English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News &
Editorials
For October 07/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2026/english.october07.26.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
No one tears a piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment;
otherwise the new will be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the
old
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint Luke 05/33-39/:"Then
they said to Jesus, ‘John’s disciples, like the disciples of the Pharisees,
frequently fast and pray, but your disciples eat and drink.’ Jesus said to them,
‘You cannot make wedding-guests fast while the bridegroom is with them, can you?
The days will come when the bridegroom will be taken away from them, and then
they will fast in those days.’ He also told them a parable: ‘No one tears a
piece from a new garment and sews it on an old garment; otherwise the new will
be torn, and the piece from the new will not match the old. And no one puts new
wine into old wineskins; otherwise the new wine will burst the skins and will be
spilled, and the skins will be destroyed. But new wine must be put into fresh
wineskins. And no one after drinking old wine desires new wine, but says, "The
old is good."".
Titles For The English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related
News & Editorials published on October 06-07/2026
The Third Anniversary of the Jihadist and Barbaric Raid of October
7th/Elias Bejjani/October 07, 2026
Liberating Lebanon from the Iranian Occupation and its Satanic Party/Elias
Bejjani/October 06/2026
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
From Gaza to Lebanon: Israel's war fronts become election campaign focus three
years after October 7
IMEC Ports Club brings Lebanon's Beirut and Tripoli ports into wider trade
network
Aoun says Beirut and Tripoli ports joining IMEC Ports Club is key step for
Lebanon
Lebanon's Environment Minister meets French ambassador to discuss expanding
environmental cooperation, partnerships and investment
Energy Minister Joe Saddi to boycott Cabinet sessions over EDL arrears,
electricity reforms
Fuel prices slightly drop across Lebanon
The Trilateral Framework can move forward only after a third party that
independently verifies, for Israel, that Lebanon has fulfilled its
responsibilities in a pilot zone./Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This Is Beirut/October
06/2026
Qassem's speech of October 06/2026/Hezbollah Leader: Wars Unfold in Rounds,
Israeli Withdrawal from South Lebanon is Certain
Disarmament is the Mandatory Path to Restoring Sovereignty/Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al
Awsat/October 07
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on
October 06-07/2026
Trump says nobody knows who is running Iran
Trump blames France unrest on 'mass migration,' Islam
More than 250,000 protesters at school marches across France
Israel prepared to shoot down FlyDubai plane after cockpit attack: CBS
Police make seventh arrest over UK airbase incident
UK considers expelling Israeli diplomats if Jerusalem consulate shuts, sources
say
Egypt and Jordan reaffirm support for Saudi Arabia amid Houthi attacks
One year on, Trump’s Gaza plan has not stopped Israeli fire or disarmed Hamas
Qatar says US, Iran still in talks to end war
Syrian president in Riyadh for talks with Saudi crown prince
Coalition says intercepted Houthi missile targeting southwest Saudi Arabia
Saudi Cabinet reaffirms full support for Yemen amid Houthi escalation
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on October 06-07/2026
On the Anniversary of Sinwar’s "Flood"/Meshari Al-Thaidy//Asharq Al Awsat/October
07/2026
The Houthis and Losing Bargains/Fahid Suleiman al-Shoqiran/Asharq Al Awsat/October
07/2026
Why France Is Burning/Simone Rodan-Benzaquen/The Free Press/October 05/2026
Trump must close this Turkish loophole that allows Iran to skirt sanctions/Ahmad
Sharawi & Sinan Ciddi/New York Post/October 06/2026
Pakistan launches new strikes as conflict with Taliban persist into third
week/Will Selber/FDD's Long War Journal/October 6, 2026
Ballot Box Jihad: The Non-Violent Conquest of the West/Robert Williams/Gatestone
Institute/October 06, 2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets on October 06/2026
Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on October 06-07/2026
The Third Anniversary of the Jihadist and
Barbaric Raid of October 7th
Elias Bejjani/October 07, 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/10/158118/
On October 7th, we remember the black and bloody day that revealed the true face
of jihadist barbarism and of political Islam in both its Sunni and Shiite
branches, represented by Hamas, the Iranian mullah regime, and all of its
terrorist proxies, foremost among them the satanic Hezbollah.
Three years ago, on the morning of a holiday and a day of peace, jihadist Hamas
and its allies launched a savage terrorist raid unparalleled in its brutality in
our contemporary history. It was not an act of resistance, nor a military
operation, but an organized massacre targeting unarmed civilians in their homes,
at a music festival, and in the streets – children, women, and the elderly, who
were killed, their bodies mutilated, and kidnapped into the tunnels of Gaza as
hostages.
What happened on that day was not a victory, but a resounding moral and human
downfall for Sunni and Shiite political Islam. That barbaric raid sought to kill
the hope for peace and to plunge the entire region into a vortex of blood and
destruction, and the peoples of the region, first and foremost the Palestinians
themselves, have paid a heavy price for this insane jihadist adventure.
On this third anniversary, we stand in reverence for the souls of the innocent
victims, in solidarity with their families and with the hostages who are still
suffering, and in affirmation that savagery cannot make a cause, and that
terrorism can never be a path to freedom.
These words of ours are a cry against oblivion, a promise never to forget, and a
serious endeavor to prevent that barbaric raid from recurring in any country in
the world.
We raise our prayers for the repose of the victims’ souls and that their
families may be inspired with patience and solace.
The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
Liberating Lebanon from the Iranian Occupation and its
Satanic Party
Elias Bejjani/October 06/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/10/158110/
He is a charlatan, an agent, a dhimmi, an Iscariot, or a fool, who claims that
liberating Lebanon is possible through a cartoon state dominated by the Iranian
occupier Hezbollah, which controls the presidencies, ministers, and the owners
of party corporations.
Liberating Lebanon is only possible by placing it under Chapter VII, declaring
it a failed and rogue state, achieving full peace with the State of Israel, and
forever closing Lebanon as an arena for the lie and commerce of liberating
Palestine. And then, completely getting rid of the rotten political class, the
voracious feudal lords, and the owners of the so called political parties, the
brokers and merchants.
The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
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.
From Gaza to Lebanon: Israel's war fronts become
election campaign focus three years after October 7
LBCI/October 05/2026
Events marking three years since October 7, the date the Al-Aqsa Flood war
began, have turned into a platform for electoral competition in Israel. The
contest continued for a second day, led by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and
his defense minister, Israel Katz.
Netanyahu, who faces a broad campaign over his failure to achieve the war’s
objectives, did not hesitate to warn Israel’s enemies on seven fronts against
attempting to test the country’s capabilities. Lebanon, Syria, and Gaza were
among the fronts that featured prominently in the election campaigns.
Netanyahu’s coalition parties sought to focus on Syria, claiming that continued
fighting there was necessary because a Syrian individual had approached
positions near Israeli army front-line barriers, while training was taking place
there involving Syrian groups and others aligned with Iran and Hezbollah. The
parties said those groups were seeking to establish a strong confrontation front
along the Syrian border. In Lebanon, the coalition parties claimed that
Hezbollah was continuing what they described as an accumulation of strength and
monitoring the Israeli army’s activities. However, in Gaza, claims that several
Hamas fighters who took part in the October 7 attack had been killed did not
prove sufficient for Netanyahu, Katz or the coalition parties. Amid the warnings
concerning the seven fronts, Israel focused on Lebanon on Tuesday, arguing that
the Lebanese state was seeking to ease tensions with Iran and coordinating on
the matter with Parliament Speaker Nabih Berri to move toward a new framework
for relations with Tehran.
IMEC Ports Club brings Lebanon's Beirut and Tripoli ports
into wider trade network
LBCI/October 05/2026
Global ports were asked to sum up IMEC, the corridor envisioned to connect India
with the Middle East and Europe, in a single word. The answers varied:
connectivity, opportunity, integration, future, and trade. Different words, but
all pointing to the same idea: IMEC cannot work if each country operates on its
own. That message moved from words to a practical step in New Delhi with the
signing of the IMEC Ports Club declaration, bringing ports involved in the
project together within a common framework for cooperation. The network is
intended to support trade, energy and clean energy, as well as data cables and
other areas of connectivity. Notably, Lebanon is represented in the network not
by one port, but by two: Beirut and Tripoli. The question now is what this
presence could mean for Lebanon. However, the success of the corridor will
depend not simply on the presence of ports, but on effective cooperation and
connectivity between the participating countries. The meeting in India marks the
beginning of practical work among ports and countries, particularly at a time
when the world is looking for alternative and new trade routes.For Lebanon, its
presence in the network has now become tangible. The challenge is to turn that
presence into real opportunities on the ground, including investment, trade
routes, and economic growth.
Aoun says Beirut and Tripoli ports joining IMEC Ports Club
is key step for Lebanon
LBCI/October 05/2026
President Joseph Aoun said the inclusion of the ports of Beirut and Tripoli in
the “IMEC Ports Club” and the signing of an agreement to that effect in the
Indian capital, New Delhi, represent an important institutional achievement for
Lebanon and a real opportunity to strengthen partnerships and develop the
country’s logistics and trade sectors in line with the latest international
standards. “Every step that places our institutions on the path of integration
and effective cooperation is a gain for Lebanon and its economy,” Aoun said. “We
will continue to build bridges of cooperation and strengthen our role through
the efforts of our people and institutions.” Aoun concluded by saying that the
agreement reached in New Delhi was “a new practical step that consolidates
Lebanon’s presence on the map of regional and international cooperation.”
Lebanon's Environment Minister meets French ambassador to
discuss expanding environmental cooperation, partnerships and investment
LBCI/October 05/2026
Environment Minister Tamara El Zein met French Ambassador to Lebanon Patrick
Durel to discuss expanding environmental cooperation between Lebanon and France,
with a focus on attracting French and European investment in waste management,
as well as cooperation on health, climate, air quality and institutional
development. El Zein said the ministry is working to align international
cooperation and funding with Lebanon’s national priorities and most urgent
needs, while avoiding overlapping projects and ensuring more effective use of
available resources. Waste management was a key focus of the meeting. El Zein
said the ministry had addressed obstacles that have long discouraged investment
in the sector, including unclear regulatory and financial frameworks. She cited
the updated National Integrated Solid Waste Management Strategy, the appointment
of the National Solid Waste Management Authority, the adoption of the
cost-recovery law and its decrees, and the launch of several projects in the
Bekaa, north and south. She said the measures aim to create a more stable
environment for French and European companies specializing in waste treatment to
invest in Lebanon and transfer technology and expertise, while improving
treatment capacity and reducing the burden on the state and municipalities. El
Zein also highlighted a project the French Development Agency (AFD) is preparing
for submission to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) and discussed expanding
cooperation on climate financing.
The meeting also addressed the Environment Ministry’s new organizational
structure, developed in cooperation with France, and the need to continue
training ministry staff following Parliament’s approval of the related law. On
air quality, El Zein said the ministry is preparing to launch an air-quality
monitoring network in Beirut as a first step toward a nationwide system
providing reliable scientific data for policymaking, noting the potential to
draw on French expertise. El Zein reiterated that the ministry aims to build
long-term partnerships aligned with Lebanon’s priorities and led by state
institutions, turning those priorities into projects that can attract financing,
expertise, technology, and investment.
Energy Minister Joe Saddi to boycott Cabinet sessions over
EDL arrears, electricity reforms
LBCI/October 05/2026
Energy Minister Joe Saddi announced he would boycott Cabinet sessions until
decisions are taken to settle exemptions and overdue payments owed to
Electricité du Liban (EDL). Speaking at a news conference, Saddi said Lebanon’s
main electricity problem is insufficient generation capacity, which currently
meets only about one-third of demand. He said the private sector should invest
in Lebanon’s energy sector and operate power plants, but talks with
international investors showed they require financial and security guarantees.
According to Saddi, 24 companies have expressed interest in investing, primarily
on the condition that financial guarantees are provided.Saddi said necessary
investments had not been made in the past and that depositors’ money had instead
been spent on fuel purchases. He stressed the need to make EDL financially
sustainable through its own resources, calling for a flexible electricity tariff
linked to fuel prices and action against nontechnical losses, which he said
account for about 30% and described as “theft.”On natural gas, Saddi said the
ministry is seeking to ensure Lebanon has independent options for importing gas
by land or sea and is rehabilitating the gas pipeline to Deir Ammar.
Plans to import electricity from Syria are still under study, he said, adding
that he referred the proposed contract to EDL’s board. Authorities are also
examining the possibility of buying electricity from Turkey through Syria. Saddi
said he met Turkey’s energy minister in New York and asked him to contact Syrian
authorities to assess the technical feasibility of transmitting or purchasing
electricity through Syrian territory. He said the regulatory authority has
launched a tender to operate smaller power plants, while 20 companies have
submitted projects in conventional and renewable energy. The ministry is also
moving forward with wind energy licenses, with an investor prepared to purchase
a license and activate the project. Saddi said the price of fuel imported by EDL
has doubled over the past six months, reducing electricity supply after it
reached about seven hours a day in February. He said adopting a flexible tariff
tied to global fuel prices could reduce costs for Lebanese consumers by about
$240 million. He also said converting the electricity sector to natural gas
would lower production costs. The ministry has reached the stage of having gas
purchase contracts with Jordan, along with transit and swap arrangements
involving Jordan and Syria, and Saddi said he had referred the contracts to the
Cabinet’s General Secretariat. Saddi said increasing electricity supply without
Treasury advances requires the state to pay its outstanding obligations to EDL,
stressing that the utility is “not above the law.” He said the arrangement
worked for one month but that the state must also reimburse EDL for exemptions
granted during the war in southern Lebanon so the utility can purchase fuel.
According to Saddi, the state owes EDL about $300 million in arrears. He said
achieving financial sustainability requires lasting financial and structural
reforms rather than relying on advances and debt.
Fuel prices slightly drop across Lebanon
LBCI/October 05/2026
On Tuesday, October 6, 2026, the prices of 95 octane fuel decreased by LBP
12,000 and 98 octane fuel fell by LBP 11,000, while diesel dropped by LBP
34,000.
Meanwhile, the price of a gas canister increased by LBP 50,000.
The current prices for hydrocarbon derivatives are as follows:
Gasoline 95 octane: LBP 2,825,000
Gasoline 98 octane: LBP 2,843,000
Diesel: LBP 2,692,000
Gas canister: LBP 1,383,000
The Trilateral Framework can move forward only after a
third party that independently verifies, for Israel, that Lebanon has fulfilled
its responsibilities in a pilot zone.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain/This Is Beirut/October 06/2026
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam has asked the U.S. to establish a binding
timetable for the faltering Trilateral Framework, which calls for Hezbollah’s
disarmament in return for Israel’s withdrawal. Beirut, however, treats deadlines
as suggestions, repeatedly promising to dismantle Hezbollah’s military
infrastructure without delivering.In his meetings in Washington last week,
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam urged the U.S. to jump-start the Trilateral
Framework it brokered between Lebanon and Israel on June 26, 2026. He called for
“operationalizing” the Framework, which stipulates a “reciprocal, sequenced
process with clear conditions.” To “operationalize” the Trilateral Framework,
Lebanon needs a security arrangement that allows a credible force to control the
south. Given that the Lebanese Armed Forces (LAF) views imposing state authority
by force as tantamount to civil war, a reliable military will need to assume the
responsibilities the Lebanese army is unwilling to carry out. Talks between
Lebanon and Israel have stalled over Hezbollah’s disarmament, with Israel
insisting that LAF efforts to dismantle the militia be independently verified in
designated pilot zones. After all, the Israel Defense Forces withdrew from
Zawtar al-Gharbiyeh, the first pilot zone under the Trilateral Framework to be
handed back to Lebanon, only for Hezbollah to return.
Few in Lebanon, let alone Israel, believe the Lebanese government’s claim that
it has fulfilled its responsibility to disarm Hezbollah in the first pilot zone
and prevent the Iran-backed group from reestablishing its presence.
The Trilateral Framework can move forward only after a third party that
independently verifies, for Israel, that Lebanon has fulfilled its
responsibilities in a pilot zone. The process would then expand to another,
potentially larger, area. But who will carry out the verification?
The U.S. refuses to play this role, primarily because verification would require
an indefinite on-the-ground presence to ensure Hezbollah cannot reassert
control. Lebanon proposed France, but Israel rejected the suggestion. The two
countries then agreed on Italy, but Italy said it would only participate under a
UN mandate. That brought everyone back to square one, discussing the revival of
an international peacekeeping force that has proven useless and whose mandate is
nearing its end.
First deployed in 1978 and expanded in mandate and troop size in 2006, the
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) has miserably failed in its
mission due to structural obstacles. UNIFIL lacks a dedicated intelligence
branch capable of collecting actionable information on the ground. When Israel
provides UNIFIL with intelligence, the force can deploy only alongside the LAF,
which is deeply infiltrated by pro-Hezbollah officers and sympathizers who can
leak operational information. As a result, UNIFIL cannot operate freely without
alerting the militia in advance.
While UNIFIL remained blind, Hezbollah operatives, backed by Iranian funding,
dug hundreds of miles of tunnels through the solid rock beneath southern
Lebanon. Yet despite the scale of this engineering effort, UNIFIL personnel did
not detect or report the digging until Israel launched its counter-tunnel
operation in 2018. At the time, the tunnels were not defensive redoubts but part
of Hezbollah’s plans to storm into Israeli territory.
Rather than functioning as a true security force, UNIFIL has spent a significant
portion of its $500 million annual budget running vaccination clinics, digging
water wells, and building infrastructure in local villages. While these projects
have provided an economic bonanza for the area, they have done absolutely
nothing to enforce demilitarization.
The Trilateral Framework is stuck in a knot. Until Hezbollah is disarmed, Israel
will not relinquish control of the border areas, leaving half a million
displaced Shia residents unable to return to their homes and forcing them to
live in miserable conditions as refugees in their own country.
For the past two years, Lebanon has promised to restore its sovereignty. Yet
Beirut has barely moved a finger to follow through. Instead, the Lebanese
leadership expects either the U.S. or an international force to do the job for
them, so that they can brag that they “ended the Israeli occupation.”
If the international community manages to restore Lebanon’s sovereignty while
the Lebanese remain bystanders in their own country, it will then be expected to
provide tens of billions of dollars to rebuild the south.
And what do Lebanese officials have to do? Evidently, nothing. They will enjoy
the pomp that comes with public office, pose for photo ops, and pretend they are
capable, sovereign, and in command.
*Hussain Abdul-Hussain is a research fellow at the Foundation for the Defense of
Democracies and a columnist focusing on Lebanon and broader Arab affairs.
Qassem's speech of October 06/2026/Hezbollah Leader:
Wars Unfold in Rounds, Israeli Withdrawal from South Lebanon is Certain
Al-Manar English Website/October 06/2026
Hezbollah Secretary General Sheikh Naim Qassem stressed on Tuesday, October 6,
2026, that the liberation of southern Lebanon is “before our eyes”, and ‘Israel’
will not be able to remain in the south, even if it takes some time.
“This Resistance, which has stood steadfast, has been able to present a legend
of steadfastness.”Addressing a ceremony for launching the Foundation for the
Preservation and Dissemination of Legacy of late Hezbollah S.G. Sayyed Hasan
Nasrallah, Sheikh Qassem said, “The steadfastness of the Resistance is among the
blessings of the Master of the Ummah’s Martyrs and his guidance, as well as of
this dear and pure people. We can only be a Resistance as long as aggression
exists.”
“The solution begins with the enemy leaving in humiliation, along with the
American who supports it with all his might in order to attack our region,” His
Eminence added, “As for internal Lebanese affairs, we are ready to cooperate,
but without any dictates from abroad.”
Wars unfold in rounds, but the final round belongs to the people of the land and
the truth, and to those who have followed the path of the mujahideen and
martyrs, Sheikh Qassem stressed. Sheikh Qassem saluted the dear Iraqi people,
their religious authority, leadership, and the Popular Mobilization Forces [Al
Hashd Al Shaabi], because “they succeeded in expelling the American occupier
from Iraq, and through their sacrifices and steadfastness, they were able to
drive the American tyrant out of their country”.
He added: “Therefore, whether the one seeking to control Iraq is the Takfiri
[forces], or the arrogant and colonial power seeking to dominate Iraq, the Iraqi
people are, by the grace of Almighty God, capable of expelling the occupiers,
whoever they may be and whatever their orientations, so that Iraq can remain
independent, dignified, and strong.”
“The sacrifices of the Palestinian people are immense, and the Israeli,
American, and Western injustice is extraordinary and unnatural. But given the
nobility of this people and its sacrifices, it must emerge victorious,” Sheikh
Qassem said, “I pray to Allah Almighty to grant them success in occupied
Palestine, in Gaza, the West Bank, and Al-Quds, so that they may attain the
highest ranks and positions, and that they may be liberated and liberate.”
Speaking on the occasion of the launch ceremony of the Foundation for the
Preservation and Dissemination of the Heritage of Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah,
Sheikh Qassem said: “Today, we gather under the auspices of the memory of the
two noble martyrs, the two esteemed Sayyeds: the Master of the Martyrs of the
Ummah, Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, may God Almighty have mercy upon him, and the
Hashemite Sayyed, may God Almighty have mercy upon him, as well as the righteous
martyrs, to launch this foundation, which will be dedicated to preserving the
works and heritage of the supreme martyr, Sayyed Hassan, may God Almighty have
mercy upon him. Today, we announce the launch of the Foundation for the
Preservation and Dissemination of the Heritage of the Master of the Martyrs of
the Ummah, Sayyed Hasan Nasrallah, may God Almighty have mercy upon him.”
He continued: “This foundation was established by the Shura Council of Hezbollah
and is supervised by the Secretary-General. It has a comprehensive
organizational structure aimed at preserving the heritage presented by the
Master of the Martyrs of the Ummah and making use of it in all cultural, social,
educational, and political fields.”
He added: “This vast heritage filled the public sphere throughout the years of
his life, which he devoted to obedience to Almighty God and to Islamic,
jihadist, national, patriotic, and liberation work at the level of Lebanon and,
indeed, at the level of the entire region.”
Sheikh Qassem noted that “Hezbollah was established in 1982, and His Eminence
Sayyed Hasan, may God Almighty have mercy upon him, assumed the
Secretary-Generalship in succession to the Master of the Martyrs of the
Resistance, Sayyed Abbas al-Moussawi, may God Almighty have mercy upon him, in
1992, ten years after the establishment of the party.”He explained: “The
establishment had its foundations, its principles, and its men, and Sayyed
Hassan was one of the men of the founding generation.”
He continued: “However, from 1992 until his martyrdom—31 years—he worked to
consolidate the foundations of the Resistance, the foundations of this authentic
thought, and the foundations of an orientation that would govern and influence
future generations in pursuit of liberation, dignity, honor, and a virtuous and
happy life in obedience to Almighty God.”
Sheikh Qassem said: “We are dealing with a very vast heritage: words, speeches,
meetings, dialogues, meeting minutes, and an oral memory accumulated over this
long period spanning decades. We need to collect and archive this material and
make it available to researchers and the public through social media platforms,
as well as through publications, books, and various works. It should also serve
as material for analysis by institutions and researchers at universities and in
different fields, so that they may benefit from the abundance of material
presented at the intellectual and cultural levels, as well as at the political
and practical levels.”
He stressed: “We are dealing with a great treasure that must be collected and
made available to the public, researchers, and future generations. This is why
the Foundation for the Preservation and Dissemination of the Heritage of the
Master of the Martyrs of the Ummah, Sayyed Hassan Nasrallah, may God Almighty
have mercy upon him, has been launched.”
Sheikh Qassem added: “On this occasion, I would like to mention some of the
themes that constitute the pillars of this heritage and the foundations of this
great structure, namely the structure of Hezbollah and the Resistance’s
orientation in Lebanon and our region.
“First: One of the constants upon which he worked throughout this entire period
was adherence to Islam and carrying the Islamic approach—the authentic
Muhammadan Islam, which is concerned with cultivating the human being and
providing him with a methodology that sets his life right and grants him reward
in the Hereafter. Almighty God says: ‘Indeed, the religion in the sight of Allah
is Islam.’ Islam excels through its methodology, its cultivation, its formation
of the human being, its virtues and noble qualities, its construction of
dignity, and its establishment of a happy life in this world and the Hereafter.
This requires us to work according to it and to raise generations upon this
great and righteous path.”
“Throughout that entire period, His Eminence Sayyed worked to highlight the
concepts, ideas, and beliefs of Islam, as well as guidance and education based
on Islam and the general policies upon which Islam is founded. This is extremely
important, so that we understand that he was one of those who worked throughout
history to preserve this approach and present it to humanity in a contemporary
manner that remains consistent with the constants of this religion.”
“The second theme is education in jihad, and this is a fundamental point. Jihad
is an essential principle and a foundation. In order to protect our generations,
our land, our rights, and our dignity, we must struggle against the enemies, and
we must confront those enemies who commit aggression for no reason other than
domination and oppression, as is the case with America and Israel, as well as
all enemies and colonizers who have come throughout history and may come in the
future. Jihad is a fundamental principle and must be firmly established.”
“One of His Eminence the Sayyed’s distinguishing features was his strong
emphasis, when addressing the issue of jihad, on the Karbala and Ashura
dimension and on the leadership of Imam Hussein, peace be upon him, the
undisputed Master of the Martyrs. The path embodied by Imam Hussein, peace be
upon him, is the path of sacrifice in its highest form, a path that ensures the
steadfastness of faith, the steadfastness of rights, and the steadfastness of
the free and dignified human being.
“Likewise, in Ashura, there was Lady Zaynab, peace be upon her, who carried the
banner and complemented the path of Imam Hussein, peace be upon him, within a
system connected to the presence of family members, relatives, friends, and
believers, conveying the message that the entire society is called upon to
follow the path of Imam Hussein, peace be upon him.”“The Master of the Martyrs
of the Ummah excelled in conveying the Hussaini concept to the people and in
emphasizing the commemoration of Ashura. In any case, Imam Khomeini, may God
sanctify his soul, said: ‘Everything we have is from Ashura.’ The practical
application of this statement was carried out by His Eminence, the Master of the
Martyrs of the Ummah, Sayyed Hassan, who worked not only during the days of
Ashura but continuously to encourage jihad, foster a culture of martyrdom, and
educate the Ummah.”
“Thus, the path of jihad is an integrated path. We need to collect these themes
and become acquainted with them, as well as with the details that he presented
and upon which he educated people directly throughout these decades. This
enabled us to experience in practice the true strength needed to confront
challenges.
“Third: Wilayah. The third theme is wilayah. Wilayah is not something newly
invented; it is a foundation and one of the principles of religion: ‘Indeed,
your wali is only Allah, His Messenger, and those who believe—those who
establish prayer and give zakat while bowing. And whoever takes Allah, His
Messenger, and those who believe as his wali, then indeed the party of Allah
will be victorious.’
“This wilayah extends from Allah to the Prophet, to Amir al-Mu’minin Ali, peace
be upon him, to the Imams, peace and blessings be upon them all, to the
authority of the Islamic jurist in our time, and ultimately to the handing over
of the banner to Imam al-Mahdi, may God hasten his noble reappearance.”
“His emphasis on wilayah was part of this faith and part of his sincerity toward
Almighty God. His emphasis on allegiance to Imam Khomeini, may God sanctify his
soul, and then to Imam Khamenei, may God sanctify his soul, was an inseparable
part of this integrated system, which falls under the banner of: ‘Indeed, the
religion in the sight of Allah is Islam.’ It has also been proven through
practical experience that this wilayah provides momentum, strength, and
capability.”
“The fourth theme is the connection with Imam al-Mahdi, may God hasten his noble
reappearance. His Eminence the Sayyed always spoke about the connection with
Imam al-Mahdi and the Mahdist banner, and about being among the soldiers of Imam
al-Mahdi, may God hasten his noble reappearance. Almighty God says: ‘And We
desired to bestow favor upon those who were oppressed in the land and make them
leaders and make them inheritors.’ This is one of the interpretations concerning
the reappearance of Imam al-Mahdi, may God hasten his noble reappearance, and
the leadership of victory at the level of humanity and the establishment of
justice throughout the earth.”
“Our Sayyed always emphasized that we are living in the era of waiting, and that
waiting means wilayah toward Imam al-Mahdi, may God hasten his noble
reappearance; confidence in the overwhelming victory that will encompass the
world; confidence in the justice that will spread throughout the world; and
belief in the reappearance of the Proof, which the Lord of the Worlds, the
Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him and his family, and the Imams
have promised us. This, therefore, is a fundamental matter. We need to
understand the steps upon which he built his approach and through which he
mobilized people.”
“The fifth theme is Islamic unity. He was extremely keen on unity between Sunnis
and Shiites, as well as unity within the Shiite community, and on extending this
unity to the national and broader human levels. This education and approach that
he promoted was what created this broad popular support. Do you not notice how
Muslims in different parts of the world love him, feel attached to him, and
believe in his path and orientations? This is because he addressed them—he
addressed their minds and their hearts—and appealed to sound principles.”
“Likewise, free people around the world viewed him in a positive light because
he also stood with the oppressed, and this is an inseparable part of faith.
“At the domestic level, he was a patriot par excellence, standing for
coexistence, the Taif Agreement, national unity, and for us to stand together:
the Army, the people, and the Resistance. This is his famous formula through
which he sought to make us all one bloc, one united body, in confronting
external enemies, particularly the occupying and aggressor Israeli enemy that
has long targeted our region. These are matters that require us to examine them
and produce statements, positions, and analyses that affirm this principle.”
“The sixth and final matter in my discussion of these themes is defense and
resistance. If we want to define resistance in the modern era, we can say that
the first resistance figure is His Eminence Sayyed Hasan, may God Almighty have
mercy upon him. Why? Because he laid its foundations, mobilized people on its
basis, and worked with all resistance fighters throughout the world to create
unity, connection, and interaction.
“He adopted the Resistance as a duty and a project from Imam Khomeini, may God
sanctify his soul, and then from Imam Khamenei, may God sanctify his soul, and
from Imam Musa al-Sadr, may God return him and his two brothers safely. In
building and establishing this path, he followed the approach of Sheikh Ragheb
Harb and Sayyed Abbas al-Moussawi.”
“All these are resistance paths that lead to consolidating determination,
strength, and will, while ensuring the necessary means and capabilities. We must
not forget in this regard the major role played by the martyred commander Hajj
Qassem Soleimani, who was highly capable, influential, and a major source of
support throughout the region.”
“We need to study this heritage and become acquainted with it.”
Disarmament is the Mandatory Path to Restoring
Sovereignty
Hanna Saleh/Asharq Al Awsat/October 07
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam's visit to Washington was crucial. In all of
its meetings, the Lebanese delegation found that the American side was well
informed about developments in the Land of the Cedars: governmental decisions,
institutional performance and conduct, as well as the slow pace of
implementation by the authorities concerned of what have rightly been described
as historic decisions aimed at disarmament, extending sovereignty, and restoring
the state. No previous Lebanese government has taken such measures since the
Cairo Agreement 57 years ago.
Salam reaffirmed the decision to disarm and proposed a "reciprocal formula," the
essence of which is that the Lebanese Army would clear an area north of the
Litani River in exchange for an Israeli withdrawal from an area south of it.
This proposal represented a partial correction of the gray-zone policy that has
exacerbated losses and was based on the premise that Israeli attacks would cease
and Israeli forces would withdraw, after which the Lebanese Army would deploy
and the authorities would address the issue of illegal weapons. The problem with
this proposal, however, is that it goes beyond the substance of the November 27,
2024 agreement, which included Hezbollah's consent to strip legitimacy from its
weapons across Lebanon, place arms exclusively under the control of legitimate
military and security forces, and dismantle illegal military, financial, and
social infrastructure.
At the time, under the weight of Hezbollah's defeat, the assassination of its
commanders and cadres, and the devastation inflicted on Lebanon by Israel, the
negotiating duo of Nabih Berri and Naim Qassem agreed to the accord delivered by
US mediator Amos Hochstein.
This agreement became the basis for the tripartite "framework agreement."
Whatever may be said about it, it reflected the prevailing balance of power
after the Iranian regime, through its Lebanese proxy, had drawn the occupation
back into Lebanon and created an occupied "yellow zone" extending north of the
Litani River, while inflicting a major catastrophe on the southern community.
Yet the agreement made no reference to yellow or gray zones. It included
Israel's commitment to "redeploy the Israeli Army outside Lebanese borders" and
rested on an inescapable equation for restoring sovereignty: land in exchange
for weapons.
Salam's "reciprocal formula" was met by US Secretary of State Marco Rubio with a
three-step approach that remained consistent with both the framework agreement
and the ceasefire agreement, as well as with Lebanese Cabinet decisions.
First, the disarmament of Hezbollah and the dismantling of its infrastructure.
Second, the deployment and strengthening of the Lebanese Army. Third, a gradual
Israeli withdrawal beyond Lebanon's borders. The Americans also stressed that
Lebanese sovereignty could not remain hostage to Hezbollah's goodwill.
The Washington talks carried a clear US warning about the dangers of keeping
disarmament on hold, as this delay gives Israel a pretext to avoid withdrawal.
They also conveyed the view that Lebanon faces a fundamental test: whether its
legitimate government can translate its constitutional decisions to disarm
Hezbollah and ban its military and security activities into tangible reality.
The discussions further emphasized that sovereignty involves far more than a
symbolic deployment of troops. What was meant was the much-publicized military
deployment that followed appeals from southern Lebanese towns and villages
demanding the return of state authority as the sole legitimate authority, along
with the collection of illegal weapons and the dismantling of Hezbollah's
military and security structures.
The precise description of the military deployment mission highlighted the need
to prevent a repeat of the Ali al-Taher Hill experience, whether for a second or
third time, through serious military steps toward Jabal al-Rayhan, the Sujud and
Mleeta hills, as well as Birkat Jabbour in western Bekaa. These areas would be
cleared of illegal weapons belonging to Hezbollah and Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Corps, thereby obstructing Israeli plans to continue destruction and
displacement while providing broader protection to towns, villages, and
civilians. The opposite happened around Ali al-Taher, where the fall of the
ridge and its tunnel network led to widespread devastation in the Nabatieh
region and intensified displacement. It has become evident that the US is now
Lebanon's principal destination for securing the political support that can give
the government enough room to confront the mounting challenges weighing heavily
on the country. It has also become clear to many Lebanese, including a
significant segment of the southern population, that the narrative claiming that
the "resistance" protects Lebanon, the South, and its people is false. Reality
demonstrates that this "resistance" constitutes a major obstacle to
reconstruction, safe return, and the preservation of people's dignity.
Procrastination is dangerous for Lebanon, and deadlock in political negotiations
only deepens the risks. The battered country cannot afford the luxury of waiting
for regional solutions and settlements, "which may or may not come, may take
years, and if they do arrive, could come at our expense," as Prime Minister
Salam stated in Nabatieh last Friday.
Accordingly, the time has come to abandon the gray policies that have
characterized the state's performance for many months, during which it appeared
to be waiting for others to carry out duties that are solely its own
responsibility. Swift disarmament, coupled with the launch of a genuine reform
process rooted in accountability and oversight, has become the mandatory passage
for Lebanon's transition from the era before the Gaza and Iran "support wars" to
the era after them: an era of sovereignty in both its political and
economic-financial dimensions. Such a shift would close a long chapter marked by
violations of Lebanese territory, abuses of citizens' rights, and assaults on
justice.
It would also mark the end of the era of Lebanon as an arena for regional
conflicts and the beginning of Lebanon as a nation-state that protects its
citizens, safeguards their dignity, relieves them of injustice, and reverses the
effects of deliberate impoverishment that has humiliated them and pushed the
majority below the poverty line.
The Latest English LCCC
Miscellaneous Reports And News published
on October 06-07/2026
Trump says nobody knows who is running
Iran
Reuters/October 6, 2026
WASHINGTN: US President Donald Trump said on Tuesday the biggest problem for
him is that nobody knows who is running Iran. “Their second group of
leaders are gone, and the biggest problem I have is nobody knows who the
hell is running the country,” Trump said.
Trump blames France unrest on 'mass migration,' Islam
LBCI/October 6, 2026
U.S. President Donald Trump on Tuesday blamed mass student protests in France on
"mass migration" and Islam, pushing his global right-wing narrative ahead of
tough midterm elections at home. "What's happening in France is nothing less
than out of control mass migration. This isn't about schools, this is about
Islam wanting to take over a once great Country!" Trump said in a post on Truth
Social. AFP
More than 250,000 protesters at school marches across France
LBCI/October 6, 2026
Some 256,000 people took part in student-led protests over calls for better
school classroom conditions across France on Tuesday, including 56,000 in the
capital Paris, according to the interior ministry. Organizers gave a higher
figure of 450,000 demonstrators across the country and 100,000 in Paris, as
parents, teachers and union workers joined the high school students'
movement.AFP
Israel prepared to shoot down FlyDubai plane after cockpit
attack: CBS
Updated 6 October 2026 03:32
Arab News/October 6, 2026
DUBAI: Israel was prepared to shoot down a FlyDubai passenger plane carrying
more than 150 Israelis after the captain was attacked in the cockpit, CBS News
reported on Monday, citing two Israeli sources familiar with the incident.
Israel has a long-standing procedure for potential 9/11-style attacks involving
passenger aircraft, under which a rogue plane approaching the country could be
shot down to prevent it from hitting a high-value target. The decision would
ultimately have to be made by the prime minister, with such action considered a
means of preventing potentially hundreds of deaths.
“Shooting down the passenger jet would be considered better than many hundreds
being killed if a rogue plane slammed into Israel's prominent Azrieli buildings,
the airport or another ‘high-value target’,” sources told CBS News. The
Dubai-to-Tel Aviv flight plunged about 14,000 feet after the co-pilot allegedly
stabbed the captain and attempted to take control of the aircraft. Israeli
fighter jets were scrambled after attempts to contact the cockpit failed, and
Israeli airspace was closed. The jets were later recalled after the plane turned
toward Saudi Arabia, where Saudi fighter jets were also deployed.
The captain and passengers eventually overpowered the co-pilot, allowing the
aircraft to make an emergency landing in Tabuk, Saudi Arabia.
Police make seventh arrest over UK airbase incident
AFP/October 6, 2026
LONDON: A seventh man was arrested Tuesday over a major incident last month at a
British military airbase used by the United States to launch strikes on Iran,
police said.
The arrest came a day after President Donald Trump said the United States had
withdrawn all B-1 bombers from RAF Fairford because of “threats” he believed
were linked to Tehran. A 22-year-old British male was arrested in London “on
suspicion of preparation of terrorist acts”, Britain’s Counter-Terrorism
Policing network said in a statement. Six men in their 20s have already been
arrested and released on bail after three suspicious vans were stopped near the
base in southwest England on September 27. One is a UK-Iranian dual national.
None have been charged. The incident was declared “major” by British authorities
and triggered the evacuation of a nearby village. But the source and nature of
the threat have remained shrouded in mystery.Investigators did not find any
explosives in the vans, but did recover some petrol, according to officials.
Prime Minister Andy Burnham has said there were “strong indications that Iran
played a part” in the incident, which Tehran has rejected. Britain gave
Washington permission in March to use Fairford for “specific defensive
operations into Iran,” and US bombers and other planes have since been seen
taking off and landing at the base.
Trump, who has rebuked British authorities for bailing the suspects, said Monday
that the planes had been redeployed because “there were some threats”.“We
actually know the people that made the threat,” he said, adding: “They would be
linked to Iran.”US Secretary of State Marco Rubio has sought to play down any
specific threat, however. The UK government insists that the base is safe.
Adding intrigue are UK media reports that officers were alerted to the incident
by one of the initial suspects, although police have not commented on this.
UK considers expelling Israeli diplomats if Jerusalem
consulate shuts, sources say
Reuters/October 6, 2026
TEL AVIV: Britain is considering expelling Israeli diplomats if Israel carries
out its order to shut the British consulate in East Jerusalem this week in a
dispute over sanctions targeting Israeli settlements, four sources said. Israel
on September 8 ordered Britain to close the East Jerusalem consulate within 30
days and remove its diplomats from the city, after Britain said it would impose
a ban on trade of goods made in Israeli settlements in the occupied West Bank.
The 30-day deadline for Britain to close the consulate ends on Thursday, which
will impact around 30 British diplomats who work there, along with their family
members, the sources said. Britain is considering expelling Israeli diplomats
from Israel’s embassy in London in response to any closure of the consulate,
the sources said, speaking on condition of anonymity. It would be a highly
unusual step for allies to expel each other’s diplomats. Despite the current
strains, the UK and Israel are close economic, security and intelligence
partners. The British Foreign Office and the Israeli Foreign Ministry declined
to comment. An Israeli official said any action against Israel would be met with
a response.
UK HOPES CLOSURE CAN STILL BE AVERTED, SAYS SOURCE
A fifth source, also speaking on condition of anonymity, said Britain was still
hopeful that an agreement could be reached to prevent the consulate from
closing. If it did close, the source added, London was not expected to take any
action until after Israel’s October 27 election, if at all. After Britain
announced the sanctions, Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar accused London of
interfering in this month’s election. A spokesperson for Saar told Reuters on
Monday the consulate would close on Thursday. The British sanctions
announcement, and Israel’s response, mark a new low in the relationship between
the once steadfast allies. Britain has repeatedly criticized Israel over its
actions in the war in Gaza and over Israeli settler attacks on Palestinians.
Israel’s government has accused Britain’s governing Labour Party of being
hostile toward Israel. The British consulate, in the Sheikh Jarrah neighborhood
of East Jerusalem, handles the country’s relations with Palestinians in the city
as well as in the West Bank and Gaza. It also provides consular services to
Palestinians. The consulate has been in Jerusalem for almost 200 years, long
before the State of Israel was established in 1948. Reuters reported on Monday
that Britain’s top national security adviser, Jonathan Powell, had quietly
visited Israel last week in an attempt to keep the consulate open but failed to
reach an agreement. Two other sources said that Britain has asked European
countries to raise the issue with Israel in hope of convincing the government to
reverse its decision. In announcing the sanctions, Britain said that Israel’s
actions were undermining the possibility of a two-state solution — the idea of a
Palestinian state co-existing peacefully alongside Israel. Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu’s government openly rejects the idea of Palestinian
statehood. Britain, which recognized the State of Palestine last year, cited
Israeli government-backed projects to expand settlements and rising settler
attacks targeting Palestinians in the West Bank. The British sanctions are to
take effect next year. France and Canada joined in announcing sanctions. Israel
has not taken action against Paris or Ottawa.The incident highlighted growing
frustration among Israel’s longtime allies over its settlements in the occupied
West Bank, territory Israel captured in a 1967 war. Nearly all countries and all
UN bodies view the settlements as illegal under international law, which Israel
disputes.
Egypt and Jordan reaffirm support for Saudi Arabia amid
Houthi attacks
Arab News/October 6, 2026
RIYADH: Egypt and Jordan reaffirmed their support for Saudi Arabia on Tuesday
amid renewed Houthi attacks targeting the Kingdom. The statements of solidarity
came during separate telephone conversations between the Saudi foreign minister,
Prince Faisal bin Farhan, and his Egyptian and Jordanian counterparts, Badr
Abdelatty and Ayman Safadi. Abdelatty reiterated Cairo’s condemnation of all
attacks targeting Saudi Arabia and affirmed his country’s full support for the
security and stability of the Kingdom, the Saudi Press Agency reported. He and
Prince Faisal also discussed the latest developments in the wider region, and
stressed the need to safeguard maritime routes and freedom of navigation,
particularly in the Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab Strait. Their talks came as Houthi
attacks against the Kingdom have intensified in recent weeks. Saudi authorities
on Monday condemned the continuing strikes, including attempts to target Makkah
and Madinah, as well as Riyadh, Abha, Khamis Mushayt, Jazan, Najran, Taif and
Yanbu. The Foreign Ministry also condemned Houthi attempts to attack Saudi
vessels in the southern Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab, and reaffirmed the right of
the Kingdom to defend its territory, sovereignty and population in accordance
with the principles of international law. The latest escalation included a
Houthi drone strike last week on the Taiba power distribution station in Madinah,
which supplies electricity to the Prophet’s Mosque and other civilian
facilities. The coalition said one transformer was knocked out of service but
the wider electrical grid was unaffected. In a separate call with Prince Faisal
on Tuesday, Safadi similarly condemned the Houthi attacks against the Kingdom,
including attempts to strike Makkah and Madinah, and civilian and economic
facilities. He expressed Jordan’s solidarity with Saudi Arabia, and its full
support for measures taken by the Kingdom to safeguard its security, stability
and territorial integrity. The ministers also discussed wider regional
developments and stressed the importance of continuing coordination and
consultation between their countries in support of efforts to promote regional
security and stability. Separately on Tuesday, Jordan’s government also
condemned Houthi attempts to target Makkah and Madinah. It described such
attacks as a violation of Saudi sovereignty and international law, and
reiterated its full support for the Kingdom.
One year on, Trump’s Gaza plan has not stopped Israeli fire
or disarmed Hamas
Reuters/October 6, 2026
JERUSALEM: US President Donald Trump’s year-old plan to end the Gaza war has
stalled, with Israel mounting near daily attacks and occupying around
two-thirds of the shattered enclave where Palestinians face dire conditions. The
initial phase resulted in a ceasefire on October 10, 2025 and secured the
release of the last remaining hostages seized in Hamas’ 2023 attacks on Israel,
along with freedom for hundreds of Palestinian prisoners and detainees held by
Israel.But other goals, including disarming Hamas, securing Israeli withdrawal
and rebuilding Gaza, appear far from reach.
WHAT WAS IN THE PLAN?
The first phase of Trump’s 20-point plan included a suspension of all military
operations, Israeli withdrawal from part of the enclave, hostage and prisoner
releases and a surge in aid.
Later phases foresaw Hamas disarming and new governance by a Palestinian body
overseen by the Trump-led Board of Peace. Israel would gradually withdraw,
handing territory to a temporary International Stabilization Force (ISF). “Gaza
will be redeveloped for the benefit of the people of Gaza, who have suffered
more than enough,” the plan said.
HAS THE CEASEFIRE HELD?
There has been no return to full-scale military operations, but Israeli strikes
have continued. Gaza’s health ministry says at least 1,400 Palestinians have
been killed since the October ceasefire, many of them women and children,
although it does not disclose militant casualties. Israel says its strikes have
targeted Hamas, accusing the group of trying to carry out attacks and rearm.
Hamas denies this.Five Israeli soldiers have been killed by Palestinian
militants or in combat since the ceasefire, according to the Israeli military.
HOW MUCH OF GAZA DOES ISRAEL OCCUPY TODAY?
Most of it. The initial phase of Trump’s plan foresaw Israel withdrawing to a
so-called “yellow line” that left Israeli troops in control of 53 percent of
Gaza. Since then, the Israeli military has expanded its effective control to
around two-thirds of the territory.
The advancing yellow line has uprooted more Palestinians, squeezing the
population of 2 million into a shrinking coastal strip where they shelter in
tents and damaged buildings.
Israel-backed Palestinian militias opposing Hamas use the Israeli-held zone to
launch attacks into Hamas-controlled areas.
HAVE AID FLOWS IMPROVED?
Yes, but aid groups say it isn’t enough.
Global hunger watchdog IPC says more than 1.2 million people still face acute
hunger in Gaza despite a major scale-up of aid operations after the ceasefire.
In an August report, it cited data showing that an average of 227 trucks a day
carried humanitarian and commercial supplies into Gaza from the ceasefire to the
end of May — less than half the minimum 600 trucks stipulated in the Gaza plan.
COGAT, the Israeli military agency that controls access to Gaza, did not
immediately respond to a request for comment on the figure cited in the IPC
report.
Israel says around 600 trucks carrying humanitarian aid and commercial goods are
entering each day, that Gaza is getting enough goods to meet needs, and that it
is meeting its obligations. Aid agencies say Israel is blocking essential
items, including metal tent poles, engine oil and spare parts, from entering
Gaza, on the grounds that Hamas could use them for military purposes.
IS HAMAS READY TO DISARM?
It has indicated so, but a plan unveiled in July to achieve this has also
stalled.
Trump said Hamas and other Gaza militants had accepted a 15-point roadmap drawn
up by the Board of Peace to give up their arms. Israeli forces would withdraw as
Hamas disarmed. The ISF, working with a new Palestinian security force, would
secure Gaza. Trump called it historic. Hamas said it had agreed to hand over its
weapons to be stored under the control of the US-backed Palestinian technocratic
government. Though Hamas rejected the word ‘disarmament’, this marked a
once-unimaginable position for the Iran-backed group. But Israel, skeptical
that Hamas will give up its arms, called the plan unacceptable and said it would
not carry out any withdrawal until Hamas is fully disarmed.
HAS THE ISF BEEN FORMED?
Plans have taken shape but it has yet to be assembled. There is a commander —
US Major General Jasper Jeffers — and Indonesia, Morocco, Kazakhstan, Albania,
Kosovo, and Uganda have committed personnel. Jeffers has said the long-term plan
is for the ISF to use 20,000 troops and train 12,000 Palestinian police. The
technocratic Palestinian governing body, the National Committee for the
Administration of Gaza, was appointed in January led by Ali Shaath, who formerly
served as a deputy minister in the Ramallah-based Palestinian Authority. It has
yet to enter Gaza.
WHAT ABOUT RECONSTRUCTION?
A year on, Palestinians are still scavenging in the rubble of wrecked buildings
for materials to prop up tents and other shelters. The Board of Peace unveiled a
$2.45 billion plan in September to begin rebuilding Gaza. That is a fraction of
what is needed. The Board of Peace cited an EU and UN assessment released in
April that estimated recovery and reconstruction needs at $71.4 billion over the
next decade. WHAT ARE ISRAELI POLITICIANS SAYING ABOUT GAZA’S FUTURE?
While the Trump plan promises to encourage people to stay in Gaza, Israeli
right-wing politicians have stepped up calls for the mass removal of
Palestinians through “voluntary emigration”.Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz
said last month there was “no real solution for Gaza in the end without this
migration.”Israel’s defense ministry in 2025 established an office tasked with
overseeing “voluntary emigration” from Gaza, after comments by Trump suggesting
Gazans could be permanently displaced. Trump later backed away from the idea,
which faced strong resistance from Arab states and was widely rejected
internationally. Israeli officials have said there are no plans to move Gaza’s
population out by force. Israel will hold a general election on October 27, the
country’s first since the October 7, 2023, Hamas attack. Some leading opposition
figures have spoken in support of Trump’s plan. Polls show pro- and
anti-Netanyahu parties in a tight race.
Qatar says US, Iran still in talks to end war
Agencies/October 6, 2026
DOHA: Mediator Qatar on Tuesday said the United States and Iran were still
engaged in talks to end the Middle East war, despite an apparent deadlock seven
months into the conflict. The indirect negotiations take account of “the
concerns of the various parties”, foreign ministry official Ibrahim Al-Hashmi
told a regular press briefing.“I can confirm that the talks are continuing and
the exchange of messages between different parties is continuing via Qatar and
its regional partners,” he said. “As you know, the scale of this conflict and
the magnitude of the price that the whole world is paying require us to put our
best efforts to end this immediately through a negotiable solution on the
negotiation table,” the official added. Also on Tuesday, Qatar’s Emir Sheikh
Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani met Iran’s Interior Minister Eskandar Momeni in Doha, a
statement from the royal palace said. Despite a ceasefire in April, a memorandum
of understanding in June and talks at the UN General Assembly last month,
Washington and Tehran remain at odds over the strategic Strait of Hormuz. On
Monday, Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian said talks with the US were
“meaningless” and only resulted in renewed attacks, according to state media. US
Senator Murphy says Pentagon denied him access to US base in Qatar Democratic US
Senator Chris Murphy said on Tuesday that the Department of Defense denied him
access to a key military base in Qatar during a visit to the Middle East,
describing it as part of a US government effort to conceal the impact of the
Iran war.The Al Udeid Air Base is the largest US base in the region and has
repeatedly been attacked by Iran during the war launched by the US and Israel in
February. “This trip confirmed for me that there is an active, unprecedented,
unconstitutional effort underway to hide the costs of this war and the
implications of this war from Congress and the American people,” Murphy told a
group of journalists in Riyadh, the second stop on his trip. Many members of
Congress, including some of President Donald Trump’s Republicans, have been
pushing his administration to provide them with more information about the cost
of the war, strategy and casualties. Asked for comment, a senior Pentagon
official said Murphy’s office had been informed before his trip that he would
not receive the department’s support to access the base, consistent with
Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth’s March 3, 2026, directive restricting travel
to the area. “The Department applies the Secretary’s guidance evenly,” the
official said in an emailed statement. Murphy said that the Pentagon refused to
set up a briefing for him on the war while he was in the region. “I’ve never
encountered anything like this in my time in the Senate and it’s part of a
deliberate campaign of obfuscation that my Republican colleagues in Congress
should demand an end to,” he said. He said that US Secretary of State Marco
Rubio had facilitated his visit, including arranging meetings with diplomats, a
stance he contrasted with that of the Pentagon. During his trip, Murphy, a
member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee who represents the state of
Connecticut, met with Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad al Thani and with
Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman as well as other senior Gulf officials.
Syrian president in Riyadh for talks with Saudi crown
prince
Arab News/October 6, 2026
RIYADH: Syrian President Ahmad Al-Sharaa met with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed
bin Salman in Riyadh on Tuesday for an official visit, the Saudi Press Agency
reported. The leaders discussed ways to expand cooperation to serve their
countries’ shared interests and promote regional security and stability. The
talks covered political, diplomatic and economic cooperation, as well as plans
to rebuild Syria’s damaged infrastructure and essential facilities, the Syrian
presidency’s media directorate said in a statement carried by the state-run news
agency SANA. Discussions on reconstruction included strategic plans and the next
phases of implementation, the directorate said. The two sides also explored ways
to attract investment to Syria and expand the role of Syrian and Saudi
businesses in energy, construction, industry, agriculture and trade. Al-Sharaa
was accompanied by Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani. Riyadh Governor
Prince Faisal bin Bandar welcomed them upon their arrival in the Saudi capital.
Coalition says intercepted Houthi missile targeting
southwest Saudi Arabia
Arab News/October 6, 2026
RIYADH: The Coalition to Restore Legitimacy in Yemen battling the Houthis said
on Tuesday that its forces intercepted a ballistic missile fired by the
Iran-backed militia at the Kingdom’s southwest. The coalition’s spokesman Major
General Turki Al-Maliki said on X it “intercepted and destroyed” the missile
launched towards Khamis Mushait. Three people also sustained minor injuries when
the airports of Najran and Jazan were targeted in separate attacks on Monday
night, the Saudi Civil Aviation authority said.
Saudi Cabinet reaffirms full support for Yemen amid Houthi
escalation
Arab News/October 6, 2026
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s Cabinet on Tuesday reaffirmed the Kingdom’s full support
for Yemen’s Presidential Leadership Council and internationally recognized
government as fighting intensified against the Iran-backed Houthis. The Cabinet,
chaired by Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman in Riyadh, said Saudi Arabia backed
efforts to restore Yemen’s state institutions and accused the Houthis of
choosing military escalation over peace. It said the group’s actions were
deepening Yemen’s humanitarian and economic crisis while threatening regional
security and maritime navigation in the southern Red Sea and Bab Al-Mandab
Strait, the Saudi Press Agency reported. The statement comes amid the sharpest
escalation in Yemen’s conflict since a UN-brokered truce in 2022. Yemen’s
internationally recognized government launched a major military offensive
against the Houthis on Sunday, with Presidential Leadership Council Chairman
Rashad Al-Alimi saying operations would continue to reclaim territory held by
the group. Government forces have since advanced along Yemen’s Red Sea coast,
retaking territory around the strategically important Bab Al-Mandab Strait and
the port city of Mokha, according to Yemeni officials.
Meanwhile, the Houthis have stepped up their attacks against the Kingdom.
Earlier on Tuesday, the Saudi Civil Aviation authority said three people were
injured when the airports of Najran and Jazan were targeted in two attacks,
leaving some material damage. Riyadh has also accused the Houthis of attempts to
target Makkah and Madinah, as well as attacks on civilian and economic
facilities in Riyadh, Abha, Khamis Mushayt, Jazan, Najran, Taif and Yanbu. The
Cabinet also welcomed the outcome of Monday’s emergency meeting of the Makkah
Alliance for Defense, which brings together Saudi Arabia, Pakistan and Turkiye.
The three countries condemned attempts to target Makkah and Madinah and attacks
on Saudi cities and civilian and economic facilities, while agreeing to move
immediately toward the practical implementation of their collective-defense
commitments. The alliance said the measures would include providing agreed
military forces and capabilities and ensuring their rapid deployment in Saudi
Arabia, with the aim of strengthening military readiness, integration and
collective deterrence. At the start of Tuesday’s Cabinet meeting, Crown Prince
Mohammed bin Salman also briefed ministers on his talks with Syrian President
Ahmed Al-Sharaa. The two leaders reviewed relations and areas of cooperation
between Saudi Arabia and Syria, as well as the latest regional developments, SPA
reported. The Cabinet also authorized the Saudi environment minister to discuss
and sign a memorandum of understanding with Syria’s Ministry of Local
Administration and Environment on environmental protection.
The Latest LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on October 06-07/2026
On the Anniversary of Sinwar’s "Flood"
Meshari Al-Thaidy/Asharq Al Awsat/October 07/2026
Today is October 7, 2026, marking three years since a seminal event that—without
exaggeration—altered the political trajectories of the entire region. On April
30, 2022, Yahya Sinwar—then the head of Hamas’s political bureau in the Gaza
Strip—warned Israel and the world of a "regional religious" war.
On October 7, 2023, his men launched their infamous attack, triggering
profound changes in, to, and around Palestine—both within and beyond its
borders. Prior to this—as a report in this newspaper documented—Sinwar had
declared in December 2022: "We will come to you with a roaring flood... we will
come to you with countless missiles... we will come to you with a flood of
soldiers without limit... we will come to you with millions from our nation,
wave after wave."Then, on October 16—the same month the conflict began, as if
October had become synonymous with Sinwar’s name—Israel killed him in a visual
spectacle that will not soon fade from memory. The question remains: after the
horrific destruction and appalling loss of life inflicted upon Gaza—upon both
its stones and its people—what was the benefit? Some—Palestinians and others
alike—argue that the "Cause" was brought back to the center of global attention.
Yet, how has the Cause benefited *practically* from this attention? Is the
"Peace Council" Trump proposed for Gaza the manifestation of this interest? Or
is it the demonstrations and commentary by some Westerners against Israel?
Perhaps... yet, in light of the horrific losses and tragedies that have befallen
Gaza and its people, I believe the price paid is steep, while the pain is
profound. A Palestinian source residing abroad commented to this newspaper on
the stance of Sinwar’s "Brotherhood" colleagues regarding the operation, noting:
"Support within Hamas exists only at the official level; however, criticisms
were occasionally voiced in private sessions among leaders at various ranks."
Yet, as he noted, these were merely procedural or formal criticisms, not
objections to the very essence of Sinwar’s "Flood" operation. Mustafa Ibrahim, a
Gaza-based Palestinian political analyst, also points to public criticism of
Sinwar and the anger surrounding a decision made without adequate
deliberation—compounded by the suffering endured by the Strip’s residents,
including the loss of their homes and possessions. He observes that
"Palestinians—and others—outside the Gaza Strip might support Sinwar’s actions
simply because they have not lived through the same conditions of destruction,
killing, and displacement." Beyond Palestine, what has the regional camp to
which Hamas belongs actually gained? That is, the so-called "Axis of Resistance"
led by Iran. I believe the answer is evident in Iran
itself, Lebanon, Iraq, and now Yemen—not to mention the complete withdrawal of
Assad’s Syria from this fold. These words are merely light taps on the vast
keyboard of that October 7th morning; tracing, articulating, and synthesizing
these notes and rhythms would require the breath and stamina of an expert
maestro.
The Houthis and Losing Bargains
Fahid Suleiman al-Shoqiran/Asharq Al Awsat/October 07/2026
The Khomeinist media machine that defends its regional proxies insists on
embedding two ideas among its followers. The first is that all the activities
undertaken by its supporters, from recruiting and mobilizing both young and old
people to booby-trapping boats, planting mines, and launching drones, are merely
part of political action. As such, they are portrayed as justified in pursuit of
certain objectives. Through this argument, it seeks to distinguish its
affiliated militias, such as the Houthis and Hezbollah, from groups like ISIS
and Al-Qaeda. This tactic is reinforced by an ideological discourse promoted
through public occasions and sectarian festivals that encourage turning life
into a vast graveyard and filling successive generations with memories of
suicide and death. Followers are thus raised to wake up prepared to commemorate
the dead rather than to make productive use of their day.
The second is the continual invocation of political concepts in order to evade
labels such as terrorism and nihilism. This is precisely what the Houthi
terrorist group seeks to achieve. It attempts to capitalize on the experiences
of those who came before it, using political terminology to justify its criminal
activities. The group is determined to preserve what remains of its tribal
legitimacy through various tactics, including playing the role of a regional
intermediary and adopting the language of politics and law on international
platforms.
Previously, columnist Yousef Al-Dayni wrote in this newspaper an opinion piece
worthy of reflection, titled "The Yemeni Issue Becomes a Matter of International
Security." Al-Dayni argued that: "Hussein al-Houthi himself engaged in
intellectual disputes while constructing a new discourse that combined the
activist mobilization characteristic of political Islam movements, a
revolutionary interpretation of religious texts resembling some aspects of
Sayyid Qutb's thinking, and the vocabulary and slogans produced by the
Khomeinist revolution. Today, it can be said that the Houthi militia has gone
beyond even this ideological blend. Over time, it has evolved into a closed
military and dynastic structure obsessed with power and willing to pay any price
to remain in control, much like the Muslim Brotherhood, even if that means
engaging in dialogue with Israel. It also seeks to erode Yemen's Arab and
Islamic identity and reshape society and the state according to a vision that
grants it an exceptional right to rule and wield coercive power." I would add
that the convergence of Houthi terrorism with various fundamentalist groups,
regardless of their sectarian or ideological backgrounds, has helped conceal
aspects of its own terrorism, expand its influence, and entrench Houthi
extremist doctrine within local sectarian frameworks in a way that enables the
group to deepen its tribal dominance and mobilize supporters domestically.
While ordinary rank-and-file members may not fully grasp the nature of the
alliance between the Muslim Brotherhood and the Houthis, it is remarkable when
commentators who claim to be "secular" remain ignorant of it, whether they write
from European exile or from capitals that support the rogue Khomeinist terrorist
movement. Today, we see them defending the Houthis. Having already benefited
from its association with the Muslim Brotherhood and secured its support, the
Houthi movement is now attempting to cultivate a supposedly "secular" analytical
current through which it can justify its terrorist activities before
international audiences. This political confusion is, of course, ideological at
its core. Hezbollah pursued a similar strategy in the region by forging
alliances with some of the most powerful Christian "secular" parties. That
alliance significantly facilitated the acceptance and passage of Hezbollah's
terrorist activities across the Gulf and internationally. Hezbollah also
embraced numerous artists and political analysts who openly profess atheism. It
granted them substantial platforms through its television channels and
newspapers and strengthened their presence in both popular and official public
spheres. This is a well-known and widely recognized fact. The conclusion is that
the Houthi experiment is not political in nature. Rather, it was deliberately
crafted within a nihilistic and self-destructive framework that is hostile to
its surroundings. The Houthis' attempts to refute accusations of terrorism, or
to justify attacks on sacred sites, are part of a broader effort to promote a
terrorist model that is even more deceptive and deadly. If the Houthis
previously relied on alliances with traditional fundamentalist movements, they
are now seeking political partnerships even with "secularists" and "denialists"
in exchange for supporting their permanent takeover of the Yemeni state.It is an
ideological bargain between the Houthis and their new allies, reminiscent of the
intellectuals who defended Saddam Hussein's occupation of Kuwait. At the time,
the late minister and writer Ghazi Al-Gosaibi addressed this phenomenon in "In
Search of the Intellectual."
Why France Is Burning
Simone Rodan-Benzaquen/The Free Press/October 05/2026
What began as a protest over poor schools has become a nationwide wave of
blockades, fires, and clashes with police. Behind the chaos is a calculated
strategy from the far-left’s presidential hopeful.
Last week, high school students in Paris took to the streets to protest what
they described as excessively long school hours, overheated classrooms, frequent
staff absences, and crumbling buildings. Since then, the movement has spread
across the country. It is pandemonium: Students are piling trash bins and other
objects across school entrances to prevent their classmates from entering; they
are setting piles of garbage on fire in the streets; they are wrapping their
faces with masks and balaclavas; they are violently clashing with police. In
Marseille on Thursday, firefighters responding to burning trash outside Saint-Exupéry
high school came under attack. One firefighter was injured, and an emergency
response vehicle was torched. In Paris, a police lieutenant was chased, tripped,
and kicked on the ground by several attackers. Footage carried by the news
outlet Actu17 includes a cry of “Kill her!” Its report did not establish whether
the attackers were students, but so far, more than 100 schools have been
damaged, and 65 staff members and 170 students have been injured. And there is
no end in sight. On Sunday, education minister Édouard Geffray said that between
400 and 500 schools will be closed on Monday as security conditions “have not
been fulfilled.” Student unions have called for a nationwide day of protests on
Tuesday. The protests have confounded observers, both in France and overseas.
Yes, the students have reason to be angry about overcrowded classrooms and
absent teachers. But why has it gotten so out of hand? Why has a high-school
protest movement turned into a nationwide violent riot?
A big part of the answer lies with a man named Jean-Luc Mélenchon. Mélenchon is
the leader of France Unbowed, the country’s principal radical-left party, known
by its French initials, LFI. In the 2022 French presidential election, Mélenchon
won almost 22 percent of the vote, narrowly missing the runoff between the top
two contenders. And with the current president, Emmanuel Macron, barred from a
third consecutive term, the presidency is up for grabs this coming April. Some
polls suggest the race could become a runoff between Mélenchon and Marine Le
Pen.
To advance his political prospects ahead of the election, Mélenchon’s strategy
appears to be to capitalize on the discontent currently roiling the country.
After all, the problems are not limited to the schools. Public debt has reached
119 percent of national output. On Thursday, the government proposed a $61
billion budget squeeze, even as demands for better public services grow. The
French parliament is deeply divided, and investors are increasingly anxious as
the economy teeters. Meanwhile, just a few days ago, the investigative outlet
Mediapart accused Jordan Bardella, president of the far-right National Rally, of
sending antisemitic private messages early in his career. Bardella denies the
allegations and says he has filed a defamation lawsuit.
Mélenchon’s answer to the country’s troubles? Confrontation. In a 2012 speech,
he argued that progressive political action must “turn everything it touches
into conflict.” His opponents call this approach bordélisation—roughly, making a
mess of everything. Mélenchon calls it a citizens’ revolution. In his account,
people who feel abandoned by the existing parties can be brought together
against a common adversary and remake the country’s institutions. Keeping the
conflict alive is part of the plan.
That’s why Mélenchon and his party have actively supported the protests. Over
the past few days, LFI lawmakers have appeared at school gates and called for
the blockades to spread, while Mélenchon has urged his elected representatives
and activists to place themselves between students and police and intervene
against the law enforcement response. In Saint-Denis, north of Paris, LFI mayor
Bally Bagayoko told protesters that while it was preferable to keep protests
peaceful, “violence, at some point, can be legitimate.”Mélenchon has also
accused authorities of repression with a racist undertone—the idea being that
many of the members of the protesters are Muslim, and that is why they are being
targeted by the government. Online influencers have echoed this accusation. As
Nora Bussigny reported in the French news magazine Le Point, one activist making
videos about the protests belongs to RED Jeunes, a radical-left collective that
campaigns against Islamophobia. Her content has linked school conditions to
restrictions on Muslim clothing: Why can the state, she argues, ban hijabs in
state schools but cannot provide a teacher or a decent classroom? Such messaging
has been spread, Bussigny reported, by LFI lawmakers and other active online
accounts—including one run by Shahin Hazamy, who has been described as an
influence agent for the Iranian regime and was recently convicted of glorifying
terrorism.
Should we be all that surprised, then, that Palestinian flags have appeared at
the school protests? What does Gaza have to do with a shortage of teachers in
France? I’ll tell you what: LFI has spent years making hostility to Israel a
central part of its appeal to young voters. Bringing that cause into the school
protests helps fuel the racial dynamics and turn a demand for better classrooms
into a much broader confrontation with the government.
On Thursday, the government accused LFI and its far-left allies of organizing
the student movement, citing intelligence assessments. LFI rejected the
accusation, but the facts are against them. On Thursday evening, the French
newspaper Le Figaro reported that a leaked internal intelligence note from the
Paris police attributes the protest movement’s origins to far-left organizations
and high school student unions.
The strategy is simple: If Mélenchon can bring enough young people to the polls
in the spring elections, he will improve his chances of making the runoff, and
then he will call on the rest of the left—and anyone who fears the National
Rally, which is currently the most popular party in the country—to support him.
Indeed, no matter how the protests play out, Mélenchon will likely benefit. If
the unrest drives voters toward the far right, he can hope to emerge as the
leader of the opposition. If he succeeds in mobilizing enough voters himself, he
could reach the presidency. Either prospect gives him a reason to keep the
confrontation going. Neither gives him much incentive to lower the temperature.
French students need their teachers to show up to class, and their parents need
to know they will be safe at school. But Mélenchon is not interested in these
goals. Instead, he is encouraging the citizens to see their schools as a front
in a larger political battle, one whose real prize is the presidency.
*Simone Rodan-Benzaquen is senior envoy for Europe at the Foundation for Defense
of Democracies (FDD).
Trump must close this Turkish loophole that allows Iran
to skirt sanctions
Ahmad Sharawi & Sinan Ciddi/New York Post/October 06/2026
Washington has done well targeting Tehran’s shipping, banking and financial
networks. The regime is increasingly being pushed onto costlier land routes. But
some countries are leaving one major artery relatively open to Iran: the sky.
Turkey is among the worst offenders; Washington needs to rein it in. After Iran
reopened its airspace in April, commercial flights returned. In May, Treasury
Secretary Scott Bessent said Washington would move to deny Iran’s main carriers’
landing rights. Yet they kept flying internationally. So President Donald Trump
went further: In September, the Treasury Department sanctioned all active
Iranian airlines, dramatically widening Washington’s economic campaign against
Iran’s aviation sector. Iranian airlines give Tehran access to foreign markets
and the ability to transport personnel and weapons across borders, including for
the Islamic Revolutionary Guard. That’s why closing Iran’s aviation routes
matters and pressuring countries to cut off flights is essential. In much of the
Middle East, that pressure is working: Iraq, Oman and the United Arab Emirates
suspended Iranian flights.Turkey, not so much.Yes, Ankara has taken some steps.
Mahan Air, a US-sanctioned Iranian carrier, was supposedly forced to suspend
flights to Turkey on Sept. 21. Turkey also revoked the operating license of
Iran’s Bank Mellat branch in Istanbul, and Turkish carriers remain off routes to
Iran. But those measures are narrow — and seemingly cosmetic.
Our review of flight histories found more than 90 Iranian airline landings in
Turkey after Sept. 23, which is when Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vowed
Iranian airlines’ international flights would be effectively grounded. Those
aircraft are not operating in Turkey without help. Turkish companies are
providing ground support that keeps sanctioned Iranian carriers operating. They
handle passengers and cargo and provide critical ramp services at Turkish
airports, the kind of support that should put them in Washington’s sanctions
crosshairs.
One Turkish company illustrates the problem. FUGO Ground Services has agreements
with at least eight US-sanctioned Iranian carriers operating in Turkey, per
records from Turkey’s General Directorate of State Airports Authority. FUGO
provides services including passenger handling and ramp operations under
existing and and new contracts: Many were signed or took effect in 2026 — one,
just days ago. Recently, that relationship was seen on the tarmac: A Sept. 28
photo 28 shows a Caspian Airlines aircraft being serviced by FUGO at Istanbul
Airport. Caspian is a US-sanctioned Iranian carrier that continued flying to
Turkey after Washington’s Sept. 23 deadline. But Turkish entities enabling
Iranian sanctions was only part of the story. Treasury’s sanctions have
repeatedly identified Turkish-based businesses and financial institutions that
have helped Tehran move money and maintain access to the international financial
system.Just last month, Washington sanctioned an Istanbul-based bank for
facilitating the use of tens of millions of dollars for the Islamic
Revolutionary Guard Corps. Four days later, Treasury sanctioned three
Turkey-based companies for supporting Mahan Air, one of Iran’s most notorious
sanctioned carriers. Over the years, the Turkish government has breached US
sanctions and enabled Iran in numerous ways. For instance, Halkbank, Turkey’s
state-owned lender, carried out what a Justice Department official described as
“one of the most serious Iran sanctions violations [Washington] had ever seen.”
From 2012 to 2016, it converted $20 billion in restricted Iranian oil proceeds
into gold and cash, while disguising the transfers as food and medicine
shipments.Turkish officials were implicated, including President Recep Tayyip
Erdogan himself; witnesses testified he ordered the trade. But Turkey was let
off the hook: In June, a US federal judge dismissed an indictment of the bank
without fines or even an admission of wrongdoing. It’s not clear why, but
Erdogan spent a decade lobbying three administrations to make the case
disappear. Turkey may claim it’s a strategic US ally, that it helps fight
terrorism and mediate conflicts. And Trump may personally regard Erdogan
favorably. But Ankara’s longstanding pattern of enabling the regime in Tehran
needs to stop.
Trump needs to recognize Turkey’s playbook is to pretend it’s cooperative by
shutting down a channel or two while leaving others running.
That’s antithetical to what Trump wants. His economic campaign has already
yielded positive results. Iranian oil exports have been nonexistent while oil
from Arab Gulf states is flowing again. The regime is reeling from a sense of
economic defeat; it mustn’t be allowed a lifeline via Turkey. Washington should
insist Ankara halt all Iranian flights to Turkish territory; half-measures are
not enough. Treasury should also impose sanctions on any entity providing those
airlines with material support, including FUGO Ground Services. That would send
a clear message to every ground-handling company willing to work with sanctioned
Iranian airlines that they’ll face consequences. Cut off the ground support, and
the United States can directly constrain Iranian carriers’ ability to operate in
Turkey and elsewhere.
**Ahmad Sharawi is a senior research analyst at the Foundation for Defense of
Democracies, where Sinan Ciddi is a senior fellow and director of the Turkey
program.
Pakistan launches new strikes as conflict with Taliban persist into third week
Will Selber/FDD's Long War Journal/October 6, 2026
Last week, Pakistan conducted another round of airstrikes in Afghanistan and
targeted operations against terrorists at home, prompting fresh accusations
between Islamabad and the Taliban as the two former allies entered their third
week of conflict. On the night of September 30, Pakistan struck targets in the
eastern Afghan province of Kunar and the southern province of Helmand, marking
the third round of Pakistani airstrikes since a September 18 complex suicide
attack in northwestern Pakistan. The attack, claimed by Ittehad ul Mujahideen
Pakistan (IMP), a militant alliance formed in April 2025 that includes the Hafiz
Gul Bahadur Group and other factions with roots in the Movement of the Taliban
in Pakistan (TTP), killed 31 people and injured more than 100 others.The
Pakistani Ministry of Information and Broadcasting (MoIB) stated in a post on X
that the airstrikes targeted two “Terrorist camps and hideouts,” killing 22
terrorists and destroying large quantities of weapons and ammunition. The MoIB
also posted footage purporting to show air and drone strikes on a terrorist
location in Kunar.
Zabihullah Mujahid, the Taliban’s official spokesman, condemned the airstrikes
in a post on X, claiming that they struck civilian targets, killing nine people,
injuring 11, and destroying three homes. The United Nations Assistance Mission
in Afghanistan (UNAMA) stated that the airstrikes killed 10 civilians, most of
them children, and injured nine others. UNAMA reported that cross-border armed
violence has killed or injured more than 1,100 civilians in Afghanistan since
the start of the year. Following the airstrikes, on October 1, Lieutenant
General Ahmed Sharif Chaudhry, director general of Pakistan’s Inter-Services
Public Relations, claimed that Mullah Shireen, the Taliban’s governor of
Kandahar, hosted a meeting between the Baloch Liberation Army, Al Qaeda in the
Indian Subcontinent, and the Hafiz Gul Bahadur group. Chaudhry claimed that the
Indian government helped arrange the meeting. Pakistan has repeatedly accused
India of supporting or facilitating militant groups responsible for attacks
inside Pakistan. Mullah Shireen rejected those claims. His office said the
Taliban had no need to meet with foreign fighters and that the allegations were
merely justifications for killing innocent Afghan civilians. On October 2,
Mullah Akhtar Mohammad Muzammil, the Taliban’s police chief in Nuristan, accused
Pakistan of sending 300–400 fighters from the Afghanistan Freedom Front, an
anti-Taliban resistance group, into Afghanistan, leading to fighting in Kamdesh
district. Pakistan’s Ministry of Information denied those claims. However, the
accusations are likely to persist following a two-day conference on Afghanistan
held in Islamabad in late September that hosted multiple Afghan anti-Taliban
opposition figures.
On October 3, Pakistani Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammad
Ishaq Dar stated that the Taliban “should not allow their territory to be used
for terrorism against any country. . . we will not tolerate this.”
Zia Ahmad Takai, head of public relations at the Taliban’s Ministry of Foreign
Affairs, rejected those claims, stating that this was an attempt by Pakistan “to
evade responsibility and to create a different perception in the minds of the
international community.”Pakistan has long claimed that the Taliban provides a
safe haven to terrorist groups such as TTP, leading to intermittent rounds of
airstrikes and cross-border fighting.
On October 4, Radio Pakistan reported in a post on X that security forces had
killed eight TTP terrorists in Pakistan’s Dera Ismail Khan district, Khyber
Pakhtunkhwa province. Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari praised the security
forces in a post on X, stating, “We will never allow terrorists operating with
foreign sponsorship and the assistance of local facilitators to succeed in their
nefarious designs.”The Islamabad-based Center for Research and Security Studies
released a report last week stating that Pakistan saw its sharpest rise in
violence in nearly five years during the third quarter of 2026. The center
reported 385 violent incidents across Pakistan between July and September,
leaving 1,415 people dead and 558 injured.
*Will Selber is a retired US CENTCOM foreign area officer with over 4 years in
Iraq and Afghanistan. He is the owner of Grumpy Combat Veteran on Substack.
Ballot Box Jihad: The Non-Violent Conquest of the West
Robert Williams/Gatestone Institute/October 06, 2026
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22893/sweden-election-conquest-jihad
"The majority of those granted citizenship were from outside Europe....
Immigration to Sweden has not only brought crime, social problems and
unemployment – now the government that was successfully starting to solve these
problems has been voted out because of immigration itself." — Fredrik Karrgolm,
Swedish MP and author of Gangster Violence, September 15, 2026.
Sweden, in short, had been on the road to becoming Swedish again – but if the
election results lead to a new socialist government, that will no longer happen:
The Left Party alone is deeply infiltrated by Islamists and terrorist
supporters, with several of its politicians caught celebrating the October 7,
2023 Hamas invasion of Israel..
"In the Middle East, democracy and elections are various means to one end: the
establishment of a decidedly undemocratic form of law — Islamic, or Sharia Law."
— Raymond Ibrahim, author and historian, Gatestone Institute, May 22, 2012.
"An Egyptian cleric, Dr. Talat Zahran, proclaimed that it is 'obligatory to
cheat at elections, a beautiful thing' -- meaning that voting is a tool, an
instrument, the only value of which is to empower Sharia." — Raymond Ibrahim,
Gatestone Institute, May 22, 2012.
The same tactic applies to the Islamist project of nonviolent conquest of the
West.
Sameh Egyptson, an Egyptian-Swedish academic, writer and expert on political
Islam, has been warning about Islamist infiltration of the political system for
years. He has recently cautioned, among other things, against clan voting as an
erosion of democracy.
This outcome is possibly what many socialists have been planning all along: To
stay in power forever by importing new voters from the Third World.
The tiny socialist majority was won in Sweden's elections last month through
heavy voter mobilization within immigrant communities, which tipped the balance.
Turnout rose around 3 points to 67.5% in the almost exclusively urban districts,
where mainly Muslim immigrants live.
"This could be the first election in Sweden where the Muslim immigration that we
have had is decisive in a parliamentary election," predicted the leader of the
Sweden Democrats, Jimmie Åkesson, days before Sweden's election on September 13.
He was right. Sweden's center-right Sweden Democrats government indeed lost the
elections by a razor-thin margin – reportedly just 50,000 votes – corresponding
to just three seats in parliament. The next government will almost certainly be
a socialist one.[1]
"Voters who, or whose parents, grew up outside Europe overwhelmingly favoured
the Left," Brussels Signal wrote in its analysis of an exit poll by SVT,
Sweden's national public broadcaster:
"The Social Democrats received 38 per cent of their votes, the Left Party 21 per
cent, the Greens 7 per cent and the Centre Party 4 per cent. Together, these
parties accounted for 70 per cent, against 27 per cent for the four parties of
the outgoing right-wing bloc."
The tiny socialist majority was won through heavy voter mobilization within
immigrant communities, which tipped the balance. Turnout rose around 3 points to
67.5% in the almost exclusively urban districts, where mainly Muslim immigrants
live.
"This election has in part been about voter mobilisation, which is unusual in
Sweden," noted to Gustav Karreskog Rehbinder, founder of AI analysis firm Vera
Policy, which broke down the election results for Reuters. According to Fredrik
Karrholm, a member of the Swedish parliament and the author of Gangster
Violence: "A poll by the respected Novus institute before the election found
that of Muslim respondents, around 80 per cent intended to vote for either the
Social Democrats or the Left party. "In some districts with large immigrant
populations, the results are striking. For example, in Rosengård Centrum in
Malmö, the Social Democrats and Left Party together received, according to the
preliminary count, 95.2 per cent of the vote...
"This pattern predates the present government...
"During the last parliamentary term, around 200,000 people were given
citizenship under rules that imposed very few demands on applicants – not even a
requirement to speak or write Swedish. The majority of those granted citizenship
were from outside Europe....
"Immigration to Sweden has not only brought crime, social problems and
unemployment – now the government that was successfully starting to solve these
problems has been voted out because of immigration itself."
For a brief moment, it had seemed as if Sweden was finally beginning to turn
things around. In 2022, Sweden voted in a center-right government that ruled
with the parliamentary backing of the Sweden Democrats – a first in Swedish
politics. This government sought to implement the most restrictive overhauls of
Swedish asylum and immigration policies in Swedish history with crackdowns on
asylum and migrant flows, while making it harder for immigrants to acquire
permanent residence and Swedish citizenship.
After decades of lawlessness, the center-right government, now voted out, had
also sought to crack down on crime by finally openly linking migration to gang
violence, parallel societies, and integration failures. The results were
dramatic: In December 2025, Reuters reported: "The number of shootings in Sweden
has more than halved since hitting a peak in 2022, reflecting new policing
approaches introduced by the right-wing government, which is readying for
parliamentary elections next year. Shooting incidents fell to 147 so far this
year, a 63% decrease compared to 2022 when there were 390 shootings and a 49%
decrease compared to 2024, according to a Reuters analysis of official figures."
The government also began to scrutinize the detrimental effects of Islam in
Sweden, including the launch of a government investigation into the Islamist
infiltration of Swedish society. This past spring, the government announced that
it would be dropping the entire concept of "Islamophobia." Sweden, in short, had
been on the road to becoming Swedish again – but if the election results lead to
a new socialist government, that will no longer happen: The Left Party alone is
deeply infiltrated by Islamists and terrorist supporters, with several of its
politicians caught celebrating the October 7, 2023 Hamas invasion of Israel,
with some handing out candy on the streets to mark their joy at the massacres of
Israelis. In addition, several candidates were found to have shared content
praising or expressing support for designated terrorist organizations, including
Hamas, Hezbollah, the PFLP and Al-Qaeda, while multiple candidates shared
classic antisemitic tropes, Holocaust denial and homophobia. These revelations,
all dug up by the Swedish press, forced the Left Party to remove at least 33 of
its most extremist candidates, an astounding number.
Many other radicals within the party kept their parliamentary seats, including
MPs Ilona Szatmári Waldau and Samuel Gonzalez Westling, who sent open letters of
support to Palestinian terrorists held in Israeli prisons for serious offenses,
such as ordering suicide bombings and torturing and murdering an Israeli
soldier. In October 2025, the party's top leadership, including party leader
Nooshi Dadgostar, hosted two visiting Palestinians from the Fatah Revolutionary
Council inside the Swedish Parliament. The two guests were known for having
publicly praised terrorist acts and spreading Jew-hatred.
If you think any of this harmed the party, you would be wrong: The scandals
actually served to boost it: they gained the party six new seats in the
election.
There is a name for what just happened in Sweden: Ballot box jihad. It is an
Islamist tactic, favored by the Muslim Brotherhood.
"In the Middle East, democracy and elections are various means to one end: the
establishment of a decidedly undemocratic form of law — Islamic, or Sharia Law,"
Raymond Ibrahim wrote about the Egyptian elections in 2012, which, for a brief
moment, brought the Muslim Brotherhood to power.
"An Egyptian cleric, Dr. Talat Zahran, proclaimed that it is 'obligatory to
cheat at elections, a beautiful thing' -- meaning that voting is a tool, an
instrument, the only value of which is to empower Sharia. Another cleric, Hazim
Shuman... issued a fatwa that likened voting for Islamist candidates to a
'jihad,' or a holy war, adding that paradise awaits whoever is 'martyred' during
the electoral campaign."
The same tactic applies to the Islamist project of nonviolent conquest of the
West. The late spiritual leader of the Muslim Brotherhood, Yusuf al-Qaradawi,
speaking in Qatar in 2007, said that "Islam will conquer Europe without
resorting to the sword or fighting. The conquest will be through da'wah
[proselytizing] and ideology."
Ballot box jihad is part of achieving this conquest. Sameh Egyptson, an
Egyptian-Swedish academic, writer and expert on political Islam, has been
warning about Islamist infiltration of the political system for years. He has
recently cautioned, among other things, against clan voting as an erosion of
democracy. Clan voting is when extended families and even entire ethnic
communities vote collectively as a bloc for the same candidate or party.
Although clan voting as such is not illegal in Sweden, two newly elected Muslim
candidates from the Left Party are already suspected of electoral fraud,
including bribing or unduly influencing voters to vote for them and pre-marking
their own names on ballots.
This outcome is possibly what many socialists have been planning all along: To
stay in power forever by importing new voters from the Third World.
Sweden is a warning, not only to the rest of Europe but to the Western world at
large.
*Robert Williams is based in the United States.
[1] Sweden's new government will likely consist of the Social Democrats (99
seats), Sweden's Communist party, which changed its name to the Left Party (Vänsterpartiet)
in 1990 (30 seats), the radical Green Party (22 seats) and the more centrist
Center Party (25 seats).
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
Selected Face Book & X tweets
on October
06/2026
Nadim Koteich
Trump said he believes Iran is responsible for the flydubai
incident. Asked directly whether Iran was behind it, he replied: “Personally, I
do.”
Quote
Nadim Koteich
Sunni jihadists and Iran’s Shi’ite regime have been at odds for decades and have
cooperated when it suited them. The US State Department said senior al-Qaeda
figure Saif al-Adl is based in Iran. The 9/11 Commission documented Iranian help
with al-Qaeda transit, although it found x.com/jerusalem_post…
Jonathan Spyer
Comedy corner: According to the pro-Hizballah Al-Akhbar today, a delegation from
a British NGO connected to the UK's National Security Adviser recently visited
Lebanon to hold talks with Hizballah officials and others. The delegation
proposed 'converting Hezbollah into a political party in exchange for dropping
its military wing, citing the IRA and HTS precedents.'
The Provisional IRA disarmed because it had been defeated in an intelligence led
war. HTS 'disarmed' because it had been victorious and its army is now the army
of the Syrian state. Neither of these situations apply to Hizballah, which has
been defeated by Israel in southern Lebanon, but is still stronger than any
other force outside of the Israeli area of control in southern Lebanon. It often
seems like the main enemy of the UK government in the Middle East is now Israel.
This, however, is a mistake. Rather, the available evidence suggests that the UK
policymaking establishment in the Middle East has declared open war on empirical
reality, and is now vigorously engaged in the battle against it. See less
Alberto Miguel Fernandez
الله يمهل ولا يهمل.
Quote
Sean Parnell
Secretary of War Pete Hegseth has recommended — and President Donald J. Trump
has approved — death by U.S. Army firing squad for convicted terrorist Nidal
Malik Hasan, the jihadist who opened fire on unarmed American soldiers at Fort
Hood in 2009. He killed 13 people and wounded
Tom Harb
Israel is cleaning the Middle East of jihadists and Iranian proxies while host
countries refuse to clean their own mess and keeps degrading the Iranian proxy
network that Baghdad, Beirut, Damascus, and others have failed (or refused) to
dismantle.
Any rewards? Acknowledgment & Normalization perhaps !
Quote
Open Source Intel
Report: The U.S. has authorized Israel to operate without previous restrictions
in Iraqi airspace, reportedly allowing Israeli strikes against pro-Iranian
militias in Iraq.
Israel Hayom.
Eli -@AbouElLeil10452
The Lebanese republic and the corrupt leaders protects the weapons and the
foreign militia. The militia and their weapons protect the republic and the
corrupt leaders.
You cannot fix Lebanon until you get rid of both. The Lebanese people are
hostages
Alberto Miguel Fernandez
Someone who wants to live in the United States should be able to answer whether
or not they condemn a foreign terrorist organization. Have the courage of your
convictions, Mahmoud!
Quote
Washington Free Beacon
https://x.com/FreeBeacon/status/2107139976156590435/video/1
Mahmoud Khalil tells CNN that asking him whether he condemns Hamas is a “silly
question.”“This question is only being used to ask Palestinians as a sort of,
you know, if you say yes—just say yes or no. It’s black and white.”
Tom Harb
The concert is just camouflage. While the Sharaa government stages civilian life
for the cameras, it is indoctrinating youngsters with the same radical ideology,
no different from Hamas in its early days, when it claimed “democratic” victory
in Gaza and immediately built a terror state.
ME24 - Middle East 24
Oct 5
Watch How Two Very Different Realities Are Emerging in Syria
Concerts, cafés and other signs of civilian life are presented as evidence of
recovery, while footage also points to the continued presence of extremist
ideological movements.
European Jewish Congress
We are appalled by reports that MEP Rima Hassan knocked down the
Israeli and European flags displayed at the European Parliament as part of an
exhibition honouring the victims and hostages of the October 7 massacre.
If confirmed, this goes far beyond political disagreement or provocation. These
flags formed part of a memorial to the victims of the deadliest massacre of Jews
since the Holocaust and to those abducted by Hamas. To deliberately interfere
with such a memorial, on the eve of the anniversary of the attacks, would show a
profound contempt for their memory and for the suffering of their families.
That such an incident is alleged to have taken place inside the European
Parliament makes it all the more serious. We call on the Parliament to establish
exactly what happened, make the relevant evidence public and, if the allegations
are confirmed, take appropriate disciplinary action. The victims of October 7
and the hostages deserve dignity and respect. Their memory must never become a
target for political provocation.
Open Source Intel
Haaretz reports that the secret Dubai summit attended by PM Netanyahu and
representatives from 10 other countries reached agreements on a Gulf to
Mediterranean oil route via Eilat, joint bases in Socotra and Somaliland,
economic aid for Egypt over lost Suez revenue and an