English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News
& Editorials
For May 23/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
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Bible Quotations For today
You shall love your
neighbour and hate your enemy."But I say to you, Love your enemies and pray for
those who persecute you, so that you may be children of your Father in heaven
Matthew 05/43-48: "‘You have heard that it was
said, "You shall love your neighbour and hate your enemy."But I say to you, Love
your enemies and pray for those who persecute you, so that you may be children
of your Father in heaven; for he makes his sun rise on the evil and on the good,
and sends rain on the righteous and on the unrighteous. For if you love those
who love you, what reward do you have? Do not even the tax-collectors do the
same? And if you greet only your brothers and sisters, what more are you doing
than others? Do not even the Gentiles do the same? Be perfect, therefore, as
your heavenly Father is perfect."
Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related
News & Editorials published on 22-23 May/2026
Deifying Politicians Corrupts Them and Turns Their Followers into Sheep
and Slaves/Elias Bejjani/May 22/ 2026
Saint Rita of Cascia: The Saint of the Impossible, and a Beacon of Forgiveness
and Endurance/Elias Bejjani/May 22/2026
Lebanese army command defends officers, General Security opens investigation
into information leak to Hezbollah
Lebanon Not Bound by US Sanctions, No Action Against Officers Yet
Lebanon's Health Ministry says Israeli strikes have killed 3,111 since March 2
Israeli military issues evacuation warning to residents of Borj Rahhal
Israeli strikes on Deir Qanoun and Hanaway kill 10, including child and 6
rescuers
Lebanese accuse Israel of wiping their towns off the map
US ramps up pressure on Lebanon with sweeping sanctions tied to Hezbollah and
Israel talks — the details
Leaked names of Lebanese Pentagon delegation for first military talks with
Israel
Report: More Lebanese individuals could face US sanctions
Lebanon army says soldiers loyal after US sanctions one over alleged Hezbollah
links
Report: More Lebanese individuals could face US sanctions
Iran condemns 'illegal' US sanctions on Lebanon ambassador-designate
Lebanon Cabinet appoints new directors general across key ministries
Aoun welcomes beatification decree for Patriarch Elias Hoayek, founder of
Greater Lebanon
Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc condemns US sanctions as "attack on Lebanon's
sovereignty"
US Sanctions Target Lebanon’s 'Deep State' Before Washington Security
Meeting/Caroline Akoum//Asharq Al-Awsat/May 22/2026
Breaking the Myth of Hezbollah’s Captive Constituency/Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This
Is Beirut/May 22/2026
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous
Reports And News published
on 22-23 May/2026
Pakistan army chief, Qatari negotiators in Tehran as US-Iran deal inches
closer
US-Iran draft deal mediated by Pakistan could be announced within hours: Sources
Pakistan’s interior minister meets Iran FM again in push to resolve disputes
Iran-US deal reportedly within hours: What does it include?
US says 'slight progress' in Iran talks amid uncertainty on whether war will
resume
Iran-US talks show ‘good signs’ but Hormuz, uranium issues remain
Report: US prepares for new military strikes against Iran
House Republicans delay Iran war powers vote in boost for Trump
Italy, France, UK, Germany urge Israel to end settlement expansion
Rubio tells NATO allies to face up to troop cuts in Europe
Ukraine says hit military headquarters in Russia-occupied town
Turkiye’s Erdogan shuts liberal Istanbul university
Titles For The Latest
English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on 22-23 May/2026
Sell Arms to Taiwan Now: China Is Bluffing/Gordon G. Chang/Gatestone
Institute/May 22, 2026
Question: Why did God miraculously take Enoch and Elijah to heaven?/GotQuestions.org/May
22/2026
Do All Roads Lead to Beijing?/Amir Taheri/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 22/2026
World's Outer Appearance and Inner Reality in the Eyes of Iran's Leaders/Mishary
Dhayidi/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 22/2026
The UK-GCC Free Trade Agreement Has Concluded. And This is Just the
Beginning./Sarah Mooney/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 22/2026
Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials
published
on 22-23 May/2026
Deifying Politicians Corrupts Them and
Turns Their Followers into Sheep and Slaves
Elias Bejjani/May 22/ 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/05/154670/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c7YiqrDWGDs
One of the most dangerous, disastrous, and destructive misfortunes facing a
large part of our "forgiving" Lebanese people—as the late Philemon Wehbe called
them in a Rahbani play—is that some people sanctify politicians and clergymen.
They treat them as followers, henchmen, slaves, and tools. This submissiveness
does not serve the leaders; instead, it corrupts their minds, fills them with
illusions of grandeur, and infects them with a pathological arrogance that
detaches them from their community and their humanity.
As a result of this unhealthy, unfaithful, and deeply humiliating deification,
these leaders turn into greedy, insatiable, and tyrannical creatures. In their
actions, they surpass the cruelty of wild predators. Here, the Holy Bible’s
warning against trusting humans and raising them to the status of gods rings
true: "Do not put your trust in princes, nor in a son of man, in whom there is
no help. His spirit departs, he returns to his earth; in that very day his plans
perish." (Psalm 146:3-4).
An objective review of all Lebanese politicians and leaders—the owners of family
and commercial "party corporations," both Muslim and Christian—reveals a clear
fact to anyone who still has their sanity, critical thinking, and a living
conscience. These leaders—and by that, I mean "all of them means all of
them"—are eternal on their feudal thrones. They never think of leaving them
unless they are forced to by death. Then their sons, daughters, or family
members inherit the leadership of these shops that are falsely called political
parties, without any exception.
Worst of all, most of these leaders, especially the Maronites among them, have
been sanctified and deified in total violation of all Christian values and
principles. In a supreme heresy, these corrupt individuals are portrayed as if
they were righteous saints. Praise poems are sung for them, and foolish chants
like "With our soul and blood, we sacrifice ourselves for you" are shouted. This
empty talk perfectly summarizes this state of voluntary slavery. These people
have forgotten the clear divine teaching: "Cursed is the man who trusts in man
and makes flesh his strength, whose heart departs from the Lord." (Jeremiah
17:5).
We boast—or rather, the majority boasts with disgusting arrogance and foolish
pride—that we are among the smartest, most civilized, and cultured people in the
world. We blindly repeat empty slogans like: "We gave the alphabet to the world,
and Hannibal, Cadmus, and Gibran came from our blood." Meanwhile, in reality, we
practice the exact opposite with a deadly selfishness and a shameful
short-sightedness. In the twenty-first century, we accept living submissively
among piles of garbage, unable even to clean our own country!
At the same time, we see large groups praising and glorifying the Iranian
occupier that is devouring our country and stealing our sovereignty. They
sanctify its invading weapons and mini-states, letting it destroy the entity and
message of Lebanon over skulls that are empty of everything except hypocrisy,
pretense, and submissiveness. Where do these people stand regarding the truth
and freedom given to us by the Creator? Jesus Christ warned us clearly:"And you
shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (John 8:32) . How can
anyone who accepts the slavery of men ever taste freedom or truth?.
Because he who stays silent about his illness will be killed by it, we ask: How
can we correct the actions and alliances of any politician or clergyman if we
have already raised them to the level of gods and accepted the roles of henchmen
and sheep for ourselves?!
Indeed, our homeland, Lebanon, is in existential danger that threatens its
entity, identity, and message. It is our sacred duty to resist and push back the
wild beasts, whether they are local or foreign. But to be able to face them, we
must first free ourselves from the disease of dependency and blind followership,
and stop trying to be overly clever while hiding behind hypocrisy.
The most important thing today is to repent, make amends for the sin of
sanctifying humans and deifying politicians and clergymen, and bring forward
humble, faithful, and non-narcissistic leaders. True leadership in Christian
thought is service and sacrifice, not arrogance and enslavement, in line with
what Jesus Christ said:
"You know that the rulers of the Gentiles lord it over them, and those who are
great exercise authority over them. Yet it shall not be so among you; but
whoever desires to become great among you, let him be your servant." (Matthew
20:25-26).
Only then can the journey of a thousand miles toward salvation begin...
Otherwise, it is a hopeless case.
Saint Rita of Cascia: The Saint of the Impossible, and a Beacon
of Forgiveness and Endurance
Elias Bejjani/May 22/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/05/143579/
In the heart of the Catholic tradition, few saints have touched as many hearts
or inspired as much devotion as Saint Rita of Cascia. Known as the Saint of the
Impossible, her life was not marked by miracles of grandeur, but by a quiet,
relentless perseverance through suffering, betrayal, loss, and spiritual trial.
Her sanctity lies in her unwavering faith, her ability to forgive the
unforgivable, and her profound commitment to peace and reconciliation.
A Life of Pain Transformed into Holiness
Born in 1381 in Roccaporena, a small village near Cascia in Italy, Rita was
raised in a devout Christian family. From childhood, she longed to join a
convent, but her parents arranged her marriage at the age of 12 to Paolo
Mancini, a violent and abusive man. Despite the hardship, Rita remained
faithful, praying for his conversion. Eventually, her patience bore fruit: Paolo
changed, only to be murdered later in a political feud.
As a widow and mother of two sons, Rita then faced another trial—her sons wanted
to avenge their father’s death. Fearing they would commit murder, Rita prayed
that God would intervene. Both sons died shortly afterward of natural causes,
and though heartbroken, Rita believed it was God’s way of saving their souls.
Having lost her husband and children, Rita sought to enter the Augustinian
convent in Cascia. Initially rejected due to her background, she was eventually
accepted after miraculous circumstances and acts of peacemaking between feuding
families. There, she lived a life of deep prayer, penance, and charity.
Marked by Christ’s Wounds
In the last years of her life, Rita received a mystical wound on her
forehead—believed to be a partial stigmata, symbolizing her union with Christ’s
suffering. For fifteen years, she bore the painful wound as a mark of her love
and sacrifice. She died on May 22, 1457, and her body remains incorrupt to this
day in the Basilica of Cascia.
She was canonized in 1900 by Pope Leo XIII, who recognized her extraordinary
sanctity and spiritual legacy.
Her Enduring Message: Peace, Forgiveness, and Hope
Saint Rita is revered not for political power or public preaching, but for her
quiet heroism—as a wife, mother, widow, nun, and intercessor. Her legacy lives
on in the hearts of those who suffer, especially women in difficult marriages,
victims of violence, and people praying for reconciliation.
She embodies values that transcend time:
Forgiveness: She forgave her husband’s killers and even prayed for the salvation
of her sons’ souls.
Endurance in Suffering: She did not escape pain—she transformed it into a path
of holiness.
Peacebuilding: Rita reconciled enemy families and brought healing where
vengeance once reigned.
Faith Against All Odds: Even when all seemed lost, she trusted in God’s plan.
Why We Still Need Saint Rita Today
In a world plagued by division, domestic strife, and despair, Saint Rita reminds
us that even the most broken life can become a vessel of grace. Her title, Saint
of the Impossible, is not a legend—it is a testimony to what faith, humility,
and perseverance can achieve when united with love.
Conclusion
On this day, May 22, as the Church celebrates Saint Rita of Cascia, we are
called to reflect on her life—not as distant history, but as a living witness of
Christ’s redemptive love. Let us ask her intercession for peace in our families,
healing in our hearts, and hope amid our most impossible trials.
“Saint Rita, advocate of the impossible, teach us to forgive, to hope, and to
never give up on the power of love.”
Lebanese army command defends officers, General Security opens
investigation into information leak to Hezbollah
NAJIA HOUSSARI/Arab News/May 22, 2026
BEIRUT: The new US sanctions imposed by Washington on Thursday against Lebanese
political and military figures cannot be separated from the broader context of
political pressure being exerted on Lebanon through its official and military
institutions.
The sanctions targeted Hezbollah MPs Hassan Fadlallah, Ibrahim Al-Moussawi,
Hussein Hajj Hassan and head of Hezbollah’s Executive Council Mohammad Fneish,
as well as two officers from the Lebanese army and security apparatus and two
security officials from the Hezbollah-allied Amal Movement. They come ahead of a
May 29 meeting at the Pentagon to launch the security track of the direct
Lebanese-Israeli negotiations under Washington’s sponsorship, which are strongly
opposed by Hezbollah and its ally, Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
The US Department of the Treasury clarified the charges under which these
individuals were added to the sanctions list, stating they were “obstructing the
peace process in Lebanon and impeding the disarmament of Hezbollah.”
It added that “these Hezbollah-aligned officials include individuals embedded
across Lebanon’s parliament, military, and security sectors, where they seek to
preserve the Iran-backed group’s influence over key Lebanese state institutions”
and said: “Hezbollah’s continued militant activity and coercive influence over
the Lebanese state undermine the Lebanese government’s ability to assert its
authority over state institutions and disarm the group.”
The sanctions decision prompted condemnation from Hezbollah and the Amal
Movement, while other political figures likened it to “previous US sanctions
imposed on Lebanese MPs and officials, which had no impact on parliamentary work
and were limited to preventing the payment of these MPs’ salaries through bank
transfers.”
In a statement issued on Friday, Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc described the
decision as “an assault by the US administration on our country’s sovereignty
through its unjust decision.”
The bloc stated that Hezbollah MPs “represent a broad segment of the Lebanese
people and carry out their national duty by serving citizens, defending their
interests, and enacting legislation in accordance with the Constitution to
strengthen the rule of law and oversee the performance of the executive
authority. They are an example of active lawmakers working to safeguard their
nation’s sovereignty, reform state institutions, combat corruption, and promote
dialogue among the Lebanese to reach an understanding on saving their country,
preserving civil peace and coexistence, and rejecting all forms of strife.”
While calling on the Lebanese authorities to “protect their institutions from
this blatant US interference,” Hezbollah MPs confirmed they would “continue to
carry out their legislative and oversight roles.”Hezbollah, which is backed by
Iran, enjoys the support of the majority of Lebanon’s Shiite community. It
maintains an armed wing and a political wing, both of which include elected
members of parliament. The US Department of the Treasury stated that “Hezbollah
relies on a network of political representatives, including members of
parliament, to advance the group’s interests and defy the government’s
legitimate calls for Hezbollah to disarm and respect the sovereignty of the
state. These actors, who are either senior Hezbollah officials or closely
coordinate with them, advance Hezbollah’s agenda at the expense of the rightful
government and the Lebanese people of all regions and faiths.”Amal Movement MP
Kassem Hashem told Arab News: “In form, these sanctions resemble previous
sanctions imposed on Lebanese MPs. However, under the current circumstances,
these new sanctions constitute a message not to one specific party, but to
Lebanon as a whole — both its official institutions and its people — especially
as those targeted by the sanctions entered parliament through the will of the
people.”
Hashem further argued that “the next step is for Lebanon to deal with these
sanctions in a manner consistent with its political will and the preservation of
its sovereignty, without yielding to pressure. The sanctions came only days
before the anticipated negotiations on the security track and also targeted
military figures. I believe this is an attempt to intimidate the Lebanese
position, whereas what is required is for Lebanon’s stance to be firmer and for
the upcoming negotiations not to veer toward taking Lebanon down a different
path. The priority must remain ending the Israeli aggression against Lebanon and
securing Israel’s withdrawal from Lebanese territory. These are fundamental
principles.”
The American sanctions also struck Ahmad Asaad Baalbaki and Ali Ahmad Safawi,
two officials in the Amal Movement which has long been considered a political
ally of Hezbollah.
Yet the most serious measures for Lebanon, branded “the cruelest blow the
Lebanese state has yet absorbed, and at a lethal moment”, were those on two
serving officers in the Lebanese Army and General Security. Never before had
these institutions faced such action.
The sanctions named Col. Samer Hamadeh, who heads the Southern Suburb branch of
Army Intelligence, and Brigadier General Khattar Nasr Al-Din, head of the
National Security Department within General Security, accusing both of “sharing
information with Hezbollah.”
Army command rose to its officers’ defense in a blunt statement, insisting that
“all officers and personnel of the military institution discharge their national
duties with the utmost professionalism, responsibility and discipline, in line
with the decisions and directives issued by the Army command.”The loyalty of
military personnel, it added, “belongs to the military institution and the
nation alone,” and they “remain committed to carrying out their national duties,
untouched by any other considerations or pressures.”
The Directorate General of General Security struck a similar note, voicing
“complete confidence in its officers and personnel, their strict observance of
the laws and regulations, and their devotion to discharging their national
duties with the highest standards of professionalism and responsibility.” The
loyalty of its members, it added, “lies with the state and its legitimate
institutions, and nothing else.”The directorate continued that should it be
established that any soldier or General Security employee had leaked information
outside the institution or that any other individual was proven guilty, that
person would face “fair legal and judicial accountability, as required by the
military laws and regulations in force,” in keeping with its commitment to the
principle of accountability.
Speaking to Arab News, MP Ghada Ayoub, a lecturer in international human rights
law, placed the sanctions in the context of recent Lebanese government decisions
condemning Hezbollah’s military wing, rejecting its weapons and demanding they
be handed over to the state. Under those decisions, she said, Hezbollah’s
military wing now stands outside the state altogether. The latest sanctions were
no mere saber-rattling, she added; for the first time they have caught serving
officers within the military and security apparatus and appear to make no
distinction between the political and the security domains. With Hezbollah
politicians now in their sights, she asked, can the party’s military and
political wings still be told apart at all?
The accusation directed at Hezbollah’s politicians — “obstructing peace and
impeding Hezbollah’s disarmament” — amounts in practice to obstructing the
negotiations, Ayoub argued, and signals that the party’s activity and influence
are throttling the government’s work and authority. Sanctions on members of the
government itself may follow, she warned; Hezbollah’s political figures now sit
in the dock of American accusation, charged with blocking the implementation of
cabinet decisions. Ayoub added she expected the Army command and General
Security to launch serious investigations into the American allegations embedded
in the sanctions order — chiefly, the leaking of information to Hezbollah.
“These sanctions are, in effect, an invitation to Hezbollah to rethink its
position,” she said. “Either to fall in line with the government’s decisions, or
to cast its lot with Iran and face the fallout. Playing both ends against the
middle no longer works.”Since the American-Israeli war on Iran erupted and
Hezbollah was drawn into the fighting, Israeli forces have pressed into Lebanese
territory — at times more than 10 kilometers north of the border. And though
Washington announced a 45-day extension of the truce after the third round of
preliminary talks last week, more than 400 people have been killed since the
ceasefire came into force, according to figures from Lebanon’s Ministry of
Health. More than 3,111 have been left dead across the country since Israeli
strikes on southern Lebanon began on March 2.
Lebanon Not Bound by US Sanctions, No Action Against Officers Yet
Beirut: Asharq Al Awsat/May 22/2026
Attention in Lebanon is turning to how the state will respond to unprecedented
US sanctions that targeted two officers from the army and General Security,
along with figures, including MPs, from Hezbollah and its ally the Amal Movement
that is headed by parliament Speaker Nabih Berri.
Although Lebanon is not legally bound to comply with the decision, and no direct
measures have so far been taken against the two targeted officers, Interior
Minister Ahmad al-Hajjar said he had asked General Security Director General
Maj. Gen. Hassan Choucair to investigate any violations, if any exist, and take
the necessary measures.
No measures yet
Security sources said what was surprising was that the army and General Security
had not been notified of the sanctions through official and legal channels, as
both commands learned of the measures through statements and the media. The
sources asked: “As long as Col. Samir Hamadeh is the head of the Beirut southern
suburbs branch at the Lebanese army’s Intelligence Directorate, who is he
supposed to coordinate with on the ground in the southern suburbs?”They
explained that intelligence coordinates with other parties in other areas, while
also dismissing as “misguided” claims that significant intelligence was being
shared with Hezbollah. “So far, no measures have been taken against them, and
they are still carrying out their duties,” they added. The US Treasury accuses
the two officers of sharing significant intelligence with Hezbollah during the
ongoing conflict over the past year.
'Political message’
Legal and constitutional expert Said Malek said the sanctions against officers
were “a political message from the US Treasury Department that dealing with
Hezbollah, which is internationally banned and whose military wing in Lebanon
has effectively been disbanded, has become prohibited and carries
consequences.”He told Asharq Al-Awsat that “the Lebanese state, through the
relevant ministries and administrations, is not obliged to comply with the
decision, even if it could obstruct the payment of salaries to those targeted,
their transactions, or their cooperation with local and foreign agencies.”“The
government may understand the adoption of such decisions, but they are not
binding on the state. In other words, nothing requires that these individuals be
held accountable or punished, as they are subject to Lebanese laws, not
decisions taken by a Western administration,” Malek explained.
Who was targeted?
Among the nine figures targeted by the sanctions were four Hezbollah lawmakers:
MP Mohammad Fneish, whom the US Treasury said heads Hezbollah’s Executive
Council and is responsible for reorganizing the party’s administrative and
institutional structure to preserve its armed presence in Lebanon. MP Hassan
Fadlallah, whom the Treasury said helped establish Al-Nour Radio, which is
designated by the United States, and served as a senior director at Al-Manar
television, also designated by Washington. MP Ibrahim al-Moussawi, a longtime
Hezbollah official who currently heads the party’s media committee. MP Hussein
al-Hajj Hassan, whom the Treasury described as one of the most prominent figures
opposing Hezbollah's disarmament. In a clear message to the Amal Movement, the
sanctions also included Ahmad Asaad Baalbaki and Ali Ahmad Safawi. The Treasury
statement said they were security officials in Amal.
“Baalbaki serves as Amal’s security director and coordinates shows of force with
Hezbollah’s leadership to intimidate political opponents in Lebanon,” said the
Treasury. “Safawi is the commander of the Amal militia in southern Lebanon.
Acting as Baalbaki’s subordinate, Safawi coordinated with and took direction
from Hizballah on attacks against Israel as well as leading Amal militia forces
in joint Hizballah-Amal military operations against Israel.”Notably, the
sanctions also targeted Mohammad Reza Sheibani, Iran’s ambassador-designate to
Lebanon, whom Lebanon’s Foreign Ministry declared persona non grata after
withdrawing its approval of his accreditation and asking him to leave Beirut.
Sheibani has defied the order and remained in Lebanon. The US statement noted
“Iran’s violation of diplomatic norms, as well as the practices routinely used
by the ambassador in communication between the two states, was cited as the
reason for Sheibani’s expulsion.”
Lebanon's Health Ministry says Israeli strikes have killed 3,111
since March 2
LBCI/May 22, 2026
Lebanon's Public Health Emergency Operations Center announced that the death
toll from Israeli attacks on the country since March 2 has risen to 3,111 killed
and 9,432 wounded as of May 22.
Israeli military issues evacuation warning to residents of
Borj Rahhal
LBCI/May 22, 2026
It said that, in light of what it described as Hezbollah’s violation of the
ceasefire agreement, it is being forced to act against the group. It added that
it does not intend to harm civilians.
The warning called on residents to evacuate their homes immediately and move at
least 1,000 meters away from the village into open areas for their safety. It
also warned that anyone near Hezbollah members, infrastructure, or military
assets is putting their life at risk.
Israeli strikes on Deir Qanoun and Hanaway kill 10,
including child and 6 rescuers
Agence France Presse/May 22, 2026
An Israeli strike on southern Lebanon killed six people on Friday, including two
rescuers and a child, the Lebanese health ministry said, despite a fragile
ceasefire in the Israel-Hezbollah war. In a statement, the ministry said that
"six people were martyred" including two rescuers from the Risala Scouts
association, one of them also working as a freelance photographer, and a Syrian
girl in a strike on Deir Qanoun al-Nahr village. The association is linked with
the Hezbollah-allied Amal movement. An earlier strike on the southern town of
Hanaway on Friday also killed four rescuers from the Hezbollah-linked Islamic
Health Committee, the ministry said. A double-tap strike on the Deir Qanoun-Burj
Rahhal road killed the 2 paramedics while responding to an initial attack on a
nearby motorcycle. The Israeli military said it killed two people who were armed
and "moving in a suspicious manner".Israel and Hezbollah have been regularly
trading fire in the country's south despite a ceasefire, which was extended by
Israeli and Lebanese authorities last week. "A short while ago, IDF surveillance
identified two armed individuals moving in a suspicious manner hundreds of
meters from Israeli territory, in southern Lebanon," the Israeli military posted
on Telegram. "Following their identification and continuous monitoring by the
IDF, the armed individuals were struck and eliminated in an aerial strike," the
post said. Israeli strikes and shelling also targeted Friday Majdalzoun,
Qana-Seddiqine, Mayfadoun, Zawtar, Harouf, Nabatieh, al-Henniyeh, Tebnine, Froun,
Kafra, al-Qlayleh, Debaal, Jwaya, Kfartebnit, al-Mansouri and a car on the
Ansar-Zrarieh road. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported that
an overnight strike on an Islamic Health Committee site in Hanaway killed four
rescuers and injured two others. An Israeli strike on the city of Nabatiyeh,
later in the day, killed a man and wounded two others. Hezbollah, for its part,
claimed an attack on an Israeli artillery position in the southern border town
of Odaisseh, with an attack drone. Since a truce began on April 17, Israel has
continued to launch strikes, carry out demolitions and issue evacuation orders
in south Lebanon, saying it is targeting Hezbollah, which has also kept up
attacks. Hezbollah launched rockets at Israel on March 2 in retaliation for the
killing of Iran's supreme leader in U.S.-Israeli strikes and for 15 months of
violations of a ceasefire reached in November 2024. Israel responded with a
massive series of airstrikes and a ground invasion in the country's south, where
its troops are operating inside an Israeli-declared "yellow line" running around
10 kilometers inside Lebanon along the border. Lebanon's health ministry said
Thursday that Israeli attacks have killed at least 3,089 people since the wider
regional war began. Israel's military has reported the death of 22 personnel
during the fighting. Last week the fragile temporary truce was extended for 45
days following a third round of direct talks between Lebanese and Israeli
representatives in Washington, discussions that Hezbollah staunchly opposes.
Lebanese accuse Israel of wiping their towns off the map
Agence France Presse/May 22, 2026
Lebanese mother-of-two Hala Farah is collecting photos and videos to preserve
the memory of her hometown which, like many others along the southern border,
has been completely destroyed by Israeli forces. Testimony from residents and
officials, as well as satellite images and photographs taken by AFP journalists
on both sides of the border, show widespread destruction in dozens of Lebanese
towns and villages since the start of the Israel-Hezbollah war on March 2.
Responding to Hezbollah's attacks, Israel carried out massive airstrikes and
launched a ground invasion in the south. While a ceasefire began on April 17,
the destruction, demolitions and bulldozing in southern areas have only
intensified, affecting homes, infrastructure, schools, places of worship and
farmland. Israel's army, which sometimes issued evacuation warnings ahead of
strikes, has repeatedly said its attacks target Hezbollah sites and operatives
-- not civilians. But Farah, 33, said everything in her hometown Yaroun, less
than a kilometer from Israel, has been destroyed. "All that's left are memories
and some pictures that we and the neighbors are trying to collect... so that we
can tell our children what Yaroun was like," she told AFP. "I had hoped my
daughters would grow up in the family home," she said, wearing a pin showing her
village. Yaroun has found itself on the front line before: satellite images seen
by AFP show it had been mostly destroyed by early 2025 following the previous
Israel-Hezbollah war, with its Saint George church left with only three walls
standing. Other medium-resolution images, taken earlier this month and reviewed
by AFP, show that what had previously been spared is now gone.
Reduced to rubble
Unable to return to the south, some displaced families are sharing the cost of
purchasing satellite images -- at $140 -- to catch a glimpse of their hometowns.
Some post images of their homes on social media, taken before and after their
destruction. Among them is an anti-Hezbollah activist whose grandfather's
three-story home in the city of Nabatieh was wrecked in an Israeli strike. A
veteran writer meanwhile mourned his book collection in the border town of Bint
Jbeil. "Israel is trying to remove all the essential elements of life necessary
for return," said Farah, who learned through satellite imagery that her house in
Yaroun, a town where both Christians and Muslims lived, was now rubble. Her
voice broke as she scrolled through dozens of photos and videos on her phone.
"What happened during the truce confirms that Israel's goal is the urbicide of
the south, including Yaroun," she said. Environment Minister Tamara Zein last
month also accused Israel of committing an "urbicide" in the area, using a term
which means the deliberate destruction of urban areas. Israel occupied south
Lebanon until the year 2000, and Hezbollah has insisted it must retain its
arsenal, despite a Lebanese government push to reclaim the monopoly of force.
While the majority of the south is Shia, Farah said Israel's demolitions in
Yaroun have included "the church hall, a convent and the Saint George
school".Around six kilometers north of Yaroun, satellite images from early April
showed no sign of major damage in Bint Jbeil. A month later, the town appeared
to have been razed almost entirely, including the stadium where slain Hezbollah
chief Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah delivered his "liberation" speech in 2000 to mark
the withdrawal of Israeli forces.
'Destroy the land'
At Lebanon's government-linked National Council for Scientific Research (CNRS)
in Beirut, research director Chadi Abdallah showed AFP journalists before and
after images of Bint Jbeil. "Most buildings in Bint Jbeil are destroyed," he
said, with most demolitions and detonations occurring since the truce. "The
Israelis are not conducting military or clearing operations; they are entering
to destroy the land, the people, and the infrastructure," he said. The
agriculture ministry estimated this month that Israeli attacks have damaged more
than 560 square kilometers of farmland. "They are trying to erase the memory of
the people in this region and to erase its history," said Abdallah. According to
the CNRS, Israeli attacks since 2023 have destroyed more than 290,000 housing
units, 61,000 of them since the start of the latest war. Among them, some 12,000
units were completely or partially destroyed since the truce began. Lebanese
officials say Israeli attacks have killed more than 3,000 people since March.
"Lebanon is witnessing such destruction for the first time in its history," said
researcher Hanaa Jaber, who has roots in Bint Jbeil. More than a million people
displaced from the south face an "uprooting... with terrible repercussions," she
said.
'Life support' -
Others, like Imad Bazzi from Bint Jbeil, spoke to AFP about the loss of their
life's work. "There is a total annihilation of... Bint Jbeil, from residential
buildings and water and electricity institutions to the hospital, and even
schools and gas stations," said Bazzi, 60, a municipal councilor and owner of an
engineering firm that was destroyed. "What is happening today is a blatant
change of geography. It is systematic destruction."Israel, whose soldiers are
operating inside a self-declared "yellow line" that runs around 10 kilometers
north of the border, says it is protecting its communities from Hezbollah
attacks. Lebanon and Israel began their first direct talks in decades last month
in Washington, and Farah, the woman from Yaroun, hopes for a positive outcome.
"We hope this will be the last war, because our villages in the south... are
currently on life support," she said. "We hope the Israelis will withdraw from
every inch of our land and let us... create new memories for our children,
erasing the echoes of the strikes that still ring in their ears."
US ramps up pressure on Lebanon with sweeping sanctions
tied to Hezbollah and Israel talks — the details
LBCI/May 22, 2026
It is only the beginning. This phrase sums up the pressure the U.S.
administration is expected to exert on Lebanon from now on, a process that began
with sanctions imposed on nine individuals, including Iranian Ambassador
Mohammad Reza Sheibani and, for the first time, Lebanese security officials. The
sanctions were tied to two issues: obstructing the peace process between Lebanon
and Israel and hindering Hezbollah’s disarmament. So who are the nine
individuals? Naturally, the sanctions list includes Hezbollah MPs Ibrahim al-Moussawi,
Hassan Fadlallah, Hussein al-Hajj Hassan, and former minister Mohamed Fanich.
However, what stood out was the inclusion of two figures closely associated with
Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri: Ahmad Baalbaki and Ahmad Safawi. Baalbaki serves
as head of preparation and guidance within the Amal Movement’s executive body
across Lebanon, the highest security-related position within the movement, while
Safawi oversees preparation in southern Lebanon, according to the movement’s
internal structure. The accusations against Baalbaki and Safawi are that they
coordinated with Hezbollah and received instructions regarding attacks against
Israel through joint operations involving Hezbollah and the Amal Movement. More
significantly, two Shiite officers from Army Intelligence and General Security
were added to the sanctions list just days before the anticipated
Lebanese-Israeli security meeting at the Pentagon. The first officer is Colonel
Samir Hamadi, who was appointed head of Army Intelligence in Beirut’s southern
suburbs last August, succeeding Brigadier General Maher Raad, who was reportedly
considered close to Hezbollah.
The second is Brigadier General Khattar Nasser Eldin, head of the analysis
department at General Security, who previously led the agency’s national
security division in Beirut and had been considered a candidate to succeed Major
General Abbas Ibrahim.
The accusation against the two officers is that they shared intelligence with
Hezbollah, although the U.S. Treasury decision had not been officially
communicated to the leadership of the army and General Security through formal
channels.
Both institutions quickly moved to defend their officers. The army said in a
statement that all officers and personnel carry out their duties professionally
and responsibly in line with directives issued by the leadership, emphasizing
that soldiers’ loyalty is solely to the military institution and the nation.
General Security also stressed neutrality and integrity in performance, adding
that it would hold accountable anyone proven to have leaked information outside
the institution. Politically, however, there is another interpretation of the
messages directed at the Amal-Hezbollah alliance. The first and most important
message was aimed at the president and army commander: implement the commitments
regarding Hezbollah’s disarmament and the extension of state authority, or face
stronger measures. The message to the army was that the era of coordination with
Hezbollah is over. The second message was directed at Berri: patience has run
out, and what has happened is merely an “advance payment.” The expectation is
that he will accept direct negotiations with Israel and repeal the law
criminalizing contact with it when the issue reaches parliament. As for
Hezbollah figures, the message targeted all channels tasked with communication
with the state, not only through sanctions on MPs but also by targeting Mohamed
Fanich, head of the party’s government affairs body. According to the Amal-Hezbollah
alliance’s interpretation, the United States, backed by Israel, is seeking to
stir internal discord and provoke the Shiite community into reacting. Therefore,
the alliance will not be drawn into any internal conflict, in line with a
commitment it has made to itself.
Leaked names of Lebanese Pentagon delegation for first
military talks with Israel
Naharnet/May 22, 2026
The Army Command has finalized a list of the Lebanese military delegation
scheduled to travel to the United States to meet with an Israeli military
delegation on May 29, pro-Hezbollah al-Akhbar reported Friday. The meeting will
be the first Lebanese-Israeli military meeting and will be held at the Pentagon.
On June 2 and 3, the State Department would hold diplomatic negotiations aimed
at reaching a permanent political agreement. It would be the fourth round of
talks between Lebanese and Israeli envoys. The Lebanese military delegation will
focus exclusively on the technical mechanisms to implement the ceasefire and
schedule Israel's withdrawal from occupied areas in south Lebanon. According to
al-Akhbar, the names proposed by the Army Command for the delegation include:
Brigadier General George Rizkallah (Christian), Brigadier General Ziad Rizkallah
(Christian), Brigadier General Omar Hlayhel (Sunni), Brigadier General-Engineer
Wael Abbas (Shia), Colonel Mazen Al-Hajj (Druze), and Colonel Wadih Rafoul
(Christian). Brigadier General Oliver Hakimeh, the military attaché at the
Lebanese Embassy in Washington, might also attend the meeting, the daily said.
The army command said Friday that media reports about a "sectarian distribution"
of the military delegation are against the principles of the military
institution. "The members of the delegation remain committed to national
constants, represent Lebanon as a nation and are committed to the Army’s
doctrine," the army command's statement said. Progressive Socialist Party leader
Walid Jumblat also criticized what he called "a six-member Army committee" as "a
heresy that we can do without". "We trust the military institution and the
constants built on the foundation of the armistice agreement, adherence to
international resolutions, and the Taif Accord," he posted on the X platform.
Report: More Lebanese individuals could face US sanctions
Naharnet/May 22, 2026
Washington took a significant step Thursday by imposing sanctions on two
officers from the Lebanese Army and the General Security Directorate, accusing
them of "sharing intelligence with Hezbollah."The U.S. also slapped sanctions on
three Hezbollah MPs, a Hezbollah ex-minister, two Amal Movement security
officials, and the Iranian ambassador-designate to Lebanon. According to
information obtained by Al-Arabiya, the list of individuals recommended for
sanctions is much longer, and U.S. intelligence agencies possess a list of
"dozens of Lebanese Army officers proven to have collaborated with Hezbollah and
leaked information to them." The report also said that the matter is "not
limited to Lebanese Shiite officers, but includes some from other sects, such as
Christians."Sources told Al-Arabiya that U.S. security and intelligence agencies
accuse these officers of "two serious offenses: first, facilitating the passage
of weapons to the area south of the Litani River after the army conducted
large-scale operations to clear it of Hezbollah weapons and caches; and second,
assisting Hezbollah members in bypassing security checkpoints to cross into the
south and carry out new deployments." The sources added that Iran and Hezbollah
have managed, in recent weeks and months, to exploit numerous loopholes to rearm
and finance the party. One of the sources also said that U.S. intelligence is
aware of "the presence of at least 100 Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers who
have arrived in Lebanon in recent months, working to manage Hezbollah, including
retraining, rearming, and smuggling operations."The source explained that
everything Hezbollah does north of the al-Zahrani River is under the direct
management of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, while south of this line, the
party's members operate with their Lebanese contingent. Furthermore, the source
clarified that "the Revolutionary Guard members carry Lebanese documents,
including passports, and sometimes their accents are indistinguishable from
those of Lebanese citizens or even Hezbollah members themselves."
Lebanon army says soldiers loyal after US sanctions one
over alleged Hezbollah links
Agence France Presse/May 22, 2026
Lebanon's military said Friday its soldiers were loyal to the institution after
the U.S. announced sanctions that included an officer accused of sharing
information with Hezbollah. The sanctions came after the U.S. hosted three
rounds of direct talks between Lebanon and Israel aimed at ending the war that
began after Hezbollah attacked Israel on March 2 and determining the future of
relations between the two countries. The sanctions include Iran's ambassador to
Lebanon, three Hezbollah lawmakers and a former minister and two figures from
the Hezbollah-allied Amal movement. They also target army colonel Samir Hamadi,
and Khattar Nasser Eldin, a general security officer, marking the first time
that officers are sanctioned in Lebanon. The U.S. accused them of "obstructing
the peace process in Lebanon". The army said that "all officers and members of
the military institution are performing their national duties with utmost
professionalism, responsibility, and discipline". It emphasized that "the
loyalty of military personnel is solely to the military institution and the
nation", also saying it was not informed of the sanctions beforehand.
Washington said Hamadi, the army's intelligence head in Beirut's southern
suburbs, and Nasser Eldin, the national security chief in the general security
service, "shared important intelligence" with Hezbollah "during the ongoing
conflict". A general security statement affirmed its trust in its personnel,
adding that if any "employee is found to have leaked any information outside the
institution... they will be subject to fair legal and judicial accountability".
'Obstruct lasting peace' -
The sanctions come as Lebanon is forming a military delegation for security
talks with Israel at the Pentagon on May 29, a step that was agreed in the
latest round of direct talks earlier this month.
A fourth round of negotiations is planned for June. Hezbollah is opposed to the
talks and refuses to surrender its weapons as the government demands. U.S.
Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday they "will continue to take
action against officials who have infiltrated the Lebanese government",
insisting Hezbollah must be "disarmed". Hezbollah called the sanctions "an
attempt to intimidate the free Lebanese people in order to bolster the Zionist
aggression against our country". Hezbollah lawmakers said the sanctions "will
have no practical effect", though the group faces internal pressure following
two wars with Israel that caused widespread destruction and pushed Lebanon to
negotiate with Israel. Once a dominant political force, Hezbollah was weakened
by a 2023-2024 war with Israel. The latest war has killed more than 3,000 people
and displaced more than a million. "The sanctions are a continuation of the
tightening of the noose around Hezbollah, an attempt to separate it from the
state after it managed, over the past 20 years... to embed many elements" in it,
military expert Riad Kahwaji told AFP. "These sanctions show today that no party
is immune, regardless of whether it is inside or outside state
institutions."Israel meanwhile continues to strike Lebanon despite a truce in
place since April 17. Israeli strikes killed at least 10 people on Friday,
including six rescuers, according to the Lebanese health ministry.
Report: More Lebanese individuals could face US sanctions
Naharnet/May 22, 2026
Washington took a significant step Thursday by imposing sanctions on two
officers from the Lebanese Army and the General Security Directorate, accusing
them of "sharing intelligence with Hezbollah."The U.S. also slapped sanctions on
three Hezbollah MPs, a Hezbollah ex-minister, two Amal Movement security
officials, and the Iranian ambassador-designate to Lebanon. According to
information obtained by Al-Arabiya, the list of individuals recommended for
sanctions is much longer, and U.S. intelligence agencies possess a list of
"dozens of Lebanese Army officers proven to have collaborated with Hezbollah and
leaked information to them." The report also said that the matter is "not
limited to Lebanese Shiite officers, but includes some from other sects, such as
Christians."Sources told Al-Arabiya that U.S. security and intelligence agencies
accuse these officers of "two serious offenses: first, facilitating the passage
of weapons to the area south of the Litani River after the army conducted
large-scale operations to clear it of Hezbollah weapons and caches; and second,
assisting Hezbollah members in bypassing security checkpoints to cross into the
south and carry out new deployments." The sources added that Iran and Hezbollah
have managed, in recent weeks and months, to exploit numerous loopholes to rearm
and finance the party. One of the sources also said that U.S. intelligence is
aware of "the presence of at least 100 Iranian Revolutionary Guard officers who
have arrived in Lebanon in recent months, working to manage Hezbollah, including
retraining, rearming, and smuggling operations."The source explained that
everything Hezbollah does north of the al-Zahrani River is under the direct
management of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard, while south of this line, the
party's members operate with their Lebanese contingent. Furthermore, the source
clarified that "the Revolutionary Guard members carry Lebanese documents,
including passports, and sometimes their accents are indistinguishable from
those of Lebanese citizens or even Hezbollah members themselves."
Iran condemns 'illegal' US sanctions on Lebanon ambassador-designate
Agence France Presse/May 22, 2026
Iran's foreign ministry on Friday condemned what it called "illegal" U.S.
sanctions on Tehran's ambassador-designate to Lebanon, according to a ministry
statement. The ministry "strongly condemned the illegal and unjustified action
by the U.S. Treasury Department in sanctioning Mohammad Reza Raouf Sheibani,
Iran's designated ambassador to Beirut," the statement said. The United States
on Thursday imposed sanctions on Hezbollah-linked individuals as well as the
Iranian diplomat over Lebanon-related activities. The foreign ministry described
the move as "another example of the rogue behavior and disregard of the U.S.
ruling establishment for the fundamental principles of international law and the
United Nations Charter". Lebanon had declared Sheibani persona non grata and
ordered him to leave the country in March, but it is not known whether he ever
departed from Beirut. The move came after Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle
East war on March 2 when it began striking Israel in response to U.S.-Israeli
strikes on Iran. Iran also condemned the U.S. sanctions on Hezbollah MPs in
Lebanon.
"These despicable measures are aimed at undermining Lebanon's national
sovereignty and sowing discord within Lebanese society, and are a sign of the
continued complicity of the U.S. ruling establishment with the aggressive and
occupying Zionist regime (Israel)," the statement said.
The sanctions come amid stalled efforts to formally end the conflict involving
Iran, Israel, the United States and Tehran-backed armed groups including
Hezbollah. The war erupted after the United States and Israel launched attacks
on Iran on February 28, prompting Tehran to retaliate with missile and drone
strikes across the region. A ceasefire has been in place since April 8 but
negotiations to permanently end the war have yet to yield a deal.
Lebanon Cabinet appoints new directors general across key
ministries
LBCI/May 22, 2026
Sources told LBCI that the Cabinet has appointed Hala al-Mawla as Director
General of the Ministry of Social Affairs, Wiam Abou Hamdan as Director General
of the Ministry of Public Health, Maurice Karkafi as Director General of the
Directorate General of Oil, and Mazen Basbous as Director General of Land and
Maritime Transport.
Aoun welcomes beatification decree for Patriarch Elias
Hoayek, founder of Greater Lebanon
LBCI/May 22, 2026
Lebanese President Joseph Aoun welcomed the signing by Pope Leo XIV of the
decree declaring Venerable Patriarch Elias Hoayek, founder of Greater Lebanon,
blessed. President Aoun thanked the Holy Father, on behalf of Lebanon’s
government and people, for his continued support and attention toward Lebanon,
particularly amid the delicate circumstances and major challenges the country is
facing. Aoun said the announcement, made on the centenary of Lebanon’s
Constitution, carries symbolic significance, stressing that the divine
providence which guided the new blessed figure continues to safeguard Greater
Lebanon as he envisioned and worked tirelessly to achieve it: a homeland of
coexistence among different sects within its “historical and civilizational”
borders. The president expressed hope that Lebanese people of all affiliations
would draw inspiration from the spirit and dedication that guided the new
blessed figure, so that Lebanon remains a focal point for the Holy See and the
world and overcomes the challenges surrounding it.
Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc condemns US sanctions as
"attack on Lebanon's sovereignty"
LBCI/May 22, 2026
The Loyalty to the Resistance Bloc strongly condemned what it described as a
U.S. attack on Lebanon’s sovereignty following Washington’s decision to impose
sanctions on lawmakers from the bloc, officials from the Amal Movement and
Hezbollah, as well as officers from the Lebanese Army and General Security and
the Iranian ambassador to Lebanon. In a statement, the bloc said its lawmakers
represent “a broad segment of the Lebanese people” and are carrying out their
national duties by serving citizens, defending their interests, and legislating
in accordance with the constitution for the good of the country. The bloc said
its MPs work to strengthen the rule of law, oversee the executive branch,
protect Lebanon’s sovereignty, reform state institutions, and combat corruption.
It also described them as advocates of dialogue among Lebanese aimed at
safeguarding civil peace and national unity. The statement added that the U.S.
sanctions “will not deter” the bloc’s lawmakers from continuing their
legislative and oversight roles, expressing the aspirations of their supporters
and maintaining what it called “the voice of the resistance” in defense of
Lebanon and the liberation of occupied land. The bloc further accused the United
States of attempting to intimidate Lebanon’s official security institutions by
targeting military and security officers with sanctions, calling the move “a
blatant attack on the state and an infringement on its sovereignty.”It said the
measures were intended to undermine state institutions and pressure them into
complying with what it described as “American projects of sedition,” urging
Lebanese authorities to take a clear stance to protect state institutions from
what it called foreign interference.
US Sanctions Target Lebanon’s 'Deep State' Before Washington
Security Meeting
Caroline Akoum//Asharq Al-Awsat/May 22/2026
The latest US Treasury sanctions on Lebanese and Iranian figures linked to
Hezbollah looked less like another routine political measure and more like a
direct warning to the Lebanese state and its security and military institutions.
The sanctions came days before a Lebanese US security meeting in Washington on
May 29, expected to address the future of security in southern Lebanon and the
state’s role in controlling illegal weapons. The Treasury measures marked a
notable shift. For the first time, they targeted serving officers in official
security institutions, signaling that Washington has moved beyond pressuring
Hezbollah and its political allies to warning Lebanese state bodies themselves
against leniency or obstruction in implementing government and security
decisions. Lebanon has not issued an official response. Ministerial sources told
Asharq Al-Awsat that the timing of the sanctions “raises questions, especially
since there was no atmosphere suggesting such a step, but the US Treasury has
its own considerations.” They said the measures “could have a negative impact on
the course of negotiations.”The US message, decisions are not enough;
implementation is required
The sanctions were issued shortly before the Lebanese-US security meeting in
Washington, as international pressure mounts on Lebanon to meet its commitments
to restrict weapons to the state. By targeting officers in the army and General
Security, Washington appeared to be saying that the problem is no longer limited
to whether the Lebanese government has made a political decision. The issue is
whether executive and security institutions can carry it out. Dr. Sami Nader,
head of the Levant Institute for Strategic Affairs, said the sanctions target
what he called the “deep state” inside Lebanese institutions. For Washington, he
said, the problem is no longer only the existence of a political decision, but
the lack of actual implementation inside administrations and security and
military institutions. Nader told Asharq Al-Awsat that the United States is
signaling that the Lebanese government has, at certain stages, taken decisions
related to its security commitments and Hezbollah’s weapons. The Lebanese army,
he said, has also drawn up plans and implementation mechanisms. But according to
the US reading, those decisions face obstruction in parts of the state, where
some actors work to delay or block implementation, allowing Hezbollah’s
influence in official institutions to continue. Nader said the importance of the
sanctions lies in the fact that they do not only target Hezbollah’s political
environment. They move toward a direct accusation that the party has influence
inside security and military chains of command. Washington, he said, is
effectively saying the problem is no longer inside the Cabinet, where decisions
are made, but in what happens after those decisions are issued and passed to the
executive and security agencies tasked with enforcing them. Targeting official
officers for the first time carries major political and security significance,
Nader said, because it reflects a US conviction that certain figures within
certain institutions are obstructing missions aimed at controlling the security
situation or implementing government decisions. The sanctions, therefore, form
part of an escalating US track aimed at increasing pressure on official Lebanon
before the Washington meeting, “to free the implementation mechanism,” Nader
said, and to push the Lebanese state to make clearer commitments on applying
decisions and dealing with Hezbollah’s weapons.
Details of the sanctions, officers, lawmakers and the Iranian ambassador
The sanctions covered Iran’s ambassador to Beirut, Mohammad Reza Sheibani,
Hezbollah lawmakers Hassan Fadlallah, Ibrahim al-Moussawi and Hussein al-Hajj
Hassan, and former minister Mohammad Fneish. They also targeted two prominent
Amal Movement figures, Ahmad Baalbaki and Ali Safawi, as well as Brigadier
General Khattar Nassereddine, head of the National Security Department at the
General Directorate of General Security, and Colonel Samer Hamadeh, head of the
southern suburbs branch at the Lebanese army’s Intelligence Directorate.
The US Treasury Department said those targeted are “embedded in the Lebanese
parliament, military, and security agencies,” accusing them of working to
preserve Hezbollah’s influence inside state institutions and obstructing the
path to peace. US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said Hezbollah is a terrorist
organization and must be fully disarmed. He said Washington would continue
targeting officials who enable Hezbollah to continue its violent campaign and
obstruct lasting peace. Alongside the sanctions, the US State Department
announced a reward of up to $10 million for information leading to the
disruption of Hezbollah’s financial mechanisms, another sign that Washington is
tightening political, financial and security pressure in the next phase.
The army and General Security respond, loyalty is to the state
The Lebanese army and General Security moved quickly to reject the US
accusations, issuing statements that stressed: “Loyalty is to the institution
and the homeland.” The army command said all officers and soldiers “perform
their national duties with full professionalism and responsibility.” It said
their loyalty is “only to the military institution and the homeland,” and that
they carry out their duties away from any pressure or other considerations. The
General Directorate of General Security also voiced full confidence in its
officers and personnel, stressing their commitment to laws and regulations and
to working “away from any external dictates or pressure.” It said any proven
violation would be subject to legal and judicial accountability. Hezbollah and
Amal, sanctions are “intimidation” and pressure on the state. Hezbollah
described the sanctions as “an American attempt to intimidate the Lebanese
people and an attack on the sovereignty of the state and its security
institutions.”The party said the sanctions “will not affect its choices,” and
called the targeting of official officers “a blatant attempt to subject security
institutions to the conditions of American guardianship.” The Amal Movement said
the sanctions against figures affiliated with it were “unacceptable and
unjustified,” describing them as an attack on the movement’s political role and
its position inside the state. Hezbollah’s parliamentary bloc also condemned the
sanctions on lawmakers and officers, calling them direct interference in
Lebanese affairs and an attempt to pressure official state institutions into
complying with US demands.
Breaking the Myth of Hezbollah’s Captive Constituency
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This Is Beirut/May 22/2026
Israel’s Alma Center is wrong about Lebanon’s Shia population. In a recent
article, the institute claimed that Hezbollah’s Shia constituency is a “captive
audience” chained by dependency, fear, and ideology. In reality, Hezbollah’s
committed ideologues are a minority, while dependency and fear can be reversed.
Those dependent on Hezbollah can be peeled away with foreign investment and
resources, while fear of the militia can be broken by bolstering Lebanon’s
legitimate state security institutions. Weakening Hezbollah’s grip is not rocket
science.
Hezbollah enjoys, at most, the support of one-third of Lebanon’s 1.75 million
Shia, with evidence suggesting its hold is slipping. In the 2022 parliamentary
elections, when Hezbollah and its ally the Amal Movement dominated Lebanon’s
institutions and economy, 17 percent of Shia voters still cast ballots against
the “Shia duo.” This trend has only accelerated since then.In the May 2025
municipal elections, in the traditional Hezbollah stronghold of Baalbek, the two
parties won all 21 seats, but secured only two-thirds of the vote. A rival,
purely Shia opposition ticket captured one-third of the vote, or 6,000 ballots,
despite the militia’s overwhelming money, organization, and intimidation
machine.
Two months later, a Gallup poll delivered a similar verdict, with 27 percent of
Lebanese Shia expressing support for the complete disarmament of Hezbollah. The
fact that a third of the Shia population openly rejects the militia is already a
remarkable breach in the so-called captive audience. The weakest pillar in
Alma’s theory is ideology. Hezbollah’s entire project rests on Wilayat al-Faqih—Arabic
for “Guardianship of the Jurist”—a doctrine of the Islamic Republic of Iran that
contradicts over 1,400 years of Twelver Shi’a theology. Traditional Shia believe
that the Twelfth Imam, Muhammad al-Mahdi, entered occultation in the 9th century
and will return only at the end of time to establish justice. In his absence,
religious authority is deliberately decentralized. Any qualified cleric who
earns peer recognition can become a Marjaʿ al-Taqlid—Arabic for “Emulation
Authority.” Believers choose one such scholar, follow his rulings on spiritual
and personal matters, and pay him religious dues that fund seminaries and
welfare networks. This system was designed to prevent a monopoly on power and to
keep religious leadership separate from governments. Shia were historically
expected to assimilate into the states in which they lived and to owe political
loyalty to the government of the day, essentially to “render unto Caesar what is
Caesar’s and unto God what is God’s.” The Wilayat al-Faqih formulation of the
late Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini shattered this
tradition. Borrowing heavily from Egypt’s Muslim Brotherhood, he elevated a
single cleric, himself, above all others. Khomeini anointed himself supreme
jurist, ruling over both religion and state in Iran. The Shia religious
establishment in Iraq’s holy city of Najaf rejected this innovation outright and
still does. Lebanon’s Shia traditionally looked to Najaf for religious guidance.
For decades, the majority emulated Grand Ayatollah Abu al-Qasim al-Khoei before
shifting to his successor, Ali al-Sistani. Hezbollah’s rise, fueled by Iranian
money, tempted many to switch allegiance to Khomeini and later Ali Khamenei.
Today, anecdotal estimates suggest the Lebanese Shia community is split roughly
three ways. Roughly 40 percent follow Khamenei and remain locked into
Hezbollah’s patronage web. A plurality, however, is not ideologically bound to
Tehran or its Lebanese proxy. Another 40 percent emulate Ayatollah Sistani. Even
amid the latest war in Lebanon, Sistani’s network has subsidized healthcare for
displaced Shia families when clinics in the south became inaccessible.
The final 20 percent of Shia look to the independent school of the late Muhammad
Hussein Fadlallah, once considered Hezbollah’s spiritual founder until he broke
with Iran. The Islamic Republic refused to recognize his status as a Marja’ al-Taqlid
because he clashed with Tehran’s doctrine of Wilayat al-Faqih.
These three blocs are not always apparent to outsiders. For example, the two
main medical centers in Beirut’s southern suburbs are Al-Rassoul al-Aazam
Hospital, operated by Hezbollah’s Martyrs Foundation, and Bahman Hospital,
operated by Fadlallah’s Mabarrat Charity.
Bahman was funded by a wealthy Kuwaiti Shia businessman, attesting to the wide
reach of Fadlallah’s independent religious leadership. Most Lebanese assume both
hospitals and their parent organizations are Hezbollah’s, when in fact only one
is.
Lebanon’s Shia are not hopelessly captive. Hezbollah constructed its empire
through unmatched Iranian cash, ruthless patronage, bullying, and occasional
murder. It did not fill an imagined vacuum by a negligent Lebanese state, as is
often argued, but deployed a known Shia clerical tradition and exploited
Lebanese sectarian politics. What Hezbollah built with financial power and fear
can be dismantled by those same forces, once the balance of terror and resources
shifts. Israel’s recent decimation of Hezbollah’s senior leadership and fighting
force has already lowered the fear threshold. If Iran’s economy continues its
collapse, the cash pipeline will shrink further. And if Lebanese institutions
are properly resourced and empowered, the community’s independent voices, those
within Sistani or Fadlallah’s networks, will weaken Hezbollah’s grip.
Just as Iranian dominance over the Shia in Iraq has been weakening, Lebanon can
follow. Hezbollah’s dominance over Lebanon’s Shia is neither eternal nor
inevitable. It is fragile and already fraying.
**Hussain Abdul-Hussain is a research fellow at The Foundation for Defense of
Democracies (FDD) in Washington, DC.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on 22-23 May/2026
Pakistan army chief, Qatari negotiators
in Tehran as US-Iran deal inches closer
NAIMAT KHAN/Agencies/May 22, 2026
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan army chief Field Marshal Asim Munir arrived in Iran on
Friday for talks expected to focus on the US-Iran conflict and regional peace
efforts, as Islamabad intensified its diplomatic engagement aimed at ending
months of tensions between Tehran and Washington.
The visit comes as Pakistan has assumed an increasingly active mediation role
since the beginning of the war in late February following joint US-Israeli
strikes on Iran, with Islamabad maintaining close coordination with Tehran and
Washington to prevent wider regional escalation.
Iran’s state news agency IRNA earlier cited a diplomatic source in Islamabad as
saying Munir had departed for Tehran and was expected to meet senior Iranian
officials during the visit. “The field marshal is
going to Iran,” a security source told Arab News Pakistan on condition of
anonymity in a brief response to a query about the army chief’s visit.
Pakistan’s military leadership has played a pivotal role in the diplomatic
process in recent months. Munir will be joined by Pakistan’s interior minister
Mohsin Naqvi, who has already met with Iranian leaders twice this week. A Qatari
negotiating team also arrived in Tehran on Friday in coordination with US to
help secure a deal to end the war and resolve outstanding issues, a source
with knowledge of the matter told Reuters on Friday. Doha, which has worked
as a mediator in the Gaza war and other areas international tensions, had
until now distanced itself from playing a mediation role in the Iran war
after it came under attack from Iranian missiles and drones during the latest
conflict. Saudi Arabia’s interior ministry also said
on Friday evening Naqvi held a telephone conversation with the Kingdom’s
Interior Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Saud bin Nayef, during which the two
sides discussed issues of mutual interest and security cooperation between the
two countries.
US says ‘slight progress’ in Iran talks
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday there was “slight progress” during
talks with Iran amid uncertainty about whether a deal will be reached or war
will resume. He spoke days after US President Donald
Trump said he was holding off on a military strike against the Islamic Republic
because “serious negotiations” were underway. Trump has been threatening for
weeks that the ceasefire reached in mid-April could end if Iran does not make a
deal, with shifting parameters for striking such an agreement. Rubio spoke ahead
of a meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, where the
military alliance is expected to discuss what role it could play in helping
police the Strait of Hormuz once the war is over.Rubio said he did not want to
exaggerate the progress, saying there had been “a little bit of movement and
that’s good.” He said the conversations were ongoing. In recent weeks there have
been repeated claims of progress, but a deal has stayed out of reach.* With AP
and Reuters
US-Iran draft deal mediated by Pakistan could be announced within
hours: Sources
Al Arabiya English/22 May ,2026
The final draft of a possible agreement between the United States and Iran,
mediated by Pakistan, is expected to be announced within hours, Al Arabiya
sources said on Friday.
Its key terms were exclusively obtained by the network and include the
following:
Immediate, comprehensive, unconditional ceasefire on all fronts, including land,
sea, air
Mutual commitment not to target military, civilian or economic infrastructure
End to military operations and halt media war
Commitments to respect sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference
in internal affairs
Guarantees freedom of navigation in the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and
the Gulf of Oman
Joint mechanism to monitor implementation and resolve disputes
Negotiations on outstanding issues would begin within seven days
Gradual lifting of US sanctions in exchange for Iran’s commitment to the terms
of the agreement
Draft agreement reaffirms compliance with international law and UN Charter
Agreement would take effect immediately once officially announced by both sides
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Thursday there had been
“some good signs” in the talks, but there could be no solution if Tehran
enforced a tolling system in the strait, which it effectively closed to most
shipping after the war began on February 28.
“There’s some good signs,” Rubio said. “I don’t want to be overly optimistic ...
So, let’s see what happens over the next few days.”A senior Iranian source told
Reuters on Thursday that gaps had been narrowed, although uranium enrichment and
the strait remained among the sticking points. With Reuters
Pakistan’s interior minister meets Iran FM again in push to
resolve disputes
Al Arabiya English/22 May ,2026
As Pakistan continues its efforts to bring viewpoints closer and narrow the gaps
between Iran and the United States, Pakistani Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi met
again with Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran. The meeting
discussed ways to examine proposals aimed at resolving differences between the
Iranian and American sides, two days after Naqvi delivered the latest US message
to the Iranians, Iranian media reported on Friday.
Munir’s visit postponed
The meeting came as Pakistani army chief Asim Munir had been expected to visit
Tehran on Thursday if a breakthrough had been reached, which has not happened so
far. It also came as informed sources confirmed to Al Arabiya that the disputes
between the two sides remain focused on the issue of transferring highly
enriched uranium out of Iran, and control over the Strait of Hormuz. The United
States has insisted on rejecting any arrangement that would keep uranium inside
Iran or allow Tehran to impose any control over Hormuz, through which one-fifth
of global oil and gas shipments pass.US President Donald Trump stressed on
Thursday evening that Washington would not accept uranium remaining in Iran or
Tehran possessing a nuclear weapon. Meanwhile, two Iranian sources told Reuters
that Iran’s supreme leader, Mojtaba Khamenei, has insisted on keeping highly
enriched uranium inside the country. The two sources also said senior Iranian
officials believe moving the material abroad would make the country more
vulnerable to future US and Israeli attacks. Iran currently holds around 440
kilograms of uranium enriched to 60 percent, theoretically enough to produce
about six to 10 nuclear bombs if enrichment is raised to 90 percent, according
to estimates by the International Atomic Energy Agency. A first round of direct
talks had been held in Islamabad between the Iranian and American delegations,
but it did not produce results. Since then, Pakistan has continued its efforts
to overcome obstacles and reach an agreement that would end the war that erupted
on February 28 between Iran on one side and the United States and Israel on the
other.
Iran-US deal reportedly within
hours: What does it include?
Naharnet/May 22, 2026
The final draft of a possible agreement between the United States and Iran,
mediated by Pakistan, is expected to be announced within hours, Al-Arabiya
quoted sources as saying on Friday.
Its key terms were exclusively obtained by the network and include the
following:
- Immediate, comprehensive, unconditional ceasefire on all fronts, including
land, sea, air
- Mutual commitment not to target military, civilian or economic infrastructure
- End to military operations and halt media war
- Commitments to respect sovereignty, territorial integrity and non-interference
in internal affairs
- Guarantees freedom of navigation in the Arabian Gulf, the Strait of Hormuz and
the Gulf of Oman
- Joint mechanism to monitor implementation and resolve disputes
- Negotiations on outstanding issues would begin within seven days
- Gradual lifting of U.S. sanctions in exchange for Iran’s commitment to the
terms of the agreement
- Draft agreement reaffirms compliance with international law and U.N. Charter
- Agreement would take effect immediately once officially announced by both
sides
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Thursday there had been
“some good signs” in the talks, but there could be no solution if Tehran
enforced a tolling system in the strait, which it effectively closed to most
shipping after the war began on February 28.
“There’s some good signs,” Rubio said. “I don’t want to be overly optimistic ...
So, let’s see what happens over the next few days.”
A senior Iranian source said Thursday that gaps had been narrowed, although
uranium enrichment and the strait remained among the sticking points.
US says 'slight progress' in Iran talks amid uncertainty on
whether war will resume
Associated Press/May 22, 2026
U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio said Friday there was "slight progress"
during talks with Iran amid uncertainty as to whether a deal will be reached or
war will resume. He spoke days after U.S. President Donald Trump said he was
holding off on a military strike on Iran because "serious negotiations" were
underway. Trump has been threatening for weeks that the ceasefire reached in
mid-April could end if Iran does not make a deal, with shifting parameters for
striking such an agreement. Rubio spoke ahead of a meeting of NATO foreign
ministers in Helsingborg, Sweden, where the the military alliance is expected to
discuss what role it could play in helping police the Strait of Hormuz once the
war is over. Rubio said he didn't want to exaggerate the progress, saying there
had been "a little bit of movement and that's good." He said the conversations
were ongoing. Still, in recent weeks there have been repeated claims of
progress, yet a deal has not been reached. Trump has repeatedly set deadlines
for Tehran and then backed off. But he's also previously indicated he would hold
off on military action to allow talks to continue — only to turn around and
launch strikes. That's what happened at the war's outset, when he ordered
strikes in late February shortly after indicating he would let talks play out.
He said he called off attacks this week on Iran at the request of allies in the
Middle East, including the leaders of Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab
Emirates, who have been targeted by Iran and its allied militias. But Trump's
decision to give the talks a chance sparked tension this week with Israeli Prime
Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
An official who spoke on the condition of anonymity because they were not
authorized to speak to the media said Thursday that Trump and Netanyahu had a
"dramatic" phone conversation on Tuesday about the status of the Iranian
negotiations and that Israel is angry with Trump's efforts to strike a deal with
Iran. Trump later told reporters that Netanyahu will "will do whatever I want
him to do." The comments are some of the first public signs of daylight between
the leaders since they launched the war in February.Ceasefire efforts continue
but sticking points remain
On Friday, Pakistan said that the interior minister traveled to Tehran twice
this week to meet Iranian leaders as part of efforts to ease tensions between
Iran and the United States. At a weekly news briefing in the capital, Foreign
Ministry spokesperson Tahir Andrabi said Pakistan's political and military
leadership were working to promote peace and that the minister's two visits were
a testament to that.He said Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif will travel to Beijing
on Saturday at China's invitation, for a four-day visit, adding that Pakistan's
peace efforts are expected to be discussed during the trip.
Still, major sticking points remain.
Iran has effectively closed the Strait of Hormuz, a vital waterway for the
shipment of oil, gas, fertilizer and other petroleum products. The U.S. is
blockading Iranian ports and has redirected 85 commercial vessels from mid-April
through Monday, U.S. Central Command said in a social media post. The U.S. and
Israel have said Iran can never have a nuclear weapon. 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. Officials say
Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates separately struck Iran. Two regional
officials and a western diplomat told the Associated Press that Saudi Arabia and
the United Arab Emirates separately launched multiple attacks on Iran and
Iranian-backed Shiite militias in Iraq, during the war. An Israeli military
officer with knowledge of the situation also confirmed that the UAE proactively
struck Iran at least once. All of them spoke on condition of anonymity due to
the sensitivity of the information. The regional officials said the strikes on
Iran targeted military facilities, including missile and drone launchers, mostly
belonging to the Revolutionary Guard Corps. One of those regional officials said
the strikes by Saudi Arabia targeted hideouts of Iraqi militias, mainly Kataib
Hezbollah, after Riyadh assessed that most of the drone attacks on Saudi Arabia
came from neighboring Iraq. He said Saudi Arabia has repeatedly briefed Baghdad
about the Iraqi-originated attacks before deciding to strike. The western
diplomat and one of the regional officials said the UAE had pushed for a
collective military response from the Gulf Arab countries since the onset of the
war. Asked for comment, the United Arab Emirates referred to a May 16 statement
by its Foreign Ministry that "all measures undertaken by the UAE have been
within the framework of defensive actions aimed at protecting its sovereignty,
civilians, and vital infrastructure, in line with the country's legitimate right
to safeguard its national security and maintain its stability." Saudi Arabia did
not immediately respond to a request for comment. Iran has also not publicly
addressed being targeted by the UAE and Saudi Arabia. Following claims that
attacks on Saudi Arabia and the UAE had been launched from Iraqi territory, the
Iraqi prime minister also ordered an investigation. Iraq's government did not
respond to requests for comments.
Iran-US talks show ‘good signs’ but Hormuz, uranium issues remain
Reuters/22 May ,2026
Iran’s foreign minister met Pakistan’s interior minister on Friday to discuss
proposals to end the US-Israeli war, Iranian media reported, with Tehran and
Washington still at odds over Tehran’s uranium stockpile and controls on the
Strait of Hormuz. Two days after presenting the Iranians with the latest US
message in the negotiations, Syed Mohsin Naqvi held another round of talks with
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi in Tehran, the semi-official Tasnim and
ISNA news agencies reported. Naqvi was facilitating communication to try and
achieve a framework for ending the war and resolving differences, ISNA reported.
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio told reporters on Thursday there had been
“some good signs” in the talks, but there could be no solution if Tehran
enforced a tolling system in the strait, which it effectively closed to most
shipping after the war began on February 28. “There’s some good signs,” Rubio
said. “I don’t want to be overly optimistic ... So, let’s see what happens over
the next few days.”A senior Iranian source told Reuters on Thursday that gaps
had been narrowed, although uranium enrichment and the strait remained among the
sticking points.The war has wreaked havoc on the global economy, with the surge
in oil prices stoking fears of rampant inflation. About a fifth of the world’s
oil and liquefied natural gas shipments travelled through the strait before the
war. The US dollar was near its highest level in six weeks on Friday amid the
uncertainty over the peace talks, while oil prices climbed as investors doubted
the prospects of a breakthrough. “We’re coming to the end of week 12, we’re six
weeks in the ceasefire, and I’m just not really that convinced we’re any closer
to a resolution between the US and Iran,” Tony Sycamore, a market analyst at IG,
said of the Middle East war.
Report: US prepares for new military strikes against Iran
Naharnet/May 22, 2026
The Trump administration was preparing Friday for a fresh round of military
strikes against Iran, sources with direct knowledge of the planning told U.S. TV
network CBS, even as diplomacy continued. No final decision on strikes had been
reached as of Friday afternoon Washington time.
"Circumstances pertaining to Government" are keeping President Trump from
attending his son Donald Trump Jr.'s wedding this weekend, he said in a social
media post. The president had planned to spend Memorial Day weekend at his golf
property in New Jersey but will now return to the White House. Some members of
the U.S. military and intelligence community canceled their plans for the
Memorial Day weekend in anticipation of possible strikes, several sources said.
Defense and intelligence officials began updating recall rosters for U.S.
installations overseas as tranches of troops stationed in the Middle East rotate
out of theater, part of an effort to reduce the American military footprint in
the region amid concern about possible Iranian retaliation. The U.S. and Iran
have largely refrained from striking each other since a temporary ceasefire
began in early April, buying time for indirect talks on a longer-term deal.
White House spokesperson Anna Kelly told CBS News that Trump has "made his
redlines abundantly clear: Iran can never possess a nuclear weapon, and they
cannot keep their enriched uranium.""The President always maintains all options
at all times, and it is the job of the Pentagon to be ready to execute any
decision the Commander-in-Chief could make," Kelly said. "The President has been
clear about the consequences if Iran fails to make a deal."
Iran's Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps warned Wednesday that any further
strikes against the country from the United States or Israel could widen the
conflict beyond the Middle East, promising "crushing blows … in places you
cannot even imagine."
Tehran is reviewing the latest U.S. proposal for a possible agreement to end the
nearly three-month war that has rattled energy markets and resulted in soaring
fuel prices. The proposal was transmitted to Iran on Wednesday, according to a
source who told CBS News that it was also accompanied by a warning that
rejecting this so-called final offer would mean military strikes would resume.
"Iran is dying to make a deal," Trump said Friday. "We'll see what happens."The
president said Wednesday he was prepared to give Tehran "a couple of days" to
respond to the latest U.S. offer. He added that his team was "pretty impressed"
by Iran's negotiators, but cautioned that the administration would need
assurances substantial enough to prevent the conflict from reigniting. A
response is imminently expected to be transmitted via Pakistan, which has been
acting as an intermediary. Before boarding a flight to India, Secretary of State
Marco Rubio told reporters that the U.S. expected to receive a response via the
Pakistani field marshal, who has acted as the primary conduit of communication
with Iran on behalf of the Trump administration. Rubio claimed that Trump
preferred diplomacy to strikes and said progress had been made, though he
indicated there was more work to be done. Rubio also referenced conversations
from meetings in Sweden with NATO members about how to reopen the Strait of
Hormuz through military force, an effort he referred to as "Plan B" if Iran did
not agree to do so itself. In Washington, House Republicans on Thursday
abandoned an effort to hold a vote limiting President Trump's authority to
conduct military operations against Iran after concluding they lacked the votes
needed to stop the resolution from advancing.
House Republicans delay Iran war powers vote in boost for Trump
Reuters/22 May ,2026
Republican leaders of the US House of Representatives unexpectedly canceled a
vote on Thursday on a resolution seeking to end the Iran war unless President
Donald Trump obtains Congress’ authorization, two days after a similar measure
advanced in the US Senate.
The vote had been scheduled to take place late Thursday afternoon, just before
lawmakers left Washington for their Memorial Day recess. The House had blocked
three previous war powers resolutions in close votes earlier this year, with
near-unanimous support from Republicans, underscoring the strong backing for the
Iran war and the president within his party. But the margins had become
increasingly narrow – the last resolution failed on a tie vote – as weeks passed
since the US and Israel began striking Iran on February 28. Thursday’s measure
looked likely to pass, given expected defections by a handful of Republicans and
the absences of others. “We had the votes without question, and they knew it,”
Representative Gregory Meeks, the top Democrat on the House Foreign Affairs
Committee, told reporters after the vote was canceled. He said the chamber’s
Republican leaders had delayed the vote until early June, after the Memorial Day
recess. Democrats, and a few Republicans, have called on Trump to come to
Congress for authorization to use military force, noting that the US
Constitution says that Congress, not the president, can declare war. They have
expressed concerns that Trump may have entered the country into a long conflict
without setting out a clear strategy. Most Republicans, and the White House, say
Trump’s actions are legal and within his rights as commander-in-chief to protect
the US by ordering limited military operations to stop imminent threats.
Republicans control narrow majorities in both the House and Senate. On Tuesday,
the Senate advanced a separate, but similar, war powers resolution, in a rare
rebuke of Trump. That procedural vote on whether to advance the measure for
further votes was 50 to 47, as four of Trump’s fellow Republicans voted with
every Senate Democrat but one in favor. Three Republicans missed that vote.
Italy, France, UK, Germany urge Israel to end settlement
expansion
Agence France Presse/May 22, 2026
Italy, France, Britain and Germany urged Israel on Friday to stop expanding its
settlements in the West Bank, condemning settler violence and warning
construction companies not to bid for tenders. "We call on the government of
Israel to end its expansion of settlements and administrative powers, ensure
accountability for settler violence and investigate allegations against Israeli
forces," said the countries in a joint statement, noting that violence against
Palestinians by settlers was at "unprecedented levels".
Rubio tells NATO allies to face up to troop cuts in Europe
LBCI/May 22, 2026
Secretary of State Marco Rubio told Washington's NATO allies Friday to face up
to U.S. troop cuts in Europe, as the alliance sought to patch over tensions with
President Donald Trump ahead of a July summit. After Trump lashed out at allies
over their response to his war in Iran, his administration sowed confusion in
Europe with a string of announcements on force changes on the continent in the
past month. Trump left heads spinning as NATO foreign ministers met in the
Swedish city of Helsingborg by announcing he would send 5,000 troops to Poland,
in an apparent reversal of Washington earlier calling off the planned
deployment. The shift was welcomed by NATO chief Mark Rutte and Poland's foreign
minister, but it fuelled concerns about a lack of coordination between the
United States and its allies in the face of a menacing Russia.
"It is confusing indeed, and not always easy to navigate," said Swedish Foreign
Minister Maria Malmer Stenergard. Trump's seeming U-turn came after Washington
earlier this month abruptly announced it was withdrawing 5,000 troops from
Germany following a spat between the U.S. president and Chancellor Friedrich
Merz. After the meeting, Rubio insisted it was "well understood in the alliance
that the United States troop presence in Europe is going to be adjusted." "That
work was already ongoing, and it's been done in coordination with our allies,"
he told journalists. "I'm not saying they're going to be thrilled about it, but
they certainly are aware of it."The U.S. top diplomat signalled that Washington
would soon also announce that it was cutting the number of troops it puts at
NATO's disposal in case of an emergency. A string of NATO ministers agreed that
U.S. drawdowns were widely expected as Washington focuses on other threats and
Europe ramps up its defences. "What is important is that it happens in a
structured manner, so that Europe is able to build up when the U.S. reduces its
presence," Norwegian foreign minister Espen Barth Eide said. AFP
Ukraine says hit military headquarters in
Russia-occupied town
LBCI/May 22, 2026
Ukraine's General Staff said on Friday it had hit a Russian military unit's
headquarters around the Russian-occupied town of Starobilsk, denying it had
targeted civilians, after Moscow accused it of a deadly strike that killed six
people. It said in a statement that its forces had struck "one of the
headquarters of the 'Rubikon' unit in the area of the city of Starobilsk,"
adding that "manipulative information is being actively spread in Russian media
about alleged strikes by the Armed Forces of Ukraine on civilian infrastructure
facilities."AFP
Turkiye’s Erdogan shuts liberal Istanbul university
AFP/May 22, 2026
ISTANBUL: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday ordered the closure
of a top independent university with liberal leanings in the middle of the
school year, according to an official decree. The decree, published in the
official journal, revokes the operating license for Istanbul’s Bilgi University,
which has more than 20,000 students from Turkiye and abroad, with some of its
researchers renowned in their fields.The closure was effective immediately. As
grounds for the move, the edict cites a law allowing for the closure of a
private institution if “the expected level of education and training... is
insufficient.”Turkiye’s Council of Higher Education (YOK) promised to take “the
necessary measures” to ensure the students at the social sciences university,
who were due to sit end-of-year exams in June, “suffer no harm.” YOK did not say
whether the students would be taken in by other institutions in the coming
weeks, nor how they would be able to complete their academic year. “An
institution built with 30 years of effort was effectively shut down overnight,”
Yaman Akdeniz, a Bilgi professor of law, wrote on X. “The constitution is clear
— universities are established by law and their closure can only occur by law as
well. “But who cares?” he said. “In an era without justice or fair trials, it
seems the next item on the agenda was to shut down an entire university... We
will never remain silent in the face of this lawlessness.”The university had
been run by a court-appointed administrator since last year, after its Turkish
parent company was caught up in a money-laundering and tax fraud sweep. Founded
in 1996, Bilgi is known for its liberal politics. It takes part in the European
Union’s Erasmus exchange program and welcomes many European and international
students every year.
on 22-23 May/2026
Sell Arms to Taiwan Now: China Is Bluffing
Gordon G. Chang/Gatestone
Institute/May 22, 2026
As an initial matter, China's regime has no red lines and no principles. It
moves its "lines" as a result of changing perceptions of its own bargaining
position.
At the moment, Xi's favored form of diplomacy is intimidation, so he tries to
make it appear that he will never change his positions.... [E]verything,
including Taiwan, is ultimately negotiable for him.
The inability of the Chinese military gives the U.S. the cost-free opportunity
to arm Taiwan.
Taiwan...is not a "bargaining chip." Taiwan to American security.
Taiwan prevents China's navy and air force from surging into the Pacific and
threatening America and our democratic allies, such as Australia, Japan and the
Philippines, close to home.Taiwan guards the approaches to two American treaty
allies, Japan and the Philippines. After the catastrophic withdrawal from
Afghanistan, Taiwan has become a key test of American credibility and resolve.
Ceding the island would undoubtedly embolden a territorially hungry Beijing.
Finally, the cause of democracy would suffer an enormous blow if totalitarian
China were to take over democratic Taiwan.
"Not selling weapons [to Taiwan] will show Xi Jinping that America can be cowed
by threats, and that will in turn help unravel the U.S. alliance structure in
Asia." -- Richard Fisher, the International Assessment and Strategy Center, to
Gatestone Institute, May 19, 2026
Defending Taiwan, therefore, is defending America.
The decisions on arms packages, most immediately, will show whether Trump is
afraid of Xi Jinping. If the American president cannot do something in America's
direct interest because it would anger China, Trump will implicitly admit that
Beijing owns the White House. A failure to sell arms would, significantly, look
like a violation of the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, which requires the United
States to, among other things, "provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive
character."
Taiwan, despite what Trump said after the summit, is not the party trying to
change the status quo. In fact, the People's Republic has never exercised
control over Taiwan, and no Chinese regime has ever held indisputable
sovereignty over the island.
There is, however, one thing we can agree to with Xi: America needs to handle
the Taiwan issue "properly": It is time to tell him -- in public if necessary --
that Taiwan is none of his business.
Defending Taiwan is defending America. A failure to sell arms would,
significantly, look like a violation of the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, which
requires the United States to, among other things, "provide Taiwan with arms of
a defensive character."
"The Taiwan question is the most important issue in China-U.S. relations," Xi
Jinping told President Donald Trump during their summit this month, according to
Foreign Ministry spokesperson Mao Ning. "If it is handled properly, the
bilateral relationship will enjoy overall stability. Otherwise, the two
countries will have clashes and even conflicts, putting the entire relationship
in great jeopardy."
"The Taiwan Question," according to China's embassy in Washington, is the first
of "the four red lines" in China-U.S. relations that "must not be challenged."
The People's Republic of China, however, is bluffing.
As an initial matter, China's regime has no red lines and no principles. It
moves its "lines" as a result of changing perceptions of its own bargaining
position. Furthermore, throughout the history of the People's Republic the
country's external policies have been tightly bound to internal political
intrigue and have changed accordingly. At the moment, Xi's favored form of
diplomacy is intimidation, so he tries to make it appear that he will never
change his positions.
Nonetheless, for Xi, everything is ultimately negotiable -- including Taiwan.
Xi has to negotiate. China's military is not now able to carry through on his
threats to use force to annex Taiwan. His intensifying purges of generals and
admirals have left no operational officers on the Communist Party's Central
Military Commission, the top of the military. Close coordination is necessary to
launch a complex air-land-sea invasion of the main island of Taiwan. Moreover,
to invade, Xi would have to give some flag officer almost complete control over
the People's Liberation Army, making that figure the most powerful in China.
That is probably not something he is willing to do at this moment.
Moreover, it is becoming evident that China's senior officers, for various
reasons, do not want to undertake such a risky operation, which is why Xi often
tells them, "Dare to fight." The inability of the Chinese military gives the
U.S. the cost-free opportunity to arm Taiwan. In December, the Trump
administration approved a $11.1 billion package of weapons, the largest American
arms package for Taiwan ever.
Yet Trump delivered a big gift to China by saying that a pending $14 billion
sale is a "very good negotiating chip" for the U.S., a comment made to Fox
anchor Bret Baier in an interview t aired after the summit. "I'm holding that in
abeyance, and it depends on China," he said.
Taiwan, however, is not a "bargaining chip." Taiwan is absolutely critical to
American security: The island has a "Silicon Shield": One of its companies,
Taiwan Semiconductor Manufacturing Co., makes about 92% of the world's most
sophisticated microchips.
Taiwan prevents China's navy and air force from surging into the Pacific and
threatening America and its democratic allies, such as Australia, Japan and the
Philippines, close to home.
Since the 1800s, Washington has drawn its western defense perimeter off the
coast of East Asia, and Taiwan sits at the center of that line, where the South
China Sea meets the East China Sea. Taiwan guards the approaches to two American
treaty allies, Japan and the Philippines. After the catastrophic withdrawal from
Afghanistan, Taiwan has become a key test of American credibility and resolve.
Ceding the island would undoubtedly embolden a territorially hungry Beijing.
Finally, the cause of democracy would suffer an enormous blow if totalitarian
China were to take over democratic Taiwan.
"A failure to arm Taiwan will not only increase China's temptation to attack but
also undermine U.S. strategic credibility in Tokyo, Seoul, and Manila, whose
cooperation is essential for America to deter China," Richard Fisher of the
International Assessment and Strategy Center told Gatestone. "Through his first
term and into his second, Trump has exceeded the quality and quantity of weapons
his predecessors sold to Taiwan. Not selling weapons will show Xi Jinping that
America can be cowed by threats, and that will in turn help unravel the U.S.
alliance structure in Asia."
In addition, Taiwan is America's best shield in the information war China is
waging against the U.S. "The Communist Party cannot accept the optics of a
thriving, democratic Taiwan on full display for the people of the mainland,
oppressed, organ-harvested, and social credit-scored," Blaine Holt, a retired
U.S. Air Force general and now China watcher, told this publication.
Defending Taiwan, therefore, is defending America.
The decisions on arms packages, most immediately, will show whether Trump is
afraid of Xi Jinping. If the American president cannot do something in America's
direct interest because it would anger China, Trump will implicitly admit that
Beijing owns the White House. A failure to sell arms would, significantly, look
like a violation of the Taiwan Relations Act of 1979, which requires the United
States to, among other things, "provide Taiwan with arms of a defensive
character."
Will Trump approve the $14 billion arms sale? After the summit, Trump adopted
China's false framing of the Taiwan issue. "They have somebody there now that
wants to go independent," he said to Baier, referring to Taiwan President Lai
Ching-te.
Taiwan, however, already is independent. It is a state with all the attributes
of sovereignty listed in the Montevideo Convention of 1933. Taiwan, after all,
is the Republic of China, totally separate and apart from the People's Republic
of China.
Taiwan, despite what Trump said after the summit, is not the party trying to
change the status quo. In fact, the People's Republic of China has never
exercised any control whatsoever over Taiwan, and no Chinese regime has ever
held indisputable sovereignty over the island. There is, however, one thing we
can agree on with Xi: America needs to handle the Taiwan issue "properly": It is
time to tell him -- in public if necessary -- that Taiwan is none of his
business.
**Gordon G. Chang is the author of Plan Red: China's Project to Destroy America,
a Gatestone Institute distinguished senior fellow, and a member of its Advisory
Board.
**Follow Gordon G. Chang on X (formerly Twitter)
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
Question: Why did God
miraculously take Enoch and Elijah to heaven?
GotQuestions.org/May 22/2026
Answer: According to the Bible, Enoch and Elijah are the only two people God
took to heaven without their dying. Genesis 5:24 says, “Enoch walked faithfully
with God; then he was no more, because God took him away.” Second Kings 2:11
relates the earth-to-heaven translation of Elijah: “As they [Elijah and Elisha]
were walking along and talking together, suddenly a chariot of fire and horses
of fire appeared and separated the two of them, and Elijah went up to heaven in
a whirlwind.”
Enoch was a seventh-generation descendant of Adam through Seth. He was the
father of Methuselah and great-grandfather of Noah. Genesis 5:24 describes Enoch
as a man who walked “faithfully with God” (NIV) or “in close fellowship with
God” (NLT). The name Enoch may originate from a Semitic word meaning “to
dedicate, initiate.” Enoch was 365 years old when “he disappeared, because God
took him” to heaven (Genesis 5:24, NLT). Some scholars believe Psalms 49:15 and
73:24 are references to Enoch’s story.
Elijah lived many centuries after Enoch during the reigns of kings Ahab and
Ahaziah when Israel existed as a divided kingdom. Elijah was a worker of
spectacular miracles, including the calling forth of drought and rain (see 1
Kings 17:1, 17–24; 18:16–46). He was perhaps the most powerful of God’s prophets
in the Old Testament. Elijah rather fittingly means, “My God is Yahweh [the
Lord].” Elijah spent his prophetic energies proving that Yahweh was superior to
the false god Baal. The Bible says Elijah was walking and talking with his
understudy, Elisha, when the two prophets were separated by a chariot of fire
pulled by flaming horses. Suddenly, Elijah was carried up into heaven in a
whirlwind.
Why did God take Enoch and Elijah? The Bible does not specifically give us the
answer; therefore, we can only speculate.
Enoch and Elijah had one primary trait in common—they were both exceptionally
faithful in serving and obeying the Lord. Perhaps for this reason, God desired
to spare them from experiencing death.
Enoch lived during an exceedingly evil period in world history, right before the
Flood. Almost every living person had rejected God, becoming wholly corrupt, and
the world was full of violence (see Genesis 6:5–12). However, Enoch stood for
righteousness and refused to be silent about the sinfulness all around him.
According to Jude, Enoch prophesied against his wicked generation: “See, the
Lord is coming with thousands upon thousands of his holy ones to judge everyone,
and to convict all of them of all the ungodly acts they have committed in their
ungodliness, and of all the defiant words ungodly sinners have spoken against
him” (Jude 1:14–15). The author of Hebrews seems to suggest that Enoch was taken
to heaven without dying because his great faith pleased God: “It was by faith
that Enoch was taken up to heaven without dying—‘he disappeared, because God
took him.’ For before he was taken up, he was known as a person who pleased God”
(Hebrews 11:5, NLT). Some hypothesize that Enoch and Elijah were taken to heaven
in preparation for a strategic role in end-times events. Malachi prophesied that
God would send Elijah back before “that great and dreadful day of the Lord
comes” (Malachi 4:5). Some thought Jesus might be Elijah returned (Matthew
16:14; Mark 6:15). Elijah “appeared in glorious splendor” with Moses on the
Mount of Transfiguration to discuss with Jesus His soon departure (Matthew
17:1–8; Mark 9:2–8; Luke 9:28–36).
A conceivable theory is that the two witnesses of Revelation 11:3–12 are Enoch
and Elijah. Neither is mentioned by name, but both have the “power to shut up
the heavens so that it will not rain during the time they are prophesying; and
they have power to turn the waters into blood and to strike the earth with every
kind of plague as often as they want” (verse 6). While this inference is
possible, it is not explicitly taught in the Bible.
Whatever the reason, God had His purpose for taking Enoch and Elijah to heaven
without their dying. We can’t always understand the Lord’s plans and ways in our
finite human state (Isaiah 55:9), but we can trust and know that “his way is
perfect” (Psalm 18:30).
Do All Roads Lead to Beijing?
Amir Taheri/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 22/2026
Imagine you are a nation’s leader facing problems or seeking to underline your
legitimacy on global stage, where will you go in pursuit of those goals? In
ancient times, all roads led to Rome or Susa where two great empires set the
tune in large chunks of the three continents known at the time. In the age of
European imperialism, the obvious destinations were London, Paris and Petrograd.
During the Cold War, Washington and Moscow were the obvious destinations. After
the USSR collapsed, Washington was seen as the first source of authority with
the United Nations as a distant second. In the past decade, the UN has lost much
of its aura as a source of moral authority let alone meaningful material
relevance. Two of its veto-holding members have been engaged in wars of choice
while a third one has been branded a gross violator of human rights. Despite all
the talk about a multipolar world system- a meaningless conceit because if you
have more than two poles you won’t have a polar system- Washington has emerged
as the favored destination for leaders seeking help or legitimacy.
Under President Donald Trump, however, going to Washington has become a toss-up
on which the visitor has no control. Instead of enhancing your legitimacy, you
might end up being humiliated on live TV or sent packing after hearing a
monologue about how bad Obama and Biden were.
In such a context, it is no surprise that Beijing is seen by many leaders as the
must destination especially when one is in trouble or seeking political and
economic support.
Thus, it was no coincidence that Trump and Russian President Vladimir Putin
visited Beijing almost in the same timeframe. China’s President Xi Jinping gave
both visitors exactly the same reception while granting neither any of the
things they demanded. The red carpet was unrolled, the cannons roared 21 times
and children waved flags and cheered the honored guests but no pens were drawn
to sign the deals. Trump had hoped to get help on persuading Iran to offer
concessions needed to reach a deal to end the current war. He also wanted Xi to
finalize deals on the purchase of 300 Boeings and huge quantities of soy beans,
among other goods, from the US. Xi kept a Mona Lisa smile but went no further.
He made an enigmatic reference to his pet subject of Taiwan citing the
Thucydides trap and warned of “discord.”
Anti-Trump pundits translated the old Mandarin word for “discord” as “conflict”
or even “war” to claim Trump was threatened but went TACO. In fact, there was no
threat and Xi’s reference to the Thucydides trap was about a change on the
status quo rather than depicting China as a rising power to replace the US as a
retiring one. (I explained the Thucydides trap as a concept in an article in
this newspaper on March 26, 2021).
In fact, Trump acted with exemplary discipline and gently reminded Xi that the
US remains the indispensable power. He also made it clear that China has more to
lose from the blockades in the Strait of Hormuz if only because some 40 percent
of its energy needs pass through it while the US has the power go allow Chinese
tankers to pass.
If blocking maritime passages becomes the norm, what will the closure of the
Strait of Malacca by littoral states allied to the US would do to Chinese global
trade? Xi gave Putin almost the same treatment with pomp and ceremony but
without any concrete results. Putin had hoped to finalize a deal in a new
Siberian oil and gas pipeline that has been negotiated for almost a decade. Xi,
however, was determined not to walk into the trap that Russian set for the
European Union with the Nordstream pipelines. Thus, Putin too ended with a
Mona Lisa smile from Xi but nothing to write home about.
Misunderstanding what China is today and might have tomorrow could have
disastrous consequences. To treat China as a mere regional power is as wrong and
dangerous as elevating it to the status of the new superpower. Xi seems
determined to learn from the experience of the US as a superpower paying a heavy
price in blood and treasure to ensure the security of allies and protectorates
but ending up with open or implied anti-Americanism. And that is not taking into
account unintended consequences. For example, few people remember that Iran’s
nuclear project was started by American money and expertise in 1959, and that
the first generation of Iranian nuclear-scientists were trained in US
universities.
China is certainly more than a regional power as Obama and Biden supposed. But
nor is it the global superpower that the “End of America” chorus is singing
about. It is going through a scientific and technological revolution
unprecedented since the start of the Industrial Revolution in England. Each year
its training more engineers than the US and EU combined.
It is also building its military power at top speed with special emphasis on
projection of naval power. Nevertheless, China is still some distance away from
acquiring a credible blue-water navy capable of projecting power across the
globe. Xi’s genius as a leader lies in his understanding of the risks involved
in playing big power. China is the only major power to know where and when it is
time to pack and leave a trouble spot rather than stay and fight for an
uncertain denouement.
Xi’s priorities remain the maintenance of economic growth, the elevation if
living standards for two-thirds of the population still close to poverty lines.
Then there is the problem of an aging population and a falling birth rate which
cannot be corrected with waves of immigration as is the case in the US or the
EU. Then there is the fact that China remains a second rate contestants in terms
of soft power despite ambitious plans in all cultural domains.
Meanwhile, the brouhaha from China-bashers or Chinamaniacs like the late Henry
Kissinger notwithstanding, I think China should be treated as a stabilizing
power rather than a perturbateur as French intellectuals suggest. The obnoxious
“yellow Peril” discourse did much damage to both China and the rest of the
world. To his credit Trump seems to have understood that. He remained firm and
demonstrated his leverage but treated Xi with respect.
All roads do not end in Beijing; but some certainly do. My guess is that Xi will
not invade Taiwan because he knows the Confucian concept of “active waiting.”
Decades ago, President Hu Jintao was asked why had China waited so long to
regain sovereignty over Hong Kong and Macao? “Things take time,” he said with
the typical Chinese Mona Lisa smile.
World's Outer Appearance and Inner Reality in the Eyes of Iran's Leaders
Mishary Dhayidi/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 22/2026
US President Donald Trump is engaged in yet another battle with the US liberal
media, including The New York Times and CNN. At its core is Trump's accusation
that these liberal news organizations have let down the American people and
nation in their confrontation with the Iranian regime by adopting Iranian
propaganda in their coverage of the war.
One could say this is an old battle in a new form, though the headline is
different this time. It is only natural for the president and members of his
administration to be angered when the narrative presented by the US media does
not align with that of the Pentagon, the White House, and Trump's own steady
stream of statements and social media posts, sometimes more than once a day. One
might even say it is the wish of every ruler. But does that mean outlets such as
The New York Times and CNN should be absolved of political bias in their
coverage of this war?
These platforms, and those behind them, have been at odds with Trump long before
the current conflict, indeed with the entire Trump movement. For that reason, it
is difficult to take their narrative as entirely disinterested. Earlier on
Thursday, CNN, citing two sources familiar with US intelligence assessments,
reported that Iran had already resumed some drone production activities during
the ceasefire that began in early April. The report also quoted four sources as
saying that US intelligence indicates the Iranian military is rebuilding its
ranks at a much faster pace than initially expected.A US official also told CNN
that the Iranians have exceeded all the timelines that intelligence agencies had
projected for reconstruction.
Setting aside CNN’s political leanings, taking such information seriously is a
matter of prudence. Indeed, it is probably closer to reality. I do not mean to
downplay the severe damage inflicted on Iran’s military capabilities by US and
Israeli forces, as CNN would like to emphasize. Rather, I mean that the leaders
of Iran’s regime operate with one visible mode of behavior and another concealed
one in the realm of politics.It is through this lens that one should approach
the world of Khomeinist politics. In the visible world, we see figures such as
Zarif, Araghchi, and perhaps Ghalibaf, along with their cultural and media
networks in the West. But in the hidden world, there is a different
interpretation of both the world and politics.
What I mean is that even if the president of the United States were Obama,
Carter, or even Robert De Niro himself, it would not deter Iran’s leaders from
their commitment to that inner world, which, in their view, is the true world.
They see themselves as bearers of a mission to lead the world. That is their
fundamental truth.
Al-Qadi al-Nu'man, one of the philosophers of esoteric thought, wrote in one of
his books that everything perceptible must have an outer and an inner dimension.
Its outer aspect is what the senses apprehend, while its inner aspect is what
contains it and is encompassed by knowledge as residing within it. The outer
aspect includes and envelops the inner. I am not suggesting that dealings with
the Iranian regime should be confined to this concept alone. What I am saying is
that it should not be ignored, if only for the sake of understanding.
The UK-GCC Free Trade Agreement Has Concluded. And This is
Just the Beginning.
Sarah Mooney/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 22/2026
The UK and the GCC have been negotiating a Free Trade Agreement for nearly four
years. It has been a journey that has required patience, determination, and a
shared belief in the profound potential of this partnership.
The hard work has paid off. Concluding this landmark Free Trade Agreement with
the GCC makes the UK the first G7 nation to strike such a deal with the
six-member bloc comprising Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the
United Arab Emirates. This trade agreement is a transformative economic
partnership that will bring economic growth to the UK and the GCC economies.
This deal is estimated to add £3.7 billion annually to the UK economy in the
long run when compared to 2040 projections, and boost bilateral trade by nearly
20%.
It builds on strong relationships between the UK and Gulf nations that are
underpinned by a long history of trade, investment, cultural ties and people to
people connections, in addition to sustained defense and security cooperation,
including defensive military support in the face of Iranian aggression.
Strong foundations build resilience
As a trading nation, the UK's global trade relationships are paramount.
But the landscape in which we operate faces unprecedented challenges. By working
in partnership with the nations of the GCC, we aim to better the lives and
livelihoods of our citizens and residents through trade and investment.
Iran’s reckless attacks have impacted individuals and businesses in the region.
We stand in solidarity with our Gulf partners, working in tandem to secure a
long-term, sustainable solution. We are confident in this region’s bright
future, and the role the UK plays in it.
This agreement didn't happen overnight. It builds on the strong and historic
bilateral relationships developed between the UK and each individual nation of
the GCC.
What makes this deal particularly powerful is the complementary nature of our
economies. The UK's world-class services expertise aligns perfectly with the
GCC's economic diversification goals, while bilateral investment boosts
innovation and knowledge transfer, strengthening industry in both the UK and the
GCC. This is evident in the investment flows already in place – total foreign
direct investment, portfolio investments, and other financial assets between the
UK and Gulf Arabian countries totaled approximately nearly half a trillion
pounds at the end of 2023.
Breaking new ground for businesses
Overall, this is the most comprehensive deal the GCC has ever concluded,
breaking new ground in areas crucial to business growth.
For our digital economy, the agreement enables UK companies to store data
outside the GCC bloc – eliminating the need for costly data centers in the
region. It also commits both sides to cooperation on emerging technologies like
AI, creating opportunities for our tech industry to play an important role in
the region's digital transformation.
For UK manufacturers, the elimination of tariffs on exports in sectors like
automotive, aerospace, and electronics will open new markets and strengthen
supply chains. Meanwhile, our pharmaceutical and medical device firms will
benefit from reduced barriers, lowering costs for both businesses and consumers.
For services firms – which comprise over 50% of UK exports to the region – this
agreement delivers unprecedented certainty and market access. It locks in
valuable legal certainty for professional services like insurance, legal
services, and engineering by addressing market access barriers, improving
regulatory transparency, and restricting local presence requirements.
The agreement also cuts red tape for travel visas, ensuring processes will be
fair, efficient, easier to navigate, and digital – facilitating the
people-to-people connections that underpin successful business relationships.
The beginning of a new chapter
Making trade between us easier, quicker, and cheaper will help strengthen vital
supply chains and protect our critical industries, businesses, and consumers
from shocks to global trade.
This deal demonstrates that the UK and the GCC are trusted partners at a time of
international volatility and trade uncertainty. It strengthens our strategic
position on the world stage.
For businesses across both regions, the message is clear: together, we are
removing barriers to trade and creating a framework for sustained growth and
partnership. The UK-GCC Free Trade Agreement stands as a powerful example of how
complementary economies can work together to create prosperity in an
increasingly complex global landscape.
Almost four years of negotiation have brought us to this moment. Our focus now
is taking the steps in our respective systems so that the agreement can enter
into force, and businesses can start to use it. But the real rewards – for
businesses, investors, and people on both sides – lie ahead. The framework is in
place, and now is the time to build on it.
Selected Face Book & X tweets for May 22/2026