English LCCC Newsbulletin For Lebanese, Lebanese Related, Global News & Editorials
For September 02/2026
Compiled & Prepared by: Elias Bejjani
#elias_bejjani_news


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Bible Quotations For today
If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ
Letter to the Galatians 01/01-10/:”Paul an apostle sent neither by human commission nor from human authorities, but through Jesus Christ and God the Father, who raised him from the dead and all the members of God’s family who are with me, To the churches of Galatia: Grace to you and peace from God our Father and the Lord Jesus Christ, who gave himself for our sins to set us free from the present evil age, according to the will of our God and Father, to whom be the glory for ever and ever. Amen. I am astonished that you are so quickly deserting the one who called you in the grace of Christ and are turning to a different gospel not that there is another gospel, but there are some who are confusing you and want to pervert the gospel of Christ. But even if we or an angel from heaven should proclaim to you a gospel contrary to what we proclaimed to you, let that one be accursed! As we have said before, so now I repeat, if anyone proclaims to you a gospel contrary to what you received, let that one be accursed! Am I now seeking human approval, or God’s approval? Or am I trying to please people? If I were still pleasing people, I would not be a servant of Christ.”

Titles For The English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on September 01-02/2026
Is There a Disgraceful Intelligence Operation to Fabricate a Judicial Case Against Director and Writer Youssef El Khoury?/Elias Bejjani/September 01/2026
Youssef El Khoury’s old worn-out sandals/Elias Bejjani/September 01/2026
Berri a greedy creature who is never satisfied/Elias Bejjani/September 01/2026
Who is Saint Simeon the Stylite, whose annual feast we commemorate today September 01?/Elias Bejjani/September 01/2026
Patriarch Al-Rahi and President Aoun Commit a Deadly Sin and Violate the Constitution by Falsely Deeming the Iranian, Terrorist Hezbollah a "Partner" and Its Formation the Result of Occupation/Elias Bejjani/August 31, 2026
Statement of Condemnation and Solidarity with Lebanese Sovereignist Writer and Director Youssef El Khoury/Elias Bejjani/August 29/2026
“Sheepishness”/Abu Arz/Facebook/September 1, 2026
Report: Most of Hezbollah members in Ali al-Taher 'have been killed'
Israel Discusses Fate of Ali al-Taher Heights and Continues Operations in the South/Expert to Asharq Al-Awsat: The Heights Are “Militarily Fallen”
More than 10 EU countries willing to contribute to Lebanon mission
US State Department: Disarming Hezbollah is an Integral Part of the "Pilot Zones" Process
South Lebanon: Latest developments
Aoun says political parties must play positive role in building state 'not destroying it'
EU: Defense Ministers Discuss Mission to Support the Lebanese Army
Child dies of wounds from Israeli cluster bomb explosion in Haboush
Heavy Israeli Explosions in Rashaf, Khiam, and Mansouri
Cumulative Toll of Casualties and Injuries from October 8, 2023, to September 1
Warning to Americans in Lebanon
Next Round in Two Weeks… Netanyahu to Discuss Negotiations with Issa Huckabee
New French Ambassador: France Was and Remains Committed to Defending Lebanon's Sovereignty
Berri: I Will Not Break with Aoun; The Current Stage Requires Concerted Efforts
French-Italian Consultations on a Post-UNIFIL Plan: A UN-Backed International Presence and Linking Stability to Hezbollah's Disarmament
Mansi Meets with Serbian President to Discuss Post-UNIFIL Phase
Kataeb: Implement the decisions to restrict weapons and stop the war before the Lebanese pay the price for the failure
General Heikal's Meetings in Jordan: Reaffirming the Kingdom's Support for Lebanon and the Army
Weapons First or Withdrawal? An Endless Debate and American Advice/Lara Yazbek/Al-Markazia/September 1, 2026
Your Eminence, Imam… To whom did you recite your psalms before you disappeared?/Brigadier General Khaled Hamadeh/Liwaa/September 1, 2026

Titles For The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 01-02/2026
New Strikes on Iran as Trump Threatens a "Major Attack"... Revolutionary Guard: America Will Regret It
US carries out fresh round of strikes against Iran, Trump threatens more attacks
US strikes Iran anew, Trump warns of 'much harder' action if there's response
Iran media says military launches 'decisive operation' against US targets
Iran Red Crescent says 4 killed, 50 wounded at wedding by US attack
Bessent says US likely to announce Iran bank sanctions this week
Blockade succeeds where sanctions failed as Iran oil exports stall
Iran parliament speaker urges citizens to cut petrol use
Qatar urges US, Iran to resume talks after flare-up
State Department issues new security alerts to US citizens in the Middle East
Top US general warns Houthi-al-Shabaab ties have ‘global implications’
Israeli strikes kill five in Gaza as military says it arrests Hamas militant
Syria site held infrastructure ‘consistent with nuclear reactor’: IAEA

Titles For The Latest English LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on September 01-02/2026
Who Will Cause Trump's Economic War Against Iran to Fail?/Abdullah Al-Madani/Al-Ayyam/September 01/2026
Dismantling Iran's Financial Shadow Networks/Fadl bin Saad Al-Bouainain/Al-Jazeera/September 01/2026
Phase of Transition, Yet Militias Control the Destinies of States/Abdul Wahab Badrakhan/Al-Watan/September 01/2026
The Mecca Pact Moves Towards Institutionalization: Curbing Iran and Israel with US Approval/Laura Yamin/Al-Markazia/September 1, 2026
Iran and the US: Always on the edge of wider war/Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Al Arabiya English/September 01/2026
Selected Face Book & X tweets on September 01/2026

Latest English LCCC Lebanese & Lebanese Related News & Editorials published on September 01-02/2026
Is There a Disgraceful Intelligence Operation to Fabricate a Judicial Case Against Director and Writer Youssef El Khoury?
Elias Bejjani/September 01/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/09/157134/
It appears that major institutions may now need to enlist the world’s leading research centers to decipher the mysteries of the security and judicial mentality prevailing in Lebanon under the “Resistance Axis”!
While the country is suffering from crises that strike it from every grain of soil to every collapsing lira, it seems that the primary concern of the country’s “sovereign” institutions—judicial, security, intelligence, and media alike—is to focus on the grand strategic mission of fabricating a judicial case against writer, director, and political activist Youssef El Khoury!
Yes, dear Lebanese citizen, whether in the occupied homeland or throughout the diaspora, you who have swallowed the myth of the so-called resistance, you are expected not to care about the collapse of the banking sector, not to scrutinize the explosion that devastated the capital, not to ask about the war in the South, the Iranian weapons, or those who control the country’s destiny through them, and all the rest. These are merely trivial details compared to the “great crime” allegedly committed by Youssef El Khoury.
A few days ago, the “Higher Islamic Shiite Council,” which is wholly aligned with the Iranian mullah regime, appeared through media leaks as though it had suddenly awakened from a deep slumber to assume the role of a universal prosecutor, announcing that it had “filed charges” against El Khoury.
And what exactly is the accusation? Smuggling the remaining uranium? Stealing Jupiter’s galaxy? Not at all. The charge is that he allegedly offended the historic event of Karbala, which Sheikh Naim Qassem and the other mouthpieces of Hezbollah exploit and trade upon politically. It is as if the tragic martyrdom of Imam Hussein nearly 1,400 years ago has become an exclusive organizational sacred domain, immune from criticism or political scrutiny regarding its exploitation. Otherwise, the judicial “demons” spring into action, issuing summonses against anyone who dares expose the deception falsely marketed as “resistance and liberation.”
As is customary for the hypocritical “resistance-axis” establishment whenever it becomes politically and morally bankrupt, it has resorted to its paid propagandists who flooded social media yesterday and today. Cheap smear campaigns and blatant lies have been launched to tarnish El Khoury’s reputation, waving accusations of treason and bribery without presenting a single piece of evidence, as though they distribute certificates of patriotism in the cafés of Beirut’s southern suburb.
But to no avail. Youssef El Khoury, a steadfast sovereignty advocate, has never taken a bribe and has never been among those who chase after occupiers. He lived through the era of Palestinian militias, endured the bitterness of the brutal Syrian Baathist occupation, and today stands firmly against the Iranian occupation and its local mercenaries. He is a man who never sold his pen and never compromised his convictions. The accusations hurled by the mouthpieces of the “Resistance Axis” are nothing more than badges of honor on the chest of a man whose words frighten them.
A question to those in power: Are the state’s judicial and security institutions still this blatantly subject to the dictates of the Resistance Axis? And do the Prime Minister and the President of the Republic accept the continuation of these farcical spectacles aimed at intimidating the free citizens of Lebanon?
In conclusion, let this system and its hypocritical jihadist and mullah-controlled arms know that the era of intimidation and fearmongering is gone for good. The truth about the Iranian project and its terrorism has been exposed for all to see, and the myths of the so-called resistance no longer deceive even an infant. The regime of the mullahs, together with its proxies and propagandists, is heading toward inevitable decline. Meanwhile, the legacy of free men—such as Youssef El Khoury—will remain shining, exposing their hypocrisy, while the merchants of historical tragedies are consigned to the dustbin of history, never to return.

Youssef El Khoury’s old worn-out sandals
Elias Bejjani/September 01/2026
Youssef El Khoury’s old worn-out sandals are more honorable than all the trivial people, the paid agents, and the street-mouthpieces trying to tarnish his reputation. Truly, it is an age of disgrace.

Berri a greedy creature who is never satisfied
Elias Bejjani/September 01/2026
Nabih Berri, a gutter man, embodies everything that is mafia-like, thuggish, Iranian, and hateful toward Lebanon, the state, the Constitution, and the Lebanese people. He is A greedy person who is never satisfied. May God relieve Lebanon from his depravity and obscenity.

Who is Saint Simeon the Stylite, whose annual feast we commemorate today September 01?
Elias Bejjani/September 01/2026

https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2025/09/146902/
The hallowed monk, Saint Simeon the Stylite, is considered one of the most prominent hermits to practice a singular form of asceticism in the history of both the Catholic and Eastern Orthodox Churches, which commemorate his annual feast on different dates. The Orthodox Church, including the Eastern Catholic Churches such as the Maronite Church, celebrates his feast on the first of September each year. In contrast, the Roman Catholic Church celebrates his feast on the fifth of January each year.
Birthplace, Date of Birth, and Passing
Simeon the Stylite was born around the year 388 AD in the village of Sisan (or Sis), a dependency of the city of Antioch in northern Syria, a region now part of modern-day Turkey near the Syrian border. He was born into a humble family of shepherds. He departed from this world on the second day of September in the year 459 AD, after a lifetime of rigorous asceticism and devout worship.
The Dawn of His Monastic Journey
Simeon’s spiritual journey began at a tender age. At thirteen, he entered a monastery near his home. He was zealous in his spiritual disciplines, a fervor that troubled his fellow monks, as he would fast excessively and engage in prolonged prayers. Among the tales recounted from that period is one of him binding a rough rope of palm fiber around his body, which caused deep wounds. When the abbot discovered this, he asked Simeon to leave the monastery, believing his extreme practices were not suitable for the communal monastic life. Following his departure, Simeon turned to the solitary life of a hermit in the desert, spending a period in complete isolation. He then moved to a mountainous region where he bound himself with iron chains but abandoned this practice after a time at the request of a bishop.
Life Atop the Column
In the year 423 AD, Simeon made the decision for which he became profoundly famed: he resolved to live atop a column. He began with a short column and gradually had it built higher and higher. The final column he lived upon reached a height of approximately 15 meters. Life atop the column was an unfathomable physical and psychological trial. He was exposed to biting cold, scorching heat, wind, and rain, and he slept only for very brief periods. He rarely descended from the column, and when he did, he would return to it swiftly. Simeon remained on the column for nearly 37 years until his passing.
The Message of His Life Atop the Column
Simeon the Stylite’s life on the column was not merely an eccentric or irrational act. It was a message deeply rooted in the Christian faith. Through it, he sought to convey several profound truths:
Purification from Sin: He believed that living in such a state of harsh asceticism would help him cleanse himself of the sins of the flesh and attain a high level of spiritual purity.
Complete Devotion to Worship: Life on the column prevented any worldly distractions, allowing him to dedicate himself entirely to prayer and contemplation of his relationship with God. He saw himself as an “angel on earth.”
A Living Testimony to the World: In an age when faith faced challenges, Simeon’s life was a living testament to the power of unwavering faith and devotion. People came from every corner to witness him and listen to him, and they were profoundly moved by his self-sacrifice.
His Most Significant Sayings and Deeds
Simeon was not known for leaving behind extensive writings, yet his sayings and deeds were echoed by his disciples and visitors. Among the most notable attributed to him are:
Perpetual Prayer: He emphasized the importance of prayer without ceasing, considering it the only way to commune with God.
Preaching and Teaching: Despite living atop the column, he would preach to visitors and teach them the principles of the Christian faith. People sought him for spiritual counsel, and he answered them with patience and wisdom.
Reconciling Disputes: His fame reached distant lands, and princes and kings would ask him to resolve disputes between them, which shows that his influence was not limited to spiritual matters alone. He was regarded as a just spiritual arbiter.
*Miraculous Works: Numerous works of wonder are attributed to Simeon the Stylite, such as healing the sick, prophesying future events, and casting out evil spirits.
Is Saint Simeon the Stylite Canonized by the Catholic Church?
Yes, Saint Simeon the Stylite is venerated as a saint by the Catholic Church. He is considered a common saint among the Roman Catholic, Eastern Orthodox, Oriental Orthodox, and Eastern Catholic Churches.
Canonization Status: Saint Simeon the Stylite is revered as a saint by the Catholic Church, and his sainthood is referred to as “pre-congregation.” This means his holiness was recognized in the very early history of the Church, long before the establishment of the modern formal canonization process.
His Legacy, Commemoration & Historical Influence
Influence: Historical records and artifacts in Europe, particularly in Rome, show that Saint Simeon was widely honored in the West as well, underscoring his status as a great figure of faith who transcended the later schisms between the Churches. The life of Saint Simeon the Stylite was a beacon of inspiration for many. After his passing, a massive church was built around the column on which he lived, known as “the Church of Saint Simeon the Stylite,” which is considered one of the most important Christian archaeological sites in the world.
Few followed his specific path of asceticism, yet his life remains a symbol of absolute dedication and sacrifice for the sake of the Faith. Saint Simeon the Stylite is a living example that faith can compel a person to transcend physical and psychological limits to achieve a higher spiritual goal. He is a saint unlike any other, and for this reason, the Church continues to commemorate him and honor him to this very day.
The author, Elias Bejjani, is a Lebanese expatriate activist
Author’s Email: Phoenicia@hotmail.com
Author’s Website: https://eliasbejjaninews.com

Patriarch Al-Rahi and President Aoun Commit a Deadly Sin and Violate the Constitution by Falsely Deeming the Iranian, Terrorist Hezbollah a "Partner" and Its Formation the Result of Occupation
Elias Bejjani/August 31, 2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/08/157089/
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRZ4e9sEe-o&t=230s

Yesterday, His Beatitude Patriarch Al-Rahi committed a glaring national mistake that violates the constitution and all legal and rights-based norms, in addition to a full-fledged deadly sin when he considered Hezbollah to be a partner in his sermon (the text of his remarks is at the bottom), where he stated: "What is required is to approach matters with wisdom and national responsibility, for the state is not built by defeating a partner, but by the gathering of all partners under its roof."
In the same falsifying context, President Joseph repeatedly says on every occasion and without occasion that Hezbollah was formed as a result of the occupation. Meanwhile, the truth—well known to him and to every Lebanese citizen—is that Hezbollah is an Iranian, terrorist, criminal, jihadist gang that manufactures and trades in all contraband. As its leaders themselves boast, they are an Iranian army in formation, ideology, funding, and reference.
The Patriarch and the President are required either to exercise their faith-based, national, and constitutional duties or resign, because Lebanon today faces a historic opportunity to rid itself of the Iranian occupation and its local gang. Therefore, official and ecclesiastical positions are important and must not be subservient, cowardly, personalized, or built on personal interests and benefits.. Enough of Lebanese leaders who are drowning in subservience, fear, personal benefits, and self-interests..

Statement of Condemnation and Solidarity with Lebanese Sovereignist Writer and Director Youssef El Khoury
Elias Bejjani/August 29/2026
https://eliasbejjaninews.com/2026/08/157044/

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=009wMFHGnf8
I, Elias Bejjani, in my own name and on behalf of the Lebanese in occupied Lebanon and the Diaspora who share my national and faith-based aspirations for a free, sovereign, independent, democratic Lebanon, liberated from the Iranian Jihadist occupation and from the domination of its Lebanese mercenary tools, condemn in the strongest terms the lawsuit filed by the Higher Islamic Shiite Council against the Lebanese sovereignist writer, director, and activist Youssef El Khoury, against the backdrop of his political views and national positions, which he expressed freely and responsibly within the framework of his natural and constitutional right to freedom of expression.
This lawsuit cannot be separated from the climate of intimidation that has prevailed in the Lebanese arena for decades, where religious, political, and judicial institutions are often used as tools of pressure to silence free and independent voices that refuse to submit to Iran’s project of domination over Lebanon and call for the restoration of the sovereignty of the state and for the exclusive possession of weapons by the Lebanese legitimate authorities.
The Higher Islamic Shiite Council was established to serve as a national reference concerned with the affairs of members of the Lebanese Shiite community and to defend their interests and rights within the framework of the Lebanese state. However, its non-Lebanese and Iranized positions and practices have led a broad segment of Lebanese, including many free members of the Shiite community, to regard it as a political institution completely aligned with Hezbollah’s choices and with the expansionist and terrorist agenda of the Iranian regime, rather than expressing the aspirations of free Lebanese Shiites who aspire to a free, sovereign, and independent state.
Turning political and intellectual disagreement into judicial prosecutions, and summoning public prosecution authorities and security agencies to confront an opinion, a position, or a historical interpretation, constitutes a serious violation of the principles of freedom, democracy, and pluralism upon which Lebanon was founded. Ideas are not confronted with lawsuits, opinions are not answered with intimidation, and intellectual debate is not settled in courtrooms.
Youssef El Khoury, this resounding voice in the wilderness of the Land of the Cedars, has exercised nothing more than his legitimate right to express his political opinion and his reading of historical events and their contemporary repercussions. Every citizen has the right to agree or disagree with him, to debate or criticize him, but no religious or political authority has the right to monopolize history, faith, or patriotism, or to impose upon the Lebanese a single interpretation of events and facts under threat of prosecution and intimidation.
Youssef El Khoury is a free Maronite committed to the words of Our Lord Jesus Christ to the scribes and Pharisees who asked Him to silence His disciples and the crowds: “If these were silent, the stones would cry out.”Luke 19:39–40,
What is most dangerous in this case is the continued use of the Lebanese judiciary in political and ideological battles targeting opponents of Hezbollah’s criminal project and of the disguised Iranian occupation of Lebanon. Instead of the judiciary being used to protect citizens, safeguard their rights, and hold accountable those responsible for the wars, destruction, corruption, and collapse that have afflicted the country, it is being employed to pursue sovereignist voices and free national voices.
Together with all the free and honorable Lebanese, I declare our full solidarity with Youssef El Khoury, and I consider that targeting him is an attack on every free Lebanese who refuses to submit to the logic of weapons and foreign tutelage, and on every person of opinion who calls for the establishment of a genuine sovereign and independent state that is subject to no foreign or militia influence.
I also affirm that defending Youssef El Khoury’s freedom is a defense of the freedom of all sovereignist Lebanese, and of their right to think, express themselves, criticize, and hold others accountable, without fear of intimidation, accusations of treason, or prosecution.
The Lebanon in which we believe is the Lebanon of freedom, pluralism, and democracy, not the Lebanon of intellectual repression and silencing of voices. It is the Lebanon of sovereignty and independence, and of the supremacy of the state over all external loyalties and axes.
Full solidarity with Youssef El Khoury.  And full condemnation of the attempts to silence free voices through lawsuits and intimidation, and through the exploitation of religious and judicial institutions to serve political agendas that have nothing to do with the interests of Lebanon and the Lebanese.

“Sheepishness”
Abu Arz/Facebook/September 1, 2026   (Google translation from Arabic)
One of the ills of Lebanese politics is that most of Lebanon’s “leaders” don’t think about future generations, but rather about the next election. Lebanon will be liberated from its enemies when it stops following its leaders like a flock of sheep following their butchers.
“Sheepishness” is a chronic disease unbecoming of a people who once exported civilization to the world… and still do. At Your Service, Lebanon

Report: Most of Hezbollah members in Ali al-Taher 'have been killed'
Naharnet/September 1, 2026
Israel is “dissatisfied” with the Lebanese Army’s performance so far in the so-called “pilot zones” in south Lebanon – a U.S.-backed mechanism that began about a month and a half ago, Israel’s public broadcaster reported. It quoted a senior U.S. official as saying that Lebanese Army officers have informed Washington that they “oppose a rapid Israeli withdrawal from southern Lebanon at this stage, fearing Hezbollah would return to the same positions.” The official added that work is underway with both sides to reach a future arrangement, but that it “will take time.”Regarding the Ali al-Taher ridge, the broadcaster reported that Hezbollah members are still present there, but Israeli assessments suggest that most of those at the site “have been killed.”Israeli news portal i24NEWS meanwhile offered a more specific estimate of the number still inside the site, speaking of 10 to 15 Hezbollah members, while Israel is controlling by fire and monitoring approximately 12 tunnel entrances through sensors and drones. Israel’s public broadcaster also reported that discussions have been underway within the Israeli security establishment for several days regarding two options: maintaining control of the Ali al-Taher ridge or transferring it in an organized manner to the Lebanese Army. Israel has also informed the United States of these developments ahead of the resumption of direct talks between Lebanon and Israel next month, the broadcaster said. Meanwhile, political sources told al-Joumhouria newspaper that "no date has yet been set for the eighth round of negotiations between Lebanon and Israel” and that “the Lebanese presidency is still awaiting a response from the American mediator, which spoke of a set of demands stipulated by the Israelis before a date can be set for the new meeting in Rome.”“These demands include, but are not limited to, granting the Lebanese Army the authority to intervene, conduct searches, and enter homes and private properties, in addition to the Ali Taher hill and the surrender of Hezbollah's weapons -- all of which are considered impossible conditions," the source said.

Israel Discusses Fate of Ali al-Taher Heights and Continues Operations in the South/Expert to Asharq Al-Awsat: The Heights Are “Militarily Fallen”
Beirut: Asharq Al-Awsat/September 1, 2026   (Google translation from Arabic)
The Ali al-Taher Heights have entered a new phase on the ground, with attention shifting from the intensity of the bombardment to the fate of the site and the nature of the control exerted over it, as Israeli operations continue across vast areas of southern Lebanon.
The Israeli Broadcasting Corporation (Kan) reported that the top security leadership recently discussed the issue of maintaining control over the Ali al-Taher Heights or handing them over to the Lebanese army. It also mentioned Israeli assessments indicating that most of the Hezbollah fighters who were allegedly present at the site were killed, information that has not been confirmed by independent Lebanese sources. Thus, the question regarding Ali al-Taher has shifted from the scale of the attacks on the heights to the nature of the control exerted over them, the fate of the facility from within, and whether talk of handing it over reflects a transition to a different phase on the ground. Retired Brigadier General Khaled Hamadeh told Asharq Al-Awsat, “The Ali Taher heights can be considered militarily lost, meaning that Israeli forces are now present in their vicinity and move around them day and night. Meanwhile, the Beit Ghandour Palace, which Israeli forces blew up, is located at the foot of the heights. Therefore, the mere fact that Israeli forces haven't entered the facility doesn't mean they aren't present in the area or that they don't control it on the ground.” Hamadeh added, “When the entrances are closed and Israeli forces are present in the surrounding area, the Hezbollah fighters inside are practically faced with limited possibilities: either they remain trapped inside the facility or they have been killed. These are all indications that there is no sign of life inside the site, although the possibility of surprises upon entering remains, whether in terms of the presence of fighters inside or the fact that some parts of it are booby-trapped.”
What does talk of surrender mean? Regarding the implications of what the Israeli media is publishing about the fate of Hezbollah members inside Ali al-Taher, Hamada said: “These reports remain field indicators and cannot be treated as definitive information before entering the facility and verifying what is inside. However, the Israelis are simultaneously trying to exploit the issue in the media and psychologically, provoking Hezbollah to say something or provide information about what is happening inside the site.” He added: “When Israel says that the Hezbollah members inside have been killed, especially if the estimates speak of around one hundred, this statement has a significant impact on Hezbollah’s supporters and its surrounding environment. Therefore, it is likely that Israel is trying to exploit what is happening in Ali al-Taher in several ways: militarily, in the media, and psychologically.” A local source in southern Lebanon told Asharq Al-Awsat that “resolving the situation in the Ali al-Taher heights is not only related to what is happening inside the site and its surroundings, but is also affected by the broader regional climate, which, in his opinion, explains why the situation in the area remains unresolved and why there has been no move towards final field arrangements.” The source explained that “any escalation in regional tensions could directly impact the south and make it more difficult to contain developments in Ali al-Taher, while a decrease in these tensions could allow for a transition to more stable arrangements on the ground.” He added that “the sensitivity of the heights lies in the fact that they have become a point where the local military situation intersects with the level of escalation surrounding Lebanon; this makes determining their fate contingent on more than one direct field factor.”
The developments in Ali al-Taher coincide with the continuation of Israeli operations across a wide area of ​​the south, from the vicinity of Nabatieh to the districts of Marjeyoun, Bint Jbeil, and Tyre. The raids and bombings extended to Kfar Tebnit and the vicinity of Qantara, where part of the mountain collapsed, as well as Mayfadoun and Doha Kfar Remman, in addition to the Ali al-Taher heights. Meanwhile, field reports indicated the use of phosphorus bombs in targeting Nabatieh al-Fawqa. In the Marjeyoun district, Israeli forces carried out a heavy bombing in the town of Khiam shortly before midnight on Monday-Tuesday. In the Bint Jbeil district, a heavy bombing was reported in Rashaf, along with a machine gun sweep towards the outskirts of Aita al-Jabal. Artillery shelling also targeted the outskirts of Haddatha and Barashit. In the western sector, Mansouri was again subjected to Israeli artillery fire from positions in Bayada and Shamaa, following repeated bulldozing, sweeping, and military movements in and around the town. Houla, Mansouri, Zawtar al-Sharqiya, and Beit al-Sayyad also witnessed waves of arson, bulldozing, and the bombing of buildings, coinciding with movements in and out of the area
“A commitment to the existing field situation”
But Hamadeh does not see the multiplicity of areas witnessing operations as evidence of a new daily expansion of Israeli activity. Rather, he considers it part of an area already open to military action. In his analysis of the Israeli operations extending from Ali al-Taher and Mefdoun to Aita al-Jabal, Mansouri, and other areas, Hamadeh rejected the characterization of them as a “new expansion of the operational area,” saying: “What is happening is a commitment to the existing field situation. This is a military term because Israeli forces are already moving within these areas, entering and exiting them repeatedly. In Mansouri, for example, Israeli forces enter and exit, as well as in other areas. Furthermore, there are established routes used for movement within the area.”He continued: “Israeli forces are patrolling large parts of the south. Therefore, I don’t see us as facing an operational area that expands daily, but rather an existing area within which Israel is operating and continuing its destruction. This ongoing destruction also constitutes a means of pressuring the Lebanese state to declare that the continuation of this situation is no longer possible and that what is required is the implementation of what has been agreed upon.” Hamada concluded: “I don’t see what is happening as meaning that the operations are moving to new areas every time, because the same pattern exists in more than one area, from Khiam to Mays al-Jabal and others. We are facing an existing field reality that Israel is working to maintain continuously, whether through military movement, entry and exit, or destruction.”

More than 10 EU countries willing to contribute to Lebanon mission

Reuters/01 September/2026
More than 10 European Union members are willing to contribute resources and people to a planned mission to advise and train Lebanon’s Armed Forces (LAF), EU foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas said on Tuesday. The proposed mission stems from the EU studying ways to strengthen the LAF to help free up the Lebanese army to focus on disarming the armed group Hezbollah.

US State Department: Disarming Hezbollah is an Integral Part of the "Pilot Zones" Process
Al-Markazia/September 1, 2026     (Google translation from Arabic)
The US State Department spokesperson told Sky News Arabia that the "pilot zones" process represents the only viable path to achieving long-term peace and security in Lebanon and Israel. He emphasized that disarming Hezbollah is an integral part of the "pilot zones" process and stressed that the "Military Coordination Group for Lebanon" will continue working to ensure the successful implementation of the first pilot zones and that the United States fully supports Lebanon's sovereignty and territorial integrity.

South Lebanon: Latest developments
Naharnet/September 1, 2026  
Israeli strikes and artillery shelling targeted overnight into Tuesday the southern border town of al-Mansouri and the outskirts of Hadatha and Baraashit. Nearby in Zawtar al-Sharqiyeh, Dhaira and Kfar Remman, the Israeli army carried out strikes and detonations while dropping flare bombs and white phosphorus. Detonations were also reported in Rshaf, Sarbine and Houla and the National News agency said violent explosions caused a partial collapse of Jabal al-Qantara.Troops advanced later in the day into al-Mansouri and destroyed buildings there.

Aoun says political parties must play positive role in building state 'not destroying it'
Naharnet/September 1, 2026 
Marking the anniversary of the declaration of Greater Lebanon, President Joseph Aoun called Tuesday for an immediate halt to conflict, a renewed commitment to national sovereignty, and the rebuilding of strong state institutions to revive the country's economy.
"The true challenge today lies in ending wars, safeguarding sovereignty, moving toward building the state and its institutions, and revitalizing the economy and business sector," Aoun said. "This can only be achieved through a collective return to the state, which alone serves as the sole authority for all Lebanese — united by the National Pact as an inclusive foundation that preserves diversity within unity."Also on Tuesday, Aoun argued that the Lebanese are weary of statelets and parallel institutions. "The choices we have made are in the interest of the Lebanese people, who are tired of war and place their only hope in the establishment of a strong, capable state," he said. "We are not against political parties, but they must play a positive role in building the state, not destroying it."

EU: Defense Ministers Discuss Mission to Support the Lebanese Army
Al-Markazia/September 1, 2026   (Google translation from Arabic)
The European Union announced that "defense ministers are discussing today the European mission to support the Lebanese army." The Irish Minister of Defense confirmed that "Ireland will participate in the European mission in Lebanon after the end of UNIFIL's mandate."

Child dies of wounds from Israeli cluster bomb explosion in Haboush
Naharnet/September 1, 2026  
A Lebanese boy succumbed to his wounds after an unexploded Israeli ordnance detonated in the southern village of Haboush, the National News Agency said. Mohammad Ali Ibrahim, whose father Ali Ibrahim was previously killed in an Israeli attack on southern Lebanon, was injured on Monday alongside another child when a bomb left behind by Israeli forces exploded in Haboush. Ibrahim later died of his wounds.

Heavy Israeli Explosions in Rashaf, Khiam, and Mansouri
Central News Agency/September 1, 2026    (Google translation from Arabic)
The Israeli army carried out a heavy explosion today in the town of Rashaf, in the Bint Jbeil district, and another large explosion in Mansouri. Phosphorus shells were fired towards Doha Kfar Rumman and Ali Taher. Artillery shelling was also reported in the outskirts of Haddatha and Barashit. On Monday night, a very large explosion was carried out in Khiam, the sound of which was heard in a number of neighboring southern towns and villages.

Cumulative Toll of Casualties and Injuries from October 8, 2023, to September 1
LCCC/September 1, 2026   (Google translation from Arabic)
A statement issued by the Health Emergency Operations Center of the Ministry of Public Health announced that “the total cumulative toll of the war from March 2 to September 1 is as follows: 4,353 dead and 12,323 wounded.”

Warning to Americans in Lebanon
Central News Agency/September 1, 2026   (Google translation from Arabic)
The US Embassy in Beirut issued a warning to Americans in Lebanon, stating the following: We advise US citizens traveling to and from the region to monitor developments related to flight operations and airport activity. US embassies and consulates have been targeted, even outside the Middle East. Iran and its proxies may target other US interests worldwide, including US companies and institutions. The US Embassy continues to provide services to citizens and process visa applications normally.

Next Round in Two Weeks… Netanyahu to Discuss Negotiations with Issa Huckabee

Central/September 1, 2026
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu met this evening in his office with the US Ambassador to Lebanon, Michael Issa, and the US Ambassador to Israel, Mike Huckabee, who are leading the talks between Israel and Lebanon. The next round of talks between Israel and Lebanon is scheduled to take place in approximately two weeks.

New French Ambassador: France Was and Remains Committed to Defending Lebanon's Sovereignty
Al-Markazia/September 1, 2026
The French Embassy in Beirut distributed a statement from the new ambassador, Patrick Durel, on its "X" platform: "I am honored to represent France in Lebanon. France was, is, and will remain, yesterday, today, and tomorrow, committed to defending Lebanon's sovereignty, territorial integrity, unity, and stability. France will always stand in solidarity with the Lebanese people. I am delighted to meet again with the dear Lebanese people and to return to my beloved Lebanon."

Berri: I Will Not Break with Aoun; The Current Stage Requires Concerted Efforts

Al-Markazia/September 1, 2026
Speaker of Parliament Nabih Berri indicated that he "will not break with President Joseph Aoun, and that the current stage requires concerted efforts to repel Israeli aggression and challenges." Berri added to his recent statements in his speech yesterday on the 48th anniversary of the disappearance of Imam al-Sadr and his companions: “Seven rounds of negotiations with Israel from Washington to Rome, while the people of the South are subjected to killing, abuse, and the destruction of their homes and properties.”

French-Italian Consultations on a Post-UNIFIL Plan: A UN-Backed International Presence and Linking Stability to Hezbollah's Disarmament
South Lebanon/September 1, 2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
A French diplomatic source reported on Tuesday that close consultations are currently underway between France and several of its partners on the UN Security Council regarding the future of the international presence in Lebanon, amidst preparations for the withdrawal of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL). A French-Italian Plan for a New International Presence: The French diplomatic source explained to Al-Arabiya.net the details of the ongoing discussions within the UN: Paris-Rome Coordination: France and Italy are working on a joint plan aimed at maintaining an international presence in Lebanon after the withdrawal of UNIFIL forces, with this presence being supported and overseen by the United Nations. Objectives of the Plan: The French-Italian plan focuses on ensuring the stability of the situation on the ground in Lebanon as quickly as possible, through continued international coordination during the negotiation and procedural phase that will follow the end of the UN force's mission. The Disarmament Condition: The French diplomatic source indicated that lasting stability in Lebanon appears closely linked to the continuation of the disarmament process against Hezbollah, which Washington considers a prerequisite for guaranteeing Lebanon's sovereignty and security. The Countdown to Ending UNIFIL's Mandate: These diplomatic moves come as the deadline for ending the international forces' mission approaches: UN Resolution: The UN Security Council, under US pressure, decided in August of last year to officially end UNIFIL's mandate by December 31, 2026. Historical Deployment: The peacekeeping force in southern Lebanon comprises approximately 7,500 personnel from nearly 50 countries and has been deployed in the south since 1978. However, its presence has not prevented renewed military confrontations and successive wars between Israel and Hezbollah. Guterres' Options and the Positions of Washington and Israel: In contrast to the trend toward ending the mandate, alternative UN proposals have emerged: The Secretary-General's Proposals: UN Secretary-General António Guterres emphasized the need for a continued peacekeeping presence after the current mandate expires. Last June, three options were presented, ranging from deploying between 2,000 and more than 5,500 UN personnel to monitor the ceasefire and support the Lebanese Armed Forces. Expected opposition: Diplomatic sources anticipate that Guterres's options will face opposition from the United States and Israel. A de-escalation alliance: France and Italy have long sought to form a post-UNIFIL alliance aimed at strengthening Lebanese sovereignty and preventing Lebanese territory from becoming a staging ground for renewed regional escalation.

Mansi Meets with Serbian President to Discuss Post-UNIFIL Phase

Al-Markazia/September 1, 2026
Minister of National Defense, Major General Michel Mansi, met with the President of the Republic of Serbia, Aleksandar Vučić, and conveyed to him the greetings of the President of the Lebanese Republic, General Joseph Aoun, expressing his appreciation for the kind invitation, the warm hospitality, and the efforts made to commemorate the 65th anniversary of the founding of the Non-Aligned Movement. The meeting addressed the options available for the period following the end of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon's (UNIFIL) mission later this year. The general situation in Lebanon, particularly in the south, was also discussed. The Serbian side expressed its readiness to continue providing support to Lebanon, especially in the area of ​​humanitarian aid and contributing to reconstruction efforts. Major General Mansi also offered his condolences to President Vučić on the death of a member of the Serbian battalion serving with UNIFIL near Marjayoun. His Serbian counterpart: At the Serbian Ministry of Defense in Belgrade, Minister of Defense Bratislav Gašić met with the Minister of Defense of the Republic of Serbia, in the presence of the Lebanese Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia, Youssef Jabr. During the meeting, they discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to develop cooperation, particularly in the defense and military fields. The discussion also addressed the importance of adhering to the principles established by the Non-Aligned Movement, foremost among them respect for the sovereignty, independence, and territorial integrity of states, non-interference in their internal affairs, and the adoption of dialogue and peaceful means to resolve disputes, thereby contributing to the strengthening of security and stability. In this context, Major General Mansi affirmed Lebanon's commitment to these principles, emphasizing the need to safeguard its sovereignty, support its legitimate institutions, strengthen the role of the Lebanese army, and enable the state to extend its authority over all its territory, thus consolidating stability and paving the way for achieving security and peace. The Minister of National Defense also accepted an invitation from the Dean of the Arab Diplomatic Corps in Belgrade, the Ambassador of the State of Qatar, Fares bin Roumi Al-Nuaimi, to a meeting with a group of Arab ambassadors accredited to the Republic of Serbia. The meeting included discussions on the situation in Lebanon and the Middle East, and current developments.

Kataeb: Implement the decisions to restrict weapons and stop the war before the Lebanese pay the price for the failure

Central News Agency/September 1, 2026
The Political Bureau of the Lebanese Kataeb Party held its meeting, chaired by Vice President Bernard Jarbaqa, and addressed the political, economic, and social developments. It called on the government to immediately move from decisions to implementation and to put a definitive end to the presence of weapons outside the authority of the state, starting with declaring Beirut a demilitarized zone and extending to all Lebanese territories, thus enshrining the exclusive right of the Lebanese state to make security and military decisions. The Bureau emphasized that "the state regaining control over the decision of war and peace is the necessary step to end the war, liberate the occupied Lebanese territories, create the conditions for the return of displaced persons and the launch of the reconstruction process, and restore the confidence of Arab countries and the international community in Lebanon and its ability to protect stability." It warned of "the worsening economic and social crisis with the approach of winter, at a time when families are preparing to secure school fees, heating costs, and fuel oil, amidst a continuous rise in prices and a decline in purchasing power." The statement called on the state to "take urgent measures to alleviate the burdens on citizens, instead of resorting to new taxes and fees," while urging the government to secure treasury resources by combating smuggling and tax evasion, curbing waste, and enhancing tax collection, thus ensuring a fairer distribution of the burden. It stressed that "any serious approach to addressing the economic and social crisis begins with ending the war and restoring stability, which would allow for mobilizing support and holding conferences to bolster the army and finance recovery and reconstruction." The statement affirmed that "this path will remain impossible unless the state regains its full sovereignty and ends the phenomenon of illegal weapons." The Kataeb Party's political bureau warned of "the danger of escalating extremist and inflammatory political and religious rhetoric, and its impact on children and future generations," calling on "the state to assume its responsibility in preventing them from becoming victims of division, violence, and hatred." It also demanded "the enactment of the necessary legislation and measures to protect minors from harmful content, exploitation, and the dangerous influences they are exposed to on social media, thereby ensuring a safe environment and safeguarding their right to a childhood free from extremism and violence."

General Heikal's Meetings in Jordan: Reaffirming the Kingdom's Support for Lebanon and the Army

Al-Markazia/September 1, 2026
Army Commander General Rudolph Heikal visited the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan on August 30 and 31, 2026, where he met with King Abdullah II, in the presence of Crown Prince Hussein bin Abdullah II, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff of the Jordanian Armed Forces, Major General Yousef Ahmed Al-Huneiti, and a number of officials, at the Al-Husseiniya Royal Palace. During the meeting, the King affirmed the Kingdom's support for Lebanon and its efforts to maintain its security and sovereignty. The King also expressed his full support for the international conference to support the Lebanese Armed Forces, to be held in Paris on September 17, 2026, with the aim of enhancing the army's operational capabilities and its ability to fulfill its national responsibilities. General Heikal also visited the headquarters of the Jordanian Armed Forces General Command, where he was received by Major General Al-Huneiti and accorded official honors. Following this, a meeting was held between General Heikal and Major General Huneiti, attended by a number of officers. During the meeting, they discussed the most recent developments, ways to enhance cooperation and coordination between the two armies, and emphasized the importance of supporting the military institution in light of the challenges it faces. Heikal also expressed his sincere thanks and appreciation to the Kingdom for its ongoing initiatives aimed at strengthening the army's capabilities, stemming from its national role.

Weapons First or Withdrawal? An Endless Debate and American Advice
Lara Yazbek/Al-Markazia/September 1, 2026
Al-Markazia - President Joseph Aoun, speaking from Greece, stressed that "the framework agreement cannot be implemented unilaterally," but rather both sides must implement it fully and without selectivity, requesting Greece's assistance in this regard. He noted, "I look forward to your continued support for the Lebanese Army and our official armed forces, to whom we have entrusted the task of rescuing Lebanon from its two chronic, interconnected crises: the crisis of occupation on our land and the crisis of weapons outside the authority of our state. This has persisted for decades, until we decided today that the only possible solution is to address both problems simultaneously and in parallel: a complete withdrawal of the occupation and the complete control of our armed forces alone over all our territory."
The political debate surrounding Hezbollah's weapons has been circling in the same cycle for over a year, its central question being: What comes first? Israeli withdrawal or the state's monopoly on weapons? According to sovereign political sources speaking to Al-Markazia, this issue was not raised after the March 2014 war in support of Iran, but rather after the October 27, 2014 agreement. It was clear from the outset that Israel, and its American backer, wanted Lebanon to begin the process of establishing a monopoly on weapons. The Lebanese government had already made this decision a year prior, on August 5th and 7th of the previous year, but it had not yet begun to implement it rigorously and decisively on the ground, until the outbreak of the second war in support of Iran. With that, the Lebanese government officially decided to delegitimize Hezbollah's weapons. But did it begin to disarm them? Again, no.
Lebanon proposed direct negotiations with Israel to stop the war and liberate the land, and it was emphasized that Lebanon would collect illegal weapons and that Israel, in return, would gradually withdraw from the south. Has Lebanon begun implementing this, if not in the volatile south, then at least in Beirut? Again, no. Today, Lebanon is again talking about the necessity for Israel to withdraw or at least halt its escalation in the south, as a first step, before the army can begin to establish a monopoly on weapons. But Washington has repeatedly told him that he cannot impose conditions, and that this approach will only make Israel more intransigent. What worries the West is that Lebanon always finds excuses for not implementing the agreement. If the Israelis withdraw, Beirut might say, "Our army is weak and incapable; arm it first so it can control the weapons!"
Faced with this endless, Byzantine debate, sources emphasize that Lebanon's interest lies in controlling the weapons, regardless of whether there is an occupation or not. This is stipulated in its constitution, the Taif Agreement, and the ministerial statement. After achieving a monopoly on the use of force, the Lebanese state will be able to confront the occupier and the international community from a position of greater strength. When will this point be understood? the sources conclude.

Your Eminence, Imam… To whom did you recite your psalms before you disappeared?
Brigadier General Khaled Hamadeh/Liwaa/September 1, 2026
President Joseph Aoun recalled the stances of Imam Musa al-Sadr on the 48th anniversary of his disappearance and that of his two companions, reminding everyone of the Imam's rejection of the South remaining a "forgotten region or a bargaining chip," his belief that "the only legitimate weapons that protect the land are those of the state," and that "security is a shared national responsibility that cannot be confined to one group over another." So, who embraced and how did Imam al-Sadr's stances after his disappearance on August 31, 1978, during his visit to Libya? Imam al-Sadr lived through three years of the Lebanese Civil War, during which the state collapsed, and all of Lebanon, not just its south, became a battleground where legitimate weapons were fragmented among armed groups supported by various regional powers, including Israel. He also witnessed the entry of the Arab Deterrent Force, which transformed into a tool for Syrian tutelage that extended for decades and tightened its grip on Lebanon. Discover Arab Events
Your Eminence, Lebanon, whose south you refused to let remain a forgotten region or a bargaining chip, has, after your passing, become a mailbox and a battleground between the Israeli enemy on one side and those who sought to liberate Palestine from southern Lebanon on the other. This occurred after all other fronts fell silent and the surrounding Arab states abandoned their slogans of "No peace, no negotiations, no recognition" and entered into disengagement agreements with the enemy. This era of impulsive adventures led to the invasion of Lebanon, the arrival of the Israeli army in Beirut, and the expulsion of the Palestine Liberation Organization fighters from its port.
Some believed that the invasion of Beirut could mark the beginning of a new phase, as the occupation led to the emergence of the Lebanese National Resistance Front (Jammoul), which was formed on September 16, 1982, following the Israeli invasion of Beirut. Lebanese youth from across the political, regional, and sectarian spectrum joined its ranks. The Front proved that defending Lebanon was not the sole responsibility of any one faction, as it carried out a series of operations against the Israelis, the first of which was on September 20th in Beirut. These operations continued almost daily until the first Israeli withdrawal to Sidon in 1987, followed by a second withdrawal in February 1985 to the border strip. However, the reality is that the new situation strengthened Lebanon's role with new elements, as the south became a conduit for communication between Syria and Israel, and between Syria and the United States, under various pretexts through which Syria sought to consolidate its unilateral control over the Arab-Israeli conflict, or what remained of it.
Your Eminence, you envisioned Lebanon as the ultimate homeland for all its people, emphasizing social justice, rejecting partition and federalism, and advocating for the integration of the Shia into the state, where they have no separate agenda. You maintained that "the only legitimate weapons to protect the land are those of the state." To whom did you preach? (Consider the geographical maps.)
Frankly, the official victory of the Islamic Revolution in Iran on February 11, 1979, and the declaration of the Islamic Republic less than six months after your disappearance, did not ignite the spirit of a unified Lebanese resistance, nor did it pave the way for the establishment of a state that defends Lebanon with its legitimate forces, as you envisioned. A significant portion of the Lebanese resistance brigades you founded—which you considered a unifying framework not tied to any particular sect but rather striving to alleviate Lebanon's deprivation and defend it against the Israeli enemy—has transformed into an ideological party led by Iran, with no connection to the diverse Lebanon you envisioned.
Since its founding statement on February 16, 1985—that the party is “committed to the orders of a wise and just leadership embodied in the Guardianship of the Islamic Jurist, and personified in the spirit of Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini, the initiator of the Islamic Revolution and the reviver of its glorious renaissance”—Hezbollah has undermined your assertion that “security is a shared national responsibility that cannot be confined to one group over another,” thus threatening one of the most important pillars of Lebanese consensus regarding confronting Israel. As Lebanon languishes under Israeli occupation and systematic daily destruction, and as Hezbollah openly clings to its weapons and its allegiance to Tehran, the President's refusal to allow Lebanon to remain a bargaining chip seems impossible while continuing to deal with these sharp and dangerous changes from a position of passive acceptance rather than active participation or partnership. With the region teeming with new changes and alliances, from Syria to the Gulf states and Turkey, encompassing the Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean, and the Red Sea, refusing to remain a bargaining chip requires courageous action, decisive stances, and firm choices to secure a new position for the salvation of Lebanon. So, to whom should the President of the Republic recite his psalms to save Lebanon? * Director of the Regional Forum for Studies and Consultations

The Latest English LCCC Miscellaneous Reports And News published on September 01-02/2026
New Strikes on Iran as Trump Threatens a "Major Attack"... Revolutionary Guard: America Will Regret It
Al-Markazia/September 1, 2026
The US military launched new strikes on Iranian targets, marking a further escalation after Washington resumed attacks on Tehran, as diplomatic efforts to end the six-month-long war faltered. Meanwhile, Iranian media reported the start of a decisive operation by the armed forces in response to the American aggression. The Tasnim news agency reported that the Iranian army launched missiles toward US bases in the region following a new US attack targeting the country today. The agency stated that "the Iranian armed forces launched a decisive operation in response to the American enemy," indicating that US bases and interests in the region would be targeted by Iranian missiles and drones. Iran vowed to retaliate against the new US attack, with the Fars news agency quoting a spokesman for the Iranian Revolutionary Guard as saying that "America will regret its new attacks." A senior Iranian military source said that "Tehran will respond to the American attacks with a response many times greater, and American bases and interests in the region will be among the targets." For its part, the Iranian General Staff indicated that "we will deliver powerful strikes" in response to the US military attacks on areas in Sistan and Baluchestan and Hormozgan. US Central Command announced Tuesday evening that "at 12:00 PM Eastern Time, US forces began launching strikes against Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran." In a statement released via X, it added, "These strikes follow recent IRGC attacks against commercial vessels in the Strait of Hormuz and against US military personnel deployed in the region." Axios reported, citing US officials, that US airstrikes targeted Iranian sites around the Strait of Hormuz. A US official told Axios that "the number of our strikes tonight on Iran could reach 100." Iranian media reported hearing explosions in several southern and southeastern regions of Iran. Iranian state television reported that a US airstrike targeted an airport in Kerman province in southern Iran. State television reported, "Minutes ago, an attack by the American enemy targeted Jiroft Airport," without reporting any casualties or damage. Iranian state media reported that four projectiles struck cities east of the Strait of Hormuz. It also reported explosions on Qeshm Island, noting that five explosions were heard in the village of Masan on the island, and four explosions in the Strait of Hormuz. The Fars News Agency reported hearing explosions in the cities of Bandar Abbas and Sirik in Hormozgan Province, southern Iran, as well as explosions in the cities of Konarak and Chabahar in Sistan and Baluchestan Province, southeastern Iran. Israeli media also reported hearing explosions in Iran. In response to the strikes, US President Donald Trump announced that "the United States launched massive and powerful strikes on Iranian targets near the Strait of Hormuz." Speaking on the Truth Social platform, he said the strikes were in response to Iran's "failed attempt" to plant naval mines in the Strait of Hormuz, asserting that the area is now clear of mines after they were removed or detonated. He added that Iran launched eight missiles toward a US military base in Jordan, noting that all were intercepted. Trump warned that Iran would face "much bigger and more powerful" strikes if it retaliated against the US attack, indicating that the next strike would not be "the biggest attack ever; that one is waiting in the wings." Trump concluded by saying that after this attack, "there will be very little left of the Islamic Republic of Iran."

US carries out fresh round of strikes against Iran, Trump threatens more attacks
Al Arabiya English/September 01/2026
The US military began striking Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC) targets in Iran on Tuesday, the latest in a new round of fighting. “The strikes follow recent attempted attacks by the IRGC against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members deployed to the region,” the US Central Command said in a statement. Multiple explosions were heard around Iran’s Qeshm Island and near the Strait of Hormuz, Iranian state television reported earlier in the day. State TV said more than five explosions were heard near the village of Mesen on Qeshm Island. Four additional explosions were heard coming from the direction of the Strait of Hormuz, according to the report.US President Donald Trump said the “large and powerful” strikes were “in retaliation for the Iranians’ failed attempt at adding sea mines to the Strait” and “the Iranians shooting eight missiles, all successfully knocked down, at our Military Base in Jordan.”In a post on his Truth Social platform, Trump said that “if the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level.”Iranian state television reported that several people attending a wedding were wounded by a US attack in the country’s south. It added that the US attack hit a “residential area” in Bandar Kuhestak in Sirik county.IRGC spokesman Hossein Mohebi warned on X that Washington “will regret its new attacks,” saying that “severe punishment awaits the aggressors.”Iran’s Tasnim news agency later said a “decisive operation by Iran’s armed forces in response to the US enemy has begun,” and that “US bases and interests in the region are being targeted by Iranian missiles and drones.”
Tit-for-tat
The US said it attacked Iranian rocket launchers on the island of Larak to prevent Tehran planting mines in the key shipping lane over the weekend. Iran responded with missile and drone attacks aimed at Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, saying they targeted US forces there. US President Donald Trump vowed at the time to “hit them hard,” telling a Fox News reporter that “there will be a response.”With agencies

US strikes Iran anew, Trump warns of 'much harder' action if there's response

Agence France Presse/September 01/2026
US forces struck Iran on Tuesday and President Donald Trump vowed a "much harder" response to any counterattacks, as exchanges of fire between the two sides threatened to reignite their smoldering conflict. Washington hit Iranian targets on Sunday in its first known strikes in several weeks, after which Tehran's forces targeted US troops in Jordan and the United Arab Emirates, and projectiles struck two oil tankers in unclaimed attacks. More US strikes came on Tuesday, with Iranian state television reporting that explosions were heard in the country's south along the strategic Strait of Hormuz waterway and on an island in the Gulf, and that US forces hit an airport in the southern province of Kerman. The official IRNA news agency said that "four projectiles hit areas within the counties of Chabahar and Konarak," without specifying whether there was any damage.
Iranian state television reported that several people attending a wedding were wounded by a US attack in the country's south. It added that the US attack hit a "residential area" in Bandar Kuhestak in Sirik county. US Central Command (CENTCOM) said on X that the strikes followed "recent attempted attacks by (the Guards) against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members deployed to the region." Trump said the "large and powerful" strikes were "in retaliation for the Iranians' failed attempt at adding sea mines to the Strait" and "the Iranians shooting eight missiles, all successfully knocked down, at our Military Base in Jordan." "If the failed Nation of Iran retaliates for this very justified attack, they will be hit again at a much harder and higher level," he said in a post on his Truth Social platform. Revolutionary Guards spokesman Hossein Mohebi warned on X that Washington "will regret its new attacks," saying that "severe punishment awaits the aggressors."Iran's Tasnim news agency later said a "decisive operation by Iran's armed forces in response to the US enemy has begun," and that "US bases and interests in the region are being targeted by Iranian missiles and drones."
Tankers attacked -
After six months of war, the foes remain at an impasse, with Iran keeping the Strait of Hormuz closed and the United States persisting with a counter-blockade of Iranian ports. Washington said its forces attacked Iranian rocket launchers on the island of Larak on Sunday to prevent Tehran planting mines in the strait's key shipping lanes. The Middle East war began in late February with the US and Israeli attacks on Iran that killed its former supreme leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei. Attacks on commercial ships in the Strait of Hormuz, through which one-fifth of world oil supplies flowed before the war, previously led to the collapse of a ceasefire between the United States and Iran. Greek maritime risk management firm Marisks said Tuesday that two crude tankers were hit by "unknown projectiles" late the previous day. One of the incidents had been publicized earlier by the United Kingdom Maritime Trade Operations agency, which added that no casualties or environmental effects had been reported. Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian meanwhile vowed Tuesday to match any US move to return to a deal aimed at ending the war. He also warned that a return by the United States to "a policy of pressure and threats could derail the path of diplomacy."

Iran media says military launches 'decisive operation' against US targets

Agence France Presse/September 01/2026
Iranian media reported that the country's military had launched a "decisive operation" against US targets in the region on Tuesday, as Washington carried out a fresh round of strikes.
The Tasnim news agency said a "decisive operation by Iran's armed forces in response to the US enemy has begun. The US bases and interests in the region are being targeted by Iranian missiles and drones."

Iran Red Crescent says 4 killed, 50 wounded at wedding by US attack

Agence France Presse/September 01/2026
The Iranian Red Crescent said on Tuesday that four people including a child were killed and over 50 people were wounded by a US attack while attending a wedding in the south. "Following a US missile attack, shrapnel hit a residential home in the city of Kuhestak, in Sirik county of Hormozgan province, where a wedding celebration was taking place," the Red Crescent said in a post on X. "More than 50 people were injured and four people, including a young child, were martyred." A video shared by an Iranian government account showed extensive debris and damage at what it said was the site of the wedding in Sirik following the US strike, with people heard screaming in the background. Earlier, the deputy governor of the southern Hormozgan province Ahmad Nafisi told state television: "Two people were reported martyred and a number of others wounded." The southern Sirik county lies along the strategic Strait of Hormuz. The United States had said it was carrying out strikes against targets of Iran's Revolutionary Guards following their "recent attempted attacks ... against commercial shipping in the Strait of Hormuz and against American service members deployed to the region". It was not immediately clear what was targeted in Sirik county. On Tuesday, Iranian media reported explosions in multiple cities along and east of Hormuz as well as at an airport in the southern Kerman province. Iran has been at war with the United States since February 28 when US-Israeli strikes were launched, killing the Islamic republic's supreme leader Ali Khamenei along with senior military officials.Iran retaliated with attacks across the region. The initial intense bombardment campaign lasted nearly 40 days but sporadic attacks mainly around Hormuz have continued, dimming prospects for a final peace agreement.

Bessent says US likely to announce Iran bank sanctions this week
Reuters/01 September ,2026
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said on Tuesday the United States is likely to announce sanctions on a bank this week as part of its economic campaign against Iran. “We are probably going to announce a bank sanction this week, and we will announce one the week after. We are speaking to our allies here, who have all come forward, and we have had a great show of support,” Bessent said. Speaking at an event on the sidelines of the US-hosted Group of 20 finance leaders in Asheville, North Carolina, the treasury secretary said the US was also looking at targeting airline leasing companies and other entities that did business with Iran’s Revolutionary Guard Corps (IRGC). “It could be entities. It could be it could be airline leasing companies, which we’ll be looking at. It could be anyone who does business with the IRGC. We are tracking down the IRGC’s assets,” Bessent said. “We have zero tolerance. We are going to economically asphyxiate this regime.”Bessent told Reuters on Sunday the Treasury was likely to unveil weekly new secondary sanctions aimed at increasing economic pressure on Iran, with an initial focus on banks.He said the next step may be cutting off an institution entirely from the dollar-based financial system. In a message directed at the IRGC, Bessent said on Tuesday: “We know where in the British Virgin Islands your accounts are at these trust companies. We know the 100 million dollar houses you have around the world, and we are going to freeze those.”Bessent said the United States has privately discussed with China how to stop Iran getting a nuclear weapon and ensuring freedom of navigation in the Strait of Hormuz.

Blockade succeeds where sanctions failed as Iran oil exports stall

Reuters/01 September ,2026
For the first time on record, Iran has gone about seven weeks without shipping meaningful crude exports through the Strait of Hormuz, as a US naval blockade succeeds where years of sanctions failed by cutting off one of Tehran’s main sources of foreign-currency earnings.
Unlike previous sanctions campaigns, when Iranian crude continued reaching buyers despite restrictions, the current blockade has stopped fresh crude cargoes reaching China, Tehran’s only major remaining oil customer, increasing pressure on government finances and foreign-currency reserves.
Since the US reinstated its blockade on Iran on July 14 as part of their six-month conflict, no Iranian crude cargoes have successfully transited the Strait of Hormuz to China, according to Kpler, Vortexa and TankerTrackers.com. As a result, Iran can only sell crude to China from floating storage in Asia, which it cannot replenish as crude accumulates aboard tankers inside the strait. “Even at the height of maximum-pressure sanctions in 2019-20, some Iranian crude cleared Hormuz every single month; at no point did outbound flows fall to near-zero for a sustained stretch as they have since mid-July,” Vortexa analyst Claire Jungman said.Iran loaded about 220,000 to 255,000 barrels per day of crude oil and condensate in August, according to Vortexa and Kpler estimates, down from roughly 740,000 bpd in July and about 2 million bpd in March. The collapse in exports is draining one of Iran’s main sources of foreign-currency income and could force Tehran to finance spending by printing money, risking even higher inflation, Kpler analyst Homayoun Falakshahi said. The International Monetary Fund estimates Iran’s inflation rate at nearly 70 percent this year, the world’s third-highest after Venezuela and Sudan. Last week, Washington sought to increase the pressure by threatening countries that continue trading with Tehran, while stopping short of immediately imposing penalties.
The blockade and beyond
Iran currently has 29 tankers inside the strait carrying 36.11 million barrels of crude, TankerTrackers.com co-founder Samir Madani said. The US blockade does not extend along Iran’s entire coastline. It sits farther south, between the Gulf of Oman and the Arabian Sea, where US Navy vessels vet ships departing from and approaching Iranian ports. Beyond the blockade zone, dozens of Iran-linked shadow-fleet tankers remain active, with 51 vessels operating in the Gulf of Oman and another 81 making deliveries in Asia or waiting off Malaysia, according to David Tannenbaum of Blackstone Compliance Services. Reuters could not independently verify those figures.
Iranian crude still for sale, but for how long?
Iranian crude remains openly available, with cargoes for September and October delivery to China being offered, traders said. They said available volumes are lower than for July and August because floating storage outside the Gulf is shrinking as no fresh supply arrives.
Iranian crude in floating storage west of the blockade line rose to 41.7 million barrels by August 26 from 35.5 million at the end of July, while total Iranian crude afloat fell to 107 million barrels from 135 million, according to Vortexa data. “China can grab whatever’s floating around in their neck of the woods, but that’s about it for now, really,” TankerTrackers co-founder Samir Madani said. Once sold, empty tankers cannot return to Iranian ports because of the blockade, leaving vessels idle offshore. Vortexa’s Jungman said 27 sanctioned tankers linked to Iran’s oil trade are currently waiting off Sri Lanka in ballast, unable to return to Iran.

Iran parliament speaker urges citizens to cut petrol use

AFP, Tehran/01 September/2026
A top Iranian official called on citizens to curb their petrol consumption on Tuesday, as the country faces difficulty importing enough fuel to meet demand due to a US naval blockade. “Of course, part of the responsibility for this high consumption does not lie with our people; it lies with our industry,” parliament speaker and top negotiator Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf said in a televised address. “But in any case, what is clear is that we need to save gasoline in our consumption.”Washington imposed its blockade of Iranian ports in retaliation for Tehran’s closure of the Strait of Hormuz, a vital conduit for Gulf oil and gas shipments. The US has also recently announced new wide-reaching sanctions aimed at further isolating the Iranian economy. In recent days, long queues of vehicles have been seen at petrol stations in Tehran. Iranian Vice President Mohammad Jafar Ghaempanah said last week that domestic petrol production was “insufficient, and because of the US naval blockade, we cannot import it.”Days earlier, the Iranian president’s chief of staff had said petrol quotas would be reviewed. Ghalibaf on Tuesday said that conserving fuel “requires collective wisdom and certainly requires the people’s cooperation. “If we consume it properly, we can manage with the amount of gasoline we produce in the country,” he said. With many Iranians feeling the pinch of soaring inflation and dimmed economic prospects exacerbated by the war, Ghalibaf also announced plans to expand subsidies. “The government and parliament are determined to increase the credit allocated to the electronic food subsidy program, especially for those income deciles that are bearing the greatest share of the economic pressure,” he said. Demonstrations over economic concerns last December ultimately spiraled into a broader anti-government protest movement that peaked in January before being quelled. Ghalibaf on Tuesday insisted that the population’s wellbeing was a priority. “In fact, all our efforts as officials should be aimed at reducing the pressure on the people so that there is less dissatisfaction, because the people’s satisfaction is a fundamental principle for us,” he said.

Qatar urges US, Iran to resume talks after flare-up

Agence France Presse/September 01/2026
Mediator Qatar on Tuesday urged the United States and Iran to return to negotiations after they renewed tit-for-tat attacks. On Sunday, the U.S. carried out strikes on an Iranian island in the Strait of Hormuz, with Tehran quickly retaliating by attacking U.S. military targets in the Middle East. After six months of war, the foes remain at an impasse, with Iran disrupting traffic in the strategic Strait of Hormuz with its blockade and the US persisting with a counter-blockade of Iranian ports. "We have said from day one that leaving the issue unresolved and trying to normalize the closure of the Strait would lead to escalation," Qatari foreign ministry spokesman Majed Al Ansari told a regular press briefing. "This is precisely what we have witnessed over the past two days," he said. "We urge the parties to exercise wisdom and return to the negotiating path, and we continue to intensify our efforts with our mediation partners to ensure a return to that path." Earlier on Tuesday, Iran's President Masoud Pezeshkian said Tehran would "immediately" reciprocate if the United States returned to a June deal aimed at ending their war. "In Qatar, in the region, in the world today, we cannot afford to accept the status quo," Al Ansari said."Discussions with our mediation partners -- whether in Pakistan or Oman -- are ongoing," he added. Last week, Qatar's Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani travelled to Tehran as part of the mediation efforts, after Iran and Oman, which border the key strait, said they were discussing a temporary shipping corridor and the clearance of mines.

State Department issues new security alerts to US citizens in the Middle East
Al Arabiya English/01 September/2026
The State Department issued new security alerts at embassies across the Middle East on Tuesday after the recent uptick in attacks between the US and Iran. Citing “tensions,” the alerts that were issued at almost all American embassies in the Middle East, including Israel, said the security environment remained “complex with the potential for unforeseen escalation.”The State Department urged US citizens in the Middle East to exercise heightened vigilance and be aware of potential flight cancellations, airspace closures, and travel disruptions.

Top US general warns Houthi-al-Shabaab ties have ‘global implications’
Al Arabiya English/01 September/2026
The Iran-backed Houthis are deepening ties with Somalia’s al-Qaeda-linked al-Shabaab, giving the militant group access to more sophisticated weapons and training while extending the Houthis’ reach across the Gulf of Aden, the top US military commander for Africa warned. “You have al-Shabaab, al-Qaeda’s largest and most lucrative affiliate, gaining access to more sophisticated weapons and training,” AFRICOM Commander Gen. Dagvin Anderson said in a recent interview. Speaking in an interview with the Wall Street Journal, Anderson said the Houthis were extending their geographic reach, “gaining a foothold that could further destabilize one of the world’s most critical economic chokepoints.”Anderson added: “This isn’t just a regional problem. It has global implications.”The emerging relationship between the two US-designated terror groups is raising concerns over the security of shipping and energy supplies through the Gulf of Aden, which connects the Arabian Sea to the Red Sea. The Houthis operate from Yemen on the gulf’s northern shore, while al-Shabaab controls territory and maintains a strong presence along Somalia’s coast. According to US, Somali and Yemeni officials cited by the Journal, al-Shabaab fighters have traveled to Yemen for Houthi training in areas including drone operations, advanced weapons and explosives. The Houthis, meanwhile, stand to gain both financial support and a strategic foothold on the southern side of the Gulf of Aden. The Journal reported, citing a closed-door briefing in June attended by US military personnel and East African government officials, that the Houthis are seeking al-Shabaab’s help to deploy radars to monitor ships in waters the two groups share. Earlier this year, a US strike killed a senior al-Shabaab militant who was working to coordinate ties between the Somali group and the Houthis.AFRICOM announced an airstrike on Feb. 9, in coordination with the Somali government, around 50 kilometers northeast of Kismayo. No details about units and assets were released to ensure operational security. AFRICOM said it would continue to take action to “degrade al-Shabaab’s ability to threaten US forces and our citizens abroad.”The Journal said this strike was the opening US effort to disrupt and degrade the alliance between the Houthis and al-Shabaab.

Israeli strikes kill five in Gaza as military says it arrests Hamas militant
Reuters/01 September/2026
An Israeli-backed raid to detain a Hamas militant in Gaza City was discovered during the operation on Tuesday, prompting airstrikes to cover their withdrawal that killed at least four Palestinians, including two children, Gaza officials said.
Israeli Defense Minister Israel Katz said a senior Hamas militant had been arrested, while Hamas official Ismail al-Thawabta said an Israeli special force had tried to carry out an operation in Gaza City before being detected.According to al-Thawabta, director of the Hamas-run Gaza government media office, Israel then launched heavy airstrikes, killing and wounding several people. An Israeli security official said the man detained is the head of Hamas’ internal security service.Some Israeli media reports said the raid may have been carried out by members of an Israeli-backed militia that operates from Israeli-controlled areas inside Gaza. Witnesses said Israeli warplanes fired at least 12 missiles near the Katiba area in the west of Gaza City, an area crowded with displaced families. At least four people — including two children and a woman — were killed and several others wounded in the bombardment, medics said. Two vehicles were hit and reduced to twisted wreckage. Another child was killed in Israeli fire in central Gaza, medics said. The explosions forced many families sheltering in the area of Gaza City to leave, including from a nearby kindergarten, residents said. In a statement on Tuesday, the Israeli military said it struck several targets in the Gaza Strip in order to remove threats to Israeli security forces. Katz did not provide details about the arrest operation or identify the Hamas militant. “This is our policy: we do not wait for threats, but rather pursue Hamas terrorists, thwart them, and destroy their terror infrastructure,” said Katz, speaking from the Netiv Hasara community near the northern Gaza border. In a separate incident, medics said a girl, Israa al-Hissi, was killed and two other people were wounded when Israeli forces operating east of Deir al-Balah in central Gaza opened fire on the area.
Ceasefire has not stopped strikes
A US-backed ceasefire that took effect in October 2025 halted the large-scale fighting that had devastated the enclave, but it has not ended Israeli strikes. The military says such operations are intended to prevent attacks by Hamas and other Palestinian militant groups.
Hamas accuses Israel of repeatedly violating the ceasefire and undermining efforts to advance a broader plan by US President Donald Trump to end the war. The plan includes further Israeli troop withdrawals from Gaza and the disarmament of Hamas. More than 1,300 Palestinians have been killed in Gaza since the ceasefire came into force last October, according to Gaza health officials. The Israeli military says four Israeli soldiers have been killed in militant attacks during the same period.

Syria site held infrastructure ‘consistent with nuclear reactor’: IAEA
AFP, Vienna/01 September/2026
A Syrian site held infrastructure “consistent with a nuclear reactor,” the UN nuclear watchdog said in a confidential report seen by AFP on Tuesday, adding that the country’s former authorities “failed to report nuclear material, facilities and activities.”Inspectors of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) last month visited two sites, one in Deir al-Zour and a second location related to nuclear material identified by Syria. “Based on observations made by the agency at the Deir al-Zour site, the agency confirms that the cooling infrastructure which has now been uncovered is consistent with that of a nuclear reactor,” the IAEA said. The agency said it would continue to monitor the activities at the site “as the excavation work progresses.”“Based on the information provided by Syria and the results of the agency’s verification activities conducted at several locations in Syria, the agency is able to establish that the former Syrian authorities had failed to report nuclear material, facilities and activities,” it said. Those include “a nuclear reactor under construction” at the Deir al-Zour site. In the report, IAEA head Rafael Grossi welcomed “Syria’s transparency and cooperation with the agency.”“Syria has taken measures to remedy the situation by providing to the agency the required nuclear material accounting reports and design information for the above-mentioned facilities,” the report said. Grossi said last month in Damascus that IAEA inspectors had found several tons of nuclear material in Syria, at a site Damascus reported to the agency last month. He praised Damascus’s “courageous decision” to report the undisclosed site, which dates back to the rule of ousted former leader Bashar-al-Assad.

The Latest LCCC analysis & editorials from miscellaneous sources published on September 01-02/2026
Who Will Cause Trump's Economic War Against Iran to Fail?
Abdullah Al-Madani/Al-Ayyam/September 01/2026  (Google translation from Arabic)
Following US President Donald Trump's announcement of launching an unprecedented economic war in history against the Iranian regime to bring it to its knees or cause its overthrow by its own people—and his statement in a post that "any country that allows its financial institutions, companies, airports, or government entities to throw a lifeline to Iran will itself become subject to massive economic consequences"—and after US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent vowed to cut off the funding lifeline for the Iranian economy by expanding sanctions to include the digital assets, technology, gold, aviation, and maritime shipping sectors, while threatening any country facilitating Iranian money laundering with exclusion from the dollar system, attention turned toward several countries maintaining solid economic, commercial, and oil ties with Iran. However, attention focused specifically on China, given that it is Iran's most vital commercial partner and largest oil importer (China accounts for roughly 90% of Iranian oil exports), and because US sanctions on Tehran will not be fully effective unless Beijing complies with them.
This holds true, to a lesser degree, for Moscow, upon which Tehran relies in other vital areas of cooperation. This is especially true since Iranian Economy Minister Ali Madani-Zadeh explicitly named China and Russia when commenting on the US decisions, stating in essence that the US economic war against his country is doomed to failure because China and Russia will neither approve of it nor comply with it. Many observers believe that countries such as Pakistan, Turkey, and Iraq—all of which have contributed in one way or another over past years to undermining the sanctions imposed on the Iranian regime through oil smuggling, barter, money laundering, falsifying ship registries, and establishing front companies—will be forced to submit to American demands. However, it is unlikely that China and Russia will yield easily, particularly since they oppose the principle of imposing unilateral economic and trade sanctions. In this context, the Chinese Foreign Ministry responded to Trump's remarks about launching an economic war on Iran's trade partners by stating that "this will not succeed in resolving tensions in the region," and noting that the Chinese do not want to set a precedent by allowing Americans to dictate with whom they can or cannot deal. As for Russia, it is effectively operating independently of the US financial system and the framework of American sanctions, bound since 2025 to Iran by a twenty-year partnership treaty. Under this agreement, bilateral trade volume has significantly increased to reach approximately five billion dollars, with Moscow supplying Tehran with large shipments of ammunition and drone spare parts in exchange for massive purchases of agricultural and fishery products, foodstuffs, and chemical manufactures.
Chinese President Xi Jinping's visit to Washington this month—the first by a Chinese leader to the US in a decade—will provide the first opportunity to gauge Washington's resolve in pushing forward with its threats against countries cooperating with Iran, especially since China is not a marginal nation regarding Iran, but rather a state that nourishes it with weapons, technology, and dual-use goods. Furthermore, China aids Iran diplomatically by thwarting any UN Security Council resolutions against it, and militarily by supplying its Revolutionary Guard with satellite imagery of American bases and facilities in the Gulf for targeting. If the Trump administration decides to deal harshly with China just like any other nation, it will further complicate already strained US-Chinese relations. While Washington holds the card of barring Chinese products from entering its vast markets or restricting them by raising customs tariffs to their maximum limits, China could retaliate by restricting the export of rare earth metals to the United States—a threat it made previously, forcing Trump to relatively back down from his tariff-related policies. Beijing might also escalate by resorting to the Taiwan card and imposing a blockade on it.
On the other hand, the United States will face the dilemma of persuading lesser states to cease their cooperation with Iran. Turkey, its NATO ally, heads the list as the second-largest importer of Iranian exports after China, followed by India, a strategic partner of the United States and a primary source for Iran's food and pharmaceutical imports.As for Pakistan—which plays an ambiguous mediating role and whose leaders received unprecedented American praise this year—it is implicated in smuggling Iranian oil, and its banking firms assist in funneling the proceeds of smuggled and sold oil back into the Iranian treasury through roundabout methods, aided by complex land routes and historical and tribal ties with Iran. In short, Beijing and Moscow are the ones prolonging the life of the Iranian regime—even if they feign otherwise before the Arab Gulf states. They are the ones that have repeatedly blocked UN resolutions against Iran, and they are the ones that will prevent the effective implementation of US sanctions.

Dismantling Iran's Financial Shadow Networks
Fadl bin Saad Al-Bouainain/Al-Jazeera/September 01/2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
Iran would not have been able to withstand international and American sanctions for more than four decades were it not for its supreme ability to circumvent them. After establishing shadow networks for its financial, oil, and commercial transactions in cooperation with its partners in the region, it secured its needs and empowered itself to continue its hostility and threats to the region, energy security, and the global economy.
Hundreds of billions of dollars flow through these networks without international and American regulatory bodies taking action to uncover and stop them, or to hold those responsible and participating accountable. Excluding Iran from the SWIFT global financial messaging system and banning it from dealing in US dollars did not prevent the execution of its financial transactions in US dollars, the opening of documentary credits to cover its purchases, the sale of oil, and the management of its massive investments around the world. Furthermore, it found in the currencies and financial network of the BRICS nations a haven to conduct its deals and trade exchanges, settle payments, sell oil, and create a parallel alternative to the dollar.
Despite the eagerness of banks and financial institutions to avoid violating US sanctions for fear of consequences, some could not resist the temptation of huge profits obtainable from Iranian financial transactions, alongside possible bribes pocketed by executives and intermediaries. The exact same applies to certain countries that provided financial platforms for Iranian transactions and turned a blind eye to violations committed by financial institutions under the supervision and regulation of their central banks, lured by financial and investment inflows, fees, taxes, asset maximization, enhanced intra-trade activity, and port operations. The temptation of commercial partnerships and high gains blinded these countries to the legal risks, the expected repercussions on their financial systems and international reputation, and the potential sanctions that would be applied to them.
The emergency, in-depth audits conducted by some central banks on banks accused by the US Department of the Treasury of violating US sanctions are a delayed measure and a direct reaction to American accusations. Permanent oversight is among the primary duties of central banks, and it is unlikely that these massive financial transactions could take place through foreign bank branches without the central bank's knowledge. Moreover, financial abuses linked to Iran can be detected by the general public without deep auditing or banking expertise. There are branches of Iranian banks spread across the region that will soon face sanctions, and countries that will be forced to pay massive fines for their economic and financial partnership with Iran.
The post-economic-war era will not be like what came before it. Previous sanctions lacked strict enforcement; Iran never stopped exporting oil and dealing in US dollars through its partners, securing its needs with absolute ease and convenience. Furthermore, Iran's partners continued to provide financial platforms for it, conduct trade deals on its behalf, and secure its various imports—including military products and spare parts—without facing sanctions or even warnings from American officials who were well aware of these financial, commercial, and oil shadow networks.
The truth is that America was not powerless to identify these violations at the time. Its Federal Reserve controls all remittances executed in US dollars, and Washington possesses a superior capability to uncover and gather financial information worldwide upon execution through its network of agents immersed in international organizations, global corporations, consulting and technology firms, and financial sectors. It is even possible that its covert agents contributed to opening alternative financial channels and helping the Iranians bypass certain sanctions for specific objectives and future benefits that far outweighed the damage resulting from those financial violations.
The economic war waged by America will not stop at Iran alone; rather, it will expand to reach some of its partners deeply immersed in its trade, financial, and investment transactions—including countries, officials, and financial institutions. Old files will be reopened, and the sanctions of the US Department of Justice and the Department of the Treasury will target various entities that believed they had immunity from American accountability in exchange for their generous services, investment inflows, and intelligence and conspiratorial partnerships.
There is no permanent immunity with the Americans, only temporary immunity to achieve specific strategic objectives. Once those objectives are accomplished, past immunities are revoked, and all provided generous services are forgotten. I reckon that the incubation period of the Iranian regime has ended, and with it, the temporary immunities and the period of silence over legal violations have also expired. The phase of reckoning and punishment has begun—a reality that some of Iran's partners recognized, prompting them to clean up their records and offer scapegoats to survive the ordeal, while others ignored it. In both scenarios, the legal, financial, and political repercussions will be harsh on commercial partners, coinciding with the economic war waged by the United States against Iran. Financial and oil shadow networks will transform into hunting nets to ensnare everyone who contributed to supporting Iran and helping the Iranian regime oppress its people, threaten regional states, and endanger energy security and the global economy.

Phase of Transition, Yet Militias Control the Destinies of States
Abdul Wahab Badrakhan/Al-Watan/September 01/2026 (Google translation from Arabic)
Militias are not an Iranian invention, but they have excelled in "sectarianizing" them, successfully exploiting pluralistic societies and fragile political environments to turn their militias into a cancerous epidemic that wreaks havoc on stability, marginalizes states, and weakens national armies. Israel itself was fundamentally established through the efforts of militia gangs before absorbing them into a single army; however, it has recently revived this violent pattern by arming settlers and backing them with army protection to carry out dirty work against the Palestinian population without attributing it to the state. Furthermore, it has gathered smuggling professionals and aid thieves in Gaza to form a militia used to kill and terrorize Gazans, contribute to their displacement, and instigate civil strife with Hamas and other militias.
This epidemic—manufactured in the laboratories of multinational ambitions—has previously dismantled countries and dispersed peoples. Sudan, Libya, Somalia, and Yemen are merely examples. Aside from having undermined the "cause" and the "state" project in the Palestinian case, it now controls the destinies of several countries in the Middle East, most notably Iraq, where Iranian influence spoils all attempts to strengthen an existing yet aborted state, or Syria, which Israel has infiltrated with a fake "zone of influence" (As-Suwayda) and uses to partition the country or "share influence" with Turkey. Likewise, Lebanon has been turned by Iran and Israel into an arena for a power struggle, caring nothing for the people and their suffering, nor for architecture and its civilizational memory. The war on Iran has only exacerbated the roles of militias and their misdeeds.
In these three countries, despite differing circumstances, militias with external loyalty have allied with all corruption systems, thus destroying the economy and embracing or utilizing terrorism, no longer having any interest in the existence of a state. Yet these countries are currently witnessing seemingly serious attempts to break away from the militia mentality and its destructive baggage, united currently by a single goal: disarming unruly weapons. This is a massive undertaking that differs very little from founding—or refounding—the state and the internal challenges it entails: from striking corruption to correct the economic trajectory, to reforming administration and the performance of security agencies, and consolidating trust in the judiciary and institutions. And when dialogue is held to "disarm" through understanding, militias blackmail the state and demand undeserved concessions.
Syria recently witnessed the successful experience of integrating the Kurdish component into state institutions, with Mazloum Abdi, the leader of the "Syrian Democratic Forces" (SDF), announcing the dissolution of this organization after the completion of its mission. This experience did not go smoothly; bloody clashes occurred during negotiations over its terms, as the SDF attempted to maintain an "autonomous region" whose establishment relied on the circumstances of the Syrian war and American support to fight ISIS. However, direct Turkish neighboring opposition vetoed its ambitions, and subsequently, the American side withdrew its support and prevented Israel from intervening in northeastern Syria. Consequently, the Kurds lost an uncertain opportunity for secession and pragmatically dealt with integration options. It will require time, legislation, and a clear will from both parties to succeed. Undoubtedly, the courage demonstrated by both sides has lent credibility to this experience, which is also supposed to reflect on the "As-Suwayda issue," for the Druze have a bright history, but in Syria, not in Israel.
As for Iraq, the government has begun a constitutional and judicial path to "disarm" militias, though it is arduous and politically extremely complex. Perhaps three elements have made it serious:
It is the number one popular demand alongside combating corruption.
Prime Minister Ali Al-Zaidi does not belong to the "mafia and militia" system and accepted the post on the condition of making a difference in the style of governance.
Washington supports Al-Zaidi and is waving sanctions against those who wish to continue looting public funds, marginalizing the state, dividing ministries and budgets, and tampering with the security of Iraq and its neighbors.
However, the intensification of visits by Iranian officials (Mohammad Bagher Ghalibaf, Esmail Qaani, the Supreme Leader's representative Mohsen Qomi, and others) has re-erected obstacles against September 30 as the final deadline to rid the country of militia dominance. Ghalibaf even advised a "formal" solution to the weapons that prevents handing them over to the state and allows them to be "stored" with the "Popular Mobilization Forces (PMF)" so they would not be "out of reach of the factions." This is a new reaffirmation that the PMF is not an institution subordinate to the leadership, meaning the Prime Minister.What unites Iraq and Lebanon is that the army has the capability to "disarm," "confine," "control," or "collect" weapons, but sectarian infiltrations fuel fears regarding its cohesion. This dissipates that capability and prevents it from embarking on the supreme mission that both peoples and countries yearn for, even before it becomes an external demand. Ghalibaf had boasted that four thousand Lebanese died for Iran, and that he is in contact with "resistance leaders" in Lebanon to encourage them to continue fighting. What matters to him is that Iran remains capable of using its "party" in Lebanon, even if it provokes further Israeli occupation. In Baghdad, Ghalibaf heralded a "new security system taking shape, with Iraq as Iran's primary partner in it," though he did not mean Iraq-the-state, but rather a few militias that Tehran needs to terrorize the Iraqi domestic front and carry out attacks against Gulf states.

The Mecca Pact Moves Towards Institutionalization: Curbing Iran and Israel with US Approval
Laura Yamin/Al-Markazia/September 1, 2026   (Google translation from Arabic)
Militias are not an Iranian invention, but they have excelled in "sectarianizing" them, successfully ex Al-Markazia – The foreign and defense ministers, along with the commanders of the defense forces and chiefs of staff of Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Pakistan, met in Istanbul on Monday within the framework of the Strategic Political and Defense Committee established under the “Mecca Agreement for Joint Defense.” In a joint statement issued at the conclusion of the meeting, the three countries announced their agreement to establish a secretariat based in Riyadh, initially headed by a Pakistani secretary-general for a three-year term. The statement added that “out of their commitment to fulfilling their regional responsibilities, the three countries reaffirm their determination to work together within the framework of the Mecca Agreement to achieve lasting peace and stability in their region. To this end, they will continue to support efforts aimed at de-escalation and restraint, thereby encouraging the peaceful resolution of crises.” He added that the aforementioned countries "agreed to take further steps to institutionalize their cooperation within the framework of the Mecca Agreement, in a way that strengthens their solidarity, ensures the credibility and effectiveness of collective deterrence and defense, and contributes to regional and cooperative security efforts aimed at achieving a just, comprehensive, and lasting peace." The Mecca Agreement is thus evolving and establishing itself on the regional stage, transforming, at the behest of its signatories, into an institution, according to diplomatic sources speaking to Al-Markazia. This indicates that its members want it to expand and become an influential player in regional balances. According to the sources, this alliance is defensive, not offensive, and may see more countries join it in the coming phase, most notably Egypt and perhaps Syria as well. It is noteworthy that it is supported by the United States and has not bothered it; on the contrary, US President Donald Trump praised the Mecca Agreement, describing it on Monday as "a big, important, and bold first step" that demonstrates that Middle Eastern countries are "coming together and how these countries will finally be able to better defend themselves." This alliance will undoubtedly create a balance, perhaps even a stronger one, with Iran, deterring and restraining it. This is certainly something that pleases Washington, but it also deters Israel and makes it think twice before attacking any member state of the alliance, because it will find the entire alliance standing against it. And apparently, the sources continue, this fact also does not bother the United States, which is eager to halt the escalation in the region and establish a lasting peace and stability settlement, the sources conclude.

Iran and the US: Always on the edge of wider war
Dr. Majid Rafizadeh/Al Arabiya English/September 01/2026
The latest flare-up arrived over the weekend. US forces struck two Iranian rocket launchers on Larak Island in the Strait of Hormuz after observing Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps units preparing to fire rockets carrying sea mines into the waterway. It was the first publicly acknowledged American strike on Iranian territory in roughly a month. Iran responded within hours, launching ballistic missiles at US bases in Jordan. Jordanian defenses intercepted most of them, though the exchange ended a relative lull and sent oil prices higher. Once again, the Iran-US confrontation sits on a knife’s edge, one incident away from spiraling back into sustained open warfare.
A fragile and unstable status quo
More than six months into a conflict that began with major strikes in late February, neither side has achieved a decisive military outcome. The United States has shifted emphasis toward a naval blockade of Iranian ports and aggressive secondary sanctions designed to choke Tehran’s oil revenues and financial networks.Iran continues to assert leverage over the Strait of Hormuz, intermittently restricting or threatening shipping while rejecting demands for unrestricted passage. Shipping volumes remain far below pre-war levels, energy markets stay elevated, and diplomatic channels produce little more than temporary pauses that quickly fray. The current arrangement is not peace; it is managed hostility punctuated by sudden strikes.This status quo cannot last indefinitely. The pressures on both sides are accumulating in ways that raise the risk of miscalculation or deliberate escalation.
Iran’s deepening economic strain
For Iran, the combination of the US naval blockade and intensified sanctions is unsustainable over the medium term. Oil exports have been sharply curtailed. Inflation has soared, with official and independent figures pointing to rates well above 60 percent and food prices rising even faster in many categories. The rial has collapsed to record lows on the free market, eroding purchasing power for ordinary households. Unemployment has climbed, with reports of more than a million jobs lost earlier in the conflict. Gasoline shortages have produced long lines at stations across major cities as domestic refining falls short of demand and imports are blocked. Iranian officials have begun acknowledging wartime economic difficulties even while publicly insisting the country can endure. The human cost is real, and prolonged hardship carries domestic political risks that the leadership cannot ignore forever.
American pressures and political timelines
The United States faces its own constraints. Elevated global oil prices have kept retail gasoline costs higher than many American consumers find comfortable. With midterm elections approaching, sustained high fuel prices create political vulnerability for the administration.
Maintaining a large naval presence, enforcing the blockade, and managing secondary sanctions impose ongoing military and diplomatic costs. While Washington has greater economic resilience than Tehran, public patience for an open-ended confrontation that affects daily living costs is not unlimited. Both capitals therefore operate under rising domestic pressure that can, at any moment, push decision-makers toward riskier military options if they conclude that diplomacy is stalled.
The core problem: Irreconcilable demands
Underlying the volatility is a wide and stubborn gap between the two sides’ core demands. Iran seeks compensation for wartime damage, an end to the blockade and sanctions, and arrangements that preserve some Iranian influence or fees over the Strait of Hormuz. It has shown little willingness to simply hand over disputed nuclear material, including stocks that remain buried or otherwise secured. The United States, for its part, insists on a fully open Strait free of Iranian controls or tolls, restoration of normal commercial shipping, and meaningful constraints or handover of Iran’s nuclear material. These positions are not minor bargaining chips; they touch fundamental questions of sovereignty, security, and political survival for both governments. As long as each side remains rigidly attached to its maximum demands, every military incident carries the potential to restart a wider cycle of strikes. The recent exchange over Larak Island illustrates the pattern: A perceived threat, a limited response, retaliation, and renewed talk of further punishment. Without movement, the conflict remains permanently one step from escalation. In conclusion, the situation will stay volatile until one side blinks first or, more likely, both begin to soften their positions enough to reach a permanent deal. A complete surrender by either is improbable. What is more realistic is a gradual narrowing of the gap in which each can claim it protected core interests while accepting limited concessions. That process requires political will on both sides to prioritize stability over maximalist goals. Until then, the Iran-US relationship will continue to hover on the edge of wider war, with economic pain and military risk reinforcing each other in a dangerous feedback loop.

Selected Face Book & X tweets on September 01/2026
Dr Walid Phares
Lebanon-Israel push for a deal
Dear @POTUS
After a successful conclusion of the first round of the Lebanon-Israel talks in Washington DC under your auspices and the signing of the framework agreement, both successes were blocked by Hezbollah who refuse to disarm in south Lebanon and threaten the Lebanese Government. Unfortunately the two so-called "pilot zones" were paralyzed by Hezbollah. Hence we propose a new move that will create a bridge between the Lebanese and Israeli diplomacies and armed forces to produce partnership and security, fast. We strongly recommend that under your auspices two task forces are formed and supervised by the State Department and Department of War. 1. A military task force under the US Secretary of War, that will include the Israeli Minister of Defense and the Lebanese Minister of Defense, that will meet at the Pentagon and at the ministries of Defense of both Israel and Lebanon.2. A diplomatic task force headed by US Secretary of State, including Israel and Lebanon's ministers of foreign affairs. The task force will meet at State in DC, then in Beirut and Jerusalem. The two task forces will hold joint meetings headed by President @realDonaldTrump to move forward. The new plan will execute serious, fast steps to disarm the militias and empower the Lebanese Army to create a vast free zone between Beirut and the international border.

Visegrád 24
Qatar has poured millions into major Canadian universities as part of a broader soft-power strategy, while Canadian campuses have become centers of intense anti-Israel activism and Islamist-linked political mobilization. At the University of Toronto, at least 6 projects received an estimated C$2.7–C$4.2 million through the Qatar National Research Fund.At the University of Waterloo, Qatari state-linked research funding exceeded C$ 3.8 million and total Qatari investment exceeded C$10.5 million when sponsored students are included. Qatari university funding in the West is associated with increased antisemitism, anti-Israel activism and the presence of groups such as Students for Justice in Palestine.The University of Waterloo ended its partnership with Israel’s Technion following sustained activist pressure while maintaining its Qatari-linked relationships.In contrast, the fellow Gulf state, the UAE, is heavily investing in Western markets and R&D centers without trying to spread antisemitism or Islamism in Western institutions

Alberto Miguel Fernandez
"In a staggering feat of irony, the cable has been redirected to pass through the immediate vicinity of real Bronze Age human burial remains. We have violated the real and the sacred for the sake of the imaginary—catering to the demands of a fanbase eulogizing a fictional grave for an elf who never existed."
*Among the problems identified are the marginalisation of Christians, inadequate political representation, corruption, poor infrastructure, limited access to healthcare and education, and a shortage of employment opportunities."
*"What would a man be in his own eyes, if he represented only himself? When each of us looks back at himself, he sees an endless succession of mysteries...We are the product of a collective that speaks within us" - Maurice Barrès.
*"The corner is therefore self-tightening: the more isolated the [Iranian] regime becomes at home, the more it must escalate abroad; the more it escalates, the harder the deal it needs becomes to sell."

UNIFIL

UNIFIL’s role has never been to enforce resolution 1701, but to support Lebanon and Israel in its implementation. Peacekeepers monitor and report on developments, maintain a visible presence, liaise with the parties to help prevent escalation — all in support of stability.

Emma

BREAKING: Greece has announced that it will close 60 mosques throughout the country and deport those who continue to illegally build Islamic religious spaces.Greece is fighting against the Islamization of Europe.

IsraelArmy

BIG BREAKING:
https://x.com/IsraelMilitaryX/status/2094595361231057336/video/1
The final stage of the war has arrived. Israel has lost control of the situation and launched strikes on Iranian command centers, destroying several missile launch sites.
Iran is now reportedly unable to carry out direct missile attacks. This could be a major victory for Israel. If you want Israel to win, claim it: Ameen.

Gublo
A Middle Eastern Muslim family moving to Saskatchewan is easily take advantage of the system in ways most Canadians do not realize. There are numerous families with six children in Regina and Saskatoon area. Since they may be unemployed due to a lack of work skills or English proficiency, the government provides them with $2,015 per couple for families with three or more children. In addition, each child receives up to $679 from the CCB. Combined, the family receives nearly $6,000 a month, which equals $72,000 a year.
Little give and take, lets say they make $$67,000 to $72,000 a year. An average person needs to earn $108,000 in gross income to make $70,000 a year as your net income after taxes and deductions.A migrant family will get that for free. $72,000 a year is what they have never ever seen even in their lifetime in their backhome.This country is cooked..Just think about whole scenario.. This is so pathetic…

Mel Gibson

THIS SHOULD ENRAGE THE WORLD.
Christians are being killed in Nigeria for their faith. Churches attacked, families terrorized, believers kidnapped and murdered for refusing to abandon Jesus Christ.
Their lives matter. Their suffering matters. Stand with persecuted Christians.

Mor Edge Insight
A special unit of the IDF went in to West Gaza City and abducted the head of Hamas’s internal security and intelligence, Moein Al-Arabid. He is the equivalent of the head of Israel’s Shin Bet. We wanted him alive, otherwise we would have just killed him.
And I absolutely assure you that we will make him talk. We have ways to make him tell us anything and everything we need.

David Burke
Several prominent Democrats, including Lt. Gov. Peggy Flanagan (D-MN) &
@AOC, have recently worn the hijab as a sign of "solidarity" with the Muslim community.
Now it’s Gov. Kathy Hochul. The hijab is actually symbol of subjugation that Muslim women are forced to wear under threat of rape, arrest. In Iran, women are routinely beaten, jailed, and even killed for refusing to wear the hijab.Which is why France bans the hijab in public schools and full face coverings in public spaces. America should take a lesson and care more about women.