
the stronger Hamas appears -- and the weaker the US appears.
The continued failure to enforce disarmament damages US credibility throughout
the Middle East. America now appears unable to impose its own conditions even
after using repeated threats and ultimatums to Hamas. America's allies are
watching closely, as are Iran and its other terror proxies.
Six months after US President Donald J. Trump unveiled his ambitious ceasefire
and reconstruction plan for the Gaza Strip, the Iran-backed Hamas terrorist
group remains more armed, entrenched, and openly defiant than ever. Far from
disarming, the Islamist group now controls roughly half the Gaza Strip and much
of its population, while making a mockery of Trump's "Board of Peace" initiative
and the international mediators sponsoring it.
It is now clear that the Trump administration's strategy was based on a
misguided assumption that Hamas (a theocratic terror regime like Iran's) could
somehow be persuaded through negotiations, incentives, and diplomatic pressure
to voluntarily surrender its weapons and abandon its jihadist ideology.
The exact opposite has happened. Hamas not only rejected disarmament, but also
used the ceasefire periods to solidify control, regroup politically and
militarily, and humiliate the people negotiating with them.
According to Palestinian and Israeli sources, talks between Hamas and
representatives of the "Board of Peace," headed by former United Nations
official Nickolay Mladenov, recently reached a dead end in Cairo after Hamas
again rejected the central demand of Trump's 20-point plan: total disarmament.
"No one was surprised six months ago, and no one is surprised today that Hamas
refuses to disarm," an Israeli source familiar with the negotiations told i24
News.
Indeed, no one should be surprised.
Expecting Hamas to disarm voluntarily is like expecting ISIS or Al-Qaeda to
renounce jihad (holy war) and become peaceful political movements.
Hamas's weapons are not merely military tools; they are the foundation of its
ideology, identity, and power. Asking Hamas to hand over its weapons is
essentially asking the group to sign its own death warrant.
Hamas leaders themselves are not hiding their position. Recently, an unnamed
Hamas official declared bluntly that his group "will not accept disarmament."
Another insisted that the issue of weapons could only be discussed within the
framework of a future Palestinian state and broader political arrangements.
Hamas, in other words, is clearly saying: no disarmament now, no disarmament
later, no disarmament ever.
Yet, despite these repeated rejections, the "Board of Peace" continues its
embarrassing efforts to negotiate with Hamas over the surrender of its weapons.
The entire spectacle has become surreal. Instead of confronting Hamas with
meaningful consequences, the international mediators appear to be pleading with
the terrorist group to cooperate.
What happened to all the deadlines, ultimatums and threats issued by Trump and
his administration over the past year? What happened to the repeated warnings
that Hamas would face devastating consequences if it refused to disarm?
So far, Hamas has paid no meaningful price for its defiance.
On the contrary, Hamas seems to interpret the continued negotiations as a sign
of weakness and desperation. Every new round of talks in Cairo reinforces
Hamas's belief that the international community lacks either the will or the
courage to confront it decisively.
The mediators, especially Qatar, Egypt and Turkey -- all of which maintain
direct channels with Hamas and present themselves as key brokers in the
negotiations -- also deserve scrutiny. These countries, unsurprisingly, are not
exerting serious pressure on Hamas to disarm.
Qatar has spent years funding the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip while hosting the
terror group's leaders in luxury hotels in Doha. Turkey openly supports Hamas
politically and ideologically. Egypt periodically pressures Hamas on
border-security issues, yet still treats it as a legitimate political actor
rather than as a terrorist group committed to Israel's destruction.
If these mediators truly wanted to disarm Hamas, they possess significant
leverage. The reality is that none of them appear genuinely committed to
dismantling Hamas militarily or politically.
Meanwhile, Hamas continues to exploit the negotiations to buy time.
Reports indicate that Hamas may be willing to discuss only limited, phased
restrictions on certain heavy weapons while retaining light weapons and
preserving its core military infrastructure. This is not disarmament. It is a
tactical maneuver designed to preserve Hamas's rule while extracting concessions
from Israel and the international community.
Hamas reportedly seeks reciprocal Israeli withdrawals and additional
humanitarian and economic benefits for partial limitations on some of its
weapons. Hamas wants all the advantages of remaining armed while receiving the
benefits of reconstruction and international legitimacy. The current
negotiations in Cairo are fundamentally detached from reality.
Islamist groups and regimes do not surrender because of diplomatic persuasion.
Hezbollah did not lay down its weapons after becoming part of the Lebanese
political system. The Taliban in Afghanistan did not moderate after negotiations
with the US. Iran's regime has not abandoned its nuclear weapons program or its
revolutionary ideology despite decades of diplomacy and sanctions relief. Hamas
is no different.
For Hamas, armed "resistance" is not negotiable: it is the group's very reason
for existence. Disarmament would mean losing control over the Gaza Strip, losing
its ability to intimidate rivals, and losing the ideological narrative that
sustains it: jihad until Hamas replaces Israel with an Islamist state.
Hamas leaders are also apparently worried that disarmament would expose their
members to revenge attacks from rival clans and angry civilians inside the Gaza
Strip. Hamas leaders understand that many Palestinians blame their organization
for bringing catastrophe upon the Gaza Strip through its October 7, 2023
invasion of Israel, which started the war.
This is why Hamas will never voluntarily surrender its weapons or power.
The failure of Trump's Gaza plan is now becoming increasingly difficult to hide.
The "International Stabilization Force" envisioned under the peace plan has not
materialized. Funding commitments remain incomplete. The technocratic
Palestinian committee meant to govern the Gaza Strip is dysfunctional.
Most importantly, Hamas remains armed and in control.
The continued failure to enforce disarmament damages US credibility throughout
the Middle East. America now appears unable to impose its own conditions even
after using repeated threats and ultimatums to Hamas. America's allies are
watching closely, as are Iran and its other terror proxies.
Trump's "Board of Peace" should stop humiliating itself by chasing fantasies
about Hamas moderation. The longer the negotiations continue without results,
the stronger Hamas appears -- and the weaker the US appears.
**Khaled Abu Toameh is an award-winning journalist based in Jerusalem.
**Follow Khaled Abu Toameh on X (formerly Twitter)
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute. No
part of the Gatestone website or any of its contents may be reproduced, copied
or modified, without the prior written consent of Gatestone Institute.
Everybody loses in Mali
stalemate
Khaled Abou Zahr/Arab News/May 06, 2026
There was a show on French television on Sunday, in which about eight children
competed, singing the songs of a well-known artist who was present. At the end
of the show, regardless of anything, the French presenter deliberated on the
winner before screaming, “everybody won.” Today, in Mali, where the Russians,
French and others compete for influence, we can say “everybody lost.”The
coordinated offensive launched last month by Tuareg separatists from the Azawad
Liberation Front, known as the FLA, and the Islamist extremist Jama’at Nusrat
Al-Islam wal-Muslimin struck several military positions in Mali, capturing Kidal.
It was a major escalation of the conflict in the country’s north. More
importantly, it was a clear sign that the country is drifting into chaos and
risks becoming a dangerous no man’s land once again.
Historically, France has played a central military role in Mali and the wider
Sahel. In 2013, under President Francois Hollande, France launched Operation
Serval to stop the advance of extremist groups linked to Al-Qaeda toward Bamako.
This swift intervention was successful and allowed for the recapture of the
country’s north. The north remained de facto dislocated from the central power,
allowing nonstate actors to expand and take control
In 2014, France’s military action shifted into Operation Barkhane, which was a
prolonged regional engagement. France stationed several thousand troops across
the Sahel — mainly in five countries — to continue fighting nonstate actors that
reflected transnational insurgencies. Yet, in 2022, despite tactical successes,
the French forces were expelled.
The breakdown in relations between France and Mali accelerated following the
2020 and 2021 coups led by the current president, Assimi Goita. Despite France’s
efforts, insecurity spread during the years its military operated in the country
and a strong anti-French sentiment grew. The state was fragile and weak and
could not face these issues. This forced withdrawal marked the decline of the
once-powerful French influence, with the same happening throughout the region,
with real strategic shifts.
For Western powers, there is a common theme in Africa and perhaps beyond. They
can quickly achieve military success most of the time. But they usually fail
when it comes to achieving a lasting improvement in security or supporting the
state-building efforts that are necessary. This is true of France’s decade-long
intervention in Mali before the putsch. The state was weak and corrupt and
little was done to stabilize the situation. The north remained de facto
dislocated from the central power, allowing nonstate actors to expand and take
control.
This situation was exploited by Russia, which was also looking to deepen its
influence in Africa. Moscow’s first real direct involvement took place following
the 2021 coup. Goita looked toward Russia and, more specifically, the Wagner
Group for support with his internal security operations and, hence, to secure
his hold on power. The French withdrawal at the end of Operation Barkhane made
Wagner the main security and military partner of the new leader in Bamako.
However, the start of the war in Ukraine and Moscow’s greater focus on this
arena changed everything. The 2023 mutiny by the Wagner Group, which was
followed by the death of its head Yevgeny Prigozhin, destabilized its support
capacities.
The Russian state quickly took over all the Wagner Group’s overseas operations
and shifted them to the Africa Corps, giving them a more institutional and
formal structure. Nevertheless, it is clear now that Moscow, just like France
before it, has not been able to fully consolidate its influence following the
French and Western withdrawal.
Five years ago, the request to leave Mali was addressed to the French. Today,
the FLA is demanding the withdrawal of Russian forces from the country. Yet, as
shown by the picture posted online by Goita’s office of him meeting the Russian
ambassador last week, the Malian authorities will continue to rely on the
military support of the Africa Corps.
It is clear now that Moscow, just like France before it, has not been able to
fully consolidate its influence
On the ground, it is a repeat of the 2012 and 2013 crises, as fighting
continues. There have been Malian airstrikes and clashes in several regions in
the north and center of the country. If these areas slip out of central
governmental control, who will be able to stabilize the situation? Are we
heading to a de facto division of the country despite claims to the contrary by
the junta? Moreover, what if, as the rebels are stating, the regime is about to
fall?
There is a lot of finger-pointing not only between the Russians and the French,
but also within both camps. French media outlets have, without absolving the
previous French interventions, blamed the current catastrophic situation on the
Malian coup leaders. Their accusations are linked to the imprisonment of
political opponents and banning of political parties and journalistic work.
Obviously, they have also blamed the alliance with Russian mercenaries for
fueling a bloody drift toward war. And they highlight that only a political
solution can allow Mali to escape its current impasse. However, the real
question is not asked: if a political solution is the only outcome, why did
France not push for this when it held all the cards? And why did it allow the
previous regime to do the same? Pragmatism is the answer. It is easier said than
done, especially when economic interests are involved and the rebels are
affiliated with extremist groups that France and the West oppose on a global
scale. While France is weakened in Africa and Russia faces increasing
difficulties in pushing for a decisive outcome, a negotiated political
settlement with the northern communities under the current pressure remains
highly unlikely. The most probable trajectory is continued fragmentation and a
multi-actor war resembling Syria or Afghanistan, depending on the lens applied.
As a result, while the population continues to suffer, the risks of state
collapse and de facto partition are becoming increasingly prominent, with the
spillover risks to neighboring countries also rising. With no external actor
able to replicate the influence once held by France and Russia, and only limited
US support and Algerian mediation remaining, the situation has become a
fragmented stalemate in which everyone is losing.
**Khaled Abou Zahr is the founder of SpaceQuest Ventures, a space-focused
investment platform. He is CEO of EurabiaMedia and editor of Al-Watan Al-Arabi.
A concert for Hormuz
Sarah Benashoor/Arab News/May 06, 2026
At its narrowest, the Strait of Hormuz spans barely 39 km — a slender ribbon of
water that has long carried one-fifth of the world’s seaborne oil, the lifeblood
of global commerce and energy security. Today, that vital artery lies mined,
contested and partially closed. Merchant vessels face attacks, illegal tolls and
the persistent shadow of naval confrontation. In response, a carefully
calibrated Chapter VII draft resolution — advanced by Bahrain on behalf of the
Gulf Cooperation Council states together with the US — now awaits the UN
Security Council’s consideration. It demands the disclosure and removal of
Iranian mines, cooperation in clearance operations and the immediate opening of
a humanitarian corridor for food and fertilizers. It reaffirms the right of
transit passage, prohibits assistance to any closure of the strait, welcomes the
Pakistan-mediated ceasefire and requests a secretary-general’s report within 30
days on compliance, with the possibility of further measures should Iran persist
with its defiance. This is not a sweeping indictment but a focused operational
text designed to restore safe navigation without unnecessary escalation. Yet it
confronts the same obstacle that doomed its predecessor last month: the
near-certainty of vetoes by Russia and China. History teaches that deadlock is
not inevitable when diplomacy is conducted with realism and foresight. Both
powers have already objected, labeling the approach “biased” and faulting it for
neglecting “root causes.” Their position is understandable in the cold logic of
great power competition — yet it leaves the council unable to fulfill its most
basic duty. Russia values Iran as a proxy that diverts American focus and
resources; China secures discounted oil while safeguarding precedents that might
later constrain its own maritime interests. A resolution that offers them no
stake simply invites the veto as an inexpensive tool of obstruction. The UNSC
stands at a familiar crossroads. History teaches that deadlock is not inevitable
when diplomacy is conducted with realism and foresight. In 1815, at the Congress
of Vienna, the great powers faced a continent shattered by two decades of war.
Rather than punish or isolate defeated France, Prince Metternich and his
counterparts deliberately drew the French back into the fold.
They constructed a European concert — a web of congresses, alliances and shared
understandings — that wove rival ambitions into a balanced system. Every
capital, including the defeated power, was given a tangible stake in the new
order. The result was nearly a century of relative stability in which no single
state could upend the whole without harming its own interests.
Henry Kissinger, who studied Vienna’s lessons as both scholar and practitioner,
applied the same principle in the 1970s. Through his triangular diplomacy, he
opened relations with China while simultaneously pursuing arms control and
detente with the Soviet Union. Moscow and Beijing were each given reasons to
prefer a managed equilibrium over unchecked rivalry: neither could afford to let
the other dominate the global chessboard. The outcome was not the surrender of
American interests but their quiet advancement through shrewd inclusion.
The Strait of Hormuz now calls for its own modest concert — not concessions that
reward disruption but refined language and mechanisms that align Russian and
Chinese interests with the imperative of open seas.
The refinements required are modest yet consequential. First, the preamble
should present the full chronology with balance: the strikes that precipitated
the crisis, the subsequent closure of the strait, and Iran’s mining and tolling
actions. A single paragraph deploring “all threats to navigation from any
party,” while stressing the need for comprehensive de-escalation, alters no
operative demand. It provides Russia and China the diplomatic cover they seek,
echoing successful compromises in earlier council texts on maritime security.
Second, the existing reference to the Pakistan-mediated ceasefire should not be
a mere footnote. It ought to be strengthened into a clear operative call for its
extension and evolution into a broader political settlement — one that revives
the spirit of inclusive Gulf security arrangements long championed by Moscow and
Beijing. By granting them visible co-ownership of the diplomatic horizon, the
resolution transforms them from critics into potential defenders of its success.
Third, institutionalize shared responsibility. The text should mandate the
secretary- general to establish, within 30 days, an international contact group
for mine clearance and humanitarian corridor oversight, explicitly including the
permanent members on equal footing. Language encouraging “coordinated
contributions by interested states, including the permanent members,” opens
practical avenues for Russian expertise in de-mining or Chinese logistical
support. Operational involvement creates skin in the game that abstract veto
power cannot match.
For China in particular, a measured economic acknowledgement — reaffirming that
unimpeded energy flows through the strait serve the legitimate security needs of
all importing nations, with a forward glance toward post-ceasefire
reconstruction and trade — aligns Beijing’s substantial stake in global energy
stability with the resolution’s goals. This is not accommodation; it is
enlightened realism, recognizing that sustained disruption in the Strait of
Hormuz harms every major economy. The Strait of Hormuz is more than a geographic
chokepoint, it is a mirror reflecting the emerging multipolar order
Chapter VII’s binding character must be preserved — the Gulf states cannot
accept empty assurances while commerce remains throttled. A review clause, tying
further measures to the secretary-general’s findings and diplomatic progress,
offers Moscow and Beijing a responsible off-ramp. Parallel quiet diplomacy,
linking the vote where appropriate to broader understandings on energy markets,
calibrated sanctions relief or de-escalatory steps in other theaters such as
Ukraine, can further ease passage.
Russia has long traded regional leverage for tangible relief elsewhere — giving
it a visible interest in Strait of Hormuz stability can make abstention or
support the rational choice.
As UNSC president for April, Bahrain has been well placed to facilitate these
adjustments. Our nation has long served as a reliable host for coalition naval
presence and a bridge for pragmatic diplomacy — from the minesweeping operations
of the 1980s to today’s multinational patrols. The alternative — another veto
followed by uncoordinated defensive measures outside the council — may preserve
legal clarity but would erode the UN’s relevance, an outcome that even
veto-wielding members claim to regret.
The Strait of Hormuz is more than a geographic chokepoint, it is a mirror
reflecting the emerging multipolar order. In its narrow waters, the world
confronts a choice: allow great power rivalry to paralyze collective action or
craft a concert of shared stakes that lifts mines, opens corridors and restores
the free flow of commerce. By weaving Russia and China into the architecture of
solution rather than exclusion — just as Vienna and Kissinger’s diplomacy once
did — this resolution can transcend the immediate crisis and offer a precedent
for cooperation amid competition. In that achievement lies not only safer Gulf
waters but a quiet affirmation that, even in an age of rivalry, diplomacy
grounded in mutual interest remains the sharpest instrument of statesmanship.
**Sarah Benashoor is a Bahraini geopolitical analyst and political commentator
specializing in Gulf security. She is the Director of Outreach at Tomorrow’s
Affairs, a London-based digital think tank. She previously served as a strategic
adviser to Bahrain’s ambassador to London. X: @SBenashoor
Has the time come for guaranteed incomes?
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Arab News/May 06, 2026
Among the critical debates that the recent acceleration in technological
advances, particularly in artificial intelligence, has reshaped are those
concerning economic distribution and the future of our social welfare systems.
Since technology is increasingly automating many tasks, the question inevitably
arises: what will happen to labor and income generation? This is why two
concepts have gained importance: universal basic income and universal high
income. Some influential people, such as Elon Musk, argue that we need
guaranteed income programs due to the productivity gains driven by AI and to
maintain social and economic stability. While these two concepts may appear
similar, they have some differences. One of the major differences is that
universal basic income involves providing a minimum amount of funding to all
individuals, regardless of their employment status or income level. The goal is
to reduce poverty and inequality. On the other hand, universal high income is a
much larger concept that is not limited to a minimum income. It promises a
guaranteed income that would be enough for a relatively high standard of living.
We can look at it in this way: that universal basic income is more like a
reform, while universal high income is a major transformation in relation to
work and labor.
Some influential people argue that we need guaranteed income programs due to the
productivity gains driven by AI
The emergence of these concepts are mainly related to the impact of AI on the
job market. AI automation is not just limited to routine and repetitive tasks
but also more complex ones. Furthermore, it is being increasingly deployed in
almost every sector of the economy. As a result, this runs the risk of causing
structural unemployment. In such a scenario, the traditional model of income
distribution may not meet people’s demands. To analyze these two issues, it is
important to examine their benefits and disadvantages. First of all, by
providing a steady income to households, both universal basic income and
universal high income address the job and income losses many have faced due to
the latest technological advances. The second benefit is that they can play a
critical role in reducing poverty and global inequality by helping countries
where many people still live below the poverty line. This can lead to financial
security, less conflict and less stress, which generally improves the well-being
of societies. Third, if people are not dependent on wages to survive, this will
give them more time and freedom, which could lead to more creativity and
innovation, entrepreneurship or simply taking care of others. The fourth
advantage is that universal basic income and universal high income will likely
reduce bureaucratic costs. Nevertheless, one should not ignore the concerns
regarding guaranteed incomes. Firstly, it is much easier said than done when it
comes to the implementation of a universal income on such a large scale. For
example, with a universal basic income, how would governments raise the funds to
carry out such a program? This causes problems such as increasing government
debt or taxation.
Another issue is inflation. If governments decide to provide a guaranteed
income, meaning increasing people’s purchasing power without expanding supply,
two things could happen: prices could go up and the value of the currency could
decrease.
Inequality could emerge in new forms, mostly in terms of status and position in
society rather than income. A third problem is that the world still needs
workers in some sectors. If a high income is provided to everyone, this could
fundamentally change individuals’ relationship to work, impacting participation
in the labor market. In other words, there would be less incentive to work,
particularly in places where human input is still necessary. This would have a
negative impact on the economy and productivity.
We also should not look at this issue only through the economic and financial
prisms. On the psychological level, there is the question of identity and
purpose. Jobs and work have provided a sense of identity and purpose for
centuries, so what would happen in a society where no one is required to work
and yet still be guaranteed a high income?
Also, guaranteed incomes do not mean that inequality will be solved. Inequality
could emerge in new forms, mostly in terms of status and position in society
rather than income. Finally, if either of these concepts are ever going to be
implemented, universal basic income appears to be more politically feasible for
the time being. In a nutshell, the concepts of universal basic income and
universal high income have recently gained significant momentum due to the fact
that labor markets are being impacted by technological advances, specifically
AI. The goal of these programs are to reduce poverty, enhance economies around
the world and provide people with greater financial security. While on the
surface both these models appear attractive and intriguing, a deeper examination
shows that their implementation could involve substantial economic, political
and social challenges.
**Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a Harvard-educated Iranian-American political
scientist. X: @Dr_Rafizadeh
UN action urgently needed to reopen the Strait of Hormuz
Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg/Arab News/May 06, 2026
On Wednesday, UN Security Council members started closed consultations on a new
draft resolution aimed at reopening the Strait of Hormuz, which has been
effectively closed since Feb. 28. Iranian missile and drone attacks against the
UAE on Monday and several other attacks against shipping in the waterway’s
vicinity are adding extra urgency to these deliberations. Iran has continued to
lay mines in the strait and impose tolls and other restrictions on the passage
of international vessels, allowing transit only to vessels authorized by its
military.
Keeping the waterway closed has been an irresponsible act on Iran’s part. An
earlier attempt to pass a UNSC resolution on April 7 was vetoed by China and
Russia, emboldening Iran to continue its unlawful behavior. Disagreements
between Europe and the US have also delayed coordinated action to keep it open.
The UK and France-led “Hormuz Coalition” will not act until “conditions permit”
and when there is a “sustainable” ceasefire.
In addition to its immediate impact on peace and security, the closure has
affected nearly every country in the world. The cutoff of exports from the Gulf
of oil, gas, petrochemicals and industrial gases has had catastrophic results.
The International Energy Agency has said this is the “largest supply disruption
in the history of the global oil market.” Thousands of ships and sailors are
stranded in the Gulf, the Arabian Sea or the high seas waiting to pass through
the waterway. Rising energy and fertilizer prices and higher shipping and
insurance costs have had especially negative effects on food security around the
world.
In addition to its immediate impact on peace and security, the closure has
affected nearly every country in the world. In addition to acute supply
shortages, the International Monetary Fund, which has already cut its global
gross domestic product growth forecast for 2026 from 3.3 percent to 3.1 percent,
has warned of a possible worldwide recession. There are many cases of currency
volatility, inflation and heightened risks of stagflation and recession,
especially in developing and vulnerable countries. Interest rate reductions are
expected to be postponed or conversely increased in light of the increased
inflation caused by supply shortages and speculation. Stock markets have
experienced declines globally and there has been a global bonds market sell-off.
These disastrous conditions around the world should not be allowed to continue
and that is the aim of the current UNSC draft resolution. The text under
consideration recognizes that Iran’s “recurring attacks and threats” against
merchant and commercial vessels and its activities aimed at obstructing lawful
transit through the strait, including the placement of sea mines and the
imposition of illegal tolls, constitute a threat to international peace and
security, placing the issue under Chapter VII of the UN Charter and opening the
door for potential enforcement measures. The draft reaffirms that all vessels
and aircraft have the right to transit through the Strait of Hormuz without
hindrance, in accordance with international law, including the UN Convention on
the Law of the Sea. It calls on Iran to immediately cease its attacks and
threats against commercial shipping and refrain from impeding navigation,
collecting tolls and laying mines, while removing existing ones. It also
reaffirms the right of states to defend their vessels against attacks and
prohibits countries from assisting Iran in closing or restricting the strait. It
also includes the establishment of a UN “humanitarian corridor” in the strait to
ensure the flow of essential goods, including food and fertilizers.
By establishing that the closure constitutes a threat to international peace and
security, the draft lays the ground for coercive measures under Chapter VII of
the UN Charter, including sanctions and the use of force.
The draft text places the issue under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, opening the
door for potential enforcement measures.Action by the UNSC to reopen the Strait
of Hormuz is needed soon, because failing to do so will only push the countries
affected by the closure to use force in self-defense. UN action would obviate
unilateral action and place the matter under the oversight of the council and
other UN organizations, such as the International Maritime Organization. A
system could be organized by the latter, protected by UN peacekeepers, to
regulate traffic through the strait for as long as is necessary and ensure that
the rights of all nations to safe transit through the waterway are safeguarded.
The Gulf Cooperation Council, headed by Bahrain, its rotating presidency, is
leading on the UNSC draft. On Tuesday, US Secretary of State Marco Rubio
announced America’s support for the effort. France and the UK have also
expressed support. It is hoped that, this time around, China and Russia will
allow the resolution to pass; the passage of time since they cast their veto
last month has made matters worse. Failing to pass this resolution would be an
abdication of the responsibility of the permanent UNSC members to uphold the UN
Charter and discharge the council’s responsibility to restore peace and security
and prevent a global economic meltdown.
• Dr. Abdel Aziz Aluwaisheg is the GCC assistant secretary-general for political
affairs and negotiation. The views expressed here are personal and do not
necessarily represent those of the GCC.
Selected Face
Book & X tweets for
May 072026
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
Dear Saudi Arabia:
There is a huge difference between rejecting Saudi bilateral peace with Israel
and trying it to a unicorn Palestinian state AND Instigation against Israel, the
UAE, Abraham Accords and any possible peace between Lebanon and Israel. You want
to wait, wait, but silently. Otherwise, you’ll force many of us to respond to
your nonsense. Oh, and don’t think you have special Muslim or Arab status,
because you don’t. You’re just like all of us, and we judge you on what you say
and do.