English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For  May 17/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’
John 13/31-35: "When he had gone out, Jesus said, ‘Now the Son of Man has been glorified, and God has been glorified in him. If God has been glorified in him, God will also glorify him in himself and will glorify him at once. Little children, I am with you only a little longer. You will look for me; and as I said to the Jews so now I say to you, "Where I am going, you cannot come."I give you a new commandment, that you love one another. Just as I have loved you, you also should love one another. By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you have love for one another.’"

Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on 16-17 May/2026
The May 17, 1983, agreement between Lebanon and Israel was a fair opportunity for peace that Lebanon lost/With the Agreement/Elias Bejjani/May 17/2026
A Government of "Halloween Masks" controlled by a hidden cabinet of advisors: A President of words, not deeds, and the futility of negotiations with Israel/Elias Bejjani / May 15, 2026
Elias Bejjani/Video Link to my interview on Al-Hawiya Youtube platform
Israeli Army Announces the Killing of One of Its Soldiers in Southern Lebanon
Death Toll from Israeli Attacks on Lebanon Since March 2 Rises to 2,969
US State Department: The Group's Operations Aim to Obstruct Talks Between Lebanon and Israel
Hezbollah says it struck military objective in northern Israel
Lebanon reports nearly 3,000 killed since March amid ongoing hostilities
Israel's Adraee issues evacuation warning for several towns in South Lebanon
Lebanon-Israel negotiations raise questions over path to lasting peace — the details
Hezbollah Rejects Peace Talks With Israel, Warns Lebanese State Against ‘Concessions’
Beirut Port to test emergency siren system on Sunday
Israel strikes south Lebanon day after ceasefire extension
Lebanon seeks 'real ceasefire' that begins Monday
Lebanon-Israel ceasefire extension to include security meeting in US, LBCI sources say
Egypt Pushes Limited Israel-Lebanon Security Talks That Would Leave Hizbullah Armed/N. Mozes/MEMRI/Published on May 11/2026

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on 16-17 May/2026
Trump Says Patience With Iran Is Running Out Over Strait Closure
Pakistani minister arrives in Tehran to ‘facilitate’ US-Iran peace talks
US says Iran-backed militia commander planned Jewish site attacks
Taiwan says is an 'independent' nation, after Trump's warning
Iran’s top diplomat says a lack of trust is impeding talks to end war with the US
US says Iran-backed militia commander planned Jewish site attacks
UK's ex-health minister Streeting says will run to replace PM Keir Starmer
Putin discusses Iran with UAE president, Kremlin says
ISIS second-in-command killed by US and Nigerian forces, presidents say
France arrests six over Palestinian flag on Eiffel Tower
Iraq exported 10 million barrels of oil through Strait of Hormuz in April
Israel threatens to sue NYT over report on sex abuse of Palestinian inmates
Syria Names New Central Bank Governor
Kurdish Groups Reject Allocation of Only 4 Seats to Them in Syria Parliament

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on 16-17 May/2026
Finish the Job/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/May 16, 2026
British poll results are a political earthquake/Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News//16 May ,2026
The ‘Bermuda Triangle’ in Hormuz/Mohammed al-Rumaihi/Asharq Al Awsat/16 May 2026
German Mediation and Ending the Russian-Ukrainian War/Emile Ameen/Asharq Al Awsat/16 May 2026
Macron… And the New African Partnership/Dr. Abdelhak Azzouzi/Asharq Al Awsat/16 May 2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets for May 16/2026

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on 16-17 May/2026
The May 17, 1983, agreement between Lebanon and Israel was a fair opportunity for peace that Lebanon lost/With the Agreement
Elias Bejjani/May 17/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/05/118293/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AHNz-oADuiw&t=1s
Today, we recall the May 17 Agreement, signed between the Lebanese Republic and the State of Israel on May 17, 1983, after months of difficult negotiations in Naqoura under American sponsorship. The Lebanese negotiating delegation, with remarkable national skill and professionalism, succeeded in asserting all elements of Lebanese sovereignty and rights, and in securing a full, peaceful, and unconditional Israeli withdrawal from all occupied Lebanese territories.
The agreement was approved by Parliament by a majority (65 votes) on June 14, 1983, and was cancelled on March 5, 1984, after President Amin Gemayel refused to sign it out of fear of Assad and as a result of his lack of vision for the future. His action was the greatest sin committed against Lebanon.
At the time, the agreement received widespread support from the Presidency, the Parliament, and the Cabinet, and was welcomed by the majority of the Lebanese people. It was also endorsed by most Arab countries and all nations of the free world, who saw it as a bold and realistic step on the path to peace. In truth, it represented a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to lift Lebanon out of the cycle of war, occupation, and proxy conflicts, and to put it on the track of peace and stability—just as Egypt had done in 1979, and Jordan would later do in 1994.
However, the Syrian Baathist regime, which had effectively occupied Lebanon since 1976, rushed to sabotage the agreement by force through its local proxies—mercenaries, fake “resistance” profiteers, extremist Islamists, and leftist chameleons who wore a thousand disguises but had no loyalty to Lebanon’s identity, history, or sovereignty. These groups served hostile regional agendas and were merely tools of Syrian influence. The Syrian regime and its agents resorted to assassinations, terrorism, and defamation campaigns to silence those who supported the agreement and to block its implementation.
The May 17 Agreement was a golden key to restoring sovereignty and ending the crime of “Lebanon the battlefield.” It could have brought an end to the destructive myths of “resistance” and “defiance,” which produced nothing but ruin, collapse, poverty, isolation, and chaos for Lebanon. Instead of embracing the opportunity, Lebanon surrendered to the will of the Syrian regime and its apparatuses, forfeiting a rare and invaluable chance for peace, development, and prosperity.
Ironically, President Amine Gemayel—under pressure from his father, Sheikh Pierre Gemayel, certain Kataeb leaders, and Arab states that feared early normalization with Israel—ultimately decided to suspend, and later cancel, the agreement. This was despite the fact that international powers did not pressure him to reverse course, as he himself confirmed in his memoirs. Sheikh Pierre Gemayel was known to repeat his famous phrase: “We don’t want to close 21 doors (Arab countries) just to open one (Israel),” reflecting the fear of Arab isolation—a fear that heavily influenced the cancellation decision.
But today, after Israel has dismantled Iran’s military arm in Lebanon—namely the terrorist group Hezbollah—eliminated its commanders, and forced it to sign a humiliating ceasefire… After the fall of the Assad regime… After the empty slogans of “resistance and defiance” were exposed as tools of destruction, takfir, and displacement… After Iran’s agents were expelled from several Arab countries… The time is ripe for Lebanon to reassess its strategic choices with a realistic and patriotic mindset.
Lebanon must sign a full peace agreement with the State of Israel—an agreement that ends the chronic state of war and grants the Lebanese people their rightful chance to live in peace and dignity, just as Egypt, Jordan, and most Arab nations have already done.
Enough hypocrisy. Enough trading in innocent blood. Enough gambling with Lebanon’s future in the name of a false and imaginary resistance that has brought nothing but devastation. Enough hollow slogans that have proven to be mere delusions, hallucinations, and fantasies.
The time has come for Lebanon to break free from the rule of the mini-state, from Iranian occupation, and to build a future that reflects the hopes and aspirations of its people.

A Government of "Halloween Masks" controlled by a hidden cabinet of advisors: A President of words, not deeds, and the futility of negotiations with Israel.
Elias Bejjani / May 15, 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/05/154480/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fpRpuvF6WzA
Neither Aoun, nor Salam, nor the "Arafatist" government of Ghassan Salamé and Tarek Mitri, nor Geagea and his ministers, nor "that Saiefi boy" and his minister of selective justice—none of them are the actual rulers or decision-makers. All of them are merely "Halloween masks" they are directed, not free, moving only by remote control. The real ruler is the "Government of Advisors" belonging to Nabih Berri and Hezbollah, protected by a "Trojan Horse" cover provided by all so called politrical parties. This includes those who falsely claim sovereignty on one hand, and those are drowning in the lie of "Resistance and Liberation" on the other.
Lebanon is an occupied and stolen country, ruled by desert ghosts. It is a total mess—who knows in which hole Naim Qassem and the rest of the "Party of Satan" thugs are hiding in? This is why the negotiations in America between Israel and these masked Lebanese rulers are futile and will yield no results.
Why are these negotiations useless?
The answer is simple: the demands of the Lebanese delegation are exactly the demands of Hezbollah. They want a ceasefire, Israeli withdrawal, the release of Hezbollah prisoners, the return of people to the south, and reconstruction. Even worse, they are talking about the 1949 Armistice Agreement—an agreement that is ancient and long forgotten! They don't want normalization; they only want "security arrangements."
These people live outside of time, in a world of fantasy and denial, completely detached from reality. They are not the leaders of this era.
The only solution is for Israel is to finish its war and uproot Hezbollah from its very foundations—not just in the South, Beirut, and the Bekaa, but from all of Lebanon. The rulers, all of them should be kicked out to their homes, the criminals among them must be prosecuted, and Lebanon should be placed under international trusteeship. Arab and international forces should then step in to complete the mission and assist Israeli army.
In conclusion:
The rulers of Lebanon are just "masks." The political classes and the so called political partiers are moved by remote control—either by Iran or Saudi Arabia. Neither side wants Lebanon to make peace with Israel, because that would close the doors for those who trade in the lie of "Liberation" and the myth of "throwing Israel into the sea."
In summary, sadely we the Lebanese are living in a time of drought and decay, where everything is upside down and logic is lost. Try solving that if you can!

Elias Bejjani/Video Link to my interview on Al-Hawiya Youtube platform
Exposing and ridiculing Lebanon’s puppet rulers and the owners of their Trojan horse political party companies, affirming that Israel is an ally of Lebanon, that peace will be imposed by force, and that the decision to eradicate the cancer of Hezbollah is irreversible/Explaining the reality of the Iranian advisory government’s authority in Lebanon
Title: Netanyahu at Baabda Palace Soon? Elias Bejjani Reveals the Scenario of Peace Imposed by Force!
In a high-stakes and explosive episode of “Power of ogic” hosted by Abdel Rahman Darnika, political activist Elias Bejjani shatters all political taboos, offering a radical and unprecedented analysis of the Lebanese crisis.
Is the era of diplomacy over? Bejjani presents shocking hypotheses regarding Lebanon’s future, arguing that the “Hezb Statelet” has completely hijacked national sovereignty, rendering official institutions mere facades operated by foreign “Remote Controls.”
Key highlights of this controversial interview include:
The Baabda Scenario: How could peace with Israel be imposed by force? And why does Bejjani foresee Netanyahu reaching the heart of Lebanese decision-making?
An Alliance of Necessity: Has Israel become the “ally” required to uproot Iranian influence from Lebanon?
Unmasking the Elite: A blistering critique of the political establishment, military leadership, and even religious figures; why does Bejjani believe they are all complicit in covering up the “Iranian Occupation”?
The Diaspora’s Roadmap: Bejjani’s vision for dismantling Hezb’s infrastructure and overturning politicized judicial rulings dating back to the Syrian hegemony era.
A conversation that defies expectations and confronts the viewer with existential questions about
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/05/154394/
May 11/2026

Israeli Army Announces the Killing of One of Its Soldiers in Southern Lebanon
Tel Aviv: Asharq Al-Awsat / May 16, 2026 (Translated from Arabic)
The Israeli army announced on Saturday the killing of one of its soldiers during ongoing fighting in southern Lebanon, bringing the number of military personnel killed since the start of the war on the northern front in early March to 21. According to the Agence France-Presse (AFP), the army stated that Captain Ma'oz Yisrael Recanati (24 years old) "was killed during battles in southern Lebanon," without providing further details. The scope of the war in the Middle East—which erupted with the joint Israeli-American attack on Iran on February 28—expanded to Lebanon after Hezbollah launched rockets toward Israel on March 2 in response to the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei on the first day of the strikes. Israel has been responding by launching extensive airstrikes on Lebanon, in addition to a ground invasion of border areas in the south. According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli attacks since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hezbollah on March 2 have resulted in the deaths of more than 2,900 people in Lebanon, including over 400 since the truce took effect, alongside the displacement of more than one million people.

Israeli Army: We Attacked Around 100 Hezbollah Targets in One Day
Death Toll from Israeli Attacks on Lebanon Since March 2 Rises to 2,969
Riyadh: Al Arabiya.net and Agencies May 16, 2026 (Translated from Arabic)
The total death toll from Israeli attacks on Lebanon from last March 2 until Saturday has risen to 2,969 dead, in addition to 9,112 wounded. For its part, the Israeli army announced today that it attacked "around 100 targets" belonging to Hezbollah over the course of two days. The Israeli army launched a series of raids on southern Lebanon on Saturday, which it said targeted Hezbollah facilities. It also issued warnings for the evacuation of additional villages—some located tens of kilometers from the border—a day after the extension of a Washington-sponsored truce that many question the utility of. During a third round of talks in Washington on Friday, the two countries agreed to extend the ceasefire, which has been in effect since April 17 and was scheduled to expire on Sunday, for an additional 45 days. Since the ceasefire took effect, Israel has continued to launch strikes that it says target Hezbollah and its operatives, alongside conducting demolition and destruction operations in areas occupied by its forces adjacent to the border. Its army also issues daily evacuation orders for villages; the geographical scope of these orders has expanded to frequently include areas far from the border inhabited by local residents and displaced persons from other regions. In contrast, Hezbollah announces attacks against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon and northern Israel. Lebanon's official National News Agency (NNA) reported Israeli raids on towns included in Saturday's Israeli evacuation warning, such as Kouthariyeh al-Siyad, Al-Mansouri, Al-Ghansassiyeh, Al-Babouriyeh (Al-Marwaniyeh), and Bissariyeh, located more than 50 kilometers from the border with Israel. The agency reported a movement of displacement toward Sidon and Beirut following the Israeli warning. According to the NNA, the raids also hit towns that were not included in the warning, such as Habboush near the city of Nabatiyeh. For its part, the Israeli army announced that it had begun "attacking infrastructure belonging to" the group in several areas in southern Lebanon.According to Lebanese authorities, Israeli attacks since the beginning of the war between Israel and Hezbollah on March 2 have killed more than 2,900 people in Lebanon, including over 400 since the truce took effect, in addition to displacing more than one million people. On the other hand, the Israeli army announced on Saturday the killing of one of its soldiers during ongoing fighting in southern Lebanon, bringing the number of military personnel killed since the start of the war on the northern front in early March to 21.

US State Department: The Group's Operations Aim to Obstruct Talks Between Lebanon and Israel
Agencies / May 16, 2026 (Translated from Arabic)
Statement issued by the Official Spokesperson for the US Department of State, Tommy Pigott:
On May 14 and 15, the United States facilitated two days of constructive talks between the State of Israel and the Lebanese Republic at the Department of State headquarters. The two countries agreed on a framework for negotiations aimed at advancing a lasting peace process between them, fully recognizing the sovereignty and territorial integrity of each other, and establishing genuine security along their shared borders. Over the course of the two days, remarkable progress was made on the political track, which will reconvene on June 2 and 3 to continue those political discussions. The security track will also launch at the Pentagon on May 29, with the participation of military delegations from both countries. To this end, both parties agreed to extend the cessation of hostilities agreement concluded on April 16 for a period of 45 days, to allow the security track to effectively improve communication and coordination between Israel and Lebanon, facilitated by the United States. The United States remains mindful of the challenges posed by Hezbollah's ongoing attacks on Israel, which are carried out without the consent or endorsement of the Lebanese government, with the aim of disrupting this process. The United States welcomes the commitment of both governments to finding a long-term solution despite these ongoing challenges. The United States will continue to support both countries as they move forward on these two tracks.

Hezbollah says it struck military objective in northern Israel
AFP/May 17, 2026
In a statement, the Iran-backed militant group said its fighters targeted “the Ya’ara barracks... with a swarm of attack drones,” after announcing multiple operations against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon
BEIRUT, Lebanon: Hezbollah said Saturday it struck a military target in northern Israel, as the fragile ceasefire between Lebanon and Israel has not stopped fighting in the war that began on March 2. In a statement, the Iran-backed militant group said its fighters targeted “the Ya’ara barracks... with a swarm of attack drones,” after announcing multiple operations against Israeli forces in southern Lebanon, where they are occupying territory near the border between the two countries.

Lebanon reports nearly 3,000 killed since March amid ongoing hostilities
LBCI/16 May ,2026
Lebanon’s Health Ministry said in a statement Saturday that the cumulative toll of the ongoing hostilities since March 2 through May 16 has reached 2,969 killed and 9,112 injured.

Israel's Adraee issues evacuation warning for several towns in South Lebanon
LBCI/16 May ,2026
Israeli army spokesperson Avichay Adraee issued an urgent evacuation warning to residents in several towns and villages in South Lebanon. The warning targeted the areas of Qaaqaaiyet El Snoubar, Kaouthariyet El Saiyad, Merouaniyeh, Ghassaniyeh, Tefahta, Arzi in Sidon district, Babliyeh, Ansar in Nabatieh district, and Al-Baisariyah. Adraee said the Israeli army was “forced to act strongly” against Hezbollah and claimed the military did not intend to harm civilians. He called on residents to immediately evacuate their homes and move at least one kilometer away from the targeted towns toward open areas. “Anyone located near Hezbollah operatives, infrastructure, or weapons is putting their life at risk,” Adraee said in the statement.

Lebanon-Israel negotiations raise questions over path to lasting peace — the details
LBCI/16 May ,2026
Lebanon’s efforts to secure a ceasefire have failed to materialize. Instead, negotiators in Washington settled on extending the fragile truce for 45 days.The Israeli military later began the extension by issuing warnings to several villages in southern Lebanon before targeting them.
Against this backdrop of ongoing hostilities, the agreed negotiation sessions are expected to begin. The military track is scheduled for May 29 at the Pentagon, while the political track will take place on June 2 and 3 at the U.S. State Department. Before then, the Lebanese side is expected to hold its first session and prepare the framework for the upcoming round. Developments on the ground have pushed the military aspect to the forefront, making it necessary to form a military delegation representing Lebanon and capable of discussing the issues on the table, from supporting the Lebanese army in extending state authority to Hezbollah’s disarmament, in addition to the possibility of discussing security arrangements that could be included in any agreement. During the latest round of negotiations, attention was drawn to the wording of the U.S. statement, which said Lebanon and Israel had agreed on a negotiating framework aimed at advancing toward lasting peace. The language aligns with Israel’s desire to reach a peace treaty with Lebanon, while the Lebanese delegation said launching both political and security tracks would improve the chances of reaching a permanent peaceful solution. Will these negotiations lead to such a solution, or will all Lebanese players, along with Israel, wait for the outcome of the U.S.-Iran negotiations to become clearer?

Hezbollah Rejects Peace Talks With Israel, Warns Lebanese State Against ‘Concessions’
This is Beirut/16 May ,2026
Hezbollah on Saturday escalated its rhetoric against ongoing Lebanese-Israeli negotiations, rejecting any path toward a “comprehensive peace agreement” with Israel and warning Lebanese authorities against what it described as a “concessionary track” imposed under American pressure. In a lengthy statement released on the anniversary of the May 17, 1983, agreement between Lebanon and Israel, historically condemned by Hezbollah and its allies as the “Agreement of Shame," the Iran-backed group accused Lebanese authorities of moving toward a “dangerous” political and security path despite continued Israeli strikes and escalating regional tensions.The statement comes as Lebanon prepares for another round of U.S.-mediated direct talks with Israel and amid mounting domestic and international pressure over Hezbollah’s weapons and the implementation of state authority across Lebanese territory.
Hezbollah rejects direct negotiations
Once again, Hezbollah warned Lebanese officials against pursuing direct negotiations with Israel, arguing that such talks only serve Israeli interests while bringing “free concessions” from the Lebanese state. “We call on the Lebanese authority to withdraw from direct negotiations, which constitute pure gains for Israel and free concessions from the Lebanese authority,” the group said. The party also rejected discussions linking Hezbollah’s weapons to negotiations with Israel, insisting that the issue of arms remains strictly an internal Lebanese matter despite growing calls from the Lebanese government and international actors for the group’s disarmament. “There is no relation whatsoever between the resistance’s weapons and negotiations with the enemy,” Hezbollah stated. The remarks directly contradict the position increasingly voiced by Lebanese officials in recent months, including calls for the state to fully monopolize arms and implement sovereignty across all Lebanese territory following the devastating war that erupted earlier this year after the group launched attacks on Israel following the killing of Iranian Supreme Leader Ali Khamenei, further deepening criticism inside Lebanon over the group's decision to drag the country into war.
Escalating criticism of Lebanese authorities
The group also criticized decisions taken by the Lebanese government on August 5 and August 7, which refer to the landmark decisions adopted by the Lebanese Cabinet. These decisions constituted an official roadmap aimed at “extending state authority” across all Lebanese territory and restricting arms exclusively to the Lebanese Army. Hezbollah argued that Israeli military operations have continued despite the diplomatic track pursued by Beirut, pointing to ongoing strikes, assassinations and destruction in southern Lebanon. “Many Lebanese now see the extension of the ceasefire through this path as an extension of the aggression against them,” the statement said. However, Hezbollah’s accusations come despite the fact that both the November 27, 2024, ceasefire agreement and the truce currently in effect since April 8, 2026, included provisions tied to restoring full Lebanese state authority and addressing Hezbollah’s weapons. Despite growing domestic and international pressure, Hezbollah has continued rejecting disarmament and maintaining its military operations.
Hezbollah insists resistance will continue
Reaffirming its refusal to abandon armed confrontation, Hezbollah stressed that Israeli forces “will never stabilize on our land” as long as the group’s fighters and resistance infrastructure remain active. The party concluded its statement by declaring that “the dawn of liberation, freedom, and full independence will rise, no matter how long it takes.” The statement reflects Hezbollah’s continued insistence on maintaining its military role despite the extensive destruction caused by the conflict, the displacement of hundreds of thousands of Lebanese, and increasing political divisions inside Lebanon over the future of the group’s arsenal and regional role.

Beirut Port to test emergency siren system on Sunday
LBCI/16 May ,2026
The Port of Beirut administration has announced that it will conduct a test of the port's emergency siren system on Sunday, May 17, 2026, at 5:00 p.m. In a statement, the port authority said the procedure is part of technical testing and preparedness measures aimed at ensuring the effectiveness and operational readiness of the warning system. The administration stressed that the siren activation is only a technical test and should not cause concern among residents or people living in nearby areas.

Israel strikes south Lebanon day after ceasefire extension
Agence France Presse/16 May ,2026
Israel launched new airstrikes in southern Lebanon on Saturday, a day after the two states agreed to extend a truce following talks in Washington. "The IDF (army) has begun striking Hezbollah infrastructure sites in several areas in southern Lebanon," the Israeli military said.
Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported strikes on at least five villages in the south, preceded by an exodus of residents towards the southern city of Sidon and the capital Beirut. The Israeli military had earlier warned residents of nine villages in the Sidon and Nabatieh regions to evacuate ahead of the strikes. It comes after envoys from Israel and Lebanon held negotiations in Washington following the first direct talks in decades last month between the two countries, which do not have diplomatic relations. Iran-backed Hezbollah opposes the negotiations and has continued to claim attacks on northern Israel and against the Israeli military in southern Lebanon, part of which it has occupied, since the ceasefire took effect on April 17.
But Lebanon's negotiating delegation in Washington on Friday welcomed the 45-day extension of the truce with Israel. "The extension of the ceasefire and the establishment of a U.S.-facilitated security track provide critical breathing space for our citizens, reinforce state institutions, and advance a political pathway toward lasting stability," it said in a statement shared by the Lebanese presidency. Israeli attacks since the start of the war have killed more than 2,900 people in Lebanon, including more than 400 since the truce took effect, according to Lebanese authorities. The Israeli military has also reported the deaths of 19 soldiers in southern Lebanon since fighting with Hezbollah erupted. Lebanon was dragged into the Middle East war on March 2 when Hezbollah fired rockets at Israel in retaliation for the killing of Iran's supreme leader Ali Khamenei.

Lebanon seeks 'real ceasefire' that begins Monday
Naharnet/16 May ,2026
Lebanon is conducting intensive contacts in coordination with the U.S. with the aim of reaching a comprehensive ceasefire with Israel, sources told Sky News Arabia. "The possibility of announcing a ceasefire at midnight tomorrow is still on the table, but no Israeli approval of this agreement has been reached until the moment," the sources said. A Lebanese official meanwhile told Al-Jadeed TV that "the current extension of the ceasefire will face a test starting the night of May 17." "The Lebanese side has demanded a formula based on stopping the targeting of infrastructure and civilians," the official said. "The U.S. position was understanding and supportive of the Lebanese viewpoint, while Israel expressed its readiness on the condition of commitment from both sides. Based on this conclusion, the state informed Hezbollah of the matter through Speaker Nabih Berri," the official added. Asharq al-Awsat newspaper also reported that "Lebanon will test Israel's commitment to the ceasefire and the cessation of attacks on civilians and civilian infrastructure early Monday morning, as well as Hezbollah's corresponding commitment." "This is intended to pave the way for a smooth start to the security track by the end of this month and the resumption of the political track at the beginning of next month," the daily said. A Lebanese official source told the newspaper that the contacts Lebanon is conducting after the conclusion of the first round of direct negotiations with Israel in Washington are focused on securing these principles before moving to subsequent steps in the security and political tracks. The source confirmed that Lebanon emphasized to the U.S. sponsor of the negotiations the necessity of a ceasefire and an end to the targeting of infrastructure and civilian facilities. The source explained that the initial response from the Israeli side expressed a willingness to comply if the other party, Hezbollah, does the same. The source added: "We have informed the relevant sides within Hezbollah of these developments." He added: "The Lebanese presidency was informed by Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri of the party's readiness to cease fire, provided Israel adheres to it. Therefore, matters are now at a critical juncture, especially since the Israeli side's commitments are unreliable, as experience has shown thus far."The source also announced that Berri has informed the presidency that Hezbollah is "prepared to issue a public pledge to this effect."

Lebanon-Israel ceasefire extension to include security meeting in US, LBCI sources say
LBCI/16 May ,2026
During the ceasefire extension period, preparations will be made for a security meeting at the U.S. Department of War on May 29, according to LBCI sources. The meeting is expected to address key issues, including the confinement of weapons, strengthening combat brigades within the Lebanese army, the withdrawal of Israeli forces, and the deployment of the Lebanese army. The discussions will also focus on activating the monitoring mechanism for the ceasefire agreement, known as the “mechanism,” particularly on how to complete an independent verification process. During the extension period, work will also continue on a declaration of intent between Lebanon and Israel. The document is not expected to be issued in the coming days and is intended to outline each side’s red lines and expectations. LBCI sources added that efforts will continue to solidify the ceasefire agreement and ensure compliance by both Israel and Hezbollah.

Egypt Pushes Limited Israel-Lebanon Security Talks That Would Leave Hizbullah Armed
N. Mozes/MEMRI/Published on May 11/2026
Against the backdrop of the U.S.-backed direct negotiations between Israel and Lebanon, Egypt has been attempting to become more involved in the situation with Lebanon, to position itself as a key mediator, and to influence the future Lebanon-Israel relationship. According to reports in Lebanese media, Egypt has even requested that the negotiations – which have thus far been taking place in the U.S. – be held on Egyptian soil.
An analysis of statements by Egyptian officials, and of reports from both pro-Hizbullah and anti-Hizbullah Lebanese sources, indicates that Egypt's approach stands in contrast to that of the U.S. and Israel. It is pressuring Lebanon to make the negotiations conditional upon a permanent ceasefire, to limit the negotiations to security matters only, and to demand American security guarantees. This approach is similar to the positions of the pro-Hizbullah camp.
In addition, Egypt is adopting a position on Hizbullah's weapons that is even softer than that of the Lebanese government. Although Egypt's officials have expressed support in theory for the idea that Lebanon's government should be the only armed institution in the country and that it should have exclusive say in matters of war and peace, in practice the initiatives that Egypt is proposing would be limited in this regard, and could both entrench Hizbullah's armed capabilities and undermine efforts to disarm it.
These initiatives indicate that Egypt is attempting to advance a limited and restrained agreement between Israel and Lebanon, while avoiding conflict with Hizbullah and allowing it to retain its weapons. This would undermine the disarmament of the group, weaken the Lebanese government, undermine the political process with Israel, and threaten the security of Israel and the sovereignty and stability of Lebanon.
Egypt's stance is also consistent with its broader pattern in recent years of increased alignment with countries previously considered its adversaries, such as Turkey, Qatar, and even Hizbullah's patron Iran.[1] This has been in an effort to revive its status as a leader in the Arab world – a status which has eroded over the past several years, particularly since the Arab Spring.
This report will examine Egypt's positions on the direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel and on Hizbullah's weapons.
Egypt Is Working To Slow Down The Lebanon-Israel Negotiations And To Take Over Sponsorship Of Them
As mentioned, Egypt is taking a very restrained stance with regard to the direct Lebanon-Israel negotiations – and is even moving to block American initiatives to advance them, with a clear inclination towards the positions of the pro-Hizbullah camp.
According to reports in Lebanese media, Egypt is pressuring Lebanon to set a series of preconditions for the negotiations, most importantly a permanent ceasefire and American security guarantees. It is also seeking to strictly limit the negotiations to a security framework, precluding a comprehensive political agreement.[2]
Egypt's stance is also reflected in recent statements by its ambassador to Lebanon, Dr. Alaa Musa, who expressed his alignment with the position of Lebanese parliamentary speaker Nabih Berri, who heads the Hizbullah-allied Amal Movement. Berri's position on the negotiations with Israel is hawkish, in contrast to that of Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam. Ambassador Musa said: "Speaker Berri believes that a permanent ceasefire in Lebanon must be achieved, and [only] then should there be next steps... In light of the ongoing Israeli attacks on Lebanon, the path to a permanent ceasefire in Lebanon must be discussed swiftly."[3]
In addition, Egypt has asserted that the negotiations should be conditional upon a unified Lebanese stance agreed upon by all of its political elements, including Hizbullah, on both the goals of the negotiations and on Hizbullah's weapons.[4] This demand, which is impossible in practice due to the deep political rifts in Lebanon, would likely lead to significant delays in beginning the negotiations.
Beyond the conditions it is demanding, Egypt has been taking action to slow down the negotiations and even to undermine specific American initiatives. For example, in late April 2026, the Hizbullah-affiliated Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported that Egypt and Saudi Arabia had sent warning messages to President Aoun, calling on him to slow the negotiations process and to demand American guarantees of an end to Israel's attacks, as well as to reject the clause granting Israel freedom of operations in Lebanon.[5]
Egypt's Ambassador Musa has denied that his country had warned Lebanon, but did say that "when the Lebanese government asks for our opinion, we do not hesitate to provide it... [concerning what] is best for Lebanon, based on Egypt's own experience...[6]
Furthermore, Egypt has been attempting to delay the possible meeting between Lebanese President Joseph Aoun and Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to a later phase in the negotiations. This stands in contrast to the desire of the U.S. and Israel for such a meeting to take place early in the negotiations.[7]
At the same time, Egypt is aiming to position itself as a key mediator in the negotiations process, and to sponsor the negotiations instead of the U.S., such that they would take place on Egyptian soil.[8]
In light of its positions, however, it is doubtful that Egypt could actually serve as a mediator in the Israel-Lebanon negotiations.
Hizbullah's Weapons: "Freezing" And "Containment" – Not Disarmament
Egypt's restrained approach to the negotiations is reflected also in its position regarding the future of Hizbullah's weapons, which is one of the most sensitive topics in Lebanese domestic affairs and in Israel-Lebanon relations. While both Israel and the Lebanese government – the latter for the first time in its history, under President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam – have explicitly declared disarming Hizbullah as a goal, Egypt's approach is one of "containment" and conflict avoidance.
In Cairo's view, the issue of Hizbullah's weapons must be approached through dialogue and agreements with Hizbullah, and not by force or military conflict, which Egypt says may lead to civil war. Egypt's Ambassador Musa suggested following the model of the policy that has ostensibly been adopted south of the Litani River – an agreed-upon transfer of Hizbullah's weapons to the government "after developing [this policy] and after resolving the problems that emerged during its implementation."[9]
It should be noted that the most recent round of fighting between Hizbullah and Israel was initiated by Hizbullah on March 2, 2026 in support of Iran, demonstrating the failure of the policy referenced by Ambassador Musa: Despite the claims of the Lebanese authorities, the Lebanese military was unable to to take effective control of the territory south of the Litani, and Hizbullah maintained its military infrastructure and its weapons arsenal at a large scale.[10] This assessment is strengthened by Hizbullah's public relations chief Yousuf Al-Zayn's recent acknowledgement that the organization "has succeeded in bringing in all the forces and equipment it wanted" through "many ways in which the [Lebanese] military was not involved and did not block." He added: "We believe that the army is the national army, and when the battle [against Israel] began, it understood that Lebanon has the right to defend itself."[11]
Furthermore, in recent months Egypt has been advancing initiatives aimed at "freezing" or "containing" Hizbullah's arsenal. Under these initiatives, the organization's weapons and military infrastructure north of the Litani River would not be dismantled or removed, but rather would remain in its warehouses and possession while Hizbullah would commit to refrain from using them and to transfer them to the "administration" or oversight of the Lebanese military. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi presented this initiative to U.S. President Donald Trump on the sidelines of the Davos forum in January 2026,[12] and, according to Lebanese reports, the initiative was raised again when Egyptian officials visited Lebanon in March 2026.[13]
On May 5, 2026, the Lebanese daily Al-Modon reported that Egypt had proposed an even more restrained initiative, under which "Hizbullah's weapons north of the Litani River would be frozen for a period of time, and at the same time [Hizbullah] would declare a freeze on its military activity, in exchange for a gradual Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon."[14] This reflects a willingness to leave Hizbullah's weapons in its possession in practice.
* N. Mozes is a Research Fellow at MEMRI.
[2] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), April 29, 2026.
[3] Al-Modon (Lebanon), May 1, 2026.
[4] Al-Modon (Lebanon), May 1, 2026.
[5] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), April 27-29, 2026. According to the November 2024 ceasefire agreement between Israel and Lebanon, both countries have a right to defend themselves. A parallel agreement that was signed between the U.S. and Israel grants Israel freedom of operations to take action against any efforts or military activity against it. Source: Ynet.co.il, November 25, 2024.
[6] Al-Modon (Lebanon), May 2, 2026.
[7] Al-Modon (Lebanon), May 5, 2026.
[8] Al-Akhbar (Lebanon), April 29, 2026; Al-Modon (Lebanon), May 5, 2026.
[9]Al-Modon (Lebanon), May 1, 2026.
[11] Al-Nahar (Lebanon), May 1, 2026.
[12] Al-Modon (Lebanon), January 26, 2026.
[13] Al-Joumhouria (Lebanon), April 24, 2026; Al-Nahar (Lebanon), March 26, 2026.
[14] Al-Modon (Lebanon), May 5, 2026.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on 16-17 May/2026
Trump Says Patience With Iran Is Running Out Over Strait Closure
This is Beirut/16 May ,2026
U.S. President Donald Trump said on Friday that his patience with Iran was wearing thin and claimed that Chinese President Xi Jinping agreed Tehran should reopen the Strait of Hormuz, though Beijing gave no sign it intended to intervene directly.
Speaking aboard Air Force One while returning from Beijing after two days of talks with Xi, Trump said he was weighing the possibility of easing U.S. sanctions on Chinese firms importing Iranian oil. China remains the largest purchaser of Iranian crude.
When asked whether Xi had firmly committed to pressuring Iran to reopen the strategic shipping route, Trump replied: “I’m not asking for any favors because, when you ask for favors, you have to do favors in return.”Xi did not publicly address the discussions on Iran, but China’s foreign ministry released a sharply worded statement expressing frustration over the ongoing conflict. “This war, which should never have started, has no justification to continue,” the ministry stated.
Although the United States suspended its strikes on Iran last month, it subsequently imposed a naval blockade as part of Operation Project Freedom. Tehran responded by saying the Strait of Hormuz would remain restricted until Washington lifted the blockade. Trump has warned that the U.S. could resume military action if Iran refuses to negotiate an agreement. “We don’t want them to obtain a nuclear weapon, and we want the strait reopened,” Trump said during his meeting with Xi in Beijing. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araqchi said Tehran had received signals from Washington indicating a willingness to continue negotiations. “We hope that progress in the talks will lead to a positive outcome, allowing the Strait of Hormuz to be fully secured and maritime traffic through the passage to return to normal,” Araqchi told reporters in New Delhi. In an interview broadcast Thursday night on Fox News’ Hannity, Trump reiterated his impatience with Tehran, saying: “They should make a deal.” He also suggested that Iran’s enriched uranium stockpile should be secured by the United States more for political optics than operational necessity. Reuters reported that oil prices climbed roughly 3%, reaching about $109 per barrel amid concerns that diplomatic efforts were failing to ease tensions. Meanwhile, U.S. Treasury yields rose to their highest levels in nearly a year as investors speculated that the Federal Reserve might need to raise interest rates to counter inflationary pressure linked to the blockade. Following Thursday’s meeting between Trump and Xi, the White House said the Chinese leader had clearly expressed opposition to any Iranian attempt to impose transit fees on ships using the Strait of Hormuz.

Pakistani minister arrives in Tehran to ‘facilitate’ US-Iran peace talks
Al Arabiya English/16 May ,2026
Pakistan’s interior minister arrived in Tehran on Saturday “to facilitate” the peace talks between Iran and the United States that have stalled despite a fragile ceasefire, Iranian media reported. “Mohsin Naqvi arrived today in the Islamic Republic of Iran on an official two-day visit as part of Pakistan’s ongoing efforts to facilitate talks and promote regional peace,” the state-linked Tasnim news agency reported. Iranian Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni received Naqvi, whose visit to Tehran comes days after that of Pakistan’s influential army chief, Field Marshal Asim Munir.Pakistani sources told Al Arabiya that Naqvi’s visit to Iran aimed to reach a specific agreement framework. The US side has requested answers to specific points raised by Washington, the sources said, adding that there has been progress regarding the Strait of Hormuz. There is no alternative to an interim agreement between the US and Iran, the sources added. Islamabad has been actively mediating in the peace talks between Iran and the US and last month hosted a high stakes meeting between delegations from both sides. A ceasefire that began on April 8 has largely halted the fighting that erupted when US and Israeli forces attacked Iran on February 28. Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said on Friday that Tehran had received messages from Washington indicating that President Donald Trump’s administration was willing to continue negotiations. Iran’s chief negotiator and speaker of parliament, Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, said on Tuesday that Washington should accept Tehran’s proposal for peace or face “failure” after Trump rejected an Iranian counteroffer and warned the ceasefire was on “life support.” “There is no alternative but to accept the rights of the Iranian people as laid out in the 14-point proposal. Any other approach will be completely inconclusive; nothing but one failure after another,” Ghalibaf said, in a social media post. With AFP

US says Iran-backed militia commander planned Jewish site attacks
Agence France Presse/16 May ,2026
U.S. authorities on Friday detailed charges against a commander of an Iran-backed Iraqi militia who was allegedly involved in plotting terrorism against Jewish people in Europe, Canada and the United States. Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, 32, is said to have directed and urged others to attack U.S. and Israeli interests, and to kill Americans and Jews, in retaliation for the war against Iran. He was identified as a senior figure in Kataeb Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). The Islamic Republic has in the past been accused of seeking to orchestrate terrorist incidents, and several have occurred since U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began in late February. According to U.S. court filings, Al-Saadi and unidentified associates planned, coordinated and claimed responsibility for at least 18 terrorist attacks in Europe, and two in Canada.
Those attacks "appear to have been carried out both in retaliation for the United States and Israel's recent military actions against Iran and to compel the United States and Israel to halt those actions," a criminal complaint states. Examples included the non-fatal stabbing of two Jewish men in London on April 29, as well as several arson attacks on synagogues, Israeli businesses and Jewish schools in Amsterdam, Munich and elsewhere. Al-Saadi's exact role is unclear, beyond allegations that he posted propaganda videos of the attacks on social media after they happened. In a recorded phone call, Al-Saadi is said to have unwittingly told an FBI informant that he or his associates were involved in the European attacks, as well as two in Canada. Authorities believe those include the March 10 shooting at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto, in which no one was injured.
- 'High-value target' -
Al-Saadi is most recently alleged to have plotted attacks in the United States against a New York synagogue and two Jewish centers in California and Arizona. He allegedly paid an undercover U.S. agent a $3,000 down payment to conduct the New York attack, before a warrant for his arrest was issued. FBI director Kash Patel said on X that his agency had arrested and returned Al-Saadi to the United States, calling him a "high-value target responsible for mass global terrorism."Al-Saadi appeared Friday at a Manhattan court where he was charged with six counts including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorist groups Kataeb Hezbollah and the IRGC.He is also charged with conspiring and providing material support for acts of terrorism and conspiring to bomb a place of public use. Kataeb Hezbollah is part of a pro-Iranian network in Iraq that regularly claims responsibility for attacks on American targets in the Middle East. The U.S. blamed it for the December 2020 attack against an Iraqi base housing U.S. troops that killed a U.S. citizen contractor. That incident sent tensions soaring, with the United States eventually killing Iran's most powerful general, Qassem Soleimani, in a drone attack at the Baghdad airport. Kataeb Hezbollah was also responsible for kidnapping American journalist Shelly Kittleson for several days in March 2026, at the height of fighting between Iran, Israel and the United States.

Taiwan says is an 'independent' nation, after Trump's warning
Agence France Presse/16 May ,2026
Taiwan said Saturday it is an "independent" nation, hours after U.S. President Donald Trump warned the democratic island against declaring formal independence. Trump wrapped up a state visit to Beijing on Friday where Chinese President Xi Jinping had pressed him not to support Taiwan, which China claims is part of its territory. Taiwan depends heavily on U.S. security backing to deter China from carrying out its threat to annex the island by force. Taiwan "is a sovereign and independent democratic nation, and is not subordinate to the People's Republic of China", Taiwan's foreign ministry said in a statement.
The ministry also insisted that US arms sales were part of Washington's security commitment to Taiwan, after Trump said it "depends on China" and was a "very good negotiating chip for us". Taiwan's statements came after Trump issued a warning to the island against making a declaration of independence. "I'm not looking to have somebody go independent. And, you know, we're supposed to travel 9,500 miles to fight a war. I'm not looking for that," he told Fox News' "Special Report with Bret Baier"."I want them to cool down. I want China to cool down," Trump said. "We're not looking to have wars, and if you kept it the way it is, I think China's going to be OK with that." But Trump added that "nothing's changed" on U.S. policy towards Taiwan. The United States recognises only Beijing and does not support formal independence by Taiwan, but historically has stopped short of explicitly saying it opposes independence. Under U.S. law, the United States is required to provide weapons to Taiwan for its defence, but it has been ambiguous on whether U.S. forces would come to the island's aid. Xi had begun the summit with a warning on Taiwan, whose President Lai Ching-te considers the island already independent, making a declaration unnecessary. The Chinese leader told Trump that missteps on the sensitive issue could cause "conflict". Taiwan's Presidential Office noted Saturday the "multiple reaffirmations from the U.S. side, including President Trump and Secretary of State Marco Rubio, that the consistent U.S. policy and position toward Taiwan remain unchanged". "Taiwan looks forward to continuing to work with the U.S. under the firm commitments of the Taiwan Relations Act," spokeswoman Karen Kuo said in a statement.
U.S. weapon sales -
Ahead of the summit, Trump had said he would speak to Xi about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan, a departure from Washington's previous insistence that it would not consult Beijing on the matter.Taiwan's parliament recently approved a $25 billion defence spending bill that will be used for U.S. weapons. Lawmakers have said the funds will cover nearly $9 billion of the $11.1 billion arms package announced by Washington in December and a second phase of arms sales -- not yet approved by the United States -- worth more than $15 billion. Speaking to reporters on Friday en route to Washington, Trump said on arms sales: "I'll make a determination over the next fairly short period of time." Taiwan's foreign ministry said arms were "not only a U.S. security commitment to Taiwan clearly stipulated in the Taiwan Relations Act, but also a form of joint deterrence against regional threats". Tzeng Wei-feng of the National Chengchi University's Institute of International Relations in Taipei said the Trump administration was "leaning to China's position" on Taiwan in order to have better relations with Beijing and could "change the arms sale package a little bit to show their goodwill".Trump "overtly stating that arms are a bargaining chip is exactly what Taiwan didn't want to hear," Lev Nachman, a political science professor at National Taiwan University, told AFP. "The hope is that arm sales were non-negotiable, because it's part of the six assurances, and what Donald Trump is essentially saying is that one of those assurances no longer matters."

Iran’s top diplomat says a lack of trust is impeding talks to end war with the US
AP/May 16, 2026
NEW DELHI: Iran’s foreign minister said a lack of trust is the biggest obstacle in negotiations to end the war with the US, saying Friday that Tehran would be open to diplomatic help, particularly from China, to help ease tensions. “We are in doubt about their seriousness,” he told reporters in New Delhi, adding that negotiations would move forward if Washington was ready for a “fair and balanced deal.”US President Donald Trump earlier this week dismissed Iran’s latest formal proposal as “garbage.” While Iran was said to include some nuclear concessions, Trump has said he wants to remove highly enriched uranium from the country and prevent it from developing nuclear weapons. Iran says its nuclear program is for peaceful purposes. In separate negotiations in Washington between Israel and Lebanon, both sides agreed Friday to extend their ceasefire until early June, US officials said. With talks between Iran and the US at a standstill during the shaky ceasefire, tensions remain high and threaten to tip the Middle East back into open warfare and prolong the worldwide energy crisis sparked by the conflict. Iran still has a chokehold on the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway where a fifth of the world’s oil passed through before the war, and America is blockading Iranian ports.Trump and Chinese President Xi Jinping, who finished talks on Friday, agreed the strait needs to be reopened.
China could play a diplomatic role, Iran says
Araghchi said Friday that Iran would welcome diplomatic support from other countries, particularly from China, citing Beijing’s previous role in facilitating the restoration of ties between Iran and Saudi Arabia. Beijing has shown little public interest in US requests to get more involved, even though Trump told Fox News’ Sean Hannity that Xi had in their conversations offered to help. Pakistan said Thursday it was continuing diplomatic efforts to help ease regional tensions. But it declined to disclose details of the discussions or say whether the US had formally responded. “The clock on diplomacy has not stopped. The peace process is working,” Pakistani Foreign Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi told reporters in Islamabad.
Iran says uranium is a sticking point
Trump has demanded a major rollback of Iran’s nuclear activities while Iran says it has a right to enrich uranium. Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, who launched the war with Trump on Feb. 28, also wants Iran’s highly enriched uranium removed from the country.
Iran’s foreign minister said Friday that the issue of its enriched uranium stockpile is one of the most difficult subjects in negotiations with the US. Russia has previously offered to take the stockpile if Iran is willing to give it up. Araghchi said Russia’s proposal was not currently under active discussion, but could be revisited. “When we come to that stage, obviously we will have more consultations with Russia and see if the Russian offer can help or not,” he said.
Israel and Lebanon extend ceasefire as strikes continue
Israel and Lebanon agreed to extend the expiring Israel-Hezbollah ceasefire for another 45 days to allow for negotiations on a broader peace agreement, the US State Department said. After two days of meetings, the department said it would reconvene the two sides for discussions on June 2 and 3, while a military track — between the Israeli and Lebanese armies — by the Pentagon will begin on May 29. Hezbollah opposes Lebanon’s direct negotiations with Israel and has not been part of the talks. Israel’s ambassador to the US Yechiel Leiter said the talks were frank and constructive. “There will be ups and downs, but the potential for success is great,” he said in a social media post. “What will be paramount throughout negotiations is the security of our citizens and our soldiers.” The ongoing ceasefire hasn’t stopped Israel and Hezbollah from trading strikes. The Israeli military said Friday it hit Hezbollah sites in southern Lebanon after reporting hostile aircraft alerts and launches from across the border. Lebanon’s health ministry said three paramedics were killed in a strike near the city of Harouf. Other strikes around the coastal city of Tyre wounded nearly 40 people, destroyed a health center and damaged the neighboring Hiram Hospital, wounding six medical workers, the ministry said.
Chinese-owned ship taken into Iranian waters
A Chinese-owned ship anchored off the United Arab Emirates was seized this week and taken toward Iranian waters. Chinese private security company Sinoguards said it had “been informed through relevant channels” that the vessel Hui Chuan, which it was operating as an offshore work platform, was taken into Iranian waters for documentation and compliance inspection by the authorities. The company’s emailed statement said there was no indication of any injuries on the ship and that it was cooperating. Honduras, where the ship was flagged, said the ship had 17 crew including people from Nepal, Myanmar, Vietnam and Sri Lanka. The seizure happened as a senior Iranian official reiterated his country’s claim of control over the Strait of Hormuz and another said it had a right to seize oil tankers connected to the US. The US seized vessels in the Gulf of Oman last month and on Friday the foreign minister of Pakistan said it had secured the return of 11 Pakistani nationals and 20 Iranian citizens who were aboard those vessels. “All individuals are in good health and high spirits,” said the foreign minister, Ishaq Dar, said.
UAE speeds up construction of oil pipeline
The United Arab Emirates is speeding up the completion of a new pipeline that will allow the Gulf federation to export more oil without routing it through the Strait of Hormuz. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the crown prince of Abu Dhabi, directed state oil company ADNOC to accelerate work on the pipeline, the Abu Dhabi Media Office said Friday. The oil company already runs a pipeline designed to carry 1.5 million barrels a day from its oil fields to the port of Fujairah on the Gulf of Oman. The new pipeline, expected to double the company’s export capacity through that port, will become operational next year, the media office said.

US says Iran-backed militia commander planned Jewish site attacks
Agence France Presse/16 May ,2026
U.S. authorities on Friday detailed charges against a commander of an Iran-backed Iraqi militia who was allegedly involved in plotting terrorism against Jewish people in Europe, Canada and the United States. Mohammad Baqer Saad Dawood Al-Saadi, 32, is said to have directed and urged others to attack U.S. and Israeli interests, and to kill Americans and Jews, in retaliation for the war against Iran. He was identified as a senior figure in Kataeb Hezbollah, a U.S.-designated foreign terrorist organization linked to Iran's Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC).
The Islamic Republic has in the past been accused of seeking to orchestrate terrorist incidents, and several have occurred since U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran began in late February. According to U.S. court filings, Al-Saadi and unidentified associates planned, coordinated and claimed responsibility for at least 18 terrorist attacks in Europe, and two in Canada. Those attacks "appear to have been carried out both in retaliation for the United States and Israel's recent military actions against Iran and to compel the United States and Israel to halt those actions," a criminal complaint states. Examples included the non-fatal stabbing of two Jewish men in London on April 29, as well as several arson attacks on synagogues, Israeli businesses and Jewish schools in Amsterdam, Munich and elsewhere. Al-Saadi's exact role is unclear, beyond allegations that he posted propaganda videos of the attacks on social media after they happened. In a recorded phone call, Al-Saadi is said to have unwittingly told an FBI informant that he or his associates were involved in the European attacks, as well as two in Canada. Authorities believe those include the March 10 shooting at the U.S. Consulate in Toronto, in which no one was injured.
'High-value target' -
Al-Saadi is most recently alleged to have plotted attacks in the United States against a New York synagogue and two Jewish centers in California and Arizona. He allegedly paid an undercover U.S. agent a $3,000 down payment to conduct the New York attack, before a warrant for his arrest was issued. FBI director Kash Patel said on X that his agency had arrested and returned Al-Saadi to the United States, calling him a "high-value target responsible for mass global terrorism."Al-Saadi appeared Friday at a Manhattan court where he was charged with six counts including conspiracy to provide material support to terrorist groups Kataeb Hezbollah and the IRGC.He is also charged with conspiring and providing material support for acts of terrorism and conspiring to bomb a place of public use. Kataeb Hezbollah is part of a pro-Iranian network in Iraq that regularly claims responsibility for attacks on American targets in the Middle East. The U.S. blamed it for the December 2020 attack against an Iraqi base housing U.S. troops that killed a U.S. citizen contractor. That incident sent tensions soaring, with the United States eventually killing Iran's most powerful general, Qassem Soleimani, in a drone attack at the Baghdad airport. Kataeb Hezbollah was also responsible for kidnapping American journalist Shelly Kittleson for several days in March 2026, at the height of fighting between Iran, Israel and the United States.

UK's ex-health minister Streeting says will run to replace PM Keir Starmer
LBCI/16 May ,2026
Wes Streeting, who resigned as UK health secretary this week, announced Saturday he will run to replace Keir Starmer as Labour leader and prime minister, after the party suffered disastrous local election results. "We need a proper contest with the best candidates on the field, and I'll be standing," Streeting told a think tank event in London, two days after Greater Manchester mayor Andy Burnham unveiled a bid to become an MP. If successful, that would allow Burnham to run in a Labour leadership contest that now appears all but inevitable, though it is yet to be formally triggered by MPs. AFP

Putin discusses Iran with UAE president, Kremlin says
Al Arabiya English/16 May ,2026
Russian President Vladimir Putin discussed the Iran conflict with his United Arab Emirates counterpart, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the Kremlin said in the statement on Saturday. “Both sides emphasized the importance of continuing the political and diplomatic process aimed at reaching compromise-based peace agreements,” it said. Putin also thanked the UAE for support in humanitarian issues related to the conflict in Ukraine. Emirati state news agency WAM said that Sheikh Mohamed and Putin discussed the latest developments in the Middle East and “their serious implications for regional and international peace and security, as well as their impact on freedom of international navigation, energy security, and the global economy.”With Reuters

ISIS second-in-command killed by US and Nigerian forces, presidents say
Reuters/16 May ,2026
Abu-Bilal al-Minuki, the second in command of ISIS globally, has been killed in an operation conducted by US and Nigerian forces in the northeast of the African country, US President Donald Trump and his counterpart in Nigeria, Bola Ahmed Tinubu, said.
Trump announced the strike in a Truth Social post late on Friday in the United States, with Tinubu on Saturday describing it as a “significant example of effective collaboration in the fight against terrorism.”“Tonight, at my direction, brave American forces and the Armed Forces of Nigeria flawlessly executed a meticulously planned and very complex mission to eliminate the most active terrorist in the world from the battlefield. Abu-Bilal al-Minuki... thought he could hide in Africa, but little did he know we had sources who kept us informed on what he was doing,” Trump said on Truth Social. In a statement posted on X, Tinubu said early assessments confirmed the elimination of al-Minuki — also known as Abu-Mainok — along with several of his lieutenants, during a strike on his compound in the Lake Chad Basin.Tinubu said Nigerian forces worked closely with the US military in what he called a daring joint operation that dealt a heavy blow to the ranks of ISIS. Trump, who has previously accused Nigeria of failing to protect Christians from extremists, thanked the Nigerian government for its partnership in the operation.
Counter-insurgency initiative
The Nigerian Army, also on X, said the strike was carried out in Metele in Borno State, where troops carried out a precision air-land operation in close coordination with US Africa Command (AFRICOM). Borno has endured an insurgency waged by Boko Haram and its splinter group ISWAP for 17 years that has killed thousands and displaced 2 million people.The latest operation, carried out under Nigeria’s ongoing counter-insurgency initiative, commenced at approximately 12:01 a.m. and concluded around 4 a.m. on Saturday and was executed with no casualties or loss of assets, the army added.
Al-Minuki, a Nigerian national, was designated a “specially designated global terrorist” by the Biden administration in 2023, according to the US Federal Register.Nigeria denies discriminating against any religion, saying its security forces target armed groups that attack both Christians and Muslims. The US carried out strikes targeting ISIS-linked militants in Nigeria in December. Since then, Washington has deployed drones and 200 troops to provide training and intelligence support to the Nigerian military against ISIS and al Qaeda-linked insurgencies that are spreading across West Africa.
The US forces were operating in a strictly non-combat role, Nigerian military officials said earlier this year.

France arrests six over Palestinian flag on Eiffel Tower
AFP/16 May ,2026
French authorities have arrested six people suspected of flying a Palestinian flag from the Eiffel Tower without permission, a police source said on Saturday. Climate activist group Extinction Rebellion France claimed responsibility for draping the large flag from the tower’s first floor on Friday afternoon.
A representative said it was sending a “message of support” to Palestinians, accusing Israel of carrying out “massacres” in Gaza, as well as “ecocide crimes” including uprooting olive trees on Palestinian land. It was set to coincide with Nakba Day, commemorating the 1948 displacement of Palestinians during the creation of Israel. The flags of both Israel and Palestine, as well as peace images of a dove and olive branch, were in September projected onto the Eiffel Tower, ahead of France recognizing the Palestinian state. In October 2023, after Palestinian militant group Hamas carried out deadly attacks on Israel that triggered the Gaza war, the tower was lit up with the Israeli flag. Hamas’s October 2023 attack killed 1,221 people, mostly civilians, according to official Israeli figures compiled by AFP. Israeli military operations carried out in retaliation have killed more than 72,700 people in the Palestinian territory, also mostly civilians, according to the Gaza health ministry.

Iraq exported 10 million barrels of oil through Strait of Hormuz in April
Reuters/May 16, 2026
BAGHDAD: Iraq exported 10 million barrels of oil via the Strait of Hormuz in April, down from about 93 million barrels monthly before ​the Iran war, the country’s new oil minister, Basim Mohammed, said at a press conference on Saturday.The closure of the Strait of Hormuz due to the Iran war has curtailed oil exports from Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Kuwait and Iraq, sending prices sharply higher. “Exports through the Strait of Hormuz are low and depend on the arrival of ‌oil tankers, ‌which are not entering because ​of insurance,” ‌he ⁠said in ​his ⁠first press conference after taking office. Iraq is currently producing 1.4 million barrels per day. The country’s crude exports through the Kirkuk–Ceyhan oil pipeline resumed in March, after Baghdad and the Kurdistan Regional Government agreed on restarting flows. “We export 200,000 barrels through (Turkish) Ceyhan port, and we have a plan to increase it ⁠to 500,000 barrels,” Mohammed said.
PUSH TO BOOST PRODUCTION, ‌EXPORTS
Baghdad is also in ‌talks with Ankara on a new ​cooperation agreement covering upstream and downstream ‌projects, expanding on a previous deal that was limited ‌to crude exports, Mohammed said. Iraq is in negotiations with US companies, including Chevron, ExxonMobil and Halliburton,on developing oil and gas projects, Mohammed said, urging the firms to sign contracts as soon as possible to ‌help secure significant revenues for Iraq. Iraq plans to engage with OPEC to boost the country’s production ⁠and export ⁠capacity, the minister said, adding that Baghdad aims to reach a production capacity of 5 million barrels per day through this dialogue. “We have a dialogue with OPEC to increase Iraq’s export capacity. When exports increase and the ceiling opens up with OPEC, we will bring in significant financial revenues for Iraq,” he added. Iraq has no intention of leaving OPEC or OPEC+, and supports a strong organization to ensure stable and acceptable oil prices, two Iraqi oil officials ​told Reuters in April ​after the United Arab Emirates decided to leave the group.

Israel threatens to sue NYT over report on sex abuse of Palestinian inmates
AFP/May 16/2026
JERUSALEM: Israel on Thursday threatened to take The New York Times to court over a piece it published denouncing allegedly widespread sexual abuse against Palestinian detainees. Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Foreign Minister Gideon Saar have ordered the “initiation of a defamation lawsuit against The New York Times,” according to a joint statement issued by their offices. The offices said that the piece by Nicholas Kristof, a prominent opinion columnist, was “one of the most hideous and distorted lies ever published against the State of Israel in the modern press, which also received the backing of the newspaper.”Kristof’s investigation is based on testimonies gathered in the Israeli-occupied West Bank from 14 men and women who said that they had been sexually assaulted by Israeli settlers or members of the security forces. The report described “a pattern of widespread Israeli sexual violence against men, women and even children — by soldiers, settlers, interrogators in the Shin Bet internal security agency and, above all, prison guards.”The New York Times responded that any legal claim over the “deeply reported opinion column” lacked merit. “This threat, similar to one made last year, is part of a well-worn political playbook that aims to undermine independent reporting and stifle journalism that does not fit a specific narrative,” Danielle Rhoades Ha, a spokesperson for the newspaper, said in a statement. Kristof’s piece said there was no evidence that Israeli leaders ordered rapes.
The Israeli foreign ministry alleged that Kristof had based his piece “on unverified sources tied to Hamas-linked networks.”It also accused the paper of deliberately timing the publication to “undermine” an independent Israeli report on Hamas sexual violence perpetrated during its October 7, 2023 attack on Israel, which was published on the same day. Israeli forces have detained thousands of Palestinians in the West Bank since Hamas’s 2023 attack, which triggered the war in Gaza. The United States has high protections for journalistic expression, with libel suits needing to prove that information was purposefully untrue and with harmful intent. President Donald Trump and his allies have nonetheless filed a number of lawsuits against media outlets, some of which have reached settlements rather than risk repercussions from his administration.

Syria Names New Central Bank Governor
Asharq Al Awsat/16 May 2026
Syria named a new central bank governor on Friday in the latest reshuffle since last week's partial government overhaul. The official SANA news agency said Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa named Abdul Hamid Raslan, a longtime banker and former head of the Syrian Development Fund, to the role. He will replace Abdul Qadir al-Hasriya, who will become Syria's ambassador to Canada, according to state television, quoting a foreign ministry official. Hasriya had been governor since April 2025, taking over from Maysa Sabreen, who had been appointed caretaker governor in December 2024, after an opposition-led offensive toppled longtime president Bashar al-Assad. Hasriya oversaw the change in Syrian money bills at the start of the year, removing two zeros, which does not impact the currency's value but was done to make transactions easier and restore trust in the Syrian pound.They also replaced bills showing images of Assad and his family. The governor change is the latest since a partial overhaul last week saw Sharaa replace two ministers, several governors and even the secretary-general for the presidency, a post previously occupied by his brother Maher.
The reasons behind the overhaul are unclear.

Kurdish Groups Reject Allocation of Only 4 Seats to Them in Syria Parliament
Damascus: Asharq Al Awsat/16 May 2026
Syrian Kurdish groups on Friday rejected the allocation of only four seats for Kurds in Syria’s 210-member parliament, saying the move does not reflect the true size of the Kurdish population in the country. The position came as Kurds marked “Kurdish Language Day” amid disputes with the Syrian government over the removal of Kurdish-language signs from official buildings in northeastern Syria. President Ahmed al-Sharaa had issued a decree on January 16 affirming that Syria’s Kurdish citizens are an “essential and authentic” part of the Syrian people and that their cultural and linguistic identity is an inseparable part of the country's “pluralistic and unified” national identity. But Kurdish groups say the agreement is not being implemented on the ground, warning of attempts to “undermine” it. Ten Kurdish political groups and parties said in a statement on Friday that allocating only four seats to Kurds in parliament fails to reflect their actual size in Syria and is a continuation of policies of “marginalization and political exclusion,” according to the local Kurdish Hawar News Agency (ANHA). The groups called for parliamentary representation of at least 40 seats for Kurds, saying the figure reflects the Kurdish population.
Separately, Kurdish leader Murat Karayilan, a member of the leadership of the People’s Defense Forces, the armed wing of the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), criticized the Syrian government for removing Kurdish-language signs and replacing them with Arabic ones in Hasakeh in northeastern Syria.
The PKK is banned in Türkiye but has affiliates inside Syria. Karayilan said in a televised interview marking Kurdish Language Day: “What happened in Hasakeh is exceptional.” He suspected political and intelligence interference that led to the removal of the signs, urging “caution” in handling the issue.
He called for preserving Kurdish-language education in northeastern Syria, saying it had continued for 14 years and represented “an achievement for our people that should not be abandoned.”The Syrian government said on May 8 that Arabic remains the sole official language in Syria under existing laws and cannot currently be changed except through constitutional amendments. In a statement on Facebook, Ahmad al-Hilali, deputy governor of Hasakeh and spokesperson for the presidential team tasked with implementing the agreement to integrate Kurds into state institutions, said the controversy over a sign at the Palace of Justice in Hasakeh that did not include Kurdish had been misunderstood.“The Palace of Justice is an official institution that embodies justice and adherence to the laws in force in the Syrian state,” Hilali said. He added that under the January decree, Kurdish is recognized as a national language and may be taught in public and private schools in areas where Kurds make up a significant number of the population.

The Latest LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on 16-17 May/2026
Finish the Job
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/May 16, 2026
In 1979, 1999, 2009, 2017-2018, 2019, 2022, late 2025 and early 2026, the Iranian people rose up in massive nationwide protests against economic collapse, repression, and governance failures. Each time, the regime responded with ruthless massacres...
Millions of unarmed civilians, no matter how courageous, cannot easily overcome such force.
Iran's regime continues its anti-American posture, support for proxies, and internal repression. It does not seek to reform, it seeks rearmament and revenge. Regime change is therefore not optional; it is essential.
"If I were President Trump and I were Israel, I would load the Iranian people up with weapons so they could go to the streets armed, and turn the tide of battle inside Iran... Give them the weapons so they can rise up like we did to destroy this regime." — US Senator Lindsey Graham, Fox News, May 4, 2026.
Trump, too, noted that the Iranian people lack weapons to counter regime snipers and forces.
There are situations where even mountains of diplomacy do not work. Did Germany's Adolf Hitler or Japan's Prime Minister Hideki Tojo disarm and reform?
Let the Iranians themselves determine their future. This is the clear lesson from Iran's repeated uprisings that were crushed by superior firepower, and the lesson of America's own founding. The Iranian people have shown their will. Regime change through the Iranian people, empowered and protected, is the only durable solution.
In 1979, 1999, 2009, 2017-2018, 2019, 2022, late 2025 and early 2026, the Iranian people rose up in massive nationwide protests against economic collapse, repression, and governance failures. Each time, the regime responded with ruthless massacres. Millions of unarmed civilians, no matter how courageous, cannot easily overcome such force.
Iran's regime must be understood for what it is: a heavily armed group of thugs and, according to the US government, "the largest state sponsor of terrorism" 39 years in a row. Iran's regime holds power through a brute force that terrorizes not only its neighbors and the broader world through proxies, ballistic missiles, and imminent nuclear capability, but also its own population of roughly 93 million. Decades of repression, of "exporting the revolution," and ideological extremism have defined its identity, firmly rooted in anti-Americanism, anti-Semitism and contempt for its own citizens.
In 1979, 1999, 2009, 2017-2018, 2019, 2022, late 2025 and early 2026, the Iranian people rose up in massive nationwide protests against economic collapse, repression, and governance failures. Each time, the regime responded with ruthless massacres – the latest in January 2026, when security forces imposed blackouts, and fired on civilian protesters with machine guns and sniper rifles. Iran's regime, according to US President Donald J. Trump, killed "at least 42,000 protestors" in days.
Iran's regime -- with hundreds of thousands of armed men in the Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps, Basij militia and other security forces -- maintains control with zero restraint over its citizenry. Millions of unarmed civilians, no matter how courageous, cannot easily overcome such force.
The Trump administration, working with Israel, took a strong initial step through targeted strikes that significantly degraded Iran's military infrastructure, nuclear capabilities, and power projection. Bombing alone, however, has not altered the regime's core ideology or psychopathic brutality. Iran's regime continues its anti-American posture, support for proxies, and internal repression. It does not seek to reform, it seeks rearmament and revenge. Regime change is therefore not optional; it is essential.
Deploying U.S. ground forces on Iranian soil would be costly in lives and resources. The brave Iranian people themselves represent millions of "boots on the ground" — if only they would have the means to defend themselves to shift the balance of power.
The American colonies' successful fight for independence from Britain relied heavily on armed citizens. Colonial militias and minutemen — ordinary people with their own firearms — played a decisive role from the opening shots at Lexington and Concord through key battles. Without an armed populace ready to resist, the ragtag forces could not have sustained the long struggle against a professional army. The American right to bear arms was not an afterthought; it was fundamental to throwing off tyranny.
US Senator Lindsey Graham recently advocated a "Second Amendment solution":
"I love the idea of a Second Amendment solution for the Iranian people... If I were President Trump and I were Israel, I would load the Iranian people up with weapons so they could go to the streets armed, and turn the tide of battle inside Iran... Give them the weapons so they can rise up like we did to destroy this regime."
Trump, too, noted that the Iranian people lack weapons to counter regime snipers and forces.
Iran shares land borders with Iraq, Turkey, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan and Armenia. Creative, secure channels — working with opposition groups and dissidents inside Iran — must be used to deliver arms, ammunition, and defensive tools directly to the Iranian people. This is not about creating chaos but restoring balance so that the regime's despots cannot simply, with impunity, continue to mow down unarmed crowds.
The principle of a citizenry's right to bear arms, proven vital in American history, applies here as well. In Iran, this could neutralize the regime's embedded enforcers city by city without requiring foreign occupation.
Parallel to arming Iranian civilians, the U.S. and allies must maintain maximum economic pressure: blockades, sanctions, and isolation that starve the regime of resources for repression and adventurism.
There are situations where even mountains of diplomacy do not work. Did Germany's Adolf Hitler or Japan's Prime Minister Hideki Tojo disarm and reform?
In short: Arm the Iranian people. Shut down the regime economically. Let the Iranians themselves determine their future. This is the clear lesson from Iran's repeated uprisings that were crushed by superior firepower, and the lesson of America's own founding. The Iranian people have shown their will. Regime change through the Iranian people, empowered and protected, is the only durable solution.
*Dr. Majid Rafizadeh is a political scientist, Harvard-educated analyst, and board member of Harvard International Review. He has authored several books on the US foreign policy. He can be reached at dr.rafizadeh@post.harvard.edu
*Follow Majid Rafizadeh on X (formerly Twitter)
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22532/finish-the-job
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British poll results are a political earthquake
Yossi Mekelberg/Arab News//16 May ,2026
When the results from the May 7 local elections in England, as well as the Scottish and Welsh parliamentary elections, began to emerge, there were few genuine surprises. Yet the overall outcome still felt like a political earthquake in Britain and the tremors are still being felt. What had essentially been a two-party system for nearly a century is increasingly becoming a fragmented multi-party landscape, reflecting growing socio-political malaise, confusion, and disillusionment.
For the governing Labour Party, it is impossible to sugarcoat these results. Losing nearly 60 percent of council seats in England, losing control in Wales for the first time in a century, and suffering setbacks in the Scottish parliament amounted to a resounding vote of no confidence across the country. In Wales, the nationalist Plaid Cymru emerged victorious in the Senedd election, albeit without an outright majority, while in Scotland the SNP, despite having appeared politically almost on the ropes not long ago, will continue to govern and advocate for Scottish independence. Altogether, these developments raise serious questions about the long-term cohesion and survival of Britain as a unified political entity.
If the results for Labour and its leader, Prime Minister Keir Starmer, were disastrous, they could not conceal what was another poor showing for the Conservatives. The Tories lost hundreds of council seats in England and remain barely a political force in Scotland and Wales. Instead, the biggest winner of these elections was the nationalist-populist Reform Party, the political descendants of the movement that brought on the rest of the country the Brexit debacle. Also making gains were the Greens, who have increasingly moved beyond environmentalism toward a broader left-wing populist agenda.
The electorate expressed clear disdain for Britain’s two traditional governing parties, Labour and the Conservatives, and neither can afford to ignore this message if they wish not only to win the next general election, but to remain politically relevant. Reform’s gains are no longer a fluke but part of a growing trend of an increasingly insular political state of mind, centered primarily around anti-immigration and anti-multiculturalist rhetoric and policies, with little else beyond that defining agenda.
In Scotland, and increasingly in Wales as well, the call for independence is becoming louder, more forceful, and, for many, more persuasive. I belong to those who wish to see the Union remain intact. However, when Scotland voted in the 2014 referendum on whether it should become an independent country, just over 55 percent voted to remain in the UK, while nearly 45 percent supported independence.
One of the strongest arguments made by opponents of independence at the time was that leaving would also mean leaving the EU and would likely make Scotland poorer. But since then, Brexit has happened, leaving Scotland without either independence or EU membership. Now, with Reform gaining momentum and potentially capable of winning a future general election, Scotland also faces the prospect of rising English nationalism. This is bound to reignite the debate over Scottish independence with renewed intensity.
Another unsurprising consequence of last week’s elections has been the growing call within Labour ranks for Starmer to step down. Already, 81 Labour MPs have reportedly expressed support for a future leadership contest, while four junior ministers have resigned. Such developments were perhaps inevitable. For at least a year there has been growing sentiment within the party that the prime minister is, to put it bluntly, failing both the country and Labour itself, and that unless he changes course, the party risks defeat at the next general election.
With the Conservatives at their weakest in years, and some of their supporters already jumping ship to Reform, the path for Nigel Farage to become the next prime minister appears increasingly as plausible as it is undesirable. For many across the country, even the prospect of such an outcome is deeply unsettling, given Farage’s leading role in Brexit, arguably one of the most self-destructive acts of British foreign and economic policy in modern history, and what he represents ideologically and politically. In a first-past-the-post electoral system, his dream of being the prime minister could yet become the country’s nightmare.
For the governing Labour Party, it is impossible to sugarcoat these results.
To be fair, Starmer has earned much of the criticism directed at him. His cautious and incremental approach seems ill-suited to a period of profound economic and social predicament, when many voters expect bold policies and a greater sense of urgency, particularly on domestic issues. His natural caution often holds him back. Yet while Starmer may not be a charismatic communicator, he has demonstrated statesmanship on foreign policy, especially regarding Ukraine and, to a significant extent, Iran and Greenland.
Nevertheless his recent speech after the elections, aimed at saving his leadership, is unlikely to reassure either his critics within Labour or voters more broadly that he can adequately address the pressing issues affecting everyday life: the cost-of-living crisis, job creation, unaffordable housing, overstretched transport systems, and the toxic national debate surrounding immigration.
However, replacing an elected prime minister, especially one who close to two years ago won a huge parliamentary majority, is hardly a solution nor is it desirable. Britain has developed a troubling habit of changing prime ministers without addressing the deeper long-term structural causes of its problems. Since 2016, the country has had six prime ministers, averaging less than two years per leader. With the exceptions of Boris Johnson, whose government broke its own pandemic regulations, and Liz Truss, whose economic policies brought the UK economy to its knees, leadership changes should ultimately be decided by voters in the ballot box. Starmer has done nothing remotely comparable to Johnson or Truss, and he was elected with a mandate to govern for five years, even if the law allows for his removal. The real question is whether Starmer has learned enough from his first two years in office to correct the course of what increasingly resembles a drifting ship. I am not convinced that his policy U-turns should always be used against him. While it is preferable for leaders to get things right the first time, it is still better to have a leader willing to correct course in response to justified criticism than one who stubbornly refuses to acknowledge errors at all, provided such reversals do not become habitual.
Following this humiliating electoral setback, Labour faces a choice: descend further into destructive infighting or learn from the Conservatives’ mistakes and unite around a renewed sense of purpose. With such a commanding parliamentary majority, voters expect Labour to do what they should have done immediately after the 2024 general election and become focused on serving the public rather than perpetuating Westminster’s endless internal dramas.
As for Starmer himself, he may need to become less “Starmer-like”: less managerial, less cautious, and more capable of translating lofty promises of national renewal into tangible policies that ordinary people can genuinely feel in their daily lives and be prepared to support wholeheartedly.
**Yossi Mekelberg is professor of international relations and an associate fellow of the MENA Program at Chatham House. X: @YMekelberg

The ‘Bermuda Triangle’ in Hormuz
Mohammed al-Rumaihi/Asharq Al Awsat/16 May 2026
When the "Bermuda Triangle" first entered the popular imagination, it was presented as an obscure area that mysteriously swallowed ships and aircraft. Over time, it became clear that those stories had been propped up by the media and popular fantasies, lacking any scientific evidence.
Today, however, the Middle East has become home to another Bermuda Triangle, not in the Atlantic but in the Strait of Hormuz, where Iran seeks to hold the world hostage, obstruct international shipping, and wreak havoc in this international waterway. It is trying, in other words, to claim an exceptional right to control a crucial artery of the global economy, effectively declaring war on the world.
The Strait of Hormuz is no ordinary passageway. It is a vital artery through which a substantial share of the world's trade depends on: oil, gas, petrochemicals, and industrial fertilizers. The repercussions of disruptions are not confined to the Gulf; Hormuz is pivotal to European factories, Asian ports, African markets, and even Latin American dinner tables. Iran’s actions amount to holding the global economy hostage. Accordingly, this is not a border dispute but a direct threat to the world economy and global political stability.
Since the Iranian Revolutionary Guards closed the strait and threatened international navigation, the consequence of the crisis have gradually begun to surface. Major industrial nations from China to Italy are struggling to secure energy supplies. Shipping and insurance costs have risen sharply, while agriculture and industry are suffering disruptions in the delivery of raw materials, fertilizers, and fuel.
Every day that the crisis persists, global anxiety mounts on the back of rising prices and rising unemployment. The modern world was built on the principle of the free flow of trade and freedom of maritime navigation; it cannot allow for holding the world hostage to a parochial political project.
The irony is that international law is clear on this matter. Freedom of passage for all states must be ensured in all international waterways, and no single party has the right to obstruct their path or use them as tools of political coercion. Yet the political mindset of Tehran has led Iran to behave as though geography were private property and as though history allowed a return to the age of maritime fortresses and tolls levied on passing ships. Here, politics is rendered into a kind of myth resembling the legend of the Bermuda Triangle, where facts disappear beneath the fog of slogans and ideological incitement.
Some revolutionary regimes in the developing world have long confused sovereignty with domination. Sovereignty entails safeguarding a state's borders and respecting international law; domination means trying to subjugate others through force or blackmail. What is happening in Hormuz today is a reflection of this dangerous conflation that harms the interests of the entire world. Iran is not defending its borders; it is attempting to impose its own interpretation of the international order by which it is the custodian of a strait that belongs to the world.
The very idea of unilateral control over maritime chokepoints goes against the modern age. After the Second World War, the world built a broad system of international agreements designed to prevent the monopolization of vital passages or their use as political weapons. Even the great powers, despite their rivalries, understand that the security of global trade is a shared interest. It cannot be tampered with without paying a heavy price.
For now, they are looking for alternatives as they seek bargains on other fronts. Any state attempting to redefine international law according to its ideological vision is, in practice, confronting the entire international community, not only its immediate adversaries.
Perhaps the most dangerous aspect of the current crisis is that some voices in the region have addressed these developments sentimentally rather than strategically. Some see disrupting Hormuz as an act of heroic defiance or as leverage that can allow for the extraction of political gains on other issues. The truth, however, is that strangling maritime passages threatens both the region and the world, both the rich and the poor. Gulf economies, Asian markets, and global trade are interconnected to an unprecedented degree, and any collapse in this network produces no victors, only a long series of losses and instability.
Recent episodes have taught us that the world can no longer endure projects of reckless adventurism. Long wars, ideological slogans, and the export of crises or revolutions have exhausted societies around the globe and left everyone worse off. The first victims are the very states engaging in these near-suicidal ventures. The Gulf states, which lived under constant threat for decades, understood early on that development and stability must take precedence over fantasies of expansion and perpetual enmity, and that investing in people is more rewarding than building militias and raising thunderous slogans.
Turning Hormuz into a "political Bermuda Triangle" will offer Iran neither influence nor an edge. It will deepen its isolation, add to its enmities, and intensify the erosion of trust both regionally and globally. The world may disagree politically, but it is united in resistance when its interests are harmed, especially when the security of maritime routes is at stake.
Whoever imagines that the world can be subdued by strangling its economic arteries ultimately discovers that geography may provide temporary leverage, but it does not provide lasting legitimacy. A final word: geography comes for those who ignore it.

German Mediation and Ending the Russian-Ukrainian War
Emile Ameen/Asharq Al Awsat/16 May 2026
Is Russian President Vladimir Putin seeking a way out of the Ukraine war through European mediation?
During Russia’s Victory Day celebrations, he announced that former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroder was his preferred channel to Ukraine. Schroder and Putin share close ties that did not end with the end of the latter’s chancellorship, evolving into a personal friendship with time, and the German politician is among Putin's most prominent allies in the West. The latest move from Moscow raises two questions. The first: has the burden and mounting costs of the war begun to weigh on Putin, particularly given its implications for his legacy? Will he leave the Russian phoenix truly risen from the ashes, as he did the first time after taking over a country left in wretched condition by his predecessor Boris Yeltsin, or will it be smoldering in the ashes indefinitely?
The second question concerns both nationality and personality: why should the mediator be German; why not someone from any other European country? And why Schroder in particular?
One could say that Schroder is the Western figure closest to the “siloviki,” Putin's powerful circle of strongmen overseeing Russia's major energy institutions. Schroder has held senior positions in Russian energy companies despite the broad criticism coming first from within Germany and later from across the European Union.
Observers across Europe are asking whether Schroder be trusted to be an impartial mediator. It is no secret that the widespread "Russophobia" across the Old Continent leads officials to see any proposal advanced by Putin with suspicion, especially in light of what millions of Europeans see as Russian preparations to invade other European countries after Ukraine, regardless of his stated intention to end the war. To many, such declarations seem like little more than a ploy.
Assessing Schroder's impartiality as a mediator is no simple matter. While he has described Russia's war on Ukraine as a violation of international law, he has also insisted that demonizing Russia and casting it as a permanent enemy is unacceptable and repeatedly called for Russian oil to be allowed to flow once into Germany.Another question arises from this conspiratorial reading of history: is Putin's call for German mediation a sincere effort to end years of fire and destruction, or a ploy aimed at aggravating divisions within NATO three weeks before its annual summit in Ankara?
Some see Putin's preference for German mediation as a form of political courtship that exploits the tension of German-American relations and as a way to put his finger on Germany's open wound- the anxiety stirred by the prospect of a withdrawal of American troops, who for eight decades have served as Europe's protective umbrella against Soviet ambitions.
In this context, a faction of the Social Democratic Party, Schroder's party, sees Putin's push for his mediation as an insult to the United States and a transparent ploy designed to widen the gap between Washington and Berlin.
From this perspective, the idea of Schroder mediating them talks is meant to create the impression of a desire for dialogue, hiding Putin’s real intentions: to sow discord in Europe because he has neither forgotten nor forgiven the fact that NATO was, in his eyes, responsible for the cardinal sin of the twentieth century: booby-trapping and ultimately dismantling the Soviet Union.
Is there, then, an alternative to Schroder among the Germans?
Before answering, it bears noting that some German strategists believe Russia has lost its Eurasian cohesion and inflicted enormous damage on itself by pursuing a path of manufacturing enemies in every direction, and that the time has for a change of direction.
Alternatives are now being discussed, foremost among them former German Chancellor Angela Merkel, whom Der Spiegel described as a potentially effective mediator on account of her command of Russian, her deep knowledge of Putin, and her availability. Merkel is criticized, however, for her support of Nord Stream, her role in the Minsk agreements, and statements she made to a Hungarian outlet, Partizan, in which attributed part of the responsibility for the war in Ukraine to certain European Union countries.
In Germany itself, some speak of mediation by President Frank-Walter Steinmeier, while German Foreign Minister Johann Wadephul insists that "Germany is prepared to assume greater responsibility in the diplomatic process."
The conclusion: has German mediation become the solution, whoever ends up being the mediator?

Macron… And the New African Partnership
Dr. Abdelhak Azzouzi/Asharq Al Awsat/16 May 2026
A year before the end of his second and final term at the Elysee, French President Emmanuel Macron went on an African tour that took him from Alexandria to Addis Ababa, by way of Nairobi, where the "Africa Forward" summit convened. This time, however, strategic perspectives broke with those that had long defined French-African summits and relations. France’s customary approach had drawn criticism from both African civilian and military elites and led many countries to sever their ties with France militarily, economically, and even linguistically.
I recently hosted a number of international officials at a conference I convened in Fez, among them Miguel Angel Moratinos, the United Nations High Representative for the Alliance of Civilizations; Benita Ferrero-Waldner, former European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighborhood Policy and former Austrian foreign minister; and Josep Borrell, former High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and former President of the European Parliament. After our discussions, I was convinced that the European states had finally understood how the failure of their relations with Africa stemmed from their arrogance and prioritizing their own interests at the expense of African nations. They have also realized that returning to the continent would entail building relations on the basis of equality and ensuring economic development in a "win-win" framework. Indeed, current forecasts project that, by 2050, Africa will be home to a quarter of the world's population and to a third by 2075. Many chapters of this century's history will be written in Africa.
Seen in this light, we can understand the new direction taken by the French president at the "Africa Forward" summit in Nairobi. It reflects his desire to reinvent France's relationship with the African continent on the basis of balanced and equitable partnership, correct the mistakes of the past, and reverse the decline of French influence in Africa in favor of other powers such as Russia and China. Hostility to France has intensified to an unprecedented degree in recent years, and many Africans have grown weary of France's lack of "humility and responsibility." France long viewed them as unworthy of equality and therefore believed it had the right to dictate the terms of cooperation and place its own interests above theirs.
France and Europe have come to understand that Africa has changed and that its civilian and military elites have changed. These are elites who did not live through the colonial era nor study in French or European schools and universities. Many of them graduated from American, Canadian, Moroccan, Russian, or Chinese institutions. Some officials held senior positions there before entering public life in their countries. These elites have begun to recognize the imbalance in African-European relations and have increasingly sought new partnerships and alliances- first with Russia, which has significantly strengthened its presence on the continent, and then with China, which has established new Silk Roads. Chinese President Xi Jinping has succeeded in persuading many African countries to embrace the contemporary iteration of this economic and trade corridor as the Chinese reshape the African and global economic map at every level.
The outcomes of the African-French summit have, moreover, begun to mirror the approaches of China and "Trump's America" to multilateral relations. Gone are the references to values, human rights, and democracy. France has thus been compelled to transform. No longer a state with a so-called civilizing mission seeking to export its historical model, it is now a state seeking equality across the board.
We know that France has always sought to export its system, claiming that success can only be achieved through adopting not only its intellectual, social, and cultural model but also its economic and political one. By contrast, as long as its territory and sovereign interests remain untouched, China has long based its foreign policy on non-interference and on the principle that any economic success achieved should be framed not in terms of "friend versus foe" but a "win-win" formula.
The blame, however, should not always be placed on others. Economic integration among African states remains regrettably limited. Africa's share of global trade does not exceed 3 percent, and intra-African trade accounts for only 16 percent of total African trade, compared with 60 percent in Europe and 50 percent in Asia. This is the case despite the fact that Africa is a vast, resource-rich continent with 40 percent of the world's raw materials and 30 percent of its strategic minerals; it also has enormous potential in energy, water, agricultural, and biological resources.
Changing these realities requires investment in processing Africa's natural wealth and local added-value continent-wide: creating regional value chains, encouraging industrialization, generating employment, and strengthening regional and subregional integration.

Selected Face Book & X tweets for May 16/2026
Ambassador Yechiel (Michael) Leiter
Concluding 2 days of negotiations with Lebanese and American officials, I’m looking forward to the next steps. The peace talks were frank and constructive, and are set to move forward on two tracks: security and political. There will be ups and downs, but the potential for success is great. What will be paramount throughout negotiations is the security of our citizens and our soldiers.

Lillian H. Mueller
A serious question: What kind of an extended 45 “cessation of hostilities” are you talking about when Hezbollah is continuing to terrorize Israeli citizens with their explosive drones? With all due respect, I don’t think you would have tolerated such a situation had it been in your own country.

Lebanon.x@notoislamism
Are you aware that the so called Lebanese government is deeply corrupt, and many high level officers in the army and security apparatus are Hizbollah. The government has no control whatsoever outside the Baabda palace. These negotiations are useless. Israel shouldn't ceasefire.

Tommy Pigott
On May 14 and 15, the United States hosted two days of highly-productive talks between Israel and Lebanon. The April 16 cessation of hostilities will be extended by 45 days to enable further progress. The State Department will reconvene the political track of negotiations on June 2 and June 3. In addition, a security track will be launched at the Pentagon on May 29 with military delegations from both countries. We hope these discussions will advance lasting peace between the two countries, full recognition of each other’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, and establishing genuine security along their shared border.

Jonathan Elkhoury- جوناثان الخوري
I haven't seen anything like this before—the Al Jazeera correspondent in Israel joined IDF forces in southern Lebanon, in the Khiyam area. There, he interviewed IDF Spokesperson in Arabic
@CaptainElla1 and another soldier in one of Hezbollah's bunkers in the city.
A brilliant move by the IDF Spokesperson, in which an Arab news journalist broadcasts the footage of a Hezbollah tunnel and bunker beneath a clothing store.

charles chartouni
They are always in their twenties, and we are one year older.
Ils ont toujours vingt ans et nous avons un an de plus. Jean Ducruet SJ (1922-2010)
It is delightful to share the lives of students pursuing graduate studies in the Washington DC university system for three months (including Georgetown School of Foreign Service, McCourt School of Public Policy, Johns Hopkins School of Advanced International Studies, George Washington Elliot School of International Affairs, and American University School of International Service) and to recall the animated discussions on International conflicts, Intelligence and security issues, International development, Conflict resolution and peacemaking.

Hussain Abdul-Hussain
What a beautiful scene! The Lebanese and the Israelis, in the same room, resolving their problems as adults, as two sovereign neighbor nations.
Hezbollah says Lebanon should never recognize Israel or ratify peace because Israel is treacherous, wants to grab Lebanese territory and annex it, and that's why Hezbollah must remain armed to "resist," (not that such resistance spared Lebanon, or even Hezbollah chief Nasrallah, death and destruction).
BUT
If Israel is signing on a document that says it will abide by the demarcated border between the two, and given Israel's impeccable record in honoring its treaties like with Egypt in 1979 and Jordan in 1994, why not have an identical Lebanon 2026 peace treaty with Israel? Hezbollah clearly has no answer other than hate Israel, we'll figure out why later. Such hate brought only war and misery, and must end.
Kudos to President Trump for making this happen. Kudos to the governments of Lebanon and Israel for seeking peace.