English LCCC Newsbulletin For Le

English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For May 24/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news

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Bible Quotations For today
Pentecost Sunday: If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever.
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John 14/15-26/:”‘If you love me, you will keep my commandments. And I will ask the Father, and he will give you another Advocate, to be with you for ever. This is the Spirit of truth, whom the world cannot receive, because it neither sees him nor knows him. You know him, because he abides with you, and he will be in you. ‘I will not leave you orphaned; I am coming to you. In a little while the world will no longer see me, but you will see me; because I live, you also will live. On that day you will know that I am in my Father, and you in me, and I in you. They who have my commandments and keep them are those who love me; and those who love me will be loved by my Father, and I will love them and reveal myself to them.’ Judas (not Iscariot) said to him, ‘Lord, how is it that you will reveal yourself to us, and not to the world?’ Jesus answered him, ‘Those who love me will keep my word, and my Father will love them, and we will come to them and make our home with them. Whoever does not love me does not keep my words; and the word that you hear is not mine, but is from the Father who sent me. ‘I have said these things to you while I am still with you. But the Advocate, the Holy Spirit, whom the Father will send in my name, will teach you everything, and remind you of all that I have said to you.

Titles For Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on 23-24 May/2026
Iran, US and mediator Pakistan report progress in talks on ending war
Rubio says ‘chance’ of Iran accepting deal as soon as Saturday
Iran offers to reopen Strait of Hormuz in exchange for US compensation, sources say
Iran weighs peace proposal, accuses US of 'excessive demands'
Trump tells CBS that US, Iran 'getting a lot closer' to agreement
Report: US prepares for new military strikes against Iran
US mulls new strikes on Iran: Media reports
Ghalibaf tells Munir Iran military rebuilt during ceasefire, warns Trump against war
IRGC-trained operative plotted to assassinate Ivanka Trump: Report
France bans Israel’s Ben-Gvir from entering country, urges EU sanctions
Israeli strike kills Gaza boy and five police officers, police say
Taiwan security chief says China deployed ‘over 100 vessels’ in regional waters
China authorities lower mine blast death toll to 82: State media
Pakistan PM arrives for China visit overshadowed by Iran war
Uganda confirms new Ebola cases, linked to DR Congo

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on 23-24 May/2026
Iran, US and mediator Pakistan report progress in talks on ending war
Rubio says ‘chance’ of Iran accepting deal as soon as Saturday
Iran offers to reopen Strait of Hormuz in exchange for US compensation, sources say
Iran weighs peace proposal, accuses US of 'excessive demands'
Trump tells CBS that US, Iran 'getting a lot closer' to agreement
Report: US prepares for new military strikes against Iran
US mulls new strikes on Iran: Media reports
Ghalibaf tells Munir Iran military rebuilt during ceasefire, warns Trump against war
IRGC-trained operative plotted to assassinate Ivanka Trump: Report
France bans Israel’s Ben-Gvir from entering country, urges EU sanctions
Israeli strike kills Gaza boy and five police officers, police say
Taiwan security chief says China deployed ‘over 100 vessels’ in regional waters
China authorities lower mine blast death toll to 82: State media
Pakistan PM arrives for China visit overshadowed by Iran war
Uganda confirms new Ebola cases, linked to DR Congo

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on 23-24 May/2026
President Trump: Please Do Not Leave the Iranian Regime in Place…We Waited More Than Four Decades for You, We Will Not Get Another Break/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Gatestone Institute/May 23, 2026Putin goes to Beijing: Why the Russo-Chinese relationship matters/Cornelia Meyer/Al Arabiya English/23 May ,2026
China's Way of Capitalizing on Opportunity/Dr. Amal Moussa/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 23/2026
A Difficult American Victory and an Impossible Iranian One/Hazem Saghieh/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 23/2026
Tehran’s Decision-Making Dilemma/Mohammed al-Rumaihi/Asharq Al-Awsat/May 23/2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets for May 23/2026

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.”

A Video Link to an interview with Journalist Mohamed Salam in which he demends "Foreign Guardianship" to Save Sunnis from Elimination!
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=24zU-5ZMoh0
May 23/2026
In a fiery, unfiltered, and highly provocative episode of #PowerOfLogic (#قوة_المنطق) hosted by journalist Abdul Rahman Dernayka on the El Haweyah platform, veteran political writer and journalist Mohamed Salam breaks all red lines, dropping political bombshells that are set to spark widespread controversy across Lebanon and the region.
With unprecedented boldness, Salam delivers a brutal reality check on the Lebanese political scene, addressing highly sensitive and critical issues:
The Political Demise of Sunnis in Lebanon: Why does Salam believe the Sunni sect has undergone a systematic elimination of its leaders, leaving it "orphaned" and desperately searching for a foreign "guardian" or sponsor?
Hezbollah's Grip on the State: How has Hezb**ollah completely infiltrated and hijacked the very "spinal cord" of the state, including its security and judicial institutions? What is the truth behind the unchecked weapons smuggling through the coast of Tyre?
The Sheikh Ahmad al-Assir Deal: Unveiling the backstage political maneuvers—is there a secret "pardon and exile" deal being cooked up to release Al-Assir? Which political factions in Sidon and Lebanon dread his return the most?
The Case for International Intervention: Why is Salam certain that the Lebanese constitution has been utterly humiliated, and that the only remaining solution is the deployment of joint international forces to enforce order and discipline the ruling elite?
An extraordinary episode that uncovers the hidden truths and challenges the status quo. Watch the full hard-hitting analysis now and subscribe for more exclusive political confrontations.

Lebanese soldier wounded in Israeli strike on Nabatieh barracks, army says
LBCI/May 23/2026
A Lebanese soldier was moderately injured following an Israeli strike that targeted an army barracks in the city of Nabatieh, according to a statement by the Lebanese army.
The army said one of its personnel sustained moderate injuries as a result of what it described as a hostile Israeli attack on the facility

Israel warns of imminent strikes on 10 Lebanese villages
LBCI/May 23/2026
Israel warned the residents of 10 villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes immediately to avoid planned airstrikes against alleged Hezbollah targets. "In light of Hezbollah's violation of the ceasefire agreement, the Israeli army is compelled to act forcefully against it. The Israeli army does not intend to harm you," military spokesman Avichay Adraee said. "For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move away from the villages and towns by a distance of no less than 1,000 meters into open areas."

Lebanon says 25 injured in Israeli strikes near Hiram Hospital in Tyre
LBCI/May 23/2026
Lebanon’s Public Health Emergency Operations Center said 25 members of the medical, nursing, and administrative staff at Hiram Hospital in the Tyre district were injured in varying degrees after Israeli airstrikes hit the immediate vicinity of the facility, causing significant damage.
The ministry said this is the second time in less than two months that the hospital has been placed at risk due to repeated Israeli strikes nearby, which it said constitute further evidence of violations of international humanitarian law protecting medical facilities. The ministry praised the staff at Hiram Hospital for continuing to carry out their duties despite the risks and commended health workers across the country who remain on the front lines, refusing to evacuate in order to continue providing emergency, medical, and healthcare services to those in need.

Israel strikes Bekaa and Tyre as other raids kill 10
Agence France Presse/May 23/2026
Israel staged fresh airstrikes in Lebanon on Saturday after earlier raids killed 10 people, according to media and the government in Beirut, targeting an area near the Syrian border. The state-run National News Agency said there were five Israeli airstrikes shortly before midnight in the mountainous Nabi Sreij area on the outskirts of Brital, which had been spared from attacks since an April 17 ceasefire with Hezbollah. An AFP correspondent in the southern city of Tyre reported hearing two blasts as one building on the outskirts was struck, then another inside the city, sending plumes of smoke into the air. Earlier, civil defense rescuers and municipality police worked to evacuate people from the neighborhood, using loudspeakers urging them to leave. Israel's military had issued two evacuation warnings via its Arabic-language spokesman Avichay Adraee, one for the Lebanese village of Burj Rahal, saying troops were acting against Hezbollah. Residents of two areas of Tyre were also told to leave, as they were "located near Hezbollah facilities that the (Israeli military) is about to operate against", Adraee said on X.
Exchanges of fire
Lebanon's health ministry said Israeli strikes killed 10 people on Friday, including six rescuers and a child in continued exchanges of fire. In a statement, the ministry said "six people were martyred", including two rescuers from the Risala Scouts association and a Syrian girl, in a strike on Deir Qanoun al-Nahr village near the city of Tyre. The association is linked with the Hezbollah-allied Amal Movement. An earlier strike on the southern town of Hanaway on Friday killed four rescuers from the Hezbollah-linked Islamic Health Committee, the ministry said. Separately, the Israeli military said early on Friday morning that it had killed two people close to the border. "IDF (Israeli army) surveillance identified two armed individuals moving in a suspicious manner hundreds of meters from Israeli territory, in southern Lebanon," it said in a Telegram post. "Following their identification and continuous monitoring by the IDF, the armed individuals were struck and eliminated in an aerial strike," the post said.
'Rage, might and tyranny' -
Hezbollah, meanwhile, said it had targeted Israeli troops and positions inside Lebanon and in northern Israel near the border. "We are fighting our enemy on the battlefield, and it has grown frustrated by the strength and heroism of our fighters... so it resorts to unleashing the hell of its rage, might and tyranny to destroy your villages and displace you," the head of Hezbollah's parliamentary bloc, Mohammad Raad, said in a message to supporters shared on Friday. He also repeated the group's denunciation of direct talks between Israel and Lebanon. It came after the United States announced sanctions against nine Hezbollah-linked individuals it accused of "obstructing the peace process in Lebanon". These included two Lebanese military officers accused of sharing information with the group. Since 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. 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 (six miles) inside Lebanon along the border. Lebanon's health ministry said on Friday that Israeli attacks have killed at least 3,111 people since the wider regional war began.Israel's military has reported the death of 22 personnel during the fighting. Last week, the fragile ceasefire was extended for 45 days following a third round of direct talks between Lebanese and Israeli representatives in Washington, discussions that Hezbollah staunchly opposes.

South Lebanon Hospital Damaged in Israeli Strikes
Asharq Al Awsat/May 20/2026
Israel kept up strikes on Lebanon on Saturday, hours after overnight raids on the country's south and east, including one that damaged a hospital, its chief executive told AFP. Lebanon's state-run National News Agency (NNA) reported Israeli airstrikes on around a dozen locations in the south on Saturday including one targeting an agricultural area, "wounding several Syrian workers".The NNA said an overnight strike in the southern city of Tyre that targeted a site near the hospital caused "severe damage" to the facility. An AFP correspondent saw shattered glass, ceiling panels blown out and damaged medical equipment at the multi-storey Hiram hospital. The Israeli military late on Friday night had issued evacuation warnings ahead of strikes on two locations in Tyre, saying it would target "Hezbollah facilities".Accompanying maps advised people to leave areas within 500 metres (yards) of the target buildings, with the Hiram hospital shown within the advised evacuation area. The hospital's CEO Dr Salman Aydibi told AFP that around 40 patients were in the facility when the warning was issued, including seven in intensive care. "We took the patients to a safer location" elsewhere inside the hospital, he said, adding that none were harmed but some 30 staff sustained minor injuries. He said an evaluation of the damage was ongoing and that the hospital has remained operational, though the emergency department briefly closed. He said it was the third strike near the facility since the latest Israel-Hezbollah war erupted on March 2. Israel's army said Saturday that it had targeted "Hezbollah infrastructure sites in Tyre" overnight where operatives from the Iran-backed group worked to "plan and execute attacks" against Israeli soldiers. "Prior to the strike, steps were taken to mitigate harm to civilians, including the issuing of advance warnings, the use of precise munitions, and aerial surveillance," it added. Another AFP correspondent saw heavy damage at both targeted sites in Tyre, with a man searching for his belongings among the debris at one location. Israel's army also targeted east Lebanon overnight, saying it struck a "Hezbollah underground compound" used to manufacture weapons. Lebanon's Hamas-aligned Islamist group Jamaa Islamiya and its armed wing the Al-Fajr Forces said Saturday in a statement that one of its members was killed in an Israeli strike in east Lebanon. Under the terms of the ceasefire published by Washington, Israel reserves the right to act against "planned, imminent or ongoing attacks".

Hezbollah Says Message from Iran Shows it 'Will Not Give up' on Group
Asharq Al Awsat/May 23/2026
20Hezbollah said Saturday that a message from Tehran showed that Iran would not abandon the Lebanese militant group and that the Islamic republic's latest proposal to end the US-Iran war included a ceasefire in Lebanon. Iran-backed Hezbollah said in a statement that its chief Naim Qassem had received a message from Tehran's Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi, which indicated that Iran "will not give up its support for movements demanding justice and freedom, foremost among them Hezbollah". In Iran's latest proposal through Pakistani mediators aimed at achieving "a permanent and stable end to the war, the demand to include Lebanon in the ceasefire was emphasised", the statement added.

Lebanon says Israeli strike targets army barracks, wounding soldier
AFP/23 May ,2026
Lebanon’s military said Saturday an Israeli strike targeted an army barracks in the country’s south, wounding a soldier, despite a ceasefire in the war between Israel and militant group Hezbollah. “A soldier was moderately wounded due to the hostile Israeli targeting of an army barracks in the city of Nabatieh,” the army said, in a statement on social media. Israel had warned the residents of 10 villages in southern Lebanon to evacuate their homes immediately to avoid planned air strikes against alleged Hezbollah targets. “In light of the terrorist Hezbollah’s violation of the ceasefire agreement, the IDF is compelled to act forcefully against it. The IDF does not intend to harm you,” military spokesman Avichay Adraee said. “For your safety, you must evacuate your homes immediately and move away from the villages and towns by a distance of no less than 1,000 meters into open areas.”The communities listed by Adraee in a social media post cover a large area of southern Lebanon, and lie on both the north and south banks of the Litani river. Hezbollah and Israel accuse each other on a daily basis of violating the truce that came into effect on April 17. At least ten people, including six rescue workers and a girl, were killed Friday in a series of Israeli strikes on southern Lebanon, according to the Lebanese Ministry of Health. According to the Israeli military, these strikes targeted Hezbollah fighters travelling by motorcycle and weapons-manufacturing infrastructure.

Iran sends message to Hezbollah chief reaffirming long-term support
LBCI/May 23/2026
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said the Islamic Republic “will not abandon support for movements seeking rights and freedom until the very last moment,” naming Hezbollah as a key example. In a message addressed to Hezbollah chief Naim Qassem, Araghchi said: “This is our pledge.”He added that from the earliest stage of regional mediation efforts aimed at easing tensions between Iran and the United States, Tehran had proposed linking any broader agreement to a ceasefire in Lebanon. Araghchi said this position has remained a “firm principle” and part of Iran’s official demands. He also noted that in Iran’s latest proposal, delivered through a Pakistani mediator to achieve a lasting and stable end to the conflict, Tehran again emphasized the need to include Lebanon in any ceasefire arrangement.

Lebanon brings ceasefire and battlefield assessment to first direct military talks with Israel—what will be on the table?
LBCI/May 23/2026
Next Friday, for the first time in the trajectory of direct negotiations between Lebanon and Israel, expanded military delegations from both countries will meet at the U.S. Department of War, days before a second round of direct political talks scheduled for June 2–3.
The composition of the Lebanese delegation has been finalized. It will be headed by the Lebanese army’s Director of Operations, Brig. Gen. Georges Rizkallah. Its core will consist of specialists, including officers from the operations directorate, military intelligence, international humanitarian law, and an engineering officer.
So what will the Lebanese military delegation bring?
According to available information, the delegation’s file is comprehensive and strictly technical in nature. It will first call for the consolidation of the ceasefire. However, its main focus will be on presenting the scale of achievements made by the Lebanese army in restricting weapons since it was tasked by the Lebanese government with implementing this decision, supported by evidence and documentation. The delegation will also explain why it has not conducted searches of private homes and property. More importantly, it will highlight the extensive work carried out despite limited logistical capabilities, as well as what it has been able to gather through its own efforts regarding sites and weapons in southern Lebanon in particular. From this perspective, the Lebanese delegation will stress to the U.S. sponsor the need for international financial support to strengthen the military institution and enhance its capabilities. The inclusion of army officers is intended to reflect their familiarity with conditions on the ground. They will present a field-based assessment that includes Israeli violations, occupied, bulldozed, and mined areas, as well as the scale of displacement and destruction. The delegation, which is coordinating preparations for the session with its leadership and will remain in contact with it, will also carry presidential directives. Lebanon recognizes it has no option but to try to reduce the burdens of the war. It also comes amid mounting pressure that has reached security and military institutions, most recently the placement of two officers from the army and General Security on the U.S. OFAC sanctions list, a move observers have linked to the upcoming military and political negotiations aimed at shaping a roadmap for the next phase.

What US sanctions on two officers mean for Lebanon
Agence France Presse/May 23/2026
The U.S. announced unprecedented sanctions on two Lebanese officers on Thursday, accusing them of sharing intelligence with Hezbollah, which the Lebanese government is trying to disarm. What are the implications of the move and its repercussions, and will it contribute to isolating Hezbollah?
What is the justification?
The U.S. sanctions also cover Iran's ambassador to Lebanon, three Hezbollah lawmakers and a former minister as well as two figures from the Hezbollah-allied Amal Movement. They also target army colonel Samir Hamadi and Khattar Nassereddine, an officer for General Security, marking the first time the United States has sanctioned Lebanese officers. Washington said Hamadi, the army's intelligence head in Beirut's southern suburbs, a Hezbollah stronghold, and Nassereddine, the national security chief in the General Security service, "shared important intelligence" with Hezbollah "during the ongoing conflict." In separate statements, the Lebanese Army and General Security affirmed their personnel's loyalty and their commitment to following orders without political "considerations or pressures." The military and security services prohibit their members from engaging in political or partisan activity. Hamadi holds a sensitive position in Beirut's southern suburbs, in a country where appointments within institutions are based on sectarian and political quotas. The army sent Hamadi to the United States, its key backer, for three training courses. As for Nassereddine, a security source who requested anonymity told AFP that he heads the data analysis directorate of General Security, a surveillance and border control agency. He was close to powerful former General Security chief Abbas Ibrahim, and is on good terms with senior Hezbollah security official Wafiq Safa, the source said.
How will it impact Lebanon's army?
The U.S. sanctions against the officers, both of whom have held their current posts for less than a year, came at a sensitive time for Lebanon, as Washington is ramping up pressure on Beirut to disarm Hezbollah and Israel continues to strike the country and occupy parts of its south despite the truce. Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war on March 2, and a fragile truce began on April 17. Lebanon and Israel, officially at war for decades, are preparing military delegations for security talks at the Pentagon in the U.S. later this month, followed by a fourth round of direct negotiations in Washington in June. Hezbollah, weakened after a 2023-2024 war with Israel, and isolated following the government's decision to disarm it, strongly opposes direct talks with Israel and refuses to surrender its weapons. Military expert Riad Kahwaji said the U.S. move will have "significant repercussions within Lebanon" as "the prestige that was given to the Lebanese Army has been removed." The army is widely respected domestically and has maintained its unity since the end of the 1975-1990 civil war in a country suffering from political and sectarian divisions.
How will it impact Hezbollah?
The security source told AFP that the inclusion of the two officers on the sanctions list "serves as a warning to any security or military official from whom Hezbollah might request any information." "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, Kahwaji said. "These sanctions show today that no party is immune, regardless of whether it is inside or outside state institutions." Kahwaji said that it marks a new phase in which "everyone who facilitates Hezbollah's activities from within the Lebanese state will be held accountable." U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Thursday the U.S. "will continue to take action against officials who have infiltrated the Lebanese government". On its front page, pro-Hezbollah newspaper Al-Akhbar wrote "Washington launches a campaign to isolate the resistance," referring to Hezbollah.

Leaked names of Lebanese Pentagon delegation for first military talks with Israel
Naharnet/May 23/2026
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 23/2026
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
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.

Le Drian warns of 'dangerous' situation in Lebanon, lauds leaders 'courage'
Naharnet/May 23/2026
French President's special envoy to Lebanon Jean-Yves Le Drian has warned of "a dangerous situation" in Lebanon, pointing out to divisions inside the country, regarding Israel and Hezbollah. In an interview Thursday, Le Drian said Lebanon's unity and integrity are at risk, citing the Israeli occupation and accusing Hezbollah of being an Iranian proxy and choosing Iran's interests over Lebanon's. Le Drian said Israel refused to include France in the Israeli-Lebanese negotiations despite the Lebanese requesting it but welcomed the 45-day truce extension as a window to continue discussions. The French diplomat lauded the "courage" of President Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam for calling for direct negotiations with Israel.

Hezbollah drone threat persists as Israel reveals pager operation details
LBCI/May 23/2026
Air raid sirens are sounding across northern settlements and the Galilee as Hezbollah drones infiltrate the region’s airspace, while the Israeli army acknowledges it is unable to counter them: this is Israel’s reality these days. Faced with this situation, the Israeli army has introduced munitions to confront the drone threat, in a move Israel hopes will protect it from what it considers the most dangerous challenge currently on the battlefield. According to the army, these munitions are used when a drone is detected at close range. At that point, soldiers’ primary task is to take cover and move away from the drone’s flight path before firing the ammunition, which has a wide dispersal range reaching up to 100 meters. However, all this promotion has not eased the anger prevailing inside Israel over its inability to decisively end the battle in Lebanon. In another effort to improve the image of the confrontation with Hezbollah, Israel revealed additional details about the pager explosions operation. Among them, it said the Mossad relied on a sophisticated infiltration of the supply chain through real individuals and companies that had previously dealt with Hezbollah. One of them was a woman whom Israel claims was named Theresa, who allegedly played a key role in convincing Hezbollah to increase its order from 500 devices annually to 5,000 devices in March 2024. The effort was reportedly part of a campaign led by a Mossad official, who operated under the cover of a businesswoman named Layla. According to the Mossad report, extensive discussions took place within Hezbollah regarding the purchase of the new devices amid suspicions of a possible security breach. However, the need to replace older communication devices pushed the group to proceed with the deal.

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on 23-24 May/2026

on 23-24 May/2026

Selected Face Book & X tweets for May 23/2026
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
Palestinians have been kicking up dust for decades, furious over what they call the ongoing Judaization of the Abrahamic Mosque, known to Israelis as the Cave of the Patriarchs. The irony is that this shrine contains the tomb of the man who gave his name to Israel: the biblical Jacob. If Jews are not permitted to “Judaize” the tomb of Israel’s own namesake, what exactly do calls for equal rights for Muslims and Jews actually mean? (The imagined coexistence model of the rubbish Ottoman Empire) I personally doubt the historicity of Abraham or any of the other figures supposedly buried at this spot. In Islamic tradition, the shrine only rose to prominence during the Umayyad period in the seventh century CE—roughly 2,700 years after the presumed time of Abraham. The claim is further undermined by the tendency to credit dynasty-founding patriarchs -- Abraham, Alexander the Great, Imam Ali, and others -- with multiple tombs in different cities.What we can say with confidence is that the fortified compound of the Abrahamic Mosque/Cave of the Patriarchs was built around the same time as the Western Wall, near the beginning of the Common Era. Islamic travelers begin mentioning the site as early as the 12th century CE. For a time, this hill appears to have rivaled Mount Moriah/Al-Aqsa in importance, until Jerusalem eventually prevailed (David thus moved his capital from Hebron to Jerusalem). The two sites were mythologically constructed along parallel lines: both centered on a sacred cave beneath the shrine. In Hebron the cave is a grave; in Jerusalem it is the dwelling place of undefined human souls.Now, the name Hebron itself. The Semitic root ḥ-b-r conveys the idea of connection. In Hebrew it refers to human relationships: khaver (friend), khevra (society). In Arabic, the same root appears in khabour (connection between two objects); in Egyptian dialect, the ḥ is softened and becomes kobri (bridge, connecting two banks of a river). The identical root also appears in the Khyber Pass—the mountainous border crossing between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Quranic Arabic vocalizes the root as ḥ-b-r to mean “Jewish scholar” or “rabbi,” appearing in the plural as aḥbār al-Yahūd. In Islamic tradition the root also surfaces as Khaybar, the name of the (largely legendary) Jewish stronghold conquered by Muslim armies. The city’s Arabic name, al-Khalil (or Khalil al-Rahman), is a direct reference to Abraham as “the friend of God,” with khalil being the synonym of Khaver/Khevron. Both Jews and Arabs continued to use the name ḥabron for the city well into the mid-18th century, as documented in Nabulsi’s travel account. The Quran gives Abraham considerable attention: his defiance of his father’s idolatry, his willingness to sacrifice his son (spared at the last moment), and the building of the Kaaba in Mecca with his son Ishmael. The other figures associated with him receive far less prominence. Ishmael helps build the Kaaba; Isaac is described as a great prophet who succeeds Abraham; Jacob appears, but never in explicit connection with “Israel,” a name mentioned only twice as a person and 39 times in the phrase Bani Israel (the Israelites). Abraham’s wives, Sarah and Hagar, are entirely absent from the Quran, and so are the other wives Rivka and Leah. The Abrahamic Mosque/Cave of the Patriarchs contains the tombs of all these figures. The Quran mentions only the four men, not the women, suggesting that Muslims took over an existing Jewish or Christian shrine. Notably, the tombs of the women were left intact. This is most likely because the Muslims who assumed control were Sufis, whose practices diverged sharply from mainstream Sunni Islam. All four schools of Sunni jurisprudence prohibit prayer at shrines containing tombs. Palestinians are overwhelmingly Shafi‘i, which makes it improbable that the Abrahamic shrine ever functioned as an active Palestinian mosque (a mosque being a place of prayer). Sufi Islam, however, remained dominant across the Mediterranean basin until the 19th century, when a more austere Sunni orthodoxy reasserted itself. Even after their nominal conversion to Shafi‘i Sunnism, Palestinians preserved the tombs and simply ceased praying around them. Then Israel became independent and treated the site as one of the most sacred places in Judaism. Suddenly the spot regained importance for Palestinians—despite the fact that, even on strictly religious grounds, it holds far less significance, nearing irrelevance, in Islam than it does in Judaism. While half the figures interred in the cave are mentioned in the Quran, they appear only as history parables of faith, not as part of Islam’s sacred heritage.