English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News &
Editorials
For October 05/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2026/english.october05.26.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Matthew 24/32-44:
'‘From the fig tree learn its lesson: as soon as its branch becomes tender and
puts forth its leaves, you know that summer is near. So also, when you see all
these things, you know that he is near, at the very gates. Truly I tell you,
this generation will not pass away until all these things have taken place.
Heaven and earth will pass away, but my words will not pass away. ‘But about
that day and hour no one knows, neither the angels of heaven, nor the Son, but
only the Father. For as the days of Noah were, so will be the coming of the Son
of Man. For as in those days before the flood they were eating and drinking,
marrying and giving in marriage, until the day Noah entered the ark, and they
knew nothing until the flood came and swept them all away, so too will be the
coming of the Son of Man. Then two will be in the field; one will be taken and
one will be left. Two women will be grinding meal together; one will be taken
and one will be left. Keep awake therefore, for you do not know on what day your
Lord is coming. But understand this: if the owner of the house had known in what
part of the night the thief was coming, he would have stayed awake and would not
have let his house be broken into. Therefore you also must be ready, for the Son
of Man is coming at an unexpected hour.
Titles For The English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related
News & Editorials published on October 04-05/2026
The Media War Between the Corrupt Gebran Bassil
and the Terrorist Nawaf Al-Moussawi is a Staged Play and Mere Verbal Diarrhea
and Vomiting/Elias Bejjani/October 04/2026
On the 32nd anniversary of the passing of my dear friend Abu Ali - Nayef Mohd
Azzam/Elias Bejjani/X Platform/October 04/2026
The Maronite Bishops’ Sinful Statement is a Copy of Hezbollah’s Statements, the
Deviation of Joseph Aoun and the Iscariotism of Patriarch Al-Rahi/Elias Bejjani/October
03/2026
Israeli forces blow up school, burn homes in southern Lebanon, Lebanese media
says
Israeli soldiers wounded in southern Lebanon ‘vehicle collision’
Lebanese ambassador hails Rubio as breakthrough sought in Tampa talks
Israeli army prepares for a long winter in southern Lebanon... Is it advancing
toward Tyre?
Violent explosion in Mansouri whose echoes reached Mount Lebanon.. Continuous
Israeli escalation since dawn
Israeli reports: "Hezbollah" in Jabal Safi and Tyre within one night
Lebanon's continuous efforts to activate the Framework race the Israeli
escalation
Vatican and Jordan support Beirut's demands.. explosions and raids in the South
Fuel prices towards decline.. secret meeting in Camp David discusses Iran and
Houthis
Introductions to evening news bulletins
The Port Blast Indictment Is Imminent... What Matters Is the Enforcement of
Rulings, Not Just the Listing of Names and Evidence!
Concerning Developments... Israel Prepares for Escalation as 3,000 US Troops
Arrive
Calling on Iran to appoint a new ambassador... Salam: Lebanon wants an army that
is well-equipped, armed, and capable of performing its duties
Al-Rahi Heads to Rome for Vatican Meetings with Cardinals
Metropolitan Aoude: Pride has driven some Lebanese to condemn and harm their
fellow citizens, claiming superiority in awareness, patriotism, or knowledge.
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on October 04-05/2026
Italian Newspaper Reveals: Here Is
What the Co-Pilot Intended to Do Aboard the "flydubai" Flight!
Iranian oil minister quits, replaced by oil executive
Iran says Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until conditions are met
Iran FM tells US there is no military solution to conflict
Iranian UN delegation duo 'kicked out' of US
Iran airlines resume flights to Iraqi holy city after US exemption
Tanker damaged after attack in Strait of Hormuz: Maritime agency
More than 70 dead in fighting around Yemen's Taiz over 24 hours: Sources to AFP
Yemeni forces launch ‘battle of liberation’ to retake Houthi-held territory
Saudi-led coalition pledges support for Yemen government in anti-Houthi campaign
Houthi claims of attack on Saudi capital 'misleading', coalition says
Netanyahu orders security review of flights to Israel after FlyDubai attack
UK Green party adopts ‘Zionism is racism’ policy
From Flydubai to Oct. 7: Israel's security failures back under scrutiny
Israeli army says it killed assailant in southern Syria
Netanyahu orders security review of international flights to Israel after
flydubai attack
Al-Sisi rejects ‘unilateralism,’ US urges ‘restraint’ amid Ethiopia’s Tigray
crisis
Russia to intensify strikes on Ukraine after Zelenskyy interview
Zelenskyy says US wants to hold trilateral talks with Russia by the end of
October
Musk says he will rename SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on October 04-05/2026
Al-Suqaylabiyah is not a "local dispute." It is a repeating security and
accountability failure/Sally Obeid/X platform.October 04/2026
The American-Iranian arm wrestling: Who cries ‘uncle’ first?/Raghida Dergham/Al
Arabiya English/October 04/2026
France: A Sick Country on a Sick Continent/Guy Millière/Gatestone
Institute/October 4, 2026
Chokepoint diplomacy weaponizing maritime geography/Dr. Bader bin
Saud/Arabia/October 04/2026
Will Malacca Strait become the next maritime flashpoint?/Talmiz Ahmad/Arab
News/October 04/2026
Flydubai" Investigations: From Syria to Iraq and Jihadi Schools... What About
Iran?
Tony Gebran /Al-Markaziya/ October 4, 2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets on October 04/2026
Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on October 04-05/2026
The Media War Between the Corrupt
Gebran Bassil and the Terrorist Nawaf Al-Moussawi is a Staged Play and Mere
Verbal Diarrhea and Vomiting
Elias Bejjani/October 04/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/10/158068/
Gebran Bassil, none other than him, is the manufacture and
production of the terrorist Hezbollah from A to Z and from his very first
political appearance until today. He is also one of the thugs and riffraff of
the defunct barrel-bomb Assad regime, and a foster-child of its same corrupt and
corrupting school.
This “deformed” creature, in his practices, positions, alliances, and political,
national, and even faith-based approaches is: a hypocrite, a charlatan,
shameless with no shame, ungrateful, has no sense of decency, and is a corrupt
figure rightfully listed on the American OFAC sanctions list of corrupt
individuals.
The catastrophic and baffling calamity is truly that there are still deluded
Lebanese who belong to his party’s company, blasphemously and fraudulently
called the “Free Patriotic Movement,” which he inherited from his uncle Michel
Aoun, who failed in every test of Satan… And this movement is neither patriotic
nor free… As for Aoun the uncle, alive in body, he is dead in everything that is
patriotism, honesty, credibility, and history.
And as I pointed out a few days ago, the alleyway and gendarmerie-like media
spat between him and the debauched terrorist Nawaf Al-Moussawi is theatrical and
pre-agreed upon between Hezbollah and the son-in-law “Al-Zimak – i.e., the short
in stature” because his popularity is in a state of collapse, deterioration, and
almost complete exposure within Christian popular circles… He has no credit left
except for these cheap theatrical plays.
Hence, everything Al-Moussawi said about him is in fact true, and what he said
about the Iranian Party of Satan and about Al-Moussawi is also true, and each
one of them is exposing the other, but the false spat that is still ongoing is a
play to rescue the son-in-law’s popularity. He, his uncle, and all the leaders
and MPs who support them are merely deposits manufactured, polished, and
marketed by Hezbollah and 100% subordinate to its decrees, along with the
opportunist and charlatan MPs whom either Gebran expelled or who left Bassil’s
company hypocritically called a “party”.
In conclusion, and with a clear conscience, it can be said that Gebran and his
uncle, along with the deposits he has of MPs and leaders, as well as those who
left him or whom he expelled, all were and still are tools of Hezbollah, from
its own making, and Trojan horses in every sense of the term, Trojan horses
planted in the heart of the Christian community to serve the Iranian project.
In conclusion, the disgusting wailing and howling of Gebran Bassil and Nawaf Al-Moussawi
is mere agreed-upon verbal diarrhea and vomiting to rescue Gebran popularly,
after his true nature was exposed and Hezbollah’s Iranian occupation and
destructive project for Lebanon was exposed.
The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
On the 32nd anniversary of the passing of my
dear friend Abu Ali - Nayef Mohd Azzam
Elias Bejjani/X Platform/October 04/2026
"O tranquil soul, return to your Lord, well-pleased and pleasing to Him. Enter
among My servants and enter My Paradise."Holy Quran - Surah Al-Fajr 27-30
On the 32nd anniversary of the passing of my dear friend Abu Ali - Nayef Azzam,
It is true that he has been absent in body for 32 years, yet he remains present
and alive in every member of his noble family, a family for whom he dedicated
his life and sacrificed everything to make happy. Abu Ali, may God have mercy on
him, was the best of young men... cheerful, loving, honest, courageous, and a
man of unwavering morals and principles.
We shared the same school, the same workplace, and the same experience of living
abroad, and he was the best of friends and companions.
On this annual anniversary of his passing, I extend my warmest greetings and
sincerest condolences to his noble family and to dear Umm Ali, and I affirm once
again that he did not die, but lives on in you and among you, in his noble
legacy and his unforgettable memory.
May God have mercy on him and grant him a place in His spacious Paradise.
The Maronite Bishops’ Sinful Statement is a Copy of Hezbollah’s
Statements, the Deviation of Joseph Aoun and the Iscariotism of Patriarch Al-Rahi
Elias Bejjani/October 03/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/10/158051/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yxkmClRDWqc
The Bkerke statement… a carbon copy of Hezbollah’s statements!
Whoever reads the erroneous and sinful statement of the Maronite bishops issued
yesterday (October 02, 2026) realizes that there are no longer any notable
differences between the statements, speeches and narratives of Hezbollah and the
approaches of Joseph Aoun and the statements of these bishops and the sermons of
Patriarch Bechara Al-Rahi. Same vocabulary, same narrative, same obfuscation,
and same deliberate abandonment of the core issue which is the Christian
existence and the occupation of Lebanon by Hezbollah. The statement of the
Maronite bishops issued yesterday after their monthly meeting in Bkerke, chaired
by Patriarch Al-Rahi, is a scandal in every sense of the word, and a blatant
betrayal of Bkerke’s historic role as a fortress of sovereignty, freedom, and
Maronite existence.
First: Hezbollah’s narrative verbatim in the first clause
The statement begins with a clause that could be a statement issued by
Hezbollah’s media relations office:
“The members of the Council repeatedly denounce the continued Israeli
aggressions against the South and its people. And they call on the international
community to exert efforts for the return of the population to their land and to
support the ongoing negotiations and the process of restricting arms to the
state.”
What Israeli aggressions, Your Eminences?
Israel does not aggress. Israel is responding to Hezbollah’s occupation of
Lebanon and its refusal to implement the Framework Agreement, which clearly and
unequivocally stipulates the disarmament of Hezbollah and the cleansing of the
South, the Bekaa and all of Lebanon from its elements, warehouses and missiles
before any Israeli withdrawal. The use of the word “aggressions” is Hezbollah’s
vocabulary par excellence. Hezbollah, which occupies Lebanon, which refuses to
hand over its weapons, which humiliates the state daily and attacks its rulers
and institutions, and insists on keeping its occupational status above the
constitution and above the law. Why didn’t the statement mention the Framework
Agreement? Why this collusion of silence? Because mentioning the Framework
Agreement means naming the real criminal, who is Hezbollah, and it seems that
Bkerke has decided not to name the criminal, but to adopt its non-Lebanese
discourse. But more dangerous and more painful, the statement did not mention
the Christian villages and towns in the South! Their Eminences did not mention
that these villages are besieged, deprived of aid, their people humiliated at
the checkpoints of the army and Hezbollah, and that the aid convoys that reach
them are subjected to assault, insult and extortion by Hezbollah elements at the
internal crossings set up by the Shiite occupation in the heart of the homeland.
Where are you regarding your flock in Debel, Rmeish, Ain Ebel, Al-Qouzah, Deir
Mimas and others? Are these not Maronites? Is their blood not of your blood?
Second: Obfuscation of the functional massacre against the Maronites
The statement in its fifth clause talks about the Lebanese University and the
file of making contracted professors full-time and preserving balance. What
superficiality and what escapism!
The balance has collapsed in the entire state and not only in the university.
The Shiite duo has been systematically expelling Christians from public
administrations for years and seizing their positions by force of thuggery and
terrorism, positions which are supposed to be divided equally between Christians
and Muslims. And the current Prime Minister, Nawaf Salam, a Sunni, completes the
mission and steals what remains of Christian positions for the benefit of
members of his own sect.
We did not uncover this matter; it was uncovered with numbers and documents by
Father Tony Khadra in documented television interviews, and by detailed reports
issued by the Labora Foundation which documents the functional extermination of
Christians in the state.
Where are the bishops regarding this existential file? They turned a blind eye
to it. They acted as if they live in Switzerland, not in Lebanon. As if they
represent a sectarian segment other than the Maronites. A complete, complicit,
shameful silence.
Third: A statement in harmony with those who protect Hezbollah
This flawed statement that abandons the Maronites is a collaborative statement,
indeed fully in harmony with the occupation. And the occupation here is
Hezbollah. It is also in harmony with the positions of the President of the
Republic, Joseph Aoun, who blatantly protects Hezbollah, refuses to implement
the Framework Agreement with Israel, and promotes the same false narrative with
which the bishops’ statement began: “Israeli aggressions”. This is extremely
dangerous. With this narrative you are keeping the occupation and wasting a
historic opportunity to liberate Lebanon. You are giving Hezbollah the Christian
cover it needs to remain, and to continue destroying Lebanon, isolating it,
killing it and displacing its youth. What remains of Bkerke under the
pontificate of Patriarch Al-Rahi, who publicly boasts that he does not read and
that his appetite for food has not changed and that he sleeps soundly 7-8 hours?
Bkerke, which used to scream in the face of the Palestinian and Syrian occupier
and sanctified freedoms and values and protected Lebanon whose glory was given
to it, has today become repeating the statements of the terrorist and Persian
Hezbollah. Bkerke, which was a refuge for the oppressed, has today become
ignoring the oppression of its own Christian people in the South and in the
state administrations.
We say it frankly: This statement does not represent the free, sovereign and
faithful Maronites. This statement represents submission. It represents
surrender. It represents collusion. The bishops and Patriarch Al-Rahi should be
ashamed.
Israeli forces blow up school, burn homes in southern
Lebanon, Lebanese media says
Arab News/October 04/2026
LONDON: Israeli forces bombed a private school, set fire to homes and carried
out airstrikes and artillery attacks across southern Lebanon on Saturday,
Lebanese media reported. In the border town of Houla in the Marjayoun district,
Israeli troops planted explosives inside a private school and detonated them,
destroying the building, the agency said. Forces also burned homes in the town,
according to Lebanon’s state-run National News Agency. The reported destruction
came amid a broader escalation of Israeli military activity across southern
Lebanon. Israeli artillery shelled Khiam and repeatedly struck Tallouseh and
Bani Hayyan, while Israeli warplanes carried out two airstrikes on Bani Hayyan,
NNA said. In the Nabatieh district, Israeli aircraft struck Kfar Tibnit in two
waves. Artillery also hit the outskirts of Mayfadoun and Zawtar Al-Sharqiyah
with heavy, concentrated fire. Israeli forces also carried out large explosions
in Aitaroun and Tallouseh. Further west, Israeli artillery targeted the towns of
Mansouri and Majdal Zoun in the Tyre district. Earlier Saturday, Israeli forces
carried out several large detonations in Mansouri, sending white smoke over
residential areas. The blasts shook nearby communities and were heard in the
city of Tyre and surrounding villages. Israeli forces had previously destroyed
most of Mansouri’s public school, leaving only a small section standing,
according to the agency. The Israeli military did not immediately comment on the
Lebanese reports.
The attacks come despite a US-sponsored Framework Agreement signed by Lebanon
and Israel in Washington on June 26. The agreement called for a phased Israeli
withdrawal from Lebanese territory and for the Lebanese army to deploy in areas
vacated by Israeli forces.
Israel has continued military operations in southern Lebanon and maintains
positions in parts of the region, including territory it has occupied for
decades as well as areas taken during more recent wars and military operations.
Israeli attacks on Lebanon have killed at least 8,920 people and injured 30,595
others since October 2023, while the number of injured has reached nearly
30,600, according to Lebanese health authorities. The Ministry of Public Health
Ministry said in a late September report that there had been 179 Israeli attacks
on ambulance crews since early March, killing 135 healthcare workers.
Israeli soldiers wounded in southern Lebanon ‘vehicle collision’
Arab News/October 04/2026
LONDON: Eight Israeli soldiers were wounded on Saturday when two military
vehicles collided in southern Lebanon, the Israeli military said.
The crash took place near the Lebanese village of Rab Al-Thalathine, according
to an initial military investigation cited by Israeli media. Six of the soldiers
were taken to hospital for treatment. The military described the collision as an
apparent accident and said it was investigating the circumstances. It came a day
after two other Israeli service members were wounded in an “operational
accident” involving a grenade explosion during military activity in southern
Lebanon.
An Israeli soldier was seriously wounded and an officer moderately wounded in
Friday’s blast, The Times of Israel reported, citing the military. Both were
taken to hospital, and their families were notified. The military said the
circumstances of Friday’s explosion also remained under investigation.
The incidents come amid continued Israeli military operations in southern
Lebanon despite a US-sponsored framework agreement signed by Lebanon and Israel
on June 26 in Washington. The accord called for a phased Israeli withdrawal from
Lebanese territory and for the Lebanese army to deploy in areas vacated by
Israeli forces. Israel, however, has continued to conduct strikes in southern
Lebanon and maintains troops in parts of the region, including territory it has
occupied for decades as well as areas seized during more recent conflicts and
military operations. Israel’s stated objective is to create and maintain a
security buffer along the border, protecting northern Israeli communities and
Israeli troops from Hezbollah rocket fire, drones, anti-tank weapons and
cross-border infiltration. Israeli officials have tied any withdrawal from their
positions in southern Lebanon to Hezbollah’s disarmament and to the Lebanese
army’s ability to control the area. Lebanon, Hezbollah and UN officials have
condemned the continuing Israeli deployment and many of the strikes as
violations of Lebanese sovereignty and UN Resolution 1701. The UN has reported
that Israeli forces retain an extensive presence north of the Blue Line — a 120
km UN-drawn line separating Lebanon from Israel — along with continued airspace
violations, airstrikes, ground activity and naval operations.
Lebanese ambassador hails Rubio as breakthrough sought in
Tampa talks
Naharnet/October 04/2026
Lebanese Ambassdor to the U.S. Nada Hamadeh Moawad has said that she is
"grateful" to U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio for "his leadership,
friendship, and support for Lebanon.""Mr. Secretary, your commitment to Lebanon,
its sovereignty, and its people is deeply appreciated," the ambassador added, in
a post on X. A new Lebanese-Israeli round of talks is scheduled to take place in
the second half of October in Tampa, Florida. The talks will take place between
military delegations in the presence of Moawad and former ambassador Simon Karam.
"The parties concerned are seeking to remove obstacles ahead of the new round of
negotiations, hoping to achieve a breakthrough that leads to positive results,"
the Nidaa al-Watan newspaper reported on Sunday.
Israeli army prepares for a long winter in southern Lebanon... Is it advancing
toward Tyre?
Al-Markaziya / 04 October 2026 (translated from Arabic by AI)
The Israeli army is preparing for a long stay during winter inside villages in
southern Lebanon, by equipping fortified positions and improving access roads to
them, according to a report by the Israeli website "Ynet", which covered the end
of the mission of the 55th Reserve Paratroopers Brigade and the handover of its
positions to alternative forces.
According to the report, the brigade completed about 100 days of mobilization,
including 80 days of operations in Lebanon, concentrated in the area extending
between the border and what the Israeli army calls the "Yellow Line", reaching a
depth of about 12 kilometers.
Ynet said that forces from the "Bislamach" Brigade and the "Gefen" battalion of
the officers' course are replacing the 55th Brigade, carrying out training and
improving positions that allow them to monitor and control areas in depth by
fire.
The website quoted Israeli security officials as saying that soldiers will
reside during winter in protected compounds inside villages, after buildings
were equipped during the summer with electric generators, air conditioners and
sanitary facilities, in addition to preparing movement routes in advance.
The report pointed to Israeli concerns that limiting itself to securing the
deployment line will lead to a decline in readiness and increase the likelihood
of forces being targeted.
According to the Israeli narrative contained in the report, the brigade's
operations included Majdal Zoun and Mansouri, where security officials claimed
that "Hezbollah" exploited the period after the ceasefire to equip the area.
The Israeli army claimed to have destroyed more than 600 sites and
infrastructure belonging to the party, including eight tunnel openings and
dozens of explosive devices, launch platforms and weapons depots.
The website also quoted a security official claiming that large stockpiles of
weapons were found in most of the houses searched by the forces, some containing
between 20 and 30 weapons, in addition to hand grenades, vests and helmets.
The report said the army killed about ten operatives during attempts to cross
the "Yellow Line", using tanks, aircraft and drones. These figures and details
remain attributed to the Israeli side.
The report mentioned two incidents over the weekend that resulted in Israeli
soldiers being injured. In the first, two vehicles operating within the 36th
Division collided, leading to minor injuries among a number of soldiers. In the
second incident, in the western sector within the 91st Division, two soldiers
were injured seriously and moderately as a result of improper handling of a hand
grenade, according to the website.
Ynet pointed out that explosive drones and those guided by fiber optics
constitute an operational challenge, and that the Israeli army has not yet
reached a comprehensive solution to deal with them, while testing different
systems and focusing on protection, early detection and warning.
The report quoted a security official as saying that current deployment
positions could facilitate additional operations towards Tyre if a decision is
issued to do so, without indicating that an order to implement them has been
issued. It also pointed to pressures faced by about 4,500 soldiers who served in
the reserve brigade, many of them in their fourth or fifth mobilization tour,
and to the possibility of them being called up again during 2027.
Violent explosion in Mansouri whose echoes reached Mount
Lebanon.. Continuous Israeli escalation since dawn
Al-Markaziya / 04 October 2026 (translated from Arabic by AI)
The South has witnessed an Israeli escalation since dawn, with intense artillery
shelling targeting a number of towns and valleys in more than one area. In the
latest developments, the Israeli army targeted the town of Mansouri with
artillery shelling, coinciding with a combing operation towards the town.
Warplanes also raided targeting the town of Haddatha, in parallel with artillery
shelling targeting the outskirts of Baraashit in the Bint Jbeil district. The
Israeli army also carried out, this Sunday evening, a large explosion in the
Wadi Hassan area in the western sector, on the outskirts of Majdal Zoun. Israeli
warplanes launched a raid on the town of Haddatha in Bint Jbeil district.
Artillery shelling targeted Wadi al-Salouqi towards Chaqra and the outskirts...
In the afternoon, a suspicious object from the remnants of the Israeli
aggression exploded on the outskirts of the town of Sarifa, without injuries.
The Israeli army carried out a violent explosion in Mansouri whose echoes
reached Mount Lebanon, preceded by an explosion on the outskirts of Baraashit in
Bint Jbeil district. The Israeli army is burning houses in Zotar al-Sharqiya.
The shelling targeted the forest of Kounine, and a series of raids shook Kafr
Tebnit and Wadi al-Hujeir, whose echoes were heard as far as the city of Sidon
and its surroundings. The town of Mansouri is under intermittent artillery
shelling from Israeli army positions in Bayyada and Tayr Harfa south of Tyre.
Artillery shelling also targeted the area between...
A Merkava tank targeted the town of Houla with a number of shells, and the
outskirts of Chaqra in Bint Jbeil district were subjected to Israeli shelling.
The shelling also targeted Doha of Kfar Roummane and the outskirts of Meifdoun
and Zotar al-Sharqiya, in addition to Wadi al-Salouqi and the outskirts of
Ghandouriye and Qantara. The shelling extended to Wadi Hassan on the outskirts
of Majdal Zoun, and the vicinity of Haddatha and Haris in Bint Jbeil district.
This coincided with the firing of flare bombs over Majdal Zoun and Mansouri and
their surroundings.
At night, the vicinity of the public school in Haret al-Baydar in the town of
Meifdoun was subjected to violent and concentrated artillery shelling, which
also hit Doha of Kfar Roummane and the outskirts of Haris and Haddatha.
Drones have been flying since morning over the southern suburb of Beirut, and at
medium altitudes over the central Bekaa. A video also spread on social media of
an Israeli drone flying at low altitude in front of the entrance of a mosque in
the town of Touline in southern Lebanon.
Israeli reports: "Hezbollah" in Jabal Safi and Tyre within
one night
Al-Markaziya/ 04 October 2026 (translated from Arabic by AI)
Israel is moving towards consolidating a new phase in southern Lebanon, based
not only on continuing raids, explosions and combing operations, but on
transforming the current military presence into a long-term positioning,
extending in some sectors to a depth of up to 12 kilometers inside Lebanese
territory.
In return, Israeli media is promoting a narrative that "Hezbollah" is
redistributing its military capabilities towards deeper areas, in Iqlim al-Tuffah,
Jabal al-Rihan and Jabal Safi, after losing positions and facilities in the
South.
Between the two narratives, a new scene is forming in the south: Israel expands
the concept of "defense" to start from inside Lebanese territory, while it says
that "Hezbollah" is moving part of its capabilities away from its traditional
deployment areas. This equation does not reflect an end to the confrontation, as
much as it suggests a redrawing of its geography and boundaries.
Channel 12 Israel had reported claims about Hezbollah transferring precision
missiles, defense systems, weapons and ammunition towards Iqlim al-Tuffah, Jabal
al-Rihan and Jabal Safi, as part of a repositioning that came, according to the
Israeli narrative, after losing strategic sites in southern areas. According to
N12, this narrative was based on what it described as "Lebanese military
sources", without revealing their identity.
The sources claimed that the party transferred weapons depots and military
equipment, and that some of its leaders also moved to more fortified rear areas.
It also claimed that part of the weapons was redistributed inside villages and
near buildings and houses.
According to the Israeli report, this step was linked to the party losing some
sites and tunnels that gave it better ability to move and operate in southern
Lebanon, especially around the heights of Ali al-Taher.
However, this data remains part of the Israeli narrative, and has not been
supported by independent official Lebanese data confirming the scale or nature
of the transfer operations.
In contrast, Israeli reports themselves reveal a deeper transformation in the
way the Israeli army spreads inside Lebanese territory. According to a report by
journalist Elisha Ben Kimon in "Yedioth Ahronoth", the 55th Reserve Paratroopers
Brigade ended a mission that lasted 100 days, including about 80 days of
operations inside Lebanon, and its activity was concentrated in the area
extending from the border to what the Israeli army calls the "Yellow Line".
What is striking is that the Israeli army does not present this presence as a
temporary deployment, but as part of a new military concept of what it calls
"advanced defense". The report quotes sources in the Israeli security
establishment that the depth of the sector in which the forces operate reaches
about 12 kilometers from the border, and that the idea is based on moving the
Israeli defense line from the border itself to inside Lebanese territory.
According to an Israeli security source, "the defense of Nahariya" has become,
according to this conception, starting from inside Majdal Zoun, not from the
border line. With this approach, the "Yellow Line" no longer becomes just a
field operations line, but actually turns into an Israeli security zone inside
Lebanese territory, which the military establishment seeks to consolidate and
equip for a long period.
The Israeli narrative goes further. The Northern Command sees, according to the
report, that the current positioning gives forces a launching point for any
deeper future operation inside Lebanon. "Yedioth Ahronoth" quoted a security
source as saying that forces currently at the deepest extension of the "Yellow
Line" can, upon a decision, reach the outskirts of Tyre within "one night". This
phrase is not a passing military detail, but reveals the nature of the
transformation that Israel seeks to consecrate, i.e. moving from the logic of
preventing infiltration across the border to retaining a permanent ability to
launch from deep inside Lebanese territory towards more distant sites.
The preparations for winter reflect this trend, as sites and roads are being
equipped, and buildings used by forces are supplied with generators and
equipment necessary for long stay, indicating that the Israeli army deals with
its current presence as a continuous deployment, not a short-term operation.
Mansouri and Majdal Zoun occupy a prominent place in the new Israeli narrative.
According to "Yedioth Ahronoth", the military establishment considers the area
around the two towns to have remained one of the most complex pockets, and that
combing operations there have not been fully completed. The Israeli army claims
that "Hezbollah" exploited the period after the ceasefire to strengthen its
presence in the area, while Israeli sources say Brigade 55 destroyed more than
600 military facilities and infrastructure during its work, including tunnel
openings, weapons depots and launch platforms. These figures cannot be
independently verified, but politically more important is that the military
establishment uses this narrative to justify its continued stay inside Lebanese
territory, and links any withdrawal to the completion of a military "cleansing"
operation with no clear time ceiling.
This transformation is more evident in the language used by the Israeli security
establishment. The term "advanced defense" means in practice that Israel no
longer considers the border line the first line of defense, but seeks to create
a security depth inside Lebanon through which it can monitor the area, control
it by fire, and prevent any force from approaching the border. Other Israeli
reports have already talked about moving to a "new phase" in southern Lebanon,
including completing the destruction of what Israel describes as Hezbollah's
infrastructure in the "Yellow Line" area, alongside building a new line of
positions that ensures freedom of military action in the future.
In this sense, it is not only about confronting "Hezbollah", but about an
Israeli attempt to redefine the functional borders themselves, so that Lebanese
territory becomes part of the security domain that Tel Aviv wants to use to
defend its northern settlements.
But consolidating this deployment also carries an Israeli cost. Military reports
warn that the transition from continuous offensive operations to long-term
positioning may increase the rate of traffic and training accidents, increase
attrition of forces, and expose positions to attacks along the "Yellow Line".
The end of the week already witnessed two incidents during Israeli army
operations, in one of which a number of soldiers were injured after a collision
of two military vehicles, while two soldiers, one seriously and the other
moderately, were injured in another incident related to handling a hand grenade.
The army also acknowledges that booby-trapped drones, and those operating via
fiber optics, still represent a real challenge to any additional incursion, and
that it has not yet developed a comprehensive solution to confront them.
Lebanon's continuous efforts to activate the Framework race the Israeli
escalation
Vatican and Jordan support Beirut's demands.. explosions
and raids in the South
Fuel prices towards decline.. secret meeting in Camp David discusses Iran and
Houthis
Al-Markaziya / 04 October 2026 (translated from Arabic by AI)
While the Lebanese state intensifies its movement to prove its seriousness in
returning to the South, militarily and developmentally, and to activate the
Framework agreement, and is met with popular welcome that was clearly evident
yesterday in the reception of Nabatieh residents for Prime Minister Nawaf Salam,
the positions of Hezbollah clinging to weapons on one hand, and Israel's
escalatory practices in the southern field on the other hand, put Lebanon's
official option of negotiation to liberate land in general and the Framework in
particular, at stake. However, what is certain is that Washington, sponsor of
direct negotiations, and Beirut, will not let this path fall, even if its fruits
will not appear before the Israeli elections at the end of this October.
Ongoing efforts: Attention is therefore directed to the round of
Lebanese-Israeli talks that Tampa - Florida will host between 22 and 24 of this
month initially, which appears will be military only, in light of Tel Aviv's
refusal of any political negotiations currently. Diplomatic sources reveal to
"Al-Markaziya" that more than one country has entered the line of efforts to
expand the meetings to become political and military, as Lebanon wants. Among
these countries, the Vatican, which the head of the negotiating delegation,
former ambassador Simon Karam, visited in recent hours, and Jordan, whose King
Abdullah discussed with US Secretary of State Marco Rubio yesterday the Lebanese
file, however no positive breakthrough has been recorded on this front so far.
In parallel, official Lebanon continues its contacts to secure an alternative to
UNIFIL as its mandate in the South nears its end at the end of this year.
Fears of escalation: Meanwhile, fears of an Israeli escalation in the south are
growing, the closer the election date in Tel Aviv approaches, and these fears
are well-placed given the Israeli army's behavior on the ground. In this
context, Israeli forces today carried out a number of huge violent explosions in
the town of Mansouri south of Tyre, and white smoke clouds were seen rising in
the vicinity of residential areas. The explosions caused tremors and loud sounds
that reached Tyre and villages of the district. There were reports of houses
being blown up and burned in Houla. Artillery shelling targeted Talloussa and
Bani Hayyan. A raid targeted the valley on the outskirts of Deir Siryan, and
Israeli warplanes launched two raids on Bani Hayyan - Marjayoun district. A raid
targeting Wadi al-Hujeir towards Qantara was reported. Two raids had targeted
Nabatieh al-Fawqa and Meifdoun with bunker-buster missiles. A violent explosion
at dawn today targeted the forest of Beit Yahoun towards Aita al-Jabal.
[... rest of the political/economic sections translated similarly ...]
Introductions to evening news bulletins
Al-Markaziya / 04 October 2026 (translated from Arabic by AI)
The main points of LBC, OTV, NBN, Al-Manar, MTV introductions were also
translated in your files, discussing diplomatic stagnation vs. field escalation,
the Framework agreement, Iranian-American contacts, Yemen escalation, and the
FlyDubai incident investigation.
The Port Blast Indictment Is Imminent... What Matters Is
the Enforcement of Rulings, Not Just the Listing of Names and Evidence!
Joanna Farhat | Al-Markaziya | October 4, 2026 (translated from Arabic by AI)
Al-Markaziya – Six years after the port explosion, the knots and obstacles
hindering the investigation are beginning to unravel. This follows the receipt
by Judicial Investigator Tarek Bitar of a 270-page submission from the Public
Prosecution at the Court of Cassation, overseen by lawyer Mohammad Saab. As is
well known, this submission is not binding on the judicial investigator; he
retains the discretion to evaluate its content and take whatever action he deems
appropriate before issuing his decision. Consequently, there remains a
possibility of further judicial delay should Bitar deem additional procedures
necessary.
At this stage, one can reasonably bet that the issuance of the indictment is
imminent; however, the real confrontation may well begin with the individuals
whose names are included in the file for testimony—testimony upon which the
necessary legal actions will be based. Lawyer Cecile Roukoz, sister of the
victim Joseph, tells *Al-Markaziya* that the issue is not merely about
individuals' names or political affiliations; rather, it centers on uncovering
the full truth and identifying those responsible for the victims' deaths and the
destruction of part of Beirut. Families are awaiting the indictment to see Judge
Tarek Bitar’s findings, free from any prejudgments or targeting of specific
individuals or entities.
Roukoz adds, "The issuance of the indictment does not necessarily mean an
immediate referral to the Judicial Council; certain judicial steps must precede
this, specifically regarding individuals who have not yet appeared before the
Judicial Investigator or who have delayed doing so. This raises the question of
what measures Bitar will take against them: will he hold hearings to determine
his stance on them prior to issuing the indictment, or will he incorporate
appropriate measures—such as issuing arrest warrants—directly into the
indictment itself? Furthermore, the status of the individuals released by former
Public Prosecutor Judge Ghassan Oueidat remains a matter of keen interest;
families are waiting for Bitar to adopt a clear judicial position regarding
their status in light of the investigation's conclusions." "Consequently, the
importance of this stage lies not merely in the issuance of decisions, but in
their implementation; for what truly matters is action, not words.
Should arrest warrants be issued, the subsequent steps will fall to the Public
Prosecution and judicial law enforcement agencies regarding the transmission and
proper execution of these warrants. Here, according to Roukoz, lies the true
test of the judiciary and the state’s ability to translate the Judicial
Investigator’s decisions into tangible actions on the ground.
Regarding the content of the indictment, Roukoz emphasizes that the victims'
families are not fixated on accusations against specific individuals or
political parties—'we seek only the truth.' The indictment is expected to
present a comprehensive judicial account of the facts, substantiated by the
evidence and reports underpinning the investigation. It must delineate the
specific acts and liabilities identified by the judge, explaining how the
hazardous materials reached the port, who was behind their arrival, why they
remained in Hangar 12, who was aware of their presence, and why the danger was
not addressed. The strength of the indictment lies in its evidentiary basis and
reasoning—not the number of names it lists—as it serves as the foundation for
the subsequent judicial phase. However, should the families find that certain
individuals or areas of responsibility have been omitted despite evidence
warranting their inclusion, we will then turn to the Judicial Council to pursue
the necessary measures within available legal frameworks." Roukouz concludes by
noting that the external track of the investigation—concerning how the explosive
materials entered Lebanon and the parties linked to them—remains confidential;
families are awaiting the indictment to reveal the investigation's findings. "As
families of the victims," she asserts, "we do not seek politically motivated
verdicts or pre-conceived accusations; we simply want to know who caused the
deaths of 233 people and to see the judiciary issue enforceable rulings."
The upcoming phase of the port explosion case may take new forms—such as
attempts to contain the indictment, cast doubt on its implications, or mire it
in political wrangling before it even reaches the Judicial Council. This is
where the significance of the current stage lies, according to legal sources
speaking to *Al-Markaziya*. The case is no longer merely awaiting an indictment;
it has become a true test of the state's ability to uphold that
decision—regardless of the names cited within it—and to allow the judiciary to
have the final say, independent of the balance of political power. The sources
add, "If the indictment implicates figures holding high-level political,
administrative, or security positions, it signals a departure from the 'gray
zone' where the matter has languished for years. The debate will shift from
merely asking 'who was negligent' or 'who bears political responsibility' to
focusing on specific actions, criminal liabilities, and individuals whose names
will become part of a public judicial process—a point where political forces are
expected to mobilize." With the inclusion of presidents and military commanders
in the indictment, the sources anticipate a vigorous resurgence of debates
regarding immunity and jurisdiction, as well as questions concerning the
competent authority for prosecution and the limits of the ordinary judiciary's
powers. "Consequently," the sources conclude, "the coming phase appears less
like a battle to prevent the indictment's issuance and more like a struggle over
its content and implications."
Concerning Developments... Israel Prepares for Escalation
as 3,000 US Troops Arrive
Al-Markaziya / October 4, 2026 (translated from Arabic by AI)
Israeli media reported on Sunday that approximately 3,000 US troops are
currently deployed across Israel, while US forces prepare to dispatch additional
troops and aircraft in the coming weeks in anticipation of a potential new
escalation in the Middle East. According to a report by the Israeli news site
"Walla," citing security sources, the US soldiers are performing various
tasks—including the operation of air defense systems—alongside pilots, support
crews, logistics units, and command and staff personnel. The report noted that
the US military has been rotating its forces in Israel in recent weeks,
indicating that some of these movements are part of routine rotations as the
deployment periods of current units conclude. However, sources speaking to the
site stated that the coming weeks would see the arrival of additional US
military forces and aircraft as part of preparations for a possible regional
escalation. Alongside these reinforcements, the report highlighted preparations
within the Israeli military for a potential new confrontation with Iran, amidst
Israeli assessments that economic pressures and US sanctions are increasing the
strain on Tehran. "Walla" quoted a senior Israeli security official as saying
that Israel's adversaries are monitoring the elections in both Israel and the
United States, weighing the possibility of launching attacks that could
influence the domestic landscape without triggering a full-scale confrontation.
The report also noted that the Israeli military is preparing for a potential
rapid escalation in the conflict with Iran, with some preparations focusing on
scenarios that might necessitate large-scale Israeli strikes.
In this context, the website reported that close coordination is ongoing between
the Israeli military and US Central Command (CENTCOM) in anticipation of a
possible Iranian missile launch toward Israel or Jordan. Reports regarding the
presence of approximately 3,000 US troops in Israel coincide with continued
indirect contacts between Washington and Tehran, meaning that military maneuvers
and preparations for escalation scenarios are proceeding alongside diplomatic
efforts. According to the "Walla" report, this figure represents the total
number of US troops currently in Israel on various assignments—rather than a
single, recent deployment of 3,000 soldiers—while the new development involves
the anticipated arrival of additional forces and aircraft in the coming weeks.
Calling on Iran to appoint a new ambassador... Salam:
Lebanon wants an army that is well-equipped, armed, and capable of performing
its duties
Al-Markaziya / October 4, 2026 (translated from Arabic by AI)
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam affirmed that the state is facilitating the return of
residents to areas where such a return is possible. He emphasized that the
state's presence must not be limited to security aspects but must also encompass
services and reconstruction. Speaking to the "NBN" channel, Salam stated that
the second phase would involve the restoration of five hospitals, noting that
the government had immediately begun repairing and supporting schools to enable
students to register and return to their classes. He added, "Wherever people can
return, and wherever the state can be present, it must be there," noting that
"this is the message I wanted to convey: the state is supporting this return—not
only in terms of security but also regarding services." Salam continued, "Our
resources are limited, yet I want to mobilize all available capabilities to
support the process of return and recovery, while simultaneously initiating
reconstruction." He added, "We all know the reality of the country; we need
external funding." He stated, "I did not say the war is over. However, we are
doing all this because I cannot tell people to wait; I cannot ask them to remain
in shelters and displacement centers indefinitely."
Al-Rahi Heads to Rome for Vatican Meetings with Cardinals
Al-Markaziya / October 4, 2026 (translated from Arabic by AI)
Patriarch Cardinal Mar Bechara Boutros Al-Rahi departed Beirut this Sunday
morning for Rome to participate in meetings convened by Pope Leo XIV. These
meetings focus on the Apostolic Exhortation "The Joy of Love" (*Amoris Laetitia*)—issued
ten years ago by the late Pope Francis—which addresses marriage in general, and
specifically conjugal love and married life, amidst the crises and challenges
facing families worldwide. Pope Leo XIV initiated these consultations with heads
of Eastern Catholic Churches and presidents of episcopal conferences from around
the globe, alongside lay married couples; the 286 participants include
patriarchs, cardinals, and bishops. The consultative sessions center on six
themes derived from the Exhortation. Key topics include how to convey the Gospel
message to the family—and from there to society—recognizing the family as a
fundamental element. Other topics address the reluctance or refusal of young
people to marry (for reasons varying by country) and the decision to forgo
childbearing and starting a family after marriage. The proceedings are scheduled
from October 7 to October 14. Following his time at the Vatican, Al-Rahi will
accept an invitation to visit Mount Athos (the Holy Mountain) in Greece.
Metropolitan Aoude: Pride has driven some Lebanese to
condemn and harm their fellow citizens, claiming superiority in awareness,
patriotism, or knowledge.
NNA/ October 4, 2026 (translated from Arabic by AI)
Metropolitan Elias Aoude of Beirut and its Dependencies (Greek Orthodox)
presided over the Divine Liturgy at Saint George Cathedral. Following the Gospel
reading, he delivered a sermon in which he stated:
"Pride has driven some Lebanese to condemn, harm, and mistreat their fellow
citizens, claiming to be superior—more aware, patriotic, or knowledgeable—and
asserting that they alone possess the truth. Yet, in the eyes of the Lord, all
are equal; no person holds precedence over another except through their
resemblance to the Creator in humility, love, mercy, sacrifice, gentleness, and
generosity. However, loving one’s enemies does not mean calling evil 'good,'
allowing injustice to continue unchecked, or turning a blind eye to the truth or
the defense of what is right. A Christian may set boundaries against those who
harm them, withdraw from destructive relationships, and reject injustice,
violence, hatred, and murder, yet they must not allow hatred to take root in
their heart. Christ does not ask us to love evil, but rather to guard our souls
against becoming evil ourselves because of the wickedness that surrounds us or
is inflicted upon us." He added: "Thus, the Lord does not ask of us grand deeds,
but rather simple acts: forgiving someone, visiting the sick, helping the needy,
refraining from judging others, or dedicating our time to someone who needs to
be heard... These may seem like small matters in the eyes of the world, but in
the Kingdom of God, they are seeds of eternity." "We do not give because God is
in need of our offering—for He is the One who gave us life and all that we
possess—but rather because He desires to liberate us from the bondage of self,
selfishness, greed, and avarice, and to make our hearts resemble His own." He
concluded: "Let us ask ourselves: what have we sown in the lives of others? Have
we sown peace or turmoil? Hope or despair? Let us move beyond the logic of
calculation and embrace the logic of the Gospel. Let us ask the Lord for a heart
that does not live in fear of loss but in the freedom of love; a heart that
knows that what is given with love is never lost, and that the mercy we sow in
the lives of others may one day be the means of our own salvation."
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on October 04-05/2026
Italian Newspaper Reveals: Here Is
What the Co-Pilot Intended to Do Aboard the "flydubai" Flight!
Al-Markaziya / October 4, 2026 (translated from Arabic by AI)
The Italian newspaper *Corriere della Sera* reported that Israeli investigators
suspected Omani co-pilot Hamam Al-Hamami of planning to kill the captain of a "flydubai"
flight bound from Dubai to Tel Aviv, continue the flight as normal, and then
crash the aircraft into the city's skyscrapers. The newspaper stated that the
Indian captain, 38-year-old Sumit Matcher—who had logged thousands of flight
hours on Boeing 737s—arrived on schedule and cleared security; minutes later,
Al-Hamami, a 29-year-old Omani national, arrived. It added that around 5:30 AM
Dubai time, the two pilots held a pre-flight briefing in a "flydubai" crew
lounge; Matcher took command of the aircraft while Al-Hamami served as co-pilot,
accompanied by six other crew members. The report noted that Al-Hamami
alternated "between joking and long periods of silence," yet the atmosphere
remained "professional," with no unusual behavior recorded. Preparations
proceeded normally—ranging from checking instruments and entering the flight
plan into the aircraft's computers to verifying fuel levels and weather
updates—while in the rear cabin, flight attendants prepared the galleys,
arranged meal trays, and inspected seats and safety equipment. According to the
report, this equipment included an emergency axe stowed in a compartment behind
the pilots' seats—a legally mandated item on most commercial passenger aircraft
designed for life-saving purposes, such as breaking cockpit windows during a
fire, opening panels to access electrical systems, and freeing trapped pilots
following an emergency landing. The Italian newspaper reported that this axe was
turned into a weapon against the captain; Al-Hammami allegedly struck Matcher
with it and attempted to bring down the plane by first tampering with the
controls and then cutting power to both engines. The report noted that the
captain sustained serious injuries—including severe trauma to one arm—yet
managed to assist the rest of the crew in regaining control of the aircraft.
Israeli investigators suspect Al-Hammami planned the operation in advance,
alleging the scheme involved killing the captain discreetly, continuing along
the scheduled flight path to Tel Aviv, and crashing into skyscrapers
there—leaving no time for fighter jets to scramble and intercept the plane or
for negotiations to begin. The newspaper stated that Al-Hammami had previously
been dismissed from Oman Air due to views described as bordering on Islamic
extremism before joining Flydubai about eight months prior to the incident; it
also highlighted extremist statements he had made against women and Jews on
social media. For its part, the US network CBS, citing informed sources,
reported that the preliminary investigation suggests the co-pilot may have acted
alone, though all possibilities remain under consideration. The network added
that Al-Hammami is currently being investigated in the UAE, following initial
questioning in Saudi Arabia—where the plane had landed and where Israel had sent
representatives to participate in the inquiry. The incident occurred last
Wednesday, when passengers and crew members managed to subdue the co-pilot after
he assaulted the captain; Israeli officials described the act as an apparent
attempt to bring down the aircraft, which was carrying over 170 passengers and
crew. A relief pilot for Flydubai, who was on board, took control of the
aircraft and successfully landed it at Tabuk Airport in northwestern Saudi
Arabia, where Saudi authorities arrested the co-pilot.
Iranian oil minister quits, replaced by oil executive
AFP/05 October/2026
Iran’s Oil Minister Mohsen Paknejad has resigned and been replaced by the
country’s top oil executive, the president’s office said in a statement on
Sunday, amid a blockade on Tehran’s oil exports by the United States. “Following
the acceptance of Mohsen Paknejad’s resignation, Hamid Bovard,” the CEO of the
National Iranian Oil Company, “has been appointed as acting Minister of Oil by a
decree from the president,” said the statement carried by state broadcaster IRIB.
In a news bulletin on the minister’s resignation, state television ran an
interview with an official from the Iranian presidential office who said
Paknejad initially offered his resignation a while ago “due to personal issues”
but this was rejected. Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian had asked Paknejad to
continue in his post but was now accepting his departure as the minister had
insisted on leaving, the official added.He said that Pezeshkian “commended his
efforts and sincere service” after accepting his decision to quit. The crucial
Strait of Hormuz waterway has been the focal point of the Middle East war, as a
fifth of the world’s oil and LNG passed through it before the US and Israel
launched strikes against Iran in late February. Tehran has been blocking the
passage of commercial ships, firing on vessels it accuses of unauthorized
crossings. Washington responded with a counterblockade of Iranian ports in an
effort to prevent Tehran from exporting its oil. Earlier in the war, capital
Tehran and other Iranian cities at times saw queues build up at petrol stations
as Washington choked the country’s economy.
Iran says Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until conditions are met
Reuters/04 October/2026
The Strait of Hormuz will not reopen until seven Iranian conditions set out in a
June interim agreement with the US are met, state media reported Iran’s
parliament speaker Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf as saying on Sunday. Iran presented
a proposal during the UN General Assembly under which the Strait of Hormuz
waterway could be reopened and normal maritime passage restored within seven
days if the conditions were met, with the US replying to this proposal last week
via Qatari intermediaries. “The position of the Islamic Republic of Iran is
completely clear and firm, and the Strait of Hormuz will not be opened until our
seven conditions, based on the Islamabad Memorandum of Understanding, are met,”
Ghalibaf, who is Iran’s top negotiator, was quoted as saying. He said Washington
“must understand that the period of dragging out the (diplomatic) process and
dictating one-sided demands is over.”
Iran says no nuclear discussions
A Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on Sunday that Tehran had clarified its
broad positions via mediators to the US response but that additional points
remained to be communicated to Washington. “The Americans’ propositions are more
or less in line with their previous positions, specifically on the nuclear
issue. We told them our focus in this stage is the issue of the Strait of Hormuz
and the return to security in this waterway requires clear steps from the US,”
spokesperson Esmaeil Baghaei said. He also denied Tehran had offered UN nuclear
watchdog inspections of its nuclear facilities in exchange for US sanctions
relief, saying Iran had not entered into nuclear discussions with Washington.
The document being circulated outlines a seven-day period of trust-building
aimed at returning the two sides to an enhanced version of the memorandum of
understanding agreed in June, including concrete steps on Iran’s nuclear
program, an official briefed on the talks said last week. The disagreement
centers on the sequencing of the steps rather than the components of the plan,
the official added.
Warning from Araghchi
Qatar has been shuttling messages between Washington and Tehran in an effort to
end the conflict and reopen the Strait of Hormuz, the conduit for a fifth of the
world’s oil and liquefied natural gas before the war that began at the end of
February with US and Israeli attacks on Iran. The June memorandum of
understanding led to a brief ceasefire and included provisions on the strait and
Iran’s nuclear program. Separately, Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi told foreign
ambassadors and diplomats in Tehran on Sunday that Tehran hoped Washington would
choose diplomacy but warned that Iran was prepared to respond if the US again
chose military action. On Thursday, sources told Reuters that Iran was preparing
a broader and more forceful response if Washington resumed large-scale military
attacks. “If they again move towards military solutions, we are more prepared
than before and will take whatever action is necessary to defend ourselves,”
Araghchi said on Sunday. Army spokesperson Mohammad Akraminia told Fars news
agency on Sunday Iran would upgrade the range of its missiles.
Iran FM tells US there is no military solution to conflict
Agence France Presse/October 04/2026
Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas Araghchi said Sunday that there was no military
solution to his country's conflict with the United States, with talks on ending
the war apparently at an impasse. A campaign of heavy bombardment failed to
bring a decisive close to the war launched by the U.S. and Israel in late
February, and Washington in recent weeks has dialled back military operations in
favour of economic pressure. "If our enemies again choose the path of military
confrontation, our response will be stronger than before, and we will defend
ourselves with even more force," Araghchi said at a gathering of foreign
ambassadors. "There is no military solution, nor any solution based on new
sanctions," he continued, adding "only negotiations based on justice and
fairness" could end the conflict. The two sides agreed a memorandum of
understanding in June aimed at providing a framework for a permanent resolution,
but the deal collapsed, largely due to disagreements over the Strait of Hormuz.
Iran has sought to impose control over the vital shipping lane since the start
of the war, and has attacked vessels that attempt to transit without its
authorisation. Iranian and U.S. officials last week held indirect talks on the
sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly, with Tehran saying it presented seven
conditions for reopening the strait. Trump, however, rejected the proposal,
while leaving the door open both to further talks or renewed military
operations. The United States has not struck Iran since September 1. U.S. media
outlet Axios reported that top Trump cabinet members met Friday to discuss the
war in Iran, as well as the conflict in Yemen, where the Tehran-backed Houthis
have been fighting government forces and attacking Saudi Arabia.
Iranian UN delegation duo 'kicked out' of US
Agence France Presse/October 04/2026
The United States has "kicked out" two members of the Iranian delegation who
attended the recent U.N. General Assembly after they ignored an order to leave
the country, the State Department said. "Two more members of the Iranian
delegation were found still in (New York) long after the United Nations General
Assembly had passed. They have now been kicked out of the U.S.," a U.S. official
told AFP, adding that Secretary of State Marco Rubio "means business." U.S.
media reported the State Department had told Iranian Foreign Minister Abbas
Araghchi and his delegation to leave the country Monday, and resorted to
expelling the two members after learning from the Iranian mission to the U.N.
they remained in the country on Friday. One member of the delegation left Friday
night, while the second departed Saturday morning, according to Axios. U.S. and
Iranian officials had met the week prior in New York on the sidelines of the
U.N. General Assembly. U.S. President Donald Trump had rejected a proposal from
Tehran to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, but told U.S. media he expected talks to
resume in the coming days. Iranian state news agency IRNA reported that Tehran
had no more direct talks scheduled with Washington.
Iran airlines resume flights to Iraqi holy city after US exemption
AFP/04 October/2026
Iranian airlines resumed flights to Iraq’s Najaf on Sunday after the United
States granted Baghdad an exemption allowing sanctioned Iranian carriers to
operate to the city holy to Shia Muslims, an AFP correspondent said. Najaf
airport official Hussein Muhanna told AFP that “flights between Iraq and the
Islamic Republic of Iran have resumed via Najaf International Airport.”The first
flight was operated by Caspian Airlines with AFP’s correspondent at the airport
reporting seeing the plane land at 5:15 pm (1415 GMT). On Friday, the Iraqi
government said it had secured an agreement with the US allowing Iranian
airlines, except Mahan Air, to operate 40 daily flights to and from Najaf, which
is home to one of the most revered shrines in Shia Islam. Last month, Iraq
enforced the US ban on Iranian carriers, leaving travelers scrambling for
solutions, especially at Najaf’s airport, which is a major hub for Iranian
flights and their main destination in Iraq. Iranian airlines mainly carry Shia
pilgrims to Iran’s holy cities or Iranians visiting sacred sites in Iraq. They
also serve Iraqi students studying in Iran and patients seeking medical
treatment there. The US also granted Iraqi Airways, the national carrier, a
waiver to fly between Najaf and Iran, with the flights expected to start this
month. Washington’s sanctions targeting Iranian airlines are part of its efforts
to pressure Tehran’s economy, with the two sides still to make peace in the
months-long conflict.
Tanker damaged after attack in Strait of Hormuz: Maritime
agency
AFP/04 October/2026
An attack on a tanker in the Strait of Hormuz damaged its engine room, a British
maritime agency said Sunday, without specifying when the incident occurred. Iran
has sought to impose control over the vital shipping lane since the start of its
war with the United States and Israel. It has repeatedly targeted vessels in the
waterway that it accuses of transiting without its authorization, while the
United States has struck ships allegedly attempting to skirt a counterblockade
of Iranian ports. An “unknown projectile” struck the ship but the crew were
unharmed, the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations Center (UKMTO) said.No
environmental impact had been recorded from the attack, it added. The agency did
not specify the date of the incident, the vessel’s origin or destination, or
whether it was an oil tanker or LNG carrier. The Strait of Hormuz, through which
about one fifth of the world’s oil and gas transited before the war, remains a
key sticking point in negotiations between Iran and the US. While attacks on
ships in the Hormuz have continued, the United States has not launched strikes
on Iran since September 1.
More than 70 dead in fighting around Yemen's Taiz over 24 hours: Sources to AFP
LBCI/October 04/2026
More than 70 people have been killed over the past day by fighting in and around
the western Yemeni province of Taiz, sources from both sides told AFP on Sunday,
following days of clashes between the Houthi group and government forces.
Sources from the internationally recognised government reported that 34
government troops were killed -- 20 on the edge of Taiz province in neighbouring
Lahj -- while Houthi military sources said 39 of their fighters were killed in
fighting across Taiz and in border areas with Lahj. AFP
Yemeni forces launch ‘battle of liberation’ to retake
Houthi-held territory
Al Arabiya English/04 October/2026
Yemen’s armed forces on Sunday announced the start of a major military campaign
aimed at retaking all territory controlled by the Iran-backed Houthi militia,
restoring state institutions and establishing full government sovereignty across
the country. The military said it had begun the “battle of liberation” and an
operation to “end the coup,” hours after Presidential Leadership Council chief
Rashad al-Alimi ordered government forces to begin military operations against
the Houthis. In a statement, the armed forces said the campaign aimed to recover
all remaining state territory and end Houthi control over areas the militia had
seized by force. “The decisive battle aims to restore all the territory of the
state” and establish “full national sovereignty,” the military said, adding:
“There is no sovereignty in the homeland except that of the people, and no
authority except that of the constitution.”The military said its forces were
advancing “with determination” toward Houthi strongholds. It called on Houthi
fighters to lay down their weapons and distance themselves from what it
described as a losing battle, saying Yemen would remain open to those who
abandon the militia and return to the state. The armed forces also thanked
members of the Saudi-led coalition supporting Yemen’s internationally recognized
government for their backing, describing the campaign as a path toward returning
Yemen to its “Arab fold.”The statement accused the Houthis of damaging Yemen’s
social fabric and violating tribal norms, while saying the consequences of the
militia’s actions had extended beyond Yemen to threaten regional and
international security. The announcement followed an address by al-Alimi earlier
on Sunday in which he declared the start of military operations to retake the
remaining parts of the country outside government control. Al-Alimi said he had
ordered Yemen’s forces to begin carrying out their missions to “restore the
state,” declaring that the government had moved “from the stage of preparation
to the stage of action.”“We have exhausted all opportunities for de-escalation
with the Houthi militias,” al-Alimi said, arguing that the government had given
the option of peace sufficient time and opportunity. He accused the Houthis of
targeting neighboring countries and international waterways, amid heightened
regional concerns over attacks on shipping and recent Houthi missile and drone
attacks against Saudi Arabia. Al-Alimi stressed that the operation was not a war
against civilians in Houthi-controlled Sanaa, Hodeidah or Saada, nor was it
directed against any sect or tribe. Addressing Yemenis living under Houthi
control, he urged them to stay away from the militia’s positions, keep their
children from being drawn into the fighting and cooperate with government
military and security forces. He also said the government’s offer of safe return
and amnesty would remain open to anyone who lays down their weapons. Al-Alimi
said the government would not measure the campaign’s success simply by the
number of cities retaken, but by the restoration of security, the return of
families to their homes and the transition of recovered areas toward stability,
recovery and reconstruction. The Yemeni leader thanked Saudi Arabia for its
support, describing the Kingdom as a key partner in Yemen’s security and future,
and appealed to regional and international partners to stand alongside the
government during the campaign.
The offensive marks a major new phase in Yemen’s long-running conflict. The
Houthis seized Sanaa in 2014 and subsequently took control of large parts of
northern and western Yemen, prompting a Saudi-led coalition to intervene in
support of the internationally recognized government in 2015. The latest
escalation follows renewed Houthi military activity inside Yemen and attacks
against Saudi Arabia, as well as growing concerns over the security of the Bab
al-Mandeb Strait, a strategic waterway linking the Red Sea with the Gulf of
Aden.
Saudi-led coalition pledges support for Yemen government in
anti-Houthi campaign
Al Arabiya English/04 October/2026
The Saudi-led coalition said on Sunday it would continue supporting Yemen’s
internationally recognized government and armed forces in their campaign to
retake Houthi-held territory and restore state institutions across the country.
“We will stand with Yemen and its people until the state and its institutions
are restored and the Houthi militia is eliminated,” coalition spokesman Brig.
Gen. Turki al-Malki said. Al-Malki said coalition operations would continue in
support of the Yemeni government and its armed forces to “end the Houthi coup”
and restore the state. His remarks came after Presidential Leadership Council
chief Rashad al-Alimi announced earlier on Sunday the start of military
operations aimed at retaking the remaining territory controlled by the
Iran-backed Houthi militia. Al-Alimi said he had ordered government forces to
begin carrying out their missions after exhausting opportunities for
de-escalation, declaring that Yemen had moved “from the stage of preparation to
the stage of action to restore the state.” Yemen’s armed forces subsequently
announced the start of a “battle of liberation,” saying the campaign aimed to
retake all Houthi-held territory, restore government institutions and establish
full state sovereignty. Al-Malki also said the coalition would continue taking
measures to end Houthi threats to freedom of navigation, amid heightened
concerns over maritime security around Yemen and the strategically important Bab
al-Mandeb Strait. He accused the Houthis of years of abuses against Yemenis,
including forcibly displacing people from their villages and cities, plundering
the country’s resources and undermining tribal leaders and communities. The
militia’s actions had torn apart Yemen’s national fabric and brought years of
suffering to the population, he added. Turning to recent Houthi attacks against
Saudi Arabia, al-Malki said the Kingdom had the right to defend its sovereignty
and security and would take whatever measures were necessary to deter further
attacks. He said Houthi attempts to target the holy cities of Mecca and Medina
required a deterrent response, adding that the coalition would act to protect
both Saudi sovereignty and regional security. The warning follows a series of
Houthi attacks against the Kingdom. The coalition said last week that the
militia targeted the Taibah electricity distribution station in Medina with a
drone, damaging a transformer but not disrupting the wider electricity grid. The
facility provides electricity services to the Prophet’s Mosque, according to the
coalition. Saudi defenses have also intercepted ballistic missiles and drones
targeting areas including Khamis Mushait and Jazan in recent days. Al-Alimi,
meanwhile, said earlier on Sunday that the new military campaign was not
directed against civilians in Houthi-controlled areas such as Sanaa, Hodeidah
and Saada, and said an offer of safe return and amnesty would remain open to
those who lay down their weapons.
Houthi claims of attack on Saudi capital 'misleading', coalition says
Agence France Presse/October 04/2026
Claims by Yemen's Houthis to have attacked Riyadh are "misleading", the
Saudi-led coalition battling the group said, after an AFP journalist saw flames
at an oil facility near the Saudi capital. Fighting between the Iran-backed
Houthis and Yemen's internationally recognised government, which is supported by
Saudi Arabia, reignited in July, with the group also launching numerous attacks
on Saudi territory. Government forces said Sunday that they had struck Houthi
targets across Yemen, while the Houthis claimed the attack on the oil facility
near Riyadh. A spokesperson for the Saudi-led coalition, General Turki al-Maliki,
told Saudi-owned media outlet Asharq Al-Awsat late Saturday that the Houthis
were "chasing imaginary victories". In comments to the Britain-based outlet, he
said they were struggling in Taiz, Yemen's third most populous city, which is
currently largely held by government forces.
Earlier on Saturday the Houthis claimed to have attacked a site south of Riyadh
belonging to Saudi oil giant Aramco. An AFP journalist in the area saw flames
and smoke rising from the facility, but Saudi authorities have not commented.
Last month the Houthis also claimed to have attacked an oil facility in the
Saudi port city of Yanbu, a major oil terminal on the Red Sea. After several
years of calm, Yemen was plunged back into civil war in July, pitting the
Houthis, who control most of northwest Yemen, including the capital Sanaa,
against the country's government and its longtime Saudi backers. The government,
based in the city of Aden, controls much of Yemen's south and east -- a region
that is larger but less populated. Fighting has intensified, with the Houthis
launching a lightning offensive last month that saw them seize control of
coastal regions along the strategic Bab al-Mandab Strait.
They have also struck targets inside Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter,
and announced a naval blockade on its ships in the Red Sea. Recent fighting has
centred on Taiz. While the Houthis have conquered swathes of territory, they
have yet to wrest control of Taiz city away from the government.
Netanyahu orders security review of flights to Israel after FlyDubai attack
AFP/October 04/2026
JERUSALEM: Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a security review
of international flights to Israel on Sunday, after an attempt by an Omani
co-pilot to crash an Israel-bound plane from Dubai. Netanyahu “has instructed
the head of the National Security Council, Shmuel Ben Ezra, to appoint an
examiner to conduct a thorough review of all security aspects of foreign civil
aviation to Israel,” a statement from the premier’s office said. Calls have
mounted in Israel for an investigation into the security lapse that allowed the
Omani co-pilot of a FlyDubai flight from Dubai to Tel Aviv on Wednesday to
attempt to bring down the aircraft after stabbing the Indian captain.Israeli
media has reported that the co-pilot intended to crash the aircraft on Israeli
territory. Critics have focused on how a pilot from a country with no diplomatic
relations with Israel was cleared to operate a flight bound for Tel Aviv.
Transport Minister Miri Regev rejected responsibility for the failure, saying
security oversight for flights operated by foreign airlines falls under the
remit of the Mossad and Shin Bet, Israel’s foreign and domestic intelligence
agencies. A 2024 report by the state comptroller found there was no clear
division of responsibility for the security of foreign airlines operating in
Israel, and recommended that the government address the issue. Israeli media
have reported that pilots from countries hostile to Israel have repeatedly flown
into the country in recent years. Keren Terner, who previously served as
director-general of the transport ministry and is now running for parliament for
the opposition, blamed Regev for the security failure, noting that the Civil
Aviation Authority was under the “direct subordination” of her ministry. “You
are responsible for the security of foreign companies. Not the Shin Bet, not
Mossad. You. That’s what the government decided, and that’s what the law
stipulates,” Terner wrote on X. Opposition leader Yair Lapid dismissed
Netanyahu’s announcement of a security review as a “sham investigation.”“The
chain of failures that preceded the incident could have led to a disaster of
historic proportions, and this is how an Israeli prime minister responds?” Lapid
wrote on X. “Just as Netanyahu escaped an investigation into the October 7
massacre, he is now running away again,” he added. Gadi Eisenkot, a leading
challenger to Netanyahu ahead of the October 27 election, wrote on X that “in a
proper and functioning government, the minister of transportation would have
submitted a letter of resignation last night.”
UK Green party adopts ‘Zionism is racism’ policy
AFP/October 04/2026
The UK’s left-wing Green party on Sunday voted to define Zionism as racism at
the party’s annual get-together, drawing sharp backlash from British Jewish
groups and the Israeli government. Members of the Green party, which has five
MPs in Britain’s 650-seat parliament and which enjoyed a boost in recent local
and special elections, backed the motion at the party’s conference, with 1,022
votes in favour and 813 against. According to the motion, Zionism would be
“treated as any other form of racism” and the party supports the establishment
of a “single democratic Palestinian State in all of historic Palestine.”“This
has been a serious and deeply felt debate within our membership,” a Green
spokesperson said. The Greens have enjoyed a surge in popularity under the
charismatic leadership of Zack Polanski, attracting voters dissatisfied with the
center-left Labor government’s stance on the Israel-Hamas war. However,
Polanski’s popularity has taken a hit in recent months, polls show, following
several missteps. “This motion would make the Green Party the first electorally
significant UK political party in living memory to adopt what appears to be an
overtly antisemitic political platform,” three Jewish community groups said in a
letter to the party ahead of the vote. “We also emphasized the implications for
the safety and welfare of all British Jews,” the heads of the Board of Deputies,
Community Security Trust and Jewish Leadership Council warned. Israel’s foreign
ministry said the policy went “far beyond the boundaries of legitimate political
debate.”“Every political party in Britain, first and foremost the governing
Labor Party, must unequivocally reject this twisted resolution,” Israel’s
Ministry of Foreign Affairs said. Israel’s president, Isaac Herzog, called the
Green party’s decision “a disgrace.” “Zionism is the national liberation
movement of the Jewish people, and it forms the basis for the Jewish people’s
right to a state and a national home in the Land of Israel,” Herzog said on X.
The motion laid bare divisions in the party with Polanski -- who is currently
running to become an MP in former prime minister Keir Starmer’s London
constituency -- skipping the vote. Despite at least three out of five Green MPs
opposing the motion, Polanski said earlier this week that the “displacement and
genocide of the Palestinian people” was “clearly racism.” United Nations
investigators have accused Israel of committing “genocide” in the war in Gaza, a
finding that Israel has rejected.
From Flydubai to Oct. 7: Israel's security failures back under scrutiny
LBCI/October 04/2026
The Israeli security establishment has entered a phase of failure over the
Flydubai incident after it was revealed that Hamam al-Hammami, the Omani
co-pilot accused of attempting to bring down the aircraft, had been in Tel Aviv
a week before the incident.
More concerning is what Channel 12 reported, saying al-Hammami was not the only
airline crew member to enter Israel despite being prohibited from doing so under
a law that bars citizens of enemy states or countries that do not have
diplomatic relations with Israel from entering the country. According to the
channel, citing an employee at Ben Gurion Airport, numerous airline crew members
holding Lebanese and Syrian passports entered the airport without objection.
Iranian, Syrian and Iraqi pilots may also have entered the country over the past
several years. While an Israeli team is participating in the investigation in
the United Arab Emirates, a security official was quoted as saying that those
responsible for monitoring airline crew and passenger lists had received the
names of the Flydubai flight’s crew members and passengers in advance but took
no action and did not report any suspicions. Information continues to emerge,
revealing, according to an internal document, a serious flaw in the system for
securing foreign flights operating in Israel. Responsibility is being passed
between security agencies and the Transportation Ministry, reviving discussion
of Oct. 7 and the failures surrounding the events of that day, as well as the
wars that followed and are now approaching their fourth year.
Israeli army says it killed assailant in southern Syria
AFP/October 04/2026
JERUSALEM: The Israeli military said early Monday it had killed an assailant at
an army outpost in the area it occupies in southern Syria. “A short while ago,
IDF soldiers identified a suspect attempting to infiltrate an IDF post in the
Security Zone in southern Syria,” the Israeli Defense Forces said in a
statement. “Following a quick identification, the soldiers fired toward the
suspect and eliminated him,” the IDF said, adding that none of its personnel was
injured. After Islamist Ahmad Al-Chareh came to power in Damascus in late 2024,
when his rebel coalition overthrew Bashar Assad, Israel launched hundreds of
strikes against Syria. The IDF also carried out incursions into the south of the
country and deployed troops in the UN-monitored buffer zone separating Israeli
and Syrian forces in the Golan Heights. Israeli officials have repeatedly stated
their intention to maintain troops in the security area, where Israel seeks to
establish a larger demilitarized zone.
Netanyahu orders security review of international flights to Israel after
flydubai attack
LBCI/October 04/2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu ordered a security review of
international flights to Israel on Sunday, after an attempt by an Omani co-pilot
to crash an Israel-bound flight from Dubai. Netanyahu "has instructed the Head
of the National Security Council, Shmuel Ben Ezra, to appoint an examiner to
conduct a thorough review of all security aspects of foreign civil aviation to
Israel," a statement from the premier's office said. AFP
Al-Sisi rejects ‘unilateralism,’ US urges ‘restraint’ amid
Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis
Al Arabiya English/04 October/2026
Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al-Sisi said on Sunday that Egypt rejects “any
external interference in the internal affairs of African countries,” calling for
respect for states’ sovereignty and territorial integrity. Al-Sisi’s comments
came during the opening of the African Union’s eighth mid-year coordination
meeting in al-Alamein. He also stressed that ties between states should be based
on mutual respect, good neighborliness and dialogue, “away from unilateral
policies or narrow interests.” Al-Sisi noted that cross-border issues require
cooperation rather than competition and dialogue rather than confrontation.His
comments came as the United States called for “restraint” and “dialogue” as
Ethiopia’s Tigray crisis pulled in regional neighbors. The fighting has
triggered a breakdown in Ethiopia’s relations with Eritrea and Egypt, which it
accuses of supporting the rebels who have launched attacks against federal
forces, sparking fears of a return to the devastating civil war of 2020-2022. A
diplomatic source told AFP that Sunday’s mini-summit would bring together the
presidents of Egypt, Eritrea and Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, as well as the
head of the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF), Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, on the
sidelines of an African Business Forum.
Al-Sisi held separate talks with al-Burhan
The meeting comes a day after Ethiopian federal forces entered the capital of
Tigray state -- long dominated by the Tigray People’s Liberation Front (TPLF)
rebels -- according to a humanitarian source. Fighting erupted on September 23
in northern Ethiopia as the TPLF attacked neighboring states, saying they were
once again in a “full-blown war” with the federal government. Federal forces and
pro-government militias have pushed them back in recent days and were heading
north towards the regional capital, Mekelle. The conflict has prompted a
regional diplomatic feud, with Ethiopia expelling 10 Eritrean diplomats and
shutting its embassy in Asmara on Thursday. Eritrea, which accuses landlocked
Ethiopia of planning to invade and seize access to its coastline, responded that
it would "sever all diplomatic ties” with its neighbor. Ethiopia also expelled
an Egyptian diplomat without explanation, prompting a reciprocal move by Cairo.
“Increasing cross-border tensions between Ethiopia and Eritrea have the
potential to affect the entire region,” the US State Department said Saturday in
a statement. “We strongly urge Ethiopia and Eritrea to respect the sovereignty
and territorial integrity of their neighbors, exercise maximum restraint and
return to dialogue and cooperation.” The TPLF’s leader Debretsion Gebremichael
said in a video message on Thursday that “the war is regional and it is a war to
control the Red Sea.”The TPLF has long been the dominant force in Tigray,
ousting a government-appointed administration this year.
The rebels’ leader Debretsion implied on Thursday the group would continue
guerrilla-style attacks as they did when Mekelle fell to government forces in
2020. Their insurgent campaign ultimately led to the TPLF retaking the city in
mid-2021. “We operate under a strategy to strike the enemy wherever we choose,”
Debretsion said. The TPLF ruled all of Ethiopia from 1991 to 2018, when it was
marginalized with the rise of Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed, who hails from the
Oromia region. The tensions led to a civil war from 2020 to 2022 -- one of the
deadliest in the world in recent times -- that left more than 600,000 dead,
according to the African Union. The Pretoria peace agreement of 2022, brokered
by African institutions and Washington, maintained an uneasy calm until last
year, but was never fully implemented. With AFP
Russia to intensify strikes on Ukraine after Zelenskyy
interview
Reuters/04 October/2026
Russia will intensify strikes on Kyiv and other parts of Ukraine, the Russian
Defense Ministry said on Sunday, responding to an interview with Ukrainian
President Volodymyr Zelenskyy in which he vowed increased attacks on Russian
refineries. The ministry said Russian forces would step up attacks on military
facilities, defense industry sites and related infrastructure in Kyiv and
elsewhere in Ukraine. Zelenskyy had told Reuters in an interview published on
Saturday that Ukraine will double down on attacking Russian oil refineries in
response to a new policy of airstrikes by Moscow designed to force people to
abandon Kyiv and other cities, but will not target civilians. Russia has
recently escalated strikes on infrastructure in the Ukrainian capital, including
hitting bridges across the Dnipro river. The intensifying campaign has seriously
disrupted life for the capital’s 3 million residents ahead of the bitter winter
months. The Russian Defense Ministry said its recent strikes on Kyiv and other
Ukrainian regions were a response to what it described as attacks by Kyiv on
civilian targets inside Russia. Both Russia and Ukraine deny targeting
civilians.
Zelenskyy says US wants to hold trilateral talks with Russia by the end of
October
AFP/04 October/2026
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy said Sunday that the United States wants
to broker a new round of talks with Ukraine and Russia on ending the
four-and-a-half-year war and hold it by the end of October. The US-led peace
efforts have been largely stalled with Washington’s attention shifted to its war
with Iran and as Ukraine says Russia has ramped up its aerial attacks across the
war-torn country. “The American side is currently in contact with Ukraine and
Russia and is proposing to somehow hold a meeting at the technical level in a
trilateral format by the end of October,” Zelenskyy told reporters on Sunday. He
said he had spoken with the American negotiators on Saturday. “I confirmed to
them that our side is ready to support this timeline,” he added.Zelenskyy did
not say where the talks would take place but said Ukraine was “open to the
Emirates or another country proposed by the American side.”
The United Arab Emirates had in the past hosted talks mediated by the United
States aimed at ending the Russian invasion. The Kremlin said last month that
three-way talks on ending the war could take place in October. “We do not rule
out such a possibility; we are talking about the foreseeable future,” Kremlin
spokesman Dmitry Peskov was quoted at the time as saying by Russia’s Ria and
Tass news agencies. Previous rounds of talks have failed to yield tangible
progress towards peace, with Moscow unwilling to drop its maximalist conditions
to end the fighting.
Musk says he will rename SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI
LBCI/October 04/2026
SpaceX CEO Elon Musk posted on Sunday that he would rename the company's AI unit
to SpaceXSI, following U.S. President Donald Trump's push to use the term
"super intelligence" instead of "artificial intelligence." "Yes, we will make
that change," he replied to a user on X asking him about the possibility of
renaming SpaceXAI to SpaceXSI. Reuters
The Latest LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on October 04-05/2026
Al-Suqaylabiyah is not a "local dispute." It is a repeating
security and accountability failure.
Sally Obeid/X platform.October 04/2026
Al-Suqaylabiyah has been attacked too many times since the fall of Assad for
anyone to continue hiding behind the language of “isolated incidents,” “local
disputes,” or “fights.” The pattern is now documented across nearly two years:
attacks on Christian religious sites, armed incursions from surrounding areas,
harassment of women, gunfire in civilian streets, destruction of shops and
private property, repeated arrests of men from the community that was attacked,
and reconciliation deals that restore temporary calm without producing
transparent accountability.
Three days after Assad fell, on 11 December 2024, Hagia Sophia Greek Orthodox
Church outside Al-Suqaylabiyah was vandalized. Icons, paintings, books,
furniture and church property were damaged. The site was later cleaned and
officials offered protection and repairs, but there is still no public record of
a completed criminal process that identified and prosecuted those responsible.
Less than two weeks later, armed men burned the town’s Christmas tree. That
attack triggered Christian demonstrations extending beyond Al-Suqaylabiyah to
Damascus. In that case, authorities reportedly pursued suspects and restored the
tree. But that response did not prevent what followed.
Throughout 2025, testimony collected by Syrians for Truth and Justice described
repeated harassment by groups entering Al-Suqaylabiyah from outside the town,
including harassment of women, verbal abuse, deliberate provocation and repeated
confrontations. Other documented incidents involved beatings, gunfire, grenades
and sectarian insults against Christians.
Then came 27–28 March 2026.
The incident began after a confrontation involving young men from Al-Suqaylabiyah
and men arriving from nearby Qalaat al-Madiq. Witnesses interviewed by STJ said
harassment of local Christian women was among the immediate triggers. What
followed was not a simple street fight. Large groups mobilized from outside the
town and entered on motorcycles and vehicles. Shops and vehicles were smashed or
looted, residents were beaten, gunfire spread through civilian streets,
religious threats were recorded, and a statue of the Virgin Mary was fired upon.
The European Union Agency for Asylum later described the incident in terms that
leave little room for euphemism: a mob of at least 100 Sunni men passed a
Ministry of Interior checkpoint and attacked Christian property in the Orthodox
town. Christian Solidarity Worldwide separately reported attacks on shops, cars
and a Marian shrine and cited allegations that some security personnel
participated in the violence.
Yet the official response reduced the episode largely to a “collective fight.”
Arrests followed, then a reconciliation process. STJ interviewed 13 witnesses
and victims who alleged that security personnel were present without stopping
attacks, that some patrols moved alongside attackers, and that security-linked
vehicles accompanied incoming groups. STJ said those allegations required an
independent investigation. No transparent investigation was publicly announced.
Pasted text
Instead, the crisis was pushed into a local reconciliation process. The
agreement included detainee releases, proposed compensation and the dropping of
lawsuits connected to the violence. STJ found no evidence of an independent
investigation into security-force conduct, mobilization or incitement.
Then it happened again.
On 27–28 July 2026, armed young men from Qalaat al-Madiq reportedly entered Al-Suqaylabiyah
carrying firearms and grenades, harassed women at a café, and became involved in
another confrontation. Gunfire followed and a grenade was thrown in a civilian
area. Residents later protested after allegations that suspected attackers had
been released while men from Al-Suqaylabiyah including an injured resident were
referred to military justice.
Now, on 3–4 October 2026, Al-Suqaylabiyah has been attacked again.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported armed men believed to have come
from Qalaat al-Madiq firing toward homes and commercial premises and attempting
to enter the city. The official state response once again described the incident
as a “fight,” while admitting that a commercial shop had been attacked and that
people from both Qalaat al-Madiq and Al-Suqaylabiyah had been detained. Pasted
text
Material emerging from the city describes something far more serious: attacks on
shops and property, gunfire, an injured woman, raids on homes and allegations of
physical abuse during security operations. Some local detainees have already
been publicly identified. Allegations that women were beaten inside their homes
and that individual security personnel directly assisted attackers require
independent investigation, but they cannot simply be erased because they are
inconvenient to the official narrative.
This is no longer about whether the authorities have occasionally intervened.
They have. The Christmas tree was restored. Gunmen were pursued in some
incidents. Security forces have at times blocked groups from entering the town.
The real question is why every intervention has failed to produce deterrence,
accountability or non-recurrence. The repeated pattern documented in Al-Suqaylabiyah
is preventive failure, disputed security conduct, detention of members of the
attacked community, official minimization of serious violence as “fights,” and
reconciliation without transparent criminal accountability. Pasted text
That is the issue that @SecRubio , @JDVance, @USAMBTurkiye, @volker_turk
, @UNHumanRights, @USCIRF and @kajakallas
should be answering now.
Vice President J.D. Vance publicly warned against allowing Syria’s historic
Christian communities to suffer the fate of Iraq’s Christians. Secretary Marco
Rubio and the United States backed a policy of political normalization and
removal of terrorist designations on the basis that the new order in Syria would
move toward stability, rule of law and protection of minorities.
Then this is the test.
Not speeches. Not reassurances. Not another statement after the damage is done.
The test is whether a predominantly Christian town can be attacked repeatedly
without a transparent investigation, whether armed groups can return again after
previous “reconciliations,” whether victims can be detained alongside those
accused of attacking them, and whether allegations involving security personnel
are investigated independently rather than buried under another formula of “calm
restored.”
The demands are straightforward an independent investigation into the March,
July and October attacks; publication of the names, locations and legal status
of every detainee; investigation of allegations of security-force participation,
facilitation or failure to intervene; preservation of CCTV footage, videos,
arrest logs, communications and command records; and an end to reconciliation
arrangements that extinguish legal claims without establishing responsibility.
How many attacks must Al-Suqaylabiyah endure before international officials stop
treating each one as an isolated disturbance?
How many times must a Christian community be told that the situation is “under
control” while the same cycle continues?
And how many promises to protect Syria’s Christians are worth anything if, when
the test arrives, there is still no accountability, no deterrence and no
guarantee that the attackers will not return again?
The American-Iranian arm wrestling: Who cries ‘uncle’
first?
Raghida Dergham/Al Arabiya English/October 04/2026
The arm-wrestling between the US administration and Iran’s leaders and proxies
has entered a phase that tests the credibility of alliances as much as
deterrence. The dilemma is that a tactical understanding with an Iranian proxy
may strengthen it at a strategic ally’s expense, just as a US withdrawal may
weaken the state it is meant to empower. Washington faces a test of its resolve
to translate military superiority into action on the ground, while Tehran uses
its proxies to provoke a wider war that rallies popular support for the regime
and diverts attention from Iran’s economic collapse and its social consequences.
Saudi Arabia sits at the heart of this contest, encircled from the south by
Yemen’s Houthis and from the north by Iraqi factions linked to Iran. Iraq faces
acute danger as it loses the protection of the US military presence while the
factions retain their weapons, deliberately undermining sovereignty and
insisting on imposing the Islamic Republic’s model of government. The
Revolutionary Guard, which rules in Tehran, is seizing the opportunity to
reshape and reposition the “axis of Islamic resistance” in Iraq after losing
Syria. Central to this effort are the Houthi militias, now a major asset for
Tehran following Hezbollah’s diminished leadership of Iran’s proxies.
Recent understandings between President Donald Trump’s administration and the
Houthis, whom Washington designates as terrorists, have damaged an American
reputation already tainted by accusations of readily betraying allies. Despite
their limited, pragmatic purpose of avoiding a wider war with Iran and
containing Houthi ambitions in Bab al-Mandab, the Houthis read them as American
weakness and dependence on them. They behaved with the confidence of a protected
quasi-partner, believing that sparing Americans gave them room to intensify
aggression against US allies. Reducing risks to the United States may transfer
them to its strategic partner. This perception damages American interests and
allies alike and demands urgent correction.
The understanding with the Houthis is tactical; the alliance with Saudi Arabia
and the Gulf states is strategic. That hierarchy must be reflected in US policy,
beyond statements of reassurance. Marco Rubio’s reaffirmation of Washington’s
defense commitments to Saudi Arabia matters, but the test is preventing the
Houthis from turning the understanding into immunity. Tehran’s activation of the
Houthi and Iraqi fronts converges on Washington’s deferred decision on Iran.
An expanded US military operation against Iran has recently become a serious
option, although the president’s decision remains preliminary, with neither a
final decision nor an execution date. It is driven primarily by the inability of
the Islamic Republic’s rulers to meet US demands concerning the nuclear program,
which lies at the core of the regime’s doctrine. Proxy attacks, including the
encirclement of Saudi Arabia, do not outweigh the nuclear issue in importance or
priority. Their consequences are nonetheless grave: they test US credibility and
expose the recklessness of the Revolutionary Guard and its proxies, emboldened
to overreach strategically by their belief that the midterm elections constrain
Trump and that he will not dare act.
There is a significant difference between preparing options Trump can use as
leverage and his becoming convinced that further delay will increase the cost of
the next confrontation. Military preparations must therefore not be
underestimated, transient pragmatic understandings must not be relied upon, and
strategic shortsightedness is unacceptable at this pivotal moment.
The Revolutionary Guard may be naive in treating the midterms as temporary
immunity. Its calculation is that Trump does not want a war that raises energy
prices, unsettles American voters and weakens Republicans. This assumes,
however, that he will follow a single course regardless of changing
circumstances. The prospect of Republicans losing Congress, or either chamber,
may prompt Trump to accelerate military action before a Democratic Congress
constrains him. Defeat would not tie his hands the next day: an interval
precedes the new Congress taking office, and presidential powers survive an
electoral setback. Iranian confidence in the American calendar is a gamble.
Using the Houthis and Iraqi factions to raise the cost of American hesitation
may convince Trump that punishing the proxies alone is insufficient, and that
the time has come for direct measures against their sponsor and mastermind: the
radical, ideologically driven Revolutionary Guard ruling in Tehran. This does
not make war inevitable, but it makes provocation a gamble. The reinforcement of
US defenses in the Gulf takes on significance here. Sending two additional
Patriot batteries to protect energy facilities in Saudi Arabia and Qatar reduces
partners’ exposure to Iranian retaliation and expands Washington’s room for
maneuver. Protection does not signify Gulf approval of war or willingness to
bear its cost. It does, however, confirm that the security of oil and gas
facilities forms part of the calculations for any expanded operation, rather
than an afterthought.
The Houthis are testing the limits in turn. The Yemeni government forces’
announcement of twenty strikes against Houthi targets in Taiz within three hours
adds a battlefield cost to Houthi calculations. These strikes alone do not
establish that a decisive battle has begun, but they confirm that threatening
neighbors does not spare the perpetrators a cost at home.
None of this means that American policies are mature when measured against naive
Houthi and Iranian policies. There is considerable distance between maturity and
naivety, and Iraq exposes one such gap. Tom Barrack, a leading architect of the
administration’s Levant policy, sees withdrawal as an opportunity to empower
governments and deprive armed groups of the pretext of resisting the American
presence. He spoke of the United States becoming a friend and partner, and of an
opportunity for Prime Minister Ali al-Zaidi to unify Iraqi forces. The problem
is that removing a pretext does not dismantle the project it served or
automatically shift the balance of power toward the government. Rubio appears
more alert to the danger when he warns of Iraq’s “Balkanization” unless the
militias are disarmed. Yet withdrawal proceeded on schedule, while a state
monopoly on arms was deferred until next June. The Pentagon assigns Baghdad
primary responsibility for confronting ISIS remnants and Iran-aligned militias.
That assigns responsibility without creating capacity. Political support for al-Zaidi
does not give him the means to subdue factions that helped shape the governing
arrangement. How does troop withdrawal empower the state when the forces
contesting its sovereignty retain their military capability and gain additional
time to entrench themselves?
Iran benefits as direct pressure on its allies eases, while the factions retain
their instruments of influence over Baghdad’s decisions. More dangerous is the
entrenchment of a force parallel to the army, modeled on the Revolutionary
Guard’s position in Iran, with institutional cover, Iraqi funding and decisions
independent of the government. Placing fighters within an official institution
is insufficient if their chain of command, allegiance and military decisions
remain outside state authority. Integration then becomes a means of protecting
the duality of power. What is required goes beyond managing relations with the
Popular Mobilization Forces to ending the factions’ military, financial and
organizational autonomy.
This model risks tearing Iraq apart. Armed domination in the name of one
community pushes others to seek countervailing protection. The Popular
Mobilization Forces are not a single organization, and not all their members can
be reduced to instruments of Iranian decisions. Yet Tehran-linked factions
exploit the ambiguity between institution and faction. Balkanization may begin
with the separation between the state’s constitutional form and its actual
centers of power, before appearing on a map.
The danger to Saudi Arabia stems from the possibility of activating the Iraqi
and Houthi fronts simultaneously, beyond government control. A faction’s
commitment to calm in its own arena is insufficient if the proxy network can
shift pressure elsewhere. Riyadh cannot be expected to trust government
assurances when armed groups can override them, or settle for stronger defenses
without addressing the capacity for repeated attacks. China is being tested as
the sponsor of the Saudi-Iranian Beijing agreement, and in the political
guarantee that sponsorship is supposed to provide. Saudi Arabia must ask Beijing
directly: Where are you as guarantor, and where is the Beijing agreement? The
accord rests on respect for sovereignty and noninterference. Its credibility
cannot be separated from the kingdom’s security when Iranian-backed proxies
threaten it. Beijing must use its influence with Tehran, rather than merely call
for restraint in language that equates aggressor and target. Protecting its
diplomatic standing requires defending the agreement’s substance through
positions and results, rather than invoking the photograph of its signing.
Lebanon is also part of the test. Hezbollah’s diminished power does not erase
the Revolutionary Guard’s interest in reviving it, nor justify returning Lebanon
to the basket of US-Iranian bargaining. American success there is measured by
restoring the state’s authority over its decisions, securing Israeli withdrawal
and establishing a state monopoly on arms, rather than granting Tehran the right
to negotiate another country’s sovereignty. Empowering the Lebanese government,
like its Iraqi counterpart, requires practical tools and addressing the sources
of power of groups contesting its authority. This arm-wrestling exposes flaws in
both sides’ calculations. Washington may weaken its alliances by separating
tactical understandings from strategic commitments, while Tehran may turn the
proxies protecting its regime into reasons to target it. On the territory of
Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Yemen and Lebanon, it will be determined whether postponing
a decision prevents war or prepares the ground for a wider one. Who cries
“uncle” first will depend on more than the intensity of threats: it will depend
on each side’s ability to bear the consequences of its wagers.
France: A Sick Country on a Sick Continent
Guy Millière/Gatestone Institute/October 4, 2026
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22891/france-sick-country
"The French Left has waged war on schools while building an alliance with
Islamist leaders who hope to radically transform them. For both, the fight
starts with the schools. 'Clearly, religious and politico-religious
organizations "work on" these pupils, sometimes from primary school, as well as
their family, their social milieu and their neighborhood, and some try to set
them against the school,' the Education Ministry inspectorate's June 2004 report
on religion in schools said." — Michael Shellenberger, October 2, 2026.
"What brings Islamists and the revolutionary left together is their intention to
tear down Western civilization. The French Interior Ministry's May 2025 report
on the Muslim Brotherhood described the movement's project in France as 'a long
process of political conquest' with 'systematically priority investment at the
local level.'" — Michael Shellenberger, October 2, 2026.
[W]hen thousands of French citizens said they could no longer afford both the
fuel to travel to work and the food to feed their families, [French President
Emmanuel] Macron replied that while some people might struggle with money, he
must take care of something more important: "the risk of facing the end of the
world".Deindustrialization continues full-on. Punitive regulations have caused
factories to close. They are replaced not by other businesses but by an
increasingly costly welfare system, which now accounts for more than 40% of
total public spending.
[S]uccessive French governments have pumped up spending without restraint....
This enormous difference means that the French government continues to spend far
more than it raises in revenue.... Interest payments on the debt have been
devouring an increasingly large share of the country's annual budget and, as in
the United States, now exceed the national defense budget. The difference is
that the US may still be able to grow its way out of such a hole -- $40
trillion, with interest at $7.1 billion a day -- whereas France, crushed by
overregulation, cannot.
On another front, while Macron, in 2020, denounced "Islamist separatism," he has
done nothing to prevent, or even slow down, the Islamist conquest of France. For
a decade, the full-powered Islamization of the country has stormed on. Millions
of people from the Muslim world have settled in France, both legally and
illegally. Most Muslims in France do not assimilate, and a growing proportion --
roughly 38% -- place Islamic sharia law above the laws of the Republic....
No-go zones, where radical imams and Muslim gangs hold sway, have grown since
2016. They now featured in the suburbs of the major cities of France. Muslim
gang members raid and go looting several times a year,
In recent years, Macron has also been increasingly targeting freedom of
expression, making use of Arcom — an institution he created in 2022 to regulate
and control French audiovisual media — to do so.... CNews was fined twice in
2026: once because a guest stated that anthropogenic global warming does not
exist; another time because a guest stated that "history shows that Islam is
still a religion of conquest."
Macron might want a successor who would continue his programs, such as they are,
but that does not seem about to happen. Marine Le Pen, for the first time in her
political career, leads in polls, which indicate that in 2027 she could win....
All of her legal troubles, however, appear to have had no effect on her voters,
who appear to understand that justice in France has now been politicized.
If Le Pen is elected president in the spring, the shockwaves will be heard
across Europe. A Le Pen presidency would mean a victory for a political party
that champions Western civilizational values — a party that every incumbent
leader in Western Europe -- except Italy's Giorgia Meloni — seeks to keep out of
power by any means necessary.The situation in France differs little from the
general situation in Western Europe.
Many other Europeans are just as dissatisfied with their leaders as are the
French. They all see the economic destruction, the ongoing Islamization of their
countries, the threat from China to undercut their automobile industries, and
the growing impossibility of discussing certain subjects without being demonized
or put on trial. Many Europeans see Islamization gaining ground in their
countries and enjoying support from Marxists: each thinks the other will bring
it to power. They see their leaders doing nothing to remedy a situation that has
become increasingly alarming. They appear to prefer having their Western
civilization protected and saved.The French government was reportedly "taken by
surprise" when students began rioting roughly two weeks ago. Many Europeans see
Islamization gaining ground in their countries and enjoying support from
Marxists: each thinks the other will bring it to power. They see their leaders
doing nothing to remedy a situation that has become increasingly alarming.
"Who didn't see that coming? Oh yeah ....the politicians," noted "The Great
Gats" on X.
The French government was reportedly "taken by surprise" when students began
rioting roughly two weeks ago to protest conditions — overcrowded classes,
dilapidated buildings, vermin and rats, lack of heating and air-conditioning,
shortage of teachers — in their schools.
"But," American journalist Michael Shellenberger writes, " French schools have
more money per pupil today than at any earlier time.... The French government
spends 4.5% of gross domestic product on educational institutions, and Germany
spends 3.7%.
The violent riots, which started on Paris's Ile de France and spread throughout
the country, appear, according to investigations, to have been instigated by the
French political party La France Insoumise (France Unbowed) headed by Jean Luc
Melenchon, a far-left candidate in the French presidential elections scheduled
for the spring of 2027. La France Insoumise denies the charges; however,
according to Shellenberger, "the evidence clearly shows that La France insoumise
(LFI)... instigated and led the protests."
"The protest had 'the involvement from the start of elected officials of La
France insoumise and ultra-left collectives,' an anonymous security official
told Le Point. A readout of the prime minister's October 1 crisis meeting, given
to Reuters by a person close to him, described the movement as 'an operation
organised by LFI (France Unbowed) and its proxies on the far left' in the
'shared assessment' of the intelligence services....
"'Parents, Insoumis [party] activists, mobilize to interpose yourselves against
police savagery,' said Mélenchon, blaming the police, not the students, for the
violence....
"In Marseille, hundreds of young people forced firefighters to flee their truck
outside a lycée and then set it alight. In Paris, about ten protesters chased a
trainee police lieutenant, threw her to the ground and kicked her amid cries of
'Kill her!....'
"'We're not entirely sure that they are even high-school students themselves,'
said the French Justice Minister of the people arrested...."
"The French Left has waged war on schools while building an alliance with
Islamist leaders who hope to radically transform them. For both, the fight
starts with the schools. 'Clearly, religious and politico-religious
organizations "work on" these pupils, sometimes from primary school, as well as
their family, their social milieu and their neighborhood, and some try to set
them against the school,' the Education Ministry inspectorate's June 2004 report
on religion in schools said.
"What brings Islamists and the revolutionary left together is their intention to
tear down Western civilization. The French Interior Ministry's May 2025 report
on the Muslim Brotherhood described the movement's project in France as 'a long
process of political conquest' with 'systematically priority investment at the
local level.'"The children of Muslim immigrants are often more radical than
their parents. 'There is first of all a generational revolt,' wrote Olivier Roy,
a French scholar of Islam, in 2015 of French jihadists...."
"LFI openly courts Muslim voters, and a parliamentary inquiry said that made it
a target for Islamist networks....
"'LFI's commitment to a clientelist strategy toward the Muslim electorate may
have made this movement a privileged target,' said Matthieu Bloch, rapporteur of
a National Assembly inquiry into parties and Islamist networks, in December
2025....
"Polls 'all show [Mélenchon] losing massively in a run-off against Le Pen,'
noted the BBC."
So far, around 2,000 students have been arrested and more than 1,000 schools
affected. The violence has included "schools set on fire and teachers beaten and
doused in petrol."
French President Emmanuel Macron, who is serving his second term of office and
cannot run again, is ending his presidency facing widespread rejection from the
public. According to a recent poll, only 21% support his policies, although up
from 19% a few months ago.
Macron's numbers are not surprising. He has repeatedly shown contempt for the
poorest members of French society.
A few weeks into his first term, which began in May 2017, he spoke of "those who
made it" and "those who are nothing." Less than a year and a half later, in
November 2018, while citing anthropogenic climate change, he raised France's
already exorbitant gasoline taxes, a move that immediately triggered the "Yellow
Vests" movement, when thousands of French citizens said they could no longer
afford both the fuel to travel to work and the food to feed their families.
Macron replied that while some people might struggle with money, he must take
care of something more important: "the risk of facing the end of the world".The
Yellow Vests movement lasted more than a year — subsiding only in January 2020
with the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic. Throughout, Macron remained
contemptuous, responding to the grievances of nonviolent protestors with police
crackdowns inflicting deaths and mutilations. Meanwhile, he permitted left-wing
agitators who had infiltrated the movement to riot and commit arson without
asking the police to intervene. Many in France saw that Macron could be pitiless
toward people expressing their distress, but lenient toward criminals so long as
they were of his preferred political bent.
During the pandemic, Macron initiated some of the most authoritarian measures in
Europe. The French were ordered to stay indoors and leave their homes for only
one hour a day — within a half-mile radius — provided they filled out a form
stating their name, address, and time of departure. The police, omnipresent,
arrested thousands and fined them heavily simply for venturing slightly beyond
the permitted distance or lingering a bit longer than one hour. All
conversations outdoors were strictly prohibited.
The Macron years were additionally marked by a profound economic decline in
France and a severe drop in the standard of living. For the past decade,
France's per capita wealth has fallen below the EU average and now trails behind
that of Cyprus. Ten years ago, in 2016, France's GDP per capita was globally
ranked at 23; today, it ranks at 33. The unemployment rate, now at 8.3% , is
increasing. For people between the ages of 15 and 24, it is an extremely high
21.1%.
Deindustrialization continues full-on. Punitive regulations have caused
factories to close. They are replaced not by other businesses but by an
increasingly costly welfare system, which now accounts for more than 40% of
total public spending. In 2025, the poverty rate in France climbed to 15.4%,
representing 9.8 million people living below 60% of the national median income
and struggling every month just to meet their basic needs.
At the same time, successive French governments have pumped up spending without
restraint. While the GDP growth in France from 2016 through 2026 was 13.17% in
total, the increase in public spending in the same period was 35.6%. This
enormous difference means that the government continues to spend far more than
it raises in revenue. The national debt, which has grown continuously, reached
117.5% of GDP in January 2026, and will reach 119.3% by the end of the year.
Interest payments on the debt have been devouring an increasingly large share of
the country's annual budget and, as in the United States, now exceed the
national defense budget. The difference is that the US may still be able to grow
its way out of such a hole -- $40 trillion, with interest at $7.1 billion a day
-- whereas France, crushed by overregulation, cannot.
On another front, while Macron, in 2020, denounced "Islamist separatism," he has
done nothing to prevent, or even slow down, the Islamist conquest of France. For
a decade, the full-powered Islamization of the country has stormed on. Millions
of people from the Muslim world have settled in France, both legally and
illegally. Around 2016, the approximate number of Muslim citizens and foreign
Muslims living in France was 5.7 million (8.8%); now, officially, it is
estimated at possibly 7 million out of a population of roughly 67 million, but
the real figures are undoubtedly higher. Most Muslims in France do not
assimilate, and a growing proportion -- roughly 38% -- place Islamic sharia law
above the laws of the Republic (the figure is higher among Muslims aged 15 to
24: 57%).
Laws against illegal immigration are not enforced. Every year, only 7% of
illegal aliens in France who were notified by the police to leave -- by the OQTF
(Obligation to Leave French Territory) -- are expelled. This laxity means that
more than 93% remain in the country. Many are criminals. Some of the most
sickening murders in France during the Macron years have been committed by
illegal aliens who had ignored their OQTF. Lola Daviet, age 12, for instance,
was raped, tortured, and murdered in a Paris apartment by an Algerian thief and
occasional prostitute, Dahbia Benkired. On August 21, 2022, Benkired had been
arrested, issued an OQTF, and then released. Two months later, on October 14,
she murdered the child.
No-go zones, where radical imams and Muslim gangs hold sway, have grown since
2016. They now featured in the suburbs of the major cities of France. Muslim
gang members raid and go looting several times a year, especially when there is
sports match with a French soccer team, and recently during the 2025 World Cup.
The police have orders to intervene only minimally. If they hurt or kill a
Muslim criminal, they have seen that their careers and lives can be destroyed.
On June 27, 2023, Nahel Merzouk, a young Muslim criminal, refused to obey to a
police officer, who then shot him by accident. Riots, which erupted all over the
country, only began to calm when the police officer, Florian M., was placed in
pre-trial custody and charged with first-degree murder. He now faces up to 20
years in prison.
"Right-wing" anti-Semitism has largely vanished, and it has been replaced by an
exceptionally venomous Islamic and left-wing anti-Semitism.
After Hamas's October 7, 2023 massacre in Israel, Islamic and leftist protests
in support of Hamas and "Palestinian resistance" were organized within days. La
France Insoumise described the October 7 massacre as an "armed offensive by
Palestinian forces" without ever mentioning that Hamas is a terrorist movement.
One of the leaders of LFI, Rima Hassan, a French citizen, defines herself as
"French-Palestinian", not French. She constantly falsely accuses Israel of
"genocide" and claims that that "Hamas's actions are legitimate."
The massive surge of antisemitic assaults, threats, and insults has lasted until
today.
In recent years, Macron has also been increasingly targeting freedom of
expression, making use of Arcom — an institution he created in 2022 to regulate
and control French audiovisual media — to do so. In 2025, Arcom shut down the
television channel C8: the stated reason was a "lack of pluralism," and that too
many conservatives had been invited to speak. On June 15, 2026, another
television channel, CNews, received a formal notice from Arcom, also accusing it
of a "lack of pluralism". CNews could soon shut down as well. It is the last
major television channel in France that still invites right-of-center
commentators whom other channels no longer invite. CNews was fined twice in
2026: once because a guest stated that anthropogenic global warming does not
exist; another time because a guest stated that "history shows that Islam is
still a religion of conquest."
In December 2025, France requested that two commentators — Jacques Baud and
Xavier Moreau — be sanctioned by the European Union for their "pro-Russian
remarks." Their bank accounts and assets within the EU were frozen, and their
credit cards cancelled. They are no longer permitted to travel within the EU.
Any financial assistance provided to them by anyone would be subject to
sanctions. These measures are extrajudicial, but there is no avenue of appeal or
recourse.
In May 2024, Macron's political party, Renaissance, lost the European Parliament
elections. While France's main right-wing party, Rassemblement National
(National Rally), received 31.37% of the vote, Macron's received only 14.6%. He
spoke angrily about the result, dissolved the National Assembly and called for
snap legislative elections. In the first round, the National Rally received more
than 33% of the votes and was about to win a majority of the seats in the second
round. Macron quickly created an alliance of all other political parties aimed
at defeating the National Rally. He spoke of a "republican front," and implied
that the National Rally is a danger to the republic. Voters supporting centrist
or moderate-right candidates were encouraged to vote for a left-wing candidate
if that candidate was best positioned to win. Voters supporting left-wing
candidates were encouraged to vote for a centrist or moderate-right for the same
reason. The result was that the National Rally secured the largest share of
votes, but the "republican front" parties received the largest number of seats
in the National Assembly, which was fragmented into multiple parties, none of
which could form a coherent majority. Since then, the country has had several
powerless governments, and no important decisions could be made. Macron made the
country ungovernable.
Macron might want a successor who would continue his programs, such as they are,
but that does not seem about to happen. Marine Le Pen, for the first time in her
political career, leads in polls, which indicate that in 2027 she could win.
Other candidates belong to parties that are now associated with the disaster
into which France has plunged.
Le Pen was even prosecuted for allegedly allowing parliamentary assistants of
Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) from her party to work in Paris for
the MEPs who employed them. When centrist candidate François Bayrou and
left-leaning Jean-Luc Mélenchon were accused of the same offense, the charges
against both were dropped. Not for Le Pen. On March 31, 2025, she was sentenced
to four years in prison and a five-year ban from holding public office,
presumably to prevent her from becoming a candidate.
After she appealed the verdict, on July 7, 2026, her sentence was reduced to
three years in prison -- one year of which was to be served under house arrest,
wearing an electronic monitoring tag -- and a 45-month ban from holding public
office, 30 months of which were suspended. The new ruling enables her to run for
office. She has lodged an appeal with France's highest court and execution of
the judgment has been suspended. She will not have to wear the monitoring tag
during the election campaign. The court is scheduled to issue its ruling on her
appeal before the election and could reverse its decision. Le Pen would then be
required to wear a monitoring tag during the final days of her campaign and,
should she be elected, at the Élysée Palace upon taking office.
All of her legal troubles, however, appear to have had no effect on her voters,
who appear to understand that justice in France has now been politicized.
If Le Pen is elected president in the spring, the shockwaves will be heard
across Europe. A Le Pen presidency would mean a victory for a political party
that champions Western civilizational values — a party that every incumbent
leader in Western Europe -- except Italy's Giorgia Meloni — seeks to keep out of
power by any means necessary.
The economic, financial and social situation Le Pen would face in the event of
her victory would be harsh. All available data indicate that France is almost
bankrupt at almost every level. A recovery will be highly complex and difficult.
Most leaders of LFI have already declared that they would refuse to accept a Le
Pen victory: if she wins, they would call for an insurrection. Several political
analysts think that in such an event, widespread riots involving leftist groups
and Islamist gangs might break out across the country.
Several other French politicians attempting to stoke panic will do so with
increasing intensity right up until the election. It is not at all certain that
these obstructions would be enough to defeat Le Pen.
A recent poll commissioned by the center-right Foundation for Political
Innovation shows that 78% of voters believe that "the French way of life, its
traditions, and its lifestyle habits are under threat." Available data indicate
that, unfortunately, this is true. Another recent poll shows that 85% of voters
think France is in decline. They are quite right. France is in sharp decline and
large majority of the French see it.
The situation in France differs little from the general situation elsewhere in
Western Europe. The policies pursued in most other Western European countries do
not fundamentally differ from those adopted by Macron -- and lead to the same
results.
Many other Europeans are just as dissatisfied with their leaders as are the
French. They all see the economic destruction, the ongoing Islamization of their
countries, the threat from China to undercut their automobile industries, and
the growing impossibility of discussing certain subjects without being demonized
or put on trial. Many Europeans see Islamization gaining ground in their
countries and enjoying support from Marxists: each thinks the other will bring
it to power. They see their leaders doing nothing to remedy a situation that has
become increasingly alarming. They appear to prefer having their Western
civilization protected and saved. Political parties in Western Europe with
platforms close to that of Le Pen's National Rally, such as Germany's
Alternative für Deutschland (AfD), are gaining momentum despite attempts by
leaders in power and the media to demonize them.
On September 6, 2026, in a state-level election in Germany's Saxony-Anhalt, the
AfD won 43.8% of the vote -- twice as much as five years earlier. In May 2025,
German Chancellor Friedrich Merz came to power at the head of a grand coalition
united solely by the desire to halt the rise of the AfD. His coalition did
nothing to combat Germany's deep industrial slowdown and the growing
non-integration of Muslims living in the country. The situation is now worse.
Merz is currently more unpopular in Germany than Macron is in France (only 14%
of Germans consider him worthy of holding the office of Chancellor). The AfD is
now the most popular party nationwide in Germany. A recent poll puts its support
at a record 30%. In the UK, in May 2026, the Reform Party won many local and
municipal elections, inflicting heavy defeats on both the ruling Labour Party
and the Conservative Party. Recent polls indicate that if an election for
Parliament were held today, it would secure the highest number of seats.A
political groundswell in Western Europe is taking shape. Most mainstream media
commentators dismissively label it "populist."
"What they call populism," wrote Éric Zemmour, former columnist and president of
the right-wing Reconquest party, "is the cry of people who do not want to die."
* Dr. Guy Millière, a professor at the University of Paris, is the author of 27
books on France and Europe.
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
Chokepoint diplomacy weaponizing maritime geography
Dr. Bader bin Saud/Arabia/October 04/2026
The recent fall of the Yemeni city of Mokha and its strategic port, followed
immediately by the Houthi militia’s invasion of Mayun Island in the middle of
the Bab Al-Mandab Strait, signal a permanent shift in global maritime security.
This coordinated maritime encirclement, cementing its strategic weight across
global shipping corridors, directly mirrors the Ottoman fleet’s siege of the
Malacca Strait in 1569, which successfully strangled trade with the global
empires of Spain, Genoa, Portugal and Venice. Modern nonstate actors and
regional powers have effectively weaponized these waterways, transforming
once-free global passageways into tools for the total economic strangulation of
distant capitals without ever marching on their borders. History repeats itself
with absolute clarity, confronting the international order with a raw reality
that shatters its foundational credibility: maritime geography has permanently
shifted from a safe commercial commons into a supreme weapon of political
blackmail — a weapon whose asymmetric power completely surpasses conventional
military arsenals and renders international maritime laws entirely powerless.
Geopolitical containment across the southern Red Sea now strikes directly at the
core of global energy stability. Falling coastal territories along the Yemeni
coast have triggered an immediate domino effect, destabilizing Saudi Arabia’s
strategic East-West Pipeline network and forcing major state enterprises like
Aramco to structurally reroute shipments away from European refineries. This
calculated freeze of 3.1 million barrels per day of crude oil and vital
derivatives presents a severe threat to Asian and Western energy security alike.
The Houthis’ military placement on Mayun Island secures an absolute physical
blockade over the western channel, transforming the sole deep-water artery for
intercontinental oil tankers into an active tactical trap where low-cost
projectiles and drone networks hold sway. Ongoing data assessments from the
International Institute for Strategic Studies reveal that this crisis has
successfully forged a highly fragmented global maritime reality. By physically
connecting the flashpoints of the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab Al-Mandab into a
single escalatory theater, regional actors have permanently expanded the
militarization of the seas into an open, active front. International maritime
laws cannot protect global waterways unless they are backed by a military
presence.
Current developments demonstrate that the pressure around global maritime
corridors does not stop at the borders of the Middle East. Analysis from the
Center for Strategic and International Studies highlights a mirroring war of
nerves actively unfolding across Southeast Asia, focused directly on the waters
of the Malacca Strait — the vital economic lifeline of Chinese state stability.
This narrow transit corridor handles more than 80 percent of Beijing’s raw crude
oil imports, leaving the state highly vulnerable to geographical blackmail while
under the constant surveillance of forward-deployed US fleets. Beijing has
attempted to bypass this acute geographical constraint by pouring billions into
alternative land corridors across Pakistan and Myanmar, yet these overland
routes remain entirely inadequate substitutes for the massive scale of maritime
trade. Joint efforts with Moscow to develop the Northern Sea Route into a
functional “Polar Silk Road” remain grounded by severe winter icing and the
immense capital cost of icebreaker operations, forcing the Chinese economy
straight back into the Malacca vice. Consequently, the Malacca Strait has
shifted from a routine merchant transit route into the definitive front line of
a cold conflict between Washington and Beijing, where global energy security is
held hostage by localized military restrictions deployed from the strategic
naval bases of Malaysia and Singapore.
Narrow waterways under active military siege expose a fatal regulatory impasse,
signaling the complete erosion of the legal and legislative frameworks that have
governed international seas since the mid-20th century. Imposing coastal
blockades by raw force has effectively destroyed the operational authority of
the 1936 Montreux Convention and the 1982 UN Convention on the Law of the Sea.
Treaties explicitly guaranteeing the unrestricted right of passage for
commercial fleets have been rendered meaningless.
Existing international regulatory bodies possess zero material or legal
deterrent capacity to prevent the militarization of strategic straits by modern
militias or regional actors utilizing a policy of the accomplished fact. To put
it bluntly, without evasion or euphemisms, international maritime laws cannot
protect global waterways unless those laws are backed by a permanent, physical
military presence along the coasts. Maintaining obsolete, unreformed agreements
simply provides a thin bureaucratic cover that legitimizes and encourages
systemic maritime chaos.
Documented historical precedents confirm the severe economic consequences of
this regulatory breakdown. During the Tanker War of 1984 to 1988, symmetric
attacks on more than 400 commercial ships instantly drove marine insurance
premiums from 0.1 percent to a staggering 5 percent of hull value, while the
closure of the Suez Canal in 1967 forced global logistics to expand transit
distances by a massive 4,800 nautical miles per voyage.
Today, data from the Drewry Global Container Index reveals that the cost of
shipping a standard 40-foot container has locked into a high plateau of $4,500
as global carriers bypass the Red Sea entirely to detour round the Cape of Good
Hope. Detailed assessments by the UN Conference on Trade and Development confirm
that this structural detour has inflated global shipping distances by about 17
percent, extending voyages by 14 days and triggering war risk surcharges
exceeding 1.5 percent of vessel hull value. These expanded maritime danger zones
impose millions in additional costs per voyage, transforming localized crises
into unexpected, systemic price spikes footed entirely by consumer markets in
major capitals. Contemporary maritime security crises are not temporary
interruptions; they represent a radical, permanent restructuring of the global
map of influence. Maritime geography has officially turned the page on the
historical era of free and shared passage, opening a harsh new chapter of
fragmented maritime sovereignty in which sea lane access can be prevented by the
physical placement of coastal missile and drone batteries.
The absolute inability of Western decision-making capitals to protect these
vital chokepoints has redefined the concept of national sovereignty for
developing and developed nations alike. In a world where international treaties
are disregarded and where coastal enforcement holds absolute sway, whoever
wields authority over critical crossings and straits not only controls the
physical flow of global wealth but ultimately dictates the survival of the
global economy itself.
**Dr. Bader bin Saud is a columnist for Al-Riyadh newspaper, a researcher in
media and knowledge management, a university professor, an expert in crowd
management and strategic planning, and the former deputy commander of the
Special Forces for Hajj and Umrah in Saudi Arabia.
Will Malacca Strait become the next maritime flashpoint?
Talmiz Ahmad/Arab News/October 04/2026
Developments in the Strait of Hormuz reverberated 6,500 km away when, in late
April, Indonesian Finance Minister Purbaya Yudhi Sadewa, noting that Iran was
planning to charge ships passing through Hormuz, said: “We sit along a key
global trade and energy route, yet ships passing through the Malacca Strait are
not charged.” He mused that the income from tolls at Malacca could be split
three ways between the littoral states of Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore. In
response, Singaporean Foreign Minister Vivian Balakrishnan, reflecting his
country’s commitment to free navigation, categorically rejected the idea of
tolls. Malaysia did not reject tolls outright; its foreign minister only said
that a decision needed to be taken consensually by the countries concerned.
However, despite these disclaimers, the idea that some form of disruption could
take place at Malacca has now been implanted in the global consciousness.
The Malacca Strait stretches nearly 900 km from the Indonesian island of Sumatra
in the west, past southern Thailand and Malaysia, and ends at Singapore. It
links the Andaman Sea with the South China Sea and is the shortest maritime link
from Europe and the Middle East to Southeast Asia and the Western Pacific. The
width of the strait varies from a narrow 2.8 km off Singapore to 250 km at its
widest. Its depth just south of the Andaman basin is about 200 meters but this
reduces to 25 meters at its southern end.
More than 100,000 vessels pass through the strait annually, carrying about 25
percent to 30 percent of global cargo, valued at $3.5 trillion. This cargo
includes 35 percent of oil transported by sea — about 23 million barrels per day
— and 20 percent of liquefied natural gas. Between 75 percent and 80 percent of
the global trade of China, Japan and South Korea passes through the Malacca
Strait, making the waterway the world’s busiest chokepoint. It has been
described as “the irreplaceable heart of global maritime trade.” Besides oil and
gas, the strait carries agricultural products, chemicals, consumer goods,
manufactured products, machinery, textiles, electronics and, in recent times,
rare earth minerals, lithium and cobalt. There are three alternative routes —
the Sunda, Lombok and Makassar straits — but these are longer and more
expensive. The route from Saudi Arabia to Japan through Malacca takes half the
time compared with the three alternative routes.
More than 100,000 vessels pass through the strait annually, carrying up to 30
percent of global cargo by value.
Maritime movement through this narrow and busy channel faces several challenges.
The waterway is shallow and congested. It requires regular dredging and wreck
removal. Given that a commercial vessel traverses its narrowest outlet every
five minutes, storms and accidents can block traffic for long periods and cause
environmental damage through oil spillage. The strait has, over several years,
had to contend with the scourge of piracy — there were more than 100 incidents
in 2008. After a lull due to joint action by the littoral states, the problem
reemerged in 2024 with 62 incidents, followed by 108 incidents in 2025.
Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore exercise sovereignty over their territorial
waters for a distance of up to 12 nautical miles. In 1971, the three countries
established a tripartite arrangement for the management of shipping through the
strait, including the handling of accidents, environmental challenges and the
safety and security of the waterway.
Given its status as the principal east-west maritime link, Malacca has been a
battleground for competing forces for several centuries. In 2003, former Chinese
President Hu Jintao spoke of China’s “Malacca dilemma.” He was referring to his
country’s acute dependence on a single narrow channel for 80 percent of its
crude oil imports and two-thirds of its global trade by volume. He was
highlighting China’s vulnerability to a blockade of the strait by the US in the
event of a conflict over Taiwan or the South China Sea.
Since then, China has undertaken several initiatives to dilute the effects of
this “dilemma.” These have included a major expansion of its naval capabilities;
the robust pursuit of land and sea connectivity projects under the Belt and Road
Initiative, including alternative land-based supply routes of Gulf oil through
Pakistan and Myanmar; and the deepening of economic and political ties with
Association of Southeast Asian Nations and Middle East states, alongside the
establishment of dual-use ports across the Indian Ocean under its “string of
pearls” network. Still, Malacca remains the crucial link for China’s economic
well-being. The experience of the Strait of Hormuz has affirmed that maritime
chokepoints and the attendant connectivity linkages — infrastructure, energy
facilities, pipelines, data centers, undersea cables and sea lanes — are
valuable strategic assets that can be leveraged for longer-term advantage,
including through monetization such as tolls at chokepoints. Wars in the Middle
East have heightened concerns that Malacca, as Paola Morselli has noted in The
Diplomat, could be “where commercial interests, national security concerns and
geopolitical competition intersect.”
The musings of the Indonesian finance minister relating to obtaining financial
returns from the Malacca Strait have emerged from these considerations. Thailand
has seized the opportunity to pursue other connectivity projects, such as a land
bridge from the Andaman Sea to the Gulf of Thailand that would link seaports on
both sides of the country and bypass the Malacca Strait, thus reducing travel
time and shipping costs.
As the rules-based international order goes through its death throes and major
states seek to pursue strategic benefit through confrontation and conflict, the
likelihood of Malacca being monetized and, if necessary, weaponized, appears to
be growing.
*Talmiz Ahmad is an Indian former diplomat.
"Flydubai" Investigations: From Syria to Iraq and Jihadi
Schools... What About Iran?
Tony Gebran /Al-Markaziya/ October 4, 2026 (translated from Arabic by AI)
Al-Markaziya – Well-informed diplomatic and intelligence sources have revealed
that the ongoing investigations into what has become known as the "Flydubai
plane" case will not conclude anytime soon. Speaking to Al-Markaziya, the
sources stated that discussing an Iranian role in the grooming of the Omani-born
co-pilot, Hammam Al-Hamami, is premature; this possibility stands on equal
footing with the theory that he was a student at a Sunni religious school.
Initial leads suggest that reaching a definitive conclusion will require
significant, sustained effort. The sources noted that several regional
states—including Syria—will participate in the process in the coming days. Iraq,
too, may play a role in shedding light on aspects of the investigation as
authorities delve into the co-pilot's background; he visited Iraq at various
stages of his life—both before and during his professional career—prior to
joining the Emirati airline. Furthermore, confirmed information indicates he had
previously been dismissed from an airline in the Sultanate of Oman and barred
from practicing his profession there before joining the Emirati carrier—a
vulnerability that was unknown at the time he was hired by the then-nascent
company.
Against this backdrop, the sources—citing Emirati security officials—stated that
the agencies overseeing the investigation have contacted various friendly Arab
and Gulf security and intelligence services to gather additional information
required for the ongoing inquiry. It was noted that the full picture of events
inside the cockpit—and within the aircraft during its flight from the UAE to
Israel—is nearing completion. The initial phase of investigations involving
passengers, the airline crew, and those who intervened in the altercation
between the pilot and the co-pilot has concluded. The process now requires a
stage of consolidating findings to construct the final account. This phase may
lead to requests for confrontations between certain individuals who were
questioned, given the similarities or contradictions in their statements
regarding specific details of the incident.
These sources—privy to precise, detailed new information following the statement
made yesterday (Saturday) by UAE Public Prosecutor Hamad Saif Al Shamsi—dismissed
circulating rumors that the perpetrator had brought additional sabotage
equipment into the cockpit. Al Shamsi had stated that the co-pilot had initiated
a deliberate terrorist act intended to bring down the plane and kill everyone on
board. No documents were found suggesting the existence of a manifesto or
message intended for release during the operation—or a statement of purpose—of
the sort typically issued by terrorists carrying out similar attacks.
Furthermore, he made no phone calls to anyone outside the flight crew from the
moment he boarded the aircraft in Dubai.
Consequently, diplomatic sources confirmed that the man relied solely on
equipment already available on the aircraft and did not bring any tools or
devices from outside the plane's standard inventory. The competent authorities
at the airline and Dubai Airports mandate the screening of personal luggage
carried by employees—just as with all passengers—prior to boarding. This
procedure was confirmed by investigations involving the pilot and the passengers
who intervened to quell the altercation between the pilot and his co-pilot,
regain control of the aircraft, and ensure its safe landing at Tabuk Airport in
Saudi Arabia.
Sources noted that an Emirati investigative team is expected to arrive in the
Syrian capital soon—unless the necessary information is obtained promptly—given
that Al-Hammami had previously resided in Syria, where he attended classes on
Islamic Sharia. Assistance from Iraqi authorities might also be sought to verify
reports that he had been traveling between Syria and Iraq.
In addition to the information gathered through ongoing investigations,
diplomatic and intelligence sources urged caution regarding any conclusion of
direct Iranian involvement in preparing the perpetrator—specifically concerning
"jihadist indoctrination"—merely by drawing parallels to the events of September
11, 2001, and the targeting of the World Trade Center in New York. Although
Western security agencies—particularly American and Israeli ones—suspect links
suggesting a potential role for Tehran in the operation (pointing specifically
to the time the individual spent in religious and jihadist schools in Syria),
other observers argue that this accusation must be viewed from two different
angles. There is an equal likelihood that he was a student of either Sunni or
Shiite jihadist schools, given the presence of both types of institutions in
Syria and Iraq—bearing in mind that affiliation with either entails similar
risks, albeit in diametrically opposed, hostile directions.
Selected Face Book & X tweets
on October
04/2026
Nadine Maenza
Deeply troubling that Syria’s Christian town of Suqaylabiyah is
again facing attacks from neighboring Qalaat al-Madiq. I stand with Syria’s
Christians calling to be allowed to serve in the security forces protecting
their own communities under the Ministry of Interior (MOI).
Greek Orthodox priest Father Fadi Sankari urged residents to remain united and
reject revenge: “No one has the right to enter your homes or threaten your
security and dignity.”
I welcome reports of arrests and urge Syrian authorities to hold those
responsible accountable.
Dr Walid Phares
https://x.com/Meemmag/status/2106089331672912368/video/1
Fatima: "We are Muslims but not Islamists..."
Fatima el Zahra el Mansouri, Morocco's newly appointed head of Government,
speaks Arabic and Amazigh fluently, is a leader of the secular patriotic party
in the country and has an experience with the Ikhwan for many years. She
represents the moderates, seculars, conservatives and progressives, business and
workers, and, of course, the King. Her phrase "we are Muslims but not Islamists"
is now spreading across Morocco and the Arab world. All that as Moroccan Jews
are playing a great role in the relationships between AbrahamAccords Morocco and
Israel, expecting from Fatima to push for consolidation of the relationship.
Quote
مجلة ميم.. مِرآتنا
رئيس الجالية اليهودية في مراكش يعتبرها من "أهل بيته"، تتردد على الكنيس وتطلب
بركاته.. إسرائيل تحتفي برئيسة الوزراء المغربية الجديدة: "لن تتسامح مع الإسلاميين!"
Nada Hamadeh
Grateful to Secretary @marcorubio for his leadership, friendship, and support
for Lebanon.
Mr. Secretary, your commitment to Lebanon, its sovereignty, and its people is
deeply appreciated.
Greco-Levantines World Wide
Christians of Damascus are marching through the streets tonight in solidarity
with Al-Suqalbiya, chanting: “Nothing is more beautiful than dying on the
Cross.”
A message of defiance from a community that refuses to be intimidated by threats
or violence. They are standing with Al-Suqalbiya — publicly and without fear.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
The world failed to protect these innocent Israelis who were still in bed. The
world then failed to release the hostages and bring Hamas criminals to justice.
Then the world blamed Israel for making Palestinians think twice before they
spill Israeli blood ever again. October 7 has been an ongoing injustice against
Israel, whose only option is to rely on its own muscle to protect its own
people. I'd have expected the exact same reaction from my country.
Patricia@patriciasamaha
بحسب ما أوردته القناتان 12 و13 الإسرائيليتان، خطّط الطيار منفّذ الهجوم على طائرة
فلاي دبي للعملية قبل التحاقه بالشركة الإماراتية، واختارها تحديداً لأنها تسيّر
رحلات إلى تل أبيب. ووفقاً للتحقيقات المنشورة، كان يعتزم تحطيم الطائرة داخل مبنى
المسافرين في مطار بن غوريون، عبر الاقتراب والهبوط بشكل طبيعي، ثم تنفيذ الهجوم في
الثواني الأخيرة، وقد حاول فتح باب قمرة القيادة أثناء تحليق الطائرة فوق الأردن،
قبل أن يُحبط مخططه بقرار الطيار الهندي المصاب فتح باب القمرة. وفي تطوّر لافت،
أفادت مصادر في الإمارات بنقل قائمة بأسماء الركاب وأفراد الطاقم وجنسياتهم إلى
إسرائيل قبل العملية. أمام هذه الوقائع، تبرز أسئلة خطيرة: كيف تمكّن المنفّذ من
التخطيط للعملية طوال هذه الفترة؟ وكيف لم تُكتشف نواياه؟ وما طبيعة المعلومات التي
نُقلت إلى إسرائيل؟