English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News &
Editorials
For October 12/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news
The Bulletin's Link on the lccc Site
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/aaaanewsfor2026/english.october12.26.htm
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Bible Quotations For today
Whoever serves me must follow me, and where
I am, there will my servant be also
Holy Gospel of Jesus Christ according to Saint John
12/26-30:”Whoever serves me must follow me, and where I am, there will my
servant be also. Whoever serves me, the Father will honour. ‘Now my soul is
troubled. And what should I say “Father, save me from this hour”? No, it is for
this reason that I have come to this hour. Father, glorify your name.’ Then a
voice came from heaven, ‘I have glorified it, and I will glorify it again.’The
crowd standing there heard it and said that it was thunder. Others said, ‘An
angel has spoken to him.’Jesus answered, ‘This voice has come for your sake, not
for mine.”
Titles For The English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related
News & Editorials published on October 11-12/2026
Thanksgiving Day: Obligations, Prayers & Gratitude/Elias Bejjani/October
12, 2026
The Anniversary of the Canonization of Saint Charbel – Which Took Place on 9
October 1977 / Who is this Saint and What is His Biography/Elias Bejjani/09
October/2026
US Embassy in Beirut: We Appreciate Efforts to Launch Direct Flights Between
Lebanon and the US
Pope Leo XIV Allocates Scholarships for Needy Christian Students in Lebanon,
Syria, and Iraq
Hezbollah's Explosives Will Not Pass, and International Eyes Are on the
Seriousness of the Investigation
2 Killed Near Israeli-Occupied Zone in South Lebanon
Pressure mounts in the south: Lebanon faces UNIFIL exit without a replacement
'Son of Hezbollah official' is one of two held over Dahr al-Baidar explosives
Washington Targets Hezbollah’s Alternative Funding Networks
US Embassy says flight ban lifting 'signals confidence in Lebanon's future'
Lebanon's Health Ministry says 4,387 killed, 12,424 wounded since March 2
LBCI sources: MEA cancels Riyadh flights amid airport closure
PM Salam condemns Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia, reaffirms Lebanon's
solidarity
Pope Leo announces scholarships for Christian students in Lebanon, Syria and
Iraq
It Resonated in Yemen... When Will It Explode in Lebanon?/Alan Sarkis/Nidaa
Al-Watan/October 12, 2026
From the Kahaleh Truck to the Dahr al-Bidar Truck/Jean El Feghali/Nidaa
Al-Watan/October 12/2026
Do Not Wait for Explosives to Detonate Before Taking Action/Amjad Iskandar/Nidaa
Al-Watan/October 12, 2026
A New Headline for the Coming Confrontation/Antoine Farah/Nidaa Al-Watan/October
12, 2026
Southern Lebanon after UNIFIL/Rami al-Rayes/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 11/2026
Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News
published on October 11-12/2026
Iran says US response to its proposal to reopen Strait of Hormuz was
‘insufficient’
Injuries reported after projectile attack sparks fire at Riyadh airport
Saudi Arabia’s Dammam airport attacked, drone intercepted in Eastern Province
Yemen's Houthis claim attacks on Riyadh airport, Saudi energy facilities
Yemeni military says over 900 Houthis neutralized in major offensive
Widespread Regional, Int’l Condemnation of Houthi Attack on Riyadh Airport
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey demand immediate halt to Houthi attacks
Identities of some victims killed in Houthi militia’s attack on Riyadh airport
emerge
UAE stands in solidarity with Saudi Arabia after airport attack
Trump Announces Ukraine Energy Ceasefire with Russia, Surprising Zelenskiy
Trump urges Zelensky replacement as diesel row rages
Putin tells Trump about Iran's position on peace deal
Trump says Russia and Ukraine reach energy ceasefire ‘effective immediately’
Litvinenko widow says Russia election result does not reflect genuine support
for Putin
US request for strike on Iran deepens divisions in Israel
Iran says US response to its proposal to reopen Hormuz was 'insufficient'
Titles For The Latest English LCCC
analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on October 11-12/2026
Europe Is Missing the AI Train. Now It Is Banning the Tools/Drieu
Godefridi/Gatestone Institute/October 11, 2026
From Manchester to Berlin… And Back to London/Adel Darwish/Asharq
Al-Awsat/October 11/2026
The New Assassins: From the Courtyard of the Kaaba to Riyadh Airport/Eng.
Abdullah Awdah Al-Ghubein/Al Arabiya/October 12, 2026
Riyadh airport attack requires a shared security response/Dr. Abdulaziz
Sager/Arabia/October 11, 2026
Arctic security to the fore on Rubio’s Iceland visit/Luke Coffey/Arab
News/October 11/2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets on October 11/2026
Latest English LCCC Lebanese &
Lebanese Related News & Editorials published
on October 11-12/2026
Thanksgiving Day: Obligations,
Prayers & Gratitude
Elias Bejjani/October 12, 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/10/67920/
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ
Jesus.”(1 Thessalonians 5:18)
Every year, on the second Monday of October, Canada celebrates Thanksgiving Day
— a blessed and joyful occasion deeply rooted in faith, gratitude, and humility.
It is a day when families and friends gather to thank Almighty God for the
countless blessings He has poured upon them — the gift of life, the fruits of
the earth, and the comfort of home and community.
Thanksgiving in Canada dates back hundreds of years, when early settlers and
Indigenous peoples celebrated the harvest season by offering gratitude to the
Creator for the abundance of food and the safety of their communities. Through
time, this practice became a national celebration of thankfulness, generosity,
and hope.
Let us never forget that we have a holy obligation to continuously and joyfully
thank Almighty God for His love, His mercy, and His everlasting grace. Gratitude
is not a passing emotion; it is a spiritual discipline that purifies the soul
and draws us closer to God. A thankful heart is a humble heart, one that
recognizes every blessing as a divine gift, not a personal achievement.
On this day, while we celebrate with family and friends, let us look around and
remember the millions of people across the world who live in deprivation and
hardship — those who are hungry, displaced, persecuted, or alone. To truly
appreciate what we have, we must first recognize how many are without.
Let us therefore pray with sincerity and reverence, thanking God for His
generosity, and let us combine faith with good deeds, prayer with compassion,
and gratitude with action. A true believer’s weapons against adversity are
faith, honesty, righteousness, prayer, and trust in the Lord.
Let us pray for ongoing peace and prosperity in our beloved Canada — the land
that welcomed us with open arms and provided us a home when we most needed it.
Let us also pray for peace, freedom, and justice in our original homeland,
Lebanon — the Land of the Holy Cedars — and for its persecuted and impoverished
people who continue to suffer and hope.
Let us pray for the souls of Lebanon’s martyrs who sacrificed their lives
defending their country’s dignity and independence. May their memory remain
eternal.
Let us pray that Jesus Christ may bless Lebanon with faithful clergy and brave,
righteous political leaders who fear God and act in accordance with His will.
Let us pray that all families may reunite in love, heal their wounds, and honor
their parents with respect and gratitude.
As we lift our prayers today, let us trust that Almighty God always listens and
responds — not always as we expect, but always in ways that fulfill His divine
purpose.
May this Thanksgiving renew in each of us a spirit of humility, compassion, and
generosity.
For when we thank God with sincere hearts, His blessings are renewed,
multiplied, and everlasting.
“But mark this: There will be terrible times in the last days. People will be
lovers of themselves, lovers of money, boastful, proud, abusive, disobedient to
their parents, ungrateful, unholy.”(2 Timothy 3:1-2)
Those who live without gratitude fall into spiritual darkness, but those who
give thanks live in light. Gratitude keeps our hearts alive, our faith strong,
and our lives filled with peace.
Happy Thanksgiving Day to all!
May the Lord bless Canada and Lebanon, and may He fill every heart with
thankfulness, peace, and love.
Selected Biblical Verses on Gratitude
“As long as you live and have breath, give thanks to the Lord and praise His
mercy.” (Sirach 17:27)
“We give God great thanks for saving us from great dangers.” (2 Maccabees 1:11)
“If you and your children are well and everything you wish is as you desire, I
give great thanks to God; my hope is in Heaven.” (2 Maccabees 9:20)
“Open for me the gates of righteousness; I will enter and give thanks to the
Lord.” (Psalm 118:19)
“Before the angels I will sing your praise; I will bow down toward your holy
temple and give thanks to your name for your steadfast love and your
faithfulness.” (Psalm 138:1–2)
“Be thankful.” (Colossians 3:15)
“We thank God without ceasing.” (1 Thessalonians 2:13)
“I thank God, whom I serve from my forefathers with a pure conscience.” (2
Timothy 1:3)
“Always giving thanks to God the Father for everything, in the name of our Lord
Jesus Christ.” (Ephesians 5:20)
“Giving thanks to the Father, who has qualified you to share in the inheritance
of His holy people in the kingdom of light.” (Colossians 1:12)
“Whatever you do, whether in word or deed, do it all in the name of the Lord
Jesus, giving thanks to God the Father through Him.” (Colossians 3:17)
“I thank my God through Jesus Christ for all of you, because your faith is being
reported all over the world.” (Romans 1:8)
“Thanks be to God, who gives us the victory through our Lord Jesus Christ.” (1
Corinthians 15:57)
“Thanks be to God, who always leads us in triumph in Christ and manifests
through us the fragrance of the knowledge of Him in every place.” (2 Corinthians
2:14)
“Thanks be to God for His indescribable gift!” (2 Corinthians 9:15)
“Do not be anxious about anything, but in every situation, by prayer and
petition, with thanksgiving, present your requests to God.” (Philippians 4:6)
“We always thank God, the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ, when we pray for
you.” (Colossians 1:3)
“Devote yourselves to prayer, being watchful and thankful.” (Colossians 4:2)
“We always thank God for all of you and continually mention you in our prayers.”
(1 Thessalonians 1:2)
“I thank my God every time I remember you.” (Philippians 1:3)
“Give thanks in all circumstances; for this is God’s will for you in Christ
Jesus.” (1 Thessalonians 5:18)
“We ought always to thank God for you, brothers and sisters, and rightly so,
because your faith is growing more and more.” (2 Thessalonians 1:3)
“I thank Christ Jesus our Lord, who has given me strength, that He considered me
trustworthy, appointing me to His service.” (1 Timothy 1:12)
“I urge, then, first of all, that petitions, prayers, intercession and
thanksgiving be made for all people — for kings and all those in authority, that
we may live peaceful and quiet lives in all godliness and holiness.” (1 Timothy
2:1–2)
“Blessing and glory and wisdom and thanksgiving and honor and power and might be
to our God forever and ever. Amen.” (Revelation 7:12)
“We give thanks to You, Lord God Almighty, who is and who was, because You have
taken Your great power and have begun to reign.” (Revelation 11:17)
This Is What Many Canadians Do On Thanksgiving Day?
Many people have a day off work on the second Monday of October. They often use
the three-day Thanksgiving weekend to visit family or friends who live far away,
or to receive them in their own homes. Many people also prepare a special meal
to eat at some point during the long weekend. Traditionally, this included roast
turkey and seasonal produce, such as pumpkin, corn ears and pecan nuts. Now, the
meal may consist of other foods, particularly if the family is of non-European
descent.
The Thanksgiving weekend is also a popular time to take a short autumn vacation.
This may be the last chance in a while for some people to use cottages or
holiday homes before winter sets in. Other popular activities include outdoor
breaks to admire the spectacular colors of the Canadian autumn, hiking, and
fishing. Fans of the teams in the Canadian Football League may spend part of the
weekend watching the Thanksgiving Day Classic matches.
Background
The native peoples held ceremonies and festivals to celebrate the completion and
bounty of the harvest long before European explorers and settlers arrived in
what is now Canada. Early European thanksgivings were held to give thanks for
some special fortune. An early example is the ceremony the explorer Martin
Frobisher held in 1578 after he had survived the long journey in his quest to
find a northern passage from Europe to Asia. Many thanksgivings were held
following noteworthy events during the 18th century. Refugees fleeing the civil
war in the United States brought the custom of an annual thanksgiving festival
to Canada. From 1879, Thanksgiving Day was held every year but the date varied
and there was a special theme each year. The theme was the “Blessings of an
abundant harvest” for many years. However, Queen Victoria’s golden and diamond
jubilees and King Edward VII’s coronation formed the theme in later years.
From the end of the First World War until 1930, both Armistice Day and
Thanksgiving Day were celebrated on the Monday closest to November 11, the
anniversary of the official end of hostilities in World War I. In 1931,
Armistice Day was renamed Remembrance Day and Thanksgiving Day was moved to a
Monday in October. Since 1957, Thanksgiving Day has always been held on the
second Monday in October.
The Anniversary of the Canonization
of Saint Charbel – Which Took Place on 9 October 1977 / Who is this Saint and
What is His Biography
Elias Bejjani/09 October/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/10/158184/
The Saint of Lebanon Who Made the Silence of the Hermitage a Pulpit for the
World
On the 9th of October 1977, Pope Saint Paul VI raised to the altars of the
Universal Church a son of Lebanon, a humble hermit from Bekaa Kafra, to be a
saint for the whole world. The canonization of Charbel was not merely a Vatican
event; it was a heavenly proclamation that holiness is still possible in our
time, and that Lebanon, the land of saints, offers to the Church a living model
of prayer, silence and labor.
Biography – From Bekaa Kafra to Heaven
Birth and Early Life
Youssef Antoun Makhlouf was born on 8 May 1828 in the village of Bekaa Kafra,
the highest inhabited village in Lebanon (in the district of Bcharre, on the
slopes of the Cedars). He was born into a poor yet pious farming family. His
father, Antoun Zaarour Makhlouf, died when Youssef was only three years old, and
he was raised by his mother Brigitta. From his childhood he was called “the
Saint” because of his love for prayer and solitude in a grotto near the village
which he called “the Grotto of the Saints.”
The Monastic Vocation
On a morning in the year 1851, at the age of 23, he left Bekaa Kafra without
bidding farewell to anyone, walking on foot to the Monastery of Our Lady of
Mayfouq to seek entry into the Lebanese Maronite Order. He was later transferred
to the Monastery of Saint Maron – Annaya for his novitiate.
Date of entry into monastic life: 1851 at Mayfouq
Transfer to Annaya: 1853
First monastic vows: 1 November 1853, taking the name Charbel, after the
second-century Antiochene Martyr, Saint Charbel
Theological Studies: At the Monastery of Saints Cyprian and Justina – Kfifan,
where he was discipled by Saint Nimatullah Kassab Al-Hardini, who was his
professor and spiritual director
Priestly Ordination: He was ordained a priest on 23 July 1859 in Bkerke by the
laying on of hands of Bishop Youssef Al-Mourad (El-Marid), the Patriarchal
Vicar, during the pontificate of Patriarch Paul Peter Massaad.
He spent 16 years as an exemplary monk in the Monastery of Annaya, a model of
obedience, humility and manual labor in the fields.
The Eremitic Life
His greatest longing was to revive the life of the ancient hermits. After long
insistence, he was permitted to withdraw to the Hermitage of Saints Peter and
Paul, belonging to the Monastery of Annaya, overlooking the Holy Valley.
Date of entry into the hermitage: 13 February 1875
Place: The Hermitage of Saints Peter and Paul – Annaya
Date of Death: 24 December 1898
There he spent 23 years, never leaving except by order of his superior, praying,
fasting, keeping silence, working in the field, and spending the night kneeling
before the Blessed Sacrament.
He died on Christmas Eve, 24 December 1898, while reciting the Christmas Mass.
His last words were: “O Father of Truth.” He was buried in the monastery
cemetery at the age of 70.
His Most Notable Miracles
The miracles began at the moment of his death. Eyewitnesses saw a dazzling light
emanating from his grave for several months, and his body continued to exude
blood, water and sweat after his death, remaining intact and supple for many
years without any embalming.
The Church cannot number the miracles, but we mention those adopted in the cause
for canonization:
A- During his lifetime
The Miracle of the Lamp: Once the servant asked him to fill the lamp with oil,
and out of holy obedience he filled it with water, and the lamp burned with
water.
He healed the sick and wounded by his prayers and the blessing of his hand, and
cast out evil spirits.
B- After his death – The miracles that opened the door to beatification and
canonization:
The healing of Sister Mary Abel Kamou of the Sisters of the Sacred Hearts: She
had suffered from severe, incurable intestinal ulcers for 14 years. She visited
his grave and prayed, and was suddenly and completely cured in 1950. This is the
miracle adopted for his beatification.
The healing of Mr. Alexandre Obeid from Baabdat: He had lost sight in one eye as
a result of an accident. After praying to Saint Charbel and placing soil from
his grave upon his eye, he fully regained his sight in 1950. This is the second
miracle for beatification.
The healing of Mrs. Mariam Awad from Hammana: She was paralyzed and suffering
from cancer of the larynx. She was miraculously healed in 1952. This is the
miracle adopted for his canonization.
Thousands of miracles are documented today in the records of the Monastery of
Annaya from all over the world, from healings of cancer, paralysis and blindness
to countless other wonders. The faithful have called him “the Doctor of Heaven”
and “the Wonder-Worker.”
Beatification – Date and Place
Because of the abundance of graces and miracles, the cause for his beatification
was opened in 1925.
Date of Beatification: 5 December 1965
Place: The Basilica of Saint Peter in the Vatican
Pope of Beatification: Pope Saint Paul VI
Occasion: He concluded the Second Vatican Council with it. In his homily, Pope
Paul VI said: “A hermit from the mountain of Lebanon may teach us, in a
materialistic world, what poverty and humility mean… a Maronite monk may teach
us what silence and prayer mean.” This was the first beatification of a Maronite
in modern history.
Canonization – Full Details
Date of Canonization: Sunday, 9 October 1977
Place: Saint Peter’s Square – Vatican
Pope of Canonization: Pope Saint Paul VI, and this was the last saint he
canonized months before his death
Attendance: More than 30,000 Lebanese pilgrims came from Lebanon and the
diaspora, led by Maronite Patriarch Antonios Khreich and a delegation of the
Lebanese Maronite Order. Saint Peter’s Square resounded with Maronite and
Lebanese hymns.
Decree of Canonization: The Pope proclaimed Charbel a saint of the Universal
Church, and established his official feast on 24 July each year (in Lebanon it
is celebrated on the third Sunday of July according to the Maronite calendar).
The Historic Homily: Paul VI said: “Charbel Makhlouf is the saint of difficult
times. He made the hermitage a school of prayer. He calls you, O Christians of
Lebanon and the East, to be faithful to your faith, and martyrs of love in a
divided world.”
Immediately after the canonization, his relics spread to all continents, and the
shrine of Annaya became the second most important Christian pilgrimage site in
the Middle East after Jerusalem.
Conclusion – What Does Saint Charbel Say to Us Today?
1-The Holiness of Silence: In an age of noise and social media, Charbel teaches
us that silence is not emptiness, but fullness with God. Lebanon today needs not
only political solutions, but a return to the silence of the heart.
2. The Holiness of Belonging: Charbel never left Lebanon; he did not seek glory
in Rome or Paris. His holiness sprouted from the soil of Bekaa Kafra and the
rock of Annaya. He tells every Lebanese in the diaspora that your holiness
begins where you are, but your roots remain in the land of the cedars.
3. The Holiness of Unity: Charbel is Maronite, but he became a saint for all
Lebanese: Christians and Muslims, beloved by all faiths. His body has gathered
Lebanese around him more than politics ever has. He is proof that holiness
unites and politics divides. Saint Charbel is heaven’s answer to Lebanon’s
despair. If a simple peasant from the poorest village could become a light for
the world, then Lebanon is capable of rising again.
A Prayer for the Intercession of Saint Charbel for Peace in Lebanon
O Wonder-Worker Saint Charbel, O son of Bekaa Kafra and hermit of Annaya, O you
who carried Lebanon in your heart and prayed for it for 23 years in your
hermitage, we beseech you today while our Lebanon is wounded, divided,
suffering, groaning under the weight of wars, divisions and emigration.
You who poured oil as light, pour upon our land the oil of peace. You who healed
the blind, open the eyes of our leaders to see the pain of the people. You who
kept long silence to hear the voice of God, teach us to be silent from hatred
and insult, that we may hear the voice of our brother.
O Saint Charbel, intercede for us before the Lord Jesus, whom you loved unto
death, that He may grant Lebanon a peace that cannot be bought with weapons, a
unity not built upon interests, and a hope that never dies despite all
hardships. Protect our cedars, protect our families in the homeland and in the
diaspora, and bring the children of Lebanon back to love one another, so that
Lebanon may remain as God willed it: a message of peace and light for the East
and for the world. Amen.
May the intercession of Saint Charbel be with us and with Lebanon.
Note: The information contained in this study is compiled from numerous
authenticated ecclesiastical, theological, research and media sources.
The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website:
https://eliasbejjaninews.com
US Embassy in Beirut: We Appreciate Efforts to Launch
Direct Flights Between Lebanon and the US
Al-Markaziya/October 11, 2026
The US Embassy in Beirut expressed its appreciation for the efforts made to
launch direct flights between Lebanon and the United States. A statement from
the embassy read: "The Embassy extends its thanks to President Donald Trump and
Secretary of State Marco Rubio for their leadership and efforts in bringing a
long-awaited Lebanese dream closer to reality: the operation of direct flights
between Lebanon and the United States." The statement continued: "This important
step strengthens confidence between our two nations and reflects faith in
Lebanon's future. Direct flights will bridge distances between families, deepen
ties with the Lebanese-American community, and make it easier for US companies
to explore opportunities and invest in Lebanon." It concluded: "We look forward
to working with our Lebanese partners to turn this opportunity into a reality
that benefits the people of both our nations and contributes to a more
prosperous Lebanon."
Pope Leo XIV Allocates Scholarships for Needy Christian Students in Lebanon,
Syria, and Iraq
Al-Markaziya/October 11, 2026
Pope Leo XIV received members of the Synod of the Melkite Greek Catholic Church
of Antioch.In an address, he expressed his pleasure at welcoming them on the
occasion of the Synod, noting that it is "not merely an administrative
procedure, but also a moment of communion and service as bishops." He then
greeted the priests, monks, nuns, seminarians, and all the faithful of the
Melkite Greek Catholic Church, "whether in your own lands or in the diaspora
across the world."He added: "The faithful in many areas of their traditional
territory are suffering from war, instability, religious extremism, and economic
hardship." He emphasized his closeness to them and assured them that the entire
Catholic Church stands with them. The Pope then spoke of what he described as
their Church's "great calling"—namely, to be witnesses of reconciliation and
peace in lands torn by conflict. He further affirmed that the Holy See, thanks
to the generosity of many, is working to provide scholarships for the faithful
in Syria, Lebanon, and Iraq to receive a Catholic education; the goal, he noted,
is to support young people so that Christian families receive the necessary
assistance to remain in the Middle East and preserve the Christian presence. For
its part, the Dicastery for the Eastern Churches announced that the Pope had
decided to allocate scholarships to support Christian students from the most
needy families in Lebanon, Syria, and Iraq, covering their children's annual
school and university tuition fees. In a statement, the Dicastery explained that
the Pontiff had outlined a pastoral project for Christian families facing dire
circumstances in these countries during the Synod of Bishops of the Melkite
Greek Catholic Church of Antioch. Pursuant to this decision, the Pope directed
that scholarships be secured for these communities—through the Dicastery for the
Eastern Churches—to cover the costs of their children's annual school and
university tuition. The statement affirmed that this initiative reflects the
paternal care Pope Leo XIV extends to children, adolescents, young people, and
their families; it also aims to demonstrate his closeness—and that of the entire
Catholic Church—to the faithful who have been exhausted by the conflicts and
instability plaguing these countries for so long.
Hezbollah's Explosives Will Not Pass, and International
Eyes Are on the Seriousness of the Investigation
Nidaa Al-Watan/October 12, 2026 (Translated by AI from Arabic)
From the "explosives" of Dahr al-Bidar to the Houthi attacks on the Kingdom of
Saudi Arabia, the "Axis of Resistance" oozes with terrorism and ruin, once again
exposing the repercussions of the "Hezbollah" system on the security and safety
of the Lebanese people. According to Nidaa Al-Watan information, the intercepted
shipment and the confessions of the two detainees—who admitted to belonging to
Naim Qassem's militia—raise serious questions about the party that ordered its
transport and the intended purpose of its use. This danger is further compounded
by the party's rich record of political assassinations targeting presidents,
leaders, deputies, journalists, and activists. Nidaa Al-Watan has learned that
Government Commissioner to the Military Court, Judge Claude Ghanem, will expand
the investigation to reach the mastermind and uncover the goal behind
transporting the shipment.
In details, data indicates that the driver attempted to present a special
"Hezbollah" card at the Dahr al-Bidar checkpoint—a card the party traditionally
used to facilitate the movements of its operatives. However, the Internal
Security Forces checkpoint commander refused even to look at the card, proceeded
to seize the truck, and notified the judiciary.
As for the truck's cargo, it reveals the alarming scale of what was confiscated.
According to Nidaa Al-Watan, the haul includes 14 sacks of TNT weighing 562 kg,
206 kg of C4 material, 15 cartons of metal ball bearings (shrapnel) weighing 350
kg, and 5 empty metal molds for shaped charges. These facts raise urgent
questions about the source of these materials, their final destination, and the
purpose of their transport. At the core of this case,
a diplomatic source told Nidaa Al-Watan that the file places the Lebanese
authorities under international scrutiny, making how they handle it a subject of
close follow-up and auditing. Any leniency in uncovering the network behind the
explosives, or stopping merely at prosecuting the transporters without reaching
the decision-makers, will put the credibility of the state and its commitment to
the monopoly of arms to a new test. The source paused at a highly significant
matter, noting that even if the shipment was heading south to be used against
Israel—as the party attempts to claim—it does not diminish the gravity of the
issue. Rather, it places the state under additional accountability, because
transporting this shipment to the South (even if its stopover was the Dahiyeh)
means that the Lebanese Army and security forces must fulfill their duties in
extending state authority over all Lebanese territory, most importantly the
South.
Demands to Pursue "Hezbollah's" Leadership
In parallel with this diplomatic warning, political demands to avoid restricting
the case solely to the two detainees have heightened. The leader of the
"Lebanese Forces" party, Samir Geagea, stressed in a press interview the
necessity of continuing investigations until the entire chain of command is
dismantled, even if it requires implicating Hezbollah Secretary-General Naim
Qassem. For his part, Minister of Justice Adel Nassar affirmed that the
investigation into the seized explosives and everything branching from it will
be pursued to the end.
In the same context, Kataeb Party leader MP Sami Gemayel called for the
immediate dismantling of Hezbollah's military and security infrastructure,
warning against a repetition of the assassination scenario Lebanon witnessed
between 2004 and 2008. Similarly, MP Major General Ashraf Rifi considered the
seizure of the shipment and the arrest of its transporters to be a real test of
the state's prestige and the credibility of its institutions, demanding the
exposure of the entire network and the prosecution of all involved, including
leadership elements proven by the investigation to be implicated.
No Date Set Yet in Tampa
Amid these developments, diplomatic and military obligations concerning the
future of the South continue. Nidaa Al-Watan has learned that UN
Under-Secretary-General for Peace Operations, Jean-Pierre Lacroix, will visit
Lebanon in the coming days and meet with several officials, foremost among them
President Joseph Aoun. Discussions will focus on the future of the South after
the conclusion of UNIFIL's mandate and the nature of the alternative force,
given the absence of a final formula thus far and persistent ambiguity regarding
the direction things will take. Regarding the military negotiation track in
Tampa, Baabda has not yet been officially notified of a date.
Return of Military Service Soon?
On the internal security level, Army Commander General Rudolph Haykal reiterated
that the military institution's missions in combating terrorism, drugs, and arms
smuggling are ongoing, calling on citizens to cooperate with security agencies
and report any suspicious activity. During the Lebanese Army's second race held
in Beirut, he revealed the possibility of reinstating compulsory military
service soon due to its role in strengthening cohesion and unity among the
Lebanese.
Salam Condemns Houthi Attacks
Regionally, developments are accelerating under the weight of Houthi attacks
against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. In a stance reflecting Lebanon's commitment
to its Arab relations and its rejection of threats to the Kingdom's security,
Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned the attack, considering that renewed Houthi
threats reveal a persistent determination to destabilize Saudi security and
regional stability.
2 Killed Near Israeli-Occupied Zone in South Lebanon
Asharq Al-Awsat/October 11/2026
Two men were killed in south Lebanon on Sunday, one by Israeli fire and the
other by an explosive remnant of war, as they took part in the annual olive
harvest, according to state media and local officials. South Lebanon has been
the scene of two wars since 2023 between Israel and Iran-backed Hezbollah, and
Israeli troops still occupy a band of territory 10 kilometers (six miles) wide
running along the border. The official National News Agency (NNA) said one of
the men was killed in Yater, in Bint Jbeil district, when Israeli "shelling
targeted the outskirts of the town while he was inspecting his land and olive
harvest". The Lebanese army blamed Israeli tank fire and called the ongoing
attacks "a flagrant breach of existing agreements".
Afterwards, the Yater municipality urged residents "to avoid the outskirts of
the town and refrain from crossing the earthen barrier separating some unsafe
neighborhoods" for fear of Israeli attacks. In the village of Froun, in the same
district, the NNA reported that "a foreign object" left over from previous
Israeli operations exploded and killed an engineer as he and others tended their
trees. The engineer had come down from Beirut, where he lives, for the harvest,
Froun mayor Hassan Bazzi told AFP. The incident prompted local residents to call
off the harvest and wait for "the Lebanese army to complete the decontamination
of the village", Bazzi said. Since a framework
agreement between Lebanon and Israel was struck in June, the violence in the
south has diminished but not stopped. Israel continues to carry out sporadic
strikes and demolitions in and around the territory it occupies, while Hezbollah
refuses to submit to government plans to disarm it. About eight kilometers (five
miles) away, in Jibshit, volunteers from the north came to help locals with the
harvest in a show of solidarity. "From north to south,
one people and one land," said organizer Ahmad Chahhal.As workers swatted at
branches to make the olives fall, an AFP photographer saw drones and heard
fighter jets overhead, and explosions could be heard in the distance.
Hezbollah drew Lebanon into the Middle East war in early March by
launching attacks against Israel in support of its backer Iran. Israel responded
with an intense bombing campaign and a ground invasion.
The framework deal between Lebanon and Israel involves Hezbollah's
disarmament, a gradual Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of the Lebanese
army to the region.
Pressure mounts in the south: Lebanon faces UNIFIL exit
without a replacement
LBCI/October 12, 2026
Time is running out for Lebanon as efforts to secure a replacement for the
United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL) have so far failed, amid
Israeli opposition to any new European or international force taking over from
the U.N. peacekeepers.
The latest initiative is an expected visit to Lebanon by Jean-Pierre Lacroix,
the U.N. under-secretary-general for peace operations, to discuss UNIFIL’s
future and possible alternative arrangements. However, the visit is not expected
to break the deadlock, given U.S. and Israeli insistence on ending the mission.
Even the European mission expected to arrive next month will not provide an
on-the-ground replacement for UNIFIL, despite including the training of the
Lebanese army to disarm Hezbollah among its objectives, as openly stated by EU
foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas. UNIFIL's mandate under U.N. Security Council
Resolution 1701 extends to monitoring the border, documenting violations and
accompanying the Lebanese army in the south. The lack of progress raises
concerns over the absence of international monitoring and growing pressure for
direct contact between the Lebanese and Israeli armies. LBCI sources say the
Lebanese army categorically rejects such direct communication, raising a key
question: How would the United States respond if the two armies came into direct
contact?
Implementing Resolution 1701 now faces a major challenge. The resolution calls
for an end to Hezbollah attacks and Israeli offensive military operations, as
well as the withdrawal of Israeli forces in parallel with the deployment of the
Lebanese army and UNIFIL. It also calls for respect for the Blue Line and
Lebanon’s sovereignty, and for the area between the Blue Line and the Litani
River to remain free of weapons and armed personnel, except for those belonging
to the Lebanese state and the U.N. force.
These obligations do not expire with UNIFIL's departure.
Nonetheless, withdrawing the peacekeepers without a replacement could leave the
resolution as a theoretical framework with no effective mechanism to monitor or
enforce its implementation.
Concerns are also growing that Lebanon could face continued pressure to extend
state authority and bring weapons under state control without receiving
guarantees of an Israeli withdrawal or an end to attacks. That could leave
southern Lebanon at risk of shifting from an internationally regulated framework
to a reality increasingly determined by the balance of power on the ground.
'Son of Hezbollah official' is one of two held over Dahr al-Baidar explosives
Agence France Presse/October 12, 2026
Lebanese authorities arrested two suspected Hezbollah members accused of
secretly transporting half-a-ton of explosives, a judicial source confirmed to
AFP. According to the source, who spoke on condition
of anonymity, the two men were caught Thursday afternoon at a security
checkpoint in Dahr al-Baidar in Lebanon's east, near a road linking the country
with Syria.They were in a car heading towards Beirut.After searching the
vehicle, security forces seized "250 kilograms of TNT-type explosives and 250
kilograms of C4-type, a highly explosive substance," the source said.
Based on initial investigations, one of the suspects is the son of a Hezbollah
official and the other is also a member of the Iran-backed group, according to
the source. The explosives' destination remains unknown, the source added.
Lebanese authorities have not confirmed the source's information. But Justice
Minister Adel Nassar vowed on X Saturday that "the investigation into the seized
explosives, and everything that follows from it, will continue to the very
end."He insisted that work toward "disarming illegal groups, combating terrorism
and prosecuting all outlaws is... irreversible and speeding up." Lebanon
approved a plan to disarm Hezbollah in 2025, following a ceasefire the previous
November that ended a devastating war between the group and Israel. However, the
conflict flared back to life in March this year when Hezbollah attacked Israel
in support of Iran in the Middle East war. Israel invaded in response and now
occupies a band of territory in Lebanon's south. A new ceasefire was struck in
June, and Israel and Lebanon have agreed to a framework deal that involves
Hezbollah's disarmament, a gradual Israeli withdrawal and the deployment of the
Lebanese Army to the region.
Syria, under former ruler Bashar al-Assad -- a Hezbollah ally -- served as a
major route for supplies channelled to the group by Tehran. But since the new
Islamist authorities toppled Assad at the end of 2024, Syria has regularly
announced the interception of weapons shipments destined for Lebanon. Hezbollah,
which fought on Assad's side in Syria's civil war, denies having any presence on
Syrian territory.
Washington Targets Hezbollah’s Alternative Funding
Networks
Beirut: Paula Astih/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 11/2026
The United States is stepping up efforts to track alternative financing channels
used by Hezbollah as tighter sanctions threaten its traditional sources of
funding, particularly Iranian money that has long underpinned the group’s
military and security capabilities and political influence in Lebanon.
Washington’s campaign extends beyond restricting Iranian transfers to tracing
foreign funding networks and cross-border commercial activities that Hezbollah
could use to compensate for any decline in Tehran’s support. A Reuters report
last week that Hezbollah had received $200 million in cash from Iran the
previous month to assist tens of thousands of families displaced by the war
prompted a response from the US State Department. The department expressed doubt
that the money had reached Hezbollah but reaffirmed its commitment to
maintaining pressure on the group’s funding sources through sanctions, while
supporting the legitimate Lebanese government’s efforts to rebuild southern
Lebanon.
New round of sanctions
Sami Nader, director of the Middle East Institute for Strategic Affairs,
described the measures as part of a new round of US sanctions aimed at
tightening financial pressure on Iran and its regional affiliates. “The issue is
not specifically Hezbollah, but primarily Iran,” Nader told Asharq Al-Awsat,
pointing to a recent US announcement describing Hezbollah as an integral part of
Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps. Nader said Tehran had developed alternative
channels to circumvent financial restrictions, particularly through gold and
cryptocurrencies.
He described an expanding network of such activities across the region, with
links to Iran and Hezbollah. The latest sanctions are designed to target these
alternative mechanisms, he explained. Nader added that if cryptocurrency offices
linked to these networks are found to exist, Lebanese authorities would likely
be asked to shut them down and take action against them, while also tightening
oversight of gold transactions.
Four sources of financing
Hezbollah has long relied on multiple funding sources, particularly under
previous Lebanese administrations that turned a blind eye to billions of dollars
reaching the group, including through official border crossings. Economist
Antoine Farah identified four principal sources of financing: The first was
direct Iranian support, provided through regular transfers from Tehran. The
second involved illicit activities, particularly drug smuggling and the Captagon
trade, which Farah said Hezbollah had engaged in both inside Lebanon and abroad,
notably in several Latin American countries. The third consisted of substantial
donations from Shiite financiers and supporters around the world. The fourth was
a network of front businesses established to generate additional revenue,
launder money and conceal the origins and destinations of funds.
Farah told Asharq Al-Awsat that Hezbollah’s ability to draw on most of
these sources had declined considerably, while the group faced mounting pressure
from legislative and regulatory measures being strengthened in Lebanon.
Stricter financial oversight
Farah highlighted amendments being introduced to Law No. 44 on combating money
laundering and terrorist financing, particularly provisions requiring the
identification of the ultimate beneficial owners of companies and commercial
enterprises. Identifying who ultimately benefits from commercial activities,
while tracing the origins and destinations of funds, would help restrict the
operations of front businesses established by Hezbollah, he explained. Farah
also pointed to measures being taken by Banque du Liban, Lebanon’s central bank,
to regulate currency exchange dealers and money transfer companies. He said the
measures were making it increasingly difficult to exploit these sectors to
transfer money and channel financing to Hezbollah.
US Embassy says flight ban lifting 'signals confidence in
Lebanon's future'
Naharnet/October 12, 2026
The U.S. Embassy in Beirut on Sunday thanked President Donald Trump and
Secretary of State Marco Rubio for "their leadership in bringing a long-held
Lebanese dream closer to reality: direct flights between Lebanon and the United
States.""This important step strengthens trust between our two countries and
signals confidence in Lebanon's future. Direct flights would bring families
closer together, strengthen ties with the Lebanese American community, and make
it easier for American businesses to explore opportunities and invest in
Lebanon," the Embassy said. "We look forward to working with our Lebanese
partners to turn this opportunity into a reality that benefits both our peoples
and supports a more prosperous Lebanon," it added.
Lebanon's Health Ministry says 4,387 killed, 12,424 wounded since March 2
LBCI/October 12, 2026
Lebanon's Health Ministry says 4,387 killed, 12,424 wounded since March 2
Lebanon's Public Health Ministry said Sunday that the death toll from Israeli
attacks between March 2 and October 11 had reached 4,387, with 12,424 people
wounded. The ministry’s Emergency Operations Center said the overall toll since
October 8, 2023, had risen to 8,954 killed and 30,660 wounded.
LBCI sources: MEA cancels Riyadh flights amid airport
closure
LBCI/October 12, 2026
LBCI's sources said that Middle East Airlines (MEA) canceled two flights
scheduled for Sunday to Saudi Arabia's capital, Riyadh, due to the closure of
King Khalid International Airport. Meanwhile, the
airline operated its flights to Jeddah and Dammam as scheduled.
For Monday, two flights to Riyadh are likely to be canceled if the airport
remains closed, while the flight to Jeddah is expected to operate as scheduled.
MEA has also decided to operate an additional flight to Dammam at 11 a.m.
Tuesday. Passengers who had bookings to Riyadh will be allowed to change their
reservations and travel on the additional flight without paying any penalty
fees. The move is part of MEA’s efforts to provide alternative travel options
for passengers heading to Riyadh. The airline will continue to assess the
situation and make decisions regarding its flights and bookings on a day-to-day
basis, depending on developments and the reopening of the airport.
PM Salam condemns Houthi attacks against Saudi Arabia,
reaffirms Lebanon's solidarity
LBCI/October 12, 2026
Lebanese Prime Minister Nawaf Salam condemned renewed Houthi threats to target
Saudi airports and airspace following an attack on King Khalid International
Airport in Riyadh, which Lebanon had strongly denounced a day earlier. In a post
on X, Salam said the threats reflected the group’s determination to continue
endangering the security of Saudi Arabia, describing the actions as a threat to
the security and stability of the wider region. Salam expressed full solidarity
with the Saudi people and leadership, extending his condolences to the families
of the victims and sharing in their grief. He also wished those injured a speedy
recovery He reaffirmed Lebanon’s full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its
support for any measures the kingdom deems appropriate to defend itself and
protect its people, security, and sovereignty.
Pope Leo announces scholarships for Christian students in
Lebanon, Syria and Iraq
LBCI/October 12, 2026
Pope Leo XIV announced that the Holy See is working to provide scholarships for
Catholics in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq to receive a Catholic education. He said
the initiative aims to support young people and help Christian families obtain
the assistance they need to remain in the Middle East and preserve the region’s
Christian presence. The Dicastery for the Eastern Churches announced that the
pope had decided to allocate scholarships for Christian students from the most
financially vulnerable families in Lebanon, Syria and Iraq. The grants will
cover their annual school and university tuition fees
It Resonated in Yemen... When Will It Explode in Lebanon?
Alan Sarkis/Nidaa Al-Watan/October 12, 2026 (Translated by AI from Arabic)
Iran's cards are falling one after another, and the hour of reckoning is
approaching for its proxies in the region. After the confrontation erupted in
Yemen, warnings to the Lebanese state escalated because the decision has been
made, and the coming phase will be unlike what preceded it. Information obtained
by Nidaa Al-Watan reveals that several diplomats alerted Beirut to the gravity
of the phase, amid indicators warning that "Hezbollah" may face a new reckoning.
Diplomatic sources confirm to Nidaa Al-Watan that the current Decisive Storm in
Yemen differs from the 2015 campaign led by Saudi Arabia and the Gulf states.
This time, the confrontation moves with American backing, under the
administration of U.S. President Donald Trump—which adopts a confrontational
policy with Tehran, unlike former President Barack Obama who signed the nuclear
deal and opened a margin for Iran to expand its regional influence. Sources
believe Washington is moving to curtail Tehran's ability to use its allies as
military and political cards in the region.
The Houthis represent one of the most prominent of these cards due to their
strategic location at Bab al-Mandab and their role in threatening international
navigation. Therefore, the implications of the confrontation in Yemen are not
isolated; they connect to a broader effort to alter the balance of power and
weaken Iranian influence. The danger lies in the fact that the success of this
approach may push toward opening files on other arenas, as the confrontation
with Tehran now transcends diplomatic pressures and sanctions.
Sources recall the September 2024 milestone, when Israel shifted from targeting
"Hamas" to striking "Hezbollah"—detonating pager devices, targeting weapons
depots and leadership, assassinating Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah, and
destroying border-edge villages. Those operations redrew the military landscape
and dealt a severe blow to the "Party's" structure and capabilities.
Diplomatic circles warn that the "Popular Mobilization Forces" in Iraq and
"Hezbollah" in Lebanon could face a similar reckoning if pressures shift to
other arenas following the Houthis. This does not mean war is settled or that
its timing has been set, but the indicators demand serious handling of the
possibility of renewed confrontation—especially given Washington's insistence on
reducing Iranian influence and shifting regional calculations.
This trajectory places the Lebanese state before a responsibility that tolerates
no delay. A country that has not recovered from the recent war, with its border
villages still suffering destruction and displacement, does not possess the
luxury of entering a new adventure. As divisions persist over decisions of war
and peace, the greatest danger remains that Lebanon might be driven into a
confrontation whose timing it does not decide and whose outcomes it cannot
control. Warnings no longer tolerate being ignored, and the state must not wait
for missiles to fall before taking action. It must either reclaim its
decision-making and protect Lebanon, or leave it hostage to a new war for which
the Lebanese alone will pay the price.
From the Kahaleh Truck to the Dahr al-Bidar Truck
Jean El Feghali/Nidaa Al-Watan/October 12/2026 (Translated by AI from Arabic)
The two trucks that surfaced in Kahaleh and Dahr al-Bidar are not merely
isolated incidents in the ledger of Lebanese security events. A comparison
between them forces questions regarding the nature of the cargoes, the parties
behind them, their intended destinations, and most importantly, whether the
Lebanese state actually knows what transpires on its roads, or if critical
realities remain captive to ambiguity and political compromises.
On August 9, 2023, a truck loaded with ammunition overturned at the
"Kahaleh elbow." "Hezbollah" confirmed the truck belonged to it, while the
Lebanese Army announced the transfer of its cargo to a military site and opened
an investigation under the supervision of the competent judiciary. The clash
that followed resulted in the deaths of two individuals—one a resident of
Kahaleh and the other an escort of the truck. The issue, therefore, was not
simply a truck that malfunctioned or flipped; it exposed a highly sensitive
security reality: weapons transport outside official state frameworks, armed
escorts dealing with cargo as an off-limits matter to citizens, and subsequent
casualties when this equation clashed with local residents' objections.
As for the Dahr al-Bidar truck loaded with highly explosive materials, it raises
far more dangerous questions after the nature of its cargo and associated
circumstances were confirmed. Here, the question is no longer restricted to
truck ownership; it extends to the source of the materials, the recipient party,
the objective of transport, the route taken, and the final intended destination.
The time gap between the two incidents—roughly three years and two months—makes
the comparison even more pressing. In August 2023, questions revolved around
ammunition transport and truck protection. In October 2026, we face reports of
intercepting nearly half a ton of explosives at Dahr al-Bidar, along with iron
ball bearings and nails—elements that heighten the gravity of the case and
demand a meticulous investigation.
Even more critical, published details from the preliminary investigation
indicate that the shipment's destination was the Southern Suburb of Beirut
(Dahiyeh), and that the detainees spoke of being tasked with transporting it
from the Baalbek region to another individual. What was the purpose of
transporting this quantity? Was it intended for storage, military manufacturing,
or a specific security operation? Who issued the orders, who received the
shipment, and are there other shipments or plans linked to it?
These are questions that must not be lost in the mazes of political rivalry. The
Lebanese judiciary faces a true test. What is required is not leaking scattered
information, but revealing the complete truth to the public, establishing
responsibilities, and holding accountable everyone proven involved—regardless of
their affiliation. Lebanon cannot live between trucks of weapons and others
loaded with explosives while their destinations and goals remain questioned. The
Lebanese have a right to know, and it is the state's duty to answer.
Do Not Wait for Explosives to Detonate Before Taking Action
Amjad Iskandar/Nidaa Al-Watan/October 12, 2026 (Translated by AI
from Arabic)
As of this writing, no statement has been issued calling for an emergency
meeting of the Cabinet or the Higher Defense Council, as if the smuggling of
nearly a ton of explosives in less than ten days were not a security alarm
requiring the mobilization of the state and all its agencies, but rather a
passing incident to be left to security and judicial investigations.
Tons of danger move in the shadows, and explosive devices loom on the
horizon, recalling the era of assassinations and intimidation that followed the
assassination of former Prime Minister Rafic Hariri—when Lebanon turned into an
open arena for killing that claimed the lives of political, media, and activist
figures. What happened is a political and security issue touching the core of
the state. It is clear—at least regarding the "Dahr al-Bidar explosives"—that
"Hezbollah" is the "ultimate authority," or that circulating evidence and
suspicions require the investigation to reach its fullest extent, free of red
lines or protected figures. Will investigations reach the point of summoning
Sheikh Naim Qassem in his capacity as head of this outlaw organization? What was
being plotted obliges the state to regain the initiative and offset its delay
through clear preemptive measures: completing investigations, dismantling
smuggling networks, establishing responsibilities, prosecuting those involved,
and putting its decisions into effect.
In all cases, these explosives have settled the necessity of separating
disarmament from Israeli withdrawal; rather, they have reinforced international
positions demanding disarmament as a prerequisite for Israeli withdrawal.
The events of the early days of this October drew a picture of two Lebanons
coexisting on one land, yet belonging to two contradictory projects. In the
Beirut Media Zone, a launch ceremony was held for the film "Charbel", an event
intended by Michel El Murr as a spiritual and national dedication to what could
be called a "media republic": three television stations, two radio stations,
Nidaa Al-Watan newspaper, a production company, and leading digital platforms,
including MTV and The Beiruter. On the same day last Friday, the Beirut
International Arab Book Fair opened, representing a cultural legacy and a space
for dialogue and diversity. However, this "Lebanon"
lives under a threat that cannot be taken lightly. When explosives become part
of an ambiguous political and security scene, targeting figures, innocent
people, or public occasions is no longer a possibility that can be ruled out
from security calculations. Is not "Michel El Murr's republic" an ally of what
the party calls "American arrogance"? Is not the book fair, with the openness
and diversity it represents, the antithesis of a project that seeks to subject
Lebanon to Iran's axis? The giant portrait of Qasem Soleimani—which dominated
the scene in 2022—was absent from one of the book fair's wings, but the absence
of the portrait does not necessarily mean the absence of the project it
symbolized.
The coexistence between two Lebanons cannot continue indefinitely. What is
required is not for some Lebanese to triumph over others, but for the state to
triumph over dual authority. The true confrontation is not among Lebanese, but
between a state supposed to protect everyone and weapons imposing themselves
upon it. The path of official hesitation approaches,
day by day, a state of surrender to the status quo. The danger is that every
delay grants gunowners additional time while the Lebanese are left to a dark
fate. Do not wait for explosives to detonate before acting, and do not wait for
casualties to fall before reclaiming the initiative. Government decisions are
not advisory notes subject to debate. Only initiative before disaster, execution
instead of hesitation, and decisive action instead of compromise can place
Lebanon on the path to recovering its cultural meaning and regional role.
A New Headline for the Coming Confrontation
Antoine Farah/Nidaa Al-Watan/October 12, 2026 (Translated by AI
from Arabic)
The Code of Money and Credit cannot be treated as an ordinary law viewed in
isolation from Lebanon's monetary and financial system. The remarkable rush in
recent times to criticize this law—and the assertions from multiple sides and on
various occasions of the need to amend it—raises legitimate questions regarding
objectives and backgrounds. Discussions have begun in certain circles suggesting
that the International Monetary Fund's (IMF) upcoming battle in Lebanon might
center on pressing for amendments to the Code of Money and Credit.
It is precisely here that one must pause. The point is
not to assume a conspiracy or accuse anyone, but it is necessary to ask: Who is
hiding behind whom? Is the IMF using certain Lebanese parties to pass conditions
or amendments that exceed what is necessary for reform? Or are there Lebanese
parties using the IMF's name to market amendments or impose arrangements serving
their private interests, when such demands might not even be part of the IMF's
conditions?
This question becomes more pressing when observing that discussions do not
always revolve around improving institutional performance or closing loopholes
exposed by the crisis; rather, they sometimes slip into what resembles a
struggle over positions, powers, and influence.
What is most dangerous is that some criticisms directed at the Code of Money and
Credit stem from outcomes or imbalances that occurred during past years, placing
responsibility for them on the law—even though many roots of these imbalances
lie elsewhere entirely. The law can grant Banque du Liban (BDL) independence and
oversight powers, but it cannot replace the state in exercising its role. No
legislative amendment can compensate for the absence of oversight, weak
accountability, or public institutions failing to perform their duties.
Furthermore, BDL's independence by no means implies exempting it from legal and
institutional oversight and accountability; rather, it means exercising its
powers within the framework defined by law, away from direct political
interference. Herein lies the paradox: instead of first investigating the
reasons for failing to enforce existing laws, there is sometimes a direct jump
to demanding their alteration—as if the problem lies in the text rather than in
management, implementation, or oversight. Launching a wide battle to amend the
Code of Money and Credit at this stage—amid a climate charged with disputes over
responsibilities, losses, and authority—could shift the debate from genuine
reform into a war of settling accounts and encroaching on positions. What is
required in the coming period is not obsession with who holds or loses
authority, but ensuring that every institution performs the role assigned to it
by law.
The state is required to recover its oversight and accountability role, BDL is
required to exercise its powers within the law, regulatory bodies are required
to perform their duties, and banks are required to assume their
responsibilities. Those enthusiastic about amending the Code of Money and Credit
should pause. It is best that remediation starts from the right place. If we
properly enforce the existing law, we may discover that a large portion of the
problems we seek to solve through legislative amendments were never in the law
to begin with.
Southern Lebanon after UNIFIL
Rami al-Rayes/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 11/2026
The approaching end of the mission of the United Nations Interim Force in
Lebanon, UNIFIL, marks a fundamental turning point in the history of southern
Lebanon, not only at the security level but at the political, diplomatic,
economic, and social levels as well. After decades of an international presence
on the Lebanese-Israeli border, Lebanon finds itself before a new phase in which
responsibility for security and stability is supposed to pass more fully to the
institutions of the Lebanese state. In Resolution 2790
of 2025, the Security Council decided to extend UNIFIL's mandate for the last
time until January 31, 2026, after which a drawdown of its numbers would begin,
with an orderly and safe withdrawal over the course of a year. The declared aim
is for the Lebanese government to become the sole party responsible for
providing security in southern Lebanon. But the basic question concerns not only
the date of UNIFIL's departure, but whether the political and security
conditions preceding that departure in fact allow for a smooth transfer of
responsibilities. Since its establishment in 1978,
UNIFIL's presence has been bound up with attempts to stabilize southern Lebanon
and monitor the situation on the border. After the 2006 war, its mission
expanded under Resolution 1701 to include monitoring the cessation of
hostilities, supporting the deployment of the Lebanese army, and assisting in
securing humanitarian access and protecting civilians, in addition to roles
connected to the border and the Blue Line.
UNIFIL's departure does not simply mean a foreign force leaving the region. It
means the end of an international system that played a part in monitoring
conditions on the ground, in communication between the parties, and in
preventing misunderstanding and escalation. Hence the importance of the Lebanese
army being ready to assume greater responsibilities, not only militarily but
also in terms of deployment, logistics, the capacity to monitor the border, and
rapid response to incidents. Southern Lebanon remains
an open theater for Israeli military operations, without the complex but
intermittent political and technical negotiations between Lebanon and Israel
providing any incentive to halt those operations, which amount to a flagrant
violation of Lebanese sovereignty. They are a clear message from Israel that it
is in no hurry whatever to withdraw from Lebanon or to reach any arrangements
putting an end to the current escalation.Talk of a post-UNIFIL era must not turn
into a mere discussion of international forces, but into a wider discussion of
building the Lebanese state and its capacity to bear its sovereign
responsibilities. Resolution 2790 tied stability in the south to a fundamental
principle: that there be one authority and one set of weapons under the
authority of the Lebanese state. But the transition to
that equation cannot come about through an international resolution or the
withdrawal of a UN force alone. It requires a broad Lebanese political
settlement, agreement on the future of the weapons and the necessity of
confining them to the hands of the state, agreement on the army's role, and
regional conditions that allow these arrangements to be implemented without
recourse to force. Yet the success of the coming phase does not depend on
Lebanon alone. If Israeli occupying forces, buffer zones, or military operations
remain inside Lebanese territory, the Lebanese army's task will become more
complicated, and the south will remain exposed to escalation even if UNIFIL's
withdrawal is completed. Any sustainable formula for
the post-UNIFIL period must therefore include a clear mechanism for controlling
the border, monitoring the ceasefire, addressing violations, and maintaining
channels of communication that prevent incidents on the ground from turning into
a new war. The post-UNIFIL phase is not merely the day after the departure of
international forces. It is a real test of the concept of the Lebanese state and
its sovereignty, and of the extent of Israel's commitment to international
resolutions, or of its offering conduct that reflects, somewhere, a desire to
close the chapter of an open war on Lebanon. If
Lebanon succeeds in strengthening the army's deployment, securing international
support for it, and reaching an internal understanding on the exclusivity of
weapons and of security decision-making, alongside an actual halt to attacks and
violations and the withdrawal of Israeli forces from Lebanese territory, then
the end of UNIFIL's mission may turn into the beginning of a new phase of
stability. Otherwise, the opposite is equally possible.
The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on
October 11-12/2026
Iran says US response to its proposal to reopen Strait of Hormuz was
‘insufficient’
Al Arabiya English/11 October/2026
The United States’ response to Iran’s seven conditions in a proposal to reopen
the strategic Strait of Hormuz was “insufficient,” Iran’s security chief, Mohsen
Rezaei, was quoted by state media on Sunday as saying. Iran presented a proposal
during the UN General Assembly under which the Strait of Hormuz waterway could
be reopened and normal maritime passage restored within seven days if the
conditions were met, to which the US later replied via Qatari intermediaries.
Washington needs to clarify the issues that remain unclear to Tehran, Rezaei,
Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said, adding “we presented
seven conditions to the Americans and clearly stated that the Strait of Hormuz
would not be opened to them, and no negotiations would take place, until these
conditions are met.”Rezaei said Iran is “no longer in the process of responding
to the Americans.” “In their response, they have accepted some of our
conditions, while others remain unclear,” he added.Tehran said late in September
that it had received a US response to its latest proposal to resurrect the
collapsed ceasefire in the Gulf, days after US President Donald Trump said he
had rejected it. Qatar and other mediators have transmitted messages between
Washington and Tehran in an effort to end the conflict and reopen the Strait of
Hormuz, the conduit for a fifth of the world’s oil and liquefied natural gas
before the war that began at the end of February with US and Israeli attacks on
Iran.
Injuries reported after projectile attack sparks fire at Riyadh airport
Al Arabiya English/11 October/2026
An attack on King Khalid International Airport in Saudi Arabia’s capital Riyadh
on Sunday afternoon caused injuries and sparked a fire at one of its passenger
terminals, Saudi authorities said. The Saudi-led coalition said an unidentified
projectile struck Terminal 4 of the airport, causing a fire that emergency teams
were dispatched to tackle. Coalition spokesman Maj.
Gen. Turki al-Malki said in a statement posted on X that the relevant
authorities were responding to the incident. Minutes later, al-Malki announced
that Saudi air defenses had intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile in the
vicinity of the airport.
Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation subsequently confirmed that
the attack had caused injuries, without immediately specifying how many people
had been hurt. The authority said it was continuing to
assess the damage and inspect the airport’s facilities to ensure their safety.
Separately, the Indian embassy in Saudi Arabia said Sunday that an Indian
national who was wounded in an attack on the same airport a day earlier had died
from his injuries. “It is learnt that one Indian national injured in the Riyadh
attack has unfortunately lost his life today. We convey our heartfelt
condolences to the family of the deceased,” the embassy said in a statement
posted on X. The latest incidents come amid an escalation in attacks on Saudi
airports by Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia. Earlier this week, Saudi
Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said three people had been killed
and 36 others injured in separate attacks targeting King Khalid International
Airport in Riyadh and Abha International Airport in the southwest of the
Kingdom. The attacks come as Yemeni government forces press ahead with a
military campaign to retake territory held by the Houthis, with the Saudi-led
coalition pledging continued support for Yemen’s internationally recognized
government.
.
Saudi Arabia’s Dammam airport attacked, drone intercepted
in Eastern Province
Al Arabiya English/12 October/2026
Saudi Arabia’s King Fahd International Airport in Dammam was targeted in an
attack on Sunday evening, the Kingdom’s General Authority of Civil Aviation
(GACA) said, as the Saudi-led coalition separately announced the interception of
a drone in the Eastern Province. GACA said authorities
were assessing the damage and conducting safety inspections of airport
facilities in coordination with relevant agencies. The authority described the
incident as part of a series of attacks targeting civilian aviation facilities
across the Kingdom.In a statement posted on X later on Sunday, Saudi-led
coalition spokesman Maj. Gen. Turki al-Malki said air defenses had intercepted
and destroyed a drone in the Eastern Province, where Dammam is located. The
latest developments come amid an escalation in attacks on Saudi airports,
including strikes targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh.
Earlier Sunday, an unidentified projectile struck Terminal 4 of the
Riyadh airport, sparking a fire and causing injuries, according to Saudi
authorities. The Saudi-led coalition also announced that air defenses had
intercepted and destroyed a cruise missile near the airport.
Yemen's Houthis claim attacks on Riyadh airport, Saudi
energy facilities
LBCI/October 12, 2026
Yemen's Houthis said on Sunday they had targeted Riyadh's airport several times
as well as Saudi energy facilities, a day after a deadly attack at the airport.
Houthi military spokesman Yahya Saree said the Iran-backed group "carried
out four qualitative operations in the past 24 hours using ballistic and cruise
missiles and drones."Saree said they targeted the Riyadh airport multiple times,
as well as the Dammam airport and two facilities belonging to the Saudi state
oil company Aramco.AFP
Yemeni military says over 900 Houthis neutralized in major offensive
Al Arabiya English/11 October/2026
Yemen’s armed forces said Sunday they had carried out 1,732 strikes against
positions held by the Iran-backed Houthi militia as part of Operation Dawn of
Yemen, and said they had neutralized more than 900 Houthi fighters and destroyed
or damaged hundreds of military vehicles and equipment. In a statement posted on
X, Yemeni military spokesman Col. Majed Abdullah al-Nuzaily said the strikes
were carried out using warplanes, drones, field artillery and rocket launchers
as government forces advanced along several fronts.
The operations targeted Houthi fortifications, defensive positions, command and
control centers, observation and reconnaissance posts, artillery and rocket
launcher positions, weapons and ammunition depots, and areas used to assemble
fighters and reinforcements, he said. Al-Nuzaily added
that the strikes also targeted military vehicles, transport and supply
equipment, and what he described as high-value military targets deep inside
Houthi-held territory. According to the spokesman, the
operations neutralized more than 900 Houthi fighters and destroyed or damaged
over 287 military vehicles and pieces of equipment.He said the strikes had also
suppressed Houthi firing positions, disrupted the militia’s command and control
systems, and hampered the movement of reinforcements and supplies.
“Our forces continue to penetrate the militia’s defensive positions,
expand the scope of their advance and carry out offensive operations in
accordance with the operational plan,” al-Nuzaily said. The announcement comes
amid a renewed military campaign by Yemen’s internationally recognized
government to recapture territory controlled by the Houthis.The Saudi-led
coalition has pledged continued support for Yemeni government forces as they
seek to restore state control over Houthi-held areas.
Widespread
Regional, Int’l Condemnation of Houthi Attack on Riyadh Airport
Asharq Al Awsat/11 October/ 2026
The recent Houthi attack on Saudi Arabia’s King Khalid International Airport
drew widespread condemnation, with officials warning that strikes on civilian
infrastructure threaten regional security and endanger civilian lives. Jordan,
Egypt, Qatar, Bahrain, UAE, Iraq, Lebanon, Sudan, Pakistan, the United States,
Palestinian Foreign Ministry, Russia, Cyprus, Italy, Nigeria, Malaysia,
Bulgaria, Senegal, Ireland, Gulf Cooperation Council, Muslim World League and
Council of Arab Interior Ministers condemned the Houthi militia's attack on King
Khalid International Airport on Saturday as a blatant violation of the country's
sovereignty, a dangerous escalation that threatens its security and stability,
and a flagrant breach of international law and the United Nations Charter. They
stressed full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and support for all measures it takes
to protect its security, stability, national assets, and the safety of its
citizens and residents. On Saturday, the Saudi General Authority of Civil
Aviation (GACA) said operations at the Riyadh airport were temporarily suspended
after it was targeted in an attack, reporting several people injured in the
incident. The member states of the R4 Group, which includes Saudi Arabia, Egypt,
Pakistan, and Türkiye, strongly condemned the ongoing hostile attacks
perpetrated by the Houthi militia against Saudi Arabia, including “the heinous
attacks” targeting King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh that they deemed
a blatant violation of international law.
The group reaffirmed that these attacks are a flagrant violation of the
Kingdom’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, posing a direct threat to its
security, stability, and the safety of civilians. They are a “dangerous
escalation that cannot be justified or accepted under any pretext.”
The group further underscored its solidarity with and support for Saudi Arabia,
including its full support for all legitimate measures and steps it takes to
counter these attacks, deter the sources of their threats, and prevent their
recurrence, in defense of the Kingdom’s security, sovereignty, and territorial
integrity, and in protection of the safety of its citizens and residents in line
with the UN Charter and international law. The group held the Houthi militia
fully accountable for the attacks and any repercussions that come with them that
threaten regional and international peace and security, and demands the
immediate and unconditional halt of these attacks. Secretary-General of the
League of Arab States Nabil Fahmy underlined the organization’s full support for
Saudi Arabia against Houthi attacks. In a statement on Sunday, Fahmy said the
continuation of these attacks is a violation of international law and threat to
regional security and stability. He called on the international community to
take decisive measures to stop the attacks and hold those responsible
accountable. The secretary-general reiterated the Arab League's solidarity with
Saudi Arabia and its support for the measures the Kingdom takes to protect its
security and stability and the safety of citizens and residents. He stressed
that Saudi Arabia's security is an integral part of Arab national security. The
Independent Permanent Human Rights Commission (IPHRC) of the Organization of
Islamic Cooperation (OIC) strongly condemned the attack. It stressed that
targeting a civilian airport demonstrates flagrant disregard for human life and
the protected status of civilians and civilian objects. Such attacks violate
fundamental principles of international human rights law and international
humanitarian law, particularly the principles of distinction, proportionality,
and precaution. It added that deliberately directing attacks against civilians
or civilian objects constitutes a war crime. The IPHRC reiterated its full
solidarity with the government and people of Saudi Arabia and expressed support
for the Kingdom's efforts to protect its population, civil aviation system,
territorial integrity, and sovereignty. It called on the United Nations, the
international community, and relevant regional and international institutions to
take coordinated and effective measures to deter further attacks and ensure
accountability for the terrorist acts committed by the Houthis.
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan, Turkey demand immediate halt
to Houthi attacks
Al Arabiya English/11 October/2026
Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Pakistan and Turkey on Sunday strongly condemned attacks by
Yemen’s Iran-backed Houthi militia on the Kingdom, including strikes on Riyadh’s
King Khalid International Airport, and demanded an immediate and unconditional
halt to the attacks.
In a joint statement issued by the Saudi foreign ministry, the four countries,
collectively known as the R4 Group, said the attacks had caused civilian deaths
and injuries and damaged civilian infrastructure, describing them as a blatant
violation of international law. The group said the attacks violated Saudi
Arabia’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, threatened its security and
stability, and endangered civilian lives. It described the escalation as
dangerous and unjustifiable under any circumstances. The four countries
reaffirmed their solidarity with Saudi Arabia and expressed full support for
legitimate measures taken by the Kingdom to counter the attacks, deter further
threats and prevent their recurrence. They said such measures were necessary to
defend Saudi Arabia’s security, sovereignty and territorial integrity and
protect its citizens and residents, in accordance with the United Nations
Charter and international law. The R4 Group also held the Houthis fully
responsible for the consequences of the attacks and any repercussions
threatening regional and international peace and security. The statement called
for an immediate and unconditional cessation of the attacks.
Identities of some victims killed in Houthi militia’s attack on Riyadh airport
emerge
Al Arabiya English/11 October/2026
Media reports on Sunday identified some of the victims of the Houthi attack on
Riyadh’s King Khalid International Airport a day earlier, which killed 12
people. The fatalities included four Saudi citizens,
two Bangladeshis, and one citizen each from the United States, Egypt, Jordan,
Syria, Palestine and Sudan. Among those killed was Azza Ramzi Mohamed Hassan, a
28-year-old Egyptian flight attendant. She reportedly worked for one of Saudi
Arabia’s airlines and sustained serious injuries before succumbing to them.The
Egyptian Embassy and Consulate General in Riyadh are reportedly coordinating
with her family to complete the necessary procedures to repatriate her body to
Egypt. Media reports also said the Egyptian diplomatic mission was monitoring
the condition of other Egyptian nationals injured in the attack. Separately,
Jordanian national Mohammad Hussein al-Barqawi was identified as another victim
of the attack. Jordan’s Foreign Ministry said four other Jordanian nationals
were wounded in the attack. It added that it was following up on their condition
in coordination with Saudi authorities.Houthi attack on Riyadh’s King Khalid
International Airport. The attack on Saturday killed
12 people and wounded over 300 others including some seriously, Saudi Arabia’s
General Authority of Civil Aviation said Sunday. “The
attack also left 309 others injured, including individuals in critical
condition,” the statement said noting that all those wounded were receiving the
necessary medical care at several hospitals. The authority added that the attack
caused property damage, the extent of which is being assessed, the GACA added.
The Saudi-led coalition said on Sunday that the Houthi attack on Riyadh’s
airport was a “full-fledged war crime,” vowing a decisive response to the
attack. In a statement, coalition spokesman Maj. Gen.
Turki al-Malki described the attack as a “cowardly terrorist attack by the
terrorist Houthi militia.”
UAE stands in solidarity with Saudi Arabia after airport attack
Al Arabiya English/11 Octobe/2026
The United Arab Emirates has strongly condemned the Houthi attack on King Khalid
International Airport in Riyadh, which killed 12 people and injured hundreds of
civilians, the UAE Ministry of Foreign Affairs said on Sunday. In a statement,
the ministry described the attack as a “flagrant violation” of Saudi Arabia’s
sovereignty and a threat to the Kingdom’s security and stability. The UAE
reaffirmed its full solidarity with Saudi Arabia and its support for all
measures aimed at safeguarding the Kingdom’s security and stability. The attack
on Saturday killed 12 people and wounded over 300 others including some
seriously, Saudi Arabia’s General Authority of Civil Aviation said Sunday. The
authority added that the attack caused property damage, the extent of which is
being assessed.
Trump Announces Ukraine Energy Ceasefire with Russia,
Surprising Zelenskiy
Asharq Al-Awsat/October 11/2026
US President Donald Trump made a surprise announcement of an energy ceasefire
between Russia and Ukraine on Sunday that he said was "effective immediately",
but Ukrainian leader Volodymyr Zelenskiy said he was still waiting to see
details of the deal. There was no word from Moscow on the ceasefire
announcement, which followed days of intense pressure from Trump for Ukraine to
halt its attacks on Russian oil refineries. He blames those strikes for a rise
in diesel prices that is hurting his Republican Party ahead of US midterm
elections next month.
In a dramatic deterioration in relations, Trump on Saturday warned Zelenskiy
that he had "better damn well stop" attacking Russian refineries, and urged
Ukrainians to replace their leader at new elections. Trump said Zelenskiy had
missed several opportunities to strike a deal with Moscow.
In a post on his Truth Social platform on Sunday, Trump unexpectedly announced
that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to an energy ceasefire, but did not elaborate
further. "Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between
Russia and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!" Trump wrote.
RISING GLOBAL FUEL PRICES
Trump, whose war in Iran has been widely blamed for hiking global fuel
prices, had previously announced an energy ceasefire in Ukraine in
mid-September, although neither side ever confirmed that such an agreement had
been reached. A person familiar with the situation said the US had threatened to
cut off intelligence sharing with Ukraine as well as weapons procurement under
the Prioritized Ukraine Requirements List (PURL) system, as it pressed Kyiv to
halt strikes on Russian energy sites. The US threats were earlier reported by
the Financial Times.
The person added that Zelenskiy was speaking to European leaders about
de-escalating the situation with Trump. The White House did not immediately
respond to a request for comment. Zelenskiy said he
had discussed Trump's ceasefire announcement with NATO Secretary General Mark
Rutte, Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney and Finnish President Alexander
Stubb."Ukraine supports the ceasefire, and it is important that Russia support
it as well. We are awaiting details from the American side," he said on
Telegram. Speaking in his nightly video address, Zelenskiy said Russian forces
were still launching air attacks on energy infrastructure, including a strike
on a joint heating and power plant in Kharkiv, Ukraine's second-largest city. A
Ukrainian official confirmed the attack had taken place after Trump's
announcement of the ceasefire. Hours earlier, Zelenskiy had pushed back against
US pressure for a unilateral end to Ukrainian attacks on Russian refineries,
repeating his long-standing position that he was willing to do so only if
President Vladimir Putin suspended Russian strikes on Ukrainian power
infrastructure.
PROMISE OF ELECTIONS
Trump also called for elections in Ukraine, suspended since the 2022 Russian
invasion, to which Zelenskiy responded that he would call a vote if Putin agreed
to a 60-day ceasefire. Zelenskiy said it was "up to
Ukrainians" to choose their leader, but added that there needed to be an end to
the fighting first. Ukrainian law prohibits elections under martial law for
security reasons. "Please tell Putin, give us two months, 60 days of total
ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organize elections," Zelenskiy said. The
Ukrainian leader rejected that he was to blame for energy price rises, adding
that "everybody in the world" knew that the war in the Middle East was a bigger
factor. The steep rise in global diesel prices, which followed the outbreak of
the Iran war in February, has become a political liability for Trump's
Republican Party ahead of the midterms, when opposition Democrats could gain
control of one or both houses of Congress.
On Saturday, Zelenskiy responded angrily to Trump's announcement of a diesel
supply deal with Russia, saying it would embolden Moscow's attacks on Ukraine
and cost more lives. Under terms of the deal as
described by Trump on Friday, Russia will immediately supply more than 300,000
metric tons of diesel to US and global markets, equal to about 2.25 million
barrels of fuel. The US exports about 1.5 million barrels of diesel per day.
Several US lawmakers also criticized the diesel deal.
US Senator Thom Tillis, a North Carolina Republican, said the diesel supply deal
with Russia may be illegal and will put American lives at risk. On the streets
of Kyiv, several residents expressed anger at Trump's suggestion that Ukraine
should find a new leader willing to make a deal with Russian President Vladimir
Putin. "No one has the right to tell us what to do, especially since elections
cannot be held during wartime," said Sabina, a 40-year-old primary school
teacher. "In my view, it is a betrayal by our partners," she said, describing
Trump's remarks.
Ukrainian officials reported new Russian attacks on Sunday, killing three people
outside a grocery store in Kharkiv and three in the western city of
Ivano-Frankivsk.Moldova, on Ukraine's western border, reported a new incursion
by what officials said were Russian drones, landing only about 35 km (22 miles)
from the capital Chisinau.
Trump urges Zelensky replacement as diesel row rages
Agence France Presse/October 12, 2026
Donald Trump called for Ukraine to "get a new leader" after Volodymyr Zelensky
slammed Washington's easing of Russian diesel sanctions, as the US president
faces fuel price pressure weeks before midterm elections. Trump, whose
Republicans face dim prospects in next month's vote partly because of soaring
energy costs, defended a deal allowing more Russian diesel onto global markets
after saying Vladimir Putin wanted "strongly" to reach a settlement in Ukraine.
Trump accused the Ukrainian president of blocking a deal with Moscow and
ignoring instructions to not strike Russian refineries, while Kyiv and its
European allies warned that easing pressure on Moscow would help fund the
Kremlin's war. The row unfolded as the latest Russian attacks across Ukraine
killed at least 21 people, including children. Trump announced Friday that he
had spoken to Putin and agreed for Russia to release large amounts of diesel
into world markets.Ukraine and its European allies expressed dismay, with
Zelensky telling reporters Friday it was a "weak decision." Asked about the
criticism, Trump said Zelensky had disobeyed his orders not to strike Russian
refineries and that the attacks risked worsening fuel shortages linked to the
US-Israeli war on Iran.
"He better damn well stop," Trump said.
"I suggest they get a new leader who can make a deal, because he could have made
many deals that, for some reason, he never does," Trump said. Trump later said
Putin was interested in ending the war. "Russia would like to make a deal... but
for whatever reason, Zelensky does not want to make a deal," he told reporters.
"President Putin would like to see a settlement, strongly." The US president
also criticised Zelensky for not holding an election since Russia's invasion in
2022."I think he should have an election and he could have settled this thing
many times," Trump said.
Allies back Kyiv
EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said lifting sanctions on Russian diesel
would only help sustain Russia's war effort. "This is not the time to ease
pressure on Russia, and Europe won't," she wrote online. UK Prime Minister Andy
Burnham reiterated his "complete solidarity" with Zelensky in a call. Downing
Street said Burnham also pledged that Britain would "strengthen its sanctions on
Russia". Ukraine's Foreign Minister Andriy Sybiga also backed his president. "He
has the support of the Ukrainian people, and they have the right to decide," he
said in a post on X.
Deadly Ukraine bombardment
On Saturday, a Russian glide bomb attack on the southeastern city of
Zaporizhzhia killed 20 people, including three children, according to Ukraine's
state rescue service. "Today, Russia expressed its thanks for the lifting of
sanctions on diesel exports by dropping five glide bombs on residential
buildings in Zaporizhzhia," Zelensky said in a post on X. An AFP correspondent
saw rescue workers pulling survivors and bodies from the rubble. "We saw people
under the rubble -- a woman, her husband and a child," one rescuer, Daniil
Pishkin, told AFP.
He said two people were rescued alive, but "unfortunately there was a little
girl who died". A resident identified as Iryna, 69,
said she managed to shelter in her bathroom after receiving an air-raid alert.
Her two neighbors were killed."They were 75 years old. They were simply thrown
out there, onto the street. They didn't make it to the hospital," she told AFP.
A Russian drone attack in the central Dnipropetrovsk region killed an
11-year-old boy, regional officials said. Russian strikes also caused widespread
power cuts in Kyiv.
Russia's defense ministry said it had hit a "data center" used by Ukraine's
military.
Diplomatic push
The diesel deal was announced as US, Ukrainian and European officials met in
Miami in a renewed bid towards ending the conflict. Ukraine's delegation was
headed home on Saturday, an aide to Zelensky said. U.S. envoy Steve Witkoff said
on X the talks involved "the E3, the European Commission, Ukraine and NATO." He
described the discussions as "constructive" and focused on ways to "de-escalate
and conclude the war with Russia ahead of winter and advance efforts toward a
durable and lasting peace."The Kremlin said Saturday that Trump had conveyed his
ideas about how to de-escalate the war to Putin during a phone call on Friday.
Putin received the proposals "with understanding", the Kremlin said, without
elaborating. Russia, which launched its full-scale invasion in February 2022,
now occupies roughly one-fifth of Ukrainian territory.
Putin tells Trump about Iran's position on peace deal
Agence France Presse/October 12, 2026
Russian President Vladimir Putin has told Donald Trump about Iran's position on
a possible Mideast peace deal, the Kremlin said. The Kremlin said Tehran's
stance was relayed in a phone call held between the two leaders on Friday. It
did not say how Trump responded, nor elaborate on Iran's position. Diplomatic
efforts to end the more-than-seven-month-long Iran conflict, which began with
U.S.-Israeli strikes on Iran in February, have been at an impasse since the
summer. Putin met Iranian President Masoud Pezeshkian on the sidelines of a
summit in Turkmenistan earlier this week, where the Russian leader expressed an
interest in helping broker peace. "In coordination with the Iranian president,
Putin conveyed the Iranian side's views on a possible resolution to the conflict
to Trump," Kremlin spokesman Dmitry Peskov said Saturday, according to Russia's
state RIA news agency. The United States and Iran agreed a memorandum of
understanding in June that spelled out a framework for ending their conflict,
but Iranian attacks on ships in the Strait of Hormuz prompted a resumption of
U.S. military operations. Recent indirect talks between Washington and Tehran on
the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly failed to produce a breakthrough.
Trump says Russia and Ukraine reach energy ceasefire
‘effective immediately’
Reuters/11 October/2026
US President Donald Trump said on Sunday that Ukraine and Russia had agreed to
what he described as an “energy ceasefire,” hours after Ukrainian leader
Volodymyr Zelenskyy had pushed back against US pressure for a unilateral end to
strikes on Russian refineries.
In a social media post, Trump said the energy ceasefire would take effect
immediately, but did not elaborate further. In an interview with Axios,
Zelenskyy said Trump’s post was the first he had heard of the deal, though a
senior Ukrainian official told Reuters that Ukraine was ready to agree to such a
ceasefire, if Russia was. Trump, whose war in Iran has been blamed for high
diesel prices that are weighing on Republicans’ prospects at next month’s
midterm elections, had previously announced an energy ceasefire in Ukraine in
mid-September, though neither side ever confirmed such an agreement was reached.
“Effective immediately, there is an ENERGY CEASEFIRE in the War between Russia
and Ukraine. Both parties have agreed. Do not break it!” Trump wrote on Truth
Social. Earlier on Sunday, Zelenskyy had repeated Ukraine’s long-standing
position that it was willing to halt attacks on Russian refineries but only if
Moscow ceased its own strikes on Ukrainian power infrastructure. Any such deal
would need to come with “real guarantees,” Zelenskyy said. “The real cause of
the war in Europe is Russia and Russia alone,” Zelenskyy said. “It’s possible to
stop strikes on energy infrastructure as early as today, but Putin does not want
to do so.”
Promise of elections
In a dramatic deterioration in their relations, Trump on Saturday had warned
Zelenskyy that he had “better damn well stop” attacking Russian refineries, and
had urged Ukrainians to replace him as their leader via new elections because he
had missed several opportunities to strike a deal with Moscow. Appearing on
ABC’s “This Week” on Sunday, Zelenskyy responded that he would organize
elections in Ukraine if Russian President Vladimir Putin agreed to a 60-day
ceasefire. Zelenskyy said it was “up to Ukrainians” to choose their leader, but
noted that there needed to be an end to the fighting first. Ukrainian law
prohibits elections under martial law` for security reasons. “Please tell Putin,
give us two months, 60 days of total ceasefire, 60 days, and we will organize
elections,” Zelenskyy said.The Ukrainian leader rejected being blamed for energy
price rises, adding that “everybody in the world” knew that the war in the
Middle East was a bigger factor. The steep rise in global diesel prices, which
followed the outbreak of the Iran war in February, has become a political
liability for Trump’s Republican Party ahead of the midterms, when opposition
Democrats could gain control of one or both houses of Congress.
On Saturday, Zelenskyy had responded angrily to Trump’s announcement of a diesel
supply deal with Russia, saying it would embolden Moscow’s attacks on Ukraine
and lead to a greater loss of civilian lives. Analysts said Trump’s diesel
supply agreement with Moscow was unlikely to lead to sustained lower fuel prices
as the volumes involved were too small. The diesel deal was also criticized by
US lawmakers, including one of Trump’s fellow Republicans, Representative Don
Bacon, who said it was time to apply more sanctions, not lift them.
Kyiv residents angry
On the streets of Kyiv, several residents expressed anger at Trump’s suggestion
that Ukraine should find a new leader willing to make a deal with Russian
President Vladimir Putin.
“No one has the right to tell us what to do, especially since elections cannot
be held during wartime,” said Sabina, a 40-year-old primary school teacher. “In
my view, it is a betrayal by our partners,” she said, describing Trump’s
remarks. Zelenskyy said he would continue discussions with European leaders on
Sunday, and there were daily conversations around additional air defense
packages, including ammunition for combat aircraft that are used to down
Russia’s jet-powered drones. On Monday, Ukrainian Foreign Minister Andrii Sybiha
is due to participate in a European Union Foreign Affairs Council meeting that
is expected to discuss increasing sanctions pressure on Russia and advancing
negotiations on Ukraine’s EU accession.
Litvinenko widow says Russia election result does not reflect genuine support
for Putin
Al Arabiya English/22 September/2026
Marina Litvinenko, the widow of former Russian spy Alexander Litvinenko, has
rejected suggestions that the ruling United Russia party’s decisive election
victory demonstrates genuine public support for President Vladimir Putin or the
war in Ukraine. United Russia secured 57.83 percent of the vote in Russia’s
parliamentary election, giving it a record 355 of the State Duma’s 450 seats and
preserving its constitutional majority. Putin had presented the wartime election
as a test of national unity and support for his government’s policies. But
Litvinenko told Al Arabiya English’s Tom Burges Watson that the result should
not be viewed as evidence that Russians were satisfied with the direction of the
country. “We can’t call [it an] election at all. We can’t call this [a]
democratic election,” she said, arguing that ordinary Russians currently had
little power to bring about political change. Her comments come as Putin’s
United Russia increased its vote share from 49.8 percent in the 2021
parliamentary election. Russia’s Central Election Commission put turnout at 59.3
percent. Litvinenko argued that the absence of a meaningful political opposition
made it difficult to interpret the result as an endorsement of the Kremlin.
She pointed to the marginalization of anti-war voices and said many
prominent opposition figures were either living outside Russia, had been
imprisoned or had died. Asked whether parties
including the Communists, the Liberal Democratic Party and New People
constituted meaningful opposition inside parliament, Litvinenko said they did
not present a significant challenge to United Russia. The liberal Yabloko party,
the only registered Russian party openly opposing the war, failed to secure
representation in the national parliament, although it gained a small foothold
in a regional legislature. Other parties entering the State Duma have generally
aligned with United Russia on major issues. Litvinenko
also said the economic consequences of the war were becoming increasingly
difficult for Russians to ignore. “People realized a war costs,” she said,
adding that the effects were increasingly being felt in everyday life rather
than only in government spending. She argued that additional pressure, including
sanctions and restrictions on trade, remained necessary.
Asked whether Ukrainian strikes deep inside Russian territory could
instead be encouraging people to rally around Putin, Litvinenko cautioned
against expecting an immediate change in public attitudes. She said Russians she
remained in contact with were increasingly acknowledging that daily life had
changed, even if they did not immediately blame Putin.
“They do understand ... life is not exactly the same [as] how it was a year
ago,” she said.
Litvinenko also criticized attempts to secure a quick settlement to the war in
Ukraine, arguing that it had been a mistake to assume Kyiv could simply be
pressured into accepting terms in order to end the conflict. She said Ukraine
had fought for years and had the right to determine what an acceptable peace
settlement should look like. “Even small Ukraine has a
lot of power to have their own opinion [on] how to finish this war,” she said.
The interview comes nearly 20 years after Alexander Litvinenko, a former Russian
security officer and outspoken Putin critic, died in London after being poisoned
with radioactive polonium-210. A British public inquiry concluded in 2016 that
the operation to kill Litvinenko was probably approved by Putin, while the
European Court of Human Rights later ruled that Russia was responsible for the
killing. Moscow has denied involvement.
Reflecting on what her husband would make of Russia today, Litvinenko said he
had long warned about the concentration of power in the country’s security
services. She said his message now would be directed
not only at Russians, but also at Western governments, urging them to better
understand how to deal with Putin and to remain united in responding to Russia.
US request for strike on Iran deepens divisions in
Israel
LBCI/October 12, 2026
Israeli military Chief of Staff Eyal Zamir and several Israeli security
officials were reportedly surprised by a U.S. request for Israel to launch a
strike on Iran, with Washington joining the operation later if necessary. The
request triggered internal divisions in Israel. According to an account
attributed to a military official, Zamir categorically rejected the proposal,
warning that an Israeli-initiated strike could have repercussions, including a
possible postponement of elections. Other Israeli security officials reportedly
supported his position. However, Prime Minister
Benjamin Netanyahu has taken a different approach. Seeking to secure his return
to the premiership, Netanyahu has not ruled out the American request.
A source close to Netanyahu was quoted as saying that the likelihood of
an attack on Iran was increasing, without specifying which country would carry
it out. While the final decision rests with Netanyahu, discussions behind the
scenes of a security and military meeting between Israeli and U.S. officials
point to growing Israeli expectations that Washington will resume military
action against Iran sooner or later. According to the report, the Israeli
military is preparing for three possible scenarios: an independent Israeli
operation launched if Netanyahu gives the order; a joint operation with the
United States in which Israel plays a major role; or a unilateral U.S. strike
that could trigger an Iranian response targeting Israel.
Iran says US response to its proposal to reopen Hormuz was 'insufficient'
LBCI/October 12, 2026
The United States' response to Iran's seven conditions in a proposal to reopen
the strategic Strait of Hormuz was "insufficient," Iran's security chief, Mohsen
Rezaei, was quoted by state media on Sunday as saying. Iran presented a proposal
during the U.N. General Assembly under which the Strait of Hormuz waterway could
be reopened and normal maritime passage restored within seven days if the
conditions were met, to which the U.S. later replied via Qatari intermediaries.
Washington needs to clarify the issues that remain unclear to Tehran, Rezaei,
Secretary of the Supreme National Security Council, said, adding "we presented
seven conditions to the Americans and clearly stated that the Strait of Hormuz
would not be opened to them, and no negotiations would take place, until these
conditions are met."Reuters
The Latest English LCCC analysis &
editorials from miscellaneous sources published
on October 11-12/2026
Europe Is Missing the AI Train. Now It Is
Banning the Tools
Drieu Godefridi/Gatestone Institute/October 11, 2026
https://www.gatestoneinstitute.org/22914/european-union-ai
Europe... watches a technological revolution begin elsewhere, writes the rules
for it, builds the authorities to supervise it, imposes the reporting — and only
then wonders why so little of it is happening in Europe. Meta AI launched in the
United States in 2023. Europeans did not receive even a stripped-down chatbot
until March 2025. Meta said the delay had lasted longer than it wanted because
it had to navigate Europe's "complex regulatory system." The European version
arrived without image generation, without multimodal features, and without
training on European public content — the Irish Data Protection Commission
having frozen that plan in 2024.
For years, EU policymakers congratulated themselves on becoming a "regulatory
superpower." They succeeded. The question is whether this ambition is sane for a
continent with weak productivity, poor technological scaling, shallow capital
markets and a widening income gap with the United States. The stack of
regulations that a firm must clear is not one law. It is the General Data
Protection Regulation, the Digital Markets Act, the Digital Services Act, the AI
Act, cybersecurity rules, consumer law, competition law, sustainability
reporting, and then twenty-seven national implementations. IMF analysis puts EU
income per person, in purchasing-power terms, nearly 30 percent below the United
States, with around three-quarters of the gap explained by lower productivity.
A fragmented capital market is less attractive when investment must finance
compliance before it expands.... A technology sector is less competitive when
the release of every model must be cleared through privacy law, platform law and
an AI statute whose high-risk regime has already been postponed because the
machine could not digest its own rules.
France's contribution is the burden on the innovator to prove safety before
anything can be permitted to exist, and a conception of public power as the
author of economic life rather than its referee. This principle was written into
EU environmental law and has since migrated, in practice, into digital
regulation. A continent that measures success by the rules it writes for other
people's inventions should not be surprised when the inventions keep being
launched somewhere else. [T]he IMF's tariff-equivalent barriers are.... the
residue of twenty-seven national licensing regimes, professional cartels and
administrative procedures that Paris and Berlin never seriously surrendered and
that smaller states copy. France and Germany did not become European. Europe
became Franco-German in its treatment of data and risk.
Europe has developed an extraordinary economic talent: it watches a
technological revolution begin elsewhere, writes the rules for it, builds the
authorities to supervise it, imposes the reporting — and only then wonders why
so little of it is happening in Europe.
Europe has developed an extraordinary economic talent: it watches a
technological revolution begin elsewhere, writes the rules for it, builds the
authorities to supervise it, imposes the reporting — and only then wonders why
so little of it is happening in Europe. Artificial intelligence (AI) has made
the habit impossible to ignore. The habit is not an accident of Brussels. It is
the Franco-German regulatory reflex, written into the treaties and then imposed
on everyone else.
The train has left...
On September 8, 2026, Meta launched Muse, a personal agent with its own secure
virtual computer. It does not merely answer questions. In Meta's own words, it
"actually does the work": emails, travel plans, forms, customer service, tasks
across applications. Within weeks it was available in the United States, Canada
and Mexico. Europe was not on the list, and Meta offered no date for release
there. This failure is not a one-off. Meta AI launched in the United States in
2023. Europeans did not receive even a stripped-down chatbot until March 2025.
Meta said the delay had lasted longer than it wanted because it had to navigate
Europe's "complex regulatory system." The European version arrived without image
generation, without multimodal features, and without training on European public
content — the Irish Data Protection Commission having frozen that plan in 2024.
Parity was postponed to a future that still has not arrived. Meta's own
public-policy director put the result plainly: products "get delayed or get
watered down and European citizens and consumers suffer."
Apple met the same wall. On June 8, 2026, it announced that the new AI-powered
"voice," Siri would not ship on iPhones and iPads in the EU with the rest of the
release, "due to the Digital Markets Act." Apple said it had offered technical
alternatives but that the Commission had rejected them. There is no timetable
for an EU launch on those devices. The European Commission replied that the
decision was Apple's alone and that the company had asked for an 18-month
exemption rather than offer a compliant design. The practical result for the
European user is the same either way: the feature exists, but Europe does not
have it. Delayed access to innovation has become normal.
The regulatory superpower
For years, EU policymakers congratulated themselves on becoming a "regulatory
superpower." They succeeded. The question is whether this ambition is sane for a
continent with weak productivity, poor technological scaling, shallow capital
markets and a widening income gap with the United States. The European
Commission now admits that the costs are large enough to require a reversal. The
Commission's target is to cut administrative burdens by 25 percent for companies
generally and 35 percent for small and medium companies, worth an estimated
€37.5 billion a year by 2029. This figure is not from a libertarian think tank.
It is the Commission's own estimate of recurring costs it believes it can remove
without abandoning its "other objectives" (which is the Commission's Newspeak
for "energy transition"— the European Union's supreme goal in 2026.) By early
2026, it had already tabled twelve "omnibus" simplification packages.
Governments probably do not launch programs on that scale when paperwork is a
marginal irritant. They do it when the paperwork has become the problem.
The stack of regulations that a firm must clear is not one law. It is the
General Data Protection Regulation, the Digital Markets Act, the Digital
Services Act, the AI Act, cybersecurity rules, consumer law, competition law,
sustainability reporting, and then twenty-seven national implementations. The
Commission itself conceded the growth trap in 2025 when it proposed special
treatment for "small mid-caps": companies that had crossed the small and medium
enterprises threshold but suddenly faced a cliff of obligations that discouraged
further growth. An innovative sector does not scale up when every new business
model enters a maze.
The Single Market that is not one
The historic justification of the EU was a continental market that would give
European firms the ability grow: scale. The market remains astonishingly
incomplete, and the incompleteness is regulatory. The IMF estimates that the
barriers to selling goods across member states are equivalent, on average, to a
tariff of about 45 percent. For services, the tariff equivalent is about 110
percent. Across American states, the equivalent barrier for goods is roughly 15
percent. Trade intensity between EU countries is less than half the trade
intensity between US states. European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen
has quoted the IMF figures herself: the Single Market's internal barriers are
"equivalent to a 45% tariff on goods. And a 110% tariff on services." Europe
formally abolished tariffs between member countries decades ago. The accumulated
burden of divergent rules, licences, standards, professional qualifications and
national procedures has set them back -- at an extraordinary magnitude. The IMF
calculates that bringing its internal barriers down toward American levels could
raise European productivity by almost 7 percent in the long run. Governments
spend entire decades chasing gains of that size.
The productivity gap
IMF analysis puts EU income per person, in purchasing-power terms, nearly 30 per
cent below the United States, with around three-quarters of the gap explained by
lower productivity. According to current projections, the gap is not closing.
Europe largely missed the productivity acceleration of the
information-technology revolution. It has fewer technology giants, thinner
public equity markets, fewer high-growth firms and less corporate research at
the frontier.
Regulation is not the only cause. Energy costs matter as well. Regulation,
however, interacts with all of them. A fragmented capital market is less
attractive when investment must finance compliance before it expands. A small
company is less likely to scale up when crossing a size threshold triggers
another layer of obligations. A technology sector is less competitive when the
release of every model must be cleared through privacy law, platform law and an
AI statute whose high-risk regime has already been postponed because the machine
could not digest its own rules. It is not a technocratic accident that emerged
in the headquarters of the European Commission. France and Germany exported
their domestic regulatory turns to the rest of Europe and the treaties made the
export binding on everyone else.
France's contribution is the burden on the innovator to prove safety before
anything can be permitted to exist, and a conception of public power as the
author of economic life rather than its referee. This principle was written into
EU environmental law and has since migrated, in practice, into digital
regulation.
Germany's contribution is the "data-protection" state. The constitutional right
of "informational self-determination," forged in the Federal Constitutional
Court's 1983 census judgment and shaped by an entirely intelligible post-war
fear of registries, became the template for the General Data Protection
Regulation, GDPR. German data-protection authorities remain among the most
aggressive enforcers in the Union.
The two traditions disagree on many things. They do agree that the default
setting for a new technology consists of a rulebook, an authority and a
reporting obligation.
As the largest two member states, they dominate the Council. What begins as a
French or German domestic preference soon becomes the law of Portugal, Ireland
and Estonia. National gold-plating then adds a second layer: the IMF's
tariff-equivalent barriers are not Brussels tariffs; they are the residue of
twenty-seven national licensing regimes, professional cartels and administrative
procedures that Paris and Berlin never seriously surrendered and that smaller
states copy.
The "regulatory superpower" is the external face of an internal fact: France and
Germany did not become European. Europe became Franco-German in its treatment of
data and risk.
The Commission's simplification drive is a confession, not a change of regime.
Twelve omnibus packages and a promise of €37.5 billion in savings by 2029 leave
the architecture intact. The AI Act is deferred, not repealed. The Digital
Markets Act is still the reason Apple gives for withholding Siri, and Muse is
still unavailable.
A continent that measures success by the rules it writes for other people's
inventions should not be surprised when the inventions keep being launched
somewhere else.
Europe is not being regulated into prosperity. It is being regulated out of the
future — by a Franco-German reflex that was national, is now EU law, and that
kills at both levels.
Europe is missing the AI train. By withholding the tools of artificial
intelligence from its firms and its citizens, it is cementing the decline of the
continent.
*Drieu Godefridi is a jurist (University Saint-Louis, University of Louvain),
philosopher (University Saint-Louis, University of Louvain) and PhD in legal
theory (Paris IV-Sorbonne). He is an entrepreneur, CEO of a European private
education group and director of PAN Medias Group. He is the author of The Green
Reich (2020).
© 2026 Gatestone Institute. All rights reserved. The articles printed here do
not necessarily reflect the views of the Editors or of Gatestone Institute.
From Manchester to Berlin… And Back to London
Adel Darwish/Asharq Al-Awsat/October 11/2026
Buses rarely play a part in foreign policy, but a bus was the public transport
Andy Burnham took to Downing Street. The British prime minister rebuilt his
political image as mayor of Manchester, and his name became bound up with public
buses, housing, local services, and the push to shift more power and money from
London to the regions. This week he travelled, by
plane this time, to Berlin for consultations on European security, Russian
threats, cyberattacks, and industrial and military cooperation. A long journey
from a two-pound bus ticket to the files of European security.
The visit to Germany is his first real test in foreign policy since taking
office. A man accustomed, as mayor of Manchester, to dealing with local services
found a different reality in Berlin: Russian threats, cyberattacks, sabotage,
and a covert war, at a time when reliance on the American umbrella can no longer
be taken for granted. With Chancellor Friedrich Merz he discussed expanding
security and defense cooperation between the two countries, and the possibility
of German participation in the future combat aircraft project on which Britain
is working with Italy and Japan. Burnham may be beginning to realize that the
move to Downing Street goes beyond managing the economy and services to national
security. Germany matters to Burnham in his desire to shift power and money to
the regions, since the German federal system may offer the model of a state
whose provinces enjoy wide political and economic powers.
That does not mean Britain can replicate the German model, given the different
positions of the United Kingdom's four nations: England, Scotland, Wales, and
Northern Ireland. But Burnham, who is already talking about constitutional
changes, must have found in Berlin something worth reflecting on. Burnham and
Merz also met British and German businessmen to discuss investment and growth
outside the two capitals, a subject almost tailor-made for Burnham's politics.
But the most politically dangerous of the Berlin files was Europe.
Having said at the Labor Party conference that Brexit had harmed Britain, he
moved a further step in Berlin toward a closer relationship with the European
Union. Merz, for his part, said Germany would work to bring Britain closer to
Europe.
Here the matter shifts from talking about Brexit to dealing with its
consequences. Every word by which Burnham draws closer to Europe becomes a stone
in the hand of the populist Reform leader Nigel Farage to throw at the windows
of Downing Street. And Thursday's by-election came as a double test for Burnham.
While he was in Berlin, Labor held the seat of Keir Starmer's former
constituency in London. The party's candidate, Sagal Abdi-Wali, a Muslim of
Somali origin, won 45.2 percent against 32.8 percent for the Green Party leader,
Zack Polanski.
The significance of the result is perhaps greater than simply holding a Labor
seat. The constituency contains a number of universities and colleges and a
large proportion of students, young people, and educated voters. Socially and
politically it is closer to the Green Party's rhetoric and ideology,
particularly given its left-wing positions and its strong support for the
Palestinian cause. Indeed, many of its voters are, on paper, closer to the
Greens' current policies than to Labor's- and yet they chose Labor. The vote was
perhaps less a rejection of the Greens than a decision to give the new prime
minister a chance. And here the difference between protest and power may appear.
A voter may back a protest party in an opinion poll or a local election, but
handing it a parliamentary seat, especially when the candidate is the party's
own leader, is another decision. One constituency is not enough to declare the
British voter's return to the center, or the retreat of the more extreme
parties. But the result says something worth watching: in a constituency that
was supposed to suit the Greens very well, voters preferred to stay with Labor
and try the new leadership. On the same day, Burnham was undergoing his own new
experience outside Britain. In Berlin he was learning how to turn from a
successful mayor into a statesman. And in London the voters were deciding,
provisionally at least, to give him the time to learn.
The New Assassins: From the Courtyard of the Kaaba to
Riyadh Airport
Eng. Abdullah Awdah Al-Ghubein/Al Arabiya/October 12, 2026
(Translated from Arabic by AI)
The search for a false media victory by the Houthi militia at the expense of
innocent lives by attacking King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh is a
despicable tactic that exposes the doctrine and methodology of the "New
Assassins." The airport is not merely a physical structure, but a crossroads
where travelers, workers, families, and patients seeking medical treatment
gather. Recent attacks on this civilian facility—and reports of casualties—have
once again underscored the human cost of this escalation. The blood of these
victims does not turn into a military accomplishment simply because a propaganda
statement labels it as such, nor does a traveler's life become less sacred
because an organization wishes to force its message through violence. Targeting
civilians may be an attempt to compensate for field setbacks through media shock
value or to exert pressure by terrorizing the population, but that does not
justify downplaying the militia's capacity for treachery. Seriousness in
confronting its treacherous nature begins with understanding it and protecting
people from it.
It is incorrect to interpret this confrontation as an inevitable war between
sects; the real danger lies in the cross-border revolutionary project that views
its Arab and Islamic surroundings as a sphere of influence rather than a
neighbor to be respected. For this reason, it has known no language other than
conflict—from Iraq to Syria, Lebanon, and Yemen. Wherever its arms have reached,
ruin and division have followed. States and organizations are held accountable
for their policies and actions, not for the identity of millions of people. The
most dangerous thing extremist groups do is drag societies into their sectarian
logic until everyone becomes a captive of categorization and hostility. The
strongest position is one that rejects the Houthi project and condemns the
Iranian regime's intervention, while simultaneously upholding the principles of
citizenship, the sanctity of human life, and justice among all people.
When Esoteric doctrine turns into a tool for seizing power, weapons become a
means of subjugating society, and the blood of innocents is desecrated to serve
a political project, we find ourselves before an organization that views the
state as booty, the citizen as fuel, and the homeland as an arena for settling
others' accounts. It is through this lens that the Houthi experience in Yemen
should be read: an armed Esoteric movement that imposed its authority by force,
tied itself to a regional project, and made threatening neighbors and targeting
civilians a means of leverage and bargaining. Describing them as the "New
Assassins" (Al-Hashashin) is not a claim of direct organizational continuity
between groups separated by centuries; rather, it is a description of a
recurring pattern: intimidation, treachery, and the exploitation of myth in
battles for power.
Islamic history has known organizations that employed mythical calls in the
struggle for power, and their experiences and methods varied, though some left
unforgettable wounds. Among the darkest of those historical pages was what the
Qarmatians did in the year 317 AH (930 AD), when they stormed the Grand Mosque
during the Hajj season, killed pilgrims in the courtyard of the Kaaba, threw
their bodies into the Well of Zamzam—as recorded in history books—and uprooted
the Black Stone, carrying it off to Hajr. It remained absent from its spot for
nearly twenty-two years until it was returned in 339 AH. Evoking this crime is
not meant to burden followers of a contemporary sect with the sins of history,
but rather to serve as a reminder that the mindset which desecrates sacred blood
in the name of myth—granting itself immunity from criticism and
accountability—resurfaces whenever it finds weapons and cover.
In the Yemeni context, the Houthi takeover of state institutions was not a
political disagreement to be settled by changing a government or modifying a
program; it was a coup that replaced state authority with the rule of an armed
group. Their alliance with former President Ali Abdullah Saleh and forces loyal
to him contributed to enabling them to seize control of Sanaa in September 2014
and capitalize on the army's capabilities and arsenals. UN Security Council
Resolution 2216 demanded their withdrawal from areas they had seized and the
surrender of weapons confiscated from military and security institutions, but
the group persisted on its path, and its alliance with Saleh ended with his
assassination at their hands in December 2017. Thus, the tragedy did not begin
in a vacuum, but out of an alliance of convenience that prioritized calculations
of control and revenge over the future of the Yemeni people.
The movement originated in a impoverished and marginalized Zaydi environment,
and its founders are attributed to the deviant Jaroudi trend. Later, its
political and mobilization rhetoric was influenced by the Iranian ideological
and revolutionary model, until its slogans and literature became an echo of
Tehran's discourse. The most accurate critique of the group focuses on its
authoritarian project, its exploitation of religious identity for mobilization,
and its claim to a monopoly on representing society. Zaydism is not synonymous
with Houthism, nor are the Yemenis affiliated with it a monolith; many of them
were victims of this group before anyone else. The battle to restore the state
should unite citizens around equality and prevent any organization from turning
lineage or sectarian affiliation into a privilege in governance or a right to
subjugate others. As for external support, it is the key to understanding the
inflation of the group's capabilities. Reports by UN experts have documented the
weapons, expertise, and training the Houthis received from Iran and Hezbollah,
which helped transform them from a local force into an organization launching
missiles and drones at targets outside Yemen. Funding did not stop there: the
group imposed levies under the guise of Zakat, in addition to the Khumus tax
received from sympathizers outside Yemen. These levies sparked widespread
criticism due to the privileges they grant to specific groups at the expense of
all other Yemenis in a country exhausted by poverty, where salaries and services
have been disrupted. The problem here does not lie in people's beliefs or acts
of worship, but in using armed authority to distribute resources on bases that
do not achieve equality. External support does not absolve the group's
leadership of responsibility; whoever accepts turning their country into a
platform to serve their allies bears the consequences of their choice, no matter
how much they hide behind the rhetoric of resistance or claim to defend
sovereignty.
Iran initially found in the fragility of the Yemeni state, in war, poverty, and
blocked opportunities, a favorable environment to expand its influence, using
the Houthis as a tool for its project. This is not a detraction from the
awareness of the Yemeni people, but rather a description of what armed
organizations do when they monopolize education, media, and resources, turning
need into a gateway for recruitment and subjugation—to the point where children
are led to the front lines and school curricula are altered to serve the group's
doctrine. In overt Iranian discourse, slogans of "supporting the oppressed," the
"Axis of Resistance," and "exporting the revolution"—raised by Tehran since
1979—are ever-present. Beyond the slogans, however, this support can be read as
a quest to expand regional influence, threaten the security of the Kingdom from
its southern flank, gain leverage near Bab al-Mandab and other maritime
passages, and keep rivals preoccupied with multiple threats that raise the cost
of any direct confrontation with Iran. In all of this, the Yemeni people pay the
highest price in their security, economy, and the future of their children. This
approach reaches its ugliest form when targeting civilians and facilities that
serve their daily lives. However, it collides with a state far too large to be
impacted by the threats of rogue mountain gangs, given the Kingdom of Saudi
Arabia's established institutions, capabilities, and political and economic
depth. Throughout its history, the Kingdom has faced immense terrorist
challenges internally, as well as wars and plots from abroad: from Nasserist
threats, to the Grand Mosque seizure in 1979, the terrorization of pilgrims,
bombings orchestrated by Iranian proxies in Mecca, Saddam's invasion of Kuwait,
and the wave of terrorism that hit the country at the turn of the millennium—all
the way to Iranian missiles, drones, and Houthi projectiles. It overcame them
all through the firmness of the state, the awareness of its people, and the
unity between leadership and citizens. The Houthi file is no exception; the
Kingdom addresses it with the composure of a state, not the volatility of a
gang—with patience, constant vigilance, and the continuous development of its
protection systems, proceeding with its development and building its future
despite all attempts to instill fear and disrupt its interests.
The most solid path toward ending the Houthi project passes through the Yemeni
people themselves, led by their legitimate government when its ranks unite and
build institutions that enjoy the confidence of citizens, supported by the
Kingdom through a combination of political and military backing, development,
relief, and administrative reform. The Yemeni who has tasted the bitterness of
starvation, salary theft, child recruitment, and suppression of freedoms needs
an alternative that guarantees security, salaries, services, and dignity,
granting them a voice in their country's future. The more this alternative
succeeds in delivering a just and effective state, the more the group's ability
to monopolize the public sphere and convince people that its armed rule is an
unchangeable fate will diminish.
Saudi wisdom, patience, and steadfastness—with God's help and grace—followed by
unifying Yemeni ranks, building state institutions, and drying up sources of
weapons and funding, are capable of undermining the Houthi-Iranian illusion: the
illusion that missiles grant legitimacy, that control by force builds a stable
state, and that external support offsets the consent of citizens. As for an
organization that uses the blood of civilians as material for its propaganda, it
exposes the moral and political bankruptcy of its project with its own hands,
digging the path to its own end.
May God have mercy on the martyrs, heal the injured, comfort the hearts of their
families, honor our country, protect its leadership, its people, and those
residing on its land, and protect Yemen and its people, aiding them in
reclaiming their state and sovereignty.
Riyadh airport attack requires a shared security
response
Dr. Abdulaziz Sager/Arabia/October 11, 2026
Saturday’s attack on King Khalid International Airport in Riyadh is a painful
reminder that the Houthi threat extends beyond Yemen’s borders. An attack on an
international airport endangers civilians of different nationalities, disrupts
connectivity and undermines confidence in infrastructure serving the wider
global economy. Its implications demand sustained international attention beyond
immediate condemnation.
The incident also exposes a long-standing gap between Gulf and international
assessments of the movement. For Saudi Arabia, Houthi missile and drone
capabilities have represented a direct national security concern for years.
International responses, however, have often viewed the Houthis primarily
through the lens of Yemen’s internal conflict or particular episodes of maritime
disruption. These perspectives capture important aspects of the problem but they
can underestimate the relationship between the movement’s domestic position,
external support and capacity to threaten neighboring countries.
It would be inaccurate to suggest that international partners have taken no
action. Sanctions, maritime interceptions, diplomatic initiatives and military
operations demonstrate recognition of the danger. Nevertheless, these measures
have not produced a durable framework capable of preventing renewed attacks. The
central concern is therefore the consistency of international engagement and
whether it addresses the capabilities sustaining the threat.
Iranian support remains an essential part of this assessment. The UN Security
Council’s targeted arms embargo, introduced through Resolution 2216 in 2015 and
subsequently extended to the Houthis as an entity under Resolution 2624 in 2022,
provides an established framework for restricting weapons transfers. Yet the
persistence of advanced capabilities raises serious questions about enforcement.
Addressing this problem requires sustained cooperation against procurement
networks, illicit financing, weapons trafficking and the transfer of components
used in missile and drone production. Diplomatic engagement with Iran should
also place clear emphasis on preventing support that enables attacks on
neighboring states. Such efforts should protect humanitarian access and avoid
imposing further hardship on Yemen’s population. Effective enforcement and a
political settlement must support one another.
The US has an especially consequential role. Its military operations against the
Houthis have demonstrated its ability to respond when maritime threats became an
immediate priority. The May 2025 Oman-mediated ceasefire established that the US
and the Houthis would cease targeting one another, including American vessels.
Neither development, by itself, established comprehensive protection for Saudi
territory or resolved the wider regional threat. Saudi Arabia’s shared border
with Yemen makes Houthi missile and drone capabilities a direct and persistent
threat to its national security, civilian population and critical
infrastructure.
For Saudi Arabia, Houthi missile and drone capabilities have represented a
direct national security concern for years.
This creates a difficult question for Gulf partners: How can security assurances
translate into predictable support when their own civilians and infrastructure
are targeted? Gulf governments continue to strengthen the protection of their
populations while supporting efforts to prevent wider regional escalation.
Building on substantial investments in national capabilities, closer regional
and international cooperation can further enhance their ability to address
interconnected missile threats, maritime security challenges and illicit weapons
supply networks.
Several forms of deeper Saudi-US cooperation merit consideration. Renewed
American operations would require clearly defined objectives and careful
assessment of escalation risks. More coordinated action could strengthen
deterrence and distribute responsibilities. Expanded defensive assistance could
improve early warning systems, interception capacity, intelligence sharing and
logistical readiness. These options should be assessed against their ability to
sustainably reduce attacks, alongside their immediate operational effects.
The Makkah Joint Defense Agreement between Saudi Arabia, Turkiye and Pakistan
introduces another dimension. Its practical contribution will depend on how its
commitments are implemented. The relevant questions concern deployable
capabilities, response arrangements and the extent to which cooperation can
improve protection and alter an attacker’s calculations. The agreement’s mutual
defense commitment provides a foundation for cooperation, with its practical
implementation and the respective roles of each partner yet to be fully
clarified.
Saudi Arabia’s security is closely connected to international interests in
reliable energy supplies and secure maritime navigation. Protecting these shared
interests requires sustained cooperation that combines credible deterrence,
stronger defensive capabilities, the effective enforcement of weapons
restrictions and a clear diplomatic path toward a durable settlement in Yemen.
Saturday’s Riyadh attack should serve as a turning point in translating shared
concern into practical commitments. The measure of a security partnership is its
ability to protect lives, prevent renewed aggression and uphold regional
stability when those commitments are put to the test.
**Dr. Abdulaziz Sager is founder and chairman of the Gulf Research Center.
Arctic security to the fore on Rubio’s Iceland visit
Luke Coffey/Arab News/October 11/2026
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio this week began a European trip with a visit
to Iceland. There, he met his counterpart, Icelandic Foreign Minister Thorgerdur
Katrin Gunnarsdottir, at Hofdi House, where Ronald Reagan famously met Mikhail
Gorbachev 40 years ago during one of the most dramatic moments of the Cold War.
Rubio did not arrive with any grand new policy announcements on US-Icelandic
relations but his visit was filled with symbolism, especially in the context of
the Trump administration’s renewed focus on Arctic security.
Even though Iceland has no standing military, it has played a crucial role in
the defense of the North Atlantic since the Second World War. As a founding
member of NATO, it has served as the alliance’s unsinkable aircraft carrier in
the North Atlantic. During the Cold War, Iceland formed a key part of the
so-called GIUK gap, an area of intense focus for NATO as it monitored Soviet
submarine movements between Greenland, Iceland and the UK.
For decades, the US permanently based thousands of troops in Iceland. But in
2006, the George W. Bush administration ended the permanent presence of American
troops. In the years that followed, the US shifted to a rotational presence. It
was not until after Russia’s first invasion of Ukraine in 2014 stirred concerns
about stability and security in the Arctic on a scale not seen since the height
of the Cold War that Washington began reengaging with Iceland.
Today, this rotational model remains in place but on a more robust basis, built
predominantly around deployments of US P-8 Poseidon maritime patrol aircraft.
The US and other NATO allies also deploy fighter jets to Iceland from time to
time.
Rubio’s visit offered an opportunity to reassure Iceland and restore some calm
to the relationship. In recent months, much of Washington’s Arctic focus has
been on neighboring Greenland, which lies only 300 km from Iceland. But concerns
arose in Iceland after President Donald Trump posted an image on social media
last month depicting Iceland, Greenland, Canada, Mexico, Central America and the
Caribbean covered by the American flag, with the entire landmass labeled “United
States of America.” While marked down as usual Trump banter by many, Iceland’s
government took it seriously enough to summon the US ambassador and make clear
that it disliked the post. Rubio’s visit, coming shortly after the new security
agreement between the US, Denmark and Greenland, therefore offered an
opportunity to reassure Iceland and restore some calm to the relationship.
The Trump administration has placed renewed emphasis on homeland security and
America’s role in the Western Hemisphere. The geopolitical geography of the
North Atlantic and Arctic makes clear that the North American continent cannot
be secure unless places such as Greenland and Iceland are secure as well. To
borrow an analogy from America’s recent wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, Greenland
and Iceland serve as forward operating bases for the North American continent.
Rubio’s approach to Iceland may reflect lessons learned from the more aggressive
approach taken toward Greenland. An agreement was reached on the sidelines of
the UN General Assembly last month to expand the American military presence on
the island and enhance regional security. But it came after serious damage to
US-European relations caused by Trump’s refusal to rule out using military force
to acquire Greenland.
There is no doubt that the Trump administration has been reestablishing
America’s position in the Arctic. Compared with Greenland, however, Iceland has
largely avoided the high-stakes political drama that has strained relations
between Washington and its European allies.
There is no doubt that the Trump administration has been reestablishing
America’s position in the Arctic. Putting aside the contentious Greenland
debate, the US has participated in and led significant military exercises in the
High North. It has also started the Nordic Bridge concept, designed to improve
coordination across the military commands whose areas of responsibility overlap
in the Arctic. Yet, if one takes a closer look at national security policymaking
during Trump’s second term, the approach to the Arctic shows how ad hoc and, at
times, disjointed the administration’s approach can be.
The administration has invested significant political capital in Europe over
Greenland and has repeatedly made the case that the Arctic is vital to homeland
defense. Yet the region is completely ignored in the White House’s National
Security Strategy that was published late last year. The word “Arctic” does not
appear anywhere in the 33-page document.
This ambiguity and occasional incoherence may keep America’s adversaries off
balance but it also creates challenges for allies and partners. It is difficult
for them to understand how they fit into America’s view of the world when
Washington pursues major policy objectives that are barely reflected, if at all,
in its principal strategic documents.
Still, greater attention to the Arctic should be welcomed. The region is
becoming increasingly important because of new shipping routes that could emerge
as sea ice melts, the potential discovery and development of additional energy
resources, and its growing economic and geopolitical significance. America has
been an Arctic country since it purchased Alaska from Russia in 1867 but few
Americans think of their country as an Arctic power. Anything the administration
can do to bring greater public awareness to the region and greater policy
attention to Arctic security is therefore worthwhile. That is why Rubio’s
decision to make Iceland the first stop on his European trip this week was a
good one. Iceland’s strategic importance is easy to overlook on a map but for
decades its location has made it indispensable to the defense of the North
Atlantic and, by extension, the US.After the political drama over Greenland,
Rubio’s visit to Reykjavik offered an opportunity for the US and its European
partners, especially in the Arctic, to turn the page and focus on what they
share: defending the North Atlantic, strengthening regional security and
ensuring that the Arctic remains stable in an increasingly uncertain world.
*Luke Coffey is a senior fellow at the Hudson Institute. X: @LukeDCoffey
Selected Face Book & X tweets
on October
11/2026
יצחק הרצוג Isaac Herzog
Captain Smit Machchhar, you are a hero of Israel, India, and all of humanity!
In my letter to you which you received over the weekend, I shared our prayers
for your full and speedy recovery. As I wrote in my letter, I look forward to
welcoming you to Jerusalem once you regain your strength. On behalf of the
people of Israel, I would be honored to present you with Israel’s highest
recognition of civilian heroism, the Israeli Presidential Award for Civilian
Heroism.
Hussain Abdul-Hussain
Can anyone find Senator Murphy a good reason why striking the Islamic Iran
regime was necessary? The blood of a thousand Americans on its hands with many
of its leaders with a U.S. bounties on their heads, mowing down 50,000 Iranians
in the streets, sponsoring militias that destabilize the region, dashing for a
nuclear weapon. I wonder what a good reason would be.
Hiba Nasr
When I first arrived in DC in 2017, I remember hearing former US Ambassador to
Syria Ryan Crocker reflect on how late Washington had been in recognizing the
threat posed by Iran’s proxies. He recalled a moment following Hafez al-Assad’s
death in 2000, when Hassan Nasrallah came to Damascus to offer condolences. For
Crocker, it was a revealing moment. Years later, we witnessed Hezbollah’s
prolonged sit-in against Fouad Siniora’s government in downtown Beirut, in 2006.
We saw the exact same tactics employed by the Houthis in Sana’a in 2014. What
once appeared to be isolated political crises now looks like chapters of a much
larger regional story. The warning signs were there long before this unfolded on
this scale.
Leslie Young
Only a clown country cancels elections. Yet several nations have recognized the
joke of the “Palestinian state.”Palestinian Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
just issued a decree to postpone elections of November 28, 2026 to September 11,
2027.
Why? An awkward date at the very least. The last time the Palestinian Authority
(PA) held national elections was January 9, 2005. Abbas’ four-year term expired
in 2009, but he has governed by executive decree ever since. Not so different
than Hamas which also last held parliamentary elections in 2005.
Tom Harb
For 41 years, Hezbollah and the Amal movement held Lebanon hostage.
They turned the country into a launchpad for terrorism, hijacked planes,
murdered civilians, and dragged an entire nation into endless war and isolation
, all while ordinary Lebanese people paid the price in blood, poverty, and
closed doors to the world.
In 1985, after Hezbollah hijacked TWA Flight 847 and murdered an American sailor
on the tarmac in Beirut, the United States shut down direct aviation links with
Lebanon. That isolation lasted four decades.
Meanwhile, Nabih Berri , head of Amal and Speaker of Parliament , repeatedly
shut down the Lebanese Parliament for years, blocking democratic debate and
preventing lawmakers from acting on behalf of the Lebanese people. While the
country collapsed, he protected the status quo that kept Hezbollah and Amal in
power.
Now the tide is turning.
Prime Minister
@netanyahu
is systematically dismantling Hezbollah’s military machine, not for Israel’s
sake alone, but for the Lebanese people who have lived under the boot of these
Iranian proxies for generations.
And President
@realDonaldTrump
just took another decisive step: by signing Presidential Determination 2026-25,
he revoked the old restrictions and reopened the possibility of direct flights
between Lebanon and the United States.
That is not just bureaucracy.
That is a signal that Lebanon does not have to remain a permanent failed state
controlled by terrorists and political obstructionists. It is a chance for
trade, tourism, investment, and normal life to return.
Hezbollah and Amal held Lebanon hostage for 41 years.
Nabih Berri locked the doors of democracy.
Netanyahu is breaking their grip.
Trump is opening the door again.
Now Lebanese people demand that
@LBpresidency
Joseph Aoun and Prime Minister
@nawafsalam
seize this golden opportunity: move forward, normalize relations with Israel,
and put the interests of the Lebanese people first.
The window is open. Do not let it close.
The Lebanese people deserve their country back.